Friday, April 15, Mt
DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE
Page Four
Detroit Jewish Chronicle
Published by the Jewish C hronicle Publishing Co., Inc.
2827 Barium Tower, Detroit 26, Michigan
Friday, April 15, 1949
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t••••
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GEORtE WE1SWASSER, Editor-in-Chief
(Nisan 16, 5709)
In Brief . . .
The Passover liagadah instructs us that
we are always to think that it was not our
ancestors, but we ourselves whom the Lord
delivered from Egypt. These words seem
particularly appropriate today, for we have
witnessed an event like that in which our
ancestors participated. Our own times have
seen the most terrible of all oppressions
of the Jews and, when darkness and doom
seemed all around, we witnessed the grand-
est of all phenomena—the rebirth of a na-
tion. We have witnessed miracles in con-
nection with this rebirth which truly match
the marvels of Scripture. Had we not seen
them with our own eyes, as it were, we
would not believe them. When did one small
nation fight single handed against a whole
world and triumph, as did the people of
Israel in these very days? If Passover ever
seemed a thing of remoteness, of archaeology
and ancient history, today the story of the
Exodus related in the Bible seems as near
as the news report in the morning news-
paper!
Year of Exodus
We are told that in this, the modern Year
of Exodus, 250,000 Jews can begin new lives
in Israel. Yet in the current re-enactment of
that great story, we are confronted with one
singular difference: No signs in the heavens,
no display of miracles, have accompanied the
event. Rather it is truly a "night of watch-
ing" ih which the Jewish people, throughout
the world, must by their own efforts rescue
their less fortunate brethren who have lived
through r decade of suffering beside which
the ordeals of their foreb'earers in Egypt pale
in' comparison. For us, the Jews of America,
there can be no watching. It is we who must
provide the pillar of fire, the pillar of cloud,
the manna from heaven. It is we who must
act. To do this we have raised one of the
mightiest instruments of survival — the
United Jewish Appeal. This year we not only
observe and commemorate Passover; we are
witnesses to its almost liberal reenactment.
Yet ritual and prayer are not enough. If we
mean our prayers, they must be backed up
this time with generosity beyond any in the
past. The end of this 20th century Exodus
story is in our hands. This is the year the
homeless are coming home.
*
r".
WOodward 1-1040
SUBSCRIPTION: $3.00 Per Year, Single Copies, 10c; Foreign, $3.00 Per Year
Entered as Second-clan matte, March 3. 1916, at the Pon Office at Detroit. Mich.. under' the Act of March 3. 1879
SEYMOUR TILCIIIN, President
The Exodus Ends
*
Even the Good Are Blind
We Ought to let the whole matter die a
natural death. But we cannot let go un-
challenged the statements of such distin-
guished and learned citizens as Senator Van-
denberg, Gov. Frank Lausche of Ohio, Lt.
Gov. Goodwin Knight of California, MSC
President Hannah and others praising
George A. Richards as "fair and unbiased,"
"good American citizen of excellent reputa-
tion" and "courageous American." We cite
these as an example of how men who should
know better permit themselves to be blinded
by partisanship and by credulity. Richards,
whom all these people acclaimed so, con-
fidently, withdrew from the ownership of
three major American radio stations becaUse
he had no defense against charges of bigotry,
intolerance and un-Americanism in ordering
slanting of the news over his stations. Is
this the courageous and splendid American
the statesmen and educators deem worthy
of honor?
Internal Friction
' We regret that the Jewish Post of Indian-
apolis saw fit to publicize the intra-Zionist
friction in Detroit over the invitation to Am-
bassador Elath to address Zionists here last
February. The matter was an internal
squabble of the type that plagues so many
Jewish organizations and the less said about
them the better. Frankly, we do not believe
that the question of who invited the am-
bassador first was of such momentous im-
portance that the issue should have been
raised in the Zionist district meeting. There
is a certain amount of rivalry between the
Detroit 26, Michigan
ZOA group and the Labor Zionists and a
little maneuvering for advantages here and
there should be expected. Both groups
should be ready to unite on matters of con-
sequence to Israel rather than seek private
glory. A strong Zionist Council here with its
constituent groups working together har-
moniously would be a great asset. It ill be-
comes any member group to be divisive and
self-seeking when the greater goal of a
strong Israel should be welding the units
together.
*
*
Moderation Wins Peace
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The signing of the armistice agreement be-
tween Israel and Transjordan is a vindica-
tion of the position of the Israeli govern
ment which has consigtently maintained that
direct negotiations Were the most effective
method for achieving peace. It is more than
that, it is a victory for the moderate foreign
policy of the labor government of Israel and
A Vision in Form of a Midrash
a victory for the forces of liberalism and
peace in the world. It is no secret that the
By RABBI JOSEPH TIIUMIM
extremists in Israel are displeased with the GOD, calling Jeremiah the Prophet: "Jeremiah! Go, awake the
agreement and demand more militant terms.
Patriarches, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Let them return with
But the cabinet of Ben Guiron has consist-
their children to their Homeland!"
ently followed a policy of moderation which JEREMIAH: "Father in Heaven! I am the man who saw suffering.
is the only way that will lead to real and
My voice is still hoarse from the Lamentations over the destrue-
4ion of Jerusalem. Send the Prophet who wrote, 'Comfort ye,
permanent peace. After all, it is not only the
comfort ye my pec opler Let his voice resound in glory with the
signatures at the peace table that bring
tidings of redemption."
peace. It is the goodwill of the people who
will have to live together and make peace GOD: "No, Jeremiah! Thou hast aroused them at the time of the
destructions, therefore thou shalt also awaken them to see the
work.
