Even the most qualified

One long table in a private dining room was sur-rounded by

a group of young girls, evidently sorority sisters.

Most of them were smoking cigarettes,

puffing the smoke upward to the ceiling. Even the most qualified

anthropologists would not have been able to tell that they were Jewish. It

seems that the characteristic Jewish nose is disappearing. . . .

At another table, a group of young rabbis,

most of them former chaplains, were entertaining one of their colleagues who

had just returned from the Pacific after serving for over two years. Some of

them had their reb- betzins with them. They urged their guest that he too get

married. To which he explained, “As soon as I get a pulpit, I’ll start looking

for a life companion.”

At another table four real estate men were studying a blueprint of a building. They studied it silently… After all, real estate has a lot of secrets and the walls have ears. However, the quiet of the room was disturbed when a cup of coffee was spilled over the blueprints and some of its hot contents poured over the trousers of one of the company.

In the center of the club, eight young women sur-rounded an elderly lady all of them acting in a dignified manner though one could detect a feeling of uneasiness. This was true of all except one who was making noise with her soup, assuming an attitude of “what do I care!’

All in all for one who wanted to enjoy a

peaceful meal this was the ideal evening.

Suddenly the door of the kitchen opened and

out came one of the waitresses carrying a huge cake with candles in it.

She brought it over to the table where the elderly lady and the eight young women were sitting. The song followed “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you. …

Ordinarily under such circumstances people

join in singing this beautiful song. This time, however, the sing-ing was

limited to the young women at the table with the old lady. The rest of the

guests did not participate. They merely raised their heads in the direction of

the table.

The sorority sisters broke into snickers.

The old lady was almost exhausted in trying

to blow out the candles on the cake.

Mr. and Mrs. Max Rosovsky were driving home

in their automobile after a heavy dinner at the club. They were discussing the

birthday party at length.

“I can’t understand it,” Mrs. Rosovsky

remarked. “I know Mrs. Pinsk well. I know her husband and I knew her children

when they were quite young. Since they have a fine home of their own, why have

a birthday party in public and disturb other people who are not interested?”