As the Editor
the _News
Vie
Scholarly Yale Study of
Jewish Sect's Beliefs
Reparations Crisis
German-Jewish negotiations on the
claims made by the state of Israel and lead-
ing world Jewish organizations for indemni-
fi•ation for the crimes committed by the
Nazis against the Jews have hit a snag that
may result in total suspension of the talks.
The results of cutting off even the remotest
relationships in talks for reparations would
be tragic. It would mean the resumption of
a moral war against the descendants of the
Nazis whom we would have to consider as
continuing a murderous - animosity against
Jewry.
While satisfactory payment of the bil-
lion-dolla•-claim made by Israel would in no
sense provide absolution • for Germany's
crimes, it might ease a tension resulting
from a crime that will never be forgotten
by the kinsmen of the 6,000,000 victims of
the Nazis. At the moment, the danger exists
that talks between Jewish spokesmen and
the German delegation, which was halted at
The Hague last week, may be terminated—
in spite of the fixing Of June 19 as the date
for the final informal German-Israeli con-
ference and the possibility of resumption of
talks on May 19 between spokesmen for
world Jewish organizations and Germans.
There are, however, several encourag-
ing factors in the situation. At Bonn, the
German Social Democratic Party is urg-
ing the Adenauer government to effect a
speedy agreement with Israel. The party's
head, Dr. Kurt Schumacher, is reported
favoring Israel's claims and the immediate
resumption of negotiations.
But there are others who insist that The
Ilague talks must consider all of Germany's
obligations as well as their country's own
economic responsibilities, and Israel's spokes-
men will be upheld by all Jews in their de-
terminatiOn not to permit such an obstruc-
tion to whatever talks may be resumed.
Jewish spokesmen also are compelled to
he on guard against pro-Nazi elements in
Germany_yho are opposed to paying any
claims to Jews. There also is danger from
another quarter: the pro-Arab source which.
in advance of the granting of reparations,
sought to secure the funds for Arab refu-
gees. While Israel. is preparing to assist in
the settlement of homeless Arabs. it is crimi-
nal to think in terrrttaking over" funds
that are needed for the relief of needy in
Israel and for completing the job of building
British officials acted wisely when
they announced in London that they will
not assist the Arab states in securing a por-
tion of the reparations intended for Israel.
A number of points of agreement have
been reached between Israel and the Bonn
delegation, among them being:
West Germany assumes formal responsibil-
ity for discharge of liabilities of the Hitler
regime such as expropriation of Jewish prop-
erty ; it accepts responsibility for two-thirds
of the claims resulting from Nazi seizures in
territory annexed or occupied by the Hitler
regime, leaving payment of one-third of the
claims to East Germany; Bonn will accept
responsibility for enactment of adequate in-
demnification legislation for all of West Ger-
many, modelling it on laws in effect in the
United States zone, generally considered the
most satisfactory.
But I here remain some very serious ob-
stacles -among them the attempt to link the
talks ith the Israelis to the over-all London
reparitions discussions. This is a point on
hi•h Jewish spokesmen can not yield, since
the \\ rongs committed against Jews must
be atoned for independently of the other
crimes against humanity.
It is sincerely to be hoped that a resump-
tion of tter,otiations:iwill result in the grant-
ing of. the basic claims made by Israel. It
is the least that can be done by the succes-
sors of. the Nazis in repaying a small por-
tion of the debt to aggrieved Jewry.
THE JEWISH NEWS
Incorporating the Detroit Jewish Chronicle
commencing with issue of July 20, 1951
`Karaite Anthology'
The Place for It, Uncle
To the Yale Judaica Series, published by
Yale University Press, has been added another
highly scholarly work, containing a study of
the Karaite leaders, their thoughts and beliefs.
Published under the title "Karaite Anthol-
ogy," translated from Karaite sources with notes
by Leon Nemoy, curator of Hebrew and Arabic
literature in the Sterling Memorial Library at
Yale, this volume is the seventh in the series
ofJudaica.
Although the Karaites are known as having
a role in schismatic division in Judaism, it is-
not generally known that Karaites had made
numerous scholarly and literary advances in the
middle ages. This anthology contains important
contributions to Jewish literature in the char-
acter studies of Karaite teachers, their teach-
ings, the most representative ideas of the sect
on Jewish ceremonialism, law, philosophy and
theology. '
Ungracious Challenge to Loyalty
On the eve of Israel's fourth anniversary, a group of
American Jews met in Washington, last week, to reiterate
their opposition to Zionism. While some of the speakers, non-
Jews as well as Jews. took occasion to emphasize that they
did not intend to harm the young state, there were many
declarations, by the conferees who gathered at the Council
for Judaism sessions, which questioned the loyalty of those
who are supporting the reborn nation.
