tis flue Editor
Views the News ...
Goodwill Offer
By DR. N. E. ARONSTAM
. ,
Must Avoid Confusion
UnleiLs all resources are pooled in behalf
of the state of Israel, the confusion in fund-
raising and the gathering of tools, machinery
and medical supplies for the fighters for free-
dom will become so serious that the Jewish
State will suffer from it immeasurably.
The romance inherent in the activities of
Haganah has become so enchanting that the
very mention of the word "Haganah" is suf-
ficient to arouse enthusiasm and admiration
and to inspire contributions. Unfortunately,
many well-meaning people have been misled
by dissident groups which, contrary to the
warnings that have been issued both by the
Jewish Agency in this country and the State
of Israel, are proceeding to raise funds for
their oWn pet projects.
Dr. Abba Hillel Silver, as chairman of the
American Section of the Jewish Agency for
Palestine, issued a statement reiterating an
earlier warning against the dissidents( Amer-
ican Irgunists and, their cohorts) and declar-
ing that even groups like Americans for Hag-
anah will be dissolved in view of the estab-
lishment of a single Israeli armed force and
the dissolution of Haganah itself as it ex-
isted prior to the re-establishment of Israel's
independence. Dr. 'Silver's latest statement
declares:
"The American Section of the Jewish
Agency for Palestine has previously declared
that upon the establishment of the State of
Israel and the creation of a single unified de-
fense army, no organization is authorized by
the Government of Israel to solicit contribu-
tions In the United States for independent
military organizations such as the Irgun. Sup-
port of such separatist military units in Pales-
tine is a distinct dis-service to the State of
Israel as it undermines the authority of the
government and interferes with efficient mili-
tary operations at a time when the new state
is beset with gravest danger as a result of the
renewed military operations against it by the
neighboring Arab states.
"The Jewish Agency wishes to renew this
request to Americans not to contribute to any
campaigns under whatever name for the sup-
port of military organizations in Palestine.
The Defense Army of Israel is not soliciting
any funds in the United States.
- There has been in existence for some time
an organization known as the Americans for
Haganah, which has mobilized public opinion
in the United States in support of the ob-
jectives of the Haganah, while not soliciting
funds in its behalf. This organization has
rendered excellent service in disseminating
information about the work of the Haganah
and in counteracting hostile criticism and mis-
information spread by dissident groups. -Now
that Haganah, too, as it existed in the past,
has been dissolved by the action of the State
of Israel when it established one national de-
fense army, the purposes of the Americans
for Haganah have been fully served, and the
organization accordingly will promptly sus-
pend its activities.
"The task of disseminating information
about the activities of Israel's Army of De-
fense will, in the future, be carried on by the
Office of Information of the Israeli Govern-
ment and by the various Zionist groups in the
United States through their official publica-
tions and other channels of information."
With the United Jewish Appeal and its
Detroit representative — the Allied Jewish
Campaign—remaining the only agencies au-
thorized to gather funds for Israel's..upbuild-
ing, the other needs similarly must be cared
for by recognized agencies.
In Detroit collection of the vital materials
is being supervised by the Zionist Council,
the supreme local body in Zionist affairs. Un-
less the Zionist Council authorizes and ap-
proves a pro-Israel project, Detroit Jews
should be careful not to be misled by appeals
by dissidents or other groups. Confusion must
be avoided in all efforts involving Israel. This
can be done by recognizing central authority,
by following the guidance of the Zionist
Council and by repudiating any and all' ac-
tivities of dissident groups.
THE JEWISH NEWS
Member Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Independent Jewish
Press Service, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate, Palcor
Agency, King Features, Central Press Association.
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publish-
ing Co., 2114 Penobscot Bldg., Detroit 26, Mich., WO. 5-1155.
Subscription. $3 a year; foreign. $4. •
Entered as second-class matter Aug 6. 1942. at Post Of-
ace, Detroit, Mich., under Act of March 3. 1879.
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ, Editor
VOL. XIII—No. 19
Page 4
July 23, 1948
•
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the seventeenth day of Tammuz,
5708, the following Scriptural selections will be
read in our synagogues:
Pen tateuchal portion—Num. 22:2-25:9.
Prophetical portion—Micah 5:6-6:8.
On Sunday, the Fast of Tammuz, the following
Scriptural selections will be read:
Pentateuchal portion—Ex. 32:11-14; 34:1-10.
Prophetical portion—Is. 55:6-56:8.
