THE JEWISH NEWS
Page Four
As the Editor
Views- the News - -
Lifting the Blackout
Challenge to Conference
When the American Jewish Conference
Convenes in Pittsburgh during the week-end
of Dec. 3, its authority will be seriously
challenged.
The Conference has fallen short • of ex-
•pectations. It was seriously hoped by the
vast majority of American Jewry that a cen-
tral authority would be established by the
Conference. But such authority is still lack-
ing in Jewish life.
Most disturbing proof of the lack of such
authority is to be found in the controversy
that continues to rage over the so-called
Emergency Committee to Save the Jewish
,People, and its many off-shoots, inchiding
the Hebrew Committee of National Libera-
tion, American League for a; Free Palestine
and other names which - have been used froni
time to time.
The latest controversy involves the Wash-
-ington Post's series of articles in which the
"Emergency Committee" was sUbjected: to
scrutiny and attack. The guiding spirit of
the committee under attack has "repudiated"
these articles and is threatening a libel suit.
In the meantime, the most important issue
is being forgotten — the fact that Jews must
be rescued and that the so-called Emergency
Committee has absolutely no part in such
rescue efforts, other than its propaganda
campaigns in Washington and in paid ad-
vertisements in the columns of New York
newspapers.
There • are two men who KNOW the factS
—Ira Hirschmann, representative of the U. S.
War Refugee Board and Dr. Joseph
Schwartz, European representative of the
Joint Distribution Committee. Both have
stated that the sole effective agencies for
rescue work are the recognized large Jewish
bodies in America. Both have indicated that
the Peter Bergson's committees have had no
share whatsoever in actual rescue • work.
In Jerusalem last week, Mr. Hirschmann
made the important statement that the Joint
Distribution Committee and the Jewish
Agency for Palestine are the sole effective
relief and rescue movements.
Nevertheless, the Bergson committees con-
tinue to confuse the minds of Jews and non-
Jews on the grave question of rescue work.
An effective American Jewish Conference
should be able to put an end to unnecessary
claims and propaganda noise.
Will the Conference be able to achieve
such an objective?
This is the challenge to the Conference
when it reconvenes in December.
Facts You Should Knotii,
Answers to Readers
Questions About Jews
Why • was the Inquisition kept up in Spain
after the Jews were expelled from that coun-
try in 1492? When was the Spanish Inquisi-
tion finally abolished?—N. 0.
The Inquisition continued because of the de-
sire to detect Judaizing activities among converts
to Christianity. In 1492 only unconverted Jews
were expelled from Spain where the Inquisition
was finally abolished in 1821.
*
*
*
Is there anything on record to show that
Jewish women in Biblical times fought for
their property rights?—L. L.
The first women on record to have fought
for their property rights were the daughters of
Zelophead who demanded a share in the dis-
tribution of land. Their argument, recorded in
Numbers, 27:4, was: "Why should the name of
our father be done away among his family be-
cause he had no son? Give unto us a possession
among the brethren of our father."
Balfour Day Zionism's Real_ity -
When-Jewish communities throughout the world, in
eluding the men in the uniforms of all the United Nations,
in foxholes as well as on their home fronts, celebrate Balfour
Day, next Thursday, they will have occasion to rejoice that
the hope for the realization of the ideal for the creation of a
National Home for homeless Jews will soon become a reality.
There is less pussyfooting on the issue today than there
has been at any time since the Balfour Declaration was issued
p years ago—on Nov. 2, 1917.
The United States government has taken a firm stand
in favor of a Jewish Commonwealth in Palestine. Both can-
didates for the presidency favor it and both political parties
endorse the ideal. Students of foreign affairs recognize that
there can be no just peace without a just solution of the
problems which are responsible for the homelessness of
millions of Jews.
Zionism is nearing reality. The realization of this great
ideal is part of the larger achievement—the establishment of
justice on earth for all humanity.
The Nazi Anti-U.S. Tcictics
It is necessary to see the bogus $1 bills that were pre-
pared by Nazis for distribution in France in order to under-
stand that while they are symbols of an anti-Semitic drive
they are, actually, weapons used to -undermine morale of
Americans.
