Friday, June 21, 1957 — THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS-2
Purely Commentary••
•
Dr. Farid Zeineddine--'Persona Non Grata'
Some time ago, the Syrian Ambassador to the United States
used such vile language in his attacks upon American Jews that
responsible people demanded he should be declared "persona non
grata" and ordered returned to his country.
- This obnoxious Syrian once again has let loose with uncalled
for attacks on American Jews, as indicated in the following edi-
torial in the Chicago Daily Sun-Times which was titled "Zeined-
dine Is Out Of Line Again":
We cannot let stand without challenge the statement of Dr.
Farid Zeineddine, Syrian ambassador to the United States, that
Zionist influences control the press in the United States.
Zeineddine has allowed his fanatic antagonism toward
Israel and the world Zionist movement which helped create
her, to warp his views and cause him to behave like a boorish
guest in his host country. His insults toward the American press
ought to make him persona non grata here; they are of a piece
with his slurs last summer on the patriotism of American Jews.
At that time, Zeineddine said: "The American Jew is not
an American emotionally or even ultimately. A Zionist cannot
have real allegiance to the country in which he lives."
We said at that time that "he has permitted his perhaps
understandable zeal for a cause—the cause of the Arabs in the
Middle East—to seriously impair his performance as a diplo-
mat."
Loyalty of individual Americans is a serious and personal
matter. This is a subject an ambassador of a foreign country
ought to steer clear of.
In his comments on the American-press, at a press confer-
ence here, Zeineddine said: "The American press is wrong
when it says Syria is active in Jordan. In fact, most of your
information on the Middle East is influenced by Zionist influ-
ences that control the press in the United States."
Does Zeineddine believe it was a Zionist influence which
persuaded us to print Joseph Alsop's story out of Jordan last
Sunday that said the United States moved its 6th Fleet to the
East to give Jordan a guarantee against Israeli intervention?
That story brought protests from Zionists.
The fact is, the American press tries to bring to its readers
the whole truth by printing all the information it can get, let
_ _ the chips fall where they may. We even printed Zeineddine's
views, although they are counter to U.S. policy and our own.
Such full coverage is more than the readers of newspapers
in the Arab world get. In Egypt, the press is not free to print
news, much less opinion, adverse to President Nasser's views.
The U.S. reporter, Barrett McGurn, learned this when he was
s kicked out of Egypt last week.
For a long time, Americans received-an overbalanced diet
of pro-Israeli news because the Arabs were virtually incoherent
in telling their side of the dispute or because they didn't give
a hoot about American public opinion. They were doing a
better public relations job here in recent years until the fulmi-
nations against Americans by Nasser and by such ilk as
-Zeineddine which did the cause of mutual understanding little
. good.
It is distressing to note that there is an attitude of contro-
:versy and suspicion when our confreres in the daily press speak
AA Zionists and Zionism. We are disturbed that editorial writers
should be overlooking the basic fact involved here: that Zionism
is a humanitarian movement whose objective, which was achieved
. in the establishment of Israel, was to find homes for the oppressed
and the homeless; as well as to strive for the fulfillment of
Prophecy.
But the subject at issue at this time is Zeineddine. He has
'been and is -persona non grata," and it is disheartening to know
that he has not been called to task. In another era—perhaps under
the first Roosevelt, under Taft and Wilson—we believe he would
have been ordered out of this country for insulting American
citizens. Now we are playing with power politics, with oil, with
Soviet involvements in the Middle East, and American Jews,
together with Israel, therefore are the subjects of abuse. What a
sad era!
Two Spreaders of Bigotry—
An Arab and a Jew . The
t
Cohens in Limeligh
-
Summer Radio Series
SIOMOVitZ
Lilienthal denies that "good Jews" are being kicked out of
Egypt, blames Arab refugees on Israel, states unequivocally
that Israel has been the aggressor in the Middle East, and
serves .as minister without portfolio for the Bundists of the
Nile. He has earned my contempt.
We present these facts in order that the name should be
known and remembered. The propagandist in question has been
on lecture tours for Arabs and against Israel. For-all we know, a
certain "economic" club, having made it a practice to specialize
in anti-Israel and pro-Arab speakers, may decide to bring him,
too — especially since this club has the blessings of two or three
anti-Israeli Jews.
Lilienthal has written more than one anti-Israel book. He
is the only known Jew who has entered Saudi-Arabia and he has
fraternized with all the potentates who threatened the destruc-
tion of Israel and of the entire people of Israel.
Barry Gray's expose of this propagator of the destruction of
his kinsmen sounds shocking, but it is the true delineation of a
man who has dedicated himself to only one purpose: genocide:
the destruction of his own kinsmen, who share Barry's contempt
for him.
