Malian? YCWiSk Periodical

Home Town Day for Israelis

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 TILCIIIN
Publisher

Thursday, August 24, 1950

GERIIARDT NEUMANN
Editor

Elul 11, 5710

Toward Auto-Emancipation?

Last week, we tried to explain the shortcomings of the
Zionist movement and expressed the conviction that only
to genuine Zionist ideals can we hope to
through a return
restore the Zionist movement to its original greatness.
We would like to follow up our analysis with some re-
marks about an article entitled "Auto-Emancipation Today"
by Lawrence W. Crohn, a leading Detroit Zionist. His thought-
provoking essay appeared on June 16 in The Reconstructiomst,
and it is proof of the fact that a spiritual revolution is slowly
taking place in the Zionist Organization.
Ever since Leo Pinsker wrote his famous leaflet, "Auto-
Emancipation," the Zionists have used the slogan as an effective
catch phrase which sounded well but did not mean much to
the average Jew. The phrase has become meaningful only
with the establishment of a Jewish state.
Crohn's point is that auto-emancipation in Israel (and
the Galut) "involves radical changes," and that the time has
come to "sift out the beliefs and disbeliefs, the prejudices,
the mental blocks, the pre-digested notions now current in
Israel." His basic question is therefore; are we prepared to
emancipate ourselves?
The answer is that we are quite unprepared because men-
' tally we are still the children of the 19th century, with its
party strife, class-conscious education and privileges for loyal
partisans. "The citizens of Israel," says Crohn, "should ap-
proach their great tasks with a fresh start guided by sound
judgment, and with respect for Jewish tradition."
He finds, however, that we are still far from such a state
of mind. The existing party system destroys all unity of pur•
post. Our party setup makes it impossible to think along the
lines of the common interest of all people.
The reason for the present confusion is that "neither the
right nor the left camp seems to recognize the revolutionary
charter of the new era. Labor looks upon religious philosophy
in the good old `Marxian' manner, and Mizrachi in the manner
of Joseph Karo."
Crohn places his hope in the evolution of a Jewish philos-
ophy from the present situation, "after the new generation
shall have been emancipated from the extremes of 19th cen-
tury materialism and medieval orthodoxy."
While we share with Crohn this faith in evolution, the

question remains: What should be done to achieve auto-

•

' Thursday, August 24, 1950

DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE

Page 4

emancipation? Should we abolish the parties? The alternative
might be dictatorship. We do not think that even a "benev-
olent" dictatorship would stand any chance in Israel.
Crohn's answer with regard to emancipation in the Galut
even
less satisfactory. He rightly states that the Zionist
is
movement is losing ground and that the Zionist mechanism
has been ungeared. He comes to the conclusion:
"Adequate financial and political support for Israel is the
of
basic need. For this, an American Jewry united in support
the development of Israel is essential."
The author goes on to outline a plan of recognition and
coordination of Zionist activities but he forgets that Pinsker
cannot very well be separated from Achad Haam whose teach-
ings have been consistently ignored by American Zionism.
It is Achad Haam's great merit to show that any political
revival of the Jewish people has to go hand in hand with their
spiritual revival. Zionism is not only a new form of living,
but also a new form of thinking. American Zionism has never
tried to tackle the problem of educating Jews toward this new
thinking.
We challenge the validity of any Zionist concept that does
not include a broad program of Jewish re-education in the
humanitarian spirit of Ached Haam. Without it, Zionism as
a philosophy will perish from the earth.

