THE JEWISH NEWS

--
Incorporating the Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20, 1951

Cementing U.S.-Israel Links

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 $6.
Entered as second class matter Aug. 6, 1942, at Post Office, Detroit, Mich., under Act of Congress of
March 3, 1879.

PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

Editor and Publisher

SIDNEY SHMARAK

Advertising Manager

CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ

Circulation Manager

FRANK SIMONS

City Editor

Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the tenth day of Tammuz, 5718, the following Scriptural selections
will be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Hukhat, Numbers 19:1-22:1. Prophetical portion, Judges 11:1-33.

Licht Benshen, Friday, June 27, 7:23

VOL. XXXIII. No. 17

Page Four

p.m.

June 27, 1958

Rejection of Pressure Groups in South

An exchange of correspondence be-
tween Robert Patterson, who is described
as "a foremost spokesman for the segrega-
tionist cause and secretary of the Citizens'
Councils of America," and U.S. Senator
Jacob K. Javits of New York, released
by the Anti-Defamation League of Bnai
Brith, poses anew a vital question that has
been raised time and time again.
Patterson's contention, disputed by
Senator Javits, is that the "constant, bla-
tant, advocacy of forced integration is
a tragic betrayal of Jewish Americans
throughout the nation," and that the
stand taken by Jews in favor of integration
has resulted in an increase of anti-Semit-
ism. He wrote to the Senator: "Twenty
years ago there was less anti-Semitism in
the South than in any section of our coun-
try. Due to the ranting and raving of men
such as you, and of the political Jewish
groups such as the ADL and AJC, this
is no longer the case."
In his reply, Senator Javits counter-
acted by stating: "It is true—and I salute
the fact—that the South has been out-
standing in respect to the relationships
between its JeWish and Christian citizens.
But it seems to me that it is such views
as you put forward that would prejudice
that relationship. Indeed such views dis-
parage the Southern tradition of chivalry
and fair play when you suggest that in
this difficult segregation issue Southern-
ers—contrary to their long . and honored
tradition—will single out a tiny minority
of other Southerners of the Jewish faith
as a scapegoat."
*
*
Of vital interest in the debate over the
tragic segregation issue in the South is
this declaration in Senator Javits' reply
to the Southerner's warning of the rise of
a new wave of anti-Semitism as a result
of the position taken by the Jewish com-
munity:
"I do not believe it is true, as you
threaten, that American Jews will ex-
perience an increase of prejudice if
they oppose forced segregation. If they
do, then it is my deep conviction that
they will shoulder this burden as they
always have in the past in pursuit of
their religious conscience. But, it is
a gross injustice to Americans of the
Christian faith in the South to suggest,
as you imply, that they will seek to
make a scapegoat of other Americans of
the Jewish faith if they exercise their
Constitutional rights to speak out for
what they believe to be just—and speak
out, with sympathy and understanding
for the sincerity of a deeply held op-
posite point of view. •
"How can you fail to see that in-
transigent opposition in certain parts
of the South to the Supreme Court
mandate is a problem that is affecting
us in our struggle for peace? People
everywhere, responding to the Ameri-
can ideal of freedom and equality, are
refusing to accept lower social or cit-
izenship status. Two thirds of the people
in the free world have black or yellow
skins. Our country is engaged in the
greatest struggle of its history to pre-
serve the free way of life with them.
Do you not see that those who insist
on resistance to law and morality are
jeopardizing America in our epochal
struggle for survival . . ." -
*
The threat contained in the Patterson
letter and the defense of the Jewish posi-
tion are not new in Jewish experiences.

