Only Way to Put Out a Flame THE JEWISH NEWS Incorporating the Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20, 1951 . Member American Association of English-Jewisb Newspap ► rs, Michigan Press Association. Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing Co., 17100 West Seven Mile Road, Detroit 36, Mich.. VIC gubscription M. a year, foreign S5. Kntered as second class matter Aug. 6, 1942, at Post Office, Detroit, Mich., under Act of March 3. 1879 PHILIP SLOMOVITZ Editor and Publisher VOL. XXV, No. 4 - • z • , . • - - • FRANK SIMONS City Editor SIDNEY SHMARAK Advertising Manager April 2, 1954 Page 4 Sabbath Scriptural Selections This Sabbath. the twenty-ninth day of Adar Sheni, 5714, the following Scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues: Pentateuchal portions, Lev. 12:1-13:59, Ex. 12:1-20; Prophetical portion, Ezek. 45:16-46:18. On Sunday, Rosh Hodesh Nisan, Num. 28.1-15 will be read during morning services. - .4 Licht Benshen, Friday, April 2, 6:41 P.ril• A Deserved Rebuke to Anti-Israel Council Dr. J. Coert Rylaarsdam, associate pro- fessor of Old Testament Theology at the Federated Theological Faculty of the Uni- v6rsity of Chicago since 1945, -knows what he is talking about when he refers to the Zionist movement and to the State of Is- rael. He was a Near East missionary and instructor at the American School for Boys in Basra, Iraq, from 1931 to 1935, and there- fore knows and understands conditions in that area. He is a member of the Dutch Reform Church, studied at the New Bruns- wick Theological Seminary where he later was professor of Old Testament, and re- ceived his Ph.D. degree in Old Testament Theology at the Divinity School of the Uni- versity of Chicago. This distinguished theologian has been approached for support by the destructively anti-Israel "Judaism" Council. His response is a masterpiece of expose. It not only ex- plodes the anti-Zionist views of the handful of deleterious Jews but offers strong de- fense. of Israel's position, as follows: "I have received your letter of Jan. 14, together with various, pamphlets and state- ments explaining the position and work of the American Council for Judaism. "I am a Christian who has been an out- spoken friend and supporter of the Zionist movement. I rejoice with Israel, the inter- national community of faith, at the establish- ment of Israel, the political State. I do not believe that the American loyalty of a Jew is compromised by the existence of the State of Israel, nor do I believe that it destroys the universality .of the faith he professes. I ,realize, with most of my Jewish friends, that it is not . always easy to make clear the distinction between Judaism as a universal faith, and Israel as a political state. But it is impossible for me to conclude therefrom that either one or the other is illegitimate. As a Protestant Christian, and an American, I stand for a pluralistic approach to American life and cul- ture. I fear any encroachment toward a mono- lithic cultural structure in American society. Jews and Catholics bring to our common scene patterns of life and culture inspired by a religious tradition and heritage which can be enriching for all of us, and help to ensure variety and freedom. The relation between faith and culture is always open to a variety of interpretations, but I can see little point to a faith which does not exert some very emphatic and distinctive cultural influences. "I would view with dismay any attempt to assimilate Judaism so readily to a secular American pattern of life that could no longer exercise a critical cultural influence. "I am not at all persuaded that your coun- cil is rendering either Judaism or America a positive service. I rather fear that you are an embarrassment to Judaism that comes at an unpropitious time. I am also afraid lest you 'sell short' and fail to appreciate as you should, the great civilizing and critical func- tion which is the historic mission and heritage of Israel." Dr. Rylaarsdam's declaration is espe- cially welcome at this time, when Israel's enemies have ganged up to seek the destruc- tion of the young state that exists against great odds amidst violent enemies. It is valuable, too, because a number of Chris- tians who have taught at American Uni- versities in the Middle East are generally known to be unfriendly to the Zionist cause and in many instances to Jewry. It is heart- ening, therefore, to hear the friendly words of an eminent Christian who takes a strong stand in defense of our people's just posi- tion in a struggle for survival. Socio - Economic Data About Michigan Jewry The socio-economic data on the Jewish population of the United States, published in the 1954 volume of the Ainerican Jewish