America lewisk Periodical e€

Thursday, September 7, 1950

Page 4

DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE

Off to a New Start

Detroit Jewish Chronicle

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Published Weekly by the Jewish Chronicle Publishing Co , Inc.
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Entered as Second-class matter March 3, 1916, at the Post Office at
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Korea Dictates
Messages on
Rosh Hashana

By WILLIAM ZUKERMAN
Most Rosh Hashana messages of
American Jewish organizations
this year revolve around tic
SEYMOUR, .TILCHIN
Qt s
world conflict in Korea and ix--
Publisher
press whole-hearted support of
GER11ARDT
NEUMANN
NORMAN KOLIN
the democratic countries and the
Editor
Advertising Manager
United Nations.
Elul 25, 5710
The message of the Zionist Or-
Thursday, September 7, 1950
Organization of America may be
said to be typical of most. It be-
gins with a solemn note saying
The Jewish Message to the World
that "American Jews, together
customary in this
with their brothers throughout
As the Jewish New Year approaches, it is
country that congratulations and best wishes be extended to the
the world, approach the new year
Jews by public officeholders and friendly organizations. Our
5711 with a prayer, coupled with
Rosh Hashana festival becomes, to a small extent, another
hope and courage.
a
little
Brotherhood Week when an attempt is made to inject
"Our hearts are heavily laden
4
good will and neighborliness into an otherwise hopelessly twisted
with sorrow over the renewed
spilling of blood in a war which
world.
. The New Year S711 means a homecoming to Israel for Jews from all parts has been precipitated by the ag-
The Jews of America deeply appreciate the spirit of these
of the world. The mother and daughter shown here are from India. They
. messages. They take them as a sign of sympathy, and as an indi-
were brought to Israel with the help of the United Jewish Appeal, which gression of totalitarian forces in
cation of true democracy. In most countries outside America it
requires additional large-scale binds to speed the immigration of Jews from violation of all concepts of free-
Euroe,
would be unthinkable that the President or the King congratu-
p North Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Emigration to Israel of dom and human dignity and in
late the Jewry of their country on the occasion of the start of a
Jews from India started after the establishment of theJewish State two defiance of the will of the civil-
years ago.
year in the Jewish calendar. Only in the free air of America
ized world.
could such a custom grow up and be taken for granted.
ZIONISTS BACK U.S.
However, all life is a two-way affair. Taking is only mean-
"American Zionists stand solid-
ingful when it is complemented by giving. Much as we appre-
ly behind the United Nations and
ciate the gestures of the Christian world, we feel that Judaism
our own government in their po-
message
of
its
own.
The
mission
of
the
can reciprocate with a
sition against aggression in Korea
Jew is not accomplished as long as there is no lasting peace in
and in the action to bring a halt
the world.
to the march of an enemy which
One of the portions of the Bible to be read at our Rosh
threatens to destroy our liber-
Hashana services is the story of Abraham as he takes his son
see people like him around
By ALFRED SEGAL
ties."
Isaac to a mountain in Moriah in order to "offer him there for a
town," Mr. 'Cohen was saying.
The message proceeds to state
GOOD FRIEND, Mr. Cohen
V
burnt offering" (Genesis, Chapter 22).
"They say he makes a bad im- that the ZOA, in consideration for
(which one? It's enough to pression for all other Jews. What
"And Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in
the future welfare of Israel and
say he's one of the many) ad- will people think of Jews when
order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon
the Jewish people in its entirety,
vises
me
that
I
should
suggest
they look at him?"
the wood.
is calling upon its membership on
to
the
readers
some
worthy
res-
"And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife
"That's another of our faults— the occasion of the New Year to
olutions
to
take
to slay his son.
the way we blame other kinds of mobilize all constructive forces
to themselves a!
"And the angels of the Lord called unto him out of heaven,
Jews for whatever ails Jewry. within their respective communi-
New
Year
time.
and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
We are sure of our own merits. ties for a renewed and rededi-
'In the high
"And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do
By this attitude we indorse the cated effort in behalf of Israel
, God,
holy season
stupidity of anti-Semites. Even and for the "strengthening of the
