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THE JEWISH NEWS
Page Four
As the Editor
Views the News ...
He's Come of Age
British 'Justice
Women Aid DPs
diciary Committee and eventual adoption by
the House of Representatives. But a congres-
sional statement that it is "all but impossible"
to pass the measure at this time puts an end
to the humanitarian hope.
THE JEWISH NEWS
Member Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Independent Jewish
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Philip Slomovitz
Maurice Aronsson
Isidore Sobeloff
Fred M. Butzel
Judge Theodore Levin Abraham Srere
Maurice H. Schwartz Henry Wineman
SLOMOVITZ, Editor
JULY 18, 1947
VOL. XI—NO. 18
Scriptural
Selections
Sabbath
This Sabbath, the second day of Ab, 5707, the
following Scriptural selections will be read in our
synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion—Num. 30:2-36:13.
Prophetical portion—Jer. 2:4-28;3:4.
`Americans All'
There are 23 stories in the fascinating book,
"Americans One and All," edited by Harry Shaw
and Ruth Davis and published by Harper and
Brothers. Each of the stories deals with a differ-
ent nationality group—Russian, Filipino, Arme-
nian, Portuguese, Jewish, Dutch, Serbian, Swedish,
Irish, etc.
In its totality this anthology, as the authors
point out in their introduction, "attempts to re-
veal through the medium of the short story some-
thing of the common humanity of all Americans."
The book succeeds in this effort, and the result is
a truly great gift to the highest principles of
Americanism.
Each of the stories is certain to prove a thrilling
experience for the reader. All are excellently
written, and their true humanitarian spirit is im-
pressive.
It is appropriate that the foreword should be an
excerpt from Louis Aelamic's "From Plymouth
Rock to Ellis Island."
The Jewish story was written by the eminent
poet, Stephen Vincent Benet. under the title "Ja-
cob and the Indians." It is the story of an immi-
grant boy who sets out to trade with the Indians
and who becomes toughened by his experiences.
Benjamin Appel is the author of the "Ameri-
cans All" story under the title "Awroopdedoop!"
"Americans One and All," containing a variety
of themes, introducing the many heroes who, in
their conglomeration of differing strains, make
up our America, is a very great book.
A British Lt. General, Sir John Harding, last
Friday commuted the death sentences of three:.?
German commanders in Italy, Kesselring, von
Mackensen and Maeltzer, all found guilty of
responsibility for the brutal massacre of 335
Italians.
But a British Lt. General, G. H. A. MacMillan,
today refused to commute the death sentences
of three young Jews who took part in the attack
on Acre Prison in Palestine.
Nobody other than Germans sought commuta-
tion of the sentence on the German mass-
murderers.
The United Nations Commission on Palestine
asked their parent body to intervene for the
three Jews, not as a matter of sentiment but in
order to prevent British injustice from interfer-
ing with work of investigation by provoking dis-
order. In reply, the Commission got an insulting,
impudent, scolding letter from Sir Henry Gurney,
the Chief Secretary of the Mandatory Govern-
ment of Palestine.
We urge President Truman to make a direct
protest to Prime Minister Attlee.
We urge Congress to pass a resolution express-
ing American disgust. Now!
After registering a vote of 516 to 341 in
opposition to the Stratton Bill for the admis-
sion of displaced persons to the United States,
the national convention of the General Fed-
eration of Women's Clubs reversed itself and
overwhelmingly adopted a resolution in sup-
port of the measure.
The earlier action was most discourag-
ing. It was_expected that the women, most of
them presumably mothers, would show sym-
pathy for the unfortunate people of Europe,
and especially for the tens of thousands of
children who miraculously survived the Nazi
terror. Instead, a midwestern group of dele-
gates succeeded in defeating the proposal.
The reversal of the earlier action, which
was such a veritable landslide by the 1,973
voting delegates that it was unnecessary to
make a count, served to restore faith in the
humanitarian objectives of the Women's Fed-
eration. The national officers of the Federa-
tion—Mrs. LaFell Dickinson, the retiring
president, and Mrs. J. L. Blair Buck, her suc-
cessor—who exerted strong influence in sup-
port of the Stratton Bill, have earned high-
est commendations for their actions. The Wo-
men's Federation's final decision should have
gone a long way in influencing Congress to
adopt the important Stratton Bill.