Defenders of Democracy

The Arab nations, according to a report in the New York
. Times, are thinking "in terms of the defense of the Middle East
if the same type of Communist aggression should start in this
area."
This was one of the main points discussed at last week's
meeting of the Arab League's rfolitical Committee in Alexan-
dria.
Referring to Turkey's support of the western powers, ex-
pressed recently at the meeting of the Council of Europe at
Strasbourg, the French-language Lebanese newspaper Le Jour
writes:
"The lesson that Turkey has given us must be understood
by the Arabs. From the moment that the issue broadens and
the fate of a great civilization is at stake, ethnic questions fall
into a secondary category and chauvinism no longer is justi-
fiable."
It should be made clear that these high-sounding words
and intentions are nothing but a smoke screen behind which a
new fire is being built against Israel. The Arabs want to make
it appear as if they were the sole defenders of democracy in
the Middle East and as if the Jewish state did not exist.
Militarily, the Arabs have proved in the Israeli war that
they are unable to fight any formidable foe, let alone Russia.
Politically, it should be obvious that the Arab countries, with
their backward medieval structures and their complete lack
of democratic institutions, are the last ones who ought to talk
about the "defense of civilization."
Although the Arabs are attempting to kill Israel by a con-
spiracy of silence it will no be denied by respOnsible observers
that only the Jewish state is in a position to defend western
civilization against any eastern onslaught. Being a small nation,
Israel probably has no chance to carry such a fight through to
a victorious conclusion.
But at least it can be stated that Israel has more at stake
ss far as democracy is concerned than the Arab states which
are just talking for the record, not out of conviction.

