American Jewish Period ca Thursday, May 11, 1950 DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE Fighting Spirit Made Haganah Effective Unit Britain's Give and Take Detroit Jewish Chronicle Published by the Jewish Cnronicle Publishing Co.. Inc. WOodward 1-1040 282? Cadillac Tower, Detroit 26. Michigan SUBSCRIPTION: t. $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 GERHARDT NEUMANN EMILY SOMLYO Editor Business Manager lyar 24, 5710 Thursday, May 11, 1950 Arab League Finds a Loophole • Jordan's surprising annexation of Arab Palestine—and the rapid recognition of this step by Britain—keeps the world guess- ing as er the consequences. As we pointed out last week, Israel's best policy at the moment is to bide its timu' and accept the existing frontiers as temporarily satisfactory. Although a few hotheads on the right and on the left would like to make this the issue for another round with the Arabs, th . moderate elements of Israel, under the leadership of David Ben Gurion, know that it would be detri- mental to the interests of the Jewish state to start a war. Such action would b.. Inadvisable from many points of view, especially Israel's reputation. Israel cannot risk losing the good will of the big powers. Anyhow, a small coutry al- ways will fare better with a policy of compromise, as long as this does not destroy its integrity. The Arab countries seem to be completely bewildered. At first, they were speechless. From all information available, it appears that the Arab countries felt the impact of Jordan's action like a thunderbolt from heaven. There was some talk about a special session of the Arab league. But it seems that the League considered the potato too hot to handle. Finally, the story broke. Instead of a full-dress meeting, the Arab League's legal department assembled to study the situation. And the legal department concluded that there is no reason to be alarmed or to apply sanctions against King Abdullah, because everything he did was only "temporary" and to protect himself against "possible Israeli aggression." In studying the annexation proclamation, the Arabs found out that the measure was not to effect "the final status of Pales- tine." By this pledge, in the opinion of the legal department, Jordan has merely taken measures to prevent the Israelis from overrunning the country. (It reminds one somehow of Hitler who also grabbed small and big countries to "protect" the German nation.) However, if the annexation was really only a temporary measure, why did the Jordanian parliament debate the matter for days? Why did Abdullah have to issue formal and solemn declarations assuring the Palestinian Arabs that this annexa- tion had made their happiness complete? No doubt, the Arab League, well aware of its weakness and) splits, just sought a loophole to escape the moral obligation of taking any action against Jordan. The Arabs, like the Israelis, know very well that Jordan has no intention whatsoever of turning Arab-Palestine over to someone else. The annexation was final, and will remain so as long as Israel is not strong enough to change the status quo by diplomatic means or by force of arms. We also have no doubt that Jordan was conniving with Britain before it announced the annexation, for the British recognition came too promptly not to have been premeditated. The most serious aspect of the matter, as far as Israel is concerned, is the status of Jerusalem. Jordan's action tends to perpetuate the separation of the old city from the new city. Politically, it is an unfortunate situation because the stationing of heavy frontier guards within the city may make for bad blood and tense situations. Only great discipline on the part of the Jewish population . and skillful diplomatic tact on the part of the Israeli government can prevent disorders that might grow into disaster. The Kurdistan Jews ution •of Last year, Iraq made the headlines with the pei its Jews Now Iran—or to be specific, Kurdistan—follows suit. Whether Iran is to be blamed is difficult to say. The Kurds are known for their disrespect for the central government. They are mostly farmers and cattle-raisers, but consider robbery a legitimate way of complementing their income. They are fol- lowers of the Shia sect, which is one of the most intolerant sects in Islam. It is believed that the Kurdistan Jews settled there as early as in the time of Ezra. Their language shows similarities with the Aramaic translations of the Bible and with the language of the Babylonian Talmud. Their number probably does not exceed 12,000. • When about 50 years ago the