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Perez Hirschbein's death removes from
the Jewish scene a very picturesque char-
acter who was able to create a high type of
nature literature in Yiddish. His "Green
Fields" won for him unchallenged fame when
it first appeared as a novel and later when it
was adapted for the screen.
His love for nature was reflected more
recently in his "Eretz Yisroel" in which he
urged a return to the soil as the best means
of salvation for Jewry.
Among his works which deserve special
mention are "The Blacksmith's Daughter,"
"The Dew Falls," the Yiddish Art Theater
producticin "A Faraway Corner," "Die Puste
Kretchme," and the screen play, "Hitler's
Madman," which he adapted from an original
story by Emile Ludwig.
Hirschbein was well known to Detroiters,
having appeared here at several public gath-
erings. His works helped to enrich Yiddish
literature and many of his works will live
in their translations in other languages, in-
cluding English.
Supplementing the support which Amer-
ican Jewry gives to the State of Israel through
the United Jewish Appeal, important pro-
jects have been inaugurated to encourage
the economic development of the Jewish
Commonwealth and to assist the Israeli army
in its efforts to defend the Jewish positions.
Through the efforts of the Zionist Or-
ganization of Detroit and the Michigan Zion-
ist Region, more than $100,000 worth of ma-
chinery- has been secured for use in Israeli
colonies. Essential tools will materially aid
the development of -Jewish colonies, and this
activity deserves the blessings of our com-
munity .
Meanwhile Material for Palestine Inc. is
conducting an extensive campaign to secure
food, ambulances and jeeps for the Israeli
army. The Bnai Brith Council is lending its
active support to make this drive a success
and the aim of the campaigners is to secure
a trainload of 100 cars carrying material for
the fighters for Israel's freedom and security.
All indications are that the Israeli Freedom
Train will materialize and that Detroit's sup-
port will help speed the restoration of peace
and the ultimate development of a strong
Jewish community which is to work in peace
with the Arabs.
While many organizations have joined in
the Aid-to-Israel effort, individuals, too, have
an obligation to encourage the movement for
practical assistance to the Israeli army. In-
dividuals, like organizations, can send word
to Israel in the form of jeeps and ambulances,
canned gOods and egg powder, and other
articles needed by the People of Israel—that
they are upholding the hands of the heroic
defenders of Israel's positions.
Babe Ruth's Liberality
Babe Ruth, the great Bambino of the
baseball diamond who had captured the
hearts of the nation, had a heart of his own.
Contrary to poular beliefs, he was not "all
baseball" but frequently showed his interest
in and gave his devotion to humanitarian
causes. -
After his death it became known that he
gave a liberal contribution for the relief of
Jewish sufferers from Nazism in 1938, when
the civilized world first became aware of
the extent of the Nazi brutality after the
pogroms of that year. The Babe gave his gift
anonymously, but with his full heart. It was
one of his many good deeds for which he
was highly honored during his lifetime and at
his death and for which he will long be
remembered .
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-
lice, Detroit, Mich., under Act of March 3. 1879.
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ, Editor
VOL. XIII—No. 24
Page 4
August 27, 1948
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the twenty-third day of Ab, 5708,
the following Scriptural selections will be read in
our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion—Deut. 7:12-11:25.
Prophetical portion--Is. 49:14-51:3.
Miracle Has Happened'.
Sonnenfeld's Photos,
Van Paassen's Story Tell
Wonders of New Israel
Yiddish Nature Writer
Material for Israel
'The
"Whatever happens, Israel will liver is the
conclusion reached by the editors of "Palestine:
Land of Promise," the pictorial record of Jewish
accomplishments published by Ziff-Davis Publish-
ing Co., 185 N. Wabash Ave., Chicago, Ill.
Few of the numerous volumes of Palestine
published in recent years are as impressive as
this one. It is a magnificent portrayal of Jews
in every walk of life and
is enhanced by the pho-
tographic work of Herbert
S. Sonnenfeld, many of
whose pictures have ap-
peared in The Jewish
News in the past five
yearS, and the excellent
introduction by Pierre van g:777 ::
Paassen. In addition, the r
editors have done excel-
lently in their commenta-
ries on the various sections -
in the book which deal
with the agricultural pro-
gress made by Jews in
Eretz Israel, the develop- f:
ment of the Jewish youth,
the contrasts in the Jewish
and_ Arabic sections of Je-
rusalem, the religious and
cultural life in Israel, the -
cities of Haifa and Tel
Van Paassen
Aviv and a section describing the "Arab Neigh-
bors" of Israel.
To say that the photographs in the book are
"superlative" is to give them mild commendation.
Mr. Sonnenfeld has done as well in recapturing
the beauty of the slopes of Judaean hills and . of
the panoramic views of the Holy City as he has
achieved in portraying the Jewish characters, the
old men, the sages, the beautiful children. He has
compiled a set of pictures of which every art
collector will be proud.
Then there Is the very lengthy introduc-
tion to the book by Pierre van Paassen.
Actually, his essay should be classed as a new
- book on Jewry, Israel and Zionism. It is
perhaps his best work on the subject of Jew-
ish national redemption. His analysis of the
events which led to the re-creation of Israel
is an epic poem which again brings to the
fore the literary genius of this great friend
of Israel.
Van Paassen begins his introduction with his-
torical references. He points out that Ernest
Renan, Pierre Loti, the Calvinist theologian Dr.
Abraham Kuyper and Mark Twain found Pales-
tine desolate. All of them wrote 50 years ago
and during the present century. Kuyper, describ-
ing the wilderness, wrote: "Here, nothing less
than a miracle can save!" And "that miracle has
happened," writes van Paassen. "The Jews have
recovered what seemed but a few years ago
irremediably lost beneath layers .of rock and
sand and neglect. The curse has been lifted. The
disease has been conquered."
