THE JEWISH NEWS

Start of the 8th Year of Independence

incorporating the Detroit Jewish Chronicle conzmencing with issue of July 20, 1951

Member American Association of English-Jewish Newspapers. Michigan Press Association. National Editorial Association
Published every Friday by The JeWish News Publishing Co 17100 West Seven Mile Road, Detroit 35, Mich., VE. 8-9364
Subscription $4 a year, Foreign $5.
Entered as second class matter Aug. 6. 1442, at Post Office, Detroit, Mich., under Act of March 3, 1679

PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher

SIDNEY. SHMARAK
Advertising Manager

Page Four

VOL. XXVII. No. 10

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FRANK SIMONS
City Editor

May 13,1955

Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath; the twenty-second day of lyar, .5715, the following Scriptural selections - will be

read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Lev. 25:1-27:34. Prophetical portion. Jar. 15:1947:14.

Licht Benshen, Friday, May 13, 7:24 p.m.

Connivance at 'Slow Murder of Israel'

On the eve of the seventh anniversary
of Israel's independence, Richard H. S.
Crossman, Labor Member of the British
House of Commons who was a member of
the United Nations Special Committee on
Palestine (UNSCOP), writing in the New
Statesman and Nation of London under the
heading "Death by Slow Murder," was pes-
simiStic about Israel's future.
He came back from another visit to
Israel "with an alarming impression." He
maintains. that Israel's future "is once again
in doubt." The Jewish state's "four frontiers
with virtually no hinterland, its back to
the sea and facing a desert of Arab hatred,"
place it in great danger "even if there were
a formal peace."
This is a viewpoint that can not be taken
lightly. Israelis themselves take it seriously,
according to Mr. Crmsman, with the result
that there now is a clash between two fac-
tions—Prime Minister Moshe Sharett's Co-
existers and the extremist Activists.
It is the work of the latter that has
caused so much anxiety in recent years —
as a result of the Kibya and Gaza incidents
and t h e numerous inevitable retaliations
which were necessary in order to make it
plain to Arab marauders and their support-
ing governments — primarily Egypt — that
the Israelis will not yield to- invading mur-
derous and pillaging gangs.

administer a severe rebuke to Israel, and urge
the UN to impose a stricter control along the
Armistice line. Then, having cleared their con-
sciences by this completely ineffective action, the
British and American Governments proceed with
their policy of shoring up the pro-Western
cliques in the Arab States by means of military
assistance, although every one knows that the
only enemy the Arabs could ever fight is the
State of Israel. What hypocrisy it all is! I do not
blame the Arab governments for maintaining
the state of war, and using UNWRA and military
assistance for their own purposes, as long as
they can get away with it. 'What - sickens me is
that Britain should connive at the slow murder
of Israel while purporting to wish her well."
*
*

Thus, we are faced not only with an eva-
luation, but also with accusations which jus-
tify the criticisms leveled by Jewish com-
munities at our own State Department and
at the Western Bloc in the United Nations,
and with challenges to Jewry.
The accusations are based on tragic facts.
Oil continues to be a measuring rod, al-
though it is usually apparent that the Arabs,
who are vitally in need of American friend-
ship and money — especially our money —
would not permit the fate of their refugees,
whom they keep in bondage as a weapon
against Israel, or the Jewish state's progress,
to stand in the way of securing the gravy
that is being dished out to them.
The challenge is, of course, to the con-
science of the democratic nations. But poli-
The root of the problem lies in the en- tical expediency has emerged triumphant
couragement that is being given to the Arabs over moral issues.
Because Israel's survival is seriously in-
by Great Britain and the United States.
There is a lot of • lip service to claims of volved in the controversy, there also is a
challenge to the Jews of the world. As long
friendship for Israel, but in the final ana-
lysis the Jewish state is getting the worst of as world Jewry will refuse to permit "an ac-
treatment from•governments that purport to ceptance of death by slow strangulation,"
Israel will remain .fairly secure in the midst
be its friends.
"What makes this controversy so bitter," of a hostile world. That is why it is so ur-
gent that Our help to Israel should . not be
writes Mr. Crossman; referring to the con-
test- betwen the two contending forces in diminished, that our philanthropic cam-
Israel, "Ls that each side is right in pointing paigns to assist in the integration of new-
comers into Israel's economy should be given
out the futility of the policy advocated by
its opponents. Britain and America are com- greater rather than diminishing returns.
In a sense, the fate of Israel still is in
pelling Israel to choose between a suicidal
our hands. Mr. Crossman's warnings are in
attempt to break the noose and an accept-
largest measure addressed to us — the Jews
ance of death by slow strangulation." He
of America. We have it in our power —
continues with this statement:
"That is why the political crisis in Israel can-
through the philanthropic funds and the in-
not be resolved. Forced to choose between two
vestment dollars and by means of our in-
hopeless policies, the Israeli government veers to
fluence upon the statesmen of the world —
and fro, between Activism and Co-existence, and
to reaffirm our faith that there will be no
occasionally reaches a compromise, such as the
such thing as the murder or strangulation
recent military operation in the Gaza Strip—a
of Israel; that, on the contrary, through our
'little break out' which gets the worst of both
aid, Israel will gain strength and will become
worlds. When that happens, the Security Conn..
cil meets and Mr. Dulles and Sir Anthony jointly . the beacon of .faith to all who seek._ peace.

