Page Four
THE JEWISH NEWS
As the Editor
Views the News ...
A Dream Comes True
Maccabaean Spirit Lives
Hanukah of 5708 assumes the role of great-
est importance in the revival of Maccabaean
valor.
For the first time in 1877 years, we are
abe to say that Palestinian Jewry celebrates
the festival in preparatory stages of resum-
ing the status of independence.
This Hanukah marks the final return of
Israel to Eretz Israel.
In spite of the turbulence created by loot-
ing mobs whose vandalism is being instigated
by the Mufti's men, the confidence of the
Hanukah of the era of liberation is by no
means diminished.
Gangsters who murdered and robbed in
1922, 1929 and 1936 have lost the right to make
claims of "ownership" in a land they had dev-
astated during the past century.
The pioneers who have transformed desert
Palestine into garden spots are the true des-
cendants of the Maccabees who know how to
defend their rights.
The Maccabaean spirit lives!
World Jewry will gain from this glory—
and it will give courage to its brethren in
arms.
.
THE JEWISH NEWS
True Hanukah Story
Based on Economic,
Political Complications
By DR. HARRY M. ORLINSKY
(Professor of Bible, Jewish Institute
of Religion, New York)
Who Will Enforce Peace in Judea?
Only the naive and the blind-to-reality elements may
have expected only sweet and honeyed results from the United
Nations General Assembly decision to partition Palestine into
Jewish and Arab states. Those who have faced issues realis-
tically knew that trouble was brewing and that the rise of
Representatives of American Jewry are two new nations must be accompanied by birthpangs.
convening this week-end in the most import-
The Jewish area and the Jerusalem site which is to be
ant period of our history to plan methods of internationalized already have experienced bloodshed. The
assuring adequate support for the Jewish Arab territory is not immune from' trouble, with the anti-
state and of providing the necessities for Mufti Abdullah of Transjordania vieing with the extremists
transporting the hundreds of thousands of for power.
dispossessed Jews of Europe to Palestine.
Trouble should and can be minimized—provided the
The annual conference of the United Jew- U. S. and other powers secure the cooperation of Great
ish Appeal, at its sessions in Atlantic City, Britain and induce the Security Council to enforce peace.
* * *
will be faced with the responsibility of meet-
ing the issues at hand and of approaching the
A resume of public opinion as reflected in editorials in
new duties with which American Jewry is be- leading newspapers, and of declarations made by UN spokes-
ing charged with courage and with dignity.
men on the eve of the adoption of the UNSCOP partition
Last year there were serious differences proposals, may help to clarify misunderstandings.
The New York Times, which has never been too sympa-
of opinion with regard to the great national
goal of $170,000,000 for UJA. Only a handful thetic to Zionist aspirations, referring to -the UN Assembly's
of communities were able to meet their in- final verdict, declared that "its decision should command
dividual quotas. Most cities, including Detroit, the acquiescence, the respect and the loyal support of_ all
fell approximately 20 per cent short of their nations and all peoples . . . It is thedecision of the Uhited
Nations; it is the best decision which that great agency of
goals.
world opinion was able to discover, and we trust that it will
Next year, even the unprecedented goal of have the willing compliance of the two peoples whose future
$170,000,000 will be inadequate. It is esti- it involves. Failing that, the Security Council must be cour-
mated that a cost of $300,000,000 will be in ageous enough to supply the necessary means of enforcement.
volved in the settlement of 100,000 Jews. in
* * *
Palestine during the coming year. Authorita-
The New York Herald Tribune emphasizes that the "set-
tive studies show that in order to settle 1,200,- tlement depends upon the sincerity with which - both the
000 Jews in Palestine during the coming dec- United States and the Soviet Union meet the implications
ade it will be necessary to raise three billion of a policy on which they have been in rare and fortunate
dollars. It is clear that we must think in terms agreement."
of state-building and state-managing. We are
The Chicago Sun, asserting that "the Arabs are defying
no longer engaged in philanthropy: our great the closest thing there is to world opinion," and that: the UN
responsibilities henceforth must be fulfilled decision "is as - fair a compromise as anybody could ask,"
through voluntary self-taxation in support declared: "Having reached that decision, the UN cannot
of the tremendous undertakings in Palestine retreat from it. Nor can members of UN, especially the
and the movement of large numbers of Jews United States, shirk the obligations that go along with it.
out of the areas which remind our people of Our obligation is to defend the settlement."
the gas chambers and crematoria.
