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DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE

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Detroit. Jewish Chronicle

Huleh From the Air

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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

Friday, May 18, 1951

Anti-Semitism
of Nazis Based
on Mass Ego

By ,GERHARDT NEUMANN
HOSTESSES OF CIVILIZA-
TION by Eva G. Reichmann
SEYMOUR TILCHIN
Beacon Press, Boston, 281 pp.,
Publisher
$3).
GERHARDT
NEUMANN
NORMAN HOLIN
Editor
The further h i s tory moves
Advertising Manager
away from the nightmare of
Iyar'12,
5711
Friday, May 18, 1951
the Hitler period, the greater
the temptation to seek an ex-
planation of what happened in
Germany and why. Eva Reich-
mann, former editor of a high-
Next Monday Detroit's Jews will have their first
class German-Jewish magazine,
chance to get acquainted with David Ben Gurion, Israel's
"Der Morgen," calls her book
prime minister and Israel's "prime mover," so to speak.
"a study of the social causes
What has always fascinated us about the Israeli cabi-
of anti-Semitism in Germany."
net is the intellectual caliber of its members. As compared
Like Peretz Bernstein, whose
with the cabinets of other countries, it seems that Israel's
book "Jew Hate" was reviewed
ministers are either rabbis or scholars in the first place,
on this page not long ago, the
author delves into mass psychol-
and politicians only in the second place.
ogy and concurs with other so-
Ben Gurion is a self-made man. He is not a profes-
ciologists that anti-Semitism first
sional scholar, but his interests in classical studies are
becomes a prbduct of mass frus-
well known and more than casual ones. He knows his way
tration and then is used to sat-
around in archeology as well as in politics.
isfy "the inner need"for aggres-
But instead of talking about him, we would rather
sion."
_let him speak for himself. About a month ago he deliver-
This picture shows a bird's eye view of the Hueleh marshland
Nazism, in particular, had a
ed a speech at the Labor Party Council in Tel Aviv in
at the Israeli-Syrian border, which in recent weeks has been the
"pseudo - religious, anti - rational
which he examined the basic issues of Zionism in the
center of fighting and controversy. The Jewish National Fund is
character," which made it easy
light of recent developments. The following excerpts
for the masses to swallow dck-
endeavoring to carve 2,000 farms out of swamp and muck.
from this speech will illuminate the thinking of Ben
trines and adopt a philosophy
which, under normal circum-
Gurion:
stances, would have been laugh-
"If the state of Israel is to survive, it must in the
ed at. The disappointments of
first place be a country like all other countries . . . This
the post-war period had pre-
country is distinguished by two features:
pared the soil for an appeal to
"The first is that a basic right is accorded, not only
hatred.
to its citizens, but to every Jew wherever he may be,
"The overwhelming force of
namely, the right to come here freely any time he
hand was originally kindled in Nazism," we read, "lay in its
By SEYMOUR TILCHIN
the Jewish temple in this com- combination of rational promises
wishes .. .
ter CAN NOW WALK erect munity, so must there be the and irrational propaganda which
"The second is that the Jewish people, not only the
through the streets of Ft. spirit of love for one another
inhabitants of Israel, have an interest in the state. The
Induced the masses to believe in
Lauderdale. I have taken an in- in the heart of Christian and
state itself is not the final aim of Zionism. What we need
them."
terest in civic movements for Jew today."
is a national home for the entire Jewish people, for every
Nazi anti-Semitism, in the
more than 10 years, yet, until
The following Sunday Dr.
Jew in the world, and that is something more than a Jew-
Rabbi Ranson came and effected Ranson occupied the pulpit of author's view, had to fulfill three
ish state ...
his policy of brotherhood and the Park Temple Methodist functions within the framework
"It is clear that the state cannot carry out unaided
good will among all faiths, I was Church, and soon after he was of propaganda: 1) it was a sym-
the task for which it` was designed: that task is beyond
conscious of an unfriendliness on elected a member of the Great- bol of the satisfaction of primi-
the part of many peoples in the er Ft. Lauderdale Ministerial tive impulses; 2) it had to make
