F • on e d piracy
Just PI am Old
•
- as

THE JEWISH NEWS'

Incorporating the Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20, 1951

Mem,loer American Association of English-Jewish Newspapers, Michigan Press Association, National Editorial Asso-
eiation.
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing Co., 17190 West Seven Mile Road, Detroit 35, " Mich., VE.
8-9364. Subscription $4 a year, Foreign $-5.
Entered as second class matter Aug. 6. 1942, at Post Office, Detroit, Mich., under Act of March
.
_ 3, 1879

SIDNEY SHMARAK.

PHILIP SLOMOYITZ

.FRANK SIMONS

City Editbr

Advertising Manager

Editor and Publisher

Sabbath Nahamu Scriptural Selections

This Sabbath, the eleventh day of Ab, 5715, the following Scriptural $electioto".tAl be read in

our synagogues:

-

-

Pentateuchal portion. Deut. 3:23 7:11. Prophetical portion-1/s. 40:1-26.:

-

Licht Benshen, Friday, July 29, 7:35 p.m.

VOL. XXVII, NO. 21

Page Four

• .2.

July 29, 1955

Christian Lebanese Fight Subservience

Israel's troubles with the Egyptians and
the Jordanese must not be viewed as indi-
cating that all non-Jews in the Middle East
are either anti-Jewish or anti-Israel. In all
Arab countries, there are reasonable people
who believe in Israel's right to live and in
the need for .direct negotiations by Israel
with her neighbors, in order to put an end
to the hostilities and antagonisms that have
been inflamed by the Arab League.
The best example of rationalism among
non-Jews is the action recently taken by
Friends of Lebanon, an organization formed
"for the purpose of perpetuating the State
of Lebanon as a Christian nation"—a move-
ment described as "going on under the
auspices of the churches," with headquarters
in Espanola, N. M.
A. Richard, the ge n e r a l director of
Friends of Lebanon, in an Open Letter re-
leased recently, made these declarations in
behalf of his movement:

the Crusades—a matter which unfortunately
reminds us of tragedies that were impoSed
upon Jewish communities by pillaging and
murderous gangs. It raises an issue which
directly involves Christians rather than
Jews. Israelis, and their Jewish kinsmen
everywhere, desire to live in peace with all
their neighbors, regardless of their faith, and
people of good will everywhere must share
the hope that Moslems as well as Christians
will assist in creating a peaceful atmosphere
wherever they live.
_ But his letter does indicate a sharp divi-
sion of opinion in Lebanon among Christians
and Moslems towards Israel. It exposes the
nefarious actions of the Arab League. It calls
for a recognition of Israel.
The stationery of the Friends of Lebanon
lists as the "Active President in Lebanon and
Middle -East" the "Most Rev. Ignatius Moba-
rak, D.D., Archbishop. and Patriarchate Gen-
eral Vicar," giving the organization impor-
Sometime in the 5th or 6th Century A.D.,
tant recognition by a church dignitary in
there lived in Syria a holy hermit, Saint Maron,
Lebanon.
who was to become the patron saint of Lebanon.
A similarly strong movement that in-
It is through his virtue and sanctity that the
pagan Lebanese became converted to Christi-
cludes Christians And Jews, Lebanese and
anity. These Lebanese were of course the de-
Americans, the Levant Club, has assisted in
scendants of the Phoenicians of old; but after
publicizing the Open Letter of the Friends
their conversion, they accepted the name of
of Lebanon, and has issued a - statement de-
their patron as a national title, and they have
-
claring that the standpoint of this Open Let-
been known as Maronites ever since.
ter "is particularly interesting inasmuch as
In the 7th century, the Moslem Arabs over-
it does - not coincide with the unprincipled,
ran all the lands of Iraq, Syria, Palestine and
meandering tactics of the present govern-
Egypt, with the exception of Mount Lebanon.
Indeed, the faithful Maronites stood their
ment of Lebnon, who tries to appease both
ground and halted the invasion on the threshold
its Christian supporters and its neighbors of
of their mountainous stronghold. Ever since that
the Arab League."
setback, the Arabs sought to take their revenge
Thus,. there is a movement on foot, 'per-
by persecuting the Christians in the Levant
haps weak at the start but displaying suffi-
through murder and terrorism.
cient vigor to augur future growth and suc-
Traditionally and in actual fact, Lebanon--
cess, aimed at expoSing the fallacies of anti-
is still a Christian land. Of course, Lebanon is
Israel actions in countries:Vordering on -the
a free country and treats all its inhabitants on
Jewish state.
a basis of full equality, whatever their religion.
But this is no reason for yielding to the am-
While it is true that the division of opin-
bitions of an Arab Moslem minority in Lebanon,
i.o-n.in Lebanon finds its emphasis primarily
and there is no justification for the present atti-
in a religious issue — between the Maronite.
tude of the Lebanese government, headed by
Christians and the Moslems—we have' had
President Chamoun, whose policy consists in
evidence of Arab concurrence with the Chris-
bargaining away the rights of the Christians
tian viewpoint. -
and' in keeping the state within the framework
In Detroit, a Lebanese newspaper, The
of in evil Arab League.
Labanese Gazette; edited by a. courageous
is.nonsense to call Lebanon an Arab state,
Lebanese journalist, Chekri Kan,aan, carries
when all its history has consisted in a struggle
against Arab encroachment; it is preposterous -
on the battle for justice in his motherland
for Lebanon to join a Moslem league, when this
and seeks support for the pro-Israel forces
country is fundamentally Christian. Those who
there.
accept such policies are offending the name of
Grouped together, there is evidence. here
Saint Maron, the very name of. the MaroniteS.
of the develoPment of a strong movement in
Furthermore,. by, their subservience to the
opposition to the Arab League. The impor-
Arab League, such Christians are -also opposing
tant point to be remembered by all con-
Israel, opposing the Jewish resettlement in Pal-
cerned is that the aim of these propagators
estine, and thus -jeopardizing the fulfilment, of -
of friendship for Israel is peace in that area
.biblical prophecy. .
Mr. Richard's' Cip-eri Letter goes into addi- —a peace that can and must rebound to the
tional details. It discusses. . the background of benefit of both contending forces,