*
Our obligations are crystal-clear. Our na-
The
Detroit
Free
Press
states: With all the foreseeable
tional leaders must face their duties without
and
unforeseeable
pitfalls
ahead,
we have nevertheless put
hesitation. Our communities will be able to
prove that genuineness of their demonstra- our hands to the plow, and we must finish the furrow. Any
tions of joy over the UN decision through ' weakness now would destroy the hope of bringing peace to
the Holy Land and thus removing that strategic, tragic area
their liberality.
from the list of the world's "trouble spots." :
W. K. Kelsey, the Detroit News Commentatbr, stated
in a very brilliant analysis of the situation that "a decision
has been taken which is not likely to be rescinded. Therefore
Member Jewish Telegraphic Agency. independent Jewish
Press Service, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate. Religious
it must be implemented in spite of difficulties and dangers."
News Service, PaIcor Agency, King Features, Central
In his great address which indicated the firm stand taken
Press Association.
Member American Association of English-Jewish News-
by our government, Herschel V. Johnson, U. S. delegate at
papers and Michigan Press Association.
the UN, made this declaration: "My delegation fervently
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publish-
ing Co., 2114 Penobscot Bldg., Detroit 26. Mich., RA. 7956
hopes that the General Assembly will approve this plan by
Subscription, $3 a year; foreign, $4. Club subscription,
every fourth Friday of the month, to all subscribers to
as large a majority as possible and that all members will
Allied Jewish Campaign of Jewish Welfare Federation of
cooperate loyally in giving it full effect and implementation.
Detroit. 40 cents pei year.
Entered as second-class matter Aug. 6, 1942. at Post Of-
. . . My delegation refuses to believe that any member of
fice, Detroit. Mich.. under Act of March 3, 1879.
the United Nations, whatever may be their opinions on this
highly controversial and bitter question, will attempt to defy
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Philip Slomovitz
Maurice Aronsson
the decision . . In that sense• it is the greatest test ever
Isidore Sobeloff
Fred M. Butzel
presented to the integrity of the United Nations as a whole."
Judge Theodore Levin Abraham Srere
* * *
Maurice H. Schwartz Henry Wineman
The UN decision, it readily can be seen, implied not a
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ. Editor
haphazard action in creating two new states, but a pledge
DECEMBER 12, 1947
VOL. XII—NO. 13
to implement the decision.
Sabbath Hanukah Scriptural Selections
If implementation is to be effective, our government
This Sabbath, the 30th day of Kislev, 5708, Sab- will have to abandon its policy of sending arms to the Arabs
bath Hanukah and Rosh Hodesh Tebet, the follow-
ing Scriptural selections will be read in our syna- —arms that may be used against the Jewish state. The
militia in the Jewish state will have to be provided with
gogues:
means of defending the Jewish position. The world's family
Pentateuchal portions—Gen. 41:1-44:17; Num.
28:9-15, 7:42-53.
of nations owes it to the modern Judea to make it secure.
Prophetical portion—Zach. 2:14-4:7.
All of us pray that peace will rule in Zion and that Arabs
On Sunday, Hanukah and Rosh Hodesh Tebet, and Jews will live harmoniously as neighbors. We have faith
Num. 28:1-15,,7:48-53, will be read during morning that this can be achieved and we believe the UN and the
services. Num. 7:54-8:4, will be read on Monday
saner Arab elements will -work towards that end.
morning, the final day of Hanukah.
WA's New Duties
Friday, December 12, 1947
To many Jews the story of_ Hanukah is a simple
story about the religious persecution in Judea by
a villian named Antiochus, the Syrian king, and
of the heroic resistance led by the Hasmonean
family, Mattathias and his five sons. However,
the origin of Hanukah is more complex.
The history of Hanukah, as it has come down
to us, is found in the Books of the Maccabees and.
in the writings of Josephus. Recent researches,
however, especially by Prof. Solomon Zeitlin" of• .
Dropsie College in Philadelphia, and Avigdor.
Tcherikover of the Hebrew University in Jerusa,
lem, help to reconstruct for us the Maccabean .
story in its true historical perspective.
. After Alexander the Great died in 323 B.C.E.,
the vast Hellenistic (or Greek) Empire fell apart.
