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Friday, February 7, 1947
THE'JEWISH NEWS
Page Four
As the Editor
Views the News
The Tragic Showdown
Answers to Readers
Questions About Jews
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A showdown is imminent on Palestine.
Great Britain's decision to impose a partition
solution appears to be tantamount either to
enforcing a program similar to the Morrison
federalization plan, or the immediate estab-
lishment of an Arab-Jewish state, neither of
which is acceptable to Jewry. •
Spokesmen for the Zionist movement, in
the course of negotiations and conferences
with the British, are making a strong case
against this plan and are exerting their in-
fluence to secure concessions which will bring
an acceptable solution to the problem.
Whatever the solution, it is evident at this
time that it will be a tragic one, that it will
reduce Jewish opportunities for the develop-
ment of the Jewish National Home to a mini-
mum.
Having taken from the recognized area for
a Jewish Homeland the rich territory across
the Jordan, the British now are making fur-
ther cuts in Jewish areas in Eretz Israel, and
the future status of Palestine is threatened
by unrealistic approaches to the problem.
It is most unfortunate that the existing con-
ditions in Palestine should have aggravated
the problem so seriously as to make the
situation intolerable. If we get a very bad
deal, part of the blame will be traceable to
the group whom the Jewish Agency has
branded "demented desperadoes." •
' While our leaders have been deliberating
with the British, the undisciplined element
has been resorting to destructive activities
which have greatly harmed the Jewish cause.
Also-if the decisions of conferences in
London militate against us, part of the blame
will be on the shoulders of the antagonistic
elements in Jewish life who have failed to
cooperate in constructive efforts in time of
need.
Most damaging of all, of course, are the
British tactics of creating doubts and
fears in the minds of Palestinians and
the world at large. The silly "evacua-
tion" order is part of a scheme to arouse
suspicions and to place the Jewish com-
munity in Palestine in a bad light in the
eyes of the world.
British threats to the Jewish Agency and
the demand that Jews act as "informers"
against fellow-Jews are other examples of
outrageous attempts to humiliate our lead-
ers and to force them into an intolerable
position, thus_ ignoring the truth that ad-
herence to pledges to the Jews would Mo-
mentarily end trouble in Palestine. .
The worst that can happen in this tragic
period is that Jews should despair and lose
faith. If decisions against us should prove
very drastic, it may mean that we shall have
to begin from scratch in building confidence
in the Jewish cause, in creating new friends-
among Arabs, British, Americans and others
-and in strengthening the foundation of the
settlement in Palestine.
To this day, we have created in Palestine
'a strong center. We have built blossoming
colonies. have established flourishing cities,
have to our credit a great university and
splendid school and hospital systems.
Facts You Should Know
Double Standard of Morality
What were the Bridgewater Treatises?
* Eight treatises "on the -power, wisdom, and
goodness of God, as manifested in the Creation,"
published in the years 1833-36 with funds pro-
vided by the will of the eighth Earl of Bridge-
water.
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What is the Haftarah?
The haftarah (from the Hebrew "conclusion")
is the prophetic selection concluding the Scrip-
ture lesson which is read in the synagogue at each
Sabbath and festival service.
Lincoln Quiz
Test Your Knowledge AboUt Emancipator
By BERNARD POSTAL
Director of Public Information
National Jewish Welfare Board
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3.
Ritual Libel: Resurgence of Bigotry
Ritual murder libels originated in accusations that were
leveled by Romans against the early Christians. Later, the
charge was transferred to the Jews, resulting in some of the
worst tragedies recorded in Jewish history.
ThroughoUt the centuries, in the main, the Catholic
Church has strongly repudiated the spreaders of evil libels.
These repudiations, however, have proven inadequate in
stemming the circulation of falsehoods. Anti-Semitic news-
papers, Christian churches in Russia, Poland, Romania and
Hungary, encouraged the spread -of ritual murder libels.
These frightful charges have been handed down to our
own time. The latest culprits are those responsible for the
distribution of Arnold Leese's pamphlet "Jewish Ritual
Murders." A revealing article in the New York Post charges
that "this fantastic concoction is now being distributed by
the thousands, by We, the Mothers Mobilize for America, a
rabid nationalist organization."
The fact that this group of women, whose name properly
should be "Women Who Mobilize for Bigotry" (the word
"mother" should not be abused by linking it with bigots),-
to quote again from the N. Y. Post-"is headed by Mrs. Lyrl.