thou anything unto him: for now I know that thou fearest
Jews
look
back
seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me,"
the harmless, kindly-looking American Jewish community to-
at their lives in
Without fear of falling into sermonizing, we can see a timely
gentleman we have just seen is ward enrichment of our demo-
the past year
symbolism and purposeful message in this ancient story which
scorned by some Jews as a lia- cratic heritage."
and ask for for-
bility of all Israel because he
goes back to the days of child sacrifice.
• ISRAEL 'DEAL' BIT
giveness," says
The symbolism: Is not our civilization in the same danger as
wears a long beard and a long
The
Yiddish press received th
Mr. Cohen.
Isaac of being slaughtered in order that someone's faith in a way
coat."
exchange coL speeches between
"Shouldn't there
life
be
proved?
Aren't
we
hearing
voices,
false
voice
which
"Take this down," Mr. Cohen Ben Gurion and Jacob Blaustein,
of
be more of look- Segal
demand that we sacrifice all that we hold dear in the name of
said. Let us resolve that in the president of the American Jew-
ing
into
the
future
and
saying
uniformity of for the faith in an ideology?
come we will not descend ish Committee, unfavorably. Dr.
this what I shall do in the year to year to
The moral of the biblical story is that human sacrifice is not
to the sin of anti-Semites by S. Margoshes, writing in the Tog,
come
and
that
I
shall
not
do,
so
necessary or desirable to please God. The moral for our time is
blaming our troubles on other stated that although he is in
help me."
Jews who are not like us or agreement on the whole with
that no slaughter of human beings is necessary to achieve the
I had met Mr. Cohen on the don't smell as nice as we do or what Ben Gurion told Blaustein,
goals of civilization. As with Abraham the spiritual form of re-
Street at a moment when I was whose manners aren't as polished he did not like the fact that the
ligion superseded the pagan custom of human sacrifice, so we
troubled as to just what to write as ours. As people who, as a
hope in our time that a turning point will be reached and reason
statement was made to the presi-
for a New Year column. Mr. civilized group, have lived in the
will prevail over ,antiquated methods of settling international
Cohen belongs to the Chochem world longer than most others, dent of the AJC, for by so doing,
disputes.
Canasta
Club and has consider- we accept the fact that it takes the Israeli Premier has strength-
the
great
non-conformists
in
this
We Jews have always been
able
wisdom
even beyond the re- all kinds to make a people and ened the hands of the non-Zion-
world. We have always stood for what was unpopular, not in
ists in America.
quirements of canasta.
all each of us can do about it is
fashion and difficult to do. For more than 2,000 years we have
For whether we like it or not,
"What,"
I
asked
him,
"should
I
that
his
own
char-
been reminding the world, tough the words of our prophets, of
to see to it
the impression will be created
write about?" and that's how he acter remains good enough to re-
the great goals of mankind, of the ways to peace and to the
came to advise men on the con- flect some merit on the Jewish that the Ben Gurion statement
brotherhood of man.
tents of this column at this sea- people. Even if the whole Jewish was brought about by the Arne! i-
The world does not like to be reminded, nor does it like non-
people doesn't get the credit, he can Jewish Committee.
son.
conformists. It is easier to have complete, or at least approxi-
"Already Jews in the United
mate, uniformity of opinion than to argue with a "stiff-necked"
'Precisely, Mr. Cohen, just will have been true himself and States have begun to wonder as
enough.
minority which insists upon ways of living deviating from those
what resolutions are becoming to that's
"And that's resolution No. 2,,, to the reasons that have prompted
a Jew on Rosh Hashana?"
of most other people.
the government of Israel to in-
And yet, the message stands as long as mankind has not
We were walking on our Fifth
Cohen said.
vite
vite the president of the AJC
reached a stage of maturity where it no longer needs the moral
• • •
street where one of our best ho-
twice within one year, while no
.
teachings of religion. The Jewish message to the world may be
tels stands and that fact brought
"AND WHAT'S NO. 3, Mr. similar invitation was extended
interpreted in many ways, but it is essentially an appeal to
Mr. Cohen to say, "Yes, hotels!" Cohen?
to Zionist leaders. One can as-
"What about hotels?",
reason.
Mr. Cohen was thinking of a some that their wonder will
The voice of reason is drowned out by the emotional.elamor
"Well," he replied, "a hotel, in resolution for Jewish leaders. change into amazement upon
one way or another, suggests one "They enjoy quarrels too much," hearing that the visit of the AJC