Free is Israel
(Awake and Rise From the Dust)
A charnel house of memories
With spectres at our side
Was our life;
A sepulchre of vanished hopes
Long sealed with spider threads
Marked our strife.
And years hav&come and years have passed,
A steady flow of time,
Like a stream;
And shadows rose and shadows fell
In gossamer array
Like a dream.
We awoke in deep affright,
That shook our very soul
Like an incubus.
The web dissolved and through the haze
The phantom of a ghoul
Sneered at us.
There in the East a star burst forth,
Its beam dispersed the shades.
Broken was their spell.
A voice thrilled in vibrant chords:
"Arise, awake, take hope again,
Free is Israel!"
The American *Way in 1948
The American way of life, the 'democratic approach to
major problems, calls for the solution of all issues by major-
ity vote, at the polls. The voice of the people it expressed in
the ballot box, and the American way in 1948 will be no dif-
ferent from the American
approaches to decent pol-
itics in the past. In 1948,
as in the past century,
the people of this great
land will choose between
two ITC a j or candidates:
Harry S. Truman, incum-
bent, the nominee of the
Democrats, and Thomas
E. Dewey, Governor of
-
• the State of New York, Thomas
E. Dewey
Harry S. Truman the choice of the Repub-
licans. There will be other candidates—Henry Wallace, Nor-
man Thomas and Strom Thurmond. But it is apparent that
the Truman-Dewey contest will be the dominant one and that
either of the two men will be sent to the White House by the
American people at the November election.
The Jews of America have a natural interest in the
planks of the platforms of the two major parties regarding
Israel, civil rights, plans affecting the settlement of displaced
persons in this country, FEPC and other important measures.
* * *
Israel's position in the world today and the Jewish State's
emergence as a reality has resulted in firm attitudes by both
parties. The Republican platform declared:
"We welcome Israel into the family of nations and take pride
in the fact that the Republican Party was the first to call for the
establishment of a free and independent Jewish Commonwealth.
The vacillation of the Democratic administration on this .ques-
tion has undermined the prestige of the United Nations. Subject
to the letter and spirit of the UN Charter, we pledge to Israel
full recognition with its boundaries as sanctioned by the UN and
to aid in developing its economy."
The Democratic platform makes some very important
pledges. Its references to Israel read:
President Truman, by granting immediate recognition to
Israel, led the world in extending friendship and welcome to a
people who have long sought and justly deserved freedom and
independence.
We pledge full recognition to the state of Israel. We affirm
our pride that the United States, under the leadership of Pres-
ident Truman, played a leading role in the adoption of the reso-
lution of Not. 29, 194'7, by the United Nations General Assembly
for the creation of a Jewish state.
We approve the claims of the state of Israel to the boun-
daries set forth in the United Nations resolution Nov. 29 and
consider that modifications thereof should be made only if fully
acceptable to the state of Israel.
We look forward to the admission of the state of Israel to
the United Nations and its full participation in the international
community of nations. We pledge appropriate aid to the state of
Israel in developing its economy and resources.
We favor the revision of the arms embargo to accord to the
state of Israel the right Of self-defense. We pledge ourselves to
work for the modification of any resolution of the United Nations
to the extent that it may prevent any such, revision.
We continue to support, within the framework of the United
Nations, the internationalization of Jerusalem and the protection
of the holy places in Palestine.
Democrats and Republicans alike are committed to a
policy in defense of Israel. It is a policy that must be put into
effect immediately, and it is sincerely to be hoped that there
will be no dilly-dallying. Both parties have it within their
power to achieve a solution fair to Israel. They are put to
the test by their own pledges.
*
President Truman's bold action in calling a special ses-
sion of Congress presents other challenges. Leaders of both
parties have an opportunity to prove that they are sincere
in their assertions in behalf of DPs and on major domestic
issues. If it is possible for the United States to follow a bi-
partisan foreign policy it should be possible for Republicans
and Democrats alike to co-operate through action on other
matters on which they are in agreement—if we read their
platforms correctly. Why not bi-party action on a new DP
bill which shbuld be devoid of anti-Semitic and anti-Catholic
aspects? Why not act NOW—before the election—on a civil
rights bill? What is there to stop such action - at this time?
This is an interesting period in American and world his-
tory. We live in ONE WORLD, and the courage with which
our legislators act on domestic issues will be reflected in the
entire world scene—for good or for evil, depending on the
sincerity with which party platforms are made realities.
