Just Watching Waiting •
THE JEWISH NEWS
•
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, isn at Post Office, Detroit, Mich., under Act of March 3, 1879
SIDNEY SHMARAK
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Advertising Manager
Editor and Publisher
CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
Circulation Manager
FRANK SIMONS
City Editor
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This. Sabbath, the twenty-sixth day of Nisan, 5717, the following Scriptural selections will
be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuch-al portion, Kedoshirn, Lev. 19:1-20:27. Prophetical portion, Amos 9:7-15.
Licht Benshen, Friday, April 26, 7:07 p.m.
Page Four
VOL XXXI—No. S
April 26, 1957
Hazards to Israel on Egyptian Border
Analyzing the status of the United
Nations Emergency Fore e, Maj. Gen.
George. Fielding Eliot, noted military au-
thority, pointed to the dangers that lurk
for Israel on the Egyptian border.
Charging that "a good deal of time
and breath is being wasted in double talk"
about the UNEF "being used to patrol
both sides of the frontier between Israel
and the Gaza Strip," Gen. Eliot stated:
"Such a patrol arrangement, it is asserted,
is necessary if the UNEF is to provide protec-
tion for Israel against the possible resumption
of guerilla (`fedayeen') raids across the
frontier.
"Bluntly, this is a lot of hogwash.
"The UNEF has neither the training, the
weapons, the knowledge of the terrain nor
even the will to deal adequately with such
desperadoes as make up the fedayeen murder-
gangs. All it could accomplish, if it were to be
stationed on the Israeli side of the border,
would be to hamper the Israeli Army and bor-
der police in carrying out their own protec-
tive measures.
"It requires no very great effort of the
imagination to foresee what the attitude of
Mr. Nehru or Mr. Krishna Menon would be,
if an Indian soldier of the UNEF were to fire
at a fedayeen raider—who would, of course,
be represented by the Cairo radio as an inno-
cent victim of Israeli injustice, seeking only
to return to the home of his forefathers.
"We have only to recall the furious storm
that was raised over the one Arab rioter who
was killed by a stray bullet when the UNEF
occupied Gaza.
"It may be said that at the moment the sole
reason why Israel desires the presence of the
UNEF in the Gaza Strip is that while the UN
troops are there it is more likely that Egyp-
tian troops will not be sent there.
"The sole reason why the Egyptians desire
to see the UNEF in Gaza is that while it re-
mains, it restrains the Israeli from deciding to
come back in force and throw the Egyptians
out.
"of course, if the UNEF were on both sides
of the border, their presence would provide
an additional advantage for the Egyptians by
facilitating fedayeen adventures. It shoilld be
remembered that the presence of Egyptian
troops is not necessary for fedayeen opera-
tions; the personnel of these raiding groups
is chiefly recruited among the refugee popu--
lation of the Gaza Strip.
"The Egyptian interest in retaining control
of Gaza has only one purpose—the use of this
position as a base for harassing and threaten-
ing Israel.
"But Gaza as a military base against Israel,
is in a hopelessly exposed position. It is out on
the end of a long limb. It cannot escape being
cut off by the highly mobile Israeli forces in
case of war.
"What the Egyptians apparently want is to
have the UNEF protect them against Israel
while they continue to exercise what Col. Nas-
ser is pleased to call "belligerent rights"—
which amounts to sending gangs of murderers
into Israel under the protection of the UN flag."
*
*
*
So much for the military danger. But
there is a graver danger—on the political
arena. Israel's enemies have not stopped
propagating against her. At a recent Sen-
ate hearing, questioned by Senator Ful-
bright, 'former U. S. Ambassador to Egypt
Henry A. Byroade placed emphasis on the
Arab attitudes based on "our policy prior
to the creation of Israel and prior to the
colonial problems which have arisen."
This is part of a policy which has given
comfort to Israel's enemies by implying
that the Balfour Declaration pledge for
a Jewish National Home was unwise, and
by encouraging those who would under-
mine the very existence of Israel.
Therein lies the major danger to Is-
rael: in the vacillations of State Depart-
ment officials; in their negations of the
basic American declarations that Israel is
here to stay.
That is why there are so many charges
of "double talk" and of "hogwash."
Tensions will be eased only when
-
there is a consistent U. S. policy for all
concerned—the White House; the State
Department and Congress.
*
•
*
The contradictory actions of the
Eisenhower administration have created
doubts and suspicions, frustrations and a
sense of shame over the lack of con-
sistency in our Government. The actions
that were in evidence in Washington
would have been impossible in a sports
arena. Anyone playing this type of ball
would have been banned from baseball
and expelled from a football team.
xa
We ask for a change in tactics which
lend little credit to American statesman- Dr. S. Belkin's Essays
ship.
*
*
*
In an editorial, "President Nasser's
Resentment," the New York Herald Tri-
Educators will find great value in the new book, "Essays in
bune stated recently.
Traditional Jewish Thought," by Dr. Samuel Belkin, president
'Traditional Jewish Thought
"The immediate, urgent need is to liquidate
the state of belligerency that exists in Pales-
tine and that threatens the renewal of a
shooting war. The first stage of such liquida-
tion was the withdrawal of Israeli, French, and
British troops from the territory seized in No-
vember. That has been accomplished. The next
is to end the belligerency acts on the Egyptian
side that provoked the crisis. One of these is
a ban on fedayeen raids—which can be done
by the United Nations emergency force, given
proper status and such border defenses as are
necessary. The other is the interference with
Israeli shipping in the Gulf of Aqaba and the
Suez. These are necessary prerequisites to a
settlement; they must be supplied by Nasser.
