Page Pour
Friday, September 8, 1944
THE JEWISH NEWS
.
As the Editor
Views the News - -
Facts You Should Know
Say Uncle!
Answers to Readers'
Questions About Jews
The Lublin. Outrage
It has now been definitely established that
more than one and a half million people, of
which two-thirds were Jews, were murdered
at the Majdanek_ death camp in Lublin.
And Majdanek was only • one of the many
brutal centers that were established by the
Germans for the extermination of innocent
peoples. • •
For many months, underground . sources
and Jewish organizations have been reveal,
ing - these • tragedies. But the democratic
peoples were skeptical and apparently re-
fused to believe the reports.
Now, ' correspondents who have come to
cities that were liberated • by the Russians
corroborate these facts, and civilized peoples
are aghast over the exposed brutalities.
*
•*
When the Lublin- outrages were made
known last week, the Detroit Free Press, on
Aug...31, described the Nazi terror as "The
Crime Without a Name." The editorial under
this title stated:
Who was the author of the first Hebrew
grammar printed in America?
Judah' Monis, abaptized Jew, who taught
Hebrew at Harvard University from 1722 to
•
1759. Although he was baptized he observed the
Jewish Sabbath.
* * *
How. many Psalms are there in the Book of
Psalms?
•
The satanic tortures recorded in Dante's
"Inferno" pale beside the stories of the Nazis'
"extermination camps" coming from Poland.
Authenticated accounts from Allied and
neutral sources were published earlier. Now,
all shadow of doubt about tho truth is , re-
moved by the eye-witness stories of Ameri-
can newspapermen. W. H. Lawrence's report
of the Majdanek abbatoir in yesterday's Free
Press began, "I have just seen the most ter-
rible place on the face of the earth." -
We Americans are slow to believe the worst
of even our enemies. Distance and unfa-
miliarity are obstacles to comprehension.
Thus, even as we read the Unimpeachable
testimony, the mind cannot grasp it all.
Yet it is fact, not some monstrous night-
_ mare of fiction. If it were fiction, • its author
could only be a fugitive from a madhouse.
The world stands in the presence of the ,
crime without a name.
0 * *
—S. S.
One hundred and fifty.
* * *
What is the Jewish Taw relating to the mar-
riage of . aunts and nephews? Does Jewish
• • ; • •
law permit marriage of first cousins?
L. 1B.
1. Jewish law prohibits an aunt •from marrying
her nephew but permits an • uncle to. rnarrY his
niece. 2. Yes, first cousins: may marry, according
to Jewish law. In this ,couritry; ,jeff..c6urse,
marriages must comply with existing stater laws.
Talmudic Tates
(Eased upon the ancient legends and philosophy found , in
the Talmud and folklore of the 'Jewish people dating back
as far as 3,000 years.)
By DAVID MORANTZ
PEARLS OF WISDOM
"To avoid debt," says the Talmud, "open . notthy
"
door too wide."
"Two can carry three times the load of one."
"At the door of poverty friendship takes wings."
"Step not on the tail of a sleeping dog."
"He who gives his daughter in marriage to an
ignorant man is as one who had tied her and
Gerald L. K. Smith's America Firsters' outrageous anti- thrown her before a lion."
Semitic, un-American, Nazi-like convention in Detroit caused
"Envy, excessive and ambition Shorten
consternation in some Jewish ranks, and there was rightful
"Retirement is a prison to the fool, but a par-
adise' to the wise."-
indignation.
"Hold no man responsible for, his utterances in
It was such a contemptible display of Hitlerism in this
, great land that the anti-Semites' self-styled America. First times of grief."
nothing froin thy minister, thy physician,
convention must be branded as the worst • display of anti- or "Hide
thy lawyer."
Democratic feeling ever witnessed on this continent.
"Good riding at two anchors, for if one break
the other may hold."
Two reactions to the Smith "outrage' must be recorded:
Smith and America's Conscience
,
,:.
..
"(Copyright by David MorantzY
There is cause for relief in the realization
1. This is not -a time to become frightened and to
For. a -handsome 195' Page, autographed gift voluMe con-
that the American people, through our im-
permit anti-Semitisin to disturb our balance.
taining 128 of these tales and 500 Pearls of Wisdom, send
$1.50 to David Morantz, care of The _Jewish News, og
portant newspaper, are beginning to recog-
2. A way must be found to prevent the recurrence of
phone PLaza 1048.
nize the tragedy which is so realistically rec-
similar outbursts by America's "little Hitlers," and
ognized in this editorial.