of our time, but it cannot be silenced.
Consciously or unconsciously, Jews will continue to fight for
of the faults of Jews. Hotels are
he said., "Jewish news is too often president elicited the Premier's
the idea of a moral world, and we know that one day the world
among the Jewish problems—not
a report of their dissensions, their r a t h e r astounding announce-
this
one,
mind
you—but
when-
will thank us.
striving toward being important, ment."
ever Jews get together there is
the yammering of hurt pride, the
DENOUNCES PROMISES
always some one to bring up
position. Their
S. Dingol, another Tog writer,
Redefining Galut
some hotel that doesn't treat jockeying for
suggest deep rifts in
Jews right. Some hotel in Florida quarrels
Jewry but the fact is that the was still more displeased with
As we reported in last week's issue, Prime Minister David
or in Bermuda or Michigan that
themselves aren't Ben Gurion's statement which he
Ben Gurion has redefined Israel's concept of Galut to the effect
eply
doesn't take Jews. So what? Is de
deeply divided. They'd rather be described as "tactless" and prom-
that ''the Jewish state has no desire to interfere with the internal
that something for lamentation? let alone by their quarreling ising too much, more than the
affairs of Jewish communities abroad."
"What if a hotel doesn't want leaders." ./ Premier had a right to promise."
Ben Gurion also took a clear stand on Chalutziut when he
me? Is the ability to get into the
Dingol openly hints that Ben
affirmed his hope that American Jewish youth would come to
Mr. Cohen had resolu tions Gurion entered into a bargain
best hotels any kind of a test of
Israel and enrich the country with its technical know-how, but
his
i
T
the quality of a Jew? Take this No. So 3 quickly in hand. "
with Blaustein, exchanging fun-
that the decision rests solely with the individual.
down as the first of Rosh it," he said. "It's for Jewish lead- damental nationalistic principles
These remarks will set at ease a number of fearful people
Hashana resolution."
ers. Take it down:
for the opening of the Haifa re-
"We as leaders shall be humble
who thought that Israel's position was too domineering and that
I took out pencil and paper and
which Blaustein, as a
it might endanger the civic status of Jews in other countries.
wrote as Mr. Cohen dictated: men
men whose concern is not to be leading American oil man, could
It goes without saying that Ben Gurion's stand is an ex-
"My merit as a Jew does not rest big-shots. We know that the only
pedient. Confronted with the tremendous task of keeping
to Gurion
bring about.
in the judgment of hotel clerks. importance—in Jewish life, that help
Ben
also wanted the aid
Israel's economy going and making room for hundreds of thou-
No person who slights me as a is,—is the welfare of Jewry. To of the "rich Jews; bankers and
sands of newcomers, Ben Gurion knows that without the active
Jew can make me less if my head that end we must prevent dis-
never forget
that we it. ourselves
American Jewish
assistance of American Jewry Israel will be faced with disaster.
is high with assurance of being sension
not foment
We must brokers" of the
Committee in floating the billion-
In this situation, ideology does not mean anything to the
a Jew who knows the Jewish
are not all important and that and-a-half dollar loan which he
Premier as long as the practical tasks are overshadowing every-
teaching and lives by it."
expects to raise in the United
• • •
others will be taking our places
things else.
concept
of
JUST
passed
us
We agree with Ben Gurion. The old Zionist
THERE HAD
competently when the time States.
But, despite all that, Ben Gur-
one of those long-bearded, long- comes. We know we are just men
Galut could stand a thorough overhauling. It was mainly bor-
accord-
coated men who come to our who have been elevated largely ion paid too high a price,
rowed from the Galut-philosophy of the prophets who used it
town—as to many another town because we are fluent with ing' to Dingo], and he hints that
under circumstances completely different from the present ones.
the Premier of Israel has come
—to collect money for Yeshivahs. speeches."
The new concept of the relationship between Israel and
for
everything,
Mr.
perilously
near to accepting the
"Thanks
You
might
say
he
was
an
out-
Jews in other countries will be built around the idea that there
landish figure in the stream- Cohen. You are a worthy mem- position of the Ameritan Council
is a spiritual and physical k iship between them, but that
ber of the Chochem's Canasta for Judaism on the question of
lined, clean-shaven scene.
body
has
to
develop
Jewish
politically each part of the to al
double loyalty.
"A lot of Jews don't like to Club. A chochem, indeed!"
according to its own requirements.

Let's Make (and Keep)
3 Resolutions for 5711

M