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September 17, 1948 - Image 6

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Text
Publication:
Detroit Jewish Chronicle, 1948-09-17

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rage Four

Friday, September 17, 1945 1

DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE

Detroit Jewish Chronicle

'Course You Don't Have to Take It

published Weekly by Jewish Chronicle Publishing Co., Inc., 548 Woodward, Detroit 26, Mich., CA. 1040

SUBSCRIPTION: 63.00 Per Year, Single Copies, 10c; Foreign, $5.00 Per Year
lantered u Second-clan matte, March 3, 1916, at the Post Office at Detroit, Mich., under the Act of March 3, 1879

SEYMOUR TILCHIN, President

Vol. M, No. 35

GEORGE WEISWASSER, Editor-in-Chief

Friday, September 17, 1948 (Ellul 13, 5708)

Vocational Service 'Walkout'

Six weeks have passed since all three
members of the professional staff of the
Jewish Vocational Service "walked out" in
a body in protest against alleged inefficiency
of the agency and the domineering attitude
of its two executives.
Because of certain unprofessional prac-
tices listed by the workers, the usefulness
of the service to the community has been
seriously impaired, according to the charges
presented by them to the board of trustees
of the agency and to the Jewish Welfare
Federation of which it is a part.
Meantime, this important organization
has been groping along without a staff and
its functions considerably diminished.
The Chronicle has no way of knowing
whether the accusations leveled against the
two directors responsible for the agency's
policy are justified. This paper has received
individual complaints against one of the
directors but was unable to follow them
up because of refusals to press charges
publicly.
We are told by some sources that the
agency as a whole has been held in some
disrepute in professional circles, but, then
Again, this is just hearsay.
We believe that a full-fledged, public
Investigation of the agency is in order.
Those making the investigation, we feel,
should be chosen' for their objectivity and
professional standing. We would, of course,
object to the appointment of anyone pre-
viously connected with the JWF as patently
prejudiced.
The three workers who resigned should
be given an opportupity to voice their
charges and the two directors should be
permitted to reply.
We do not think the Jewish public which
helps to finance the Jewish Vocational Ser-
vice through the Allied Jewish Campaign
will countenance continued delay of the in-
vestigation or an unwarranted whitewash-
ing of the administrators.
What the public should have is speed so
that the agency can get to work again, and
a full and fair inquiry so that the alleged
abuses and incompetence can be eradicated
if they exist.

DETROIT 26, MICH.

A New Beth Shmuel

The dedication of a new house of prayer
is a matter of rejoicing to the entire Jew-
ish community. We are certain we para-
phrase the sentiments of all Jews in the
city when we offer to Congregation Beth
Shmuel our felicitations on the opening of
its new Synagogue building at Dexter and
Buena Vista.
As Detroit Synagogues go, Beth Shmuel
is a youthful congregation. Founded only
two decades ago through the devotion of its
beloved Rabbi Joseph Rlibinowitz and the
loyalty and perseverance of a small group
of folloWers, it takes its place today as one
of the most beautiful and most influential
orthodox congregations in the city.
The new edifice, we are confident, will
prove an inspiration to its supporters; It
will be a tower of strength and encourage- r_naitt itessetstimans tients iminientlItiittilittli ,teltit t itifitentlentralittenntittelOtaio...ffltoll111S11
ment to. them through the years, a center
of rejoicing in their worship and activities,
a source of consolation in sadder hours.
By Seymour Tilehin mmommen
May Beth Shmuel's House of God ever
be a fountainhead of joy and blessings for SINCE THE ARRIVAL of my for the world will look upon hint
its members and the community!
new son, I haven't been able with greater respect since he

Random Thoughts

Israel's Constitution

Reverence for the lofty teachings of the
Jewish Prophets as well as affirmation of
the tenets of democracy mark the prelim-
inary draft of the constitution of the State
of Israel.
Dr. Leo Kohn, adviser to the Israeli
foreign office who is writing the draft, re-
vealed that his committee of experts is
being guided by the Bible, particularly by
such Prophets as Amos who railed against
those who "oppress the needy and crush
the poor" and who reminded Israel that, to
God, Its people were no different from the
sons of the Ethiopians.
It was Amos who cried out also against
the gifts of fat oxen for the sacrifices in
the Temple when the Almighty asked rather
that justice and righteousness should gush
forth like a mighty stream.
With such principles to guide them,
those drafting Israel's supreme law will
present a constitution that is destined to
stir the imagination of mankind as did that
of our own nation in 1787.
The preamble to the constitution of
Israel will contain a three-point pledge of
peace, justice and security for all. The
last will be carried out by legislation pro-
Britain Softent
viding guarantees to all Israeli citizens of
The report by Oscar Cohen, executive social insurance, "an equitable share of the
director of the Jewish Community Council, national income" and an adequate education.
that public opinion in Britain is becoming None can say that these provisions are not
more friendly to Israel is heartening.
among the most advanced in the realms of
Cohen has just returned from a six- political science and human relations.
Like the constitution of our country,
week visit in Britain and France. He met
with some of the top leaders of the British the proposed Israeli constitution 'divides the
labor party and had extensive talks with government into executive, legislative and
them. Among them was one cabinet mem- judicial bodies and bestows the greatest
ber who, it is generally predicted, is des- amount of power in the legislative elected
by the people.
tined to be a prime minister of England.
The legislature will be unicameral with
Cohen attributes the changing views on one representative for each 10,000 persons.
Israel in part to the influence of the younger The one-chamber idea is an excellent one,
labor leaders who have been fighting Bevin since it assures speed and a minimum of
and his obstinate, neurotic bias against bickering and rancor in the passage of legis-
the Jews.
lation.
We do not want to belittle the sincere
For those who complain that a second
labors of these honest, young statesmen. chamber is necessary to serve as a brake
But we are more inclhied to the viewpoint to poorly-conceived legislation, some pro-
that whatever change there is in Israel's- vision can be made for reconsideration be-
favor is rather due to the fact that the fore final passage.
Jews have given the Arabs a good drubbing
One of the sections which will receive
and there is little likelihood now that the greatest applause from Americans is
Britain will be back in the saddle on the that guaranteeing freedom of speech, wor-
eastern shores of the Mediterranean under ship and the press, basic concepts of the
American Bill of Rights.
Arab sponsorship.
There is a limitation in the Jewish
Israel's potential of influence, politically
and economically, in the Arab world is enor- guarantees with which Americans will , sym-
mous. If Britain wants a finger in the pie, pathize. Freedom of speech is withheld
she realizes she had better patch up her from publications or movements which ad-
difficulties with Israel and give the new vocate the suppression of human rights,
fundamental freedoms or the democratic
?nation a friendly nod now and again.
system of government.
Israel's fortunes, it seems to us, can
In this way, there is some assurance
'well be gauged, by Britain's feelings towards that totalitarian forces will not be able to
the Jewish State. Just now, things are use the constitution of the state they seek
going well with Israel. Watch for a con- to undermine to nrotect them in their
tinued softening of the British attitude.
machinations.