Alliance Israelite Universelle sought to establish schools in Kurdistan it found out that those Jews were backward and superstitious. It was reported that they had but little opportunity to study their religion or history, "since the rabbis have been so actively engaged in extracting the sinews from meat, in circumcising children (in Mohamedan houses also) and in making amulets, that they have had no time left for teaching." Family life among the Kurdistan Jews has been rather primitive. Girls are married off at the age of 13 or 14. Monogamy is the rule, but exceptions occur when the marriage is childless or the levirate comes into effect. Amulets and superstitions play a great role in the life of the women, and it is reported that even the Kurds at times ask Jewish scribes for such amulets. The Kurdistan Jews earn their livelihood by keeping stores or acting as agents in the export trade. Many Jews go into the villages and trade with the natives in grain, cheese, wool, honey, v:s.x, grapes, etc. These products are either sold in the towns or exported. It is important to know this background, since the pogroms in Kurdistan will probably start a wave of emigration to Israel. Th es e oriental Jews are not the pioneer type needed for the I reconstruction of Israel, and it will take intensive training and re-education to enable these Jews to adjust themselves to the * requirements and ideals of Israel. 4 ai ISRAEL By GERHARDT NEUMANN THE ARMY OF ISRAEL by Lt. Col. Moshe Pearlman. (Philosophical Library, New York.) Back in the early 20s, when- ever British police visited Jewish settlements in Palestine, the col- onists used to hide their Haganah arms and signal apparatus. When the police arrived shortly after an attack had been beaten off and asked settlers how they had beaten off the Arabs, the answer used to be that, of course, those licensed twelve-bores had been used. This is the atmosphere under which the Jews of Palestine built up their self-defense which was to become known under the name of Haganah. And an exciting account it is. A story of miracles, of doing the impossible, of coping with seem- ingly unsurmountable odds. What made the Haganah so efficient, despite its numerical inferiority, IEMAYER, DETROIT JEWISH OIRONICII was its esprit de corps. "Fighting spirit," the author says, "the principal weapon in the Haganah armory, was a con- venient composite that covered a multitude of qualities. They in- cluded attachment to the soil, dedication to the task of building man beings we could thrill at the Jewish home, the refusal to By ALFRED SEGAL what other human beings have allow 'impossible' to figure in the I WAS QUITE ALONE at the been doing in Israel: Whining a Jewish vocabulary, the prepared- dinner, though I wasn't in the war against six stronger nations, ness to die rather than surren- least lonely. Indeed, I was sur- building a new land and a good der." rounded by most friendly people life, showing the world a nation It is well known that under the with whom I founded on loving kindess and British mandate the Haganah had had shared the liberty. important tasks to fulfill. Some- geniality of As human beings are we any times it functioned in cooperation cocktails before less American if we admire and with, or under the tolerance of, it all began. help other members of the human the British: sometimes it was I was alone in race who have been behaving in hunted as an illegal outfit. that I was the a way most creditable to the It also is important that the only one among whole breed? Dual loyalty? Sure Haganah never was a terror or- have dual loyalty. We are t he 250 who we all ganization. It rejected the meth- wasn't frighten- loyal to America and loyal to ods of the Irgun and the Stern ed to think what mankind in the world. group and preferred to put up a the fact of Isra- Are we any less loyal as Amer- clean fight for the existence of el - in - being nations the icans when we help Segal might do to the of Europe to return to gainful the Jewish people. It also is well known that dur- standing of American Jews as living, by the Marshall plan? We the last war the Jews had a citiens of the United States. pour out our billions. Nobody has ing It was the convention dinner come up to say that it's dual hard time persuading the British of the American Council for Ju- loyalty to pay out a portion of to accept Jewish units in the Brit- daism (anti-Zionist). I had been our taxes for the support of Eng- ish army. Only when manpower was at a premium did the British invited on the idea that I might land and France. finally consent to