Year BoOk, lists the Jewish populations of Michigan cities which have a record of 100 or more Jews... Detroit is credited with having only 72,000 • JewS and the other recorded • cities are reported as having the following Jewish populations : Ann Arbor, 240; Battle Creek, 160; Bay City, 800; Benton . Harbor, 830; Flint, 3,000; Grand Rapids, 1,400; Iron City, 161; Iron. Mountain, 104 ; Jackson, 200 ; Kalamazoo, 640; Lansing, 700; Marquette City, 175; Mt. Clemens, 300; Muskegon, 400; Pontiac, 700; Port Huron, 130; Saginaw, 600; South Haven, 450. Compilation of Jewish population figures usually being, at best, an estimate rather than a thoroughly accurate computation, we cannot accept with certainty the infor- mation that there are only 72,000 Jews in Detroit. It is our belief that the actual figures for Detroit have been underestimat- ed, although we concur in the view held in some quarters here that the claim of a Jewish population of 100,000 for our com- munity is an exaggeration. The figures for the other cities are, undoubtedly. more accurate. It is so much easier to secure the desired facts in a closely-knit community, where everyone knows his neighbors where it is less difficult to contact all the Jewish residents during fund-raising for the United Jewish Appeal and for the major Jewish causes. Of special interest is the rise of the pop- ulation figure in Flint, which now is the second largest Jewish community in Mich- igan. Twenty years ago it was believed that this position was held by Grand Rapids. Pontiac Jewry is among the more pro- gressive of Michigan's Jewish communities and its rise in numbers attests to its strength. Except for Ann Arbor, no other Michigan Jewish community has made any particular advance in population numbers. The 1954 Year Book lists 10 Michigan Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds. Topped by Detroit's Jewish Welfare Federa- tion, which sponsors the Allied Jewish Campaign, there are the foliowing: South- alt The 1954 American Jewish Year Book AMERICAN JEWISH YEARBOOK, 1954, Volume 55. Editor, Morris Fine; Associate Editor, Jacob Sloan. Published by American Jewish Committee and Jewish Publication Society of America. In September, 1954, the Jewish communities in the United States will begin a year's celebration of the 300th anniversary of Jewish settlement in the United States. A number of communities plan community histories, to supplement - the documentary history of the Jews in the United States announced for preparation by the American Jewish Tercentenary Committee, headed by the well-known scholar, Prof. Salo Baron. 'One of the best sources that those engaged in compiling these histories will be able to refer to is the American Jewish Year Book, which has been appearing since the beginning of this century, and whose fifty-fifth volume has just appeared. The new volume again presents the complex picture of Jewish life against the background of world events. Basically factual, the Year Book still manages to indicate the dramatic highlights of 1952-53, the year under review. One naturally turns to the Year Book for the latest estimates of the populations of various Jewish communities in this country (the present volume adds. new estimates for New York City and its environs, which have grown considerably since World War II). Turning the pages, one also uncovers a wealth of relevant information that illuminates today's headlines, as well as yesterday's. What was the full story of the Finaly Affair that -so exacerbated relations between Jews and Catholics in France, and whose reverberations were heard all over the world? Why .was the ex-Nazi Werner Naumann's unsuccessful bid for Power ' in Western Germany so important? How do turbulent Middle I Eastern politics and violent nationalism influence the history of Arab-Israel relations? Though it ranges over the globe in its meticulous coverage of subjects of Jewish concern, the American Jewish Year Book natur- ally devotes. more than half its pages to chronicling the life and interests of the largest Jewish community in the world, that in the United-States. Articles dealing with discrimination in educa- tion, employment, housing, and immigration reflect American Jewry's desire for equality of treatment and opportunity in our democratic society. Naturally, a large section of the - American Jewish Year Book reports communal affairs, so basic to Jewish life in this country. In addition to its often-referred to lists and directories of Jewish national organizations, periodicals, welfare funds and community councils, the Year Book is again enhanced this year by a thorough (thirty page) index that makes all of the informa- tion in its more than 550 pages readily