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.