11111.11111.1114ffiericam ,newish Periodical a
DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE
Page 4
Detroit Jewish Chronicle
Published by the Jewish Chronicle Publishing Co., Inc.
WOodward 1-1040
2827 Cadillac Tower. Detroit 26. •lichigan
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Entered as Second-class matter March 3, 1916, at the Post Office at
Detroit, Mich., under the Act of March 3, 1879.
Where to Go
By GERALDINE TAPPER, 14, BAD AXE
Tell 111e—where can I go?
There's no place I can see,
Where to go, where to go, every door is closed for me.
Thursday, July 20, 1950
Israel a Colony
of Imperialism,
AuthorAsserts
BY GERHARDT NEUMANN
"ISRAEL IN CRISIS" by
A. B. Magil (International
GERHARDT NEUMANN
Publishers, New York).
SEYMOUR TILCII1N
Editor
"One of the misconceptions
Publisher
that Israel's government is help-
Ab
6,
5710
Now, I know where to go.
Thursday, July 20, 1950
ing to demolish is that strong
Where my folks proudly stand,
trade unions, widespread coopera-
tives and a modern industrial
Let me go! Let me go!
society guarantee that Israel will
To that precious Promised Land.
be a progressive factor in the
The first world congress for Hebrew language and culture
Middle East and in world affairs.
no
more
right.
No more left,
is scheduled to open next Monday in Jerusalem. More than 90
"We have seen that these
Lift your head and see the light.
delegates are expected from the United States alone. Represen-
achievements did not in the past
tatives of Jews in 39 other countries will take part in the delib-
I am proud—can't you see?
prevent Jewish Palestine from
erations.
For at last I am free,
serving as an instrument of im-
The Jewish state has been in existence only a short time,
perialism, nor will they in the
No more wandering for me!
future."
but it is not too soon to start thinking about the great cultural
These sentences from Magil's
tasks facing Israel. •
look show from which side he
Scholars and statesmen from Israel and other countries
approaches his discussion of the
will discuss these problems thoroughly in Jerusalem, and it
Jewish state and its role in the
will be interesting to watch the reports about the conference.
Middle East. He sees the whole
The problem of the Hebrew language will undoubtedly be
problem from the vantage point
of
topics.
It
is
a
very
serious
question.
Israel,
at
high on the list
of class structure.
the present time, still is a Babel of languages, with Hebrew as
Although we do not dispute
the official language. Some day in the future, however, when
that
has
been
kicked
around
and
By ALFRED SEGAL
that there are certain truths in
immigrants
are
grown
up
Hebrew
will
the children of today's
UR MR. HILLEL mails to me in us it is less becoming to be Magil's statements as long as he
reign supreme in Israel.
a stirring speech he gave be- kicking other people around. We analyses the fabric of Israel soci-
But what about the Jews in other countries whose first
fore the board of directors of the who have suffered so much from ety, there can be no doubt that
language is of necessity one other than Hebrew? In fact, there
Shamdale Arms Country Club of discrimination should never be his conclusions are a distorted
seen discriminating against men version of the truth.
already exists a cleavage between Israel and Jews in other
which he is a
for petty social reasons.
countries because they cannot communicate in Hebrew, except
Magil finds his "proof for im-
member.
for a small minority.
"We who are always saying that perialism in the fact that during
He, as you
Will the language barrier exclude Jews in the Diaspora
people should be judged only by the British mandate the import-
should by now
from the cultural accomplishments in Israel? Will translations
their characters should be the last ant industries were in the hands
know, is the
and interpretations take the place of genuine understanding?
to set a man aside fin. social 'in- of British companies, and that
president of the
Is it desirable to have a culturally active community in Israel
adequacy alone. Let us consider the principal American invest-
Hillel Widget
while all other Jewish communities are just looking on, in-
the case of this Mr. Zilch whom ment firm has been the Palestine
Corp. who in
capable of participation in the cultural process?
you are rejecting.
Economic Corporation, "an ex-
moments of be-
• • •
ample of how private profit,
ing tired of
These are indeed grave problems. They may be over-
shadowed now by the more pressing political and financial
earning the rich
"WHAT'S THE MATTER with wrapping itsel! in the mantle of
profits of wid-
problems of immigration; absorption and reconstruction, but
his character? I judge one ele- public weal, almost succeeds in
Segal
gets asks per-
they will become acute problems when Israel enters its period
ment of his character by the fact concealing its real substance."
