The Tenth Anniversary
THE JEWISH NEWS
Incorporating the Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of ---July 20, 1951
Member American Association of English-Jewish ivewspapers, Michigan Press Association. National
Editorial Association.
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing Co., 17100 .• West Seven Mile Road, Detroit 35,
VE 8-9364. Subscription $5 a year. Foreign $6.
Entered as second class matter Aug. 6, 1942 at Post- Office, Detroit, Mich., under Act of March 3, 1879.
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher
FRANK SIMONS
SIDNEY SHMARAK CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
Advertising Manager
City Editor
Circulation Manager
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the thirteenth day of - Iyar, 5718, the following Scriptural selections will
be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Ahare-Kedoshim, Leviticus 16:1-20:27. Prophetical portion, Amos
9: 7 -15 .
Licht Benshen, Friday, May 2, 6:00 p.m.
VOL. XXXIII. No. 9
May 2, 1958
Page Four
American-Israel Links Re-Enforced
All the strong links that have been
forged between Israel and the United
States were greatly strengthened last
week when, in Philadelphia, Israeli and
American statesmen literally re-cemented
the kinships that are inherent in the
Judeo-Christian traditions.
. Wisely planned as the first in the
series of important events that are to
take place in this country to mark
Israel's tenth anniversary. the Philadel-
phia celebration emerged as the most
significant of the observances outside of
Israel.
The similarity of ideals that inspired
the two Declarations of Independence—
America's and Israel's — and the com-
parable sanctities of the heritages of both
nations, guided the tributes that were
paid to Israel at that time. No other city,
no other place — Independence Square
and the nearness of the Liberty Bell—
could have served as effective a purpose
for the major American celebration of
the great occasion.
It was no wonder, therefore, that the
inscription on the Liberty Bell, the
famous Biblical admonition "Proclaim
Liberty Throughout the Land, Unto All
the Inhabitants Thereof," should have
served as the keynote for the celebration.
Former President Harry S. Truman's
presence at the Philadelphia celebration
gave more significance than the mere
presence of a great personality at the
celebration: it was an historic reminder
that Mr. Truman was the first head of
a great State—and it happened to be of
our Nation and of the world's recognized
leading community:---to give recognition
to Israel.
Equally as important was the very
scholarly and warm-hearted message of
the Chief Justice of the United States
Supreme Court, Earl Warren, who spoke
of Israel as being "firmly established in
the life and law of nations." It was a
realistic address and one of the very
important statements by a leader in a
great nation that is certain to be recorded
as an outstanding declaration in the
cementing of brotherhood among two
faiths — Judaism and Christianity — and
the strengthening of bonds of friendship
between two nations — Israel and the
United States.
*
*
*
An attempt was made to mar the
joy of the occasion of Israel's survival
against all threats from her unwisely-
unfriendly neighbors. Jordan, apparently
again gesturing bravado to the other Arab
states that are seeking her destruction,
registered protests against Israel's mili-
tary parade, and herself massed troops
in an idle attempt "to match" Israel's
display of strength. Had it not been* for
the army parade, Jordan and other Arab
states might have attempted other means
of sabotaging Israel's great joy at having
reached the age of ten as an independent
nation.
All fears were completely dispelled,
again in Philadelphia, on the historic
afternoon of. April 24, 1958, when, from
a glass-encased booth in Independence
Square, only a few feet from the Liberty
Bell, "the youngest old democracy and
the oldest young democracy"—as Chief
Justice Warren termed them — were
joined again, by means of radio-telephone
—in greetings that linked America with
Israel. Israel's very able Ambassador to
the United States, Abba S. Eban, made
the call to Jerusalem in a Hebrew address
and was connected with Israel's Prime
Minister David Ben-Gurion. Former U. S.
Senator Herbert H. Lehman was intro-
duced and he, in turn, introduced Mr.
Truman. Then Ben-Gurion responded to
their greetings in a message of gratitude
to the United States for a great friend-
ship.
We mention this news-worthy occur-
rence in order to emphasize the fact that,
in spite of attempts to sabotage Israel's
celebration, contrary to fears that crept
into many hearts during the few hours
preceding the anniversary celebration
during which scare headlines in our news-
papers misled people into believing that
trouble was brewing on Israel's borders,
Jerusalem, the City of Peace, was in-
separably joined to Philadelphia, the
American City of Brotherly Love and the
birthplace of American freedom.
What better proof is needed that
peace and brotherly love is possible?
*
*
Now the work begins anew. Israel's
second decade is being _introduced with
blessings. It will require also concrete
action.
Mr. Truman, in his Philadelphia
speech, insisted that "our Government
must make it clear that Israel is not on
the bargaining table, but is at the bar-
gaining table. and a full member of the
group of nations in the Middle' East."
He said he saw no advantage in any
attempt at settlement of the issue "based
on the idea of requiring Israel to give up
any of her territory or any of her rights
as a free, sovereign and independent
nation."
In his appeal for help to make
Israel's next ten years "even more bril-
liant and full of achievement," Mr.
Truman urged that the Arabs should
change their emphasis "from hostility and
aggression to cooperation for progress:"
This is one of the major aims of the
future. It is sincerely to be hoped that
the United States will be helpful in this
regard.