These outrageous circulars are in reality a part of the
anti-U. S. propaganda conducted by the Hitler forces not only
in Hitler-occupied countries but also in this country. Not only
before the war, but very recently, and during the presi-
dential campaign, such defamatory leaflets have been used
in order to attack members of the U. S. Cabinet, and especially
Secretary of the Treasury Henry Morgenthau.
The distressing thing about the whole business is that
the latest evidences of anti-Semitism and anti-Americanism
are being mailed to this country by Americans serving in the
armed forces overseas who may become victims of this
Cardinal Seredy, speaking to a crowded vicious campaign of bigotry.
Cathedral in Budapest in an appeal to Chris-
It is the job of our government and of OWI to do every-
tians to protect the Jewish people, made a thing possible to overcome such destructive propaganda.
scathing attack on the German and Hun-
garian military authorities for their liquida-
tion of the ghettos and declared that "God's GUEST EDITORIAL
curse descended on Hungary because its
Jewish citizens were treated with inhuman
cruelty."
The curse this eminent Cardinal referred
An Appeal for the War Chest
to is part of an historical cycle. Wherever
By IRVING W. BLUMBERG
Jews have been mistreated, the peoples have
Detroit Service Group; Vice-Chairman, Metropolitan Unit
suffered. But it may similarly be said that President,
in Charge of Canvassing Neighborhood Businesses
wherever human beings of all creeds have
David
is happy as he works in the fields of a Jewish set-
been molested, the people was punished.
May Cardinal Seredy's words serve as a tlement in Palestine. Although he reached the Jewish home-
warning to all who would evade the wrath land only a short time ago, the past seems very far away.
When David was eight years old, he saw his father and
of retributive justice.
mother killed by a Nazi firing squad in Po-
land. To escape the same fate, David ran into
a house and hid in a barrel of water in the
Member of Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Independent
• cellar where he stayed all night with only his
Jewish Press Service, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate,
head sticking out. He Walked from Poland to
Religious News Service, Palcor News Agency, Bressler
Cartoon Service, Wide World Photo Service, Acme
Turkey, and that took five long years. Once he
Newsphoto Service.
Member American . Association of English -f Jewish
wandered into a concentration camp, but he
Newspapers.
slipped right out again without being caught.
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publish-
ing Co., 2114 Penobscot Bldg., Detroit 26, Mich. Telephone
There were many days when he went with-
RAndolph 7956. Subscription rate, $3 a year; foreign,
out food, but he had made up his mind to
$4 a year. Club subscription of one issue a month,
published every fourth Friday in the month, to all
I. W. Blumberg reach Palestine, and nothing was going to stop
subscribers to Allied Jewish Campaign of the Jewish
Welfare Federation of Detroit, at 40 cents a club sub-
him. He kept on walking and finally got to the Slovakian
scription per year.
border. Then the underground movement helped him into
" Entered as second-class matter August 6, 1942, at the
Post Office at Detroit, Michigan, under the Act of
Hungary. From there on he traveled in the company of other
March 3, 1879.
children like him with a guide 'provided by the underground.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Once he got so tired that he nearly gave up and wouldn't go
MAURICE ARONSSON
PHILIP SLOMOV1TZ
FRED M. BUTZEL
ISADORE SOBELOFF
any further, and they had to carry him. He finally reached
THEODORE LEVIN
ABRAHAM SRERE
MAURICE H. SCHWARTZ
Istanbul where the agencies of the United Jewish Appeal fed
HENRY WINEMAN
him and put him on a train for Palestine.
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ, Editor
A. R. BRASCIL Advertising Counsel
The days of fear and hunger are over for David, but there
are many thousands of other children who are still wandering
VOL. 6—NO. 6
OCTOBER 27, 1944
over the face of Europe, seeking the opportunity to find hap-
The Week's Scriptural Selections
piness and freedom in the Jewish homeland. Can we deny
This Sabbath, the eleventh day of Heshvan, them the chance to grow up as free men and women? That is
5705, the following Scriptural selections will be the question all of us must answer through the War Chest of
Metropolitan Detroit from which the Allied Jewish Campaign
read in our synagogues;
will derive the necessary funds to meet the urgent needs of
Pentateuchal portion—Gen. 12:1-17:27.
our fellow Jews throughout the world.
portion—Is.
