''JEWT3T 1 1 - NEW'S
!Plant the Seed and You Can Devour
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 $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
CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
Advertising Manager
Circulation Manager
FRANK SIMONS
City Editor
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath. Shabbat HCLZOn ., the ninth day of Ab, 5718, the following Scriptural
selections will be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Debarim, Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22. Prophetical portion, Isaiah 1:1-27.
Because it occurs on the Sabbath. Tisha b"Ab's observance, is postponed to Sunday
when the following . Scriptural selections will be read:
Pentateuchal portions: Morning, Deuteronomy 4:25-40; afternoon, Exodus 32:11-14;
34:1-10. Prophetical portions: Morning. Jeremiah 8:13-9-23; afternoon, Isaiah 55:6-56:8.
Licht Benshen, Friday,
VOL. XXXIII. No. 21
J uly 25, 7:10 p.m.
Page Four
July 25, 1958
-Greatest Challenge to World Unity
While the Middle East fires may continue to smoulder for many years to come,
there is the hopeful possibility that out of the present crisis there may emerge oppor-
tunities for the advancement of peace for all mankind.
An old, optimistic Hebrew saying, "gam ze ya-avor,"—"even this will pass"—is
applicable to the current war-threatening clouds. Out of the emergency there may
arise a chance for peace even between Israel and her Arab antagonists.
But all chances for peace depend entirely upon the approaches to peace, upon
the sincerity of the statesmen who control the destinies of the world. If there is a
will for peace, we shall have peace. If there is a desire to advance amity between
Jews and Arabs, there will be that amity.
The major danger is the one that faces the United Nations. U. S. Ambassador
Henry Cabot Lodge told the Security Council last week that "if the United Nations
cannot deal with indirect aggression, the United Nations will break up."
If the UN is to remain intact, it must seek fairness for all alike, and the policy
outlined by President Eisenhower for Lebanon, in his declaration that we must "strive `Profiles of Israeli Women'
for a world in which nations, be they great or be they small, can preserve their in-
dependence," must apply with equal force to Israel and to others who may face
dangers.
The challenge now is directed squarely to the heads of the world's democratic
nations. They have acted to prevent the spread of Nasser-Soviet influence. Will
they act in the event the same influences are ganged up against tiny Israel?
In any event, a pattern has been set, and only the grossest hypocrisy could
It is necessary to know Geraldine Stern, the author
possibly re-introduce another double standard of actions in the Middle East.
VrA
Heroines from Many Climes
in 'Daughters from Afar'
Experiencing Judaism: A Vital Need in Revival
In his newest and most thought-pro-
voking book, "Judaism Without Super-
naturalism," Dr. Mordecai M. Kaplan
states that belonging, believing and ex-
periencing are the three vital necessities
for Jewish survival, and he adds that thus
far—in the process of what is currently
believed to be a religious revival—Amer-
ican Jews are distinguishing themselves
only by belonging.
It is possible that even the basic re-
quirement of believing will be attained
soon in the process of belonging. But
what about the experiencing portion of
Prof. Kaplan's credo? In our free society,
this may be the most difficult to attain,
and we believe, therefore, that major
emphasis in our search for strength
should be on this point.
*
*
One of the definitions of the process
of learning, of acquiring human experi-
ence is: "the observing, encountering or
undergoing of things generally as they
occur in the course of time . . . knowledge
or practical wisdom gained from what
one has observed or encountered." Jewish
experience must deal with our traditions,
our heritage, our personalities.
How does this affect our men and
women who have made their marks in
life, who have succeeded in certain call-
ings, who are exerting influence upon
society in general?
We must observe, with a sense of deep
regret, that the effects are not positive,
that they are far from being constructive,
that in many instances they are destruct-
ive.
*
*
The most effective influence in the
thinking of Americans is generated by a
certain type of literature: in our time it
is the novel. Many young Jews have risen
to the rank of best-seller authorship in
this area of achievement, and it is most
amazing that most of theni have used
Jewish characters for their heroes.
What sort of character do these writ-
ers resort to? With a feeling of shame,
with deep disgust, it is necesary to admit
that they are repulsive, that they are
either sex-deviates, or money-maddened,
or unscrupulous merchants.
We could mention half a dozen men,
whose novels have reached the best-seller
list, who have resorted to types of people
who arouse revulsion.
Why is that? Is it possible that this
is the only sort of people these writers
meet and know?
of
"Daughters from Afar—Profiles of Israeli Women," which
has just been published by Abelard-Schuman, (404 4th, N.Y. 16),
better to aprreciate the book.
