THE JEWISH NEWS
Jews by Birth:
How Shall They
Who Reject Us
A
Be Treated?
Commentary, Page 2
Weekly Review
of Jewish Events
Michigan's Only English-Jewish Newspaper—Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle
VOLUME 25—No. 23
wkr-V1* 7
17100 W. 7 Mile Rd.—VE. 8-9364—Detroit 35, August 13, 1954
Abba Hillel Silver:
Congressional
Tribute to a
Great Leader
Story on Page 20
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Moroccan, Tunisian Officials Act
To Prey nt Anti-Jewish Policies;
Believe 350 000 Jp e,T N■ A f! Wie riTheD
, ewshs nger
,
ALGIERS—Francis Lacoste, French resident - general in Morocco Tuesday ex-
pressed his "deep regret" over the pogrom which cost six Jewish lives last week at
Petitjean. He, assured that he will "put into effect all steps possible in order to prevent
Jews and other sections of our population from being harmed as a result of the propa-
ganda let loose here in consequence of the campaign of hatred launched by extremists."
These assurances were wired by him to Benjamin Heller, president of the Federation of Jew-
ish Communities of Algeria, and Jacques Lazarus, head of the World Jewish Congress North
African Bureau. The Jewish leaders had telegraphed M. LaCoste, after last week's pogrom, ex-
pressing "deep emotion and shock over the outrageous murders." They urged M. LaCoste to take
"all meaures insuring the efficient protection o f Moroccan subjects of Jewish origin," and re
quested him to take steps leading to the "arrest and just punishment of the instigators and execu-
tors of the massacre."
American Jewish Representatives Seek Non-Discrimination Assurances
TUNIS—Zechariah Schuster, European director for the American Jewish Committee, and
Dr. Maurice Perlzweig, representing the World Jewish Congress, are continuing their talks here
With Tunisian Jewish and political leaders to ma ke sure that there will be no discrimination
against Jews in the new convention now bein g drawn for limited internal autonomy for this
French protectorate. There are 80,000 native Jews in Tunisia.
There are general guarantees on the law books here now securing equal rights for Jews.
An 1857 treaty asserts that "no distinction 'is to be made between Tunisian Moslems and Tunisian
Jews." Article 86 of the Tunisian constitution of 1861 provides that "all subjects of the Tunisian
regency of whatever religion have the right to complete security of person, property and honor."
Leaders of the Jewish community here ha ve, however, informed Mr. Schuster and Dr.
Perlzweig that there -have been instances of legislative discrimination against Jews. A 1937 re-
form law admitting Tunisians to governmental po sts, heretofore reserved for Frenchmen only,
states that those positions should be open to Tunisian Moslems only. The Jewish community is
seeking guarantees against further discriminatio n of that kind under the new regime.
•
Roads and a Fleet:
With the aid of the
Israel Development Bond Issue, Israeli engineers and con-
struction workers are building (upper photo) the structural
framework for a reinforced concrete bridge being completed
along a new highway which connects settlements in the Ju-
daean hills with Jerusalem. In the lower photo, the Kedmah,
one of Israel's merchant ships, is shown docked at Haifa
Harbor, whose expansion was made possible with funds pro-
vided by the Israel Bond Issue. Haifa's shipping capacity has
been increased from 1,300,000 tons to 4,000,000. Israel
now owns 34 ships totalling more than 140,000 registered
tons, including four passenger steamers, five modern fruit
carriers and 23 freighters.
Jews in Tunisia Assloted of Equal Treatment by New Premier
PARIS, (JTA)—Jews in Tunisia were assured by the newly-formed all-Moslem Tunisian
governmento that there would be no anti-Jewish discrimination in the country when it secures
its internal sovereignty from the French government. It was indicated by members of the Tuni-
sian Cabinet that. the Moslem leaders will never forget that Tunisia received its autonomy through
the efforts of French Prethier Pierre Mendes-Fra nce, who is Jewish.
Reports reaching Jewish groups here from Tunisia say that the new Tunisian Premier,
Tahar ben Ammar, told Jewish leaders that the y have nothing to fear when the country will
cease to be a French Protectorate and will be come independent.