nor did I have the inclination to
keep up with curre4 affairs.
Between his mother in the hos-
pital and my other two boys at
home, I had my hands full of
current problems of my own.
However, both mother and baby
are doing well—and father will
again get back to his normal pur-
suits by the time the next col-
umn appears.
I have, however, tried to give
some th.yg ht to the future of my
new born son. A great deal has
happened since my second son
was born. What is -in store for
them as American citizens and
as Jews?



• •
THANKS TO ALMIGHTY
NEEDLESS TO SAY, in the

present world chaotic condition
my son's future as a citizen of
this country is no different from
that of any other person. Thank
God he was born in this great
land of ours—and despite our
present hysteria and witch
hunts — we still have the great
pillars of support and protection
in our Constitution, our courts
and the good common sense of
the American people.
As a Jew, I think his future
holds greater promise than ever
before, He will no longer have to
think of himself as a son of a
homeless people, but rather as a
descendant of a valliant, undying
people, who against all odds,
fought for survival and accom-
plished it.
• • e

CENTER OF TOLERANCE
IN THE YEARS to come he

will be in a position to point with
pride at the greatest little De-
mocracy in the world—flourish-
ing as a center of culture and tol-
erance.
His position in the diaspora
will have been greatly improved,

will no longer be the scapegoat
of all evils.
There will be a voice among
the nations of the world —
champion tolerance versus hate,
be it against a Jewish minority
or any other minority.

• • •
TOO OPTIMISTIC' '

AM I TOO optimistic? Well,
to a certain extent. Actually, the
destiny of my little son—and of

the new-born State of Israel —
are closely interwoven with the
course history takes in the reef
of the world.
Yet, the world can learn a
lesson from JeWry. Despite all
odds, despite all the evil forces
that were organized. both within
and witbdut Jewry, to hamper
and forestall the creation of the
little State, a great humanitarian
act was accomplished.
It didn't come as a gift; it re-
sulted because people gave tin-
selfishly of their time, money, ef-
fort and even life.
• • •

'JEWISH BOMB'
RECENtLY, I WROTE about

a hate pamphlet being circulated
in this country entitled "The
Jews Have The Atomic Bomb."
It might be well to buy up
these pamphlets and circulate
them in the Arab countries. Corn-
ing from such authentic, anti-
Semitic sources, the story might
bring about a peace settlement.
A real story has been circulat-
ing among the Arabs that the
Jews have approximately 30
atomic bombs.
Whenever an Arab approaches
an Israeli and asks him if the
story is true, the Israeli denies it
vehemently.
"No," he says, "we don't have
30 atomic .bombs, we only have
three."

Jabotinsky Policy Vindicated
by New State, Says Koestler

NEW YORK (WNS) — Almost
every point in Vladimir Jabotin-
sky's program, with the excep-
tion of "his stubborn fight against
the partition scheme," has been
vindicated by the trend of pres-
ent. events and implemented by
official Zionism, Arthur Koestler,
author and correspondent, de-
clared in an article in the New
York Herald Tribune.
Asserting that Jabotinsky,
founder of the Zionist-Revision-
ists and the youth organization
Betar, was a "remarkable and
misunderstood figure" doomed to
defeat because during his life-
time the Jews were not ripe for
their "Garibaldian march to rev-
olution," Koestler pointed out
that Jabotinsky's demand for a
Jewish State as the ultimate aim

of Zionism, his insistence on a
Jewish army and on the western-
ization of Israel have been fully
realized by the creation of the
Jewish State.
But though Israel was not ripe
for "its Garibaldi, who was born
a couple of decades too early,"
Koestler stressed, Jabotinsky it
now beginning to reap the post-
humous awards which history
"bestows in such cases.
"In Israel's deficient pantheon,
where whole centuries are repre-
sented by empty towns, he will
fill the place of the nineteenth
century liberal patriot—the miss-
ing link in the abrupt transition
of eastern Jews from the Tsarist
ghetto to the advanced social ex-
periment in Palestine."

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