Irwin Show, Master Story-Teller
Brotherhood Week, Feb. 18-25
As the Editor
Views the News ...
Human Sparks in His 37
Stories in Mixed Company'
Jordan Power Move
The Catholic church has reason to re-
gret its antagonism towards Israel's stand
on the disposition of the issue revolving
around Jerusalem and the Holy Places.
The Israel plan, which had the endorse-
ment of the United States, would have as-
sured international supervision over the
Holy Places—including the Wailing Wall—
without affectinc, the civil status of the
citizens of the Holy City. But the Vatican
lined up opposition to Israel's proposals and
was adamant in its demand for the total
internationalization of the . entire area. Its
stand, which was repudiated by the United
Nations' General Assembly, would have
meant that more than 100,000 Jewish citi-
zens of Jerusalem would have lost their po-
litical rights.
The stubbornness of the Catholic church
is directly responsible for the latest Jordan
move in establishing a "Supreme Guardian-
ship" over the Holy Places. Now former
Mayor Nashashibi of Jerusalem is in su-
preme command over an area that could
have been supervised by a UN Commission-
er. It will be more difficult than ever, under
the newly-created conditions, to remove ob-
stacles in the path of many groups which
have stakes in the Old City of Jerusalem.
The barriers will grow taller for Jews seek-
ing entrance to the Wailing Wall, and Cath
olics won't be happy over the new situation.
The mess could have been cleared up.
But anti-Israelis, in their obstinacy, helped
aggravate the problem.
A Silly Charge
Boris Smolar, in the leading item which
we separated from his current "Between You
and Me" column, makes this statement:
"Official Zionist leadership is far from
being satisfied with the bill introduced in the
House by Congressman John D. Dingell to
grant Israel up to $500,000,000 in American
aid under the Marshall Plan . . . Zionist
leaders consider this bill premature and be-
lieve that it was inspired by people in Detroit
who were associated with the Peter Bergson
Group . . . Congressman Dingell is a De-
troiter . . . What American Zionist leadership
wants is a bi-partisan bill in Congress to
provide economic . aid to Israel, and not an
incidental bill by a single Congressman .. .
Such a bi-partisan bill may be introduced in
the House of Representatives sometime in
March."
There is a sad misunderstanding some-
where. When Rep. Dingell first introduced
his bill, it met with a hearty welcome in of-
ficial Israel ranks. The Detroit pro-Israel
Congressman could and should have been
asked to strive for bi-partisan sponsorship
of the measure. He would have been happy
to do that.
When people speak of a Peter Bergson
influence, they are naive. Congressman Din-
gell first offered to sponsor his bill to the
editor of The Detroit Jewish News, an
avowed anti-Bergsonite. He repeated the of-
fer to Elihu Stone of Boston and a group of
Detroit Zionists and publicly at the JNF
annual conference in Detroit on Nov. 12.
Instead of showing appreciation, the "Zionist
Jeaders" (who are they ?) referred to by Mr.
Smolar have introduced a peeve and have
'made a silly change.
This is a time for pooling all forces in
behalf of Israel—through the UJA, in be-
half of the bond drive, by means of secur-.
ing U. S. support. But intrigue won't get
us anywhere.
Congressman Dingell's bill can be con-
verted into a bi-partisan measure. A bit of
vision will accomplish a great deal. Back-
biting will destroy what we aim to build.
THE JEWISH NEWS
Publication Society Anniversity
For more than 60 years, the Jewish PubliCation Society
has been publishing outstanding Jewish classics and its rec-
ord of enriching Jewish culture is most impressive.
The Jewish Publication Society was responsible for
bringing to light the genius of Israel Zangwill. It produced
Heinrich Graetz's History of the Jews. It published the Eng-
lish translation of the Bible, after several years of collabora-
tion by outstanding Jewish scholars.. The Schiff Classics
and other very important books might never have seen the
light of day if it were not for this Society.
For many years the Society was supported by men like
Jacob Schiff and Felix Warburg. It would have been im-
possible for _it to subsist on the low membership rates.
The Society now must revise its procedure. It is com-
pelled to go out to the communities and to ask for support
from new quarters.
