Frilay, June 27. 1947 THE JEWISH NEWS Page Four As the Editor Views the News ... Democracy Without 'Reservations' Refugees in Study by Prof. Davie Views Their Merits 'Who Is a Jew?' Prot Maurice R. Davie's "Refugees in America: Report of. the Committee for the Study. of Recent Immigration from Europe," (Harper), may well be called the most significant studyrof the status of new immigrants to the U. S. This sociological study was sponsored by a group, of national organizations, . including National Refugee Service which has been merged in the United Service for New Americans. The Detroit Council of Social AgenciCs, of which Miss Florence G. Cassidy is the director, and Resettlement Serv- ice, of which Harold Silver is the director, are the Detroit cooperating agencies which assisted in this study. Other Michigan ,cooperating agencies and their representatiVe_s are: Flint, Bnai Brith, B. M. Pelawin, International Institute, Miss Anna In his cabled report on the hearings in Jerusalem before the United Nations Spe- cial Committee on Palestine, John G. Rogers, correspondent of the New York Herald Tri- bune, referred to several interesting ques- tions that were addressed to Moshe Shertok, head of the political department of the Jew- ish Agency, among them the following: The Netherlands' N. S. Blom asked: "Who is a Jew?" Mr. Shertok replied that a Jew is a person practicing the Jewish religion, or, if not doing so, at least not converted to another religion. This was interesting, since it defined a Jew by religion, yet Zionists speak often of the Jewish race." One question drew a bitter reply from Mr. Shertok. Asked whether a non :Jew could be converted to Judaism, he ans- wered in the affirmative, but said, "We always warn him against it." These questions reveal the extent of the interest that exists in various Jewish mat- ters, whether or not they are related to Zion- ism, in the discussion of the problem of Pal- estine. Mr. Shertok's answers reaffirm the basic principles of Judaism: that Jews are a faith and that non-Jews seeking admission to the Jewish fold must be fully apprised of the difficulties that go with embracing Juda- ism before they assume the responsibility of conversion. The Herald Tribune correspondent exag- gerates, of course, when he refers to Zion- ists speaking often of "the Jewish race." Ratzesberger; Kalamazoo, Resettlement Commit- tee, Mrs. Eric Snyder; Saginaw, Christian Refugee A Challenge to American Jews Jewish Telegraphic Agency's London-correspondent, Paul S. Green, has cabled to this country a most disturbing analy- sis of the revived anti-Semitic movement in England, result- ing in the main from charges, symbolized by a headline in the London Evening Standard proclaiming: "How New York's Jews Run Their 'War' With Britain." Mr. Green believes that English newspaper readers should be forgiven for believing that New York has become There are many Jews—non-Zionists as well the "rebel capital" of the Jewish state-to-be, the impression as Zionists who speak of "The Jewish race." having been encouraged by the numerous statements of For- Many more refer to "Jewish nationality," eign Secretary Ernest pevin, who has frequently referred havinL; in view the indisputable fact that to the role of "New York Jews" in promoting war with Britain Jews constitute a national as well as a reli- and preventing His Majesty's peace-loving government from gious unit. In "Jewish Theology," the late settling the vexing Palestine problem. Dr. Kaufman Kohler made the statement We are informed that the English readers are told that that "Judaism comprises all phases and char- New York Jews stuff their pockets with money made by buy- acteristic, of both a national and world reli- ing unseaworthy ships on which unwilling refugees are sent gion. - to Palestine only to be rescued by the heroic British Navy. Eliminating the "fine points" in the dis- Mr. Green points to the carelessness of English writers who cussion, the fact remains that the Jews basic- go so far as to state that New York City's Jews number 56 ally are a religion and that Mr. Shertok was per cent of the population, whereas the true figure is 28 per correct in his answers to the members of the cent, and who have built up a case against Jewry by main- UN committee. While Palestine's problem taining that "semi-military" Jewish publications have mobil- was muddled on occasions. by the introduc- ized strong sentiments for terrorism and for "illegal immi- tion - dr—issues relative to the dangers of a gration" and in support of the Irgun, and the Ben Hecht "theocracy" in Eretz Israel, the achievements League for a Free Palestine. It is small consolation to maintain that English news- in Palestine, which prove the values of Jew- ish