Friday, July 12, 1957 — THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS-2
•
Israel Spurs Atomic Research Mixed Seating Dispute Reaches New Orleani Court;
BY MILTON FRIEDMAN
(Copyright, 1957, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
WASHINGTON — The deter-
rent of French atomic military
power may stop Russian-backed
arab aggression. France, with
Important cooperation from Is-
raeli scientists, is approaching
a developmental stage- indicat-
ing a test of France's first nu-
clear weapon,
When major nations began
the atomic arms race, France
decided against participation.
French humanitarianism caused
initial rejection of the atomic
military concept. But the So-
viet Union penetrated the Medi-
terranean area, backing Arab
fanaticism with an implied
atomic threat. So France was
forced to provide for self-de-
fense by embarking belatedly
on 'an urgent program for de-
veloping an atomic military po-
tential.
It was France which actu-
ally pioneered radio-aCtivity re-
search in the nineteenth cen-
tury through discovery of ra-
dium and polonium. Today
French industry does ,not ap-
proach American capacities.
French scientists are neverthe-
less capable of harnessing the
atom for military as well as
[peaceful use.
Work of Israel's Weizmann
Institute of Science has led
to a pilot plant already pro-
ducing heavy water. The
production method was orig-
inated by Dr. Israel Dostrov-
sky. It has been adopted and
applied in France. Later
developments linking France
and Israel in atomic develop-
ment have been rumored in
Paris and Tel Aviv. There
have been Arab allegations
that the two nations have
pooled all atomic resources
toward early production of
nuclear weapons. But little
authoritative information has
been published by either
France or Israel.
The importance of an at amic
military potential in French OT
Israeli hands is that the Rus-
sians will be forced to exercise
restraint in Mediterranean in-
trigues. The Kremlin will have
to think twice about plots to
the Near East's "local
wars" with "volunteers." Rus-
sia will be unable to intercede
without risking reprisals.
It is obvious that France. and
Israel will gain infinitely more
weight in the world power
alignment. But Israel would
prefer to think of atoms for
peace. Peaceful use of atomic
energy opens new vistas for a
country deficient in such con-
ventional power sources as coal,
oil, and rainfall. Israel's first
President, Dr. Chaim Weiz-
rnann, envisaged such possibili-
ties. An eminent scientist, Dr.
Weizmann from the closing
days of World War H until his
death 'was in contact with lead-
ing nuclear physicists.
Today the number of scien-
tistg engaged in theoretical and
applied research in Israel, is in
relative., terms, as high as in
any nation. Foundations of Is-
rael's nuclear program were
laid by establishment of the
Weizmann Institute's depart- .
ment of isotope research.
One research area pursued
in Israel has been exploita-
tion of low-grade uranium
ores such as . phosphates. This
is significant because of ex-
tensive phosphate deposits in
Israel. The United States has
encouraged Israeli research
under the Eisenhower "atoms
for peace" program. Israel is
extending the same Ameri-
can benefits as those extended
to the Arab states. A small
amount of U-235 enriched
urnaium for experimental
purposes was promised to
Israel.
Nuclear science is so new it
is one of the few fields in
which Israel does not feel
at a disadvantage. The Israeli
Atomic Energy Commission has
worked quietly since its found-
ing in 1953. It possesses wide
powers to supervise, coordinate,
and encourage development.
Israeli Ambassador Abba
Main has told the United Na-
tions that on the world scene
"atomic science has set us on a
crossroads from which two
paths branch forth — the ,one
leading to immesaurable abun-
dance, the other toward•disaster
beyond comprehension ..."
Ambassador Eban expressed
hope "that in peaceful research
and applic,ation, OUT govern-
ments and scientists will de-
velop cooperative habits which
will illuminate a path towards
agreement in the control of
atomic weapons, and thus lift a
weight of anguish from the
heart of suffering and appre-
hensive mankind."
NEW ORLEANS, (AJP) — A
group of members of Cong.
Chevra Thilim of this city has
brought suit aganist the con-
gregation, its officers and board
members on the question of
"mechitzah" — physical separa-
tion between men's and wo-
men's seats.
The action was brought to the
civil district court with Judge
Frank J. Stich, a Lutheran, pre-
siding.
In their suit, the members
seek an injunction which would
prevent the officers and board
members from implementing a
family - seating plan approved
by the majority of members at
a recent balloting.
During the opening sessions
of the trial, the quesiions re-
garding the orthodoxy of the
synagogue were propounded by
Robert Weinstein, attorney for
the defendants, to Rabbi Solo-
Mon J. Sharfman, president of
the Rabbinical Council of Amer-
ica, representing the plaintiff as
an expert.
In response to a question as
to whether Chevra Thilim syn-
agogue could be considered as
being strictly orthodox—inas-
much as it does not have a
"mechitzah" nor a center bimah
and whereas it used a micro-
phone at services—Rabbi Sharf-
man answered with an em-
phatic "No."
