Americo Jewish Periodical Cog 1111111111111111 - ■ 111111.111•11111•Pl - - 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.