Mrs. Stern says that even the presence of Dr. Chaim
Weizmann at the dinner table in the home of her Zionist parents
in Milwaukee did not infuse her with Zionism. "Who needed
it?" she had asked, but "Hitler answered that question for me."
She moved to California upon her marriage, raised two
children before first seeing Israel in 1949, lived in a kibbutz,
then began to write.
Her "Daughters from Afar" is a good book. It is the
collective story of the women of Israel—a combination of
true episodes about the valorous Israeli women who have
come from many lands.
We deny that it is chauvinism to offer
this criticism of our young writers, on
the ground that they drag the Jewish
name through the gutters with their
evaluations of their people, and just as
often of our people's traditions. We do
not deny that the repulsive characters
actually exist. We maintain that they are
to be found among all peoples. But as
in the instance of all peoples, we have
our good as well as the bad, we have our
scholars and saints, we have elements to
be justly proud of.
Yet, the writers who are bent upon
emphasizing the ugliest forms of Jewish
life seem unable to locate the good men
and women. They have found only the
evil.
Indeed, we would be asking too much
if we were to insist that they deal only
with our scholars and saints. But we
expect that one who is able to write and
who poses as an authority on Jewish life
because he deals with Jews and their
surroundings should be able to locate the
good Jewish personality, the elevated
Jewish experiences, the noble in Jewish
tradition. In the main, the authors of best-
sellers thus far have failed to achieve that.
How are we to account for it, other
than by ascribing their attitudes to false
experiences, which, in turn, generate
falsified impressions; to a lack of knowl-
edge of Jewish values and to an acquaint-
ance only with the base elements with
which they deal in their books.
It is most appropriate that her first essay is about Israel's
woman Foreign Minister, and the title fits: "From Milwaukee
to Ministry." There is an intimacy in Mrs. Stern's evaluation
of Golda Meir, and, referring to the Foreign Minister's child-
hood in Milwaukee, she writes:
"Eleventh and Chestnut has been replaced by the halls
of the Knesset and the United Nations. The speaker's language
is still simple, clear, strong and to the point. Her father
would be proud."
The second heroine is Degania's Miriam Baratz, in a
chapter titled "Milkmaid on the Jordan." The wife of one of
Israel's best known pioneers, Josef Baratz, is well delineated
here.
"The Shepherdess with the Croix de Guerre" is Anne Marie
Lambert, the French heroine in the book. It is a revealing tale
of courage and devotion.
*
"Doctor Ketcher and the Yemenites" is an interesting
description of Pearl Ketcher, the country doctor, who is healing
the Yemenites and whose contributions to Israel are among
the great gifts in a magnificent story of genius - dedicated to
help fellow-human beings.
It is a tribute to Mrs. Stern's sense of selection among
the many heroines in Israel that she should not have overlooked
the theater. Hannah Marron is ably pictured in the chapter
" 'The Dybbuk' to 'Born Yesterday' "—indicating the 'extent of
the roles this fine actress has appeared. in.
Another tribute to Mrs. Stern's understanding the variety
of the types of heroines in Israel is that she should have
devoted a chapter, "Arab Woman Citizen of Israel," to Antoin-
ette Khoury,. who is featured on "The Arab Woman's Corner"
over the Israel radio station "Kol Israel."
On the basis of the effects of popular
literature, it is our contention that the
experiencing element in Jewish life repre-
sents a major challenge to Jewish plan-
ning for the future. If our young people
can be guided to the noblest Jewish
experiences, one of the basic problems in
the revival and survival of Jewry will
have been solved.
Prof. Kaplan evaluated the issue
properly. He was right in saying that
believing and experiencing is yet to be
attained by those belonging. We, on our
part, place the greater emphasis on the
experiencing portion of the challenging
problem.
"North African Pioneer" is the young Tunisian girl Huguette
Sarfarti who has become an important factor among her kinsmen
who have settled in Israel.
Esther Miller is the former Czechoslovakian who has
escaped the crematorium, has settled in Israel and is making
her mark there in a great advancement "From Auschwitz to
Hebrew University."
Sara Kahn, formerly of Brooklyn, a leader in Habonim,
who was one of the founding members of Ein Hashofet, the
colony that was named in honor of the late Justice Louis D.
Brandeis, is the "American Kibbutznik."
Other of Mrs. Stern's heroines are: Bader Nackar, "Bader
from Bagdad"; .Dina Raskov Cohen, "She Is a Sabra" and Lena
Kuchler Silberman, "Warsaw Mother."
This is, in its totality, a very worthy book. It will inspire
men as well as women to greater efforts in Israel's behalf.
Mrs. Stern has rendered a good service with it.