Should We Be Grateful?

As the Editor
Views the News

Columnist Urges Revival
Of Old Talmudic Custom

Day of Judgement

There is an ancient folk legend that on
Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the Re-
cording Angel causes all humanity to pass in
judgment before the Divine Throne of Jus-
tice and that on this Day of Judgment every
person is being assigned his portion of life.
Faithful Israel, having passed in judgment
before the Divine Throne longer than any
other people on earth, welcomes the judg-
ment day with confidence.
No other year in our history has been
fraught with so much anxiety.
On the Yom Kippur of the new year, 5709,
we are faced with manifold problems. We
have internal issues of community organiza-
- tion. Continuation of the miserable situation
in displaced persons camps places grave re-
sponsibilities upon Jewry to aid the sur-
vivors from Nazism who continue to be
judged not by Divine rule but by cruel ad-
ministrators. Anti-Semitism is increasing.
The major problem is being tackled by
Jewry's spokesmen in Paris, before the tri-
bunal of the United Nations. Israel is bat-
tling not for a lifeline but for life. The exist-
ence that has been pledged to Israel in Pro-
phecy is being challenged by men who have
arrogated to themselves the right to pass
judgment on the life of an entire people.
Traditionally, Yom Kippur teaches us that
if man will eradicate evil from his heart and
mind, humanity will live in peace and in
prosperity. The Day of Judgment admon-
ishes not only Israel but all mankind to strive
for honesty and justice and good faith. This
is a message that should be broadcast among
the United Nations spokesmen in Paris who
should be told that Yom Kippur Day holds
out promise of life or death, of blessings or
curses—depending upon the actions of men—
and that the UN is as much on trial as any
one of its member nations.
We pray for the fulfillment of the highest
humanitarian ideals on Yom Kippur Day.
7.!!!4_7 the world follow the path of justice,-
for the sake of the life of its peoples. Through
justice, we are confident and faithful, we
shall attain peace and Israel will regain its
promised place among all nations.

use Koch's Reward

use Koch, the Nazi beast who has the dis-
tinction of having made lampshades of tat-
tooed human—Jewish—skin, will regain her
freedom next year. Instead of serving a life
sentence for her- crimes, the verdict was. com-
muted by a military court, with the approval
of Gen. Lucius Clay, to four years.
This, crime is being rewarded. For mak-
ing .,mpsha.des out of the skin of brutally
muruered Jews, Ilse, one of the worst Nazi
criminals, will be given an American prize:
her freedom.
There is promise of an investigation of the
use Koch case in the U. S. Senate. If a probe
is instituted, it may uncover ,many attempts
s
Nazis
to reward crime among the surviving
who are living on American fat in the land
which gave rise to the worst tyranny in his-
tory, while those who survived the persecu-
tions continue to languish in DP camps.
Senator Homer Ferguson's U. S. Senate
Committee has an opportunity to vindicate
the good name of this country by pursuing
the Koch investigation with vigor and by in-
sisting that deserved punishment should be
meted out to one of the world's worst crim-
inals.

THE JEWISH NEWS

Meniber 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, 1992, at Post Of-
fice. Detroit, Mich.. under Act of March 3 1879.

PHILIP SLOMOVITZ, Editor

VOL. XIV—No. 4

Page 4

October 8, 1948

Sabbath and Yom Kippur Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the sixth day of Tishri, 5709,
known as Sabbath Shuva, the Sabbath of Return
or Repentance, the following scriptural selections
will be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion—Deut. 32.
Prophetical portion—HoS. 14:3-10; Joel 2:15-27.
On Yom Kippur (Wednesday) the following
scriptural selections will be read?
Pentateuchal portion—Morning, Lev. 16; Num.
29:7-11. Afternoon, Lev. 18.
Prophetical portion—Morning, Is. 57:14-58:14.
Aiternoon: Jonah.

