1

Another Job to Tackle

THE JEWISH NEWS

4i it

Incorporating the Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing 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 $5 a year. Foreign $6.
Entered as second class matter Aug. 6, 1952, at Post Office, Detroit, Mich., under Act of March 3, 1879.

PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

Editor and Publisher

SIDNEY SHMARAK

Advertising Manager

CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ

Circulation Manager

FRANK SIMONS

City Editor

Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This- Sabbath, the twenty-second day of Adar Rishon, 5717, the following Scriptural selec-
tions wit/ be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Vayakhel, Pekude Hahodesh, Es. 35:1-38-20, 38:21-40, 12:1-20. Pro-
phetical portion, Ezek. 45:18,46:18.

Licht Benshen, Friday, Feb. 22, 5:52 p.m.

VOL. XXX. No. 25

Page Four

February 22, 1957

Don't,Overlook PEACE--Major World Objective

This is a time that tries men's souls, that tests their hearts and chal-
lenges their courage. This is an hour when every human being prays that
there should be no blunders in the search for peace; and that in our striv-
ings for peace the liberties of peoples should not be bartered away for
stakes that may, eventually, drag us into a war we are trying to avoid.
It is not Israel alone that is involved in the present showdown in the
Middle East. There also are the Arab antagonists who have vowed to
destroy Israel, there is Soviet Russia whose aim is to gain a stranglehold on
the Middle East: therefore, the peace of the entire world is at stake.
Therefore, while the policies, now hanging in the balance, which are
the basis for grave discussions in the chancelleries of the nations of the
world—in Washington and at the United Nations—and in Jerusalem
are those of our President and Secretary of State, a duty devolves upon all
who entertain a passion for justice as well as for peace to try to guide our
leaders towards paths of fair play and realistic action.
This is not a game. It is a grave international crisis. There are, at
stake, the lives of 1,900,000 Israelis-1,700,000 Jews and the other 200,000
Christians and Moslems. If the proposals of our President and Secretary of
State are too severe and hold out dangers to the lives of those close to two
million people, then the Eisenhower-Dulles-Lodge policy may well be in-
terpreted' as approaching a death warrant for the Israelis. That must be
counteracted with more equitable plans for a solution to the problem. And
we pray that plans being promulgated in Jerusalem by the Israelis will con-
tain a basis for readjustment that should not threaten Israel's security.

Sad in Diaspora, Creative in Eretz

The Literature of Modern Israel'