Our Redemption
Drive Aids Local Agencies -
Last week, we corrected the erroneous be-
lief among many prospective givers to the
Allied Jewish Campaign that, with the
establishment of the State of Israel, the new
nation should be self-sufficient and take care
of its own needs. We pointed out that many
services that a State is seldom called upon
to offer, such as the transport and rehabilita-
tion of hundreds of thousands of immigrants
who crowd into the land, is now demanded
of Israel, and that the tiny State could not
possibly perform this titanic task of mercy
without the support of its American well-
wishers. Today, we should like to correct
a second error in the information of possible
campaign contributors. The campaign, which
does contribute a huge percentage of its in-
come to the United Jewish Appeal on behalf
of services outside this country, still must
do its share in financing national American
institutions such as the American Jewish
Congress, Joint Defense Appeal, National
Jewish Welfare Board, and local agencies
like the United Hebrew Schools, the
Yeshivah, the Community Center, the Home
for Aged and many others. When you give,
you are giving for your at home needs also.
We should like to see more allotted to local
agencies, but we believe all Jews will agree
that the overseas needs again come first in
1949.
*
Population Figures
That the number of Jews in the U.S. is
smaller than has been usually claimed has
been established by a thorough investigation
in the 1949 Jewish Year Book published by
the American Jewish Committee and the
Jewish Publication Society. The number of
Jews in the U.S. has been usually given as
more than five and nearer to six millions.
The Jewish Year Book makes it clear that
this is an exaggerated figure based on an
error of 12 years ago. The number of Jews
in the U.S. is nearer to four and a half
million than six. Seventy five percent live
in the big cities. Detroit's Jewish inhabitants
are set at 90,000, just about the figure gen-
erally estimated. The new Jewish Year Book
is the 50th and the last under the editorship
of Harry Shneidermann, one of the most
learned and amiable figures in American
Jewish social life of the last generation.
Schneidermann is retiring because of an un-
fortunate eye-ailment which incapacitates
him for an exacting task like the editing of
the Jewish Year Book, but he retires'after
establishing on a sound basis a fine cul-
tural institution in American Jewish life.
redemption."
JEREMIAH appears at the Cave of Machpelah and calls: "Arise!
Arise from your graves and behold what is happening to your,
children!"
THE PATRIARCHS: "We recognize your voice, Jeremiah. Have you
acome once more to show us the sufferings of our children?"
JEREMIAH: "No. This is a day of good tidings! Arise and 'see the
children of Israel returning to their Promised Land!"
Jeremiah then turns he: ards the Jordan and calls: "Son of Amram!
Arise and behold what is happening to your beloved people of
Israel. True shepherd, arise and see!"
MOSES: "I recognize your voice. Have you come once more be
show me new sufferings of our nation? Remember the days of
oppression; the people of Israel called and prayed for my help.
But I could not help for the verdict had been decreed. When
the Almighty will bring them back to the land of our fathers,
I shall arise and be their faithful shepherd again."
JEREMIAH: "Yes, faithful shepherd! The hour of redemption has
come, Arise and sing the new Song of Redemption!"
As they march on, sweet melodies are heard, played on fiddle and
harp. They wonder and say: "Who plays such sweet melodies?"
DAVID, son of Jishai, appears with fiddle and harp, dancing, play-
ing and singing to the melody of: "To the House of the Lord I
shall gently walk them with the voice of joy and praise ,"
And they all follow him, singing and gliding toward the sky.
A storm arises, and in the storm a carriage of fire appears and
horses of fire. They recognize the passenger and they call:
"What are you doing, Elijah? Don't you know the time has
come for the prophecy to be fulfilled, as it is written: 'Behold,
I will send you Elijah the Prophet;"'
ELIJAH: "Well I know! I know. Dawn has come with the morning
star. Yet, I am waiting for the Great Day of the Lord." He dis-
appears but soon returns, leading a strange looking man by his
hand. He turns to the Patriarchs: "Here is one of your chil-
dren. His name is ... Theodore . .."
THE PATRIARCHS, astonished: "What? Our son Theodore? Fore-
ign to us is the name and strange his appearance."
ELIJAH: "Holy Fathers! Don't you recognize your children of the
Diaspora? This, then, is my mission, to turn the heart of the
fathers to their children. For, even if their appearance has
changed in exile, the heart of the children is true to their
fathers. This son of Israel has sacrificed his life for the Holy
Land. His name is Theodore Herzl.
They take his hand: "Our son! Come with us to our Homeland."
In quick leaps they rush through the lands of exile. Mountains of
fire appear all over the horizon. Abraham stops—The form of
the fire seems familiar: "Such was the fire upon the altar when
I was about to sas‘riAcc my son Isaac. All these fires?"
ELIJAH: "Not fifes ... Pyres! These are the flames of your chil-
dren, sacrificed and burnt alive by their enemies through the
ages and all over the globe."
THE PATRIARCHS, in horror: "Sacrifices! Martyrs! Millions of
Martyrs!
Sadly they continue their swift trip back to the Holy Land. There
at the border stands a young woman, weeping bitterly and
shedding great tears. Jacob recognizes her.
JACOB: "Why do you cry, my dearly beloved wife Rachel?"
RACHEL: "I shed tears for my children who have been driven
into exile ... and comfort I will not find."
JACOB: "Refrain thy voice frdrn weeping, and thine eyes from
tears; 'for our children are already returning to their own
border , . ."
Rachel joins them. As they continue the journey inside the border,
a group of Prophets appear, singing in chorus: "The redeemed
of the Lord shall return and come with singing unto Zion ..."
A chorus of girls now join Rachel and Miriam the Prophetess con-
ducting with a timbrel in her hand; they dance and respond in
song: "The children are returning to their own border . ."
And in heaven the anges rejoice:
' "The Lord has comforted Zion. The Lord has comforted Zion!"