Vincent Sheean, the eminent writer who was a friend
of Zionism many years ago and who became a passionate
condemner of the movement after a visit in pre-Israel Pales-
tine nearly 15 years ago, one the speakers at the session
that revived animosity to the movement that supports Jewish
nationalism in Israel, commended the Judaism Council with
this declaration:
"You have demonstrated that there are Americans of Jewish
faith who want to be treated like Americans of every other
faith—not as members of a specially privileged minority, with
supra-national obligations to a foreign state. In propagating
the universals of your faith. you do honor to the teachings of
the Prophets. In working toward the integration of your core-
ligionists into the secular institutions of this country, you tear
down the barriers dividing Americans. Above all, I honor you
for the realization, implicit in your principles, that suffering is
not exclusively the badge of the Jew but of all mankind."
Mr. Nemoy's very interesting introduction
to his translations describes Karaite principles
as: "first, the rejection of the validity of the
Rabbanites, i.e., partisans of the Talmudic
rabbis and their successors; second, the 'dis-
inclination, inspired no doubt by their griev-
ances against the Iraqi religious and secular
officials. to recognize the permanent authority
of a religious leader and the insistence of the
freedom of each individual to _interpret the
Bible in the light of his own judgment; third,
a perfervid messianic nationalism, impatient
of the seemingly endless delay in the redemp-
tion and restoration of Israel; fourth, an acute
sense of social justice and opposition to eco- .
nomic inequality and opfression."
But,' "in matters of dogmatic belief there is,
aside from the rejection of the authority of the
Talmud, no essential differences between Kar-
aite and Rabbanite theology. Moreover, t h e
Karaites--borrowed much from the Talmud and
developed a similar oral tradition of their own."
Karaism, we learn, "is more stringent than
Rabbanism - in civil and criminal law, as well
as in other practices.
The present study, Mr. Nemoy asserts, is
"woefully inadequate" especially because avail-
able Karaite documents, now in Soviet libraries,
are unavailable to students in this field.
In addition to reproducing the Karaite Lit-
urgy, including Marriage Ritual, Sabbath Hymns,
Dirges, etc.; a glossary and a bibliography. Mr.
Nemoy has included in his important work
sketches and selections from the phrosophic
works of the following Karaite leaders: Arran
ben David. Benjamin al-Nahawandi, Daniel al-
Kumisi. Jacob al-Kirkisani, Salmond ben Jero-
ham, Japheth ben Eli, Sahl ben Masliah, Jesh ■
uah ben Judah, Moses ben Abraham Dar'l,
Moses ben Samuel of Damascus, Aaron ben Eli-
jah, Samuel ben Moses al-Magribi, 113n. al-Hiti,
Elijah ben Moses Basyatchi.
The commentaries of these scholars, their
guides for the conduct of their followers, their
interpretations of Judaic laws, are important
additions to Jewish scholarly research. Mr.
Nemoy and Yale University Press have rendered
an important service to Jewish scholarship.
This view apparently has the endorsement of the Jews
N.*;•ho form the Judaism Council. Their endorsement of an
attack upon the loyalties of millions of American Jews who
support Israel's position as a member of the family of na-
tions is a shocking example of misrepresentation and of harm
done by brothers to brothers, by kinsmen to kinsmen, by
Americans to Americans.
The head of the Judaism Council went so far as to
charge that Zionists are corrupting Jewish school textbooks
in order . to poison the minds of the children in behalf of
their movement. In all honesty—since he and his associates, This
backed by non-Jews like Sheean, speak of Prophetic teach-
ings—he should have added that the Bible, our Holy Scrip-
tures. also corrupt the minds of those who read them who
pray in the Hebrew tongtie. Scriptures are replete with the.
Leon S. Rosenthal, a Philadelphia lawyer
Promise of Fulfillment of Prophecy that "Zion shall be re- and writer, is the author of a fine historical novel
built with justice." Yet, Rabbi Irving F. Reichert, in a Ju- which, under the title "This Liberty," incor-
porates the biographi-
daism Council convention sermon, explained his and his
the
cal facts about
group's position as follows:
financier of the Ameri-
Liberty:' Novelized
Biography of Salomon
"Our quarrel is not with the new-born state and its heroic
builders who have found asylum there from Europe's charnel
houses. Our quarrel is with the philosophy and program of
Jewish political nationalism as a formula for American Jews,
and a substitute for the historic faith of Israel. We accuse it
of corrupting the integritSr of American Jewish political life
through its sinister tactics of regimentation, coercion, politi-
cal blackmail and opportunism."
