Purely Commentary
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
2—THE JEWISH NEWS
Synagogues N. End Festival
Season with Simhat Torah
Friday, October 19, 1951
State Department Head
To Address JWV-Meet
The Palestine Issue in the Forrestal Diaries
"As if the Forrestal Diaries were not enough to strike terror
Dr. John A. Loftus, U. S. State
into the hearts of the most discreet public servants, we are now
promised Senator Vandenberg's diaries," Dr. Max Lerner corn- Department official, will address
ments, in his column entitled "Keep Out of Diaries" in the New the United Nations Day meeting,
York Post. He makes this interesting observation:
"The true function of a diary is to record not so much
what you did and where you went and what someone else said,
but what you thought you felt in the crisis moments of your
life. To use your diary as a mode of revenge by a dead man on
the living is an act that may create a paradise for historians,
but only a hell for those who must go on with the world's work.
When you talk to someone, friend or enemy, in confidence he
has the right to assume that you will not betray the trust that
the words imply.
"The communication, between two human beings is in itself
the social tissue of life. When it is betrayed, for however noble
motives, life itself is invaded and betrayed. This is one of the
forms that the desensitizing of man is taking."
This comment has considerable bearing upon the references
to the Palestine issue made public in the Forrestal Diaries.
The Forrestal Diaries include some well known facts. At a
Cabinet lunch, Sept. 4, 1947, less than two months before the
United Nations voted in favor of Palestine's partition and the
establishment of a Jewish state, Postmaster General Hannegan
brought up the Palestine question and urged, as means of getting
funds for the Democratic National Committee, the issuance of a
statement particularly with reference to the admission of 150,000
Jews into Palestine. Dr. Abba Hillel. Silver was spoken of as
neither a Democrat nor a friend of Truman and as the man who
DR. JOHN A. LOFTUS
prompted the President to make an earlier statement in support
sponsored by Department of
of the_Jewish position.
At another Cabinet lunch, Sept. 29, 1947, exactly a month Michigan Jewish War Veterans,
before the UN's partition action, Mr. Forrestal. urged the lifting at 8:15 p.m., Wednesday, at the
of the Palestine question out of politics. The President was skep- Woodward Jewish Center.
tical but said it was worth trying. Later, the monetary question
Presently economic advisor to
was dragged in. On Nov. 26, 1947, Senator (now Attorney General) the Assistant Secretary for Near
McGrath was admonished to lift foreign affairs out of domestic Eastern, South Asian and Afri-
politics. Mr. McGrath is said to have referred to Jewish contribu- can Affairs, Dr. Loftus has held
tions to the Democratic Party funds. On. Dec. 1, 1947, Under Sec- other State Department posts as
retary of State Lovett told the Cabinet that there was pressure in well as teaching positions in
favor of. the Jewish position from Herbert Bayard Swope, Robert American universities. He was
Nathan, a request for the Liberian vote for partition by the Fire- economic advisor to the U. S.
stone Tire and Rubber Co.
delegation at four Anglo-Amer-
The issue did not end there. On Dec. 3, 1947, at another ican oil conferences in Wash-
lunch, Byrnes said he was not optimistic about getting the Repub- ington and London.
licans to agree to a non-political basis for the Palestine question
Dr. Loftus' subject here will be
because of Rabbi Silver's - influence .upon Senator Taft. Forrestal's "The Mutual Security Program."
Diary records him as telling the Cabinet at that time: "I said I The community at large is in-
thought it was. a most disastrous and regrettable fact that the vited to the meeting by Ben
foreign policy of this country was detertnined by the contributions Desenberg, commander of JWV
a particular bloc of special interests- might make to the party Department of Michigan. There
funds."
will be no admission charge.