Christians must — as we are confident they will — take
But this is not enough.
•
- the lead in stamping out bigotry in this country.
Our Christian friends must recognize other
* * *
facts—that only 100,000 Jews remain in Po-
1. Let us deal briefly with the first reaction to the
land out of a former population of 3,500,000;
that less than 50 remain alive in Lublin out Sm- ithites', sadistic discussions and proposals at their Dear Boys and Girls:
All of us have begun to feel 'the solemnity of
of a former population of 48,000; that prac- "party's" Detroit convention:
the approaching Holy Days., More than half of
- Jews must be calm and must avoid becoming panicky.
tically every Jewish community in, Eastern
the month of Elul has passed,. and the major
Europe has been destroyed. .
signal that Rosh Hashanah and• Yom Kippur are
Frightened
people
can
not
fight
a
menace.
Only
the
* * *
courageous and the brave, the un-frightened and the calm, approaching will be given us tomorrow night,
with the first 'Selichot services.
There will be some Jews left when the war can deal with a serious menace.
Selichot are penitential prayers recited by Or-
is won.
. There is no denying the seriousness of the Nazi-like thodox and Conservative Jews every morning,
Thanks to Russia, nearly a million Jews . demonstrations of the Smith followers who are polluting. after
the midnight services' tomorrow. The' Shofar
may have - escaped there from Poland alone, the Stars and Stripes under which they meet.
will be blown until Yom Kippur at morning serv-
and there will be many survivors in Russia
in order to arouse worshipers to serious
To overcome this menace, we must have plain-speaking ices,
contemplation.
from Romania, Hungary and other countries.
Let us all hope that the prayers we utter dur-
For these unfortunate people, homes will Jewish leaders and laymen. Frightened men and women can
have to be provided and some guarantee will not "speak freely and f6rcefully. -Under no circumstances, ing this sacred period will help to brina an end
therefore, must we permit -ourselves to lose our balance and to bigotry everywhere in the world and b will put
have to be given them of future security.
an end to wars.
The responsibility.of civilized people is not to become- uneasy.
* * *
I am sure 'that all my serious-minded readers
merely to condemn outrages, but to provide
are not so thrilled with the interruption of school
2. What is to be done about the "little Hitlers?"
relief for the survivors. . -
for the reasons which forced postponement of the
- - It is clear now that those who advocated legislation to school sessions. Many of your friends are seriously
The first offer of relief must come in the
prevent the rise of bigotry and Nazi-Fascist ideas in this ill, and we all pray for them, that they may re-
form of permanent homes.
cover speedily and 'that there may be an end to
For hundreds of thousands, the d.00rs of country, were right.
epidemic' of any sort.
Palestine must be opened wide and Chris-
I wish you all a very pleasant "Sabbath.
If you can not reason with the anti-Semites, you must
UNCLE DANIEL.
tians should join with Jews in demanding deal with them through the action of Four legislative bodies.
the removal of restrictions for entrance to
Jews are not the only ones whose security is threatened
A Story About a Wise Rabbi
the land which offers the major hope for by these "little "Hitlers." Negroes, whose residence in this
Rabbi Joshua was 'a very wise and learned ma'n.
persecuted Jewry.
country dates back longer than that of any of the Srnithites, ,So great was his fame that even people in far-
The truth regarding the Nazi death camps . are told to emigrate. Members. of our government are in- away lands had heard of him, and • would travel
demands not lip service but action.
sulted as easily as are the Jewish citizens of this country great distances to seek advice from hiM, and to
It is Israel's prayer that such action will whose loyalty is certainly more deep-rooted than that of - a - ask him to solve their probleths. In his own
he was regarded: with such esteem that
come from all remaining civilized centers in Mote, or a Smith, or a Romer, or a Maertz. Labor leaders country
at last the Einperor himself sought out' Rabbi
-the world, including Washington and -Lon- are attacked. The entire
structure would be threat-. Joshua in-. order to learn whether the stories of
don.
this 'humble man could be true.
ened - if. the Smith followers were 'to have their way.