Yom Kippur Dancing

By DAVID SCHWARTZ

(Copyright, 1948, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)

Now that the state of Israel - has been revived,
it seems to me it would be appropriate to revive
some of the old customs of old Israel. One of the
things which it would be delightful to see revived
is the way ancient. Israel celebrated Yom Kippur.
There was the temple service, of course, which
corresponds to our own prayer service, but in
addition to that, it was common for the young
girls on Yom Kippur to go out dancing, all dressed
in borrowed clothing.
The idea of the borrowed dresses was to save
the poorer girls from any humiliation. This was
a beautiful custom. The dancing itself is some-
thing of a complementary and balancing feature
to what is generally a somewhat awesome day,
and the dancing in borrowed garments gives it a
capping aspect of surpassing attractiveness. What
better way of teaching democracy than all ap-
pearing in borrowed clothes?
It must be said that Judaism on the whole
has been friendlier to dancing than Christian-
ity, which, save for certain of its dissident
sects, such as the Shakers, has generally
frowned on the dance. In contrast, it is writ-
ten in the •BibIe that David danced before the
Lord. The Hebrew word for holiday, "chag;"
means also a dance, a procession.
The Talmud tells of many of the great rabbis,
of the great Hillel, for instance, dancing. To the
Hassidim, dancing had as much importance as
prayer.
Isadora Duncan, I understand, was enthusiastic
about Hassidic dancing and Martha Graham, I
am told, is something of an expert on these dances.
Israel, less than five months old as a reborn Jewish State,
A. few years ago, the Jewish Theological Sem-
is compelled to call into action all of its brain and brawn, all inary offered courses in Jewish and Palestinian
dancing, with COrinne Chochem, author of a
its manpowed, political and legal talent, and all its friends,
number of books on Jewish dancing, as the teacher..
for the defense of its status in the world.
I have just been skimming through Miss Cho-
The Jewish State needs now, more than ever before, the
chems' newest book. "Jewish Holiday Dances." I
cooperation and encouragement of all the kinsmen of the - confess that the ideas which I have just ex-
are largely the product of the impressions
People Israel and all the -Christian friends who have pledged pressed
forming in my mind as a result of this reading.
their aid to the infant state. Israel's friends are, in fact, put I had looked on dancing with perhaps just a
to the test in the present crisis. Action now will save blood-
slight bit of contempt. It was something juvenile,
it had its value as a recreation, a dance was a more
shed later. Delay and compromise may endanger not only the
less pleasant way to spend an evening, but as
peace of the Middle East but also the very existence of the I or read,
I saw that My whole attitude would have
United Nations.
to be revised.
The translations of the songs to which the
For, while aggressor Arab nations are attacking Israel,
Hora is danced as given in this work show
the Jewish State also is being subjected to unwarranted ac-
how full of social significance dancing may be.
cusations and criticisms from the acting UN truce mediator,
The songs stress the appeal "for bricks," and
Dr. Ralph J. Bunche. The attitude of the acting mediator
for "concrete mix," for the building of the
state. The building of the state is—through
represents a most threatening situation for the Jewish people,
t the
u
h r. dance—transformedinto a social adv en-
and it will become necessary for our spokesmen in Paris, at

Israel's Friends Put to the Test

Rhodes, in Jerusalem, in Washington and in London to be on
guard against the apparent effort of Ernest Bevin and his
associates to reduce the Jewish State to a virtual ghetto.
* * *
Four decisions were reached by the Israeli Cabinet in
arriving at instructions to its delegation to . the UN, under
the chairmanship of Foreign Minister Moshe Shertok:

1. A firm stand for the retention of the Nov. 29, 1947,
General Assembly resolution, with the need for some
border rectifications necessitated by the Arab invasions.
2. Opposition by all available means against severing
the entire Negev from Israel, which is needed for large-
scale resettlement.
3. Retention of a territorial link with Jerusalem to
enable the Holy City to be defended in case of need.
4. The Provisional Government of Israel accepts the
demand of the Jerusalem Jewish community that Jerusa-
lem must be attached to Israel at all costs, unless ample
guarantees exists that a strong UN force will be provided
to defend an inter-nationalized Jerusalem.

