As the Editor
Views the News ...
Israel's Vow: Challenge to UN
Israel's Immigrants
Latest Recordings By
Peerce and Kusevitsky
RCA Victor continues to produce some of
the best. recordings. in the Jewish field. Jan
Peerce's newest record and Cantor Moshe Ku!-
sevitsky's new album are evidence of distin,
guished contributions to the Jewish records
library.
Peerce's remarkable reputation as an oper-;.
atic and folk • singer is enhanced by the new
record. One side has his interpretation of "A
Those who have become jittery about
the possibilities of a decline in immigration
to Israel were set at ease last week by Dr. S.
Levenberg, head of the Jewish Agency's im-
migration office, who stated in Tel Aviv that
the Jewish state is making plans to absorb
-150,000 newcomers in 1950.
With a total of 170,000 settlers estab-
lished in Israel from Jan. 1 to Aug. 15 and
another 65,000 expected before the end of
1949, all indications are that the uninter-
rupted influx of Jewish settlers will continue.
Dr. Levenberg's prediction that close to
20,000 Jews will leave Poland for Israer
serves as further indication that Jews will
continue to come to Israel from Eastern
Europe. In addition, there is certain to be
an influx of immigrants from Northern
Africa. New settlers are expected from India,
Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tripolitania.
While the flow of immigrants continues,
Israel's problems are unabated. Dr. Leven-
berg took occasion to assail a "whispering,
campaign" aimed at the Jews in North Afri-
ca. These people, according to the Jewish
Agency leader, are encountering less diffi-
culty in accustoming themselves to Israel
than was anticipated, but inevitable conflicts
in the adjustment of various elements in the
Jewish state are aggravating the situation.
Similar issues face Algerian and other Jews,
and the government of Israel has much to
contend with in the process of state building.
M. Kusevitsky
UJA's Urgent Call to Action
American Jewry's great fund-raising agency—the
United Jewish Appeal—is back in action. The emergency
conference held in Washington during the past „week was
made necessary by Israel's urgent needs, by the necessity to
liquidate the displaced persons camps as speedily as possible
and by the settlement of refugees in this country.
The 1949 UJA drive did not end happily. Income has
Greater encouragement from Israel's declined in comparison with the preceding banner year and
kinsmen throughout the world can make the many communities have found it difficult to collect outstand-
task easier. Elimination of unemployment ing pledges. American and Israeli leaders foUnd it necessary,'
and improvement in housing conditions will
therefore. to: call upon community leaders to . begin planning
go a long way in eliminating conflicts. The for the 1950 campaign immediately, in order that all obstacles
solution to these problems lies in providing should be hurdled early and • that • the Jews of this country
necessary funds for the integration of immr-,, should be informed promptly on the serious obligations to be
grants. into Israel's economy. _ American fulfilled.
Jews„ more than all others, have it within
Among the miracles of the 'past two years is that Israel
their power to make Israel's lot easier and
has been able to subsist on the meager funds that have been
to assure for it a position of security and in- provided by the Jewries of the world for the settlement of
ternal tranqUility._ •
hundreds of thousands of settlers. While Arabs have been
predicting that "Israel would perish in four weeks at the
most" if the UJA "grant were stopped," the brave builders
of a new civilization in the Middle East have defied all ob-
stacles in creating the new state. If it were up to the Arabs,
In an article in the Christian Science the UJA would fail—in order that Israel should fail. It stands
to reason that—Israel's answer must be in the forin of in-
Monitor on `"The Klan—Will History Re-
peat?", John Beaufort quotes the warning creased efforts in support of the movements which strive to
of the Rev. Dr. L. M. Birkhead, director of "ant an end for all time to Jewish homelessness and which
Friends of _Democracy, that KIan-espoused . aspire to aid the builders of Medinat Israel.
white supremacy and anti-Semitism today
A recent radio broadcast by Hazim Nuseibeh over, the
are even more intense than its white supre- Jordan-controlled Jerusalem radio has attracted wide atten-
acy and anti-Roman Catholicism of the 1920s.
tion in Washington. The Arab piopagandist said : "Israel has
Mr. Beaufort makes the following important been able to remain in existence due to the $200,000,000
statement:
showered on it yearly by American Jewish organizations.
This fact proves that Israel lives on American charity and
Today, the Klan membership is esti-
that the just solution of the Palestine problem is in the hands
mated at about 200,000. Its political force
of the American Government. The Jews cannot rebel against
cannot be easily measured. It will take
the United States because if they did the funds collected for
the usual "eternal vigilance" to prevent
them would be frozen and their transfer prohibited. If that
the resurgence of the Klan's political pow-.
happens Israel would either surrender or perish."
er on anything like the scale of the '20's.
This is typical of Arab propaganda which is intended
And it will take a determination that the
not so much to influence - Arabs—most of whom do not listen
nation's effort to place civil rights and in-
to the radio' or are wise to the falsehoods spread by their
dividual liberties on a higher, more univer-
politicians—but rather to undermine confidence in Israel
sal. plane shall not be sabotaged by ex-
among Americans.
tremists of either- the right or the left.
