The Zionist Convention and Jewish Leadership Ayn Rand's Great Novel, 'Atlas Shrugged' THE JEWISH NEWS A Weekly Review of Jewisa Events Commentary, Page 2 City's Synagogues Plan Services for the New Year 5718 Story on Page 40 Michigan's Only English-Jewish Newspaper—Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle VOLUME XXXI I — No. 3 ek6RE? 27 17100 W. 7 Mile Rd. — VE 8-9364 — Detroit 35, September 20, 1957 $5.00 Per Year; Single Copy 15c Israeli Diplomat's Kidnaping Aggravates Soviet Relations; Mrs. Meir Repeats Peace Plea . Direct Jewish Telegraphic c Agency Teletype Wires to The Jewish News TEL AVIV — Brushing aside all questions with a terse UNITED NATIONS, N. Y. — Israel feels itself threatened by the situation in Syria and "I have arrived safely, that's all I can say," Eliahu Chazan in general by heavy shipment of arms to Arab states surrounding Israel, Mrs. Golda Meir, returned to Israel Tuesday by air with his wife and daughter Foreign Minister of Israel, declared Tuesday upon her arrival to attend the 12th annual from an ordeal of being kidnapped and tortured by Soviet secret session of the United Nations General AsSembly. service agents in Odessa. Asked what her delegation's principal objectives would be in this year's Assembly, she Alexander Abramov, Russian ambassador to Israel, was declared that_, all who are interested to see quiet and peace in the area will help bring reliably reported to have expressed disbelief in the report of about such a condition in the Middle East." the diplomat's detention which was relayed to him in a protest Specifically, in regard to the situation in Syria, Mrs. Meir stated: "We are very anxious from the Israel government. about what is happening there. Syria is being heavily armed and the country that is sending The diplomat was taken from the Lydda Airport in a special arms to Syria is making baseless accusations against Israel." ear which proceeded to Jerusalem where he was scheduled to report to the Israel Foreign Ministry. Asked whether Israel expects help from any other members of the UN, particularly the great powers, Mrs. Meir replied: "We expect help from all people who want peace in the Among those awaiting Chazan were several members • of Middle East and in the rest of the world. Arab states are receiving shipments of arms and Kibbutz Kfar Giladi of which he is a member. The Kibbutz at the same time are making threatening statements in regard to Israel. Arms given to nations was notified in advance by the Foreign Ministry of the return that have policies of belligerence against other nations in their area naturally create a situation of the Chazan family. A notice was pinned in the Kibbutz dining threatening to their security." hall with the phrase: "Blessed be the expelled." Kibbutz mem- bers _expressed thanks that the Chazan family had been safely Mrs. Meir, who expects to be in this country only until Oct. '7, was met at New York's rescued from the "Soviet grip." International Airport, when her plane arrived from Paris, by Abba Eban, permanent chairman Envoy Abramov, who took part in -a special reception ten- of Israel's delegation at the UN; Mordecai R. Kidron, Eban's Deputy; Dr. Joseph J. Schwartz, dered by the Mexican Minister, refused to comment on the executive vice chairman of the Israel Bond Organization and other Israeli UN members. entire situation. Political circles reportedly considered the in- Mrs. Meir declined to discuss the case of Eliahu Chazan, Israeli attache in Moscow, who cident a new sign of aggravation in Soviet-Israel relations. was kidnapped and tortured in an attempt to make him divulge Israeli secrets and join the Right-wing Herut cabled a demand to the Knesset presidium Soviet secret service. She said that that issue has already been discussed by the Director for a special emergency meeting of the defense and foreign General of the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem and by Ambassador Joseph Avidar in Moscow,. (Continued on Page 3) The latter is here currently as a -_nember of the Israel delegation to the UN assembly. American Zionists Call for Action Against Arab Boycott; Devise Program. to Further Personal Identification With Israel Jewry By Jewish News Special Correspondent NEW YORK.