experiences in self-government in the paper writers are misrepresenting the issue. The fact to re- Jewish Homeland, should allay any fears on member is that a very damaging propaganda campaign is this score. On the contrary, the great values being conducted against Jewry, with the result that it spreads of Jewry's ethical teachings, which gave rise anti-Semitism in England, has brought Mosley's British Union to the other leading world religions, should Of Fascists to Palestine and may effect Jewish-Christian re- — prove factors in encouraging the speedy es- tablishment of the Jewish Commonwealth. Col. John H. Patterson Col. John Henry Patterson, engineer and big game hunter who was best known as commander of the Jewish Legion which fought with the British armies in Palestine in World War I, was one of the most interest- ing personalities of our time. He not only was a staunch supporter of the Jewish National Home in Palestine, but he opposed his own government's policies main- taining that Britain had betrayed her trust in Zion. lie advocated establishment of a Jew- ish army to fight the Nazis and was firm in his pro-Zionist attitudes. His death in Los Angeles last week is a serious loss in the ranks of Christian Zionists. THE JEWISH NEWS Member Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Independent Jewish Pies.; Scar, ice. Seven Arts Feature Syndicate, Religious News Service, Palcor Agency. Member American Association of English-Jewish News- papers and Michigan Press Association. Pub'Riled every Friday by The Jewish News Publish- ing Co., 2119 Penobscot1131dg., Detroit 26, Mich., RA. 7956 . Subscription. $3 a year; foreign. $4. Club subscription. every fourth Friday of the month, to all subscribers to Allied Jewish Campaign of Jewish Welfare Federation of Detroit 10 cents pet year. Entered as second-class matter Aug. 6. 1942. at Post Of- eee, Det ∎ oit. Mich.. under Act of March 3, 1879. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Philip Slomovitz Maurice Aronsson Isidore Sobeloff Fred M. Butzel Judge Theodore Levin Abraham Srere Maurice H. Schwartz Henry Wineman SLOMOVITZ. Editor VOL. XI—NO. 15 JUNE 27, 1947 Sabbath Scriptural Selections This Sabbath, the tenth day of Tammuz, 5707, following Scriptural selections will be read in the our synagogues: Pentauechal portion—Num. 19:1-22:1. Prophetical portion—Judges- 11:1-33s - — America lationships elsewhere. A way must be found by the Jews of America to deal with this situation. If the English press needs correcting, let there be an organized campaign on this score. Whatever is done, the challenge must be met in the interest of the truth— making it clear that American Jews are being maligned and that our interest is not in terrorism but in securing justice Committee, Rev. Garfield HafermehL The wide variety of occupational backgrounds of the newcomers to this country in the present era, the economic spheres of these-new Americans, the problems of their readjustment, the agencies assist- ing their resettlement and a score of other aspects of the refugee problems are fully covered in this study. It is evident from this study that a very great contribution to American life, in the fields of science, industry, art, literature, etc., is being made by the refugees. The revelations in Prof. Davie's book encourage a wide open door for those fleeing from persecution, judg- ing by the great gifts they make to America and by the potential gifts of those seeking entrance here. The study shows that the number of refugees who settled in Detroit grew from 8,227 in 1940 to 11,435 in 1945, the number settling in 1945 being approximately 2,000. These represent 0.1, per cent of the total Detroit population of 1,623; 452. Most of the refugees take advantage of the op- portunity to become naturalized. In Detroit this process is delayed due to shortage of naturalization examiners and it takes new citizens six to seven years to secure their final papers, instead of the required five years. Detroit is one of the cities in which the study reports refugees to have engaged in real estate activities. Prof. Davie comments on the possibility of an increase in anti-Semitic feelings growing out of large-scale refugee immigration. He writes: "Even with the small number of Jewish . refugees already admitted there has been an increase of anti-Semitic feelings in. some com- munities, especially where, like Milwaukee and New York, there is a large German pop- ulation receptive to Nazi propaganda, and where, like these cities plus Detroit and Chi- cago, there is a large Polish element still in- fluenced by Old World attitudes." His conclusion is that in this country there is no specifically refugee problem. only "a problem which has existed throughout our