American if (wish Periodical Cent
DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE
Page
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Detroit Jewish Chronicle
Let My People Go
Published by the Jewish Chronicle Publishing Co., Inc.
WOodward 1-1040
1827 Cadillac Tower, Detroit 26, Michigan
SUBSCRIPTION:
$3.00 Per Year, Single Copies, 10e; Foreign, $5.00 Per Year
Entered as Second-class matter March 3, 1916, at t Post Office at
, 1879.
Detroit, Mich., under the Act of Mar
Nisan 12, 5710
• The Message of Freedom
,The message of freedom which is the basic theme of the
Passover festival acquires a peculiar ring in our time.
There are four distinctive layers of Jewish problems, which
have to be seen clearly in order to grasp the scope of our needs:
1) Jews in America are free as citizens and as Jews. They
are integrated into a society which, as a whole, accepts them as
equals, despite the existence of a strong undercurrent of anti-
ste,
. Semitism.
2) Jews in Europe for the greater part are a group which
has no hopes left, except possible emigration to Israel, and
which for all practical purposes will be extinct within the near
future.
3) Jews in the Moslem lands are now at a stage which is
comparable to the situation of the German Jews between 1933
and 1938: they are threatened with extermination and are des-
perately trying to reach the haven of Israel.
4) Jews in Israel have achieved complete national freedom
at heavy sacrifices in blood and money, but their freedom is by
no means secure and their state rests on foundations which
can be easily destroyed.
So when on this Pesach we ask ourselves: where do we
stand and what remains to be done, the answer can only be
that the Jewish people are in bad shape and that the wounds
of the last 17 years (since Hitler bepn his onslaught) are
bleeding as heavily as ever.
It seems that the plight of the Jews in Moslem countries
receives little attention in America. After all, Iraq, Iran, Leb-
anon or Egypt are so far removed that many people do not
even associate any concrete idea with their geographical position
or with the type of Jews who lives there,
True enough, the Middle East is a long way from America
and there are not many spiritual links between the Jewish
communities over there and here.
Still, we cannot disassociate ourselves from the destiny of
Jews anywhere in the world.
The reasons why we cannot remain indifferent are obvious.
The individual fate of a Jew 'somewhere in the Orient may not
affect any Am irican Jew personally, but the threat to their
community's existence grows into an international obligation.
First of all, from a humanitarian point of view we could
not square sdch • Indifference with our conscience.
Secondly, if the existence of a Jewish community is threat-
ened it is forced' to emigrate to other countries which are
willing to accept it. It is easy to imagine what would happen
if the hundreds of thousand's of Jews in Moslem countries all
descended on Israel, the logical point ot destination. It would
throw the Israeli economy into utter confusion and create un-
told hardships for the newcomers as well as the people living
there.
The immediate consequence of any unexpected mass immi-
gration into Israel would be a complete breakdown of every-
thing that has been created there during the last five years.
Chaos in Israel would affect American Jewry directly for eco-
nomic as well as sentimental reasons.
This is the actuality. The political situation in the Middle
East is bound to endanger Israel, let alone the Jews outside
Israel.
The question is often heard these days: why should we
give Money for such outside purposes? It is the same question
that in the Pesach Hagadah is asked' by the "Rosho" (the
wicked son): "What does their service mean to me?"
Too many Jews still cling to this pattern of thinking, we
are sorry to say. It is they who prevent the Jewish people from
attaining its freedom and its dignity. It is they who seek to
destroy our tradition and our national existence.
We should not allow the Rosho to stand in our way in
our eternal fight for liberty.
Tensions in the Middle East
Israel and Jordan have come to an agreement to postpone
any agreement until after the Jordan elections which will be
held next .month.
At the same time, it also was announced that there are
tendencies among the members of the Arab League to have
Jordan expelled litcause "it has been dealing with the enemy."
These two facts demonstrate the terrific tensions gripping
the Middle East. The situation is heavy with explosive matter,
and no one can tell whether the powder keg will go off or not.
- We do not know what kind of election will be held in
Jordan, whether it will be a democratic election or a sham
demonstration, but we do know that the forces against any
reconciliation with Israel are extremely strong, in Jordan as
well as in other Arab countries.