At the outset, it is necessary that our people should under-
stand the justice of these claims. Israel, as at present con-
stituted, is, at best, a very small territory. Any further
reduction in its size will inevitably limit the possibilities for
the settlement of the million and half Jews who must be
rescued from displaced persons camps in Europe and on
Cyprus. Such a concession would mean the abandonment of
the major effort to rescue the oppressed and to rehabilitate
the victims of Nazism. No self-respecting person can possibly
submit to such conditions.
* * -*
From present indications, the Jewish State will be pre-
pared to make minor compromises in proposals affecting
the City of Jerusalem. If the UN will provide the neces-
sary guarantees for the protection of life and property in the
Holy City, it is reasonable to believe that Israeli leaders will
agree to the original decision to internationalize Jerusalem.
The Negev presents an entirely different situation. If
this southern portion of the Jewish State is amputated, con-
trary to the UN decision of Nov. 29, 1947, Israel will be re-
duced to one-third of its original small size, and all the sweat
and blood that was put into its development will be a vain
sacrifice. Therefore Israel must reject amputations.

*

4 4

Thus, the Bernadotte report remains unacceptable to
Jewry and to Israel. American Jews are especially shocked
at the stand taken by Secretary of State Marshall and Mrs.
Franklin D. Roosevelt, both of whom appear to have been
misled by Bevin-inspired propaganda.
Responsibility for upholding the hands of the small State
of Israel lies not only with President Truman, who has led
the forces of reason and justice in defense of Israel, but also
with the leaders of both the Democratic and Republican
parties. Planks in the platforms of both political parties en-
dorse Israel's right to statehood. Both parties must live up to
these pledges.
Our friends are being put to the test in this crucial hour
for Israel, and among those who are primarily on trial in an
issue involving the Sanctity of pledges are the Republican
and Democratic leaders. It is the duty of all loyal Americans
and lovers of liberty to remind the political leaders of their
responsibilities.

This type of dancing was very common in the
early building of America. The men and women
clearing the woods and building homes were ac-
customed after the day's work to celebrate with
these types of folk dances. There was no profit
motive in going out to help your neighbor erect
his cabin. The dance acted as a substitute for
this commercial motive.
Dancing helps build up a country, but may it
not be also a very useful means of conserving and
enhancing our moral health and tone? We listen
to a sermon or read a book telling us to love our
neighbor. The ideas are good, but after it is
over, we are just where we were before; but after'
a folk dance. I believe, the people do love their
neighbors a little bit more or at least are more
wholesome mentally, so as to make them less
susceptible to the bacteria of sadism.

Who's Who In Israel

Biographical Sketches
Of Cabinet Members

(A continuation of a series of biographical
sketches of the leaders of the Israeli Government.)
MOSHE SHERTOK, Minister of Foreign Af-
fairs of the Provisional Government of Israel, is
head of the political department and a member
of the Executive of the Jewish Agency. Born in
Kherson in October, 1894, Shertok was educated
at the Herzlia Gymnasia, Istanbul University and
77gsMTM:0 the School of Economics and Pol-
itical Science in London.
He has lived in Palestine since
1906. During World War I he was
an afficer in the Turkish Army.
From 1920 to 1925, he was a mem-
ber of the Poalei Zion Executive
in England and their delegate to
the British Labour Conference.
From 1925 to 1931 he served on
the editorial board of Davar and
ryas editor of the newspaper's
iEnglish weekly.
He became secretary of the
Shertok
political department of the Agency in 1931 and
was named head of the department in 1933. In
that position he traveled through England, Europe,
the United States, Canada and South Africa on
numerous missions in behalf of the Agency.
During World War II he was active in pro-
moting recruitment of Palestine Jews to the armed
forces. For the last two years he has served as
chairman of the Central Committee of the Recruit-
ing Department of the Jewish Agency
Shertok is married to Zipora Meiroff. They
have two sons and one daughter.

DAVID REMEZ, minister of Communications
of the Provisional Government of Israel. is chair-
man of the Vaad Leumi Executive and general
secretary of the General Federation of Jewish
Labor.
Born in Copees, Russia, in April, 1886, he is
married and has one son. Remez was educated in
Stanbul and has lived in Palestine since 1913.
He worked as an agricultural laborer in Beer-
Tuvia, Karkur and Zichron ha Ya'acov. He was
one of the founders of the Solel Boneh and other
economic enterprizes of the Histadrut, - and a
member of the Jewish Agency Council.

