THE JEWISH NEWS
Future Leaders of U.S. Jewish Life
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 8-9354. Subscription $5 a year. Foreign $6.
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher.
SIDNEY SHMARAK
CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
FRANK SIMONS
Advertising Manager
Circulation Manager
City Editor
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the twenty-sixth day of Sivan, 5718, the following Scriptural selections
will be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Shelah Leka, Numbers 13:1-15:41. Prophetical portion, Joshua
2:1-24.
Licht Benshen, Friday, June 13, 7 :20 p.m.
VOL. XXXIII, No. 15
Page Four
June 13, 1958
Solidity of French-Israel Friendship
In his message acknowledging Israel
Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion's greet-
ing on his ascension to power in France,
General Charles de Gaulle expressed his
admiration for the Israelis' courage and
declared that he intends to maintain the
"solid" friendship his country has estab-
lished with Israel.
The tone of his message has reassured
the Israelis that the close relationship
knitted between Israel and France can
and will be maintained
A Jewish Telegraphic Agency report
from Paris, p o i n tin g to General de
Gaulle's fame for "brevity and austerity
of statement," declares: "The fact that
he expressed so much warmth for Israel
in his short message is seen here as proof
that he will continue to maintain the
same friendly relations with Israel which
existed in the previous French Cabinets.
These relations ha marked France as
`Number One' among the governments
whose friendship with Israel enjoys."
This is a most heartening report. It
is a reminder of the closeness with which
Israel and France had worked during the
Sinai Campaign and the cooperative man-
ner in which they jointly met issues affect-
ing the Middle East when they arose in
the United Nations.
The French-Israeli friendship always
calls to mind the fact that a few days of
leeway for Israel in the Sinai Campaign
would have ended the career of the
world's major war threat, Gamal Abdel
Nasser, who at the time of the Israeli
invasion into Sinai was hiding in a cellar,
in Cairo, fearing assassination. The polit-
ical power-game in England and the un-
fortunate fright of possible Arab resent-
ment that gripped our State Department
vitiated many of the advantages that were
attained by Israel in that operation.
It is encouraging to know that the
friendship between the two major part-
ners in the Sinai Campaign remains unim-
peded. That is for the good not only of
Israel but also in defense of major defen-
sive aims in the Middle East in behalf of
the democracies and in checking incur-
sions from the dictatorial world forces.
100th Anniversary of Emancipation in England
The coming month will mark an im-
portant anniversary—the 100th year of
the admission into Parliament of Baron
Lionel de Rothschild as the first Jew who
was permitted, on July 28, 1858, to take
his seat in the House of Commons without
taking a Christian oath.
Since the event is to mark the anniver-
sary of the acquisition of full political
rights by the Jews of Great Britain, it
was appropriate for the Anglo-Jewish ,-
Association to take note of it at a dinner
in London last week.
The attainment of political equality
was marked by a long struggle in England.
Baron de Rothschild was first elected to
Parliament in 1847, but was prevented
from taking his seat by his refusal to
take an oath that contained Christian
references. In 1851, David Salomons, who
later was elected Lord Mayor of London,
attempted to take his elected seat in the
House of Commons and was punished for
it with a heavy fine.
After a long s t r u g g l e, which was
marked by impassioned debates, the fight
for political equality was won. It is a
tribute to the sense of justice and to the
passionate desire for fair play of the
British parliamentarians of that time that
emancipation finally was put into force.
It was due also to the long disputes over
the issue and to the firm stand that was
taken by British leaders who recognized
the injustice of continuing christological
vows in the parliamentary government of
whose democratic ideals they were so
proud.
Emancipation in England, in 1858, was
part of a trend that was in evidence
throughout the world. It was part of the
rebellion against autocracy and the sup-
pression of human rights. Even in some
sections of the United States it was neces-
sary during that era to fight against reli-
gious bigotry. The battle finally was won.
It is only in the most backward portions
of the globe—and in areas ruled by totali-
tarians—where such bigotries still exist.
We share with the Jews of England
the joy of celebrating the 100th anniver-
sary of our kinsmen's acquisition of polit-
ical equality.
Dr. Hammarskjold Quotes Dr. Buber
Dr. Martin Buber, octogenarian Israeli
philosopher, was quoted by United. Na-
tions Secretary General Dag Hammar-
skjold when he pleaded that mankind
turn scientific achievements "to man's
benefit and not to his destruction," in
his address at Cambridge University, Eng-
land, where he received an honorary
degree last week.
Dr. Hammarskjold, in his address,
referred to Dr. Buber as "one of the in-
fluential thinkers of our time" who, in an
address in New York in 1952, deplored
the increase of mutual distrust among
men. As a result of the growth of mutual
distrust, the Jewish philosopher warned,
"one may foresee in the future a degree
of reciprocity in existential m i s t r us t,
where speech will turn into dumbness
and sense into madness."