The theory expounded by Dr. Nathan Goldmann here last
week that the Arabs were rearming in order to Jae in a stronger
bargaining position seems very likely. And while the Arab
countries are doing their utmost to build armies and air fleets,
they see Jordan getting along fine with Israel. This good rela-
tionship disturbs the Arabs and arouses their anger. That is
why they are trying to expel Jordan from their League. .
However, it seems to us that from the Israeli point of view
nothing better could happen. A Jordan expelled from the Arab
League and deserted by its fellow Arabs would of necessity
become an ally of Israel. Such an alliance would be most un-
welcome to the rest ..ef the Arab countries which would soon
realize that their armies were no match for the combined
forces of Israel and Jordan.
The expulsion of Jordan would therefore, in the long run,
be beneficial to the peace and stability of the Middle East.
It is to be hoped, in the meantime, that the progressive
forces in Jordan will be able to make a good showing at the
polls so that Abdullah finally may be able to sign the first
peace treaty with Israel.
Writer Adds
Sidelights to
PesachFestival
By RABBI PHILIP GOODMAN
Director of Jewish Education of
JWB's Jewish Center Division
Caucasian Jews observe the
Seder ceremony with a unique
custom. Several families assem-
ble together in the home of the
Chacham (Wise Man). In the
midst of the service, an impres-
sive dramatization is enacted.
A knocking, made by one of the
young men masquerading as a
poor traveler from the Holy
Land, is heard at the door. When
no answer is forthcoming, the
young man calls and asks for per-
mission to enter.
Following a lively conversa-
tion in which the traveler gives
evidence of the fact that he is a
Jew, he is admitted into the room.
He brings hearty greetings from
the sages of Jerusalem and as-
sures the gathering of the speedy
,redemption of all Israel.
SEYMOUR TILCHIN
Publisher
GERIIARDT NEUMANN
EMILY SOMLYO
Editor
Business Manager
Thursday, March 30, 1950
Thursday, March 30, 1050
• • •
At the conclusion of the Seder
service, each male Jew of Moroc-
co places a staff and pack over
his shoulder and rushes into the
ILIAoyem., Oe ilicro 4, 1 1 Ms.( Cf.ROP•Clt
street shouting these words of
the Hagadah: "In this manner our
forefathers went out of Egypt,
their kneading troughs bound up
in their clothes upon their shoul-
ders."
• • •
According to a leading matzoh
baker, the consumption of un-
leavened bread may be taken as a
BY WILLIAM ZUKERMAN
barometer of Jewish conditions.
OMETIIING STRANGE is happening in Israel; something which
He states that "we have found
is baffling nationalist ideologists in the new state and in this that we can tell where Jewish
country. A long-cherished theory that Israel was to be the 'soul' of immigration has increased by
the Jewish people the world over, the spiritual and cultural center of simply noting where the con-
the `Galut,' (the Hebrew name for all Jewish life outside of Israel), is sumption of matzoh has in-
proving to be completely untrue. showing that this pet theory creased. Thus, in the past few
Every-day experience in Israel is
years, there has been a great gain
of nationalism is bankrupt and in-'
in Mexico and Cuba. At times,
compatible with life. What is true and it is significant that it too, a decrease may be indicative
more, the tables have turned.
is openly admitted by national- of another trend in Jewish life,
The despised and hated 'Galut,' istic artists, but it does not ex- Sometimes such a decrease signi-
the alleged arid spiritual wilder- plain the cultural paradox of fies a diminishing of the religious
ness where no Jew can live fully Israel. There is something else, consciousness."
• • •
as a Jew, according to the nation- larger and deeper than the fail-
alistic theory, is turning out to be ure of Hebrew culture, that ac
More than 2,000 grOup seders
the real 4 cultural and spiritual counts for the anomaly; some-
thing
that
Jewish
nationalists,
for
Jewish 'personnel in the
attraction for the Israelis and
American armed forces at home
they are turning to it more and even the poets and sensitive peo-
abroad were organized dur-
more for cultural, entertainment ple among them, still lack the and
ing the four war-time Passovers
courage to face.
and spiritual content.
