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DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE
Page 4
Heschel Book
Shows Way
to Living Faith
Detroit Jewish Chronicle
Published Weekly by the Jewish Chronicle Publishing Co., Inc.
WOodward 1-1040
900 Lawyers' Building, Detroit 26, Michigan
SUBSCRIPTION
S3.00 Per Year. Single Copies, 10e; 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
By GERIIARDT NEUMANN
MAN IS NOT ALONE. A
PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION
by Abraham J. Ileschel (Far-
rar, Straus & Young, New York,
305 pp., $3.75).
Ever since I finished reading
Hesehel's latest book, I have been
debating with myself: is it poetry
or philosophy? Everyone familiar
with the history of philoSophy
knows that the dividing line is
a very thin one; the vision of the
philosopher all too often loses
its touch with reality and be-
comes a loose web of straggling
words which in themselves seem
to have little meaning and which
can be understood only by put-
ting oneself into the author's
frame of mind.
SEYMOUR TILCIIIN
Publisher
GERHARDT NEUMANN
NORMAN KOLIN
Editor
Advertising Manager
Nisan 14, 5711
Friday, April 20, 1951
War Over Misunderstanding
It seems that the unfortunate border dispute between
Israel and Syria is one of those incidents in international
relations, which flare up together with tempers, but
could have been avoided if cooler heads had prevailed.
The Huleh drainage is an old project of the Jewish
National Fund. The Huleh swamps were acquired (at a
high price) around 1937. Time and again, the British
mandatory government was asked for permission to start
work on the draining of the swamps, and the British, who
were already hard pressed by the Arabs at that time, used
their well-known delaying tactics in order to get around
a decision.
There was a reason for the JNF's desire to go to
work. At that time, the situation of the Jews in Europe
had grown from bad to worse, and it was clear that hun-
dreds of thousands would want to come to Israel to estab-
lish a new home. Transformation of the swamps into cul-
tivable land would have facilitated the settlement of the
newcomers and would have created living space for un-
told thousands.
Israel is now continuing where the JNF was balked
by the mandatory power. The influx of immigrants forces
Israel to create more space. Israel does not suffer from
lack of space, but rather from lack of cultivable space.
There are many square miles of desert and swamps on
which no settlement is possible until they are prepared
for human inhabitation.
It is, therefore, understandable that Israel does not
want to stop work in the Huleh area.
The controversy possibly stems from Syria's erron-
eous interpretation of the truce agreement concluded
after the Arab-Israeli war. The Huleh area, it is true, is
now inhabited by Arabs who returned after the signing
of the truce.
The JNF has declared its willingness to buy those
Arab lands in the 'vicinity, to lease them, or to pay com-
pensation for whatever harvests may be lost while the
machines work there. It is also a well known fact that the
owners of the land
—
as far as it is not yet acquired by the
JNF—are willing to sell or rent it to the Jews. However,
the Syrian authorities have ordered the landowners to
refrain from such action.
Although the work is being done within the former
boundaries of Israel under the mandate, the Syrians, who
had invaded this area during the war and had later been
repulsed, still regard themselves as half-owners of the
territory.
One of the greatest fears of the Syrians is the loss of
water power. The drainage of the Huleh swamps requires
the widening the riverbed of the Jordan. To that end,
both banks of the river are being straightened to prepare
them for the dredging machines. The Syrians fear that a
diversion of the Jordan waters may deprive them,of this
power source.
It seems to us that with a little good will and mutual
cooperation this whole misunderstanding could be cleared
up and an accord be reached with regard to all problems
involved.
Grant-in-Aid to Israel
We hope that the respective committees of the House
and the Senate, which are now considering a $150,000,000
grant-in-aid to Israel, will work fast.
The fact that the bill is a bi-partisan matter is en-
couraging and should make a speedy action possible. The
"true democratic outpost in the Near East," as House
majority leader John W. McCormack called Israel, has to
cope with so many internal and external problems that it
can no longer keep pace with them.
Material help from the United States will enable
Israel to consolidate its position and to settle the immi-
grants who are now crowding the reception camps with-
out seeing ivy immediate future for themselves.
The human and the political problems of Israel are
closely interwoven. From either angle there should be no
doubt that the help extended to Israel goes to a country
which is destined to become the foremost democratic
power in the Near East.
The Open Door
Several times during the Seder ritual Jews open their
doors in a symbolic welcome to the Messiah, and we also
invite the poor to partake in the Seder meal.
The custom has a particular significance in our time.
It reminds us of the obligations which rest on our shoul-
ders and the help expected of us. Thousands of Jews in
certain parts of the world are, figuratively speaking, star-
ing at the table of American Jewry, wondering whether
there are a few crumbs which they could pick up.
The hungry Jews of the world are looking to us, and
our chance to help them is NOW. They need food, homes
and a reconstruction of their broken lives. To them, we
appear as something like Messiah, whose magic word has
the power of life and death. On this festival of freedom,
let's liberate them from the ci 1 f,f homelessness.
. •
Friday, April 20, 1951
- —
May 31 is the deadline for 10,000 Jews in Iraq to leave the
country. Israel is the only place where they can find a home.
American Jews must help Israel to provide food and shelter
for them. The United Jewish Appeal (and the Allied Jewish
Campaign in Detroit) are the agencies which organize this
relief work on a grand scale. GIVE NO1V:
Statistics of Israel Tell
Story of Big Sacrifices
As every product of lieschel's
pen. this book is the result of
serious meditation, combined
with a profound knowledge of
philosophy in general and Jew-
ish philosophy in particular. The
book can best be understood by
those who take into account lies-
chel's hasidic background as well
as his training in a German uni-
versity. There are pages in this
book which read like pages from
Karl Jaspers and other German
philosophers of the late twenties.