—The 60th anniversary convention of the Zionist Organization of America, which concluded here, at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, on Sunday evening, condemned the Arab boycott of Israel and "Arab pressures against government and commercial enterprises seeking to trade with Israel," and urged that the full facts be laid before the American people by "The United Zionist Movement in the United States, together with all Jewish and non-Jewish organizations and individuals who believe in the paramount necessity for freedom of trade among peoples." Dealing with the question of American policy in the Middle East,*the convention called upon our Government "to act decisively and in time to avert the Soviet threat." The convention declared itself in favor of "an intensified American economic aid program in the Middle East" and called upon our Government "to make Israel's security a pivotal feature of its policy." Emphasizing the deep historical and spiritual ties with Jews • everywhere, the convention deplored the policy of Soviet Russia of suppressing and ultimately destroying Russian Jewry's "free expression" and expressed the hope that the USSR will permit its Jewish citizens to exer- cise "free and unlimited opportunity to live their lives as Jews," and to permit citizens of Russia who wish to emigrate to Israel to do so. The incoming administration, under the leadership of Dr. Emanuel Neumann, who was re-elected president, was instructed to "devise ways and means for the stimulation and facili- tation of personal identification with life in Israel" in three areas: 1. Permanent settlement by those willing and able to do so; 2. placement of those aspiring to work and study in Israel, and, 3. encouragement of private investments in Israel. It was a lively convention, marked by many inspiring and dramatic episodes. While its official opening was cold, marked by the absence of many of the pioneer leaders, it gathered momentum. There was a most enthusiastic session, marked by addresses by Dr. Abba Hillel Silver and former President Harry S. Truman. There were several discussion sessions at which important issues were clarified. There was •a concluding dinner with addresses by noted states- men who rallied the ZOA following to action in Israel's behalf. The convention gave a rousing ovation to former President Truman who predicted a glorious future for the State of Israel "as an embodiment of the great ideals of our civili- zation." Referring to the present disorders and frictions involving Israel, Mr. Truman said, they can, and I hope, will be solved- through the United Nations, of which Israel is one of the most devoted members. They can be solved through forbearance and patience and the search for the truth." He called upon the United Nations and the United States to work towards the ideal of peace and progress in the Near East "for the well-being of all the nations of that area and the safety and prosperity of the whole West depend upon it." Recalling the establishment of the Jewish State ten years ago and the role of the United States in that historical event, Mr. Truman said: "It has never seemed to me that I deserved any special credit as an individual for what I did about Israel when I was President of the United States." Mr. Truman paid tribute to the first President of Israel, the late Chaim Weizmann, as "one of the great men of Israel and one of the great men of modern times. The major portion of Dr. Silver's address was concerned with the Middle East crisis and its effect on Israel's security. He stressed the indispensable role that world Jewry must play in insuring that security. He answered the criticism directed against American Zionists who do not settle in Israel, saying that "to make Zionism synonymous with the personal, obligation of every Zionist to emigrate to Israel is a dis tortion of the classic Zionist position." He saw in the last sixty years "a renaissance of Hebrew culture, undreamed of, and in fact, despaired of, in the closing years of the last century." "Without an organized and mobilized world Jewry, the State of Israel would never have been established—and without it—it cannot be sustained," he maintained. "This we should always remember." (Continued on Page Biblically Inspired: "The Third Al- legory," a painting by Ben Shahn which is in the collection of the Jewish Community Center of Buffalo, strikes an especially timely note during the Ten Days of Awe. Sym- bolic of the deep roots in Jewish tradition shared by the more than 350 Jewish Community Centers and YM- YWHAs across the U.S. affiliated with and served by the National Jewish Welfare Board, this is one of many works of art on Jewish themes which have been acquired for Center collections in recent years. Shahn was inspired for the painting by the story of the triumphal march of King David and the 30,000 selected men of Israel into the City of David bearing the Ark of the Lord (2 Samuel 6:22).