(1942-45) by the National Jewish
In short, the 'Galut' is exerting
This is that not only has He- Welfare Board through its armed
a greater cultural influence on brew culture failed, but the en- services workers and Jewish
Israel, than Israel on the 'Galut'. tire nationalistic theory that Jews
chaplains.
• • •
as a people have their cultural
During this period JWB ship-
WHAT IS IT that attracts the roots in Palestine or in modern
masses of people in Israel to Eu- Israel is a complete flop. As a ped to all corners of the world
of
ropean and American artists? theory it was fantastic in the first more than 1,000,000 pounds
sup-
matzoth,
tons
of
kosher
food
Why should artists like Elizabeth place. Experience has proved its
plies and nearly 500,000 Ilagga-
Bergner and Serge Koussevitzky failure.
dahs.
who have never been nationalistic
In 1949, four years after the
Observers of Jewish life who
Jews, and who never took an
have
no
propaganda
ax
to
grind,
war,
JWB made possible seders at
interest in Jewish affairs, have
suddenly become the center of have always known the truth that 149 domestic and 31 overseas
attraction and favorites in the modern Jews are culturally a military installations. For these
European people. In fact, they seders JWB. shipped 3,500 pounds
citadel of Jewish nationalism?
What is it that these artists off- are the oldest people of Europe. of kosher foods, ranging from ge-
er to the Israeli people that the They have contributed to the ere- filte fish to chicken fat and from
native Hebrew artists do not off- ation of European culture as borsht to nuts; 20,000 pounds of
much as any single group of Matzoth, 6,7000 Haggadahs and
er?
Bergner took her audiences by people. That culture has become 35,000 Passover greeting cards and
reciting some Of Arthur Schnitz- the heritage of millions of Jews, leaflets.
,ler's Austrian stories and by read- an integral part of their intellec-
Similar arrangements are be-
ing sections of Shakespeare and tual, emotional, artistic and spin - ing made for Passover this year.
• • •
of the Bible in English, while tual life which cannot be plucked
Koussevitzky carried his audi- out from their souls by a nation-
In the days of the Talmud, it
ences to a frenzy by playing alistic movement no matter how was customary to make matzoln
Prokofiev's fifth and Tschaikov- strongly it is grounded in politics. in different artistic shapes and
sky's fourth symphonies.
The fact which. nationalistists figures. These forms were not ap-
Efraim Auerbach, an orthodox deliberately overlook, is that proved by many authorities as it
nationalist who recently visited European culture is much nearer necessitated allowing the dough
Israel, offers an answer. Accord- in letter and in spirit to the bulk to stand longer which might cause
ing to him the trouble is that the of European Jews, both of the fermentation. •
Hebrew artists and writers in east and of the west (and this of
While the original purpose of
Israel have failed to produce a course, includes America) than ,perforating matzoh was to pre-
'national cultural.'
the ancient, or modern Hebrew vent it from rising, in many in-
. ure.
They have not created anything cult
stances the perforations were
in literature, art and the theatre
• • •
utilized to form figures of ani-
to‘take the place of the 'Galut'
mills and flowers.
THEORETICALLY
this
has
.
• • •
culture.
"All the tremendous promotion been known for years by Jews
In
the
hills
of Shechem, Pales-
plans for exporting 'national Jew- and non-Jews alike. The last few tine, the Samaritans, a small sect,
decades
since
the
Palestine
settle-
ish culture' through the Habima
who number less than 200 and
theater have ended in failure," ment began, and particularly the claim descent from the lost tribes
few years since the emergence of
he writes.
Hebrew writers are not even the State of Israel, have confirm- of Israel, celebrate Passover to-
day as it was observed thousands
concerned with the question of a ed it by a mass of evidence.
Israel must become not only of years ago.
national culture. No wonder
On the eve of the festival, they
Israeli audiences need something a bastion of European political
assemble
on Mt. Gerizim, attired
democracy,
but
also
of
European
to fill their cultural void and they
, and
and American culture. Otherwise, in long, white, flowing gowns
flock to foreign artists.
ceremony
sac-
and
• • •
it will not only be nostalgic, but with due pomp
the
paschal
lamb.
rifice
unhappy
country.
also
a
very
partly
be
THIS THEORY may
Galut Proves Superior
to Culture of Israel
S