Thursday, December 22, 1949
DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE
Page 4
One Way to Look at It
Detroit Jewish Chronicle
Published by the Jewish Chronicle Publishing Co, Inc.
WOodward 1-1040
2827 Cadillac Tower, Detroit 26, Michigan
SUBSCRIPTION:
$3.00 Per Year, Single Copies, 10c; Foreign, $5.00 Per Year
Entered as Second-class matter March 3, 1916, at the Post Office at
Detroit, Mich., under the Act of March 3, 1879.
SEYMOUR TILCHIN
Publisher
PUNISHMENT WITHOUT
CRIME. By S. Andhil Fineberg.
Doubleday & Co.: New York.
337 p.p. $3.50.
By WILLIAM JEFFERYS
(In the "Philadelphia Inquirer")
"THIS BOOK was written to
EMILY SOMLYO
Business Manager
Thursday, Dec. 22, 1949
Teveth 2, 5710
Jerusalem — Israel's Capital
The exciting events that took place in Israel last week,
coinciding with the coming of the Chanukah festival, had
something of a Maccabean flavor.
No Jew, no matter how far removed he be from the majesty
and grandeur of the rebirth of the Jewish nation, could have
remained indifferent when he saw the big bannerlines: "Jerusa-
lem Israel's capital."
There are many things that can be said for this momentous
action of Ben Gurion's government. Historic and sentimental
reasons establish a connection between Jews all over the world
and the Holy City, which cannot be severed by any decree.
However, historic and sentimental reasons are not the kind
of argumentation which should be used before the forum of
world opinion. We believe that Israel has stronger arguments.
Almost without exception, the sacred shrines of Jerusalem
are in the walled old city, now occupied by Jordan's troops.
The Wailing Wall, practically the only historic remnant of
concern to Jews, is located in the Arab section of Jerusalem.
The new city was founded about 90 years ago by Jews, and
all of its 100,000 inhabitants are Jews. Like Tel Aviv and Haifa,,
Jerusalem is an indispensable link in the economic and cultural
structure of Israel.
•
•
•
All past experience with the internationalization of some
cities in Europe should have taught the world by now that such
schemes do not work. No self-respecting nation is willing to
bear such humiliation, and a world that professes to fight for
democracy should not force even small nations to suffer such
degrading acts.
The circumstances under which the United Nations voted
for the internationalization of Jerusalem made the acceptance of
the verdict even more impossible.
The UN action was taken under the strong pressure of the
Vatican which easily lined up the Latin American countries for
this purpose. For very shabby reasons, Russia decided to reverse
its position on Israel and enter into the unholy alliance with
Rome.
There was only one motive for this unprecedented move:
the Vatican felt that its prestige might suffer if he holy places
came under the rule of Israel. The fact that most of them were
outside Jewish Jerusalem was deliberately disregarded during
the whole debate.
The Vatican knows that Israel would never do anything to
impair the rights and interests of the Christian world in historic
sites which are sacred to three religions. But it was not ready
to admit this in the council of nations.
•
•
•
When Weizmann, in the presence of Lord Balfour, laid the
cornerstone of the Hebrew University in 1917, it stood to reason
that Jerusalem was the only possible site for such an institution.
When the British assumed mandatory power in Palestine,
there was no discussion where the High Commissioner would
reside. Jerusalem was the natural choice.
During the whole term of the mandate the Vatican did not
object to a non-Catholic power being the protector of the holy
places. The reasons that it objects to a Jewish Jerusalem is
based on the ideological fallacy that Jews are "infidels" who
cannot be trusted.
It is most unfortunate that such theological arguments were
injected into a purely political controversy. The government of
Israel has repeatedly stated that it was willing to grant the
supervision of the holy places and accept international safe-
guards for their immunity.
This was the logical course to be followed by the UN.
Instead, it maneuvered itself into an untenable position, forcing
Israel to adopt measures which, on the surface, look like a
defiance of world opinion but are in fact necessitated by political
realities as well as self-respect.
•
•
•
What aboUt the future? Is there a danger of a new war in
the Near East? Will the UN be able to enforce its decision?
Will sanctions be taken against Israel?