entire history and which has been solved in each generation with good judgment and justice, to the develop- ment and enrichment of American society." Aiserting that the refugee represents a world problem. Prof. Davie declares that it would be strange if the U. S., with its "proud tradition as a refuge for the oppressed," should refuse to bear its share of the great human problem by closing its gates. He expresses hope that the entire world will share in this great burden. Prof. Davie is chairman of the department of sociology at Yale University. Facts You Should Know Answers to Readers_ Questions • • . What is the origin of the practice of circumcision? for the dispossessed and homeless Jews who have been prom- Rabbi Samuel J. Fox, writing for the Jewish ised a free door to Palestine and for whom the promise Telegraphic Agency, replies: Whether the Jews were the first people to prac- must be kept. in view of tice the ritual is rather questionable historical data pointing to the practice of cir- Ein Hashophet's 10th Anniversary Ein Hashophet, the Palestinian colony that was named in honor of the late Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis, will observe its tenth anniversary on July 5. This is an event of more than ordinary importance in view of the great part played by EM Hashophet in extending the "frontiers" of Jewish colonization areas in Palestine. Established at a time when it was most dangerous for Jews to go northward, the handful of young settlers who first undertook to develop this colony risked their lives in estab- lishing a new center for Jewish colonization. In the 10 years of its existence, Ein Hashophet has grown to a population of 450. It now has a number of Jewish neigh- boring colonies, among them Ramat Hashophet, one of the country's youngest colonies which was established in tribute to the memory of the late Judge Julian W. Mack. Detroit has a special interest in EM Hashophet. One of the first young Detroiters to settle in Palestine, Ephraim. Ticktin, was brutally murdered by Arabs while at work planting new trees on the outskirts of the colony. Ephraim, in spite of his youth, was among the leaders in the colony's great colonization efforts. He was personally responsible for the planting of thousands of trees. He tended the sheep and participated actively in the cultural life of the small com- munity which now commands so much strategic importance in the Jewish Homeland. • Observance of Ein Hashophet's 10th anniversary would be incomplete without tribute 'to the memory of Ephraim Ticktin and his Toronto co-worker who - was another victim in the ill-fated Arab raid on their colony nine years ago. It would be well for Detroiters to pay adequate tribute to the memory of Ticktin, thereby also honoring the efforts of the splendid pioneering group in Ein Hashophet. cumcision in many primitive cultures. The Jews are generally regarded as the first to standardize the custom into a regulated national procedure. Our own sources for this custom are the verses in Geneses (especially XVII, 11) that regard the matter of circumcision as a sign of the Covenant between the descendants of Abraham and God. Kohler has gathered evidence to show that cir- cumsion in its most primitive form was connected with marriage and that the primitive societies generally selected the oge of puberty for the rite. Through the ages many other reasons have to the been added to give meaning and purpose and the both the oldest rite which seems to be surgical operation known: most widely performed and Saadia have Writers like Philo, Josephus found in this ritual a hygienic motive. This is borne out by late medical analysis. The over- hmiging foreskin is a breeding place for germs which often lead to infection. Medical investi- gation has shown that a person who is not cir- cumcized is subject to a malady termed Phimosis (inability to withdraw the foreskin whenever nec- essary). This condition leads to many other troubles. In extreme cases gangrene and ulcera- this difficulty. tion have been traced to in this custom a preven- Maimonodies has seen tion of excessive lust. Some have seen in Circum- cision a - sacrificial symboL Rosenzweig was so impressed with the practice that he recommended in 1878 that the entire Prussian army be circum- cized. The Bible itself has many a time clad the ritual with a deep spiritual significance. For ex- ample the statement in Deuteronomy (X,16) "Cir- cumcize the foreskin of your heart" displays the act of circumcision not only as the cleansing of the body but as a symbol of the cleansing of the soul. Who are the Hebrew Patriarchs? This is the designation given to the great ances- tors of the Israelites, especially _to Abraham, 'the son of Jacob, and to David.