Van Hyning, an ardent disciple of Elizabeth Dining, and
during the war the group conducted a campaign to demoralize
the wives and mothers of front-line soldiers"-explains much
that might otherwise be misunderstood.
Arnold Leese, author of the hate-provoking pamphlet,
served a year's sentence for an article on "ritual murder" in
the Fascist, organ of Great Britain's Imperial Fascist League.
The charge he makes in his pamphlet that Jews killed the
Lindbergh baby just before Purim in order to use its blood
for ritual purposes libels American courts more than it does
the Jews, the accusation being that the courts are "controlled"
by Jews. Only demented minds could possibly concoct such
stupidities, yet they are circulated widely by American
women who hide under the title "mothers!"
Taking into consideration the claim made by John , Roy
I Carlson in "The Plotters" that these "We, the Mothers" have
40,000 members, their vicious activities must be recognized as
extremely serious, calling for vigilant action by those who
are concerned that -decency should prevail in this land.
Meanwhile, the spread of "ritual murder" libels is not
limited to bigots in this country. A JTA cable from Warsaw
this week revealed the following:
Anti-Jewish demonstrations have been taking place every
evening in a Polish theater in Cracow during the performance
of the play "Wielgonoc" which is devoted to the promotion of
good will between Poles and Jews by depicting the role of Jews
during the revolt against the Nazis in the Warsaw ghetto.
Demonstrations are carried out by groups of Polish students
who attend the - performance for the purpose of creating a dis-
turbance. The first demonstration took place during the pre-
miere, when the anti-Semites interrupted with booing.
The author of the drama is a young and gifted Polish play-
wright, Stefan Otwinowsky. When the play was presented in
Lodz, the Polish population there received it coldly. Many Poles
left the theater before the end of the performance and on sub-
sequent evenings the show played to a nearly empty theater.
These foundations are certain to• flourish
and to bring credit to Jewry and the entire
Middle East.
The problem of the future will be to create
opportunities for the settlement of hundreds
of thousands of Jews who have no other place
to look to but Palestine.
By retaining faith, by nourishing that spirit
of courage which has made possible the gains
we have achieved heretofore, we shall
triumph in the end.
These are symptoms of a resurgence of reactionary forces
throughout the world. Apparently we shall have to begin
from scratch in fighting the battle for justice and decency
among all peoples.
THE JEWISH NEWS
Women's Allied Campaign Chairmen
Member Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Independent Jewish
Press Service, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate, Religious
News Service, Palcor Agency. World News Services.
Member American Association of English-Jewish News-
papers and Michigan Press Association.
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publish-
ing Co., 2114 Penobscot Bldg.. Detroit 26. Mich.. RA. 7956.
Subscription. $.3 a year; foreign, 54. Club subscription.
every fourth Friday of the month. to all subscribers to
Allied Jewish Campaign of Jewish Welfare Federation of
Detroit. 40 cents pet year.
Entered as second-class matter Aug. 6, 1942, at Post Of-
fice. Detroit. Mich., under Act of March 3, 1879.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Philip Slomovitz
Maurice Aronsson
Isidore SobelolT
Fred M. Bntzel
Judge Theodore Levin Abraham Srere
Maurice R. Schwartz Henry Wineman
PHILIP
VOL. 10-NO. 21
SLOMOVITZ. Editor
FEBRUARY 7, 1947
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the eighteen day of Shevat, 5707
the following Scriptural selections will be read in
our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion-Ex. 18:1-20-26.
Phophetical portion-Is. 6:1-7:6; 9 - 5,6.
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1.
2.
Why were the first pulpit utterances in con-
nection with Lincoln's death heard in the
synagogues?
Where was the last photograph of Lincoln
taken?
Who designed the Lincoln penny?
What is the only American flag bearing
Hebrew letters?
Who made the public denial that Lincoln
was a member of the Know Nothings?
Who was responsible for the appointment of
the first Jewish Army chaplain?
When was the Hashkaban, Sephardic funeral
rite, first recited for a non-Jew in a Jewish
house of worship?
How did Lincoln's widow get her pension?
What Jewish physician was at Lincoln's
deathbed?
Who were first contributors to fund for
Lincoln monuthent in Springfield, Ill.?
Who transmitted to the world Lincoln's
Emancipation Proclamation?