Rabbi Reichert charged "coercion," he accused Jewish
nationalists of having "a lot of money," of hiring "slick ad-
vertising experts," of controlling the Jewish press, of influ-
encing politicians, of not being "too troubled by moral
scruples," of resorting to "techniques of smear," and he did
not hesitate to attack his own religious group, the Reform
Jewish community, with this statement:
"The place of supremacy formerly occupied in the Central
Conference of American Rabbis by the Commission on Social
Justice, we are told, has now been taken over by the Committee
on Customs and Ceremonies. So! Put a tallith (prayer-shawl)
and a yarmelke (ceremonial head-covering) on the rabbi as
they do in Tel-Aviv, teach the children to speak Hebrew and
plant trees on Israeli Arbor Day, and presto! American Re-
form Judaism is up to date! Shades of Isaac Mayer Wise and
Kaufmann Kohler."
We have read and heard many shocking anti-Zionist
statements, but never before have we been treated to such
outrageous accusations of disloyalty against American Jews.
The Judaism Council's spokesmen go so far as to question
our honesty as well as our loyalty as Americans. They have
enlisted the aid of non-Jews in their nefarious scheme of be-
littling the good intentions of American Jews whose Ameri-
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ, Editor
SIDNEY SHMARAK, Advertising Manager
canism is far superior to theirs because they are ready to
FRANK SIMONS, City Editor
pursue our American ideals of helping the down-trodden.
April 18, 1952
Page 4
Vol. XXI—No. 6
It is no wonder that some Christians have withdrawn
NI,Frik:er: A nleii..an Association of English-Jewish News-
papers. Michigan Press Association.
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing
Co. 708 10 Da% id Stott Bldg., Detroit 26, Mich., WO, 5-1155.
Subscription '54 a Sear: foreign S5.
Entered as second class matter Aug. 6. 1942 at Post Office,
Pet, oft, Mich.. under Act of March 3. 1879.
their greetings to the Judaism Council's convention, that
. This Sabbath, the twenty-fourth day of Ni- non-Jews are as ashamed of their coreligionists' betrayal
san, 5712, the following Scriptural selections will of a great cause as we are of our kinsmen who are betraying
be read in our synagogues:
a great and a just cause. -
Pentateuchal portion—Lev. 9:1-11:47.
We are ashamed of fellow-Americans who misrepresent
Prophetical portion—II Sam. 6:1-7:17.
the basic ideals -of Americanism: They have rendered a
can Revolution, Haym
Salomon. This novel,
published by Dorrance
& Co., (Drexel Bldg.,
Phila. 6), adds to an un-
derstanding of condi-
tions that existed in the
early days of this re-
public when people were
divided into patriots and
and loyalists and when
dollar-hungry men were
prepared to sacrifice the
battle for liberty.
Salomon was a staun-
ch fighter for his coun-
try's freedom. He re-
Haym Salomon fused to be discouraged
by prejudice. When he met Robert Morris and
offered the Colonial Congress his services, he was
rebuked as a Jew. But Robert Morris learned
fast to know that he was dealing with a true
patriot who was ready to make sacrifices for
his country. They remained staunch friends.
Not so with others. Men like Gouverneur
Morris, no relation of Robert Morris, who was
the latter's assistant, remained prejudiced for a
long time. A group of finance men even plotted
his life. But there were other Christians who ap-
preciated his services and stood ready to defend
him.
James Madison, George Washington, Jeffer-
son and others enter into the Salomon story.
The Jewish broker's wife, Rachel, the daughter
of Moses Frank, stood by her husband's side
during storm and stress.
"This Liberty" is a well-told story. It throws
light on the important first chapter of the story
of the United States. It tells of the devotion and
loyalty of the Jewish patriot. It is a tale that
should be read by all who desire to know this
country's development and the share in it by a
man of faith and by those around him who con- F.
Rosh Hodesh lyar Scriptural selection, Fri- serious disservice to Israel, to Judaism, to Jewry and more
quered prejudices.
especially to America. -
day, Num. 28:1:15.