The Ever-Welcoming Arms
es'e);Ws'.
e -
'7-;e Editor
l'Eevis the News ...
Uncertain Armistice
Israel newspapers, commenting upon
the rejection by the Jewish state as "base-
less" the allegations in the Jordan press that
Arab infiltrees had been mistreated, make
the important assertion that the best way to
end Arab infiltration and marauding is for
permanent peace treaties to replace the pre-
sent uncertain armistices.
This is an important point that needs
repeated emphasis in considering the num-
erous problems that plague the existence of
Arab and Jewish communities.
A permanent peace not only would put
an end to sniping, to marauding, to enmity;
it also would momentarily improve the eco-
nomic conditions of Arab and Jewish areas
and would result in unprecedented industrial
development of the neglected lands in the
Middle East.
Israel's position must be understood
before credence is given to charges of mis-
treatme • of infiltrees. The infant state
must protect itself against great odds, in
the face of dangers on all its borders. Arabs
who enter Israel illegally naturally are re-
turned to their homes. The spokesmen for
Israel point out that infiltrees, during the
period of their custody, were adequately fed,
but that inefficient control of its borders
by Jordan was responsible for the death of
107 Jews in the last 18 months.
Peace will end inadequacies and will
bring about the good will without which
neither states—Israel and Jordan—can pros-
per. Furthermore, through peace, Israel could
arrange to purchase her much-needed food
and meat which are procurable in Jordan,
and the latter, in turn, will then be able to
buy Israel's manufactured articles.
The only solution to the ills of the Middle
East is, without doubt, a permanent peace.
German Echoes
Speaking at a recent session of World
Brotherhood in Paris, Dr. Ferdinand Fried-
ensburg, Mayor of West Berlin, gave as-
surance that the German government plans
to introduce drastic legislation to combat
intolerance against minorities and he took
occasion to declare that foreign press re-
ports on anti-Semitism are incorrect. He
stated that German anti-Semitism finds ex-
pression in incidents against DPs who show
a comprehensive aversion against Germany.
The best answer* to such whitewashing
is to be found in the Berlin Catholic Petrus-
blatt whose editor, commenting on the story
of a 93-year-old • Jewish woman, now in a
home for aged in Berlin, who lost four sons
in Auschwitz, wrote:
"Many ask: 'Why always recall these
things? Why not forget them?' Because
it is our duty not to forget them . . be-
cause we must remember this humiliation
and mourn as long as we live . . . some
victims of such madness live among us.
We have less right to forget the living
than the dead. Those who remember will
turn away whenever they meet anti-
Semitism".
Should the DPs forget the past? Are
We to be expected to institute a campaign
against those who have an aversion to Ger-
mans rather than fight the poison of anti-
Semitism ?
The voices of 6,000,000 martyrs con-
tinue to cry out against injustice. It may
be true that 700 former DPs have left Israel
to return to the areas which have become
indelibly stained by the crematoria and the
blood of innocent victims of Nazism. But
this does not cleanse the skirts of murderers.
A war was fought against the brutalities of
Nazis and those who wish to forget the hor-
rors that were perpetrated by bigots are
merely inviting a repetition of the traged-
ies that were visited upon the entire world.
THE JEWISH NEWS
Member; American Association of English-Jewish News-
Inners, Michigan Press Association.
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing
Co. 708-10 David Stott Bldg.. Detroit 26, Mich., WO. 5-1155.
Subscription $3 a year; foreign $4.
Entered as second class matter Aug. 6, 1922 at Post Office,
Detroit. Mich., under Act of March 3. 1879.
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ. Editor
SIDNEY SHMARAK Advertising Manager
RUTH L CASSEL. City Editor
Vol. XVII—No. 17
Page 4
July 7, 1950
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the twenty-third day of Tam-
muz, 5710, the following Scriptural selections
will be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion—Num. 25:10-30:1.
Prophetical portion—Jer. 1:1-2:3.
