Friday, De cember 28, 1956 — THE DETROIT JEWISH NEW S-2

Purely Commentary Major News Stories of 1956

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being assimilated rapidly into
Russian life because of the
An Interesting 'Language Link with Israel'
strangulation of Jewish cul-
"Language Link with Israel" is the title of an interesting brief tural institutions. (July 20)
8. Continuing attacks by Arab
article in the Manchester Guardian Weekly. We quote it:
infiltrators arouse Israel's citi-
Although "Anglo-Saxon" Jews are the smallest cultural
zens. David Ben-Gurion once
group in Israel, far outnumbered by the Yemenites and by more becomes Premier, replac-
Jews of Russian, Polish, and German . extraction, English has ing more pacifistic Moshe Shar-
contributed more to the evolution of modern Hebrew than any ett. Golda Myerson (later it
other language. Even Yiddish has been less influential, accord-
became Meir) becomes Foreign
ing to Shabtai A. Teveth, an Israeli journalist, who describes
Minister. (June 22)
in the autumn number of the "Jewish Quarterly" some of the
9. Responding to dangers
odd ways in which English words and terms have been used
faced by Israel, United Jewish
to fill awkward gaps .in the ancient language.
Appeal leaders, meeting i n
These borrowings have been of various kinds. One of the
Miami Beach Conference, raise
most subtle and amusing was introduced at a press conference $29,500,000 in pre-campaign ef-
given by Mr. Shared when he was Foreign Minister. In Hebrew
forts. (March 2)
"Lidlok" has two meanings—"to burn" and "to run after." By
Organized emigration
10.
a simple synthesis of these meanings Mr. Sharett blandly gave
from Morocco to Israel is halted,
"lidlok" as the equivalent of the English term he wanted to leaving stranded 5,000 Jews in
use—"hot pursuit." In many cases the literal translation of an
transit camps. Later, Moroccan
English term has provided several new words. "Up to date" was officials permitted those who
translated as "ad kan," which means literally "till here." This
had sold their possessions to
produced "adkani," for an up-to-date man, and "le-dken" to
emigrate, but nearly 250,000
describe the process of bringing a ledger up to,date. Israeli foot-
Jews, many of whom wished to
ballers, not surprisingly, adapted a number of English football-
leave the country, were unable
ing terms: a penalty kick became "pendel," and "half-time" was
to migrate to Israel. (June 15.)
Hebraised to "offtaim," after "tsokohaim" ("noon").
The 10 Leading Local
News Stories of the Year
Mr. Teveth suggests several reasons for the predominance
(These stories are listed in
of the English influence. Persecution in Russia and Germany
left the Jews who fled from those countries to Israel with little chronological order, as they oc-
love for their cultures. Meanwhile English was being taught
in schools in Palestine under the British Mandate, and many
Robinson on 'Message
Palestine Jews picked up colloquial English during their service
with the British Army during Hitler's war.
of Israel,' Sunday
Edward G. Robinson, star of
This is an interesting reference to the remarkable develop-
ments in evidence in the Hebraization of Israel. In spite of the the current Broadway Drama,
little embattled country's difficulties, her people are creating new "Middle of the -Night," will be
language terms, in addition to advancing the country's industrial, the first thea
agricultural and scientific needs. It is no wonder that a people trical person-
that is in such troubles from war-threatening neighbors is able to ality to appear
hold its head high and survive against all obstacles. It can not be on ABC's Mes-
otherwise with a creative people.
sage of Israel
program in its
• * * *
22-year history.
Noteworthy Tributes to Great Israelis
Impressive tributes were paid to Israeli leaders at the annual He will deliver
_ dinner of the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute, a New Year's
in New York, by the Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations, message entitl-
e d "S p iritual
.Dr. R. A. Mackay.
In v en t o ry,"
About Abba Eban, he said: "No one can make a better Sunday, 7:0t
address in the United Nations than Mr. Eban. Even if you dis- p.m. Detroit
agree with him, you must stay to listen to him."
Robinson
time.
The Message of Israel, pro-
There can be no disagreement with this statement. Eban is
the ablest spokesman for Israel—and frequently for Jewry— duced in cooperation with the
Union of American Hebrew Con-
in our time.
regations, originates from New
Dr. Mackay also took occasion to say about Michael Comay, York's Central Synagogue, and
Israel's Ambassador to Canada: "No member of the diplomatic is moderated by Rabbi Jonah B.
corps in Ottawa is more highly regarded than Mike Comay, Wise, with music rendered by
whether as a dinner or walking companion, or as statesman." the Central Synagogue Choir.
Such encomia are heartening evidence that Israel's case has
good defenders.
Uruguayans at UN Asked
We have nothing to be ashamed of in the stature of some To Protect Jews' Rights
(Direct JTA .Teletype wire
American Jewish leaders, especially noteworthy being men like
to The Jewish News)
Senator Herbert H. Lehman and the UJA's distinguished hon-
UNITED
NATIONS A re-
orary chairman, Edward M. M. Warburg. -About Lehman, Abra-
ham Feinberg said at the Weizmann dinner: "He is the conscience quest that the Uruguayan dele-
gation here "do its utmost to
of the Senate." Indeed, he has emerged as the conscience of our
get the United Nations to pro-
generation, in his courageous advocacy of unpopular causes in
tect the human rights of the
behalf of the downtrodden, and in his defense of just ideals. We
Jews in Egypt" was received
- take pride in such leadership. As long as the fearlessness of men
Wednesday from the Central
like Lehman persists, we need have no fears about the ultimate Committee of the Jewish Com-
triumph of justice on earth.
munity of Montevideo.
*
*
*
The cable asked the delega-
tion to obtain UN help to
'Mideast Moods' a Warning to Jewry
In his enlightening article, "Mideast Moods: Diary of Crisis," guarantee Israel's security; to
. in the New York Times Magazine, in which he described his halt Egypt's renewed attacks
recent findings in Egypt, Hanson W. Baldwin, the New York through fedayeen sabotage in-
cursions into Israel; to see to it
Times military editor, reported from Egypt:
that Egypt does not mass troops
"There was gratitude to . the Russians; some admiration and again in the Sinai Peninsula
apparent liking for Americans—but always the barrier of reli-
after Israel had withdrawn its
gion, race and language. And for the Jews only the irrecon- troops, and guarantee freedom
cilable_conflict. Hebrew is the only compulsory foreign language of passage for Israeli shipping
taught at the Egyptian Military Academy.
through the Suez Canal and the
"In Sinai and the Gaza Strip there was laughter and good Gulf of Akaba. The cable was
food in the Egyptian Army messes, but Israel was never for- sent to permanent chairman of
gotten. 'Next time you come, we will take you to Haifa,' an Egyp- the Uruguayan delegation, Prof.
tian Army captain in Gaza boasted. And there was the officer Enrique Rodriquez Fabregat.
who proclaimed: 'I want to kill Jews.'
"It was the strange combination of boast and uncertainty, of
dawning pride and ancient inferiority, of emotion and a sense
Of old wrongs."
For Jews everywhere, these attitudes would also be a
warning against complaceny. Unless there is peace in that area,
trouble will be brewing for a long time to come, with bloodshed
and threats to world peace dominating the scene.
The world can not rest easily until there is a permanent
peace—by direct Israel-Arab negotiations.
Emphasis must be placed on the Baldwin report that "Hebrew
is the only compulsory foreign language taught at the Egyptian
Military Academy."
If Hebrew can be the compulsory language as a weapon for
those who seek to destroy Israel and Jewry, how much should
it be a compulsory language for those who seek Jewry's survival?
And if Hebrew is that important in the Middle East, why
should Wayne University officials be hesitant to continue Modern
New York Senator - Elect
Hebrew courses as permanent parts of the normal curriculum in JACOB JAVITS (right) is
the curriculum of our community's university?
seen off by U.S. Ambassador
Why aren't Modern Hebrew courses taught at the University EDWARD B. LAWSON at
of Michigan?
Lydda International Airport
Answers to these questions are now in order. But so, also, in Israel, after his recent
are answers required to other questions: such as are involved in visit. Political circles have at-
establishing the truth about the Middle East situation. So far, tached considerable impor-
tance to the Javits mission.
we have had mostly distortions of facts.