accessible. eastern Michigan Jewish Welfare Federa- tion, Bay City ; Jewish Community Fund of Berrien County, Benton Harbor; Jewish Community Council, Flint ; Jewish Commun- ity Fund, Grand Rapids; Jewish Welfare Council, Kalamazoo; Jewish Welfare Federa- tion, Lansing ; United Jewish Charities, Muskegon; Jewish Welfare Federation and Council, Pontiac; Jewish Welfare Federa- tion, Saginaw. In the main, therefore, Michigan's Jew- ish communities have made marked progress Kitchen Anti-Semitism—DAR Incident in community planning and in providing By NATHAN ZIPRIN their populations with basic social welfare needs. Detroit has especially advanced in The school of thought which holds that anti-Semitism will the field of Jewish education, an area of, I not vanish in a society where there is still need for psychiatrists activity which the other communities aim registered another triumph at the recent convention of the New Jersey section of the Daughters of the American Revolution where to emulate. The current Year Book contains valuable a so-called lady pulled an anti-Semitic strip tease, to the evident be facts which should serve in guiding our delight of an audience whose sensibilities would ordinarily word expected to register offense at the mere mention of the communties in their planning of projects nakedness, even perhaps in so meaningful a context as "moral for the advancement of the local population nakedness." The significant silence with which the lewd per- as well as in providing aid for our kinsmen formance was received could not be interpreted other than a overseas—especially in Israel. demonstration of assent. It was not until a courageous woman Vital Quotes "Any failure by the UN to assess the blame promptly for the Scorpion Pass killings can only encourage new attacks and new killings." —N.Y. Herald Tribune. "The only real solution is acceptance by the Arabs of the. reality of an Israeli state and mutual cooperation and goodwill in a land sacred to the religions of all the parties 'in- volved."—N.Y. Times. , peace, Israel is on un- "In seeking . assailable ground. In resisting it, the Arab na- tions are subject to condemnation by the rest of the free world."—Chicago Daily Sun-Times. "The plain fact is that the Arab states have refused to take any serious steps that might contribute to peace and stability . . . The Arab nations can accomplish nothing but irritation and provocation by their tactics." —N.Y. Herald Tribune. The facts are plain. Israel's quest for peace is acknowledged in civilized quarters. Arab intransigence is being coddled by frightened statesmen who fail to recognize that unless there is peace in the Middle East there may be war everywhere. U.S. and UN statesmen should act quickly against Arab aggression and for world peace. by the name of Lynn dared bludgeon them with the truth that the performance was as un-American as un-Christian that there was a ripple of realization among the daughters that they were witness and party to sin. True enough, another woman, an offi- cial of the DAR, promiSed it "will not happen again," but her assurance would have been more encouraging if it simultaneously disclosed how it happened that a creature notorious for anti- Jewish views was permitted to address the convention. Trained in the skill of smearing and deception, the conven- tion's entertainer developed a most dangerous anti-Semitic ap- proach, kitchen anti-Semitism. Instead of rationalizing and argu- ing, the snake dancer just moved about the kitchens and darted poison into every pot and pan by calling the attention of the housewives to the obvious fact that kosher products bear kosher symbols while insiduously hinting that all that pointed to a Jewish conspiracy to foist the cost and observance of kashruth on Christian women. What she quite obviously failed to mention was that there was no need for Christian women to purchase kosher products. But since this simple truth would demolish her argument about a bold minority imposing its religious observances Upon an apathetic minority, she chose to hide it. Her purpose was even clearer when she wept that the vestments Christian ministers were wearing when performing religious duties were being washed with cleansing products upon which, she claimed, "another religion had already performed a ritual without their knowledge." Here the lady is at least genuinely original, for this is the first time it has come to our attention that kosher soap is required for laundry purposes. Well, if the lady is so sensitive to certain admixtures her logi- cal step should have been advocacy of Christendom cleansing itself of all Jewish influences, including Jesus and His disciples, eves as her lord and master, Hitler, did. . . •