*
The Cohens in the Limelight
A couple of Cohens are in the limelight. One of them, who
at one time figured prominently in a Congressional hearing, is
reported to have embraced Catholicism. Another, who is known
as a "West Coast hoodlum," who has caused trouble for the ABC
network, is flirting with Billy Graham. •
That's their business. But we would also have liked to hear
that they had changed their names.
In the process of name-changing, which is legitimate, espe-
cially when Slavic-sounding monikers are changed for more
American names, we have taken exception only to those who
abandon historic names like Levy or Cohen. Therefore, when
the Cohens abandon their priestly affiliation, the -least they can
do is also to save embarrassment to those who remain loyal to
their Kenraic heritage, by abandoning the Cohanic link.
JDC Aids 179,000
in '56, Report Says
"More than 179,000 Men,
women and children through-
out the world" were aided dur-
ing 1956 by the Joint Distribu-
tion Committee, major Ameri-
can agency aiding distressed
Jews abroad. This included
thousands of refugees from
Hungary and from Egypt, the
1956 JDC annual report, issued
last week; declares.
The report predicts that -"in
1957 some 125,000 Jewish refu-
gees will be moving to coun-
tries of temporary asylum and
to new homes."
Moses A. Leavitt, JDC execu-
tive vice-chairman, in a section
of the annual report titled "Not
Peace and Not War," declares
that in 1956 JDC appropriated
$30,366,849 for its operations. - Of
the 179,000 who were aided by
JDC, he notes, more than
103,000 were in Moslem coun-
tries.
For 1957 JDC has adopted a
budget of $26,550,000 to aid
more than 210,000 needy Jews
*
*
*
overseas. The financial main-
Facts
About
Lilienthal,
Propagandist
for
Arabs
:.
stay of JDC's overseas resettle-
In his column in the New York Post, Barry Gray relates the
.
ment and reconstruction pro-
following about the propagandist for the Arabs, Alfred M. Lilien-
grams, the report notes, Con-
thal:
tinues to be funds provided
-
An anti-Zionist Jew named Alfred M. Lilienthal has writ-
through the nationwide cam-
ten a book about the Middle East. I debated the author last
paigns of the United Jewish
week, and asked by way of vital statistics, if he was a member
Appeal.
of a synagogue. He said yes, and added that his rabbi had
Turning to current operations,
"endorsed" his book, with a paragraph on the flyleaf.
the JDC -leader indicates that
But the Rabbi writes as follows, in a letter to hims
the overseas welfare agency is
"Dear Alfred:
currently maintaining major
"I have been bombarded with telephone calls today re- operations in Israel; in Algeria
garding your reference to me and Temple Israel. No matter
and Morocco, as well as other
what you said in actual words, you created the impression that
parts of North Africa; and . in
I, as "your Rabbi," endorse your book or books. Since this is France, Austria and other coun-
se far from. the truth I ask you to observe the following:
tries' of Western Europe.
"1. Do not use my letter to you of some years ago in any
of your addresses or appearances. All I did then was to say
Honor German Actor
that you had a right to present your views. Your use of my
letter, in some advertising since then, as well as on such ap-
On 65th Birthday
pearances as last night, creates the impression that I am back-
MUNICH (JTA) — The West
ing you, rather than the right of free expression.
German Federal Republic has
"Since I feel that your activities are really a heinous
conferred one of its highest
affront to, as well as attack upon, our people in Israel, whose
honors, the Grand Cross of
right to life, liberty and existence I fervently espouse, and
Merit with Star, upon Fritz
your pro-Arab views so unwarranted, I do not wish my name
Kortner, Germany's greatest
in any way associated with them.
living actor and stage director,
-
"While I was not a Zionist, the day Israel was proclaimed
on the occasion of his 65th
I felt that a historic decision was made . . for the sake of
birthday. Only three other Jews
the harassed and persecuted of our people, who by the way
have received this distinction in
number more than the Arab refugees — and no 6,000,000 Arabs
the eight years of the federal
were done to death, as were 6,000,000 of our brothers — and
republic.
that it was my duty to assist in its preservation, though free to
Dr. Theodor Heuss, the Fed-
criticize its actions, and especially to do so as one whose citi-
eral president, made the award
zenship as an American remains undiluted and unquestioned.
"2. You told Barry you are a member of Temple Israel and which was presented to the
ac tor by Dr. Wilhelm Hoeg ner,
I am your Rabbi. This is not the fact. Your mother retains a
Minister-President of Bavaria.
seat but you are not a member and, of course, hardly ever
come to the temple. Membership by one person in a family does
His name is also being in-
not make the family affiliated as far as adults are concerned.
scribed in the Golden Book of
Each has to have affiliation in his own right.
the Jewish National Fund in
"I trust you will be guided by the above requests in any connection with his birthday.
future public appearances or addresses.
Kortner is a board member of
"With all the best to your mother, sincerely yours,
the • United Jewish 'Appeal in
4 '11.ev. Dr. William F. Rosenblum. Rabbi."