Forrestal tackled the . Republicans • and the Diaries quote the
late Michigan Senator as pointing "to one obvious difficulty"—
that there was a feeling among most Republicans that the Demo- Federation Women Plan
cratic Party had used the Palestine question politically, and the 3 CommunityClinics
Republicans felt:they were entitled to make similar use of the
issue." And Vandenberg quoted Stassen's remark, "if Republicans
"Get in form to inform your
were to cooperateTOri, foreign policy they 137 01/1d have to be in on neighbors" is .the theme of an
the - take-off as-r*e4 - as in the crash landing." •
invitation issued by • the educa-
At the Griellion:Dinner,, Dec. 13, 1947, Governor Dewey said tion committee of the Jewish
(to quote 'the 'Forrestal Diaries) he agreed in principle to non- Welfare Federation Women's Di-
partisan action on the Palestine , question but that it was a difficult vision, in sending out a call for
matter to get results on it becaUse of the intemperate attitude of leaders to participate in the 1951
the Jewish people who had taken Palestine as the emotional community clinics training pro-
symbol, because the Democratic Party would not be willing to gram.
relinquish the advantages of the Jewish vote.
•
The training program, to in-
These are just a few of the points in the Forrestal Diaries clude
three sessions from 9:30
on the Palestine question. On the face of things, they may not
to
11:30
Oct. 26, Nov. 2 and
react too nicely and American Jezvi'y may be branded—as they Nov. 9, a.m.,
at the Davison Jewish
undoubtedly will by anti-Semites—as having used gifts to the Center, will
cover the organiza-
Democratic Party as means of pressing the Zionist issue. But tion of the Detroit Jewish com-
this is not the whole story. The truth is that the Republicans munity, the activities of the
were first in including • a pro-Zionist plank in their party plat- Women's Division and social
form. Democrats came through with a stronger statement. The services provided by the com-
truth is that Jews contributed large sums to the Republican munity.
Party, and it may well be that the funds received by Republi-
Mrs. Isidore Sobeloff is chair-
cans were larger than those reportedly given to the Democrats. man
the education committee,
The story that was privately circulated before the 1948 election with of
Mrs. Harry L. Jackson, vice-
was that Jewish contributions to the Democratic Party came chairman. The subcommittee on
forth at the last moment—in time to save a bankrupt organi- the training program is headed
zation on the eve of the election.
by Mrs. Siegmund Kulka, as-
While there are no saints anywhere and in politics attempts sisted by Mesdames Stanley
are always made to capitalize on available votes, there is another Akers, Abe Becker, Arthur Bloom,
point that must not be overlooked. It would be utterly unjust— Max Chomsky, Lewis B. Daniels,
perhaps even dishonest—to fail to recognize the human ele- Stanley Fleischaker, Harry Frank,
ment in the Palestine issue. It would be a sad commentary on Samuel Grandon, Lewis Gross-
Americans to overlook the genuinely sympathetic sentiments man, Herschel V. Kreger, Moses
that dominated most of the people who supported the Zionist Lehrman, Louis Redstone, Geo-
idea in Congress, in the press, on public platforms. A third of rge Rubin, Alexander W. Sand-
the Jewish people was murdered by the Nazis. Another third ers, Jacob S. Sauls, Oscar
was threatened with extinction in Europe, in Africa, in Mos- Schwartz, Ben Snider, Nathan
lem countries. Hundreds of thousands of people continue to live Spevakow, Leonard H. Weiner
in danger under Arab rule. There is no hope for these people and Samuel Yura.
.
outside Israel. Now this issue again is being dragged through a
political boiler. It is unfortunate and inevitable, but the true
facts should be made understandable. The justice of a cause
ought, to play a role—even in politics. The majority of American
statesmen apparently reacted in favor of justice. The balance
should remain in that direction.
There is another point, by no means a minute one. The late
Mr. Forrestal, a Wall Street banker, was more concerned about the
Arabs and their oil fields than about Jews and their determination
—for which no one need apologize—to rescue the remnants of the
survivors from the Nazi holocaust. His emotions were exposed to
light when he spoke of "the Palestine-Haifa question." Who ever
heard of such a geographical combination, unless it is the oil-
minded who • thought of the Haifa oil as opposed to the Judaic
ideal inherent in the humanitarianism of the Zionist cause? The
oil issue pressed on Forrestal's mind and he sought to prevent
advantages for Jews. Fortunately, Barney Baruch called his bluff.