Publication Socie ty's Bible Project

Accompanying the important announce-
ment made by the Jewish Publication So-
ciety of America, of its plans for the re-
vision of the JPS Bible translation, was the

Dr. Hershman: 75

To Dr. A. M.' Hershman go our heartiest
good wishes on his 75th birthday, which he
will celebrate on May 19.
As Rabbi of Congregation Shaarey Zedek
for nearly half a century—presently serving
his synagogue as Rabbi Emeritus; as scholar
and man of research; Rabbi Hershman has
earned the wide acclaim he. is receiving in
recognition of his attainments.
Author of several very important books,
Dr. Hershman has the distinction of having
had them • translated and published in He-
brew in Israel.
His sermons have been quoted so widely
that they have been. presented to theological
students as models for American preachers.
On the eve of his 75th birthday, we pray
that Dr. Hershman should be granted
strength to continue with his research work
in the field of Jewish scholarship. We wish
him and his. family well on this important
occasion not only for him and his family but
for the entire community he has
served so 'Well.'

information that a major portion of . the So-
ciety's income comes from the sale of Bibles.
This is a. most encouraging phenomenon
in era when it is most difficult to sell
books in large quantities and when it is be-
lieved that the Bible is not read too widely.
The deplorable fact is that less than a fifth
of one per. cent of the Jews of this country
are affiliated with the Society. Yet, its major
accomplishment is the distribution of Bibles.
This is a step in the direction .of progress.
. The -- present Bible. translation was .com-
pleted: in 1917. The . revision is expected to
add to the merits of scholarly efforts to make
the Bible more easily understandable, and
therefore more readily within the grasp of
the average Jewish reader. The assurance
that the revised Bible translation, under the
direction of Dr. Harry M. Orlinsky, of the
faculty of Hebrew Union College, will be "a
Jewish interpretation" shows the magnitude
of the new task undertaken by the JPS.
Meanwhile, it is of the utmost importance
that all of us, who are concerned that there
should be advances culturally among Ameri-
can . Jews, should strive to better the poor
record of an infinitesimal membership. in the
Jewish Publication Society. Instead of the
less than 9,000 members, we should have tens
of thousands, to. insure a larger reading pub-.
lie for Jewish books and'increased opportuni-
ties to publish more books on Jewish sub-

.

jeCtS -167 . 364.141 ''''''

'Mara of Old Babylon'

Non-Jewish Author Writes Splendid
Story About End of Babylon Exile

Elizabeth P. Witheridge has written a splendid story about Old
Babylon and its people, about the Hebrew exiles in that land, in
a story about a young girl and her family, "Mara of Old Babylon,"
published by Abingdon Press, Nashville, Tenn.
In fact, she has injected so much spirit, derived from the Bible
and from the modern Israeli developments, that her story could
to a degree be applied to our own times.
It is evident that the author, who now resides with her family
in Minneapolis, and who studied at the University of Michigan and
Central Michigan College of Education, was deeply moved by the
prophecies of Isaiah. The Prophet is a major character in her
charming story for the young, and with a great deal of interest
also for their elders.
It is the story of a young exile from the land of Israel into
Babylon who gets ready to return to Jerusalem. The manner in
which she helps a slave boy escape from his captors and also to
escape to his homeland, the dream for a. Return, the courage of
exiles who refuse to accept captivity, lend much charm to the
book.
Mrs. Witheridge, who quite evidently did a lot of study and
research in her preparation of this fine story, tells how even in
those days there were exiles who were prepared to remain in cap-
tivity. The Prophet in the story explains: "Great numbers of He-
brews will stay here in Babylon . . . Many of our Hebrew people
have come to love Babylon &tiring the long years of our exile. They
have good homes here, and they do not want to leave them for
a long journey back to Judah and the hardships of starting new
homes and rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem. Then, too, many
Hebrews have married Babylonians. Some have learned to worship
the gods of Babylon .. ."
Doesn't this have a familiar ring?
Then came Cyrus and paved the way for the Return. And
Mara rejoiced in the words of the Prophet:

"For vent shall oo out i72 joy,
and be led forth in peace ..."

And Mara could hardly wait to go back to her new home in
Judah.
Thus, a non-Jew has caught the spirit of redemption in a
splendid story about Babylon, the Hebrews of that time and the
rejoicing in redemption. Lucille Wallower's illustrations add to
the book's value.

'Synagogue and Social Welfare'

Optimism Marks Rabbi's Book

In "The Synagogue and Social Welfare: A Unique Experiment
—1907-1953," published by Bloch Publishing Co. for the Stephen
Wise Free Synagogue and Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute
of Religion, Dr. Sidney E. Goldstein, an associate of the late Dr.
Stephen S. Wise in the Free Synagogue, undertakes to accom-
plish three tasks :
1. To evaluate the experiments conducted by the Free Syna-
gogue's social service department in order to meet communal
needs; 2. to . relate experiences and results achieved in social ac-
tion areas, and 3. to explain the laws of social organization as de-
rived from Jewish ideals.
Rabbi Goldstein's belief that the synagogue is not only
house of worship and study but also a; religious center for com-
munity service has led him to the presentation of a theme that
will be read with a great deal of interest.
The author's wise stressing of "the need for competence and
understanding on the part of rabbis who minister to social needs"
is commended by Dr. Nelson Glueck, president of Hebrew Union
College—Rabbi Goldstein's alma mater—in a preface to this vol-
ume. There also is a laudatory introduction by the Free Syna-
gogue president, Ira Frank.
In a "Personal Background," an essay that opens this volume,
Rabbi Goldstein speaks with reverence of the late Dr. Wise. He
reveals that in spite of his superior rabbi's appeals he did not
offer allegiance or cooperation to Zionism. He declares himself
opposed to nationalism.
His essays deal with the synagogue's functions, the social serv-
ice activities to which he devoted his energies, the programs for
adolescents, marriage and family counseling,. group relationships,
and the social ethics- which permeated his numerous efforts. He
emerges an optimist, his confidence in the benefits of -scientific

advances, his belief in improvements in huMan relations, and Jai

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fieelia" of armarrieiats '''''''''''' nations.