Jill )10

II

Ration Strike
Held Revolt of
Middle Class

By 1VILLIAM ZUKERMAN
The strike of the storekeepers
in Israel last week against the
government's rationing order of
shoes and clothing was a more
serious event than newspaper
headlines seemed to indicate. For
it reflected the economic crisis in
the country and the internal
struggle within Israel between
labor which rules the country and
the middle-class which aspires W
rule.
The economic crisis in Israel is
rapidly becoming one of the most
serious problems of the new state.
The natural market for Israeli
products are the Arab countries
of the Middle-East of which Is-
rael is an integral part. But this
market is, for the time being at
least, eliminated as a possibility
because of the political and mili-
tary situation.
The Arab states, although offi-
cially not at war with Israel, are
IT WAS "HOME TOWN" DAY at the National Jewish Hos-
pital when Eliezer Peri, vice-mayor of Tel Aviv, visited the free,
conducting a policy of economic
nationwide tuberculosis institution in Denver. Mr. Peri, center, met
boycott as well as of psychologi-
Dr. Jacob Zimmerman, right, Tel Aviv surgeon studying at NJH,
cal warfare against the new state.
and Mendel Wassermil, also of Tel Aviv, a senior !tidied student,
Israel is, thus, forced to fall
back on two methods of averting
an economic collapse. One is the
so called "austerity" program,
the other is increased funds from
abroad in the form of donations,
loans and capital investments.
Another aspect of the same
crisis is the struggle between the
his own business you could bring middle-class and Labor within Is-
By ALFRED SEGAL
him around to his own salvation. rael. The first Yishuv (settle-
MRS. GARDNER:—
But no! He won't bother to make ment) which led to the creation
himself safe, since there's a
before
going
on
with
my
But to her I should explain world to be saved. Ile's got to be of Israel, was a labor settlement
letter
started on co-operative and so-
a job of building some cialistic principles of collective
how I happen to be writing to going to
Mrs. E. Gardner of 1710 East justice in the world, or there are ownership of the land and of its
Laurale street, Baltimore 13, some despised people with dark products.
faces he must speak up for, or
But with the large influx at
Maryland.
some other social wrong to be
new immigrants, the principle of
Mrs. Gardner
righted.
collective ownership has been at-
is troubled on
So he's sticking his neck out
account of my
tacked on all sides and persistent
for
the
salvation
of
other
people
eternal soul and
on to
hit propaganda is being carried
and
getting
his
own
neck
its salvation. She
revert to the private ownership
as
a
despised
hard
and
being
advocated by the middle-class.
has written me
radical. I recall one Jew in par-
with quotations
The Israeli middle class is it
ticular who thought to save the
from Scripture
that "he vigorous group, militant by nat-
accusers
said
world.
His
which, she says,
stirred up the people." He died ure and experience. It has as long
clearly "show us
to save the world but himself a history of bitter opposition to
the way to sal-
he would not save. His name was labor and socialism as any reac-
vation through
tionary middle class in the
Jesus.
the blood of HisSegal
world. Now that its numbers
Yes, Mrs. Gardner, it looks and prestige have increased, the
dear Son, Our Lord Jesus and
it is his wish that all should be quite hard to get individual old struggle has been intensified.
saved." Jews to go in search of their
The middle-class in Israel,
Dear Mrs, Gardner: Thanks personal salvation. Had they
ever so much. I really must feel thought of personal salvation which is very well organized,
grateful to anyone who troubles they would have ceased to be ably led by the General Zionists
about my poor soul which in Jews long ago and sheltered and assisted by the flow of capital
these times is horribly confused. themselves in the safety of other of the American Zionists, is now
aspiring to reverse the basis of
It is like a child lost in a dense, altars.
Israeli economy. This is the real
dark wood and which is the right
I appreciate your invitation to reason for the present "strike" of
way to go to get back to papa personal salvation and yet as a
the shopkeepers against the govu
and mama?
Jew I cannot bring myself to be- ernment.
But, Mrs. Gardner, the trouble lieve that Jews are entirely lost to
Unfortunately, there is one
is that I am a Jew and scarcely heavenly reward; though them-
weak point in Israeli labor that
has my soul come to nestle safely selves they take not steps to be
puts the middle-class in a more
in the arms of a savior, that it saved by acceptanse of the deity
favorable position than it has
speaks up to me: "Segal, is that, of Jesus.
been in many years. This is that
a way? Is this a way for a Jew?'
I behold an incident at the labor has become top-heavy with
"What's wrong?" I inquire.
Heavenly
Judgment Seat. A cer- bureaucracy and as autocratic
"It's really very nice to be rest-
and dictatorial as any large trade
ing this way in the arms of sal- tain Jew had come there.
"I am a Jew," he says and union machine in the world.
vation?"
Impartial observers report that
"As a Jew should you be happy someone inquires what creden-
in your individual salvation? tials he has for eternal life, had the Histadrut is no longer the
There's a world to save but you he sought salvation for himself great idealistic trade union body
which, for over a generation, led
are worried about your own sal- on earth?
the Jewish settlement in the most
vation and are out to find a soft
"I am a Jew," he replies, "and
spot for yourself? That's not the on the earth I required no sal- progressive social experiment of
way of a Jew. As a Jew you vation for myself. I was worried the age.
It is a matter of record that the
are not hot and bothered about a lot of other people. I
on account of all mankind but thought of helping to make it a Histadrut is now an official silent
big
you are satisfied to have just better world. I cared about the partner in practically every
your own soul saved. Let's get oppressed. I troubled myself to business in Israel. No important
private enterprise in Israel earl
going, Segal. Over there I see walk with men of good will. I operate without sharing its profits
a slum and a lot of kids to be was concerned with the unhappy with the Histadrut.
rescued from it."
fate of rejected children. I went
In short, the Histadrut is re-
You see, Mrs. Gardner, instead with those who marched toward puted to have become a big trust
of waiting patiently for Messiah the brotherhood. I guess I didn't which uses the economic and
to pick him up toward salvation, have time to save myself."
political power at its disposal to
many a Jew thinks of himself
Now Jesus Himself heard him advance its own interests.
Messiah.
Instead
of
as a sort of
and recalled the Beatitudes
These claims, whether they are
letting himself be saved he which He Himself spoke in the entirely true or not, are now CUT.. •
reaches out to help save the Sermon on the Mount, "BlesFid rent in Israel and among non-la-
world.
are they which do hunger after bor Zionists in this country. They
He hears of injustice being
righteousness .. .blessed are the give the middle-class an oppor-
save
done and he feels called to
merciful . . . blessed are the tunity to attack the government
somebody from the infliction of peacemakers . . . blessed are and to gain ground in the present
that wrong. He must do some- they which are persecuted for
struggle.
thing about the slum that festers
Ben Gurion is reported to have
righteousness' sake . . , theirs
beneath the mansions, he walks
yielded partly to the pressure of
is the kingdom of heaven."
in the picket-line in a strike in
What I mean to suggest that the middle-class strikes a n d
which he himself is not in the
maybe
as a Jew I can get there threats and to be ready to com-
least involved; it's a social duty
anyway. And thanks again, Mrs. promise on the economic field 84
with him.
he did on the religious.
If he were a guy who minded Gardner.

Salvation in Jews' Eyes
Means Saving World

D EAR

I

