Committee of 300 Being Formed
To Observe Tercentenary Here;
Hold Planning Session March 3

Music, Morris Schavei and
Plans for the celebration of
the American Jewish Tercente- Dan Frohman.
nary, to mark the 300th anni-
Womens affairs, Mrs. Irving
versary of the settlement of the Small.
first organized Jewish group of
Exhibits and history, Charles
arrivals in this country, are E. Feinberg and Irving Katz.
taking shape here.
A committee of 300 is being
formed and preliminary plans
2,500,000 Children,
already have been made by the
In Released-Time
provisional committee and its
s -,,b-committees.
Definite arrangements for
CINCINNATI, (JTA) — Two
and a half million children in
the celebration will be made
at an organizational commit-
the United States are availing
tee meeting at Temple Israel
themselves of released-time
on Wednesday evening, March
from public schools for re-
3. At that time, functioning
ligious education, according to
committees will report and
a report presented to the Na-
permanent officers will be
tional Council of Churches.
elected to guide the activities
A majority of the children
of the local committee.
are Protestant, and a "small
Reports will be submitted at
number" are Jewish, the re-
the March 3 meeting by the fol-
port states.
lowing committee chairmen:
Under the released-time
School participation, Rabbi
plan, children are given an
Leon Fram, Dr. Norman Drach-
hour or more weekly from
ler, Bernard Isaacs and Sam Se-
their school schedules if they
gal.
want to avail themselves of
Religious activities, Rabbis
periods for religious instruc-
Morris Adler, Richard Hertz, M. tion.
J. Wohlgelernter.

Purely Commentary

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

The 'Payoth' Make the Front Pages
"Jews Riot" read a headline in one of the responsible New
York newspapers. "Screaming Thousands at Consulate Here Pro-
test Draft of Israeli Women" was the main head in another news-
paper over a four-column picture of an estimated 3,000 pickets at
the Israeli Consulate in New York. The mildest headline read:
°3,000 Orthodox Jews Protest at Consulate Here."
And so the "payoth" made the headlines, "a number of police
and demonstrators were knocked down in the crush" and the
fanatics had a field day. The wire services picked up the story
which was given nationwide circulation. Instead of pleading for
justice for the people of Israel who are struggling for their exist-
ence and are battling for security against great odds, "Jews rang-
ing from young rabbinical students to bearded patriarchs staged
a riotous demonstration." This is a quotation from a by-lined
story in the New York Herald Tribune.
There is nothing wrong either with beards or with payoth. In
fact, we often miss the patriarchs on our platforms, in major
Jewish deliberations, among participants in constructive Jewish
movements. But when so-called "patriarchs" and "young rabbin-
ical students" utilize their claims to the right to speak for our
faith through rowdyism, we must revert to an old saying that
it is better to have Jews without beards and payoth than payoth
sad beards without Jews.
American Jews do not even have the right to intercede in
Israel's internal decisions to conscript women. It is Israel's
business and not ours— and in the category ours we include even
the extremest fanatics. But if these people desired to express
opinions they could have done it in orderly fashion, by means of
petitions, by expressing their views in the civilized democratic
way. They failed to do that, they bargained for front page pub-
licity for a demonstration that was described as "riotous" and
thereby they have disgraced all American Jewry.
Fortunately, and we must emphasize it to their credit, the
leaders of the Mizrachi and Hapoel Hamizrachi Organizations of
America promptly repudiated the fanatics who staged the New
York demonstration. Let it be known, therefore, that those who
were responsible for the "riotous demonstration" represented a
very infinitesimal section of orthodox Jewry, in spite of the fact
that they were able to mobilize 3,000 people to participate in the
scandalous "riot."
Special mention must be made of the statement issued by
the Rabbinical Council of America,' which speaks for 550 ortho-
dox -rabbis. This council called an emergency session at which
it "disassociated itself from the shameful, degrading and violent
demonstration which took place in front of the Israeli Consu-
late." The resolution expressed regret "that the people demon-
strated under an 'Orthodox' banner," and declared that "they
do not represent Orthodox Judaism and, as Orthodox Rabbis,
we condemn such 'action as contrary to our basic religious
teachings and repugnant to the spirit of Torah. We consider
the individuals who participated in this demonstration- to be
totally misguided and the sponsoring organization to be irre-
sponsible and misled."
The Rabbinical Council, like all rational groups, expressed
recognition of the right of any individual or group to express
opinions on matters like the conscription of women in Israel,
but condemned the methods used as exceeding the bounds of
proper conduct. That's just the point. The "rioters" misbe-
haved and therefore earned only condemnation. -
The New York fanatics stand alone in their outrage. Israel's
Chief Rabbi Isaac Herzog has asked the American rabbinical
bodies to prevent such demonstrations in the future, and has
issued this statement:
"I was shocked at reports that preparations are being made
to continue the demonstrations and that a plan is afoot for a
demonstration' next Tuesday in front of the United Nations
buildings. I urge you to resort to all possible means of enlight-
enment and to bring your influence to bear towards the termina-
tion of this campaign of defamation against the State of Israel
which implies desecration of the honor of the Jewish people
before the nations of the world and is bound to bring irrepar-
able damage. This is certainly not the way in which to
strengthen and fortify our sacred faith."
Haoved Hazioni, the religious workers movement affiliated
with Histadrut, condemned the demonstration in front of the
Israel consulate in New York and asserted that the demonstration
in New York could only hurt its organizers.
But how can the fanatics be curbed and taught "derekh eretz?
Only the force of public opinion and the refusal of rational ele-
ments to vindicate such acts can possibly prevent repetition of the
indecent demonstrations.

