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THE JEWISH NEWS
A Weekly Review
Read Commentator's
Column on Page 2
VOLUME 18—No. 19
of Jewish Events
708 David Stott Bldg.—Phone WO. 5-1155 Detroit Michigan, January 19, 1951
•offtit, 7
$3.00 Per Year; Single Copy, 10c
Jordan Assumes Rule Over Holy
Places; Nashashibi Is Guardian
Direct JTA Teletype Wires to The Jewish News
Judean Ideals Unfulfilled
Distortions of History
Exposed in Dr. Zeitlin's
Story of the Crucifixion
Final Installment of Condensation
of "Who Crucified Jesus?"
By PROF. SOLOMON ZIETLIN
With a discussion of the trials of Peter, Stephen and Paul,
three of the major disciples, Prof. Solomon Zeitlin completes
his volume "Who Crucified Jesus?" He explains the beginnings
of Christianity, and points out that the teachings of Jesus, re-
gardless of their value, have never actually been practiced by
his followers. How the world might benefit by truly accepting
the lessons of history, concludes this noted scholar. Presenta-
tion of Prof Zeitlin's book in these columns has been through
courtesy of the author and the publishers, Harper and Bros.
Condensation was by Ruth L. Cdssel.
Peter and Stephen Before the Sanhedrin
Peter and Paul, after Jesus, were two of the greatest
figures in early Christianity. Peter, whose name was Simon,
was one of the Twelve Apostles. Paul, whose Hebrew name
was Saul, was the Apostle to the Gentiles, the real spiritual
creator of Christianity. Peter and Paul were tried by a
political Sanhedrin for a political offense against the Ro-
mans in the same manner as Jesus ; and they, like Jesus,
were executed by the Romans.
The source for' the trials of Peter, Paul and Stephen
lanother of the Apostles) is The Acts. Unlike the trial of
jesus, for which we have the Four Gospels, the trials of
Peter and Paul are preserved only in one source—The Acts.
Like the Gospels, the Book of Acts is filled with theological
ideas, for the author had a message to give to the early
Christians.
From The Acts, we learn 'that when Peter was in the
Temple he preached about the resurrection of Jesus. The
priests and the captains of the Temple and the Sadducees
put him in custody. On the next day, the rulers and the
scribes assembled in Jerusalem. Peter was brought to the
assembly. He was asked, "By what power or by what name
have ye done this ?" Then Peter filled with the Holy Ghost,
said to them, "Ye rulers of the people and leaders . . . be it
known to you all and to all the people of Israel that by the
name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom
God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand
here before all you."
Then-the high priest and all who were with him, the
Sadducees, arrested Peter. On the following morning, when
Peter stood before the Sanhedrin, the high priest question-
ed him, saying, "Did not we straitly command you that ye
should not teach in this name and behold, ye have filled
Jerusalem with your doctrine and intend to bring this man's
blood upon us." To this, Peter answered that he sought to
obey God rather than man, the God who raised Jesus whose
death was procured and who was hanged on the tree, "him
had God exalted with his right hand, and to be prince (rul-
er) and a saviour."
We may readily see that the chief priests, the captain
of the Temple and the Sadduccees arrested Peter for teach-
ing. that Jesus arose after his death and was made by God
the ruler of the Jews: Peter could not have been tried before
a religious Sanhedrin. He did not commit any religious of-
fense.
As in the trial of Jesus, who was accused of a politi-
cal offense, we learn that Peter was likewise tried by a
political Sanhedrin. Again; as in the arrest of JesuS, the
high priest who actually delivered him to the Roman au-
thorities was compelled to do so in order not to be ac-
cused of being an accessory to the rebels.
In due time, the followers of Jesus became a religious
group. The political aspect of Jesus, as a Messiah who
claimed to be King of the Jews, became less conspicuous.
The Jews looked upon these followers as heretics who, in
the name of Jesus, sought to abrogate the precepts of the
Torah.
The trial of Stephen, in contrast to that of Peter, was
purely for a religious offense. The charge against him was
that he spoke words of blasphemy (abusive language)
against God and Moses. And for this he was brought before
the Sanhedrin. The witnesses who testified against him
maintained that they heard him say that Jesus the Nazarene
ehanged the laws and customs which Moses handed down
to the people. This was a purely religious accusation.