*
*
*
Israel's Ambassador Eban described
America's interest in Israel realistically
when he declared at the Philadelphia
celebration:
"America assumed the pioneering
will, both in the political recognition of
Israel and in the actual reinforcement
and sustenance of her physical growth.
There have been elements of constancy
in American attitude to Israel and these
have touched the vital points of our
sovereignty."
*
*
Meanwhile Israel's major partner,
world Jewry, and more especially Ameri-
can Jewry, must stand by the young
State. We must continue to encourage
the brave fighters for freedom. We must
uphold their hands in a struggle the out-
come of which will have a bearing on
world peace.
Blessings alone are not enough.
Having helped in the shaping of Israel,
we must, henceforth, continue to share in
making it economically and physically
secure. The second decade in the most
interesting and Jewishly most significant
historical event must begin with a re-
affirmation of loyalty to a partnership
between the People of Israel and the
State of Israel. The wholesome results
of such a loyal partnership — between
Jewry and Israel and between America
and Israel — will be blessed by history.
Dr. Bokser's 'Judaism and Modern Man'
Defends Concept of Israel's
Election as Chosen People
Rabbi Ben Zion Bokser, in his "Judaism and Modern Man,"
a volume of essays in Jewish theology, published by Philo-
sophical Library, (15 E. 40th, N.Y. 16), discusses a number of
major issues that concern modern man.
He deals here with unity and universality,
religion and secularism, religion and eco-
nomics, life and piety.
Dr. Bokser . especially concerns himself
with "personal piety" and maintains that "we
must reformulate the demands of Jewish law
for our day, and, where necessary, adapt the
old forms to the claims of new life. We must
restate the meaning of our religious faith in
terms of the prevailing speech and thought,
nr. ISOlser
but repudiate unequivocally the errors of
secularism which infest our current cultUre." He adds that
"when men refuse to die, they must finally return to Him
Who is the source and the song of all existence. In declaring
the works of the Lord, we shall find the secret of abiding life."
He expresses hOpe for the modern man. He makes an
interesting comment that has relevance to the present discussion
about shehita and humane animal slaughtering when he states:
"Jewish law was as universal as the idea of ethical
monotheism which inspired it, and it did not limit its concern
to man. While human life obviously has priority, whatever
God lashioned has worth and significance, including animals
and inanimate things. Judaism did not go to the lengths of
forbidding the use of animal meat as human, food. But white
law sought to protect
permitting the eating of meat ;
animal life against abuse. It outlawed the ancient pagan
practice of cutting organs from a living animal and adopted
a procedure calculated to inflict a minimum of pain upon the
animal to be slaughtered for food. Jewish law was particularly
emphatic in protecting animal life against the cruel sport of
hunting . . .
His two concluding essays, "Is There a Chosen People?"
and "The Future of America" have special merit at this time.
Admitting that the doctrine of the chosen people is not
consistent with democratic philosophy . "if democracy includes
the assertion that all men are empirically equal," he states
that "such an assertion flies in the face of all the facts, for
experience testifies rather eloquently to diverse qualities among
men." He proceeds to point out:
"The Scriptural statement of Israel's election must not be
taken as implying a rejection of other men . . . 'All creatures
are His creatures, and we may not say that He has taken to
Himself one, to the exclusion of the other, or to a greater
degree than another.' (Quoting Saadia Gaon). For, 'if God
hath chosen but one man and one city, who would remember
the rest of mankind?' The truth is that such expressions 042,1y
testify to the maturity of a • people that has become aware
of its divine benefactor, and is thus seeking to extol and
praise God."
Dr. Bokser proceeds to state:
"If the process of human enlightenment in the religious
and moral realm had already accomplished its end, the
distinctive vocation of Israel in history Would have lost its
meaning. The idea of the election of Israel might then retain
an historical truth, without a contemporary validity. But the
very projection of this possibility must call forth its denial.
The recent display of violence on a world-wide scale and the
dehumanization of life under various totalitarian philosophies,
some of which still rage in large areas, of the world, testifies
to extensive primitivism in religion and morals. It shows clearly
that the human community has yet made but tiny strides on
the path to enlightenment. Thus the gap between the current
state of our culture and the cultural ideal projected in the
Torah. becomes the measure of the contemporary relevance of
the Torah and of the continuing task of Israel in witnessing
to it before the peoples of the world."
In his defense of "The Doctrine of Election" which gives
for the Jews "significance to their career of service and
suffering in the world," Dr. Bokser also emphasizes that "the
Jews have been, as Albert Einstein once said, the barometer
of the world's civilization, the sensitive heart that has registered
faithfully the world's state of moral health."
Asserting, in his discussion of American Jewry's future,
that "the religious interpretation of the Jewish community
does not negate the effect of national renewal in Israel or of
effective community organization in this country, to deal with
important issues of an extra-religious nature," Dr. Bokser
maintains that. "the American Jew . . . will return to find
his major preoccupation on the American scene . . . There is
a purpose, vital and challenging, that summons us. We shall
meet that summons by making the Jewish religious idea the
central force in Jewish life and by making Jewish life a leaven
for growth within American civilization."