Even in the banner year of 1948, the UJA raised only
Several incidents which oecured - in the $140,000,000, and this year the income is dropping to approxi-
past - few months revealed the extent of the mately $100,000,000. But the Arab propagandists are speak-
Klan danger and gave credence to the con- ing in terms of hundreds of millions of dollars and of "charity
cern that is being expressed over the rise funds," thus resorting to an old stunt intended to harm
of a new wave of bigotry in this country. Jewry. One would get the impression that the "rich Jews" in
The fact that the press of this country is on Israel are demons to be watched by an unsuspecting world.
the alert is helpful in overcoming the threat- The anti-Semites. have used this trick for generations. They
ened dangers. But the people at large must have ,failed because they have lied. Anti-Jewish Arabs also
be vigilant and all evidence of bigotry must will fail in their use of this type of outrageous propaganda.
be condemned promptly, without giving it a
It is important, however, that Jews should know what is
chance to gain ground.
happening, that our people should be informed regarding the
destructive methods of those who would destroy the strug-
gling state of Israel. The only answer at hand is available
through a strong UJA. The coming year will provide the
Member: American Association of English-Jewish News-
pa•ers. Michigan Press Association.
test for American Jewry. By paying. promptly the 1949
Services: Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Seven Arts Feature
pledges and by resolving—and acting—to make the 1950
Syndicate. King Features, Central Press Association, Palcor
News Agency.
drive the most successful in all history, we will be forging
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing
Co. 2114 Penobscot Bldg.. Detroit 26, Mich., WO. 5-1155.
the strongest weapon against anti-Semitism, in support of
Subscription $3 a year; foreign 54
Israel and for the relief of the survivors from Hitlerism.
Entered as second eta-SS matter Aug. 6, 1942 at Post Office,
Detroit. Mich., under- Act of March 3. 1879. A
American Jews are especially obligated to fulfill the
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ, Editor • •
pledges
to homeless Jews as quickly as possible. The appeal
SIDNEY StIMARAK. Advertising Manager
that was issued by the emergency conference, calling for
VOL. XVI—No.• 1 • Page 4 September 16, 1949
postponement of local capital fund-raising efforts, asks for
small concessions during the cominc, few years. If Israel's
structure is not protected, the few additional buildings that
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
will rise on American soil will mean little in prestige or self-
This Sabbath, the twenty-third day of Elul,
respect. If the great effort in Israel is brought to fruition
5709, the following Scriptural selections will be
by the settlement of all homeless.European and African Jews,
read in our synagogues:
we shall have peace of mind which can not be bought with a
few hospitals or centers. American Jewry should heed seri-
Pentateuchal portion—Dent. 29:9-31:30.
ously the call to action that has just been issued by the Wash-
Prophetical portion—Is. 61:10-63:9.
ington "crisis meeting."
Resurgence of KKK
THE JEWISH NEWS
Jan Peerce
Dudele," the popular song which portrays a
man, standing on a hill, addressing and plead- .
ing with God. Peerce gives it farce and drama-
tizes a strong spiritual idea in Jewish life. The
other side of this 12-inch record is .devoted to
Rappaport's "A Shepherd, A Dreamer," dealing
with the story of the sacrifice of the pastoral
lamb. Accompanied by an orchestra under the
direction of Werner Bass, Peerce, the .Metro- -
politan Opera tenor, combines in his singing of
theSe two selections his genius as a chanter of_
traditionalhymns as well as the able interpre-
ter of operatic arias. .
Cantor MoShe KUsevitsky's three 12-inch
records are included in his latest album which
RCA has issued. under the collective title "Pray-
ers of' Moses." This album includes: "Kdusha"
in two parts—Naaritzcho-KvodO and Mimkorno. 7.
Shma Yisrott "Av Horachmim" in tWo parts';'
V'Al Y'dei AvOdecho" (Kosuv Lemon) - and
"Oyinu Malkenu" (Z'chor) A choir accompanieS_
CantOr Kusevitsky - in the singing of these, se. .
lections.
His "Ovinu- Malkenu" . is especially. moving.
Cantor- KusevitSky reveals power as an intel%.;
preter of liturgical songs and. as a chanter of
sacred synagogual music; HiS new records add
weight to the contention that he is the world'S
greatest living cantor. His matc1-)less technique.
has provided RCA Victor with material for some
of the very best recordings.
Peerce's and Kusevitsky's new products have,
thanks to RCA, enriched the Jewish recording
libraries.
Facts You Should Know . .
Why is it forbidden to slaughter a calf and
its mother on the same clay, even for food .
consumption?
The Bible expressly forbids this practice in
the Book of Leviticus, without giving a reason
for it. Later commentaries mention several
reasons: since mother and offspring are usually
together, some writers claim that the Biblical
injunction was prescribed so as to prevent one
from suffering the pain of seeing the other slain
before its eyes; others have seen even a - deeper
meaning. While the slaughtering,of animals was
permitted for the purpose of food, the. killing of
the mother and the child together would prac-
tically be a means of . obliterating the family at
one stroke. This was regarded as sheer barbarism
and prohibited so that man would never learn
to kill whole families at a time, even.. in the
animal kingdom, thus wiping out "both the
branches and the roots at once," as the Rabbis
put it.
Why is it customary. to remove knives from
the table before reciting grace?
A symbolic reason is offered in the. Codes, cit-
ing the fact that metal, especially in the form
of a sharp knife, is a means of curtailing life,
while the family table, which has often. been
compared to the Altar in the Temple, is a means
of prolonging life. Reciting grace is a means of
thanking God for prolonging life by means of
food. Doing so in front of an instrument that
symbolizes the curtailment of life would be con-
tradictory.
* * *
What does the term "benSchen" mean?
The term "benschen" is Yiddish for "to bless."
Sometimes the saying of grace after meals . is
referred to by this term because grace actually
constitutes a series of- "blessings," thanking God
for the food consumed.
Why are "tefillin" (phylacteries) net worn
on the Sabbath?
The Bible speaks of three objects as the
symbol of the Jew: the phylacteries that are
wound around the arm and head, the circum-
cision, and the Sabbath. Two symbols are always
necessary, On weekdays the Jew has the tefillin
and the circumcision as his two witnesses. On
the Sabbath, the Sabbath itself serves as a sym.
bolic reminder of his God, and thus he has no
need for the tefillin.