Readying for 10th Anniversary

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 S6.
Entered as second class matter Aug. 6, 1952 at Post Office, Detroit, Mich., under Act of March 3, 1879.

PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

Editor and Publisher

SIDNEY SHMARAK

Advertising Manager

CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ

Circulation Manager

FRANK SIMONS

City Editor

Sabbath Script ural Selections
This Sabbath, the twelfth day of Tebet, 5718, the following Scriptural selections will
be read in our synagoguges:
I Kings 2:1-12.
Pentateuchal portion, Vayehi, Gen. 47:28-50:26. Prophetical portion,

Licht Benshen, Friday, Jan. 3, 4:33 p.m.

VOL. XXXII. No. 18

Page Four

January 3, 1958

1,958 - -Year of Hope and Prayer for Peace

If the year that has just closed has the threatened invasion that is encour-
justly been labeled the most crucial year aged by the USSR.
This new episode is a tragic develop-
in history, then the new year we are now
commencing may prove to be even more ment in a totally saddening Middle East-
ern situation. But those who are con-
important for mankind.
cerned that Russia should not gain a
ast-West
crisis
may,
as
it
must,
The E-
reach crucial proportions; and it may as foothold in the Middle East at Israel's
it surely must, be resolved in the interest expense must sympathize with David Ben-
Gurion, not with those who betrayed him.
of peace.
* * *
New missile and space explorations
Vital
problems
remain to be solved.
undoubtedly will become known during
Echoes of Tercentenary
the current year, and the world may well The solution is at hand, and if the West-
ern
Powers
will
exercise
firmness
and
pray that they should be directed towards
peace instead of the war threats that will be logical and realistic in their ap-
have kept all nations in a state of jitters. proaches to the Middle East's problems,
1958 may see the solution at hand.
* * *
One of the major problems facing
We must strive for such educational
On the occasion of the celebration of the American Jewish
advances that will bring peoples together the world is that of the Palestinian refu- Tercentenary,
historians gathered under the auspices of the
gees.
in amity rather than in suspicion.
American Jewish Historical Society, at Peekskill, N. Y., in 1954,
A
Christian
Science
Monitor
editorial
The tragedies of a world crisis that
for a conference to discuss vital issues affecting American
have been aggravated by Soviet aggres- a few days ago reviewed this problem and Jewish life.
The papers read at that conference, and the discussions of
sions, by the Communist invasions of the emphasized that "Arab feeling is easily
Middle and Near East; the threats that fanned against Israel." It then proceeded them, have now been incorporated into a book, "The Writing
American Jewish History," published by the American Jewish
have come from Russia to all the conti- to point to the following important fact: of
"But a newsletter published in Washing- Historical Society (3080 B'way, N. Y. 27).
nents; the ideological fears that have
Edited by Drs. Moshe Davis and Isidore S. Meyer, this
ton contains a quotation which, if accurate,
been injected—these issues have made
could in time become a subject of cautious volume contains vital material on many important subjects. The
1957 a year that was marked by a con-
discussion in Damascus. A Syrian official is experiences of distinguished scholars and historians are pooled
tinuous state of panic.
described as inviting Egyptians to emigrate in this work.
northward to 'millions of acres of fertile land'
In an analysis of the "new direction" pursued by' American
As we begin the new year, we hope,
in Syria which 'are abandoned and need
Jewish historians, Dr. Davis points out that "the first step to
and pray, that the state of panic will end.
improve the quality of American Jewish historical writing is
labor.
Else, it may affect not only the world
"If there are such, opportunities — and to regain the awareness that the Jewish experience in America
political situation but also all internal
certainly American technical assistance could should be studied as part of the larger scheme of American his-
developments in many lands:
tory as well as of world Jewish history."
help expand them—could they not be opened
to some of the several hundred thousand
Various aspects of community life in America are touched
The • world crisis keeps Israel in a
Palestinian Arab refugees under Egyptian upon in the essays in this book.
continuous crisis. Prime Minister, David
administrative -control in the. Gaza Strip be-
One of the most important articles in the book is the
Ben-Gurion's coalition Cabinet constantly
tween Egypt and Israel?"
address by the late Lee M. Friedman on the history of im-
was threatened with dissolution because
who have been striving for a migrants in American history; and the paper by Prof. Ben-
its ; composition included a handful of ex- fair Those
on "American Jewish
soldtion
of the refugee issue have Zion Dinur of the Hebrew University
treme leftists who had seen fit to chal-
of Modern Jewish History" pro-
Light
Historiography
in
the
lerige their government's security pro- emphasized this fact time and again. vides a great deal of thought-provoking comments.
Israel has made this point and has of-
gram.
Dr. Jacob R. Marcus' "Letters as a Source of Biography"
There, too, it was the Russian threat fered to help in the solution of the prob- is another valuable addition to Jewish historical research. There
