Still NO Answer
THE JEWISH NEWS --
Incorporating the Detroit Jewish Chronicle co-mmencing , with issue of July 20, 1951
Member American Association of English-Jewish Newspapers, Michigan Press Association, National Editorial ASso-
siation
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing Co., 17100 West Seven Mile Road, Detroit 35, Mich., VE.
$-9364. Subscription $5 a year, Foreign $6.
Entered as second class matter Aug. 6, 1942, at Post Office, Detroit, Mich., under Act of March 3, 1879
FRANK SIMONS
- SIDNEY SHMARAK
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
City. Editor
Advertising Manager
Editor and Publisher
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the eighteenth day of Kislev, 5716, the following selections will be read in our
synagogues:
Pentateuchal
Obadiah 1:1-21.
portion,
Gen.
32;4-36:43. Prophetical portion, Hos. 12:13-14:10 or 11:7-12:12 or
Licht Benshen, Friday, Dec. 2, 4:44 p.m.
Page Four
VOL. XXVIH. No. 13
Dec. 2, 1955
•
The. Moral Issue in Middle East Crisis
.
In reply to protests against the arming
of Arab states, including Iraq, spokesmen for
our State Department had given assurances
that munitions supplied by this country to
Middle Eastern states would not be used
against Israel. But at the meeting of-the five-
nation Baghdad Defense Alliance last week,
Premier Nuri Said of Iraq said: `-`Iraq will
not hesitate to use its resources for the as-
sistance of any Arab s t ate subjected to
Israeli aggression in accordance with its obli-
gation under the treaty of colleotive defense
and economic cooperation between the states
of the Arab League." .
Arab states have yet to prove that Israel
has aggressive aims. Israel must defend her-
self, but it would be detrimental to her own
interests to acquire territory that would add
rather than detract from her burdens.
In the meantime, • Iraq remains one of
Israel's most dangerous enemies, and' in the
event of a War, if we are to judge by Premier
Said's threats and similar statements made
by Iraqis in the, past year, American arms
will be used in the all-out Arab effort to:
destroy Israel.
All who are concerned that Israel's se-
curity should be protected and that the lives
of her 1,700,000 citizens should not be en-
dangered,., must exert their influence to pre-
vent the threatened attacks.
*
*
The. Manchester Guardian, in a leading
editorial, in which it criticized, -Rreglier.
Eden's peace offers, based on territorial re-
visions, made this important comment:
"If, were truncated, the Arabs
would eel themselVes confirmed in the be-
lief that Israel could be exterminated, and
would pass on to its breaking-up as their
next objective. The Prime Minister's speech
was barren of reference to another part of
the tripartite declaration which is very re=
levant to the present situation. This is the
part which affirms that the balance of
armed strength between Israel and the Arab
states will be kept even. Under the terms
of the declaration Israel has a good case
for asking for arms from the West in order
to offset the Russian arms given to Egypt.
It may -be that the United States will not
refuse its appeal. But the Prime Minister
seemed last week to have forgotten entirely
this part of the declaration; and the policy
of the government seemed also to be based
upon forgetting it. It would be ironical if in
taking moral credit for not starting an arms
race we neglected' to take the measure
giving defensive weapons to Israel—which
would make war much less likely."
4
.
Dr. Gordis' New Inspiring Book
This is a point that has been overlooked
entirely, not only in London but also in
Washington, and we appeal to the State
Department to provide the guarantees that
are so vital for Israel's security and for the
protection of the lives of her citizens.
The Manchester , Guardian, in another
editorial, made this appeal to its govern-
ment: "Surely the British government should
stop the delivery to Egypt of the 34 Centurion
tanks which have been promised. Egypt's
only use for them could be in moves which
are against the interests of this country, and
it would be an absurdity to deliver them.
Since the arms deal with the Communist
countries, Egypt has refused all negotiation
on specific questions in the Gaza area, and
it seems to have been egging on Syria to
stir ,uwthe border between Israel and Syria.
If these are the first results of the deal, it
is no time to give Egypt more weapons."
The moral issue is clear: by iefraining
from arming Israel for self-defense and by
continuing to arm Egypt, the world is being
brought nearer to another war. By forget-
ting, the 1950 Tripartite Declaration guaran-
tees, the great powers are harming the,
weaker nation in the Middle East's conflict.
Therefore we renew our appeal for justice
for Israel.
.
Marked Spread of Anti-Semitism in U. S.
Our civic-protective organizations have a
more serious task ahead in the coming year
than has faced them since the collapse of the
Hitler 'regime.
The approaching Presidential election is
certain to hear reverberations of charges in-
volving the mythical "Jewish vote". Bigots
already are indicating their intentions to in-
ject Jewish issues into a campaign that
should be kept free from bias.
A typically abusive letter was circulated
by the "Patrick Henry Brigade." It is replete
with misrepresentations, with vague refer-
ences to "top secrets," to "clandestine;" "con-
fidential" and "money talks" aspersions
against the American Jewish Committee's
annual budget—of 1953-1954. In its stupidity,
this type of ridiculously anti-Semitic propa-
ganda• 'may do considerable harm by mis-
leading the uninformed into believing its
statement that the Committee's
prOgram "means war to the death with the
Christian World."
In the past few months, the desks of
members of both houses of Congress as well'
as those of members of Legislatures in many
states have been loaded with hate literature.
Members of the Michigan Legislature
recently received. a scurrilous piece, signed
by Robert H. Williams, commencing with the
text of a telegram that is described as:
"Wire Urges Ike Quit Naming Dangerous
Red Zionists to Key Posts." It would be use-
less to enter into a discussion of the stupidi-
ties incorporated in this appeal to hatred.