It is of particular interest at this time
of crisis in many areas of the world that
the UN Secretary General should have
told the Cambridge University assemblage
that he quoted Dr. Buber's sentiments
"because, out of the depth of his feelings,
Martin Buber has found expressions which
it would be vain for me to try to improve."
Through Dr. Buber's words, Dr. Ham-
marskjold said, he wanted "to draw atten-
tion to the aspect of the troubles of our
time," troubles which he identified as
"fires all around the horizon, and they
are not fires announcing peace." He said
the trouble spots are "Korea, China, Indo-
nesia, Kashmir, Palestine, Hungary and
North Africa."
Not so long ago, the Palestinian scene
was considered by Dr. Hammarski old as
approaching a possible peace. Now, as a
result of greater tensions in many areas,
the situation has become a bit worse for
Israel. It is all due to the troubles eman-
ating from Jordan and Syria; to the re-
grettable lease of life given the Egyptian
dictator as a result of the stymieing of
Israel's efforts during the Sinai Campaign.
It is to be hoped, in the spirit of the
sentiments quoted from Dr. Buber, that
efforts for peace will not be relaxed. Too
often, the silk-gloved approach to Arab
saber-rattlers encourages troubles in the
Middle East. We hope for more effective
firmness from Dr. Hammarskjold and his
associates in the United Nations.
`Rabbinic Stories for ChriStian
Ministers and Teachers': Splendid
Collection by Dr. Wm. B. Silverman
Rabbi William B. Silverman, of Nashville, Tenn., renders a
most interesting service with his "Rabbinic Stories for Christian
Ministers and Teachers," which has just been published by
Abingdon Press (201 8th Ave. S., Nashville 2). He has incorpo-
rated in his book stories that will be helpful to ministers. But
the title of his book does not cover its total value: the volume
will serve equally as good a purpose for Jews—for laymen as
well as sermonizers. •
In an introduction to this volume, Halford E. Luccock points
out, quite properly, that Dr. Silverman's work "is part of the
world's deathless literature"; that—
"To both Christian and Jew this .book will bring a new
sense of the common inheritance which the Judaeo-Christian
religion shares. It will give to every reader a wealth of spiritual
and ethical insights."
Dr. Silverman delved into Hasidic lore as well as into
Talmudic and Midrashic literatures in collecting his stories for
this admirable book. The tales comment upon Scriptural selec-
tions, on issues affecting mankind, and by means of parables
and the wisdom of the ages, problems are solved and vast
audiences will be guided to a better life.
Meanwhile, the book serves another purpose: it opens up
for Christians a vast storehouse of Jewish learning and it leads
to an understanding of the values of Hebraic lore that might
otherwise be overlooked or forgotten.
The Christian minister who makes use of this book—and
the wise one will find in it so much material for sermons that
he will place this book next to his Bible in preparing- his talks
—will be enlightened about the Midrashic and Talmudic sources,
which are explained by Rabbi Silverman in his preface. The
reader Will acquire information about the Hasidim and Hasidisni
and their rich storehouse of parables.
A typical example of the stories related—tales that can be
used by Jews as well as Christians—is this one:
"Why is Israel compared to the sand?" ask the rabbis.
An interpretation of the verse "as the sand of the sea is
given." What is the nature of sand? If it is put into the fire
it comes out as glass from which utensils are made.
This Israel, when subjected to fire, must emerge as glass
to serve as utensils for the work of God.
"Man must constantly direct his efforts to the future, even
though the task of building a better world may seem to be
insuperable," is one of the quotations from Talmudic sources
in this book.
"The Messiah Idea in Judaism" is evaluated. "Hope for
Man" is a chapter that guides the reader and preacher towards
teaching the highest ideals of the brotherhood of man. Among
the typical stories is this one about "The Omnipresence of God":
"You teach," said the Emperor Trajan to Rabbi Joshua,
"that your God is everywhere, and boast that he resides among
your nation. I shall like to see him." "God's presence is indeed
everywhere," replied Joshua, "but He cannot be seen; no
mortal eye can behold His glory." The emperor insisted. "Well,"
said Joshua, "first we must attempt to look at one of his
servants." The emperor consented. The rabbi took him in the
open air at noonday, and bid him look at the sun in its
meridian splendor. "I cannot," said Trajan, "the light dazzles
me." "Thou art unable," said Joshua, "to endure the light of
one of his servants, and canst thou expect to behold the
resplendent glory of the Creator? Would not such a sight
annihilate thee?"
An excellent example of the good will propagated in Jewish
teachings is the following:
Maimonides, the Jewish philosopher, said: "You asked
about the Gentiles. Keep in mind that 'God requires the heart,'
and everything depends on the intention of the heart. There-
fore . . . there is no doubt that he who achieves ethical
qualities in the right ways 'of life and the right wisdom of
belief in God, merits the future world, and so our teachers
said: 'A heathen who studies the Torah is equal to the high
priest.' "
What a wonderful way • of giving strength to the best in
American life through the medium of Jewish parables in this fine
book---by encouraging the highest elements of justice and brother-
hood. The Silverman book contributes towards such aspirations.