that played a major role. Israel, a land lem. But those who are in position to are included in this volume discussions on problems of literary
without fears in its conflict with its im- provide a basis for such a solution, the biography and there are special sections dealing with problems
and economic history.
mediate saber-rattling neighbors, never- Arab states where the needed labor can of immigration
The discussions about local and economic history attracted
theless suffers from the same fears that be absorbed, have been unwilling to co- the interest
of such scholars as Dr. Sylvester K. Stevens, who
affect the rest of the world: that of Corn- operate. Russia has encouraged them in is the State Historian
of Pennsylvania, Dr. U. Z. Engelman, Dr.
their
desire
to
keep
hundreds
of
thou-
-monist infiltration. -
Selig Adler, Dr. Hyman B. Grinstein, Dr. Henry David, Dr. Selig
sands of refuaees in camps as weapons in Perlman, and Dr. Thomas C. Cochran, professor of history at
* * *
Had it not been for the invasion of the fight on Israel. By holding on heart- the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Allan • Nevins, twice winner
the Pulitzer Prize, joined in discussing biography with Dr.
that area by Russia, with her encourage- lessly to such a weapon, the Arabs have of
Jacob R. Marcus, President of the Society, and Dr. Rollin' G.
tient to the. Arab countries whom she is perpetuated their *
own
Osterweis, Professor of History at Yale University.
*, tragedy.
*
. "'arming to the teeth, Israel would not now
The dramatic portion of the material likely to have the
Will the Western Powers, for the sake greatest impact on the reader, dealing with immigration where
13e , compelled to look for arms in a land
that carries with it the most tragic mem- of peace, in the interest of a humanitarian scholars from several areas agreed on the prejudicial background
ories for the present generation of Jews. approach to the Arab *refugee problem, of the McCarran-Walter Act, was participated in by the Right
Monsignor John O'Grady, secretary of the National
Indeed, the tragic admonitions that go strive for a solution to the problem Reverend
Conference of Catholic Charities; Dr. Clement S. Mihanovich,
with the very name of Germany will be , through an honorable settlement rather professor
of sociology at Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Mo.;
recorded in the entire human history as than by encouraging pressure upon Prof. Robert Ernst, Prof. Arthur Mann; Harry N. Rosenfield, and
Prof. Bernard D. Weinryb.
the most harrowing on record. Israel?
It is to Russia's interests to exert
, Yet, the Israel Prime Minister finds it
necessary to deal with the government pressure upon Israel rather than to strive An Israeli Poet
of the only person who has shown some for the settlement of Arabs where they
sense of concern over the indignities that are most 'needed: in Arab countries that
were inflicted on world Jewry under the must be built up if there is to be eco-
leadership of another German. Chan- nomic security for the Arab peoples.
Three outstanding poetic creations of the Israeli author,
But those who aim at perpetuating the
cellor Konrad Adenauer and his asso-
elates stood ready to atone for the guilt Arab feudal system do not favor ' such a David Shimoni, are incorporated in an impressive volume pub-
the Youth and Hechalutz Department of the World
of Adolf Hitler and his murderous gangs. solution. Russia backs them up, and the lished by
Organization.
He has made an agreement for repara- West is silent. It is this silence that is at Zionist'
This "Idylls" are: "In the Hedera Forest," "A Memorial"
dons and is living up to it. Is it any the root of most of the troubles in the and "Dewdrops
of the Night."
wonder that Ben-Gurion wants to turn to ' Middle East.
They are published in the original Hebrew, with English
*
*
*
him for further help?
translations by I. M. Lask appearing on opposite pages.
By ending the dilly-dallying in the
When elements in Jewry protested__
The volume is enhanced by the appropriate and impressive
against Jewry's conferring with Germany,' Middle East, we may see an end also to illustrations by Ludwig Schwerin.
even when it involved reparations and vacillations elsewhere.
Of special interest is the essay on the poet by Prof. Josepk
There is a good chance for peace in Klausner. A great tribute is paid to David Shimoni by Dr.
indemnifications, it was understandable.
It is equally understandable why there 1958—provided there is an end to fears, Klausner who declares that in his poetry as a whole "the best
of the verse is its truth." Analyzing Shimoni's many poems,
are protests against further dealings with the beginning of a courageous approach Prof.
referring to his "Samson," calls it "a Hebrew,
Germany. But the Western Powers seem to the world's problems and determined Israeli Klausner,
poem in spirit and sense, in its glowing fire and wealth
to have abandoned Israel to her fate. action by the _Western Powers.
of color, its tempestuous force and sage, primal strength .. ."
We pray for such new beginnings in
Dr. Klausner states that Shimoni "possibly alone of all our
Therefore Israel's responsible leaders
had to turn to those who.are a position the eprTent year that begins with so much poets, was privileged to enjoy the real flavor of the Eretz
to help her and are willing to provide fear but actually can become a year of Israel scene, indeed, more than that, was vouchsafed to enjoy
the true flavor of the Israel mood."
leadin to world amity.
farmnfookinti_nf

Writing of American Jewish
History : Impressive Book

'Idylls' of David Shimoni