Distinguished Americans—Max Rabb, Lewis
L. Straus, Max Abell, Simon Sobeloff and
many others—who are rendering unselfish
services to our country are being libeled in
these circulars. And while the falsehoods in
such circulars are apparent to anyone imho
has even the minutest knowledge about
public affairs, some may be misled by the
appeals to hatred.
It is thoroughly shoc king that our Presi-
dent should be dragged into this mess of
bigotry, together with some, of his able
associates. We retain faith in 'the sense of
fair play of the American .people and we
believe that they will reject such appeals
to hatred. But there are always some who
are misled by bigotry. It is to offset this as
much as possible that serious efforts shOuld
be made to offset the activities of the hate
propagandists before they take root in some
quarters.
Buy a Book . . .
Detroit's sponsors of annual Book Fairs
have done -more - than merely organize enter-
taining programs and exhibits: they have,
additionally, encouraged the buying of books,
thereby inducing their possessors to read
them.
The purpose of annual Jewish Book
Month is to inspire an interest in books, their
publishers and their authors. The intention,
during the annual celebration, is to arouse
deep interest in Jewish literary creative ef-
forts, to encourage writers to continue with
their work and publishers to produce them.
This can be achieved only if there is a buy-
ing public for the books.
By making the "Buy a Book" slogan one
of the inspirations of Jewish Book Fair, the
Detroit sponsoring organizations are render-
ing a real service. The Jewish Community
Center and the organizations that are co-
operating with it in the management of Book
Fair have earned commendation for their
vision in arranging the programs and dis-
plays and for having undertaken also the
sale of books.
All Detroit Jews should make an effort
to attend the Book Fair programs—and they
should, while celebrating Jewish • Book:
Month, Buy a Jewish Book.
'Judaism for the Modern' Age'
Dr. Robert Gordis, one of American Jewry's ablest scholars,
whom many consider the most brilliant interpreter of Jewish values
of our times, views the nature of our people, as an entity, as follows:
"The only term which is sufficiently inclusive to be used
to describe the Jews is the old Biblical word 'am,' meaning 'a people,'
from a Semitic root probably connoting mlf;
`togetherness.' Jews the world over differ
in social 'outlook, political citizenship.
economic status,- and religf8us attitude.
Yet the overwhelming majority are con-
sciclUS of the faCt that they are members
of one people, sharing a common history
and -a sense of ' kinship inherited from
the past, a common tradition and way of
life in the present, and a common des-
tiny and hope for themselves and for the
world in the . future."
irhiSMaY- be said to sum up the
views 'he expresses in "Judaism for the
Modern Age,".published by Farrar, Straus
& Cudahy (101 5th, N.Y. 3).
"Jewish destiny in , our century,"
Rabbi Gordis declares, "depends upon
one basic issue, which is not 'Palestine or
the Diaspora—which can survive?' but,
Dr. Gordis
`Palestine and the Diaspora.' "
This approach distinguishes his new book and makes it ex-
ceedingly valuable for students in our time, and for leaders who
seek guidance in their approach to an evaluation of Jewish issues. ,
Dr. Gordis is the 'optimist about Jewry's future. He believes in
the possibility of building, by American Jewry, "an enduring and
contentful Jewish life within an atmosphere of freedom, marked
by close integration with the rest of the American nation."
In his analysis of the status of the American Jewish community
and of its closely-knit relationship to the American people, Dr.
Gordis makes this interesting comment, in an introduction to a dis-
cussion of "The Future of Democracy":
"During the height of, World War II, the essence of the
democratic outlook was succinctly set forth by President Franklin
Delano Roosevelt. Iii was asked why the war was being fought,
and he answered: 'In defense of one verse in 'Genesis: "God
created man in His own image.' " President Roosevelt thus focused -
attention upon the heart of the tradition which Judaism and
Christianity share: the sacred character of life, and the innate and
inalienable dignity of each human being."
He deals with many aspects of human conduct and he urges a
recapture of the religious attitude toward marriage in order to
overcome the rise of promiscuity.
In ' a discussion of "Tisha b'Ab—Jewish Destiny and Duty,"
Rabbi Gordis proposes that the fast day should become the day
sacred to the memory of Jewish martyrs, that the traditional kinoth
should be revised, with emphasis on "the unconquerable faith of
Judaism in the eventual establishment of universal justice, free-
dom, and peace."
For Simhat Torah, in additiOri to the established practice of
calling the youth to the reading of the Torah—Vekhol
he advocated a "Vekhol Hanashim" ceremony so that a member of
the congregation should be called to the pulpit during • the Torah
reading "with all the womenfolk."
Dr. Gordis' "Judaism for the Modern Age" follows in the
author's traditions of scholarship. It is an inspiring guide and a
source of delight for those who seek inspiratiori in their Jewish
living.
'
Only One Loyalty And the Right
Of Americans to Express Emotions
By DR. MAX LERNER
From an Article in the New York Post
It is time to understand that Americans of any faith have the
right to speak up in foreign policy situations involving those with
whom they haVe ties of religion or sentiment, and that they are
nonetheless Americans' for doing so.
When a Jew or Protestant or Catholic asks the government to
act with firmness in the Middle East so as to prevent a war, he is
not speaking as a speCial pleader. He is speaking as an American,
for the American national interest. It is to the American national
-interest to keep the Israeli democracy from being destroyed with
Communist arms, and to keep a war from breaking out that would
Soon spread and become an atomic war.
American Jews have only one loyalty. It is to America. But
they do not thereby surrender ;their right as Americans to speak
up, even where their sentiment and emotion may be involved.