We do not intend to make predictions, but the cold facts
point to the following development:
Since Israel and Jordan agree on the present status of
Jerusalem, it is not likely that the other Arab nations will risk
another war over Jerusalem—a war in which they would have
nothing to win. The Arab nations will confine themselves to
loud protests and denunciations of Israel.
The United Nations will, for the time being, not reverse
its position but go ahead with its work on a statute for Jerusa-
lem. However, it will not be able to enforce the inernationali-
zation plan. The United States and Britain, who voted against
the plan, will not send troops to Israel, and other nations are
in no position to do so.
Israel's firm stand—a calculated risk—will stabilize the
situation. Israel has taken what is rightfully hers. We hope it
will not take too long before the nations of the world see this
clearly and realize that Israel's step was the only way to cut
the Gordian knot and remedy a situation which was utterly
unrealistic and out of focus.
Here We Go Again
The World News Service reports from London that Larratt
Battersby, an English hatter, plans to establish in South Africa
a memorial institute for Hitler, where the Fuehrer's teachings
will be furthered by his faithful disciples.
The dispatch adds that Battersby hopes, to raise enough
money among Hitler's admirers to make this project a reality.
So his spirit is willing but his bank account is weak. Don't
worry, Battersby, there are enough gullible people in this world
who will gladly contribute their money for your noble purpose
and who have not learned a thing from history.
Jewish Books
in Review
Israelis, Despite Woes,
Keep Their Light Touch
A finish a conversation." With
that provocative opening sen-
tence, S. Andhil Fineberg gets
down to cases and tells us what
we can do about prejudice. He
effectively challenges the too
prevalent concept that there is a
pat answer for every intolerant
word or action.
Dr. Fineberg is kind enough to
offer us his pills with a sugar-
coating of stories and anecdotes
to illustrate his points. Most o
these are actual incidents from
life. They are frequently pre-
sented in the "what-would-you-
do-if?" mode which gives the
reader the fun of testing. himself
against the author's solutions.
For example. there is the story
of a clergyman whose Sunday
services were conducted to the
tune of shotgun blasts from a
nearby skeet-range and what he
did to terminate the disturb-
ance without arousing animosity
against himself or his church.
)
• • •
ONE OF THE happiest qualities
of the book is Dr. Fineberg's
penchant for coining memorable
words and phrases. Illustrating
this talent are the title itself,
Negev Animals Have Come To Punishment Without Crime, and
chapter headings such as "Why .
We All Live in a Mental Swamp"
or "The Daily Grind of Prej-
udice." People with varying de-
an Israeli setting. A 15-year-old grees and kinds of prejudice are
confronting them are enormous— sabra gets her sister into a pre- designated as "waggle tongues,"
absorption of the new immi- dicament by writing enthusiastic "self-haters" and "firebrands."
grants, housing (half the popu- letters in her (the sister's)_name
Perhaps the most useful ex-
lation of Tel Aviv are living four to a lonely Negev soldier. When pression of all is the term "vie-
the soldier boy comes to town the timian," which means any person
to a room, according to J. Ben
fun starts Israeli style.
who suffers injustice merely be-
Sira, city engineer), unemploy-
•
cause of his race or religion.
ment, the integration of the
There are also "anti-victimians,"
NIGHT
CLUBS
QUIET
Arabs, international tension, and
who discover that they them-
THE NIGHT CLU,BS do no selves are victimians under cer-
the austerity program.
great business. There are several tain conditions. In fact, one of
Patriotism is strong, as you
on the Carmel in Haifa and in the important messages of the
would expect in a brand new
Tev Aviv. Haifa's El Dorado
nation. National problems are headlines a singer called Hilda, book is that no group is com-
pletely safe from victimianism.
personal problems in Israel. Yet
who presents a Hebrew-Yiddish-
The author does an effective
the people have not become arti-
English mixture of song and chat- job of convincing the reader that
ficial and unbending. They know
ter. Her verses poke fun and -there is no simple rule of thumb
how to have fun and to lose
moralize. She ridicules some na- to guide us in combatting prej-
themselves in the lighter things.
tive habits, defends the new im- udice.