"The Jews," van Paassen declares, "have
come to stay in Palestine.. Their determina-
tion is written in their faces. They are the
present generation, men who carry their
heads high, whose muscles are steel, whose
eyes are clear and whose will is indomitable.
They have made a reality of the old Mes-
sianic dream."
The editors are frank: "They sought to eschew
partisanship, save that any story of the Land of
Israel must be partisan to the heroic people who,
after centuries of oppression and exile, have at
last achieved nationhood."
Jews will be proud of "Palestine: Land of
Israel" and people of all faith will learn a great
deal about the courage of a revived nation from
this magnificent book.
-
The Clock Will Not Be Turned Back
Israel's representative at the United Nations, Aubrey S.
Eban, has submitted a bid for his Government's admission
to membership in the world organization, with emphasis on
the need for "swift stabilization of the Palestine situation.
Mr. Eban pointed out that Israel is a peace-loving state
with a "record of unbroken compliance with the appeals
of the Security Council to secure a cessation of hostilities"
and declared that if the UN fails to act on Israel'g application
at its Paris meeting, the result would be "an indeterminate
and uncertain political atmosphere for another full year."
We believe that Mr. Eban was right in stating that "the
temptation to renew hostilities for the overthrow of Israel
would be nullified by immediate admission and prolonged
by any further postponement" and that he was right in
asserting that prospects for stability and peace would be
enhanced by Israel's admission to UN membership because
"it is clearly an essential condition of a peaceful adjustment
that the Arab states should be induced to acquiesce in the
existence of Israel and abandon all attempts to eliminate it
by force."
His memorandum also makes the following important
point:
"Everything which makes the existence of Israel a
permanent and irrevocable fact in Arab eyes is . . . a con-
tribution to peace and a deterrent to resumed hostilities. If
the international community is to reconcile the Arab world
to peaceful relations with Israel, it should itself acknowledge
what it wishes the Arab world to recogniZe."
While the United States is on record in favor of Israel's
admission to the UN, the British Empire has declared its
opposition to the Israeli application, and once again the
former mandatory power over Palestine is lining up with
the reactionary powers against peace and tranquility for
Israel and her neighbors.
Great Britain apparently has not learned the lessons
of the past few years with relation to Palestine. She does
realize that Israel is a fact, that the new Jewish State is
a going concern, that Israel will not permit the destruc-
tion of Jewish rights in Palestine and that the clock can
not and will not be turned back in the Hebrew State.
Meanwhile, Israeli officials have announced readiness to
abide by the latest Security Council ruling and to live up to
the truce. But the UN mediator is under suspicion, the
British continue to give aid to the Arabs and the United
States, while committed to render full support to the Jewish
State, is represented at the UN by vacillating officials who
refrain from taking any steps which might antagonize the
mighty British empire or the Arab oil interests.
The issue is soluble. We can have peace almost over
night—provided Israel is admitted to the United Nations,
Great Britain ends her attempt to undermine the Jewish
State's existence and the 12,000 Jews who remain on Cyprus
are momentarily released.
Is it possible that Ernest Bevin is determined to pursue
a policy of destruction and that he fails to see the need for a
more friendly attitude toward Israel—in the interest of peace?
Israel will be harmed less than Britain by such attitudes,
because Israel is in Eretz Israel to stay and not even the
mighty British empire can turn back the hands of the clock
of progress.
Congratulations to Detroit News
Seventy-five years of service have given the Detroit News
a place of great distinction not only in Michigan but in the
entire nation.
While we have had many occasions to differ with the
Detroit News' editorial opinions, it is only fair to state on
this occasion that this great newspaper has rendered im-
portant services on many fronts. Its able reportorial staff,
its good writers, especially its brilliant Commentator, W.
K. Kelsey, have won admiration and respect.
We join with a great deal of pleasure in extending our
good wishes to the Detroit News on its 75th anniversary.
BOOK OF BOOKS
A Bible Quiz With Answers
By Dr. Solomon Goldman
Whot do you know about the
Bible, its history, its people,
and its influence on the world?
Test your knowledge in this
quiz by Rabbi Solomon Gold-
man, author of the new thir-
teen volume commentary, "The
Book of Books." The answers,
from Dr. Goldman's monumen-
tal project in Biblical scholor-
ship, ore printed with special
permission of the publishers,
Harper & Brothers.
(The ninth of a series.)
What is the reason behind the Biblical injunc-
tion against plastic arts?
It is not, as has been said, that Jews did not
possess an art sense no less keen or refined than
that of any cultivated people. How, then, shall we
explain the Second Commandment and the hor-
ror that the foremost representatives of the Jew-
ish people, throughout many centuries, experi-
enced in the presence of plastic arts. The Jewish
genius rebelled against art, as it was generally
conceived and practiced, because of its identifica-
tion with religion and the deleterious effect on
morals that ensued from the opposition. Art was
nowhere to be found existing for its own sake,
as distinct from religion. The myths overcast the
aesthetic significance of the most exquisite forms.
And all art was far more an act of faith, a prayer,
than an expression of beauty, even as the Athen-
ian Acropolis was a sanctuary and not a museum,
and the great Phidian statue that once stood there
was a patron Goddess and not a sculptural orna-
ment. It is evident that in Greece, as elsewhere,
and in classical times as in other ages, art existed
solely for religion. In the opinion of the Jew, this
intimate relationship between the two was ispori-
sible for the worst evils of paganism.