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

-

—

.

Javits in Israel

curred, with no attempt being
made to evaluate their indi-
vidual merits, one above the
other.)
1. Detroit's Joseph Holtzman,
a national chairman of the
United Jewish Appeal, estab-
lishes a $50,000 Contributors
Club to which he and his broth-
er-in-law, Nathan Silverman,
are the first contributors. (Jan.
27.)
2. Under the leadership of '
Leonard N. Simons, a pro-
gram which grew out of the
Jewish Book Fair 'to establish
a fund and thereby assist the
Jewish Publication Society in
revising its Bible translation,
was inaugurated. (Feb. 4.)
3. Victory Festival and dinner
marks dedication of $350,000
Labor Zionist Institute and
Morris L. Schaver auditorium.
(March 23.)
4. An initial gift by Abe Kasle,
president of the United Hebrew
Schools, makes possible the es-
tablishment of a Library of
Judaica at the Wayne State
University Library. (March 30.)
5. Detroit's Allied Jewish
Campaign is assured an amount
of $5,200,000, marking the sec-
ond highest drive to date, the
first being the 1948 total when
Israel was created as a nation.
(April 27.)
6. Labor Leader, James E.
Hoffa, vice-president of the In-
ternational Brotherhood o f
Teamsters, is honored by labor
and industry with a gift of
$268,600 for a children's home