Three members of the new Cabinet left for Paris to negotiate agreements with the
French government, guaranteeing the rights of French residents in Tunisia—among whom there
are about 20,000 Jews. The other 80,000 Jews in Tunisia are natives, and will fall under the
general laws of the country after it acquires its internal sovereignty.
Jewish Groups Worried Over Fate of Jews in Morocco, Tunisia
Jewish organizations are seriously worried over the continued outbreaks in French Morocco,
in which iJews are being murdered and their pro perty looted in the fight between Moslem na-
tionalists, who insist on the return to Morocco o f the former Sultan, Sidi Mohammed ben Youssef,
and the followers of the present French-appointed Sultan, Sidi Mohammed ben Moulay Araf a.
Although the Jews are not involved in the political fight now raging in Morocco, they are in
mortal fear, especially in the small towns wher e incited crowds are utilizing the tension to loot
Jewish stores. The situation is reported here to b e especially precarious for Jews in Fez.
Jewish organizations also are watching the developments in Tunisia, where a new all-Arab
Cabinet was formed with power to negotiate a self-government agreement with France. There
are more than 250,000 Jews in Morocco. In Tunisia, there are about 100,000 Jews scattered in
about 25 towns, with 60,000 of them in Tunis.
Reform Theological College Establishes School of
Oriental Research in Israel; Dr. Glueck Discovers
Tracks of Abraham-. Lot-Chedorlaomer Biblical Story
JERUSALEM, (JTA)
A graduate School of Oriental Research will be es-
tablished here in a new building on a plot of ground just leased from the Government
at one Israeli pound a year, according to an announcement by Dr. Nelson " Glueck,
president of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, of Cincinnati.
The site for the new building is on a two-acre plot on the north side of the
King David Hotel, directly across a small valley from, the West Wall of the Old City.
When the building is constructed, Dr. Glueck said, not only students from the Cincinna-
ti institution but also other scholars, of all religions, interested in graduate study of
Bible, Hebrew language or history, will be accommodated at the researh center.
(Dr. Glueck, who is currently pursuing his archeological work in Israel, stated last
week, in .Jerusalem, that he is convinced he has found the trail of Chedorlaomer, king
of Elam whose story is told in the 14th chapter of Genesis, in the Negev. The 4,000,-
year-old story is about the king who made the mistake of capturing Abraham's
nephew, Lot, near Sodom. Accompanied by 318 armed servants, Abraham tracked
Chedorlaomer to Dan and freed Lot after slaughtering the Persians. Dr. Glueck,
who is exploring the area with the assistance of the Louis M. Rabinowitz Foundation,
said he was confident he has discovered the trail of Chedorlaomer's destruction across
the desert. The president of Hebrew Union College said the evidence he found sub-
stantiates the Biblical story.)
(Dr. Moshe Davis, provost of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, a
graduate of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, in lectures in major Israeli cities
last week, asserted that Israelis have little- knowledge about American Jewish com-
munities and stated that they need to understand how their fellow Jews fit into Ameri-
can life. Dr. Davis, who is lecturing in Israel in behalf of the American Jewish Ter-
centenary Committee and the Jewish Agency for Palestine, urges that vigorous ef-
forts he made to establish contact between Israel and American intellectuals.)
—
Bible in Art!
The Old Testament in modern
art now covers the front lounge wall of the Bnai Brith Hillel
Foundation at the University of Alabama. This 1 1 -by-25-
foot mural was painted in modern semi-abstract style by
Prof. Howard C. Goodson, of the University Art Department.
The tablet of the Ten Commandments, Moses' cradle, the
burning bush and illustrations of Jewish holidays can be
seen in this portion of the tremendous mural. Prof. Good-
son, an Episcopalian, conferred at each stage of the mural's
development with Rabbi A. Fischel, right, director of the
Hillel Foundation at the University of Alabama. Among the
distinguished guests present at its presentation recently were
Abba Eban, Israel's ambassador to the United States; Dr.
John M. Gallallee, president of the University of Alabama;
,
and William P. Bloom, member of the National Anti-De-
famation Commission (af, Bnai Brith.