Page Two
THE JEWISH NEWS
How Haganah Landed 300
In Daring Midnight Maneuver
Friday, December 11, 1947
DPs Look With Hope to UJA Conference
By ASHER SCHWARTZ
had been engaged in "difficult
TEL AVIV, (JTA)—In a dar= and dangerous tasks along the
ing midnight landing operation, Tel Aviv-Jaffa border until 9
the Haganah last week disem- o'clock the night before." • They
barked 300 visaless Jews on the. had three hours of rest and then
Tel Aviv shore and within 45_ with ten minutes' notice were
minutes had whisked them to awakened_ to disembark the im-
homes in the center of the city. migrants "from the Haganah ship
The second successful break- Haportzim.
through of the British blockade
"The skies were clouded and
in the last few weeks, the land- it was pitch dark," the comman-
ing caught the authorities by sur- der said, "except for British
prise and was completed before search-lights probing the black-
police or troops learned of the ness. At 3 a. m. I saw a spark
presence of the vessel. When of light at sea which immediately
the Haganah announcement of went out. I knew it was the
the landing was made, the police vessel and it had evaded the
and military authorities denied British blockade. Fifteen min-
the report.
utes later the ship halted 100
A first-hand, eye-witness ac- meters off-shore.
count of the landing was given
Pass British Cars
in an exclusive interview with
"Dead silence prevailed in the
the Jewish Telegraphic Agency landing. Passing British armor-
by the commander of the Hagan- ed cars were unaware of what
ah unit in charge of the opera- was going on. We knew the
tion.
British patrols were small and
First to Leave Ship
scattering, most of the troops
The men, women and children, being engaged along the Jaffa-
coming from France, Romania Tel Aviv border. This disembark-
and Algeria, were 12 days at sea. ation lasted 45 minutes. We land-
The first immigrants to leave the ed more than 300 persons and
ship were four stretcher cases, found temporary shelter for
three pregnant women and an in- them. The Haportzim weighed
valid man. The Haganah men anchor."
.
Purely Commentary
-- By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
"DP"—Destined for Palestine
These are some of the European Jewish sur-
vivors who, living in detention camps, look
hopefully to early settlement in Palestine and
await with anxiety the decisions of the annual
conference of the United Jewish Appeal, taking
place this week-end in Atlantic City, N. J.,
where decisive action is to be taken to raise
large sums of money to provide for Palestine's
reconstruction.
Outstanding national and overseas leaders
who will address the conference include: Dr.
Chaim Weizmann, former president of the Jew-
ish Agency; Eliezer Kaplan of Palestine, Jewish
Agency treasurer; Moshe Shertok, Jewish
Agency/s political adviser; Gen. Joseph T. Mc-
Narney, former commander of U. S. forces in
Responsible newspapers and world leaders have, on occasions,
shown resentment when bigots referred to DPs as "dangerous per- Historic Justice
ons." The U. S. army officials in Germany have condemned an
attitude that had brought such an interpretation into being.
Last year, at the UJA conference, Dr. Joseph Schwartz, JDC's
able European director, spoke of DPs as "delayed Palestinians."
Dr. Stephen S. Wise coined a new term. The DP, he said, is
"destined for Palestine."
This is how the DPs consider their own position. It is reported
ROME, (JTA)—Five thousand
that they now are more patient, knowing that the road to Zion has
been cleared for them and that another 'Exodus" incident is being Jews gathered in the shadow of
made impossible.
Indeed, we have entered a new era in ending homelessness and the Arch of Time—erected to
statelessness.
mark the final "destrnction of Ju-
* * *
dea in 70 C. E., and the liquida-
Serious Peril for 800,000 Hostages
tion of the remains of Jewish
Dangers continue to lurk on the Palestinian scene. There are
certain to be sporadic outbreaks of rioting, and a taste for loot may statehood—at a demonstration
inspire frequent attacks by Arabs on Jewish centers in Judea.
called to celebrate the establish-
More serious, however, than the possibility of trouble between
Jews and Arabs in Palestine is the threat to the nearly 800,000 Jews ment of a Jewish State by the
reside in Moslem countries.
United Nations.
George Fielding Eliot, in an article in the New York- Herald
After the meeting, which was
Tribune, declares that while "if the Mufti's people start trouble, addressed by Italian and refugee
the Haganah will be in duty bound to defend the Jewish corn-
Jewish leaders, the crowd par-
-munity," and that "the Jews are better armed and better organized,"
there is danger that "a flame would be lighted which would run aded under the Arch, in -symbol:
throughout the Islamic world." We share this fear because of the ical defiance of the Roman law
tragic experiences our people have had in MoSlem countries, because which prohibited Jews from pass-
of the position of second or third class citizenship accorded Jews ing through the Arch. Prayers
in Yemen, because of the terrible massacres that were experienced were recited for the 6,000,800
by Jews in Libya, Algeria and Tunisia.
Jews who died in Europe at the
There are 175,000 Jews in French Morocco and 13,000 more in hands of the Nazis.