The PEC, the author maintains,
mission to take my place as au- that he is faithful to his orthodox
of normalcy.
thor of this column.
upbringing, though, as I gather, "must be viewed not as an ordi-
It is easy to recommend that as many Jews as possible
This time, though, Mr. Hillel his obstinate orthodoxy may be nary business concern, but as
familiarize themselves with Hebrew and get acquainted with
wasn't
taking any time out of the one of the counts against him in one of the instruments in a long-
Jewish literature from the Bible to Bialik. Experience has
range policy that has sought to
widget business. Currently he this club.
taught that only very few Jews are willing to spend their time
shape the country's economic and
has in hand an enormous order
on such an undertaking. Some feel that it is not worth their
"Sure enough, Mr. Zilch was a
for widgets under the Marshall peddler only 30 years ago and his political development." He then
while and that translations will do for the time being. Others
Plan. The idea is to supply all dwelling was a tenement house, goes on to connect PEC with the
believe that Hebrew, as an oriental language, is too difficult
western Europe with widgets and third floor rear. But, gentlemen, United Jewish Appeal, the Ameri-
to learn.
can Jewish Committee, and the
Mr.
Hillel has the contract.
let us confess, our own ancestors Joint Distribution Committee,
There are many excuses for the decline of Hebrew in com-
That
keeps
him
busy
every
hour
were peddlers or laborers in tene-
munities outside Israel. But the main reason, we believe, is
and, having no time to write this ment houses. My own grand- some of whose officers have been
the lack of enthusiasm: There is no real sense of belonging to
serving on the board of PEC.
column,
he
sent
me
a
copy
of
his
father, blessed be his memory,
the culture' being developed in Israel. The Diaspora is sitting
The American Palestine Trad-
speech before the Shamdale Arms was a sewing machine operator
on the fence and content with its role of money-giver.
ing Corp. also is characterized as
Country Club to make of it what I in a sweatshop.
a "joint venture of American
If it is agreed that Israel must become a cultural center,
pleased.
Jewish
business, the Jewish right-
"You
and
I
have
managed
to
we must go a step further and acknowledge that it can reach
He explained how he happened
wing trade union leadership and
arrive
at
the
social
eminence
of
this stage only if there is a cultural interchange among all
to give the speech. It had to do
the American Labor Zionists?'
Jewish communities in the world. Culture thrives on discus-
with the application of a Mr. Zilch the Shamdale Arms Country
But, except for such vague as-
sion. If it will be merely an inter-Israel discussion the result
who desired to join the club. ("I Club, nevertheless, and why sertions, no proof is offered that
should
we
be
ashamed
of
the
must be questionable, because the experience and wisdom of
call him Zilch because that isn't
these corporations are really
the Galut is an inseparable part of any Jewish culture to grow
really his name," Mr. Hillel said.) humble origins of others who "dominating" Israel and exercis-
in the future.
The board of Shamdale Arms hope to join us.
"Like your own ancestors Mr. ing any unwarranted influence.
Among the many aspects of the question we would like to
Country Club was practically un-
Ben Gurion, Sharett and their
emphasize the problem of whether Israel's culture shall be
Zilch
made his way in America
animous in saying No to Mr.
colleagues, the author says, are
a purely nationalistic one, or whether it shall reflect the broad
Zilch. They wanted none of him by the force of his character "accomplished masters" in the
horizons which are the heritage of our 2,000-year peregrina-
in their club. They said he just alone, without any special priv- art of "leaning on foreign im-
tion through ancient, medieval and modern history. A closer
wouldn't fit in. It wasn't so long ilege. Would you keep your perialism." However, he then ar-
relationship between the Galut and Israel would prevent Is-
ago . . . 30 years or so . . . that great-grandfathers out of this club rives at the conclusion that
rael culture from becoming myopic, as any nationalistic cul-
he was an immigrant. He had an because they were peddlers to "American policy toward Israel
start with and spoke with ac-
ture is.
accent.
is not basically determined by in-
We want the new Jewish civilization to become as broad-
That was what got Mr. Hillel cents?
vestments in that country, but
•
•
•
minded as that of the prophets. This can be achieved only if all
going on his speech before the
Jews understand that Israel is their chance to give adequate
"MR. ZILCH really is a better reflects first and foremost the
board, he being the treasurer.
expression to their thoughts and feelings. It is our first oppor-
man than any of us, since, unlike American imperialist stake in the
• • •
Middle East." It seems to us that
tunity in many centuries and, maybe, our last one.
"SO YOU DON'T like people any of us he began without any Magil's dialectics is going around
like Mr. Zilch," he began. "For advantages whatever. He made a in circles.
what reason don't you like him? fine devotion of his duty to bring
Magil is not on safe ground
As T get it, it's because he came up a worthy family, just as your either when he discusses the
But,
own
peddler-ancestors
did.
over on a later ship than your
ideological aspects of Zionism.
