Page Four THE JEWISH NEWS As the Editor Views the News ... Go Thou and Do Likewise! Joe E. Brown's Credo Joe E. Brown, great actor, emerged as a teacher of good will and decency during his appearance in Detroit. His heart-to-heart talks with his audiences after the "Harvey" performances may have done more good to cause people to think in terms of genuine brotherhood than anything else that has transpired in our community. But the highlight of his visit with us was his address to community_ leaders at the Luncheon meeting that was arranged by the Detroit Round 'Table of Catholics, Jews and Protestants. He made several important points: "More than anything else," he said, "I want the love of my fellow men. But even more than that, I want to deserve it." He expressed abhorrence for the term "tol- erance," he told the gathering that "you are wrong when you speak of tolerance, you are right when you speak of intolerance—which must be kicked out." Paraphrasing a statement made by another able speaker at that gathering—the Rev. Wal- ton E. Cole—who appealed to all creeds to "live and let live," he urged a "live and help live" policy. And he expressed worry over the fact that there were so few young people present, since the youngsters will have to carry on the work for brotherhood. We are not speaking here of Mr. Brown's "creed" but of his Credo which ought to serve as a guide for all peoples. During the first week's proceedings at the United Nations, Joe E. Brown does a good job for good fellowship with "Harvey." He 'does an even matters looked rosy for the Zionist case. We were encouraged better one with his appeals for true brother- by many factors, by the attitudes of some of the member hood, and we honor him for it. states in the UN and especially by the stand that was taken by U. S. Secretary of State George C. Marshall. During the past week, however, he tide has turned. Power Action taken by the Jewish Community politics again is at work. Oil interests are involved. The Council to avoid panic in property-selling in Arabs are spouting hate and the credulous are giving ear to the 12th Street area should receive the active negative declarations. support of all residents of that neighborhood While there is an almost unanimous Jewish endorsement and of all interested parties. of the majority UNSCOP report for a partitioned Palestine, It is unfortunate that the constant changes growing out of a craving for an early solution of the sad in Jewish neighborhoods also create issues involVing racial antagonisms. Jews, more problem of Eretz Israel, other considerations are arising to than all others, must avoid becoming involved cause us worry. in racial or religious controversies. When It would be much easier to nap for a few weeks and to insisting on fair treatment from neighbors, awake to a decisive conclusion by the United Nations. But we must also resolve to assure fair treatment that would be a thoroughly unrealistic approach. While world to neighbors. The problem is not an easy one to handle. powers are playing politics at our expense, it is necessary that All the more reason, therefore, why all con- we should be on guard; that we, too, should exert influence; cerned must pool their forces and their best that we should make every effort to induce our government to judgments to arrive at a fair and amicable adhere to the established policy of the United States in sup- solution. port of aims for the creation of a Jewish Commonwealth in Zion. Palestine, Power Politics and UN Housing and Panic The Spirit of Survival Not even the threat of starvation rations can make the Exodus refugees swerve from their determination to make Palestine the final goal of their wanderings. French hos- pitality means nothing to them. British in- timidation methods make them even more determined. This spirit of Jewish survival after the greatest disaster in our history is a miracle, and proof of the strength of our race, if such proof still is needed. It seems. however, that miracles no longer impress a world worn out by years of slaughter and destruction. THE JEWISH NEWS Member Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Independent Jewish Press Service, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate. Religious News Service, Palcor Agency, King Features, Central Press Association. 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, $4. Club subscription, every fourth Friday of the month, to all subscribers to Allied Jewish Campaign of Jewish Welfare Federation of Detroit. '40 cents pei year. Entered as second-class matter Aug. 6, 1942. at Post Of- fice, Detroit, Mich., under Act of March 3, 1879. \ BOARD OF DIRECTORS Maurice Aronsson Philip Slomovitz Fred M. Butzel Isidore Sobeloff Judge Theodore Levin Abraham Srere Maurice II. Schwartz Henry Wineman PHILIP SLOMOVITZ, Editor VOL. XII—NO. 3 OCTOBER 3, 1947 Sabbath, Sukkot Scriptural Selections This Sabbath, the 20th day of Tishri, 5708, the following scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues: Pentateuchal section—Ex. 33:12-34:26; Num. 29: 17-25. Prophetical section—Ezek. 38:18-39:16. On Shemini Atzereth (Monday) the following selections will be read: Pentateuchal section—Deut. 15 :19-16:17; Num. 29:35-30:1. Prophetical section—Josh. 1. On Simhat Torah (Tuesday) the following se- lections will be read: Pentateuchal section—Deut. 33:1-34:12; Gen. 1:1- 2 :3. Prophetical section—Is. 42:5-21; 61:10. The coming weeks will be marked by anxiety, by grave doubts, by fears and heartaches. We have a duty to our- selves to retain faith in our own powers to survive and to continue to build a home for the homeless. By wise statesman- ship and determined effort to retain the friendship and good will of sympathetic nations, we can win our case. We can lose only if we despair. Anti-Semitism—British Style Orders to police authorities in England to be on the look-out against anti-Semitic demonstrations should have been extended to the British-misgoverned territory of Pal- estine. Friday, October 3, 1947 Re-Evaluation of the Am Haaretz On Sukkot We Know: Soil Is Root of Learning By GERHARDT NEUMANN Sukkot, the festival of the harvest and the glorification of the farmer, and Education Month make me wonder about the strange history of the