It will be recalled that in the tragic days
of Nazism in Germany there were Nazi
leaders who issued warnings to Ameri-
can Jewry that if they persisted in spon-
soring protest meetings against Hitlerism,
if they insisted on conducting a boycott
against German goods, that the position
of German and East European Jews would
be made even worse by the Nazis in power.
Such blackmail threats always failed,
yet they are being repeated.
The right of American citizens to fol-
low the dictates of their consciences, and Maritain, Berdyaev, Buber, Tillich
the particular right of Jews to pursue
basic principles involved in the struggle `Four Existentialist Theologians'
for libertarian justice, thus remains a
Students of theological issues and all who are interested in
live issue as long as there is a battle for
religious discussions and problems will be intrigued by the
fair play.
thoroughly enlightening new book by Dr. Will Herberg, pro-
*
*
*
fessor of Judaic studies and social philosophy at Drew Univer-
In the sermon he delivered at the sity. His "Four. Existentialist Theologians," just published by
Temple of Congregation Ohabai Sholom, Doubleday, is "a reader from the works of Jacques Maritain,
in Nashville, Tenn., shortly after the Nicholas Berdyaev, Martin Buber and Paul Tillich." Their
Temple was bombed, Rabbi William B. selected works, the fine introduction and the biographical
Silverman declared that he refuses "to notes combine to form one of the most interesting volumes
yield to threats," that he refuses, "as by and about theologians published in some time.
Prof. Herberg describes "thinking as existentialist if it
a Rabbi and as an American citizen to sur-
makes
existence rather than essence the starting point of its
render to intimidation and violence." He ontological
reflections."
said:
In this volume he has chosen for discussion, and for the
"I favor integration—not only because inclusion of their works for an understanding and evaluation
of an Amos who asked in the name of of existentialism, Dr. Maritain, the Roman Catholic, Berdyaev
God, 'Are ye not as children of Ethiopians of the Eastern Orthodox faith, Buber and Tillich the spokes-
unto Me, 0 children of Israel,' not only men for Judaism and Protestantism.
because the Torah commands 'Justice,
"The differences of personal temper and background" of
justice shall ye pursue' not only because the four theologians with whom Dr. Herberg deals in this
of the religious heritage of Judaism that volume, "as well as differences in the religious traditions from
insists upon social justice for white and which they derive" are reviewed and analyzed by the editor
of the author of this book. The differences in their conceptions
black, for brown, yellow and red—not of
being are explained in the general introduction. This is his
only because I am a Jew, but because I interpretation
of Dr. Buber's views:
am an American—and as an American
"Both individualism and collectivism violate true com-
I not only have the right but the moral munity; individualism because it 'understands only a part of
mandate to support the Constitution, the man'; collectivism because it 'understands man only as a part.'
Bill of Rights, the decisions of the Su- As against both, Buber presents the vision of an 'organic
preme Court, and the laws of our nation." community,' of a 'community of communities,' built out of
That is the way to speak and to act `small and ever smaller communities,' the basic cell of which
is the 'full cooperative,' best exemplified in the Israeli kib-
for Americans and for Jews who are loyal butz.
Thus, Buber's kind of socialism falls in not only with
to their traditions. This "we will not yield" Berdyaev's
'personalist socialism,' but also with the 'corn-
declaration is certain to be the surviving munitarian' ideas that have played so large a part in Catholic
principle in American life.
social radicalism, and in Protestant social thinking as well.
There may be some who will be But establishing true community seems to Buber pre-eminently
frightened by the declaration of the Cit- a Jewish task, which the Jew can adequately cope with only
izens' Councils and other similarly pre- under conditions of economic and political autonomy in the
land appointed for the work; this is the ground of Buber's
judiced groups. Surely, the position of the religio-social
Zionism."
Jews in the South is temporarily made
Berdyaev
the Russian; Maritain, (the son of the Protestant
somewhat difficult. But the fact remains daughter of Jules
Favre, one-time president of France) who,
that a person or a group can not and dare with his Jewish wife, became Catholic; Buber, the Jewish
not sacrifice principle for temporary secu- mystic, and Dr. Tillich, "one of the most distinguished con-
rity. The basic evils inherent in bigotry temporary Protestant theologians and religious philosophers,"
are certain to hound those who keep will be better understood and appreciated as a result of Prof.
silent in the struggles for justice as well Herberg's work. The selections he has taken from the four
as those who speak out for the rights of theologians add to the discussion in this book—a work that must
man—until such time when justice tri- stand out in its field.
umphs.
*
*
*
Realistic people recognize this basic
Baruch Spinoza's words on the existence of God, on Divine
truth and therefore refuse to be panicked
into a sense of insecurity. Not only our Providence, love, hate, joy, sorrow, fear, etc., are presented
own . American people but all mankind anew, in a well-edited work by Dr. Dagobert D. Runes, under
is engaged today in the fight-to-a-finish the title "Spinoza: The Book of God."
Published by the Philosophical Library (15 E. 40th, N.Y. 16),
for human rights, and there can be no
120-page book commences with an explanatory introduction
concessions on any front. Any submission this
Dr. Runes who .calls attention to the fact that "this small
to threats and to blackmail will merely by
book, rarely mentioned in early literature, came to light only
jeopardize the position of lovers of and a hundred years ago in two slightly varying Dutch manuscripts." -
fighters for justice. For this reason, the
Describing Spinoza's withdrawal from all public religious
Citizens' Councils are fighting a losing services after he had begin to study Torah, Talmud and Cabbalah
battle, and there can be no thought of in preparation for a rabbinical career, Dr. Runes states that
submission to them under threat of an "while Europe was in uproar over the right church, Spinoza
anti-Semitic upsurge. Anti-Semitism, like was seeking for the right God. - The book before us is the first
anti-Negroism and anti-Catholicism or any known report of his findings."
Such Spinozist assertions as "the truth is God Himself"; "in
other bigoted movement, will perish if
all good Americans hold fast to the prim- order to make Himself known to man, God can and need use
words, .nor miracles, nor any other created thing, but
ary principle of justice for all. Triumph neither
only Himself"; "It is a true freedom to be, and to remain,
for justice will be delayed if there should bound with the loving chains of His love," and many similar
be yielding to pressures from the bigots. ones, appearing in "Spinoza's essays "The Book of God," throw
The bigoted pressure groups have been light on the background of Spinoza's revolt against the mores
rejected: they must remain rejected.
of his time.

Spinoza's 'The Book of God'