Fortunately, Americans appreciate libertarians. Fortunately, the
Haganah supplied the libertarians and American Jews provided
means for their fight. In its totality, the battle for freedom shoved
the. oil interests—and Forrestal-into the background.
Holiday Requires Earlier. Deadlines
JWV Changes Time
Of Donor Meetings
The concluding days of the day. At Yizkor services Monday,
festival of Sukkoth, the holidays Rabbi Moses Lehrman will
of Shemini Atzereth and Simhat preach on "Lasting Values."
Torah, will be observed in our
Temple Bethel El
synagogues beginning Sunday
Rabbi Sidney Akselrad . will of-
evening, Oct. 21, and continuing ficiate at services at 10:30 a.m.,
through Monday and Tuesday, Monday. The ceremony of the
Oct. 22 and 23.
blessing of children newly-
Cong. Shaarey Zedek
enrolled in the religious school
Rabbi Morris Adler will preach, will be conducted Sunday, with
and Cantor J. H. Sonenklar and the blessing by Dr. B. Benedict
choir directed by Dan Frohman Glazer. Each child will receive
will officiate at services. Even- a miniature Torah. The inter-
ing worship begins at 5:30 p.m., mediate children's choir, direct-
Sunday; at 5 p.m., Monday. ed by Mr. and Mrs. Jason H.
Morning services are at 8:45 a.m. Tickton, will perform. Three
Memorial and Yizkor services generations of Temple members
will be chanted on Monday, and will participate in the ritual of
the graduation of eighth grade handing down the Torah.
religious school pupils on Tues-
Cong. Bnai David
day.
Evening services at 6 p.m., with
Adas Shalom Synagogue
morning prayer beginning at'
Rabbi Jacob E. Segal will 8:30 a.m., both days. On Monday,
preach at 10:30 p.m.,. Monday, at Rabbi Joshua S. Sperka will
Yizkor services, on "Roads to preach on "Tents of Israel," and
Survival." Services begin at 5:30 on Tuesday he will speak on
p.m., and Monday, at 8:45 a.m. "Esrog and Lulay."
Special Simhat Torah services
Cong. Beth Itzchock
for children under 10 will be
Services will be held at 8:30
held at 5 p.m., Monday, and for a.m., both days at the East Side
the regular congregation at 6 Congregation, 3836 Fischer. At
p.m. Cantor Nicholas Fenakel Shemini Atzereth, Yikzor ser-
and the choir will officiate.
vices, Rabbi I Strauss will preach
Temple Israel _
on "Blessed Memories."
At Shemini Atzereth services
Cong. Mogen Abraham
at 10:30 a.m., Monday, Rabbi
Rabbi M. J. Wohlgelernter will
Leon A. Fram will bless the 100
children who have just started lead services,. beginning Monday
at the religious school. Each and Tuesday at 9 a.m. Before
child will receive a gift from the Yizkor services Monday, Rabbi
Temple and will recite prayers Wohlgelernter will preach on
and songs learned in the school. "Yisgadal V'Yiskadash." On Sat-
At Sabbath services at 8:30 p.m., urday, at 9 a.m. Sabbath services,
Friday, Rabbi Fram • will speak he will preach on "Koheles."
on "Vanity of Vanities." The Parents and children are invited
Bar Mitzvah of Sidney Jackson to Hokofos at 5:30 p.m., Mein-
day.
will be observed.
Cong. Beth Aaron
Evening services at 5:30 p.m., DeYoung and Kaufman
Sunday; morning services at 8:45 Head Heilman Memorial
a.m., Monday and Tuesday. Rab-
bi Benjamin H. Gorrelick will
Wilbur DeYoung is chairman.
preach at Yizkor services, at and Oscar Kaufman, vice-presi-
10:30 a.m., Monday, on "Life dent of the City Bank, is secre - '
Eternal." A children's party will tary of the committee fornied to
be presented at 4 p.m., Monday, establish a cancer research
with services for the congrega- memorial in tribute to Harry E!'
tion following at 7 p.m.
Heilman. The committee plane
Cong. Bnai Moshe
a fund-raising campaign to
Services at..5:30* p.m., Sunday establish a cancer research lab -
and 5:15 p.m., Monday; at 8:30 oratory as a memorial to Heil-
a.m., Monday, and 9 a.m., Tues- man who died of cancer July 9.