Christian Palestine Parley Asks Arab-Israel
Peace Talks; Attacks Shipment of Arms

Telegraphic Agency)
(Copyright, 1954, .tewish
der low, being a veiled threat off
The United States and the war, which raised serious doubts
WASHINGTON — Resolutions
calling for Arab-Israel peace by United Nations, backed by the as to whether Saudi Arabia
direct negotations and opposing Christian community can do should continue to be considered
the sending of arms by the something to relieve tensions in la peace-loving nation."
* *
United States to Arab countries the Middle East, he said.
Michigan's Delegates
as long as they did not conclude
He regretted the fact that
Philip A. Hart, Legal Adviser
peace with Israel were adopted Jerusalem is "a city divided by
Tuesday at the final session barbed wire." His organization's to Governor G. Mennen Williams
of the national conference position on the status. of that and former U. S. District Attor-
of the American Christian Pal- city, he said, is the same as that ney, and Rev. William B. Sperry,
estine Committee, attended by expressed by Secretary of State Pastor of Christ Episcopal
more than 300 Christian leaders John Foster Dulles: "Some forM Church on East Jefferson, were
from all over the country.
of political arrangement re- the two Michigan delegates to
Other resolutions supported specting Jerusalem should be set the National Conference of the
the efforts being made by the up, giving precedence to the American Christian Palestine
U.S. Gevernment to persuade claims of the world religious Committee held in Washington,
Arab states to accept Israel as a ' community to the city over the D. C: on February 14-16.
Mr. Hart is a disabled veteran
free and sovereign nation with- political claims of any particular
of World War II in which he
in the Near East region. They nation."
served with distinction and was
lauded the constructive efforts
Rev. Karl Baehr, ACPC exe-
of the U.S. Government to aid cutive director, said the con- mustered out as Lieutenant Col-
all peoples of the Near East, and flict between Israelis and Arabs onel. He was formerly the direc-
also commended Secretary of "is unfortunate but understand- tor of the Michigan Office of
State John Foster Dulles for able, and above all, capable of Price Stabilization.
Rev. Sperry is the former
"forthrightly supporting" direct resolution." Rev. Baehr added
negotiations between Israel and that besides bringing death and chairman of the public affairs
division of the Episcopal Diocese
Jordan.
destruction and creating thou- of Michigan and served as one
The conference adopted a sands of refugees, both Arab and of the directors of the Detroit
resolution applauding t h e Jewish, the conflict has precipi- Council of Churches.
"sacrificial efforts" on the tated a propaganda struggle in
part of American Jews to pro- America."
vide both gifts and capital
The United Nations should Johnston Admits His
funds for Israel. At the same investigate the reported remark Jordan River Plan
time it praised the Zionists and of King Saud that the Arab
the friends of Zionism states should not hesitate to Is Unsatisfactory
throughout the world for sacrifice ten million of their own
WASHINGTON, (JTA) — Re-
having sought a homeland people to wipe out Israel, the vealing that the plan he sub-
for Jews "so that Jews who conference was told by Dr. Carl mitted for a Jordan Valley Au-
felt the sting of discrimination J. Friedrich, professor of gov- thority was unsatisfactory to Is-
and the lash of persecution ernment at Harvard University, rael, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon,
might live in freedom and who expressed "deepest concern" , Ambassador Eric Johnsto n,
dignity."
over the Saudi Arabian King's ;President Eisenhower's s p e e i al
The conference deplored the statement. He said "it (the re- envoy to the Near East, an-
repeated statements of Arab mark) should be made the basis nounced he would return to these
leaders that they never negotiate of an inquiry on the part of the countries next month to obtain
a settlement with Israel but will UN because if true, it consti- suggestions for making another
seek only to destroy it. "We de- tutes a challenge to the very plan acceptable to the four
plore the fact that Arab nations foundations of world order un- countries.
went to war against Israel in
protest against the United Na-
tions partition resolution of
1947," one of the resolutions
stated.
Another resolution praised Is-
By NATHAN Z I PRI N
rael's acts of friendship and
(Copyright, 1954, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate)
good faith and lauded the Jew-
ish state for having established From Lion Taming to Sheep Raising
a democratic society with civil,
The settlement secretary of Kibbutz Megido, near Haifa,
religious, cultural and political survived the shock but the tale will linger with him for many
freedom for all its citizens.
years to come. He had seen in his day many beautiful women