-
,
`My Son the Lawyer'
Novel Depicts Perils
of Maternal Ambition
A Review by RUTH L. CASSEL
The unfortunate corollaries of ambition--
particularly the consuming ambition of a Jewish
mother for her children—are bluntly depicted by
Henry Denker in his newest novel, "My Son the
Lawyer," published by Thomas Y. Crowell and
Co., New York.
David Brown, a young man of intelligence,
energy and integrity, might have been successful
at any occupation of his choice, but Mama
Brown's choice was that he become a lawyer—
regardless of the financial and emotional cost to
him or his family. And, imbued with the Jewish
tradition of respect for his parents, David be-
came a lawyer.
c)
j tvi p b.
A44 1.43,S
'Strangleholds' and Realities
In his address to the Reform rabbis at the recent an-
nual convention of the Central Conference of American
Rabbis, Dr. Maurice N. Eisendrath, president of the Union
of American Hebrew Congregations, listed the following
as Point One in a four-fold program:
"The stranglehold which the exclusively philanthropic
enterprises enjoy in American Jewish life Must be sup-
planted by a moral and religious program: Religious and
ethical content must be emphasized in place of the mono-
poly that these temporary and tentative undertakings
have on the funds and the effort of our communities."
This is a challenging statement. It makes specific
charges—alleging that the philanthropic enterprises have
a stranglehold on the American Jewish communities and
implying that these undertakings are "temporary and ten-
tative." While the former assertion may be valid, in view
of the great needs of our time necessitated by the liquidation
of the Jewish ghettos and the tremendous rescue move-
ments that have been made possible by the rebirth of the
state of Israel, the latter point may prove damaging by its
power of suggestion that the end is nearing to fund-raising
for "the exclusively philanthropic enterprises."
There is an important background to Dr. Eisendrath's
program. Not so many years back, the Zionist appeal em-
phasized the need for national concern over Jewry's prob-
lems and 'pleaded against the emphasis on philanthropy in
relief and reconstruction activities. The major appeal of
the movement for the redemption of Eretz Israel was for
the re-creation of our people's status among the nations of
the world and for the strengthening of our people's cultural
values.
When, today, a similar appeal is made against "the
philanthropic stranglehold," it is, curiously enough, directed
at the movement which gave birth to the opposition to
domination of charities in Jewish life. Israel is the major
beneficiary in our fund-raising movements, and it is reason-
able to pose the question whether Dr. Eisendrath implies
that the flow of funds to the Jewish state would end with
the supplanting of the "exclusively philanthropic enter-
prises" "by a moral and religious program." It is equally
as reasonable to ask why Israel can not remain American
Jewry's major beneficiary in "a moral and religious pro-
gram," in view of the influence the young state can exert
spiritually upon world Jewry.
This question is in order in view of the implied warning
that the philanthropies are "temporary and tentative under-
takings." Surely, Dr. Eisendrath is the last person who
needs to be told that this is a time of great -urgency in relief
and reconstruction efforts; that if the Jewish communities
in lands of oppression: are to survive, they must be taken
out of the danger spots and settled in Israel as speedily as
possible. Surely, such an historic effort is not "temporary
and tentative," but requires our people's- understanding
that it must be continued until it is satisfactorily finished.
*
Naturally, "strangleholds" have no place in Jewish life,
and they certainly must not be permitted to harm the cul-
tural and spiritual status of our people. But strangleholds
—real or imaginary—can not be fought by predicting the
end of the very great national efforts without which Israel
will be harmed. It should not be difficult for the devoted
leaders in American Jewry to eliminate the negative ap-
proaches ' in Jewish relief and reconstruction movements—
granted that they are strangleholds—but there must be an
understanding that the greatest wonder of our time, the
.redemption of Israel,. will not suffer-setbacks in the process
of house-cleaning.
. .