Between You and Me
By BORIS SMOLAR
hie.;
Washington Warning
While the question of whether American Jews should send . ,
their children to Israel as Chalutzim is becoming a controversial
issue in American Jewish life, the State Department is warning,
American citizens to proceed to Israel on "visitors' visas" only .
American citizens applying for passports to travel to Israel are
warned by officials that they can be required to perform military
service in Israel if they enter on a residence (immigration) visa
. Under the laws of _Israel, any American citizen who enters the
country on a residence visa must perform military service in either
the regular or reserve forces of Israel . . . This applies to men
between the ages of 18 and 49 years and to women between 18 and
34 years of age .. The State Department also warns that persons
entering Israel on immigration visas---men between 17 and 29 and
unmarried women between the ages of 17 and 26-1-are not per-
mitted to leave the country until they have completed the required
military service . . . The warning adds that American citizens may
lose their right to the protection of the United States, if they serve
as members of Israel's armed forces .. . Applicants are therefore
advised by the State Department to get a visitor's visa which is
generally limited to three months, but may be renewed in Israel
periOdically without subjecting the visitor to service in the regular
or reserve forces there.
(Copyright, 1951, Jewish Telegraphic Agency,
.
Facts and Figures
The extent to which Jewish communal life has grown in the
United States during the last 15 years soon will be revealed in
data compiled by the Jewish Statistical Bureau . . Dr. H. S. Lin-
field, head of the Bureau, has now completed a survey of Jewish
congregations which will furnish a concrete idea not only of Jew-
ish religious life in this country, but also of other aspects of Jew-
ish communal activities „ The last census of Jewish congrega
tions was carried out by the U. S. Government in 1936 ... It es-
tablished that at that time there were 3,728 Jewish congregations
throughout the country with a total membership of 4,541,184 . .
The number of Jewish congregations now exceeds 4,000 and the
membership also seems somewhat larger . . . There were 2,851 syn-
agogue buildings in the United States 15 yearsago, valued at about,
$125,000,000 . . . With the Jewish DP problem practically solved, it
will be interesting for many to know that the U. S. has admitted
77,500 displaced Jews up to July of this year . . The total number
of Jewish DPs in Germany, Austria and Italy was 168,000 on July
1947 „ . . The heaviest burden in caring for DPs fell upon the. Joint
Distribution Committee . With a field staff of 7 100, the -JDC
tackled such tasks as child care, medical aid, education, assistance
in religious activities, etc. . From 1946 to 1950, JDC shipped
80,000,000 pounds of medicaments . . . Its most important activity,
however, consisted of helping DPs migrate to Israel, the United
States and other countries . . Within five years, JDC assisted
200,000 persons-DPs and non DPs—M migrating, the great major-
ity of whom went to Israel ..H4lAS was similarly engaged ,in
helping DPs emigrate to various countries,' although on a mu
ch
smaller scale than the jDC.,,
. •
.
Mrs. Lillian Bernstein, general
chairman for the fifth annual
donor luncheon of the Depart-
ment of Michigan Ladies Aux-
iliary, Jewish War Veterans, an-
nounces that future donor meet=
ings will be held on Wednesdays,
at 12:45 p.m. at the Memorial
Home.
At a recent meeting, the fol-
lowing were appointed to work
as liner chairmen and co-chair-
men, under the supervision of
Mesdames F 1 o r ence Schindler
and Miriam Ferst:
Mesdames May Ginsburg,
Belle OSterman, Rose Goodman,
Rose Katz, Goldie Goodgall, Sy-
_ dell Shell, Lillian Epstein, Eve
Solomon, Rachel Gattegno, Julie
Block, Dorothy Alderman, Mar-
ion Gaspas, Fay Goldberg, Ida
Greenberg, Freda. Kolb and Bea
The final days of Sukkoth will be .observed on Oct. 22
and. 23 and : ail copy—including photographs—for our issue
of Oct. 26 must. reach us not later than at noon of Friday,
Oct. 19.- •
Weinstein. •
.