Who first suggested Lincoln for the Presi-
dency?
When did Lincoln scotch an attempt at
anti-Semitism?
Who was Lincoln's pinochle partner?
What president first appointed a Jew a full-
fledged minister to a foreign power?
ANSWERS
Because Lincoln died on a Saturday.
On the Sunday before his assassination in
the Washington studio of Adolphus Solo-
mons, one of the founders of the American
Red Cross. It shows Lincoln sharpening a
pencil for his son.
The Lincoln penny, issued in Aug. 2, 1909,
was designed by a Jewish artist, Victor D.
Brenner, whose initials, VDB, appeared on
the first 28,000,000 of these coins.
4. A flag, hand-made of silk on which was in-
scribed in Hebrew the first chapter from
Joshua, was presented to Lincoln by Abra-
ham Kohn of Chicago, in 1860. Before
Lincoln left to be inaugurated as President.
5. Abraham Jonas, close friend of Lincoln,
was asked by the Emancipator to publicly
deny that he was affiliated with the Know
Nothing Party, an early Ku Klux Klan.
6. Lincoln prevailed upon Congress to pass
legislation that resulted in the appointment
of Rabbi Arnold Fischl of New York in 1862.
7. At the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue,
New York, during a Lincoln memorial serv-
ice in April, 1865.
8. Joseph Seligman, New York banker, who
declined Lincoln's offer to make him Sec-
retary of the Treasury, persuaded Congress
to award Mrs. Lincoln a pension when he dis-
covered her in want.
9_ Dr. C. H. Lieberman of Washington was one
of the nine medical men at Lincoln's death-
bed. His portrait is among the 47 persons in
the famous painting, "The Last Hours of
- Lincoln."
10. The Jewish community of Alton, Ill.
later founder and editor
11. Edward Rosewater , a
War Department teleg-
of the Omaha Bee,
rapher, tapped out from the War Depart-
ment telegraph office in Washington the
text of the Emancipation Proclamation.
12. Abraham Jonas of Quincy, Ill.
13. He countermanded a military order which
would have expelled Jews from the De-
partment of Tennessee during . the Civil War.
14. Dr. Isachar Zacharie, a Jewish chiropodist
with whom Lincoln played pinochle in the
White House.
Kaufman of
15. Lincoln nominated Sigisinund
New York as minister to Italy. Kaufman
declined the post.
3.
`Singing W ay-Poems for Children'
Sadie Rose Weilerstein has to her credit several
books which rank among the most valuable for
use by and for Jewish children. "The Adventures
of K'tonton," "What Danny Did," "What the
Moon Brought" and "Little New Angel" so splen•
didly evaluate Jewish traditions and holidays that
they are indispensable in teaching the Jewish
children the ways of their people.
Her latest work, "The Singing Way," adds to
the glorious record Of this able author. This
volume of poems for Jewish children, ably il-
lustrated by Jessie B. Robinson, was published by
the National Women's League of the United Syne..
gogue, 3080 Broadway, New York 27.
It contains poems about all the holidays, the
Sabbath and Jewish ceremonials. A section on
"Of Names and Birthdays-Mostly Hebrew Ones"
could be applied to any Jewish household, just
as the other. poems could be intimately linked
with general Jewish faftilly life.
The introduction of Hebrew words (explained in
a glossary) enables the reader to become acquaint-
forth with the heartiest response whenever there is need for ed with the more important Hebrew words re-
rescue, rehabilitation and reconstruction work and the con- quired for an introductory vocabulary to the
It has become a tradition in our community for the
Women's Division of the Jewish Welfare Federation to in-
augurate activities for the Allied Jewish Campaign.
The selection of Mrs. H. C. Broder and Mrs. Henry Wine-
man as chairmen of this year's women's campaign and the
setting of a quota of $500,000 as the women's share in the
great $5,335,000 Allied Jewish Campaign for 1947 mark the
beginnings of the tremendous drive during which we shall
have to raise a sum twice as large as any we have contributed
in the past.
Previous standards set by our women auger well for
the current drive. „They have been setting the pace in so
many activities that it is reasonable to believe they again will
emerge with complete fulfillment of their obligations in 1947.
The leadership of Mesdames Broder and Wineman is ad-
ditional assurance that the women, under able direction, will
help keep our community on the right path of always coming
tinuation of services we are assisting locally and nationally.
language.