The luncheon meeting in Detroit at which the Society's
anniversary will be acclaimed in the guest addresses of-Judge
Louis Levinthal and Kurt Peiser, next Tuesday, should be
an occasion for renewal of interest in this worthy literary
work. It should arouse interest in the form of financial sup-
port and should pave the way for an increased Detroit mem-
bership. Before World War II there were more than 1,000 Facts You Should Know -. .• .
Detroit members. This number has decreased by nearly 75
Why were Mondays and Thursdays chosen
per cent. Greater interest in the Society will rebound to the as the mid-week days upon which the Torah is
read in the synagogue?
cultural benefits of entire American Jewry.
:
.
JNF's Impressive Achievements
On the occasion of its 50th anniversary celebration, the
Jewish National Fund world office in Jerusalem this week
has made public some interesting facts regarding the fund's
accomplishments.
The following facts are made known regarding the
JNF's growth since 1917, the crucial year which marked
international recognition of Jewish rights to statehood with
the issuance of the Balfour Declaration on Nov. 2, 1917:
Year Income in Land Acquired Population on
Israel Pounds
(in dunams)
JNF Land
1917
1927
_1937
1947
1950
259,300
1,594,900
3,784,300
19,780,000
51,817,000
16,400
196,700
385,000
925,000
2,085,000
500
10,000
45,000
125,000
250,000
Settlements
on JNF Land
7
• 43
116
233
470
Trees
Planted
15,000
443,000
2,192,000
4,758,000
7,627,000
These achievements were made possible in recent years
by the contributions we make annually to the United Jewish
Appeal; by traditional collections for the JNF and the ef-
forts of groups like the Ladies' Auxiliary of the JNF of
Detroit whose annual event will be addressed the coming
Sunday afternoon by one of the most distinguished Christian
friends of the Zionist cause—U. S. Senator Owen Brewster.
The JNF women and all workers for this fund have reason
to rejoice over their successes.
'Rommel' to 'Herzl'
From "The Lyons Den" by Leonard Lyons in the New
York Post we quote the following paragraph:
"In one of the richer Arab villages in Galilee last month,
Nirnr Abu Naif, the head of the community, gave a party in
celebration of the birth of his seventh son, "Herzl," .named
in honor of the founder of Zionism. Abu Naif's first son was
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ, Editor
born seven years ago, during the days of the Germans'
SIDNEY SHMARAK, Advertising Manager
successful campaign in the western desert. And at the party
Vol. XVIII—No. 20 Page 4
January 26, 1951 for young `Herzl, one of the onlookers was his 7-year-old
brother, 'Rommel.' "
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
Which goes to prove how marvelous it is that justice
This Sabbath, the twentieth clay of Shevat, should have succeeded—and which should prove a warning
5711, the following Scriptural selections will be to Jews everywhere that instead of the glorious name "Israel"
read in our synagogues:
it might have been "Hitler" or that of any other "Haman"—
Pentateuchal portion—Ex. 18-1-20:26.
if Jews did not fight for their existence—and win. The moral:
Prophetical portion—Is. 6:1-7:6; 9:5,6.
fight on for justice and keep winning! Don't let Israel down.
Member: American Association of English-Jewish News-
papers. Michigan Press Association.
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing
Co. 708 - 10 David Stott Bldg., Detroit 26, Mich., WO. 6-1166.
Subscription $3 a year: foreign $4.
Entered as second class matter Aug. 6, 1942 at Post Office,
Detroit. Mich., under Act of tilarcb 8, 1879.
To Irwin Shaw, master story-teller, go high
laurels for a thrilling collection of short stories,
each of which will hold the reader glued to the
pages of the new book.
All of the 37 collected stories in "Mixed Com-
pany" (published by Random House, 457 Madi-
son, N. Y. 22) combine to form an exceptionally
impressive volume.
Irwin Shaw is not new to the literary world.
Neither are some of the stories in the new book.
But themes like "Act of Faith" which this re-
viewer has read again for the third time, retain
their appeal and their power. This is the story
of a Jewish serviceman who suffered miserably
from the thought that he is constantly being
judged as a Jew, that all evil is directed at him.