Going to the movies is a pop-
• • • .
migrants and wins the audience
ular pastime. Most of them, of
on both counts. Perhaps night
THE MAJOR THESIS of the
course, are Hollywood importa- clubs do a quiet business in
book is that it is far better to
tions. I have come to look upon
Israel because there is no great
the translations on the titles on consumption of liquor. The peo- concentrate on promoting good
will and understanding through-
the marquees as masterpieces of
ple just don't have the drinking out the whole community than
ingenuity. Some day I should
habit.
to be preoccupied with isolated
like to meet the translator and
Israel's radio stations provide instances of prejudice.
offer him my admiration and
Too many swallow the camel
sympathy. A title like "It You wholesome diversion. There are
Knew Susie" is comparatively no radio serials to my knowledge of slums and unfair employment
easy to translate. The three mon- and no commercials. But there practices while trying to strain
osyllables are given literally: is good music, news in Hebrew, out the gnat of small-time big-
English, and once a day in Yid- otry.
Susie is untouched.
dish. Comedy shows are fea-
Dr. Fineberg feels that one of
• • •
tured, the humor taken directly the most hopeful trends of recent
TRANSLATOR'S HEADACHE
from current events. For exam-
"GOOD-BYE, MR. CHIPS" be- ple, a man is discovered eating years has been the development
of human relations agencies in
"Peace
be
with
you,
Mr.
comes
a steak in a restaurant and is many localities. These provide
Chips," which, considering Mr.
asked how he can afford it at the means for developing con-
Chips' end, is not inaccurate.
today's high prices. "My boss structive programs that can en-
"Lured" is a harder problem. In
made a mistake," he replies, "and list the support of all responsible.)
Hebrew the word connotes a fait
gave me my income tax instead citizens.
accompli. But against "When
Such organizations also pro-
My Baby Smiles At Me" the of my salary."
One Tel Avivian told me the vide an opportunity for develop-
translator, who lives in unregen-
erate obscurity, gives up in des- other day that Israel's favorite ing trained personnel who can do
pair. It comes out lamely as diversion is not the movies, the the research that is so sorely
"With Laughter and Tears." He- theater nor the radio, but meet- needed in this youngest branch
of the social sciences.
brew, it seems, is not yet ready ings. He may be right. The
These agencies provide the
for the finer points of a modern Knesset gallery is always full re-
gardless of the topic of the day. clinics where new techniques of
language.
The favorite film in Israel these The kibbutzum have their "kum- teaching good will may be tested.
days is "Sitting Pretty." Parents sitz." In Jerusalem you can at- They can be the medium for
discuss with glowing admiration tend a lecture every evening. Up leavening a community's life.
• • •
the infallible Mr. Belvedere, the and down the country, in towns
PUNISHMENT WITHOUT
ideal baby-sitter who can control and villages, people gather to
children with a mere look. The listen to speeches. The academic CRIME is an oasis in the wil-
"sabra" cactus, the popular name secretary of the Hebrew Univer- derness of technical treatises and
for Israeli-born children, is, like sity estimates that four to five impassioned imprecations that
the cactus fruit, sweet inside but thousand public lectures are have sprung up so abundantly
along the path of community re-
hard to handle. I have seen given in 150 places each year.
lations work. It simplifies with-
mothers on the beach at Tel Aviv
out oversimplifying. It brings
try to coax a little "leben," sour
order out of chaos. And it is
cream and bananas into their
readable.
offspring without much success.
As Dr. Fineberg points out, ra-
How the hearts of these mothers
cial prejudice "has been termed
must have leaped when Mr.
VIENNA — (WNS) — Hun-
America's No. 1 problem of to-
Belvedere brought the bowl of
cereal down on the child's head! garian police have arrested Is- day . . . The struggle for inter-
People also have fun at the rael Jacobson, director of the group harmony and for better
theater. Matate, Israel's comedy American Joint Distribution human relations is the struggle
troupe, is now touring the coun- Committee, it was reported here to defend the American way of
try with a piece called "The by JDC director Harold Trobe. life."
By RABBI REUBIN SLONIM
I
Town"—I have the same troubles
President, Toronto Zionist
as the Israel movie-title transla-
Council
SRAELIS ARE GENERALLY tor, only in reverse. The play is
free verion of "Dear Ruth" in
a serious people. The problems a
• •
Hungaiy Holds
JDC Director