Meanwhile those • wh.O • l ift .
serioUSly concerned over
Israel's future should give earnest consideration to an im-
pending problem which is creating anxiety in our ranks. • If
incomes from fund-raising campaigns should . continue to
drop, - as they have in the past year,. then. it is. high time
that anotherpossibly an additional-L—way should be found
to protect . Israel'S position. Investnients. in industrieS is one
such way. They should be speeded before it is to:c-, late.
Not content with directing his professional
life, Mama Brown true to form, kept her affec-
tionate thumb pressed firmly in the middle of
David's personal affairs, to the extent of pre-
venting his marriage.
The fallacy of Mama's conviction that HER
SON would be a successful attorney, regardless
of how many others might find it difficult to set
up a practice, brings the story to a tragic climax.
Denker writes an easy-reading novel, sym-
pathetic in its brief references to Jewish tradi-
tions and family life. He has no sympathy, how-
ever, for the unreasoning flights of maternal
aspirations, or the desire of one individual to
run another's life. Even in his descriptions of
the mother's joy at her son's scholastic achieve-
ments there is a note of irony, as he makes it
evident that Mama's pride lies not so much in
the fact that David heads the class, as that
David is her son.
The author is realistic enough to point out,
however, that Mama's frantic pushing for a pro-
fession for David stems from her own stunted
dreams, her own unfulfilled lcinging for achieve-
ment. In one of several under-plots he shows
another side of Mama's ambition, her determi-
nation that David's sister, Bertha, a college grad-
uate, must not "marry beneath her," and her
grudging admission that an accountant, whom
Bertha finally weds, is "also a profession."
Because of its readability, "My Son The Law-
yer" may attract a wide audience, which is for-
tunate for the author and publisher, but unfor-
tunate for Jewish family life since it is in the
long run, a negative book. Jewish readers, how-
ever, particularly young people, may find in it
the courage to follow their own convictions when
planning a career, as well as the determination
to let their children live according to their own
desires, not the dreams of their parents.
Someday, 'maybe, a talented author will find,
and write about, a Jewish mother who is the
answer to the Mama Browns, and the delight of
the Davids—the mother who takes pride in her
children's accomplishments as individuals, and
whose "nachas" comes from witnessing her chil-
dren's joy in developing their own patterns of
living.
Holidays are Fun': Fine
Work Book for Children
Jessie B. Robinson's "Holidays Are Fun"
(Bloch) is an interesting wire-stitched book,
suitable for school and home use, which guides
the young reader in numerous interests includ-
ing arts, crafts and puzzles.
Illustrated by the author, "Holidays for Fun"
covers all the Jewish festivals as well as the Sab-
bath.
In addition to providing full explanations for
the Sabbath and holidays, this book has pictures
for coloring, word puzzles, instructions on mak-
ing candlesticks, menorahs and other traditional
dbjects; numerous cut-outs of ceremonial ob-
jects; various games, etc.
A great deal of work has been put into the
compilation of this valuable book and it should
find a place in all our schools and in many
homes and libraries.
Facts You Should Know ...
Why is it customary to prolong the Saturday
evening prayers in the synagogue by adding
additional prayers and extending- the time of
the service?
The Sabbath is supposed to be considered as
a desirable item in one's life. When-parting from
a dear friend one always extends the time of the
visit a little longer as if to say that one hopes
the visit would last eternally. The Sabbath,
which visits Tewish Life once a week is such a
precious visitor that we hate to see it go and so
we prolong its stay as much as possible so as to
have its spirit linger on as long as possible with
us.
Another reason has to do with the benefit of
the dead who may have been subjected to the
Infernal Gehenna ,tHell) for their sins. The tra-
ditionalists c7airn . that on the Sabbath,. these
poor souls are released from their punishment
and they too rest. After the living have con-
cluded the prayers that are traditional at the
close of the Sabbath these suffering souls return
to their punishinent. Thus, the Sabbath evening
service is supposedly lengthened to prolong the
rest period of these tormented souls.