expression "Am Haaretz." Literally, Am Haaretz means "peoPle of the land." Late in the Roman period the Pharisees labeled as- Am Haaretz people who had no rab- binical schooling, whose ways of life were simple and whose knowledge of the law was limited to what they had learned from their fathers. It was the first time in Jewish history that a rift between urban and rural civilization became apparent. The Am Haaret2 stigma has ever since been the most damning sentence that could be pronounced over a Jew, although during several periods the attempt was made to rehabilitate the unlearned, simple man of the street and to credit him with: the innate values which make him the backbone of the Jewish people. In the Hasidic literature, it is invariably the Am Haaretz who wins God's favor. The poor man who does not even know how to pray and there- fore whistles a song of gratitude and devotion to his creator is admitted to the inner circle of the sages and righteous, because his intention was pure -- and respectable. Likewise, in Sholem Aleichem's novels it is often the ignorant peddler whose wishes are fulfilled and whose words represent the real wisdom of the people. With the Jewish renaissance in Palestine, Jews returned to the soil and became, in a real sense, Am Haaretz, people of the land. Again, we-have a rural and an urban civilization in Palestine, but so far they have not been found to be irreconcilable expressions of life. On the contrary, everyone in Palestine knows that without the Jewish settler who transforms the desert into blooming gardens the whole work of reconstruction would be un- thinkable. • * * There are many kinds of settlers in Palestine: observant Jews and non-observant Jews; people who have studied the Bible and the Talmud and others who are more interested in worldly studies; Jews with strong traditions and Jews with few or no traditions—but what makes them the cultural and political entity known as Yishuv are the ideals they have in common, the respect of manual labor and the love of the land. Many a settler may be an Am Haaretz in the Pharisaic meaning of the word, but his value as a member of the Jewish people and as a pioneer in the rebuilding of the Jewish homeland is not affected by such a verdict. • * ' * It is only natural that Jews. are thinking in • terms of urban civilization. Most of the 2,000 years of our diaspora we have spent in the ghettos of the cities, and even after emancipation had come, we remained there to pursue our traditional trades and professions. But it must not be overlooked that at all times the country was the reservoir of the cities. Many of the greatest scholars, inventors, commercial geniuses were products of a rural environment. The Talmud itself is full of examples of scholari who were originally farmers or laborers. It was a perfect synthesis of the small but well-rounded world of the peasant and the large but instable world of the city. * Real learning means respect. Real learning does not discriminate between people of rural and urban origin, but recognizes their values and tries. to strike a balance between them. .Education .Month gives us an opportunity to promote Jewish learning among our youths so their minds will be open to all Jewish values, be they products of the brain or products of manual labor. At a time when Israel is again becoming an "Am Haaretz," a people of the land, it is our duty to eliniinate the ignorant Am Haaretz who has no roots at all and who is a real danger to the exist- ence of our people. Eventide (Ps. By DR. NOAH E. ARONSTAM i .91 )them hath Be set a tent for the sun. The sun lies golden on the ground; Fascist propaganda is infiltrating not only in England A canopy. of green but also in other lands where Britain has gained a military Spreads forth its web-like foliage foothold, with the result that vandalism by British troops Like tracings on a screen. has assumed an ugly character. The shadows flit on playfully-- Kaleidoscopes of hue, The defilement of two synagogues in Jerusalem on the And shape themselves in changeful moods eve of Yom Kippur proved to what depths anti-Semites will To vie with skies of blue. sink when motivated by hatred and prejudice. The statement The vesper sun sinks netherwards issued•by the British Army authorities in Jerusalem deploring In purple-mauve array; the incidents does not help any. These occurrences, during The twilight stalks on graying wings which British military who conducted the alleged "search" And seals the cicising day. in the synagogues unrolled the Holy Scrolls and defiled prayerbooks, are continuations of similar acts which showed Facts You Should Know the lack of respect British authorities have for Jewish re- ligious sentiments. It was to be expected that the British would refrain from desecrating synagogues on the eve of Yom Kippur. Only the Nazis previously have stooped to such ugly tactics of insult- ing Jews on their holiest day of the year. We would have Is Yiddish used by Jews in spiritual writings? imagined that at this time, when the United Nations is dis- Yes. Yiddish, which originated 1,000 years ago cussing a plan , for a solution to the Palestine problem, bias the Rhine provinces, first was used as a literary would be relegated to the background. Evidently it will take in medium for translations of the Bible, prayers, much stronger forces to enforce decency. homilies and ritual customs. * 4. * The pre-Yom Kippur occurrences in Palestine prove the What are the "Na-anuim"? validity of the point on which the United Nations Special During the Hallel the four species are waved Committee on Palestine agreed unanimously; that Great towards the four points of the compass, and up- Britain must give up the mandate for Palestine and her wards and downwards, thus making six distinct troops must evacute the country as speedily as possibly. Great motions. These motions are called "Na-anuim." * * * Britain's "threat" to withdraw' from Palestine is nothing What is Hasidism? more than admission that her hand has been forced and that A mystical movement in Judaism, founded by she must admit defeat in dealing. with the situation in the Israel Baal Shem. Tob shortly before the middle of Holy Land. , the 18th century. Answers to Readers' Questions .. .