the powers of the initial nucleus which established it.
city. It is really a miracle."
Association, one of the few possible the opportunist appeal
Unles, therefore, the resources and help of the entire peo-
to different groups of interests,
With these words, a prominent rabbis in Florida to be elected and 3) it had to conceal real
ple are mobilized, the task will not be carried out.
group.
a
Jewish
merchant
of
Ft.
Lauder-
to
such
"The miracle that is now in progress has no prece-
Brotherhood Week of 1950 political problems.
dale, Fla., expressed his feelings
dent in all history. It is something greater than the Exo-
The Nazis could have selected
was
another milestone in this
about the activi-
dus. Those who went out of Egypt numbered 600,000,
unending fight for better under- any number of minority groups
ties of Rabb i
They chose
and it took them 40 years to reach the Promised Land.
standing. It was characterized as their scapegoats.
Marius Ranson
the Jews, of course, as the weak-
by
the
participation
of
the
Cath-
In the past two years almost 600,000 have entered Israel,
of Temple
olic priest. The ministers of all est and most vulnerable group,
and that is only the beginning. Unless loyal and constant
Emanu-El,
faiths again pledged their co- and they could get away with
help is forthcoming from all parts of the Diaspora, the
whose spiritual
operation in a movement to their senseless theories because
leader he h a s
task will not be achieved.
their propaganda and promises
make brotherhood a reality.
been since 1948.
"The Zionist movement can no longer remain what it
I On many occasions the fight gave the people new hopes and
Dr.
Ranson,
was before. Its real problem is that of its status among
had to be carried through with relief from their inferiority feel-
came to Ft.;
the people — its standing in the Diaspora.
ings.
strong determination.
Lauderdale with!
"The real problem confronting the Zionist movement
• • •
We also agree with the author
the intention "of,
is how to establish for itself a position where it can di-
Ranson
ONE INCIDENT in particular that it is remarkable that,. de-
melting the ice
rect and guide the Jewish people, and organize and rally
of indifference." Over the years stands out in our mind. A few spite the tremendous barrage of
he has built up a remarkable months ago, the swank Bahia propaganda, anti-Semitism in
it to the help of the state .. .
fellowship among the various Mar Yacht Club refused its fa- Germany never was embraced
"The Zionist movement must now emerge from its
faiths and brought about a cilities to Jews, despite the fact by all of the people but had
swaddling clothes as a sectarian movement and display its
change
in human relationships that the land on which the to be forced upon them. Vio-
capacity and desire to concentrate the entire nation
club is situated is municipally lence was essentially limited to
that is outstanding.
around it and around the state . . . It must identify itself
the organized activities of the
owned.
On
Yom
Kippur,
1948—with
completely and unhesitatingly with the state of Israel ...
Rabbi Ranson appealed to the Nazi gangs. In other words, the
the
cooperation
of
William
"Had the event of May 14, 1948, taken place in 1937,
the symbolic
Kretchman, president of Bnai American Legion, to the Great- people accepted
whipping boy but did
six million Jews would not have been annihilated in Eu-
Brith Lodge 1438 of Ft. Lauder- er Ft. Lauderdale Ministerial Jew as a
not hate their Jewish neighbors
rope. The delay of 11 years in establishing the state de-
dale,—Ranson presented James Association and to various other to the extent it is believed by
groups,
and
then
led
a
delega-
cided the fate of European Jewry. It is snot hard to imag-
O'Neil, national commander of
ine what a state we would have had if European Jewry
the American Legion, in the pul- tion of Christians to the city hall outsiders.
The crucial question, however,
pit of Temple Emanu-El. O'Neil where the attitude of the club
had still been in existence — what forces would have
was denounced as illegal and is whether emancipation in Ger-
denounced
religious
prejudice
surged forward to build the country."
many was a failure. The author
and branded it as un-American. un-American.
These remarks prove that Ben Gurion is a realistic
Within a few weeks the club believes that it was not. The
Many people gasped at this