"The Literature of Modern Israel" by Reuben Wallenrod,
associate professor of Hebrew at Brooklyn College, published by
Abelard-Schuman (404 4th, N.Y. 16) has many merits. It is not
only a thorough evaluation of Hebrew literature of our time but
has the additional merit of historical analyses of earlier Hebraic
literary efforts.
Prof. Wallenrod shows how Jewish cultural life began to
distintegrate in Europe after World War I, how creative efforts
slowed down, and that "Israel, by giving the Jew hope for the
renewal of his entire life, truly rejuvenated Hebrew literature.*
While there was an influx of Hebrew „scholars into the
No one dares to be heartless in the situation involving Israel. No other country
United States, the author points out, the creative writer was at
on earth—not even our own great democracY which had served as a haven of refuge
a disadvantage here because to American Jews "the Hebrew
language is a language of prayer alone; the Hebrew renaissance
for the oppressed for more than a century — can match the historic efforts of little
and its struggles are unknown to it."
IsraeL.which has emptied the concentration camps, has rescued entire communities of
While the character of Israeli literature has not yet been
Jews who were in danger of total annihilation—in Europe and in Asia—and is now in
molded, it is already assuming certain characteristics. Israel's-
the process of evacuating the Jews of Poland who are once again duplicating the an-
is "a lyrical story" because of the feverish environment, and
cient -Exodus from Egypt. Who else could have helped those who were rescued—when
the country's literature is "exceedingly grave
. It is happiness
all doors were sh u t fo r them—and who e lse will save those who must now be saved?
without youthful gaiety and laughter, the happiness that carries
Let the hearts of human beings everywhere speak before they make it tough for Israel
within itself a severe restraining earnestness."
to continue her humanitarian work. -
Dr. Wallenrod sees recompense in the weaknesses: "We are
Our Administration must not overlook the fact that a few more victories for Nas-
tired of the detachment in contemporary literature and of its
ser—triumphs which are handed to him on a silver platter, in spite of his government's
I-do-not-care attitude . • . We have begun to welcorrie a little
intimacy, even a little simplicity."
weakness and the defeats suffered by his armies—may spell doom for the entire
Describing the various - waves of immigration to Palestine,
United Nations. While Israel is fighting against any attempt to force her to suicide, the
the author explains the elements that entered into literary
UN must also be protected against collapse under pressure from dictators, especially
approaches in each. He describes the works of the First Aliyah
tie Egyptian Hitler.
and their authors—Joshua Barzillai, Moshe Smilanski and others.
There is one important factor in the entire situation that must not be overlooked. He then proceeds to show the "ground breaking" of the Second
by our Government. It is the status of Ben-Gurion. If he yields, his government may be
Aliyah which was distinguished by the stories of the Shornrim,, -
_ousted from power. That would be a boon for those—especially Egypt and Russia—who
the guards in Jewish Palestine. -.
seek chaos in the Middle East. Ben-Gurion stands for stability in that area, and his
The poems of Rachel, the stories and novels of the eminent
pioneer Joseph Chaim Brenner, the poems, of David Shimoni, are
hands must be upheld, in the best interests of world peace.
among those outlined in subsequent chapters. •
Viewing the situation frankly we must once again defend Israel's
"Voices in the Storm" is the description he gives to the
position against all precarious odds. There are grave dangers. The
Third Aliyah poetry, and under the title "Burnt Bridges" in
the same period he states that "the new prose of Israel has
declaration made by President Eisenhower that the United States has al-
brought into modern Hebrew literature that drive towards
ready given Israel the "maximum assurances it can reasonably expect at
social goals which the individual himself may help to realize."
this juncture" must be accepted with appreciation, in recognition of sin-
The novels of this period typify "the spirit of a generation
which, having burnt its bridges, was reaching out for- an
cere efforts to Cure a sore spot on the body of the Middle East.
unseen goal."
But Israel's claims cannot be brushed aside. It is impossible to overlook Nasser's
Prof. Wallenrod describes the literary activities of Aaron
assurances that "foreign" troops will be retained on disputed area subject to his ap-
proval. This means that Nasser may revert speedily to a policy of attacking Israel, that he .David Gordon who personified the ideas and ideals of his time
Subsequent poets and novelists and those who wrote "in the
may oust the United Nations Emergency Force, that he may defy U. S., UN and World
days of tragedy and redemption" are thoroughly reviewed, and
Court decisions. Where will we be then?
it is doubtful whether the author has eliminated a single name
Then, not only Israel will be in danger again, not only will there _ of importance from his record of "The Literature of Modern
Israel."
Then be the threat of renewed warfare, but the avenue will be opened
The concluding chapter deals with the American Hebrew
for the intrusions of Nasser's partner—Soviet Russia. This is the danger
poets in Israel. It describes the works and activities of Hillel
Bavli, Simon Halkin, Abraham Regelson, Ephraim Lisitzky, Isaac
the Eisenhower Doctrine seeks to overcome, and this, exactly, is the
Silberschlag, Israel Efros, Moshe Feinstein, Abraham Zevi Halevy,
danger that is invited by the freedom now being granted to Nasser and
Reuben Avinoam-Grossman, Baruch Katznelson.
his cohorts in the stringent measures proposed against Israel.
But we are told that "there is evident in American Hebrew
poetry the feeling of spiritual loneliness. The poet fears the
At this juncture, men 'like Senator William F. Knowland are to be
discontinuance of his heritage."
highly commended for their position against the proposal of sanctions to
It is a sad note on which Prof. Wallenrod concludes, pointing
be imposed on Israel. We retain the confidence we have entertained
out that "our Hebrew colleges and seminaries have given us
throughout the discussions that such sanctions can not be imposed, that Jewish historians, sociologists and even philosophers, but they
have not given us writers to whom Hebrew constitutes a creative
it will be impossible to enforce them, that the morality of . democratic think- language." It is clear that he does not possess the answer, and
ing will not admit them.
he concludes with the quotation: "Thou knowest not what is
the way of the wind."
But much more needs to be done. A basis must be established for a

permanent peace. Without such a peace in the Middle East there can be
no peace in the world. Let the objective be peace—by compelling the
Arabs, through the United Nations, by means of the moral forces inherent
in our Government's status in the world, to sit down face to face with the
Israelis and to seek a solution to the grave problem by means of peace.
Unless we have such an approach, every -proposal, whether it is Eisenhow-
er's or Dulles' or that of any other statesman in the world, will be branded
in history as a farce. And if these men desire to be recorded in history as
men with vision, with a desire to peaceful and just approaches to the needs
of oppressed people—among whom Israel remains the most hounded—let

them strive for a just peace. If they strive for it they will attain it..

Canadian Jewry's Statistical Service

The Canadian Jewish Congress has performed another im-
portant service with its two pamphlets of population and syna-
gogue studies.
Under the direction of Louis Rosen-berg, the CJC's research
expert, the Canadian Jewish Congress presents statistical sum-
maries on Canada's Jewish population, with a statistical supple-
ment fO-r the period of 1951-1954; and a study of synagogues,
Jewish schools and other Jewish community facilities as affected
by Montreal's population migration.
The Canadian statistical studies are far superior to anything
of the sort we have done in Jewish communities in this country..
They are surveys well worth emulating.