Strong support for the bill from Catholic
and labor ranks at first appeared to have
enhanced its chances of approval by the Ju-
Friday, July 111, 1947 '
Splendid Anthology of
23 Nationality Stories
In a front page editorial in its issue of
July 8, the New York Post stated under the
heading "Protest British Injustice Now":
By the time these lines are printed, the
three condemned men—Meyer Nakar, 21,
Jacob Weiss, 23, and Absalom Habib, 20—may
either have died on the gallows or may have
had their sentences commuted. In any event,
the tensions created in Palestine are ascrib-
able directly to the unfortunate, ill-advised
and shortsighted administrative policies of
British colonial rule. In spite of an appeal
for clemency for the three Irgunists made
by a vote of 10 to 1 by the United Nations
Palestine Committee, the British authorities
remain arrogantly indifferent to the judg-
ment of a protesting world. Such policies
merely add fuel to the fires of discord in
Palestine and strengthen the hands of the
undisciplined elements. If there is an increase
in "terrorism," the fault will be Great
Britain's and no one ele's.
"T
The Jewish Community
,
Historic Events in Palestine
History-making events are transpiring in Palestine. With
the future of the country held in the balance in the forth-
coming reports of the United Nations Special Committee on
Palestine, which will be acted upon by the UN Assembly in
September, the eyes of many nations are directed at Jeru-
salem. Jews and Arabs alike are watching the deliberations
with trepidation. The Arab boycott apparently is proving
less disturbing than was originally feared, but the Arab
threats of war, which emanated from the Haifa meeting of
5,000 notables, is cause for concern, as was indicated in ques-
tions that were addressed to David Ben-Gurion.
Indian delegate Sir Abdur Rahman's "bullying air," as
a correspondent described it, proved disconcerting not only to
the Jewish spokesmen but also to UNSCOP members. The
fact that he became more amenable during the appearance of
Dr. Chaim Weizmann served to relieve the situation, but it
remained as proof that we have both friends and antagonists
on the UN committee and that the future is uncertain.
There is a great deal to be concerned about. The proposals
for partition in no sense carry with them assurances that Dr.
Weizmann's plan—that the area of a Jewish State should
include Galilee, the coastal plain, the Jewish area of Jerusalem
and the Negev; and that it should give accessibility to water
and electrical power resources for the absorption of large-
scale Jewish immigration—will be adhered to. The UN As-
sembly may debate the issues for a long time, and other
elements may enter into the situation to create difficulties.
Meanwhile, major significance is held by Jewish activities
in Palestine. The establishment of new colonies, uninter-
rupted development of existing Jewish settlements and the
rapid strides that are made by our cultural institutions con-
tinue to focus attention on the Jewish State in-the-making.
Among the very thrilling occurrences, in the midst of
strife, was the ceremony at the Hebrew University at which
the first honorary degrees in this great school's history were
awarded to two of its founders—Dr. Weizmann and Dr. Judah
L. Magnes. In a very interesting description of the event
which she cabled to the N. Y. Herald Tribune, Miss Ruth
Gruber recorded the following:
To the audience, crowded in the doorways and in the gallery,
an epoch had ended. Both of these men are linked inextricably
with the development of Palestine by the Jews. Both were
founders of the Hebrew University. Both men in their seventies,
have differed in politics and scientific interests, but never in their
devotion to their university.
Now the university, which for 25 years has given degrees
to young men and women who studied in its halls, seemed to be
re-evaluating its growth in bestowing honorary doctor of philo-
sophy degrees on the two men who had founded it. Hebrew
University had come of age.
In the audience refugee professors, who had seen such cere-
monies in now destroyed universities, moved their hands to their
eyes. Representatives of all parts of Jewish Palestine also were
in the audience—the founders of Tel Aviv, leaders of the Hadas-
sah Medical Society, representatives of the General Federation
of Jewish Labor and veterans and farmers.
Sun-tanned co-eds, wearing skirts and blouses, and young
men in open--necked shirts and khaki pants, stood during the
ceremony. American youths, studying here under the G. I. Bill
of Rights, struck an interesting contrast with their bow ties, gay
collegiate shirts and well-tailored gray slacks.