thinker and a forthright speaker. His speech reflects his
German Jews, she says, had as-
tradition-shattering act of bring- adopted a new policy.
type of leadership. We welcome Ben Gurion to Detroit.
When the Ft. Lauderdale ob- similated themselves and yet re-
ing a Christian into the temple
The Jewish people can be proud of him.
on Yom Kippur, but the good servance of "Religion in Amer- tained their identity. However,
And we hope that Ben Gurion, too, will be proud of
effects of O'Neil's statement ican Life" was planned for last they made the mistake not to
us when he leaves Detroit after finding a strong response
made themselves soon felt in November, the Ministers Asso- consider themselves a minority.
ciation named Rabbi Ranson as They believed that they were
to his appeal for the purchase of Israeli bonds, the symbol
the city.
Ever since, Dr. Ranson has chairman. The program called fully integrated into German
through which we can affirm our faith in the future of
participated in many civic and for a strengthening_ of religion life.
the state of Israel and the Jewish people.
Here is the great lesson for
interfaith activities. Hanukka of in personal and community life
1948 also was made an occasion and for a revival of church at- the Jews in other countries, the
author states. "The Jews being
to bring Christians and Jews to- tendance.
"We Christian clergymen," everywhere a minority depend
gether.
In that year, Hanukka coin- stated one minister, "regard for their existence on an ad-
The ambiguous position taken by Syria in the Huleh
cided with Christmas. Rev. John Rabbi Ranson as .worthy of vanced state of civilization in
border dispute was recently well stated by Israel's for-
Hanger, pastor of the Park heading up the movement to their environment. The deadly
eign minister, Moshe Sharett:
Temple Methodist Church, came awaken our Christian congre- force of Nazism that brought
"If the contentions of the Syrians were true, they
to Temple Emanu-El and took gations to the importance of our about their ruin was directed
cannot possibly have it both ways: They cannot in one
a light from the Menora which religion, and furthermore, we primarily not against them but
regard ' your restrictive cove- against civilization itself."
and the same breath disclaim responsibility for the al-
Rabbi Ranson had kindled.
nants, whereby you discriminate
• • •
leged irregulars and contest the right of the Israel army
The author stakes her faith
to take action against them in defense of Israel's security.
LATER THAT evening, at the against Jews, as iniquitous, and on education. She believes that
therefore
we
have
appointed
pre-midnight Christmas service,
"All armistice agreements, including the one with
people who can judge for them-
all the electric lights in Rev. this rabbi, who is the exemplifi- selves on political matters are
Syria, place the responsibility squarely on the govern-
Hanger's church were turned off cation of the staunch American- not an easy prey to "the seduc-
ments concerned for the action of any forces, regular
and each worshiper was in- ism and religious character of tive influence of slogans and
or irregular, emanating from their territory."
vited to come forward and kin- the Jews as chairman of the symbols."
This about sums up the situation. It is to be hoped
dle a small candle from the committee to bring you to our
We cannot share this optim-
that the Syrian attempt to fight a war and, at the same
flame of the large candle on churches, as a startling challenge ism. All that can be said today
to
your
consciences."
time, disclaim any responsibility for it will be frustrated
the pulpit.
that no ways have been found
We believe that a new pattern is
"Take these candles with you,"
by the energetic action taken by the United Nations Se-
yet to prevent anti - Semitism
in
communal
relationships
has
said Rev. Hanger to his congre-
curity Council.
from becoming a menace.; We
gation, "and remember that the been set by Dr. Ranson, and can neither control the political
After the firing has ceased — at least for the time
light of Christ was taken from this is why we felt Detroit's development nor its psycholog-
being — the Mixed Armistice Commission can go to
the flame of Judaism in ancient Jews might want to read about ical corollaries.
work and seek an agreement which will satisfy both
days. And.as this flame in your this.

Welcome, Ben Gurion!

Florida Rabbi Remolds
Pattern of Community

Peace in the Huleh

Israel and Syria.

•