"Rabbi," said the Emperor, "I have heard that
* * *
you know the answer-to all things, and that, you
But the Smith group shall not and will not have its way. can do things no ordinary. man •can do. I should:
like,' therefore, to see your God, and you must
It is to the credit of the American Legion that it was show
Member of Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Independent
Him to me."
Jewish Press Service, Seven Arts - Feature Syndicate,
among
the
first
to
act
against
the.
dastardly
machinations
of
Religious News Service, Palcor • News Agency, Bressler
"Yott think too highly - of me," said the . Rabbi.
Cartoon Service, Wide• World Photo Service, Acme
the Smith group for whom bigotry comes first and America, "I am but a humble teacher. I cannot show. you -
Newsphoto Service.
God:"
last. •
Member, American Association of English -Jewish
Newspapers.
"I will not take `no' for an answer," replied the
• Members of the Senate Elections Committee are to be
Published every Friday by Jewish News Publishing
"NeWs of your wisdom has reached my
Co., 2114 Penobscot Bldg., Detroit 26. Mich. Telephone
commended for taking steps to prevent abuse of - decency in Emperor.
mighty throne. If you are as great as men say
RAndolph 7956. Subscription rate, $3 a year; foreign,
-
American
politics.
that you are, you will do as I demand: You must
$4 a year. Club subscription of one issue a month,
published every fourth Friday in the month, to all
Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg's brief but° emphatic shoW . God to me." •`
subscribers to Allied Jewish Campaign of the Jewish
"Come with me, then," said Rabbi Joshua, and
statement condemning the father of the "deport the Jews"
Welfare Federation of Detroit, at 40 cents a club sub-
scription per year.
led the Emperor into a field where there was
idea as• un-American • undoubtedly expresses the sentiments he
Entered as second-class matter August 6, 1942, at' the
no shade; only the wide spaces and the 'hot sun
Post Office at Detroit. Michigan, under the Act of
of the vast majority of the American"people.
shining down upon the •earth, for it was mid-
March 3, 1879.
• The action taken by labor leaders 'is indicative of the summer, when the sun is at its height. Standing
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
in the middle of the field, Rabbi ,Joshua turned
liberal viewpoint on the issue raised by Sinith's followers.
MAURICE ARONSSON
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
to the Emperor, and said: "Look up into the sky,
FRED M. • BUTZEL
ISIDORE SOBELOFF
• * *
and you will behold . God."
THEODORE LEVIN
ABRA'HAM SRERE
This,
of-
course,
is
.
not
'enough.
MAURICE H. SCHWARTZ
HENRY : WINEMAN.
The Emperor raised his eyes to the 'sky, but
What we need is legislation which 'will make it impos- quickly placed. his hand before them. "I cannot
. PHILIP SLOMOVITZ, Editor
sible for another bigoted group to disgrace the Anierican look into the sun;" he cried. "It blinds my eyes."
A. R. BEASCH, Advertising Counsel
"Behold, then, the truth of my words," answer-
Flag, as the Smith group has done last week.
VOL. 5—NO. 25
SEPTEMBER 8, 1944
ed Rabbi Joshua. "This sun is only one of God's
Action has begun, and we can feel easier about it.
servants, and yet you, cannot look at it. How, then,
The Week's Scriptural Setedions
Christians have acted, and we are grateful for the sur- can you expect to look upon God, Who is the
This Sabbath, the twenty-first day of Elul, vival of the American spirit of fair play.
most powerful of all?"
"You 'are right," said the Emperor, "and you
5704, the following Scriptural selections will be
The prompt repudiation of the Smith idea in American
are wise. Men have- truly when they
read in our synagogues:
politics proves that the conscience of America- is clear and spread
tales of your noW
ledge and:understand-
Pentateuchal portion-,--Deut. 26:1-29:8.
that . our great traditions will remain safe and will not be ing." And
full of admiration and respect for - the
Prophetical poidon—Is.
permitted to be 44114M1.74.1
tampered
with by bigots,
rnodeaabl,
the Emperor returned to his palaces.
. .
, 60.
r-Arawnemss.o
- , k
v,
Children's Corner
.
'
Mar
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