the formation • • • come to see the error of my own ways — a brand that could be WELL, MY FRIENDS in the of a Jewish Brigade, ,Ithough plucked from the burning, you Council for American Judaism earlier many Jews with special didn't put up any argument on qualifications had been used by might say. The speaker was Morris Ernst, that. They said they were wor- the British in one capacity or an- the New York libertarian, who ried because of some of the Am- other. After the war, it became the must have been quite a disap- erican Zionists, the way they pointment. Ile scarcely touched have been behaving. They have Haganah's main job to keep the on the favorite topic of the Am- been behaving like nationals of flow of immigration going, when ican Council for Judaism — dual Israel, as if their purpose were the British army and navy did loyalty and all that. Mr. Ernst to establish cultural Israeli colo- their utmost to keep the "illegals" out of Palestine and to Intercept was full of his own pet subject— nies in U. S. cities. They meant they had seen the immigrant boats near the Pal- civil liberties and bigots who are Israel flag (but always beside estine coast as if they were buc- the enemies of civil liberties. He said he wasn't bringing any the U. S. flag) at Jewish meet- caneers. In retrospect, it can be said message. He was just speaking ings; they had heard the Israeli out loud, he said, and everyone anthem sung (but always with that Bevin's clumsiness had no who listened to the speech could the "Star Spangled Banner" be- chance against the intelligence wrap it up and make his own ing sung first); they knew of em- with which the Haganah handled phasis on Jewish culture in cer- its job. The period from 1946 bundle out of it. • • • tain groups. to 1948 became a period of "con- I could comfort them. During structive resistance" and 'con- HE BROUGHT UP the movie "Abie's Irish Rose." Jews in New a long experience as newspaper structive sabotage." When the Jewish state had been York were frightened lest an an- reporter I have seen the Italian ti-Semitic smell might be de- flag waving at meetings of Ital- proclaimed and the Arabs be- rived from "Abie's Irish Rose." ian-Americans and I remember gan moving toward Israel, it was They went to Mr. Ernst: Could attending a dinner of the Italian the small force of the Haganah Republican Club in our town. which had to bear the brunt of he do something about it? I have seen the flag (+Ireland the attacks while Israel was train- Mr. Ernst is a man who in- vestigates before he gets fright- being waved by electrfc fankt at ing the army which was to bring ened. He went to see the picture. St. Patrick Day dinners and have the war to a successful conclu- He found it quite hammy, but it heard misty-eyed Irishmen and sion. Italians singing the native songs Pearlman lists the progress of didn't scare him. He found that what frightened of their fathers. (To say nothing the war, describes the various battles and the unbelievable deeds some Jews was the Jewish fath- of spaghetti and ravioli.) And in our town there used to of the Jewish soldiers who, be- er in the picture, because he wore a beard and spoke with an ac- be an area called "Over-the- cause of lack of equipment and cent. They were afraid: What Rhine" where German was the numbers, had to rely on their might be made of that by anti- every-day speech of most. Ger- wit and intelligence. Semites? Mr. Ernst himself isn't tnan was taught in our elemen- It is, however, hard to under- one to be scared out of his wits tary schools. stand why Pearlman fails to give • Nobody was afraid of these credit to the Many men from by a beard and an accent. I myself couldn't find any manifestations. They were es- America and other lands who cause for alarm either in Abies' teemed as unique ingredients of volunteered to join in the fighting father's beard or in the fact that the cultural stew of the American and who brought much needed Israel is a Jewish state-in-being, melting pot, as it was called. I got home from the dinner skills to Israel. or in what anti-Semites might The time of improvisation is about 11 p.m. and slept well-ut- think of me because of Israel. gone. The Israeli army now is I spoke to some of the other terly unafraid of Abie's papa's firmly established and growing beard and his Yiddish accent, un- said, sup- guests on that. Look, I strong. But we do hope it will pose we weren't Jews but other afraid of Israel or of what anti- never have to fight again. Semites might think of me. kinds of human beings. As hu- That Dual Loyalty Talk Appears Inexhaustible