Sign Agreement on German
Reparations Payments to Israel
The Page One Illustration
Our Front Page illustration shows the blowing of the Shofar
on Rosh Hashanah in the Sephardic Synagogue in Amsterdam.
It is one of the famous Picart Engravings, believed to have been
made in 1728.
The engraver was Bernard Picart, the famous French designer
who was born in Paris, June 11, 1673, and died in Amsterdam
May 8, 1733. He came from a Protestant family. His teachers were
his father, Etienne Picart, Le Brun and Jouvenet.
Bernard Picart displayed mastery of his art as a youth. In
1710 he settled in Amsterdam where he supplied engravings to
booksellers and printers. It is believed that about 1.300 of his
book plates still are in existence.
His works were on many subjects and a large number of
them were on Biblical topics. His Jewish topics, incorporated in
"Ceremonies des Juifs," was the first volume of "Ceremonies et
Coutumes Religieuses de Tous les Peuples du Monde" which was
published in 11 volumes. His creations were among the first
to illustrate Jewish 'ceremonial observances. His Jewish illustra-
tions appeared in the following order in the first edition:
1. Interior of the Portuguese Synagogue at Amsterdam; 2.
Jew With Phylacteries and Prayer Shawl; 3. Arba Kanfot, shofar,
Mezuza, Lulab; 4. Birkat Kohanim in Portuguese Synagogue at
The Hague; 5. Elevation of Torah; 6. Sounding of Shofar, (or
Page One Photo); 7. Yom Kippur Service; 8. Search for Leavt
Before Passover; 9. Pesach Meal; 10. and 11. Sukkot in Syn-o
gogue and in the Home; 12. Simhat Torah; 13. Escorting Brid.
groom of the Law Home; 14. Circumcision Implements, Tora
Mantle and Crowns; 15. Circumcision; 16. Redeeming First-Boris_
17. Portuguese Jewish Marriage; 18. German Jewish Wedding;
19. and 20. Ciicuit Round Coffin and Interment.
An original set of these engravings was acquired recently by
—International photo
Norman Kurland who spent a year in Holland with his wife on
Israeli Ambassador ABBA EBAN is shown as he signed an agreement between the State a Fulbright Award. Norman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Kurland
of Israel and the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany. The agreement of Huntington Woods, is presently completing his work for his
was signed coincidentally with the signing of agreements between the West German govern- Ph.D. at the University of Michigan. The Jewish News is in-
ment and the State of Israel in Luxemburg. Seated here (left to right) are: ADOLF HELD, debted to him for use of the drawing for reproduction in this •
president of the Jewish Labor Committee; Ambassador EBAN; ISRAEL GOLDSTEIN, presi- issue.
dent of the American Jewish Congress. Standing (left to right): FRANK GOLDMAN, Low-
ell, Mass., president of Bnai Brith; JACOB BLAUSTEIN, Baltimore, Md., president of Ameri-
can Jewish Committee.
* * *
* * *
* * *
State Department Admits Applying
McCarran Law to Visa Applicants
NEW YORK, (JTA)—Israel and signing of the pact between Ger- , vice-chairman of the Joint Dis-
WASHINGTON, (JTA)—Acting ante with the provisions of Sec-
the Conference on Jewish Ma- ;many and Israel, and expressed tribution Committee and head
terial Claims Against Germany I "the hope of the United States" i of the Conference negotiating Assistant Secretary of State Ben tion 222-A and C of the Immi-
(JMCAG) signed a supplemen- that the compensation agree- team, who was forced to leave H. Brown, Jr., said that informa- gration and Nationality Act (Mc-
tary agreement here on imple- !ments "will be ratified without The Hague before the signing tion on the ethnic origin of ap- , Carran-Walter Act).