A great part of the history of the British mandate in Israel
gentlemen, can we be sure that Israel and Zionism, to his mind,
people managed to catch.
was written in oil, if we may use the metaphor. The pipeline
we
ourselves
measure
up
to
the
"But for the fact that your peo-
are not the same. "It was not the
to Haifa was one of the main reasons for Britain to stay in
ple were earlier in catching a nobility of character our fore- forces on which Zionism leaned
Palestine as long as she did. The strategic and commercial value
ship some of you still might be fathers hoped for us?
that created Israel." And to our
of the Haifa refineries helped Britain to secure her position in
"As soon as he could afford It surprise we learn that "It was
over there — displaced persons
the Mediterranean before and during the last war.
dreaming of some ship to take Mr. Zilch bought a modest home. the forces that Zionism opposed—
When the state of Israel came into being, Iraq stopped the
you over. You sit here with stiff- He saw to it that his children the anti-imperialist working class
flow -f oil, and the Haifa refineries became idle and worthless.
necked pride passing snobbish went to college. This was a sacred and its allies in the Yishuv and
The Israeli government now has taken the initiative to
judgment on one more deserving dedication. He has accomplished throughout the world—that gen-
revive the production and refinement of oil. After an agreement
than you, since he made his way everything that is expected of a erated the fight for independence,
had been reached with the British owners of the Haifa refin-
without any of the advantages good American in the morals created the state and pressed for-
eries to resume work within a few months, Israel has invited an
you had by the grace of God and sense. And if it takes wealth to ward to victory in the liberation
American oil combine to do research in Israel in order to find
get into this club you all know war."
of your ancestors."
out whether oil wells can be drilled in the Negev and other
The Haganah and other forces
Mr. Hillel became aware of that Mr. Zilch is as well off as
regions.
murmured protests all around the any of us. You know his rating of the middle road will be amaz-
For Israel, as for many other countries, oil is a vital neces-
in Dunn's."
ed to hear that they have had no
table.
sity, for home consumption as well as for export. If the Ameri-
When Mr. Hillel concluded his part in the creation and libera-
"Oh,"
he
said.
'I
am
not
mean-
experts
are
able
to
report
favorably
on
the
oil
situation,
can
ing you only. Please don't take speech, the chairman of the board tion of the Jewish state.
a new chapter in the history of the Jewish state may be written.
In his discussion of 'the future
this as something personal. Your said, 'Gentlemen, are you ready
Significantly, Israel made it clear that if oil is found the
fault is not of yourself alone; it for a vote on Mr. Zilch's applica- Magil objects particularly to the
land will remain property of the state. While Israel is willing
is an attitude in Jewish life. Nor tion. While most of you already idea that Israel must become a
to cooperate with private companies in the exploitation of oil,
is it an attitude of Jewish life have said how you feel about Mr. standard-bearer of western civili-
she is not going to sell out to them. Modern history has shown
only. It is the way of human na- Zilch. we have had no formal zation in the Middle East. And
that this is the only attitude which a self-respecting country
he finally comes out with the
ture for those who have come up vote."
can adopt. The example of Mexico and some South American
demand that Israel should co-
Mr.
Hillel
was
happy
to
report:
in
the
world
and
have
attained
countries shows that expanding oil companies have a tendency
country club status to look down "Well, Mr. Zilch finally made it. operate with the Soviet Union
of trying to dominate weaker states. Israel is determined to
upon those who are trying to The vote was unanimous in his "to bring genuine peace to Israel
forestall any future trouble. We think the American oil firms
come
up and to kick them in the favor, with his accent and all." and its neighbors."
will agree that this is a wise policy.
As we stated before, it is poor
Mr. Hillel was hoping that his
face
when
their heads show.
How the Arabs will react to oil production in Israel. re-
"But, gentlemen, this attitude is speech would serve for social dialectics which does not call for
mains to be seen. They certainly will consider it an economic
far less becoming Pi Jews than guidance in Jewish life every- an answer. Straight reporting
threat to their own oil business. But this is a later worry, since
should do the job.
in other people. We are a people where.
sears will pass until the whole project becomes reality.
To the left, to the right, it's the same in every land,
There is nowhere to go—and 'tis I who should know,
Won't you please understand?
Our Part in a Hebrew Culture
Mr. Hillel Strikes Back
at Social Snobbishness
O
IR am
Israel Needs Oil Production