Spanish Morocco; 130,000 in Algeria, 90,000 in Iraq, 78,000 in Turkey,
A thanksgiving service was
70,000 in Tunisia, 72,000 in Egypt, 45,000 in Yemen, 40,000 in Iran,
30,000 in Libya, 26,000 in Syria, 7,000 in Tangier, 5,000 in Afghanistan. held in. the evening in the famous
The UN Security Council will be faced with the responsibility Rome Synagogue. Chief Rabbi
- of providing means for Jewish self-defense in Palestine and _of David Prato officiated at special
insisting that the Arab member nations of the UN act humanely religious services, which were
in dealing with their Jewish "subjects." We use the term "subjects" attended by several thousand
advisedly—since citizenship has been denied in these countries even persons, including a representa-
to Jews who have lived there for 40 generations. The UN, if it is
to evince firmness and courage, must do something about the status tive of the Italian government.
of Jews in Yemen, Libya, Saudi-Arabia, Algeria, Egypt and other
lands where their lives are not secure.
Brooklyn School Aide •
The 800,000 hostages in Moslem countries are our-concern and we
dare not forget them in this crucial period in our history.
Bans Holiday Symbols
* * *
Hail Jewish State
Under Titus Arch
.
A Word to Council for. Judaism
Lessi_ng J. Rosenwald, speaking for the American Council for
Judaism; recognized the inevitability of the UN decision. Wishing
the inhabitants of the new Jewish state "well," he said that "its fate
and destiny are those of its own citizens. As Jews we are no more
responsible for it and possess no more rights in it than in any other
nation." We concur with the -second portion of his statement but
repudiate the former. It is true, as he stated, that "we are no part
of the Jewish nation." Such a natioh has been, is and will be built
in Zion. But Jews can not wash their hands of responsibility for
such a state, just as the U. S., USSR and the UN can not wash their
hands of it. The new Judea is a world project to end the home-
' lesshess and statelessness of dispossessed people and humanitarian
considerations demand courtesy and duty towards .the new state
and an honorable share in establishing decency for Jewry.
Since Mr. Rosenwald has seen fit to express the hope that large
numbers of displaced persons will be admitted to Palestine, he must
also concern himself with' the security of the settlers in Zion. He
must also share in efforts to protect Jews in Moslem countries.
It will be interesting to note whether he and his associates will
revert to humanitarian consideration in these respects.
*
*,
Sensationalists Color the News
The situation in Palestine is serious enough without its being
exaggerated. NBC's Donovan admitted last week that the first
reports from Palestine were extremely exaggerated. A widely ac-
claimed radio broadcaster, who has far to go to be objective in any-
thinit he announces, nevertheless continues to - go to extremes
in
emphasizing "Zionist" warfare." When will some one catch up
with him and call his bluffs?
* * •
Chief Rabbi Herzog Walks a Lot
Mrs. Max Lipsitz, here for a visit from Palestine with her hus-
band and two children, after an absence of 14 years, speaks glowingly
of the determination of the Yishuv to carry on. There is confidence
in the. hearts of the Lipsitzes that all will go well with the builders
of Judea. Mrs. Lipsitz has one regret: Chief Rabbi Isaac Herzog
works under great handicaps.. He has no car, and even when he has
to fulfill most serious duties he often has to walk great distances
because of the extreme economics under which he works. Perhaps
some Americans will get together and provide a car for Dr. Herzog's
needs. As a. matter of fact, Mr. Lipsitz offers to set a fund going
with an initial contribution.
In Two Large Districts
NEW YORK, (JPS)----Christmas
carols which have a religious
significance were banned in 23
public schools of two Brooklyn
districts, by order of assistant
superintendent of schools Isaac
Bildersee, who is in charge of the
two districts. Haniikah songs and
the traditional eight-branch Han-
ukah monorah were banned also,
The districts, embracing 12 square
miles, contain 30,000 pupils, about
20,000 of them Jewish, officials
estimated.
Dr. Bildersee said his order,
which has already brought a
mounting storm of protest from
various groups in the borough,
"was not anti-Christian or anti-
anything whatsoever." On the
contrary, was given in the
spirit of seeing to it that what is
done does not offend the sensi-
bilities of even one child," he said.
"Christmas and other similar
occasions may be celebrated only
as seasonal pre-vacation occur-
rences," Dr. Bildersee's order
stated. "There must not be any
reference in dramatizations,
songs, or other aspects of the
occasion, to any religious signi-
ficance involved. Christmas carols
with reference to the nativity
may not be sung, nor any decor-
ations displayed which include
the symbols of any faith." '
Europe; Rep. James G. Fulton of Pennsylvania,
chairman of the House Foreign Affairs sub-
committee on the International Refugee Organi-
zation; Maj. Gen. John H. Hilldring, member of
U. S. delegation to the UN; Dr. Joseph J.
Schwartz, European director of Joint Distribu-
tion Committee, one of the major UJA agencies;
Henry Morgenthau, Jr., general chairman of
UJA; Dr. Israel Goldstein, head of the United
Palestine Appeal, major Palestinian cause in the
UJA; William Rosenwald, Dr. Jonah B. Wise,
Isidor Coons, Moses A. Leavitt, Dr. Martin
Rosenbluth and Joseph E. Beck.