Gerirnanar.
--
By Philip Seminary to Produce
BM14101.14•111.0111111•43.1110...0■0■Nwainisn
Mark Van Doren, Pulitzer
Prize - winning poet and - pro-
fessor of English at Columbia
University, and Maurice Sam-
uel, well-known author and lec-
turer, will present an explana-
tion and interpretation of the
Wisdom Books of the Bible on
the "Words We Live By" radio
series during the summer
months, according to Dr. Louis
Finkelstein, Chancellor of The
Jewish Theological Seminary of
America, which conducts the
program.
"Words We Live By," the
summer series of the award-
wining Eternal Light radio pro-
gram, will be broadcast from
10:30-11 p.m., on 10 consecutive
Sundays, from July 7 through
Sept. 8, over radio Station
WWJ.
The program will be pre-
sented as a public service by
the National Broadcasting Com-
p a n y.
The Wisdom Books off the
Bible, consisting - of Job, Pro-
verbs, and Ecclesiastes, as well
as Ecclesiasticus and The Ethics
of the Fathers will be discussed.
Dr. Ben Zion Bokser, rabbi of
the Forest Hills Jewish Center,
is program editor. Kenneth Mac-
Gregor will direct. Milton • E.
Krents is the Seminary pro-
ducer.
a
l.4.11•114341i134•011.4N-0.1nro•■•.
Boris Smolar's
`Between You
... and Me'
(Copyright, 1957,
Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
Meet Your Leader
The United Jewish Appeal campaign is extremely successful
this year under the general chairmanship of William Rosenwald
• . . But Rosenwald refuses to accept praise due to him for his
extraordinary efforts to make the drive a success . Modestly;
he tells you that the credit belongs to the "team" of Jewish
leaders who are active in the campaign, as well as to local Jew-
ish leaders who are doing their utmost to secure increased con-
tributions in _their communities . . However, ask any JewiSh
leader in the country, and he will tell you that it is "Bill" —'as
Rosenwald is affectionately. called — who is the inspiring spirit
. And it is his unlimited devotion to the UJA
in UJA work
board that serves as inspiration to the other Jewish leaders who
do the "team work" with him for the UJA , This devotion has
made him one of the most beloved national Jewish leaders .. .
In his attempt to bring the needs and the purposes of the UJA
closer to the Jewish communities in all parts Of the country, he
has initiated "'goodwill tours" of UJA leaders, including himself,
. During these visits, the lead-
to various Jewish communities
ers ask for no funds, seek no contributions, but merely address
. They
local Jewish personalities on Jewish needs in the world
thus bring local Jewish leaders closer to the developments in
Israel. and in other countries where American Jewish aid is
needed .. Such "goodwill visits" were made in 1956 by Rosen-
other top leaders of the UJA in 40 cities . . - Plans
wald
are now
now being made for a fall 1957 "goodwill tour" which will
embrace 72 cities . . And this is merely one of the projects
in the UJA planning which keeps Rosenwald busy as general
chairman.
Man of Action
Rosenwald is very active in his business enterprises and
devotes much of his time to general educational, sociological and
cultural activities . . . He holds offices in the Philharmonic-
Symphony Society of New York, Museum of Science and In-
dustry in Chicago, Tuskegee Institute and the National Weil.-
fare Assembly . . In his midtown office one can find him en-
gaged in the affairs of his various- business enterprises . . He
is chairman of the board - of the investment banking firm, Amer-
ican Securities Corporation . . . Busy as he is in other . fields,
he nevertheless thinks always of the United Jewish Appeal and
how to make it achieve maximum success_ in its campaign .
In addition to UJA, Rosenwald is vice-chairman of the Joint Dis-
tribution Committee, vice president of United Hias Service,
vice-president of the Council of Jewish Federation and Welfare
Funds, and one of the leaders . of the American Jewish Committee
. . . His wife and his three children are proud of his devotion
to humanitarian causes which has become his second nature and
in which he follows faithfully the footsteps of his father, the late
Julius Rosenwald; who went into the history of America as one
of the greatest philanthropists of his generation.
Monument To U.S. Jewry
I wish to draw attention to a book published by Harpers
dealing with the settlement of 300,000 Jewish refugees in the
United States during the last 20 years . . . The volume, entitled
"306,000 New Americans," gives all the facts and background
of the activities of the National Refugee Service of which Rosen-
wald was president, and the later-formed United Service for New
Americans of which he was honorary president . The book is
a monument to the colossal work done by American Jewry since
1939, in helping 300,000 victims of Nazism come to this country
and become integrated in this country < . Its author, Lyman
Cromwell White, concentrates especially on the work of the
USNA, and brings out the picture of how its predecessor or-
ganization, the National Refugee Service, and cooperating Jewish
agencies speeded up the gradual process by which the immigrants
became self supporting.