The Times from San Mateo, California • Page 32

In Person Speaking Out for the Positive Role the Jewish Mother that the disorientation inherent in California life has made an effort at bringing her people closer imperative at this time. ''We've lived 15 years on a cul de sac here in Hillsborough and, in that period of time, 13 families have moved into the five houses around us. There is tremendous mobility here. If you invest time and effort into making a friendship you are apt to find the person leaving within a short period of time. "This is where the church or synagogue can come in and accomplish something for people as human beings.

Really, this is the only insti Conlinueci on Page 6A groups here in this country can and often do lose their identity in America as the great cultural leavening process occurs. Here in California this is even more marked as the rate of change and innovation in society tears at the fabric of tradition, "There is a great need for community now," she says. 'This, is symptomatic of Jews living here to be sure. It used to be that Jews would tend to cluster around their synagogue and thus create a kind of instant community on their own. I'd like to see us here get back to that kind of community, to that concept," From here own experience, this unique woman has found Joshua Jaffe, sees her role at the San Mateo temple as being one of unifying the congregation into a community where there is a sense of a cultural bond and family tie.

"My plans are long range ones. I'd like to see a baste change in the synagogue itself. It's always been in Jewish life that the family takes care of most of the family life information. This is not true of the synagogue. But I believe that the synagogue ought to offer guidance.

Judaism has a tradition of family life but the religion has become oriented to ritual." Mrs. Jaffe, a native of England and the mother of four children, feels that Jewish people like other minority dent of a Reform Jewish Temple here in the Bay Area, Mrs. Jaffe has sound reasons for wanting to be heard on this issue. After all, one very real sense, as the new president of Peninsula Temple Beth El, San Mateo, she has now become a Jewish mother for an entire congregation. "I think there is a real basis in fact about the Jewish mother syndrome," she says.

"And I think that's good. But it's a disservice when society picks up the example of someone like a Mrs, Portnoy as being typical. There are some very good aspects of what the Jewish mother is, too." Mrs. Jaffe, 47, and the wife of IDllsborough businessman at the Summit; Will He Topple? Zara Jaffe unique place in he temple. By JOHN HOUGAN The image of the Jewish mother ha3 become something far from positive here in America.

Writers and comics have succeeded in creating a picture of this much maligned breed which borders now on the tragic. Site is painted as being a fearsome combination of ag gressive, Know re 111 repression and neurosis producing suffocation. The end result of the Jewish mother's labors of love for her children is said to be nothing short of disaster, both mental and spiritual. Zara Jaffe of Hillsborough would like to take exception to that view, however. Ac Hip First woman Dresl The Games man In just one week, Bobby Fischer of the USA will play Boris Spaasky of the USSR fox the chess championship of this planet.

If Bobby wins it he will be the first American ever to win the title. He is already the first American to win the right to play for the title and that in itself is a great accomplishment. But Bobby Fischer is not the first great American chess player. That honor went to one of the greatest chessmasters.and one of the most flamboyant players who ever lived. His name was Paul Morphy and he conquered the entire chess world long before there was an organized or recognized championship.

Paul Morphy did it all and was finished at the age of twenty eight. Morphy came from a cultured family background in old New Orleans. He was born in 1B37 of an Irish Page 2A THE TIMES WEEKEND in Bobby never proven at the age of Paul Morphy left a mark forever on the game of chess and his games are still replayed with wonder. Until now, he has been the one American chess player to scale the heights. And now it is up to Bobby Richard Moon Fischer, a young man who has devoted his life to the game.

Bobby has put together the greatest string of vic tories of any modern master. It would do a great deal for chess in this country if he could win the title and, for that reason, we wish him luck (an element that supposedly does not exist in chess). With Times Columnists AP, UPI Hewsfeatures with only one loss in the New York Congress Tournament. Victory followed brilliant victory until Morphy dominated the entire chess world. His skill was so great that he gave the master, James Thompson, the odds of a knight and won the match.

Later, he made the standing offer to any American player to give odds of a pawn bat not a single player would accept the challenge. Morphy was absolutely great, but the story does not have a happy ending and Morphy became a tragic figure. He returned to New Orleans and opened a law office but people could not take him seriously as a lawyer. They persisted in regarding him as a chess player and nothing more. He fell in love but was rejected.

His law office was closed and his life took a downhill turn. He died under mysterious circumstances satcide was suspected but Spanish father and a French Creole mother. As a young boy he was studious and reserved and' he learned to play chess at about age ten. 1 The young Morphy first came to the attention of the serious chess world when only thirteen. He defeated a well known international master by the name of Jo hann Lowenthal, Lowenthal was so taken by the boy that he remained his friend for life and published a collection of Morphy's games.

After his initial triumph, Morphy stayed away from chess to concentrate on his studies. At the age of nineteen he received his degree and was admitted to the bar on the condition that he would not actually practice law until he became twenty one. His first major chess tournament followed when he defeated fifteen other players Saturday, June 24, 1972 INSIDE WEEKEND: WHEELS: A Leader in Safety TRAVEL Mexico's New Resort City FtlSHT LOG: Travel is Taxing THE 0UTO0ORSMAN: Salmon Country 1 POP CORKER: I Meets Symphony 1 HOMES: Garden Almanac, House Plan I6 ENTERTAINMENT: Films, Drama, Books, Art 1M9 Editor, JANE BARBER.