Page Four THE JEWISH NEWS THE JEWISH NEWS Friday, May 21, 1943 Talmudic Tales Now for the Post-Graduate Work! Member of Independent Jewish Press Service, Jewish Tele- graphic Agency, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate, Religious News Service, Palcor News Agency, Bressler Cartoon Service, Wide World Photo Service. Published every Friday by Jewish News Publishing Co., 2114 Penobscot Bldg., Detroit, Mich. Telephone, RAndolph 7956. Sub- scription rate, $3 a year; foreign, $4 a year. Club subscription of one issue a month, published every fourth Friday in the month, to all subscribers to Allied Jewish Campaign of Jewish Welfare Federa- tion of Detroit, at 50 cents a club subscription per year. Entered as second-class matter August 6, 1942, at the Post Office at Detroit, Michigan, under the Act of March 3, 1879. By DAVID MORANTZ (Based upon the ancient legends and philosophy found in the Talmud and folklore of the Jewish people.) Prepare for the Future BOARD OF DIRECTORS MAURICE ARONSSON PHILIP SLOMOVITZ FRED M. BUTZEL ISIDORE SOBELOFF ABRAHAM SRERE THEODORE LEVIN MAURICE H. SCHWARTZ HENRY WINEMAN PHILIP SLOMOVITZ, Editor VOL. 3—NO. 9 As the Editor Views the News MAY 21, 1943 --- The American Jewish Conference In his stirring address before the large audience at the Jewish Community Center on May 11, Rabbi Meyer Berlin, president of the World Mizrachi Organization, deplored what he believed to be a lack of interest in Jewish ranks in the forthcoming American Jewish Conference. The machinery for the Conference is now being set up in Detroit and in communities throughout the country, and if the unified effort on the part of American Jews in dealing with post-war problems is to be a success, then all Jews must acquaint themselves with the issues and must be prepared to assist in selecting the ablest men and women as delegates to the forthcoming sessions. The American Jewish Conference will be concerned pri- marily with the problem of assuring protection of the rights of Jews everywhere and the resettlement of homeless Jews after the war. It will be faced with the issue of securing guar- antees for the Jewish position in Palestine. A well-informed delegation, acting firmly and with a view towards avoiding a split in our ranks, can make the Confer- ence an historic gathering in defense of our rights. To this end, every Jewish community in the land must strive to keep our people informed on what is transpiring in our ranks. The Arabs' Political Drive Reports coming from many quarters, from North Africa and Palestine as well as from Washington and New York, point to plans being made by Arabs to organize political committees to strive for an Arab federation to include Pal- estine. Between the lines in all reports, one senses the danger that unless Jews are prepared to face the issue, the Jewish position in Palestine may be seriously affected. The time has arrived, therefore, for us to outline the Jewish position and to convince the world powers that we have a stake in this war. Unless a home is provided for hundreds of thousands of Jews when a better world is plan- ned after the war, our people again may be doomed to a position of homelessness, thus remaining the scapegoats in all emergencies. Judging by the interest displayed by our people in Jews ask for very little. Our aspirations in Palestine the past, we are confident that Detroit Jews again will play represent a small token, compared with the vast territories an important role in planning for the defense of our people's possessed by the Arabs. In the small area of Palestine, we rights. aspire not only to settle Jews who have lost their status as citizens in many lands of oppression, but we have set up a In order to prepare the community for a full understand- ing of the issues involved in the American JewiSh Confer- standard which elevated the position of the Arabs. * * * ence, we devote a large portion of this issue of The Jewish News to the call for the Conference and the rules set forth The Christian Century on May 5 carried a very important for the Election Board. We urge all Detroit Jews and especial- statement on the question "Is Zionism Fair to the Arabs?" ly the spokesmen for all local organizations who will be It was written by Prof. S. Ralph Harlow of Smith College, called upon to participate in the elections to study these Northampton, Mass., as an answer to numerous attacks on rules and to be fully prepared to share in the effort for the the Balfour Declaration in that publication. unification of Jewish ranks in the fight for justice for our Prof. Harlow places emphasis not merely on the vast people everywhere. opportunities possessed by Arabs in their many states and the contrast of the tragic position of Jews who have no other place to look to than Palestine, but he also indicates that "in no part of the Near East have the Arabs fared so well as in Dr. Chaim Zhitlowsky was an unusual personality. A Palestine since the Jewish immigration began." brilliant writer and an able lecturer, he became the leader of "In Palestine," Prof. Harlow writes, "the Jews have the nationalist Jewish group which favored Yiddish as the created productive work on which hundreds of Arabs have national language. His followers were more than devotees. been employed. All one needs to do is to study the rapidly They were strong admirers of this great personality. increased Arab investments in Palestine, to note that the arrival of the Jews has been a good thing for these Arab Dr. Zhitlowsky had been active in many fields of en- deavor—including the revolutionary movement in Russia, all owners of vineyard and farm. For example, within the past causes for the liberation of Jews in -countries of oppression, 13 years after the Jewish colonists poured into the land, the and was at one time a supporter of the labor Zionist move- number of dunams owned by Arabs in orange groves rose from 20,000 to 130,000. This represents a capital investment of ment. at least $30,000,000 to $40,000,000." His place in Jewish life was best summarized in the mes- sage which Dr. Chaim