40:27-41:16.
Prophetical
.
`God's Curse on Hungary '
The Boy Who Didn't Give Up
THE JEWISH NEWS
Talmudic Tales
(Based 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
BE SLOW TO ANGER
On a journey Rabbi Judah, Rabbi Meier and
Rabbi Jose arrived at a certain city Friday after-
noon and decided to stay there over the Sabbath.
Upon making inquiry as to where they might
find lodging, they learned of a certain inn keeper,
Kiddor, by name.
The three of them engaged lodging and Rabbi
Judah and Rabbi Jose arranged also to leave their
money with him for - safekeeping during their stay.
Rabbi Meier, however, was not impressed with the
man so instead of leaving his valuables in Kiddor's
custody he hid them in the cemetery of the city.
As soon as possible after the Sabbath, Rabbi
Meier 'went to where he had buried his possessions
and finding them intact, took them with him.
Preparing to continue their journey, Rabbi
Judah and Rabbi Jose asked Kiddor for the money
they had left in his care but he denied that he had
ever received any money from them.
Realizing that they had no witnesses and that
nothing would be gained by becoming angry, they
left the inn and went on their way for a short dis-
tance, deep in consultation as to how they might
regain their valuables.
One of them, had noticed that the inn keep-
er's wife transacted much of the business; they de-
cided to return and, in Kiddor's absence, see if
they could not accomplish more with her than
with her unscrupulous husband.
They approached her, as though they were pre-
paring to leave the inn, and after asking for the
amount of their bill, they said:
"Your charge is very reasonable and you may
deduct it from the money we left in your custody.
We wish now to take our money and go on our
way."
The wife, not knowing of her wicked husband's
previous refusal, returned to them their money,
after deducting the charge for lodging,I and the
Rabbis went on their way rejoicing that they had
regained their money because they had not lost
their temper when the inn keeper had refused to
return it to them.
(Copyright by David Morantz)
For a handsome 195 page, autographed gift volume con-
taining 128 of these tales and 500 Pearls of Wisdom, send
$1.50 to David Morantz, lare of The Jewish News, or
phone PLaza 1048.
Children's Corner
Dear Boys and Girls:
This is an important period on our calendar.
Men and women of all religions, all races, all
nationality groups, are soliciting funds for the
great Community War Chest, in order to help
OUR ALLIES
OUR FIGHTING MEN
OUR NEIGHBORS
Children, too, through their schools, are assist-.
ing this great fund.
I hope that all of you will become serious par-
ticipants in this great cause.
I have just heard this interesting little story
about little Benjamin, 8 years old, who was help-
ing the Chest campaign by peddling picture post
cards and by getting small coins for the great fund.
"What are you going to do with the money?"
a kindly neighbor inquired.
"Oh," replied the youngster, "I'm raising
one million dollars for the War Chest cam-
paign."
"A million dollars!" exclaimed the neigh-
bor. "Do you expect to raise it all by your-
self?"
"Oh, no," replied Benjamin, "there's an-
other little boy helping me."
I am sure I need not tell you that every nickel
each one of us collects for the War Chest helps
to boost the total to the millions that are needed
to help millions of people.
It would be interesting to hear the experiences
of some of my readers who are helping the War
Chest drive.
A pleasant Sabbath to all.
UNCLE DANIEL.
*
*
TALMUDIC WISDOM
Everyone who has pity with the poor will be
shown Divine mercy.
Charity balances all the other commandments.
He who gives charity stands higher than he who
offers up sacrifices.
Even a man who lives on charity must donate
to the poor.
He who is slow to anger and easily mollified is
truly virtuous.
He who gives charity benefits more by it than
he who receives it.
He who gives charity regularly will be blessed
with wise and wealthy children.