-

.

`Book of Kings I'

Dr. Honor's Noteworthy Story

"Books of Kings I," a Commentary by Dr. Leo L. Honor, pro-
fessor of Jewish Education at Dropsie College ; Philadelphia, the
latest work published by . the Union of American Hebrew Congre-
gations in its series of Bible Commentaries, enriches the field of
Jewish biblical research.
In his introduction to this volume,
Dr. Emanuel Gamoran, the editor of
the UAHC series, makes this interest-
ing observation: "Many a Jewish
teacher is chagrined that there has not
been published even one complete set
of modern Jewish commentaries on the
books of the Bible. Jews studying the
Bible with commentaries are, as a rule,
compelled to go for enlightenment to
non-Jewish commentators. They must
seek in the writing of others the eluci-
dation of the text of the Jewish Scrip-
tures."
Dr. Honor's keen study, and two
previous UAHC commentaries by Drs.
Solomon B. Freehof and Israel Bettan,
are steps in the direction of correcting
Dr. Leo L. Honor
these shortcomings.
"The Interpreter's Bible," published by Abingdon Press, of
Nashville, Tenn., is a point in -proof of Dr. Gamoran's assertion.
Four volumes of "The Interpreter's Bible" have already published,
and this voluminous commentary by non-Jews has enhanced the
work of Biblical research.