In direct examination by Da-
vid Gertler, attorney for the
seating is permissible according
to Jewish law.
He described the require.
ments for membership as 1.
applicant must be ordained by
orthodox rabbinical seminary;
2. must have a proper orthodox
congregation, no mixed seating;
3. must be orthodox in his own
beliefs and practices.
He admitted, however, that
under certain circumstances,
members of the Council were
permitted to accept pulpits with
mixed seating, but they were
given five years to convince the
congregation that it must re-
turn to a separation of the
sexes. If by the - end of five
years, he continued, the rabbi
does not succeed, he is expected
to resign or he is subject tO
expulsion from the congrega-
tion.
When questioned by the judge,
Rabbi Sharfman stated that less
than one-third of the Union's
members occupied pulpits in
congregations with I mixed seat-
ing and that included congrega-
tions that have mixed seating
on special occasions once or
twice a year. When questioned
by Mr. Weinstein as to what
these special occasions were, the
rabbi admitted that they had
reference to Rosh Hashanah
Yom Kippur.
Before the case closes, both
sides were expected to put an
the witness stand a number of
additional experts.
Chief Rabbi's Gift
to Truman Library
JERUSALEM, (JTA) — A
personal gift of three antique
glass vessels from Chief Rab-
bi Isaac Halevi Herzog for
the Truman Library dedica-
tion in Independence, Mis-
souri on -July 6, is en route
to the United States. The
vessels, which were un-
earthed in Western Galilee,
date back to the Third Cen-
tury C.E. They bear the sym-
bols of the 12 tribes.
NATIONAL SANK;
OF DETROIT;
STATEMENT OF CONDITION, JUNE 30; 1957
RESOURCES
Cash on Hand and Due from Other Banks
United States Government Securities .
• •
rii I
Other Securities . • • • • •
• A A4 1 I
Loans:
Loans and Discounts o ? {
f
Real Estate Mortgages
• • . • • • •
ni
gi
Accrued Income and Other Resources . a •
•
Bank Premises . . . • •
. • • • • a
gai
Customers' Liability—Acceptances and Credits •
• •
$ 434,337,373.50
610,110,535.69
148,444,148.98
589,726,235.14
132,157,913.72
721,884,148.86
7,522,658.08
14,070,150.94
1,691,951.77
$1,938,060,967.82
L I A B I L I T I E S
D eposits:
Commercial, Bank, and Savings •
United States Government
•
Other Public Funds
• •
•
•
Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities
Acceptances and Letters of Credit . •
Capital Funds:
Common Stock ($10.00 par value)
Surplus .
Undivided Profits
• •
•
a • .
• • •
•
• • • •
A
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
$1,617,796,188.44
7,050,159.10
63,705,502.22
1
A.-. it
$ 28,974,000.00
90,000,000.00
19,449,511.91
$1,778,551,849.76
19,393,654.38
1,691,951.77
138,423,511.91
$1,938,060,967.82
United States Government Securities carried at $223,513,709.96 in the foregoing statement are pledged to secure public deposits;
including deposits of $14,106,657.96 of the Treasurer, State of Michigan, and for other purposes required by law.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Israel Presents Bible
to Generalissimo Trujillo
NEW YORK (JTA)—A Bible
printed in Israel was presented
to Generalissimo Rafael L.
Trujillo by a representative of
the Israeli Government, the
Dominican Republic Informa-
tion Center reported. W. Zev
Bairey Bronner, an official of
the Israeli Treasury Depart-
ment, said that the people of
Israel were grateful for the
friendship and assistance that
Generalissimo Trujillo had ren-
dered the new nation on a num-
ber of occasions.
plaintiffs,. Rabbi Sharfman de-
fined orthodox Jews as a group
of Jews who accept divine reve-
lation as described in the Five
Books of Moses and Jewish law
as stated in the Codes and com-
mentaries, in responsa and by
present-day authorities.
He stated categorically that
mixed or family seating was not
permissible by Jewish law.
The rabbi quoted the Babylo-
nian Talmud, a section of trac-
tate Succah which deals with
the ceremony of the "poUring
of the libation." There, he said,
a gallery is mentioned for wo-
men, while the men sit below.
Rabbi Sharfman further tes-
tified that the Rabbinical Coun-
cil has approximately 700 mem-
bers and that none of its mem-
bers would admit that mixed
Howard C. Baldwin
Henry T. Bodman
Prentiss M. Brown
John S. Coleman
Harlow H. Curtice
William M. Day
Charles T. Fisher
Charles T. Fisher, Jr.
John B. Ford
B. E. Hutchinson
Ben R. Marsh
Ralph T. McElvenny
John N. McLucas
Peter J. Monaghan
W. Dean Robinson
Nate S. Shapero
R. Perry Shorts
Donald F. Valley
Ben E. Young
58 Neighborhood Offices serving Detroit and Suburbs
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