The only purpose of American policy is to
obtain a fair, workable arrangement • that will
encourage the stability that the Middle East
needs. This implies no hostility to Egypt—but
neither does it imply that anything Nasser
thinks will serve his own ends will be satis.
factory to the United States."
.
How much longer must American
public opinion plead for -fair play in such
fashion?
*
*
*
The vital role played by Israel in the
present struggle for- decency in the Middle
East was outlined in an address delivered
a few days ago by Senator Hubert H.
Humphrey of Minnesota, who, applauding
France's pledge to assist Israel in the
building of an oil pipeline from Elath to
the Mediterranean, reached these conclu-
sions:
"Here, as on other issues, it is important to
remind ourselves in conclusion that what hap-
pens to Israel happens to freedom. America
and the entire free world are inextricably in-
volved in the fate of Israel. We must frankly
come to recognize that whatever happens to
this struggling country happens to the forces
of freedom everywhere.
"If this outpost of democracy suffers, the
free world suffers with her. As a result, far
more than the fate of one nation, as vital as
that is, is involved in the future of the Middle
East.
"Israel ought to and does represent and
exemplify America's foreign policy objectives.
Our goals for a free and peaceful world in-
clude development of responsible governments,
the correction of ancient social and economic
inequalities, the determined use of modern
skills and technical skills for economic prog-
ress, and the opening of new horizons for the
human personality. When we look at the Mid-
dle East today, where but in Israel do we find
the goals being realized in daily performance?
Israel is an exemplification of liberal democ-
racy, in an area needing a beacon of democracy.
"We have a vital stake in keeping that bea-
con glowing."
of Yeshiva University of New York.
This volume, published by Philo-
sophical Library (15 E. 40th, N.Y. 16)
has equal importance for the layman
who seeks information on traditional
Jewish values.
Dr. Belkin outlines the Orthodox ,
viewpoints on many subjects. He re-
flects on the relationship of the rabbi
to the synagogue and indicates the
duty of both rabbi and layman "to
create a synthesis between Judaism
and Jews."
Of special interest is his essay
"The Jewish Community in a Non-
Jewish World: Problems of Integration
and Separation," in which he corn-
Dr. Belkin
ments on the conflicts between Miz-
rachi and Agudath Israel. He doubts whether the latter are
opposed to Zion's rebuilding and states: "They simply feared
that nationalism would become central in Jewish life, replacing
the Torah." He . states that he is a "traditionalist," that the term
"Orthodox" is often misunderstood. He makes a strong case for
the educational work of Orthodoxy: "we shall continue to forge
a link in the golden chain of Jewish tradition."
Dr. Belkin's emphasis on learning and Torah will be found
in many of his essays—"So That Torah Shall Not Be Forgotten,"
"Traditional Judaism in America," "Parent as Teacher and
Teacher as Parent," "The Beauty of Holiness," and others.
Jewish educators will find interesting viewpoints in his
opening essay, "The Truly Higher Education," and in every one
of the other 14 in the book.
His letter to a former student is a strong plea against
making concessions in approaches to the Jewish congregants.
His book is an enlightening set of messages to those seeking
guidance in Jewish observances, and to all who require encour-
agement in their adherence to Jewish traditional living.
`Israel to Me' As a Negro Woman,
Mrs. J. Ida Jiggets, Sees the Land
This, too, is a repetition of Senator
Humphrey's appeals and of pledgings by
many other Senators and men in public
life, Jews and non-Jews alike. Are they
to be ignored? Or are we to witness a
speedy end to double talk? Some of the
spokesmen for America's foreign policy
continue to blunder. They owe an answer
to the people of this land, in the form of
the adoption of a firm policy for peace
in the Middle East—peace with justice
for Israel—and of abandoning conflicting
policies which emerge as "hogwash" and
A Negro woman, Mrs. J. Ida Jiggets, whose earlier work,
"Religion, Diet and Health of the Jews," previously attracted
wide interest, is the author of another interesting work, "Israel
to Me," published by Bloch.
In the new book, Mrs. Jiggets, whose father was a religious
minister, describes in detail her experiences in Israel where she
spent considerable time as a member of a research -group from
New York Unfversity. She studied at the Berl Katznelson Insti-
tute in Israel, traveled through all of Israel, met the people and
leaders of the reborn nation and evaluated her reactions to life
among the Israelis.
Mrs. Jiggets first visited Israel in 1950, and she opens the
chronicle of her experiences with a description of the democracy
of that 'country and of its miracles. She then proceeds to de-
scribe her lengthier stay in 1953.
There is hardly an element in the life of the Israelis that
is omitted from this record of study and travel. All of the
higher institutions of learning and research laboratories, the
schools, the women's and the pioneers' activities, the religious
aspects and the political attitudes find an echo in her de-
scriptions.
Of special interest are her reports on the attitudes of the
Israelis to a Negro's, presence among them. She records several
minor instances of prejudices, which vanish quickly amidst the
general friendly response to her presence among the people
and her participation in the study tours of Israel.
In a sense, Mrs. Jiggets' book has aspects of a textbook. It
contains many statistical facts — including the comparable
strength of the country's parties after the elections of 1949, 1951
and 1955; the status, of religioifis groupings; economic facts and
figures; the school systems; and accounts of the leaders in the
country.
While it is, in large Measure, a personal account of interest-
ing visits in the Holy Land, this book will be found meritorious
on many, counts and will, be referred to time and again by all
who seek information about Israel. Mrs. Jiggets certainly has
fortified herself sufficiently wth all available facts to be able
earn the opprobrium "double talk."
to interpret the Jewish State to Americans.