As the Editor •
Views the News .
study of Anti-Semite
I If We Are Let Alone, We'll Cleat It Away Together
Triumph of the Logical'
Israel's Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion
has expressed satisfaction over the statement
made by King Abdullah of Transjordania, in
an interview with Kenneth Bilby of the New
York Herald Tribune, in which he urged the
Arabs to "accept the logical."
Correspondents who are covering the UN
sessions in Paris now are emphasizing the
inevitability of an ultimate triumph for "the
loaical." Homer Metz, the Christian Science .
Monitor's Paris correspondent, cabled his
newspaper: "Sooner or later the Arabs will
have to 'recognize the logical' as King Abdul-
lah sugaests." .
Already "the logical" is triumphing.
Spokesmen for the nations of the world are
giving strong support to an effort to imple-
ment the original UN decision. Had such im-
plementation been offered on time, thousands
of lives would have been saved. These lives
were sacrificed on the altar of UN ineffic-
iency for which the British Foreign Office
and anti-Israeli elements in the U. S. State
Department are directly responsible.
Not only "the logical" but truth and justice
are nearing realization and complete triumph.
The world's little Hitlers are nearing defeat -
--thanks to the courage of Israel.
Local Anniversaries
Several important anniversaries occur on
the Detroit Jewish community calendar this
month.
The Women's Auxiliary of the United He-
brew Schools will celebrate its 25th birthday
at the impressive dinner scheduled for next
Tuesday evening. It is an event deserving
of more than passing notice, since the women
have been active in behalf of the local educa-
tional movement uninterruptedly for a quar-
ter of a century. The .women's United He-
brew Schools group pioneered in sponsoring
bus service for children who live at a distance
from schools, and since then other schools
locally and throughout the country have in-
augurated such service. By sponsoring im-
portant edvcational programs, the women
have added to the importance of the nearly
30-year-old Hebrew school system here.
There are two other noted anniversaries on
our calendar: the 30th of both the Jewish
National Fund and Young Judaea. The rec,
ord of the Jewish National Fund is well
known. It has grown from "a penny a day"
movement to an impressive cause that has
enlisted the affectionate endorsement of an
entire community. Younp. Judaea is not as
strong. It was a powerful movement here 30
years ago. Perhaps the 30th anniversary of
the youth movement will serve to inspire
it to greater effort in the months to come.
The Jewish News extends heartfelt greet-
ings to the three movements which are cele-
brating their anniversaries this month: Worn-
en's Auxiliary of the United Hebrew Schools,
Jewish National Fund and Young Judaea.
Annual Book Month
Annual Jewish Book Month, observance
of which 'began. last Friday, is arousing in-
creasing interest in Jewish communities
throughout the land.
Tribute to the Jewish Book—by means of
a weekly or monthly celebration—can pove
effective if Jews not only will read important
literary works but also will buy books, dis-
tribute books as gifts and encourage Jewish
authors and publishers.
In the meantime, the interest that is being
shown in Jewish Book Month in our own
community, especially by the young people,
leads to the belief that much good will come
out of this annual celebration.
6
Psychologically viewed, the ant i - S era i t e
emerges as a sick - individual in the study "Anti-
Semite and .,ew" by Jean-Paul Sartre, published
by Schocken Books. The eminent French critic,
novelist and philosopher writes:
"Anti-Semitism is not a Jewish problem; it is
our problem. Not one Frenchman will be secure
so long as a single Jew—in France or in the world
at large—can fear for his life."
Showing that "anti-Semitism manifests the
separation of men and their isolation in the com-
munity," Sartre states that it "would have no
existence in a society without classes and founded
on collective ownership of the instruments of
labor." Here is his definition of an anti-Semite:
"He is a man who is afraid. Not of the Jews,
to 3e sure, but of himself, of his own conscious-
ness, of his liberty, of his instincts, of his re-
sponsibilities, of solitariness, of change, of so-
ciety, and of the world—of everything except
the Jews. He is a coward who does not want to
admit his cowardice to himself . . ."
The Jew's one friend, the democrat, is de-
scribed as a "feeble protector" who carries on a
tireless dialogue with the anti-Semite, without
ever !understanding one another. The anti-Semite
seeks to destroy the Jew as a man and "leave
nothing in him but the Jew, the pariah;" the
democrat wishes to destroy in him the Jew and
leave nothing but the abstract man. And Sartre
addresses the question to Christians: "What have
you made of the Jews?"