He is further chained to his fears by a letter
from his father. Then came the realization: his
own buddies didn't give his Jewishness a second
thought. And the shackles are broken by the
self-enshackled man.
Then there is the story called "Medal from
Jerusalem"—an emblem bought by a refugee who
traveled from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem for the
purpose, to present it to her British lover. It is a
story that weaves in the British antagonism to
Jews, the Arabs' unfriendliness, the struggle of
Jews prior to Israel's independence. In every de-
tail, the master story-teller delineates situations
in a brilliant style.
The readers will be enchanted by "The Girls
in Their Summer Dresses" and I`The Eighty-
Yard Run"—the opening stories—as well as by
the concluding tale, the hitherto unpublished
"The Green Nude."
"The Green Nude" is an unusual story. The
hero-painter, first acclaimed, suddenly is brand-
ed by his Russian countrymen as "filth in the
galleries." He is persecuted to a degree that
forces him to go to Germany. A sudden urge to
re-create "the green nude" brings him new fame,
after his escape with his wife to Germany. But
there, too, his art is branded as "Judaeo-Anarch-
ism" and the Nazis call him "Baranov, nee Gold-
farb." This necessitates another flight,—and at
last there is freedom and fame in the United
States. But the old spirit strikes again. The
"green nude" is recreated. Again—fame, notori-
ety, wealth. But the Un-American Committee,
clergymen, Senators and Congressmen, launch an
attack upon this foreign idea. And Baranov
now poses another question: "What sort of fruit
do you think a man could find to paint in c'osta
Rica?" What an interesting commentary on the
insanity which has encircled the world!
Few writers have caught the spirit of so many
situations as well as Irwin Shaw. There is a hu-
man, warm spark in every narrative.
"Mixed Company" is an excellent title for this
book. In its totality, the characters and stories
form, indeed, "a mixed company." And it also
is a thrilling company, fascinatingly narrated by
a brilliant writer.
The reading of the Torah in the middle of
the week was one of Ezra, the Scribe's, special
decrees according to the Talmud (Talmud Babli
—Tractate Baba Kama p. 82). It is claimed that
Ezra did not want three days to go by without
the people of Israel hearing the words of the
Torah. He therefore chose Mondays and Thurs-
days so that a proper medium would be • estab- •
fished. The specific choice of these days is partly
explAined by the Tosefot commentary on the
Talmud who claim that the choice of these days
has to do with the ascension of Moses upon
Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments.
It is claimed that Moses went up the mountain
on,a Thursday and descended on a Monday. It
was therefore ordained that the Torah be read
in the synagogue on these days to commemor-
ate this fact as well as to indicate that we still
have the same reverence for the Torah as our
ancestors had when they received it at Mount
Sinai.
Historically, it seems that these two days
were acceptable before the Lord. The reason is
because the occasion mentioned was Moses'
second ascension. He was called up for the sec-
ond time when the Lord indicated that he was
ready to forgive the sin of the Golden Calif. He
came down with the message of the Lord's for-
giveness upon his lips. Thus these two days
were historic occasions of forgiveness. Thus lon-
ger supplications for forgiveness in the form of
penitential prayers and fasts are especially in
order on Mondays and Thursdays, when the
Lord is asked to repeat his forgiveness of the
Golden Calf for the benefit of the descendants
of its worshippers.
. *
5
•
Why is it customary for mourners to eat
hard boiled eggs in their first meal after return-
ing from the cemetery?
A number of interesting reasons are offered
for this custom. Most popular of these is the
shape of the egg. The oval shape resembles the
world and is the symbol of eternity—a circle
having 'neither a beginning nor an end. - This
imposes upon the troubled mind of the mourner
the realization of the immortality of the soul.
The egg has another symbolic interpretation. It
symbolizes the reproductivity and continuity of
matter. The chicken lives on in the egg. Like-
wise the memory of the deceased lives on in his
offspring. In Biblical times lentils were eaten in
mourning; Jacob fed Esau lentils because it was
the day Abraham died. The lentils were also
consumed because of their round shape.