Anti-Semitism Traced
To Cruicifixion Libel
JESUS, JEWS AND GENTILES. By Benjamin Dan-
niel. Arco ublishing Co., 480 Lexington Ave., New York 18.
WHO CRUCIF)ED CHRIST? By Solomon Zeitlin.
Harper 6:: Bros., New York.
- THE CASE OF THE NAZARENE REOPENED. By
Hyman E. Goldin. Exposition Press, 1 Spruce St., New *∎,1
York.
Three new volumes on Jesus throw new light
on the subject in relation to Jews and the attitudes
of Christians on the Nazarene and the Crucifixion.
Knowledge of the true facts should lead to the
removal of prejudice which has been spread as a
result of the Crucifixion charge. By disseminating
the truth we may hope for the removal of a great
deal of anti-Semitism which has been broadcast in
the past .
Dr. Solomon Zeitlin, professor of rabbinic liter-
ature at Dropsie College, Philadelphia, has written
extensively on the subject. The present volume is
the second edition of this work. Famous as an
expert on the history of the era of the Second
Commonwealth, Dr. Zeitlin has shown that Jesus
was murdered by the Romans on decision of
Pontius Pilate, the racketeering procurator of Pal-
estine. Basing his views on contemporary and
Tannaitic sources, Prof. Zeitlin shows that Pilate'
action came after a quisling political Sanhedrin
and Saducee Roman puppets had confirmed the
death verdict and the charge that Jesus had com-
mitted sedition against the Romans.
Of particular importance in Prof. Zeitlin's
work is his proof that there were two Sanhe-
drins—a religious one composed of 71, mainly
Pharisees, who were rejected by the Romans,
and a "political" one of 23 judges organized to
suit the purposes of the Saducee High Priest.
Added interest in this volume will be found in
the evaluation of the religious, social and political
conditions in the Jewish State at the end of the
Second Commonwealth. Prof. Zeitlin's review of
the historical facts regarding the gospels. and
Christian sources and their conflicting versions, the
synoptic gospels written for Jews and those writ-
ten for Christians by John add a great deal of
valuable research material to the subject, "Who
Crucified Jesus?" will remain for a long time
among the most important books dealing with
Christianity and must be viewed as a valuable
weapon against anti-Semitism.
*
*
Benjamin Danniel's "Jesus, Jews and Gentiles"
approaches the problem from an entirely different
angle. Danniel charges that anti-Semites have dis-
torted the New Testament texts to suit their pur-
poses. Replete with parallel quotations, from the
Old and New .TestamentS ., Danniel's work shows
that Christianity is an outgrowth. of Judaism and
that every thought in the New was taken from the
Old Testament; that these statements were "doc-
tored" to ascribe many sayings by Jewish sages
to Jesus or the Apostles in order to point to
prophecy of the coming of Jesus.
The quotations speak for themselves and it will
be interesting to hear the reactions of scholars
who have not hitherto taken note of what Daniel
describes as distortions. Danniel maintains that
Jesus preached true Judaism and strictly adhered
to Torah but that Saul of Tarsus (St. Paul) falsi-
fied the • Gospel, making concessions to the pagans
among whom he preached his own ideas of the new
faith. The author insists that the other Apostles
followed Paul's example and converted the New
Testament into a source of anti-Semitism.
Danniel's contention is that the New Testament
Is' the source of all anti-Semitism—racist, political
and economic.
*
*
The highly scholarly work by Hyman E. Goldin
also charges that the distortions in stories about
the Nazarene are responsible for anti-Semitism
and the author poses the question how men of
good will can countenance a never-ending source
of prejudice.
Goldin, rabbi, lawyer, author of more than 30
books, has made use of his theological background,
his legal knowledge and his ability as an author in
compiling the important data incorporated in his
865-page book, showing that the plague of anti-
Semitism cannot be eliminated from the indoctrin-
ation of the Crucifixion libel against Jewry.
Goldin's approach is unique. He convenes a
court, with attorneys and jury; summons as wit-
nesses Saints. Matthew, Mark, Luke, Peter and
John, presents data to show that a libel had been
perpetrated and shows how Jews have suffered an
injustice at the hands of the authors of the New
Testament.
The questions and answers at the trial, the his-
torical data in the book, the entire approach, make
Goldin's book most interesting reading. His "The
Case of the Nazarene Reopened" becomes one of
the most important books available on the issue of
Jesus„. the Apostles. the Gospels and the Cruci-
fixion. His book
,