mentation of reparations agree- delay." Satisfaction with the because of illness, said that some plicants for U.S. visas will con- I "The forms will not contain
ments signed last week with i pact was also expressed at Unit- 300,000 persecutees or their heirs tinue to be required under sec-
West Germany in LUxem- ed Nations headquarters in New will receive compensation no tions of the McCarran-Walter a list of races and ethnic classi-
buP:g. Israel will pay to the York, with the exception of Arab matter where they are presently Immigration Act. The act does fications from which an alien
not become law until Dec. 24 may select the race or classifica-
JMCAG the sum of $107,000,000 delegates who were critical of living.
i but for some months Jews ap- tion which applies to him and.
in settlement of the Conference Germany fo: a move that would
The Washington Post in an plying abroad for U.S. visas have it will be left to each individual-
claims. I strengthen Israel.
editorial
praised Germany for been required to identify them- , applicant to state his race and
The agreement was signed by In Israel, all parties of the
ethnic classification."
recognizing
its obligation, and selves as Jews.
Ambassador Abba Eban for Is- government coalition seemed
It was pointed out here that
I
In
a
letter
to
Rep.
Frances
B.
rael, and by Jacob Blaustein , satisfied with the treaty, under said that while the signing of an
which West Germany will pay agreement "cannot mean the Bolton, member of the House the legal basis for identification
Frank Goldmann, Dr. Israel $715,000,000 to Israel over a 12- end of bitter Jewish memories, it Foreign Affairs Committee, re- .of Jewish visa applicants as
plying to her protest to Secre- Jews was stated by Brown to
Goldstein and Adolph Held, 'rep- • year period. But the Herut party,
resenting JMCAG. who had fought the discussions should at least symbolize a will- tary of State Dean Acheson be the McCarran-Walter Act al-
The agreement was submitted all the way, termed the pay-1 ingness on both sides to make a against this requirement, Brown though the State Department
had previously denied this.
to the Conference policy coin- ments "blood money," and pledg• new step. "The Germans have I said:
"The facts are that visa ap- I Immigration attorneys here
mittee at its meeting Wednes- ed a boycott of all German rep- ' made a gesture that should raise
day when the Conference began arations goods shipped to Israel. I them in the estimation of Jews plication forms will continue to point out that aliens who fail
working out plans for clistiribu- Moses A. Leavitt, executive and Christians alike and should provide a blank space in which to provide an "ethnic classifica-
help persuade the Jewish people an applicant shall state his race, tion" which satisfies the con-
tion of the claims.
all over the world that there is and each visa applicant shall sular authorities may be ar-
In Washington, Secretary of 2 THE JEWISH NEWS
indeed, a new spirit in Ger- also be required to state his bitrarily denied visas under the
State Deah Acheson hailed the
Friday, September 19, 1952
many."
ethnic classification, in accord- i new act.
t
—
Purely Commentary
Anticipating an Exciting 5713:
Internal and External Challenges
That Will- Face Us in the New Year
We can look forward to an exciting year. In 5712
munal schools. Education remains;-' by far, the most
we were at the crossroads of many developing situa-
important of our needs. Given an understanding
tions. The Maclver Report was new and unpredict-
youth, we shall have a better chance to retain the
able, and in 5713 it is an accepted reality tat is ac-
loyalties of the rising generation and to regain the
companied by splits in our communal structure. In
interest of their parents. We need a wholesome- adult
the year now ending the Israel Bond campaigis
education program, and we are obligated to provide
clashed with United Jewish Appeal drives, and in the
for our children the most attractive environments and
coming months we shall undoubtedly witness stabil-
the most effective curricula in the Jewish schools.
ization of agreements in local communities to avoid
In this field, too, there are conflicts, but they are
conflicts.
resolvable. There is no reason for assuming that it
The year now concluding witnessed the dramatic
will be necessary at all times to condone competition
pact between Israel and world Jewry and the West
in the capturing of souls—in the interest of numerical
German government, with an assurance of $822,000,-
strength—by our varied school systems. In the course
000 indemnification for losses sustained by Jews at the
of time it should be possible to cement a centralized
hands of the murderous Nazis. But the months to
school system which should serve the entire commun-
come will yet present challenges involving the resurg-
ity. The issue may eventually resolve itself into a
ence of Nazism and the unending threat of fascist
difference of opinion between. parochial and ultra-
ideas to democratic ideas.