Weizmann, president of the Jewish Prof. Harlow asks an important question: "If we say Agency for Palestine, sent to the funeral service arranged for Dr. Zhitlowsky, the principal tribute to whom was paid by that the 300,000 Arabs have a right to determine what shall Sholem Asch. Dr. Weizmann, although he has been opposed happen to Palestine, what of the 15,000,000 Jews of the world, who may be less than 12,000,000 by now, in the light of the by Dr. Zhitlowsky for his political views, wrote: mass murders taking place in central Europe?" He concludes "With the passing of Dr. Zhitlowsky the Jewish with this statement: world has lost a great fighter for the cause of our na- "The case for the Jewish homeland is far stronger today tional freedom, the world'a courageous revolutionary, a than it was 25 years ago when the government of the United luminous mind and a profound philosopher." States first took official action to support this hope of exiled All who knew him, including those who could not see millions. The resettlement of Palestine has advanced from eye to eye with him on many Jewish issues, recognize the the status of a hopeful experiment to that of heartening great loss Jewry has suffered in the death of Dr. Chaim reality, while throughout Europe the position of Israel has Zhitlowsky. deteriorated to an appalling degree. The Late Doctor Chaim Zhitlowsky "When all the evidence is in, the justice of supporting such a homeland for the Jews appeals to countless Americans in such an hour as this." Dr. Leo M. Franklin's interesting article in this issue of Americans who otherwise may be The Jewish News will be read with a great deal of interest tagonistic attitude stemming from. Arab influenced by an an- political ranks must by those who are intrigued by Jewish back-to-the-soil move- be made acquainted with the Jewish needs and our position rnw,-its as well as by those who are interested in the history of in Palestine. Unless our government's support is retained in Jews in Michigan. behalf of the Jewish National Home in Palestine, grave This article explains the reasons for the failure of the .Ntrongs may be done to the Jewish people after this war. farming experiment at Bax Axe durina the final decade of the last century. Certainly, the leaders of b Temple Beth El, under This Week's Scriptural Porlions: the guidance of the late Martin Butzel and Emanuel Wodic, This Sabbath, the seventeenth day of Iyar, the following did all that was humanly possible, to assist those who estab- Scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues: lished the Palestine Colony., Pentateuchal portion: Lev. 25:1-26:2. Jews as Farmers in Michigan Dr. Franklin's article should be read widely by Michigan Jew s. Prophetical portion: Jer. 32:6-27. Lag b'Omer occurs on Sunday, May 23. A wealthy and kindly man, as a reward to his slave for faithful service, gave him his freedom and a shipload of goods. "Sail," said he, "whence thou wilt, sell these goods and keep for thyself that which you re- ceive therefrom." Happily, the slave sailed away but a storm came up and every- thing and everybody went down with the ship except the slave, who swam to an island, whereon he saw a beautiful city. Ap- proaching the city he was warm- ly welcomed and the people brought him to the palace in a beautiful carriage and proclaim- ed him king. The slave was dumbfounded. He could not un- derstand this, so he asked of a man who was standing nearby. Must Be Mistake "What is the meaning of all this? There must be a mistake?" "No," he replied. "There is no mistake. This island is inhabited by spirits. Many years ago they prayed-that yearly a son of man be sent to reign over them. Their prayers were answered and each year a son of man comes, whom they honor as they do you, but at the end of the year his power ends. Naked, he is placed upon a boat and taken to a barren island, where he is compelled to spend the rest of his life in misery and loneliness—unless he were wise enough to provide for the fu- ture." "And how may I provide for the future?" asked the slave, who was now king. Provide for Future "The power is in thy hand to provide for thy future. Whilst thou are still king, Whilst thou are still rich and powerful, send workmen to that island. Have them build houses, roads, till the soil and make of it a beautiful place in which to live. People will then journey there to live and will bless thee for thy kind- ness in providing such a fruitful home for them." The king did as he was ad- vised. Just as the man had pre- dicted his power and property were taken from him at the end of the year. Naked, was he placed upon a ship bound for the island as had been all the kings who preceeded him. Approaching the shores of the island he was welcomed by the people who had been made hap- py by his benevolence, foresight and good deeds. They made him a prince and he lived among them the rest of his life in happi- ness and peace. Says the Talmud further on this subject: "Who is a wise man? He who looks into the future." (Copyright by David Morantz) ("Talmudic Tales," containing 128 legends and 500 pearls of wisdom, are available in the autographed, 195-page volume, from the author, David Moranta, Grossman Bldg., Kansas City, Kan.). State in Palestine Held Solution to Jewish Question NEW YORK—"The establish- ment of a Jewish State in Pales- tine". was described as "a new and effective settlemen# of the Jewish question," in a message addressed to the Jews of America by Viscount Cecil, British leader, in a cable to Dr. Abba Hillel Sil- veri National Chairman of the United Palestine Appeal. Sir Wyndham Deedes, formerly Chief Secretary of the Palestine Government, cabled to Dr. Silver that "there is only one solution for the JeWish question and that is to rebuild the National Home in Palestine, a task which must be carried out for the most part by the Jews." He added "but your friends, of whom I am proud to be one, are not standing idly by. In the name of God and humanity we are do- ing all we can for the victims of Nazi persecution and for the fu- ture of the Jewish People."