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.