Undoubtedly, there are many
valuable passages in lleschel's
book, and the high idealism of
his conception of life and re-
ligion will leave no reader un-
By ERNEST ASCIINER
moved. What makes it so diffi-
Economic Department, Jewish Agency for Palestine
Figures illustrating Israel's striking economic development have cult for the modern man with
just been released by Finance Minister Eliezer Kaplan, They indicate a realistic outlook on life to em-
that the national income for 1950 topped $900,000, an increase of 30 brace lieschel's philosophy in its
entirety is his mysticism.
per cent over 1949.
Religion, to Heschel, is the
Net investments last year in development in a country with
housing, industry, agriculture, a fast expanding economy and question "what to do with the
communications, public works population, the fact remains feeling for the mystery of living,
and services totaled some $300,- that at this stage of Israel's what to do with awe, wonder or
000,000, an advance of 25 per cent development, the lag in produc- fear. Religion begins with a con-
over 1949. About 41 per cent of tion and services, and the needs sciousness that something is ask-
the $300,000,000 c a in e from of the population can only be ed of us."
reconciled through capital im-
abroad. •
But, in defining Judaism, Hes-
Immigration of 170,000 during ports which alone can effec- chel hesitates to put the accent
1950 continued to swell the popu- tively fill the gap in the inter- on the deed. ''What constitutes
the Jewish form of living," he
lation by another 18 per cent, national balance of payments.
• • •
says, 'is not so much the per-
while 1950 imports, aggregating
$288,000,000, rose only by 14
THUS ISRAEL'S most acute formance of single good deeds,
per cent over those of 1949. problem revolves around the the taking of a step now and
However, exports increased from shortage of foreign exchange, or, then, as the pursuit of a way,
$30,000,000 in 1949 to $37,000,000 more precisely, the country's dol- being on the way." Thus it seems
that he prefers to take refuge in
in 1950.
lar deficiency.
Consumer goods on a per capita
"If this shortage cannot be a mystic "pattern of life" rather
basis dropped from $73 in 1949 made good," declared Abba Eban. than a concrete way of life.
to $59 last year and capital goods Israel ambassador to the United
This attitude is still under-
imports represented 34 per cent States, in his recent note to Sec- lined by his emphasis on "piety,"
of total imports in 1950.
retary of State Dean Acheson Heschel sees piety as a phenom-
Here are three more signifi- requesting a grant-in-aid from enon ''beyond the distinctions be-
can figures: Since the estab- the U.S. for $150,000,000 for the tween intellect and emotion." It
lishment of the state three coming fiscal year, "it will be- is "the direct opposite of selfish-
years ago, agricultural produc- come impossible to maintain liv- ness." Piety is "an attitude to-
tion increased 70-80 per cent, ing standards even at their pres- ward God and the world, toward
industrial production went up ent reduced level, while Israel's men and things, toward life and
40-50 per cent and the popula- industrial and agricultural de- destiny."
tion increased by almost 100 velopment is liable to become
But much as Ileschel tries to
impeded, or even paralyzed, reconcile his conception of piety
per cent.
through
lack
of
continuous
sup-
At first' glance these statistics
with reality, he does not seem to
provide an impressive yardstick plies of raw materials and capi- succeed. "The pious man," he
o: Israel's tremendous progress tal goods."
writes, "is alert to the dignity
on the economic front. On closer
While every effort is being of every human being, and to
analysis, however, the figures tell made by various offices and those bearings upon the spiritual
an eloquent story of the efforts
organizations in the U. S. to value which even inanimate
and sacrifices of the Israelis, of
things inalienably possess."
the country's critical shortages mobilize funds in the form of
This is an admirable sentiment,
and of its needs for more foreign loans, investments, grants and but does it carry weight with
capital.
contributions, Israel's economic people living under modern con-
• • •
planners are intensifying their ditions? This is the question
FIRST OF ALL, the figures re-
which becomes the measure of
veal that about 20 per cent of efforts to channel foreign capi- any philosophy.
tal
into
areas
where
new
invest-
the national income went into
As a philosophy of religion,
new investments (exclusive of ment will bring greatest bene-
foreign capital investments). This fits to the country's economy lieschel's book is probably not
the answer to our problems. It
in itself is a remarkable proof of
as a whole.
is a collection of sermons rather
the Israelis' determination to
mobilize their own maximum re-
By now scores of industrial than an outline of new ways.
sources for the building up of projects requiring foreign capital Heschel himself seems to be
participation have been worked aware of the uncertain ground
the country.
Secondly, the foreign trade fig- out in detail in the field of met- on which he stands. He suggests
ures indicate that the govern- als, chemicals, textiles and build- as an "ideal synthesis," a mini-
ment's stringent austerity meas- ing industries, and additional pro- mum of creed and a maximum
ures are effectively applied and jects in other areas are being pre- of faith, and adds that reason's
that the program of reducing im- pared by the initiation section of "great conflict is not with faith
ports of consumer goods and of the Israel government's Invest- but with belief." He even goes
so far as to call faith without
boosting exports is already show- ment Center.
ing results.
The Israeli consulates in this reason mute, and reason without
Beyond that, the foreign trade country and the economic depart- faith deaf.
However, the crucial question
figures show up the very root ment of the Jewish Agency for
of Israel's economic difficulties— Palestine, New York, are making how faith can be brought back
the huge trade deficit of a quar- these projects available to ptos- to this faithless world of ours
ter of a billion dollars resulting pective investors and are assisting remains unanswered—and prob-
from the lop-sided export-import them in many phases of the actual ably has to, because the best
ratio of 1:8.
process of realizing a given pro- minds so far have run afoul of
iVhile this is not an unusual ject.
the mental confusion of our time.