*

*

*

Dr. Honor's commentary is a most creditable work. In addition
to the more than 300 pages of text and comments, as well as ex-
tensive notes, there is an illuminating 30-page introduction which
guides the student along the paths of greater understanding of
Kings I.
Pointing out that Jewish scholarship divides the books of
: the Bible-into Torah, -P-rophets and Writings, Dr. Honor explains
that Jews have not accepted the Christian subdivisions of the
Bible into Pentateuch, Historical Books, Poetical Books and
Prophets, - as _Hied by the: Septuagint, Vulgate and other Chris-
tian versions. Kings, Joshua, Judges and Samuel, he writes in
his introduction, are part of prophetic literature.
Kings, he writes, is mainly a running 'commentary on the his-
tory- of Israel from the last days of David (10th century BCE) to
Jehoiachin's release from . prison 37 years after his capture by
Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon (6th century BCE). The writer
of Kings, he adds, "was not recording history," chronicles alluded
to in the text having . been lo
st, so that the story of Israel's past
and Jerusalem are talking to each other in the
There is serious talk of peace—on all
is largely reconstructed "on 'the basis of this prophetic comment.”
presence
of
the
Palestine
UN
truce
superviior
fronts—and all amity-seeking peoples have
Dr.' Honor states that the author of Kings did not tamper with
cause to take heart in what is transpiring in., is some advance in an effort to preserve and the sources "to make them conform with a preconceived theory .. .
increase order in a difficult *tension area.-
•
.
the world.
The prophetic author of Kings was interested in teaching that the
When one considers that more than 200,060
President Eisenhower . has shown the, _ destitute Arab refugees are crowded into an welfare of his people was. _dependent upon its loyalty to its God
and His commandments, and, conversely, that disloyalty led to
way in Geneva. There will no doubt be
area approximately 25 miles long and five miles
national disaster."
delays and obstacles, and the road to peace
wide in the Gaza Strip_on toP of an original
*
*
will be thorny. But the beginnings have been
`population of near 100,000, the pressure of the
The able commentator`
out that "the underlying spirit of
situation can be Imagined.
made, and the seriousness and sincerity of
Kings as a whole is profoundly ethical and religious," although
the new approaches are truly heartening.
border
Mere arrangements- for policing
"the writer of Kings was not a religious ritualist in the narrow sense
line cannot wholly solve such a problem,
At Gaza, too, after many delays, in spite
of the word." To quote Di'. Honor again:
though they are a necessary beginning. Sooner
of snipings, attacks and riots, we are begin-
"The recognition of the nature of Kings by the Masorites
or later there must be serious discussion of
ning to see rays of hope in the negotiations
may be reflected in their 'choice of a verse from the Scriptures
to` serve as-a nifiemonic device concerning the number of verses
between Israel_ and - Egypt. The _Christian .. =placeinent of these refugees on loll& _where
they can gain a normal living. . The -situation
in Kings: . 'Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord.' (Ps.
Science Monitor`summed the :situation up
has not been helped by Egyptian reluctance to
33:12). It may be a coincidence of little interest to the modern
Well, when, it stated::-
enter any negotiations or by Israeli talk of
reader that the numerical value of the first two words in the
An armistice line Marked by barbed wire
using force:to open the port of Elath .on the
Hebrew *text of this verse amounts to 1,534, the number of
and a minefield-44ot is one of the t propoSals
other side -,of the Sinai Peninsula. But the fact .•
verses in Kings, but the modern reader must admit that 'Happy
discussed at meetings between an IStaeli and •
that the two governments are exploring the
is the nation whose God is the Lord' is a most happy -choice of
an Egyptian officer with Maj. Gen. E. L. M.
demands of peace is hopeful.
verse to summarize the teaching of the entire book."
Burns, PaleStine truce supervisor, at Gaza.
Dr. Honor enters into research of authorship and date of the
The talks have,. indeed, begun auspi-
Prior to this proposal the conferees had
agreed on the use of trained troops or police to
ciously—hopefully. As in. Geneva, as else- Book of Kings—by a disciple . of the prophetic school in the years
man border posts or patrols and On strict mea-
where, when there is need for serious ap- after 586 BCE; the sources for the book, its importance in the light
sures to Prevent civilians from crossing the
proach to the problem of peace, there will of archaeological findings and the book's value to the modern
reader:
Gaza Strip, border. They had argued over
be many obstacles to be hurdled at Gaza.
"The reader," Dr. Honor writes, "has much to gain from a care-
whether telephone communication between
But the beginnings are visible. Peace may, ful study of the prophet's interpretation of his people's past for
commanders on the two sides of the border
indeed, be in sight.
this interpretation is based On a very specific conception of the role
should be direct or through a United Nations
, The chief task is at hand: to attain peace. of Providence in human history.'
sir/it-Aboard.
Dr. Honor and the Union of American Hebrew Congregations
Such are some of the details over which . When it comes, through .the direct negoti-
ations just begun, all peoples Will benefit, have earned Jewry's abiding gratitude for this very scholarly study
greernent must be sotight. But the fact that
and the world will be at ease.
of "Book of Kings I."
representatives of the governments at Cairo

Serious :Talks . . of Pe ace. • On All Fronts

,•

-

.

,