This is much more than a news item. It is the record of
a great cultural achievement and of recognition of the efforts
of men—one Russian-born and another a native American—
who have been in the vanguard of great creative efforts in
behalf of Israel in Eretz Israel.
The fact, as reported by Miss Gruber, that scholars, poets
and community leaders were asked by British leaders to leave
their automobiles as they approached the Hebrew University
and their briefcases searched—"no bombs were found," she
added—represents the dark side of the picture. This gloomy
aspect again is the contribution of the Mandatory Power. But
Jewish creativity continues unabated. It defies all obstacles.
It continues to admonish the hostile forces that progress can
not be stopped and that Jewry will not be deterred in its aim
to end the homelessness and the misery of Israel. It is a
symbol of defiance based on constructive aspirations. Will
any one dare say that such idealism can either be defeated
or trampled in the dust by reaction or by military, boots?,
Edidin's Able Study
Of Jewish Life in U. S.
"Jewish Community Life in America" by Ben
B. Edidin, the noted American Jewish educator,
which just came off the press of the Hebrew
Publishing Co., (77-79 Delancey St., New York),
is one of the finest contributions ever made to
the studies conducted on the subjects dealing with
Jervis community life.
The current Edidin book—Mr. Edidin already
has dealt ably with the subjects of Jewish holi-
days, customs and ceremonies and Palestine in
three earlier volumes—is significant for its his-
torical aspects. It outlines the development of the
Jewish community, its rise from small gfoups of
immigrants in the early days of this Republic to
the present time.
It deals with Centers and Synagogues, the eco-
nomic and cultural interests and aspirations of our
people, the social services. the various community
organizations and their fund-raising efforts, Jew-
ish relations with non-Jewish neighbors, assis-
tance to our kinsmen overseas, our interest in
Palestine, and so on and on—resulting in complete
coverage of the scene under view.
Illustrated by William Chollick, the volume
has special merit by virtue of the excellent charts
and graphs prepared by the author to explain the
various subjects under discussion. For instance,
there is an illuminating chart showing the propor-
tion of children in Jewish schools. Other graphs
show the growths of Jewish centers, Palestinian
Jewry and the Jewish population in America.
An interesting 'feature of the book is a boxed
full page article under the title "Word-Picture of
a Well-Educated Jew." It is a splendid evalua-
tion of the values of . being informed, thereby
best to be able to serve Jewry and America.
Mr. Edidin has made a splendid contribution
to the Jewish book-shelf with his latest work
which should serve an excellent purpose as text-
book as well as general reference book.
Facts You Should Know
Answers to Readers'
Questions • • •
What is the "Fast of the Seventeenth of
Tamus” which occurred this year on July 6?
The traditional commentaries which base the
source of the four major fast days of the year
(besides Yom Kippur) on the prophetic state-
ment of Zechariah (VIII:19) consider it as the "fast
of the fourth month" (ibid). Counting the Jewish
months from Nisan, as is the Biblical calendar
arrangement, Tamuz is the fourth month of the
Jewish calendar.
The Talmudists who were the original proc-
laiments of the fast generally claimed that five
tragic events befell the Jewish nation on this day
(during different years). Moses, disturbed by the
disrespectful conduct of the Israelites during his
stay on Mount Sinai, shattered the two tablets
bearing the Ten Commandments. This is said to
have occurred on the seventeenth day of Tames
(Exodus 32 and Commentaries). The daily sacri-
fices (Korbon Torrid) are said to have ceased in
the first Temple on the seventeenth of Tamuz. On
this day of the year the first breach was made in
the wall of Jerusalem by the Romans which led
to the downfall of the city and the subsequent
destruction of the Temple. During the Babylonian
siege the first breach of the wall occurred in the
same month and, according to some authorities,
on the same day. It is further recorded that on
that day one of the leaders of the besieging forces'
burned the Holy Scroll in the Temple and it was
on that day that the enemy put up an idol in the
most Holy of Holies. In view of these great calam-
ities that struck at the heart of Israel on that same._
fateful day, it was declared a day of fasting for all
generations until the Redemption when, accor&
ing to Zachariah's prophecy, the dayshall be
eternal day of rejoicing.
transformed into an etenal
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What is the Cabbala?
"Cabbala" is the Hebrew word for "Tradition's
It designates the mystic philosophy of Judaiss
which nourished in the Middle Ages.
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