One of Alexander's generals, Seleucus, came into
control . of Southwest Asia with headquarters in
Antioch in Syria, and another general, Ptolemy,
took over Northeast Africa with headquarters at
Alexandria in Egypt. Judea, the small Jewish
state situated between these two rival empires, be-
came a pawn in their hands.
One group of Jews, whose leader was the High
Priest in Jerusalem, believed in playing off one
imperialist power against the other, while work-
ing vigorously at the same time to preserve and
develop the Jewish way of life. This pro-Jewish
group was economically powerful:
Anxious to Exercise Power
There gradually grew up in Judea another
group of 'substantial' Jews who were anxious to
exercise political power befitting their economic
status. They were the tax-collectors led by the
Tobias family, with headquarters in Jerusalem.
The Jews of this group were in constant con-
tact with the Ptolemaic and Seleucid courts whose
favor they curried. And so they acquired the Hel-
lenistic outlook on life.
But despite their amassed wealth, this Hellen-
izing group could not gain the political power
which the pro-Jewish group held. So one of their
representatives bribed King Antiochus IV of Syria
and thereby got. Jason appointed High Priest. They
erected a gymnasium in Jerusalem and became
"Citizens of Antioch" ins_tead of members of the
Jewish nation.
This assimilationist movement gained momen-
tum. By 170 B.C.E. the Hellenization and sup-
pression of Judaism was in full swing. Judaism
might. gradually have disappeared in this period,
but as fate would have it, Antiochus IV of Syria
became an instrument for Jewish survival. In
169-168 B.C.E. the -Syrian regime embarked upon
the conquest of Egypt.
In the process they overran Jerusalem and
Judea and 'resorted to force in an effort com-
pletely to Hellenize the country.
Many Jews, however, refused to become pagan,
ized. They defied the commands of Antiochus and..
the quislings. These loyalists, known as Hasidim,
"the Pious" would rather die than give up their
religion.
A Sin to Bear Arms on Sabbath
The Hasidim were rebels but not revolutionists. '
They argued that it was a sin to bear arms on the.
Sabbath, even though the fate of the Jewish people
and their religion was at stake. It was then that .
Mattathias, a priest of Jerusalem who lived in
nearby Modin, entered the scene. Mattathias
argued that the Sabbath was made for the Jew's
and not the Jews for the Sabbath.
The Hasmonean revolt, especially under the"
astute leadership of Mattathias' son, Judah . the
.Maccabee, gained some initial military successes::
Parts of Judea and of Jerusalem were liberated;
and exactly three years after it had been defiled,
the Temple was purified and rededicated to God,.
on the 25th day of Kislev, 165 B. C. E.
The chief general of the 'Syrian army, Lysias,
offered peace terms making provision only for
ligious freedom, not for economic and political in-
dependence. The Hasidim accepted the terms. ..3.
Judah and his faction, however, held out for
political and economic independence, but he was: :
Outvoted; .so he and his forces withdrew from
Jerusalem to continue the struggle.
Within.a few years after the celebration -of
first Hanukah, the new High Priest, Alcimus, re-
moved' from office most of the Hasidim, and had
some 6,0 of them executed. The Hasidim realized
the terrible mistake they had made when they
accepted Lysias' terms. They turned to Judah for
leadership a second time. Once again civil war
broke out in Judea.
Fearful that his group would not defeat those
who sided with Judah, Alcimus • called upon Syria
for help.• A. powerful Syrian army defeated Judah's
forces and .killed Judah himself.
the
Wisdom of Judah's Brothers
If all was not yet lost, it was due largely to
the wisdom of Judah's brothers, Jonathan and
Simon. The Maccabean-led forces kept harassing
their own Jewish .betrayers and their Syrian over-
lords.
At that time, civil war broke out in Syria. The
Jews took full advantage of this development to
press hard against the enemy. Jonathan came to
power in 110' B. C. E., and nine years later the
Jewish people convened a Great Synagogue, voted
a Declaration of Independence from the Syrian
yoke, constituted themselves a Jewish Common-
wealth, and appointed Simon as the head.
Thus, we see that liberation for the Jewish
people in Judea 2,088 years ago, did not come
about merely from a rededication of the Tern-
pie. The loyalists among the Jews had first to
break the political and economic shackles im-
posed upon them by foreign powers and simul-
taneously had to destroy the .sources of power
of their own quisling assimilationists, before
they could establish true religious freedom..
The Hanukah or rededication of the Temple
was merely an incident and a symbol of a faith
triumphant.'