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in Jerusalem undertaken by' ,
Histadrut. Hoffa later visited
Israel at the home's dedication.
(April 27.)
7. Highlighting commence-
ment exercises in Detroit's Jew-
ish schools on Shevuot, Temple
Beth El conferred confirmation
certificates to Thomas Hen-
dricks, James Evans and Con-
stance Patricia Lipton, triplets
of Mr. and Mrs. Lester H. Lip-
ton.
8. Announcement at the
23rd annual meeting of the
Jewish Community Center
that the 10 Mile Branch would.
be completed in .September
and the start of a main Cen-
ter building at Curtis and
Meyers. (May 25.)
9. Controversy aroused by
statement by Rabbi Max J.
Wohlgelernter, former Detroit
spiritual leader and now secre-
tary to the Chief Rabbinate in
Israel, over announcement of
plans to hold Reform Jewish
services at the American School
of Archaeology in Israel. Rabbi
Wohlgelernter's remarks were
followed by explanatory state-
ments by Dr. Richard C. Hertz,
of Temple Beth El, Morris Gar-
vett, attorney and community
leader, - Miss Anna Oxenhandler
and Rabbi Hayim Donin. (Aug
24.)
10. First Hungarian Jewish
refugee family arrives in De-
troit after flight from Hun-
garian border city of Magyar-
ovar took them first to Austria,
then to Camp Kilmer. (Nov. 30.)

•

Boris Smolar's

'Between You
... and Me'

(Copyright 1956,
Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)

The New Year:

The new year will be one of the most trvinq vppi,
in the field of international developments . . . Already CJ IN
Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold indicates that "a bitter
pill" is being prepared for Israel to swallow . . . The talks be-
tween Eisenhower and Nehru also do not promise good for Israel
... The shadow of imposed decisions looms over Israel, and these
decisions may contain more than. one "bitter pill" .. . At present
the UN, acting at the inspiration of the United States, is preparing
to appoint a special committee to deal with the Arab-Israel
problem ... The recommendations which this committee will sub-
mit, will probably be adopted and become UN decisions . . . As
matters stand now, when Israel has very few friends among the
80 member nations of the United Nations, the composition of the
committee will be of utmost importance . . A possibility exists
that the Asian-African bloc, plus the Soviet bloc, and some of the
countries under Vatican influence, may form a majority in this
committee ... With the U.S. definitely set on a policy of appeasing
the Arab countries, and Britain never siding with Israel for the
sake of helping Israel, the Jewish State is really exposed to all
kinds of dangerous recommendations by this committee. .
Friends of Israel will, therefore, face this year a tremendous task
of mobilizing public opinion against possible onslaught on Israel
by the UN, where the anti-Israel nations are gradually becoming
an effective majority.

Jewish Echoes:

The year concludes with unjustified criticism against Ameri-
can Zionist leadership voided by Israelis in Jerusalem. . . . This
criticism was leveled at the meeting of the Zionist Actions Com-
mittee and indicates how poorly the Israelis evaluate the efforts
made on their behalf in this country . . . The Israelis accused
American Zionist leadership for not being sufficiently active
during the present crisis; when Israel was ordered by the United
Nations — partly under American pressure — to withdraw from
Sinai. . . • They insisted that American Zionists should have ar-
ranged huge demonstrations and protest meetings . . . They
saw special motives in the fact that American members of the
Actions Committee failed to come to Jerusalem to attend the
Actions Committee session . . . They attempted to imply that,
when it came to a clash of views between the United States and
Israel, American Zionists are not too eager to side openly with
Israel ... This is the most absurd accusation that could have been
leveled, in the light of the pro-Israeli moves that have been made
in the United States by both the Jewish and non-Jewish groups
... There is not a single major Jewish organization in the United
States today that has not gone openly on record, pressing its de-
mand to the United States Government to help bring about di-
reel, Arab-Israel peace talks. . • This demand was also echoed
by important leaders of the Protestant Church in America, by
an important group of American intellectuals, and by the leaders
of the organized American labor movement . . . The "Presidents'
Club," composed of the presidents of 17-national Jewish organiza-
tions, neither slumbers nor rests when it comes to protect the
interests of Israel in this country. . . Fortunately, the critics
were put in the right place at the Actions Committee meeting
by Dr. Nahum Goldmann, who as much as told them that they
did not know what they were talking about . . 'I am sure they
will hear the same from Israel's Foreign Minister, Mrs. Golda
Meir, and from General , Yigal Yadin, former Israel Chief of
Staff, when these personages return to Israel from their present
visit to the United States . . . I personally have heard both of
them make unsolicited declarations that "American Jews are
wonderful" in their efforts for Israel.

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