(Continued on Page 16)
JERUSALEM—In a move to subject the United Nations and the Christian world
to a fai accompli and to forestall the functions of a UN Commissioner for the Holy
Places in Jerusalem, the Jordan government officially installed Regheb Nashashibi, form-
er Arab Mayor of Jerusalem, as "Supreme Guardian of the Holy Places." Mr. Nasha-
shibi is a member without portfolio in the Jordan Cabinet.
Catholic circles indicated Tuesday that they consider the new move a violation of
•
the status quo of the Holy Places. Israel observers pointed out that in the proclama-
tions issued in connection with Nashashibi's installation, the Holy Places over which he
will be the guardian are not specified, and therefore seem also to include the Wailing
Wall and other Jewish Holy Places.
The ceremony of installing Nashashibi in his new post took place in the Rowda
College, the seat of the Jordan government in the Old City of Jerusalem. It was at-
tended by members of the Jordan Cabinet and by diplomatic representatives of Great
Britain, the United States, the Netherlands, Turkey and Greece. However, it was boy-
cotted by the Apostolic Delegate, the Latin Patriarch and the diplomatic representatives
of France, Belgian, Italy, Spain and other Catholic countries. Absent from the ceremony,
were also the consuls of Iran, Ethiopia and -Switzerland, while the consuls of Czecho-
slovakia, Poland and Yugoslavia were not invited to the ceremony and were prevented
by the Arab Legion from crossing the demarcation line of Jerusalem into the Jordan-
held Old City.
Israel Officer Reported in Peace Talk With Abdullah
Col. Moshe Dayan, war-time commander of Israel forces in Jerusalem and since
then one of the Jewish state's top negotiators with the Arab states and the United
Nations staff in Palestine, has arrived at Jordan King Abdullah's winter palace for
"secret negotiations for a peace treaty," the Damascus radio declared. The Syrian an-
nouncer said that Jordan is demanding possessipn of the former Arab sections of the
city as its price for peace. Israel authorities disclaimed the knowledge of such
negotiations.
(Continued on Page 16),
Break Ground for
Jewish Hospital
NATES.SHAPERO,
chairman of the building
committee of the Jewish
Hospital Association, is
'shown turning a spadeful
of sod at the ground-break-
ing ceremony on the hos-
pital site last Sunday morn-
ing. Also shown, from the
left: MAX OSNOS, presi-
dent of the Hospital As-
sociatiori ; LOUIS C. MIRI.
ANI, president of the Corn-
mon CounCil, and GOVER-
NOR G. MENNEN WIL-
LIAMS. On the extreme
right is MAURICE ,ARONS-
SON, vice-president of the
Hospital Association.
(Story on Page 2)
'Underground to Freedom':
Amazing Story of Struggle to Rescue
Jews Trapped in Communist Countries
Series Starts in The Jewish News Next Week
Behind the walls of a virtual prison, Jews trapped in Communist-controlled Europe face
a double peril. Anti-Semitism increases dai ly. The possibility of a third World War, the
trapped Jews feel, would place them at the complete mercy of elements long hostile to Jews.
Religious and cultural life has been all but liquidated by their Soviet masters.
Large numbers of Jews in Poland and oth er European nations are being brought to
Israel through recognized Jewish relief agen cies. But there are those Jews who are refused
clearance by the Soviet-dominated governme nts. Many of these—and they total thousands
—have been active in the free labor movement, in civic groups and social welfare undertakings.
For these Jews a dismal future existence in Sovietland is the price that is demanded by
the Communists.
To smuggle these active Jews out of Poland and other prison-like nations of Europe,
a Jewish Underground functions to arrange th eir escape. By ordinary means they could never
reach a safe haven in Israel.
'The Jewish Underground to-date has succeeded in rescuing more than 1,000 such Jews.
Its agents, both in the United States and E urope, are arranging for the escape of thou-
sands more—all under the noses of the Soviet- command secret police.
The American Jewish Press, in a series of three articles, to start next week, will relate
for the first time, the detaiLs of this amaz ing undertaking.
To the men and women who engage in this precarious crusade for freedom, this series
is respectfully dedicated.
'