The conference recommended in Israel and the prospect of having the attractive creature
that the U. S. Government con- before him becoming a member of his kibbutz was certainly
tinue to help both Israel and the no cause for shock. True, Joyce Haneman had come all the
Arab states by contributing to way from Australia to join the colony, and it isn't everyday
the relief and resettlement of that people come half way around the world to throw in their
each group's refugee population fate with the rugged pioneer conditions of life in Israel.
and by granting increased eco-
But it wasn't this which made the secretary wince. It was
nomic and technical assistance. the work record which gave Miss Haneman's occupation az lion
The delegates went on record tamer. What would the colony do with a lion tamer, and a
as supporting the appointment female at that?
of an international commission
After recovering from the shock, the secretary smilingly re-
to be authorized to supervise marked that there had been no lions in Israel since Biblical days.
only the Holy Places in. Jeru- But they might come back, he twinklingly added, even as the
salem but to leave all political sheep which too had disappeared for the most part but have now
concerns in the city to the re- been revived into an important industry, sheep-raising, through
spective governments of Israel the stimulus of Israel bond funds. Miss Haneman of course ac-
and Jordan.
cepted the job of shepherdess, and she has since then had the
The U. S. Government was pleasure of havibg among her stock strains of sheep from her
urged by the conference to native Australia.
Explaining how she had come to the strange occupation of
protest to the United Nations
Security Council the illegal lion taming, Miss Haneman said it was all very simple. She always
stoppage by Egypt of Israel- loved animals of all kinds, and weren't lions animals? Once she
bound ships in the Suez Canal saw an advertisement in the paper for an assistant lion tamer
and the Gulf of Eilath. The with the Bertram Mills Circus. She applied and got the job.
Alas, but for Israel, she might still be taming lions instead
American Government also
was urged to continue work in tending sheep.
•
•
cooperation with the United
.• .•
Deserved
Status
Nations for the most equitable A
Inclusion of Yiddish in the Brittanica World Language Dic-
solution of the Arab refugee
problem by resettling the ref- tionary is more than mere recognition of that tongue as one of
ugees in the potentially plen- the principal languages of the world, since the sad truth is that
tiful lands of the several Arab the millions who tongued and quilled tales in that idiom have
forever been silenced.
nations.
Although the editors and publishers of the dictionary give no
A mutual defense pact for the
Near East patterned after the reason for the specific inclusion of Yiddish in so monumental a
NATO treaty was proposed at work, compiled under the direction and staff of the Encyclopedia
the conference by a prominent Brittanica, the feeling persists in this corner that they were
Protestant church 'authority on mindful of the unbelievable literary legacy left by Yiddish as
foreign affairs, Dr. Walter Van well as of the continued contributions being made in that tongue
Kirk, executive director of the to the literary wealth of the world.
In recent years the voice of that idiom began reaching greater
National Council of Churches'
and
department of international numbers through the medium of translation. Peretz, Mendele some
Sholem Aleichem were beginning to be ensconsed in at least
justice and goodwill.
President Eisenhower's homes where books are read. Soon the world began realizing
policy is one of sympathetic and that the Yiddish post-classicists were masters comparable to any
astounded
friendly understanding toward in the modern tongues. And Asch emerged before an
literary
world
which
to
this
day
has
not
largely
either
essayed
or
these countries, he stated. Our
aid policy should therefore be appreciated the richness and originality of Yiddish creativity,
economic, technical and dip- particularly in verse.
Where there is talent, the way to expression is bound to come.
lomatic and proferred as much But the Yiddish medium was comparatively young and it did not
as possible under the aegis of yet absorb the linguistic modernity of our age, a handicap that
the United Nations, he recom- might have discouraged all but the dedicated. In the end, the
mended. This would be in Yiddish artist not only conquered form, but created a new lan-
harmony with Eisenhower's guage beyond the horizons of its original creators. They anvilled
announced policy, he said
tool and instrument as well.
The preservation of that treasure now unfortunately falls te,
2 DETROIT JEWISH NEWS the few who bear the dedication with hope —a hope that bas
been bolstered by the Encyclopedia Brittanica scholars.
Friday, February I9, 1954

On the Record

of

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