orthodox school systems and a communal system that
a
is charged with the duty of providing an education
for our youth after public school hours. Time will be
There will be seer: es of issues affecting local com-
the solvent in this issue, and the result should redound
munities. In our own city, we must strive to avoid
to the good of Jewry and America, since the Jewish
internal struggles, we must aspire to high goals in the
teachings are aimed at strengthening character, citi-
attainment of maximum educational results, we must
zenship and loyalty to faith and kinsmen.
try to retain the high standards we "setfor ourselves
in fund-raising and in social services.
Everything points to an exciting 5713. It may not
One would have to be both heartless and totally
be a very peeaceful year, but the conflicts should be lacking in understanding to omit reference to Israel
as a major item on the calendar of community plan-
welcomed as the means of adjusting differences of
opinion and of establishing an understanding among ning and as a top obligation on the part of American
JeWry.
the clashing parties in American Jewry. As long as
the issues are aired in the open, we have a better
• "Israel has been accepted by the world at large. In
chance to attain cooperation. After all, what we
the article "Germany's Lonely Jews," in Look Maga-
crave for is a cooperative spirit in Jewry, and if pos-
Zine, William AttWood, Look's European editor, while
sible a large measure of unity. Every person of un-
outlining the tragedies of the 24,000 surviving Jews in
derstanding rejects uniformity, since the right to
Germany, and describing the reasons for declining
differ is a basic mile in Jewry and in Americanism. But
anti-Semitism—mainly due to the disappearance of
unity is essential for the attainment of the highest
the Jews—makes this .interesting comment: --
goals to which we strive.
"Many Germans also acquired a grudging ad-
a
a
a
miration for Israel's fighting prowess in its war with
In 5713 we shall be called upon to strengthen our
the Arab states. 'They have more respect for the
internal position through understanding, by means of
Jews now,' explained an American official. "Ein-
expanded educational programs, by striving to enroll
stein's scientific achievements never impressed them
all school-age children for Jewish studies in our corn-
as much as those Israeli victories'."
By Philip
Slomovitz
But they are not the military victories alone that
have gained respect for Israel_ and through Israel for
Jewry. There also are economic achievements, cul-
tural progress, national dignity, which have combined
to gain respect for Jews as state-builders. If not for
Israel, it might have been -impossible to score a tri-
umph around a conference table during the repara-
tions talks. The U. S. State Department's recent
friendly attitude toward Israel is a high mark in in-
ternational developments. The friendly hands ex-
tended to Israel by many states are indications of
moral victories.
Israel, however, still faces many enemies. There
are struggles within and without the state, and the
young republic must have our help. We can not let
her down and we must continue our aid through the
United Jewish Appeal, through the Israel Bond drives,
by supporting the Jewish National Fund and Hadassah
and by giving encouragement to the Zionist parties--
Mizrachi, General Zionists, Labor—whose chief tasks
are to help krael.
We would display shortsightedness if we failed to
take into account the dangers that lurk in Europe and
throughout the world from anti-Semites. The anti-
Semitic and Nazi ghosts still stalk the highways and
byways of many lands. William Attwood, in the Look
Magazine article, warns of the justified apprehensions
among German Jews over the pro-Nazi sentiments
that are evident wherever they walk. There are anti-
Semitic evidences elsewhere, and occasionally we wit-
ness acts of bigotry in our own great land. Therefore
we must be on guard, and we must be prepared to
protect oily kinsmen.
Knowing these things, we are better prepared to
face the future. Knowing the internal conflicts and
the external dangers, we can face them with courage.
Therefore, anticipating a hectic 5713, we need not
be fearful of the future. If we are prepared amicably
to resolve difficulties and fearlessly to meet challenges
and attacks, we shall triumph in the future as we have
overcome obstacles in the past. Therefore we look
forward to a good 5713. We wish the recording of
unlimited joy and peace for all Israel and all mankind
during the twelve-month period facing us.