We are given proofs that the Jews are corn-
pelled to be isolated, that the anti-Semite wins
on -all counts. Where the Jew. himself is anti-
Semitic, it is a borrowed philosophy. Here is ex-
A new atrocity propaganda campaign has been inaug-
cellent advice for the Jew:
urated in this country and in Great Britain, and the State of
"The moment he ceases to be passive, he
takes away all power and all virulence from -
Israel once again is being maligned with charges of having
anti-Semitism. The inauthentic•Jew flees Jewish •
desecrated Christian holy places.
reality, and the anti-Semite makes him a Jew
In London, Dr. Israel Brody, Chief Rabbi of the British
in spite of himself; but the authentic Jew makes
himself a Jew, in the face of all and against
Empire, was forced into a controversy with the Archbishop
all. He accepts all, even martyrdom; and the
of Canterbury who made serious accusations against Jews
anti-Semite, deprived of his weapons, must be
in a letter to the London Times. While appealing for the in-
content to yelp at the Jew as he goes by, and
ternationalization of Jerusalem, Christian leaders are mak-
he can no longer touch him."
Sartre advocates the formation of leagues to
ing unfounded accusations against the Jewish State. Joseph
Linton, Israel's representative in England, was 'compelled to - fight anti-Semitism as a means of rallying people
against the evil of bigotry and in order to prove
ask the Archbishop of Canterbury why Church leaders had that no one is secure as long as the Jew is in-
failed to protest when Abdullah's Legionaires bombarded
secure. "Anti-Semite and Jew" is a brilliant
Jerusalern and exposed hundreds of thousands of Jerusal- philosophic work. We are offered it in excellent
translation by George J. Becker.
em's Jews to starvation. Mr. Linton, emphasizing that Israel
Shocking Desecration Charges
seeks peace and safety for Jerusalem, emphasized that "it
must be a real peace which would give security both to the
Holy Places and the inhabitants." This is an important point
at issue: that lives of humarf beings are as important as holy
places; that when aggressors begin to consider the sanctity
Ari Ibn-Zahav, the able Israeli Hebrew author
of human lives they will at the same time respect Holy Places. whose book, "Jessica,. My Daughter," served as a
In this country, Catholic dignitaries have launched attacks basis for the Yiddish Art Theater production "Shy-
on Israel on the question of holy sites. America, the Catholic lock's Daughter," featuring Maurice Schwartz and
cast, secured a very able English translator for
monthly, and Commonweal; the Catholic weekly, have pub- his
this book. Julian Meltzer, the able correspondent,
lished articles criticizing the Jewish State. Howard J. Carroll,
did the work in English and it was published re-
cently by Crown Publishers, 419 Fourth Ave., New
general secretary of the National Catholic Welfare Confer-
York 16.
ence, in a long letter to the N. Y. Herald Tribune, written in
Taking the Shakespearian theme, Ibn-Zahav's
response to an article in which Dr. Ruth Gruber showed how "Jessica, My Daughter" deviates from "The Mer-
Jews honored the sanctity of holy places in Nazareth, for
chant of Venice" in that it presents the Jewish
point of view on the persecutions of that time. It
which they were commended by Catholic leaders, reiterates
the indignities which Jews suffered and
charged which have been disputed. Among those who dis- reveals
shows the ignominious work of the Inquisition.
credited the data offered by Mr. Carroll was Bartley. Crum,
Don Samuel Morro, whom Shylock wanted. for
publisher of the New York Star, who exposed the libels
a son-in-law, is one of the heroes in this book; and
his ditputation with the monk during Shylock's
against Israel upon his return from the Jewish State.
, trail is one of the outstanding highlights in the
Elsewhere in this issue, we are publishing a factual
book.
statement by the Rev. William C. Kernan, director of the
In this work, Jessica goes to Rome in an at.
Institute for American Democracy, who explodes the rumors tempt to save the lives of imprisoned Jews—short-
ly before her baptism.
regarding desecration of holy places by Jews by presenting
In the main, "Jessica, My Daughter" is not a
factual information. On numerous occasion, The Jewish
very strong novel. It seems to lose its value in
our own time. Furthermore, Ibn-Zahav has
News had published facts with regard to the charges, but
dragged his story out a bit too much. Had he
the old, refuted arguments constantly are being resurrected
shortened it, he might have had a much greater
by Israel's enemies.
achievement to his credit.