Julian H. Kr-olik, president of the Jewish
Welfare Federation of Detroit, will preside at
one of the sessions.
Between You and Me
By BORIS SMOLAR
(Copyright, 1947. Jewish Telegraphic Agency, inc.)
Zionist Problems
American Zionist leadership is again beginning to think in
prosaic practical terms .. . One major problem facing American
Zionist leaders is how to obtain from the U. S. tanks and planes for
Haganah . . . Another problem is the normalization of relations
between the American Zionists and the new Jewish government in
which none but citizens of the Jewish state can be members . . . It
is obvious that the upbuilding of the Jewish state will remain
dependent upon aid from American Jewry for quite a long time .
The question is therefore asked: "How will American Jewish leader..
ship be able to exercise the same influence on the Jewish Cabinet
as it did on the Jewish Agency executive?" . . . Some Zionist leaders
in this country will not be satisfied with merely playing the role of
"outside helpers" to 'the Jewish government . . . On the other hand,
they cannot hope to be in the government as long as they are Ameri-
can citizens . . . It can be expected that some of the American
leaders will give up their citizenship and settle in the Jewish state ....
But their chances of obtaining positions in the Cabinet will be poor,
since they will no longer represent the powerful force of American
Jewry . . . The problem of "taxation without representation" which
may develop with regard to Zionist groups outside Palestine also
faces world Zionist leadership . . . Some urge continuation of the
World Zionist Congress as the supreme organ of the Zionist move-
ment in the Diaspora, although the Zionist aim of establishing a
Jewish state in Palestine has been achieved .. . They belie've that
a world Zionist executive elected by such a Congress could work
in cooperation with the Cabinet of the Jewish state . . . Others are
not as optimistic . . . They insist that to be a member of an executive
which is of
to a government is not the same as being a
member of the government.
, • • *
Communal Trends
Jewish organizations have submitted an application to the State
Department, askiing that it approve the Jewish Restitution Commis-
sion as the representative Jewish body to become the heir to heirless
Jewish property in the U. S. zone of Germany under the terms of
the recently published restitution law . . . The commission is com-
posed of representatives of major Jewish groups in the U. S., Britain
and France.
There was quite a scene at the American Jewish Conference
conclave in Chicago between Bnai Brith President Frank L. Goldman
and American Jewish Congress President Dr. Stephen S. Wise .. .
Wise said that the Conference seemed more anxious to, hold the
Bnai Brith within its ranks than to make it possible for the American
Jewish Congress to stay in . . . This resulted in an exchange of
highly uncomplimentary remarks between the two . . . It required
Dr. Israel Goldsteiri's yaliant efforts to make peace between the
disputants.
There is a good deal of behind-the-scene dickering among major
Jewish organizations regarding the naming of a successor to Judge
-Louis E. Levinthal, who is surrendering the post of adviser on Jewish
affairs to the American military command in Germany. . . The
names of Jacob Billikoff, Dr. James Heller and Dr. A. L. Sachar
have been mentioned among the candidates . . . But the competition
has narrowed down to Harold J. Goldenberg of Minneapolis and
Prof. William Haber of the University, of Michigan, who was head
of the National Refugee Service in the early war years . . . One
of the two is most likely to succeed Judge Levinthal.
The national council of Americans for Haganah, an organization
Seeking support in this country for the Haganah, recently acquired
two important members . They are Herbert H. Lehman and
Sunmer Welles.
* * •
Men and Deeds
Dr. Chaim Weizmann will have his autobiography published
soon by a well-known publishing house . . . A Jewish daily news-
paper in New York is negotiating for Yiddish translation rights for
$25,000 . . . One of the most impressive affairs in New York was
the celebration of Dr. Weizmann's 73rd birthday on the eve of the
United Nations' historic decision to establish a Jewish state in
... For the first time in its history, the famous Boston Symphony
Orchestra, directed by Serge Koussevitsky, played in the' Waldorf-
Astoria . . . The atmosphere was invigorating, the food superb, the
champagne exhilarating, and Dr. and Mrs. Wreizmann were really
happy — . The credit for bringing 2,000 prominent people–.'each of
whom paid $250—to the Weizmann affair and for the success of the
concert-supper party, goes to Meyer Weisgal, Dr. Weizniann's right-
hand man ... It was at that dinner that Moshe Shertok was rewarded
for his excellent work at the United Nations .. Dr. Weizmann,
who is considered the almost certain choice for the post of first
President of the Jewish state, singled out Shertok and paid him a
touching tribtite, while the assemblage gave him a tremendous
ovation . .. Two other 4utstanding affairs that followed the decision
of the United Nation4 on partition were private parties thrown by
Dr. Emanuel Neumann. ZO.A. &resident, and by Hadaagah.
•