There is ground for believing that the desecration charges
But the novel does have considerable Merit in
are being trumpeted in an attempt to harm the infant Jewish two respects: Aside from exposing the horrors of
Christian persecutions, it ends by indicating that
State. All sorts of tricks were resorted to by Israels' enemies
although Shylock demanded the pound of flesh he
to stop the growth and progress of Eretz Israel from the very
could not shed blood when it came to the final test.
moment of our great political triumph on Nov. 29, 1947.
"Let my soul be damned—I cannot do it," is the
note on which the novel ends,, vindicating the ab-
The Jewish will to live survived these attacks. Now, a new
horrence Jews have for murder and bloodshed.
war is being waged against us by our enemies. We are grateful The second excellent element in the book involves
to men like Mr. Crum and the Rev. Kernan for aiding us in
the brilliant descriptions of Rome. Ibn-Zahav
must have made a thorough study of the city, as'
the battle for the truth. In the long run, we are confident
as of Venice. He did a magnificent job in
that we shall also win in the struggle against the religious well
describing the setting of his novel which, in spite
libels hurled at Israel.
of its shortcomings, should have a very good circu-
`Jessica My Daughter%New
Version of Shylock Story
lation.
Israel and the Soviet Bloc
Encouraging news came this week from Prague regard-
ing the Jewish communities behind the Iron Curtain and
their chances of going to Israel.
By. the end of 1948, the report reveals, 5,000 will have
left each of the following countries: Hungary, Poland, Bul-
garia, Yugolsavia and Romania; and their total may reach
50,000.
Uri Lichwitz, Israeli press attache, reports from Czecho-
Member Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Independent Jewish
slovakia
that "every Jew who applies for a passport here is
Press Service, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate, Palcor
Agency, King Features. Central Press Association.
sure of getting one." From Bulgaria it is reported that pass-
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publish-
ports will be issued "to every Jew with a place on the quota."
ing Co., 2114 Penobscot Bldg., Detroit 26. Mich., WO. 5-1155.
Subscription. $3 a year: foreign. $4.
A "very large" transport sailed for Israel from Poland. "The
Entered as second-class matter Aug 6, 1942, at Post Of-
best deal granted emigrating Jews in this part of the world"
flee, Detroit, Mich., under Act of March 3 1879.
is reported fom Yugoslavia.
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ. Editor
The direct teletype message received by The Jewish
VOL. XIV—No. 12 Page 4 December 3, 1948
News from Jerusalem on Tuesday, revealing the conclusion
of negotiations for the settlement in Israel of relatives of
Israel's citizens from Russia proper, adds strength to these
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
cooperative activities with the Soviet Union.
This Sabbath, the second day of Kislev, the
These are heartening indications that Russia not only is
following Scriptural selections will be read in our
backing Israel at the United Nations but will facilitate the
synagogues:
settlement of Jews in Israel from territories under Russian
Pentateuchal portion—Gen. 25:19-28:9.
domination. Israel, as a result, may be able to settle not
- 180,000 in 1949, as was expected, but at least 250,000.
Prophetical portion—Mal. 1:1-2:7.
THE JEWISH NEWS
Rallying
Sartre in
People n Fight on Bigotry
Answers to Readers
Questions ...
•
2 Who are the "Yemenite" Jews?
The Jews who live in "Yemen," which is loca- ted
in the southwestern part of the Arabian peninsula.
Jews have been in Yemen from at least the first
century of the Common Era. Some claim that the
Jews of Yemen settled there at the time of Solo-
mon. Under the prophet Jeremiah, 75,000 Jews
are said to have gone there to settle. It seems that
a large population was achieved there by the Jews
after the destruction of the First Temple, when
Yemen must have been one of the 'chief havens
of that era. No Yemenite Jew gives the name of
"Ezra" to his child. There is some sort of a his-
torical tradition behind this. After the first dias-
pora was ended, Ezra ordered the Jews back to
Palestine, including the Yemenite settlers who had
many priests and Levites among them who were
needed for the service of the Temple in Jerusalem.
The Yemenite Jews refused to return to Jeru-
salem. At this point tradition claims that Ezra
proclaimed an everlasting ban against the Yem-
enite Jews. There are sources that claim that Ezra
was denied burial in Palestine because of this
harsh edict. The Yemenite Jews were not satis-
fid with this punishment, however, and they made
it a practice not to give the name of Ezra to their
children, in an attempt to banish the name Ezra
from their midst._