. .- -
THE JEWISH NEWS
Incorporating the Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue
of July 20, 1951
One of the Roots of M-E Trouble
Member
American Association of English-Jewish Newspapers, Michigan Press Association, National
Editorial
Association
every
Friday by $5
The
Jewish
News $6.
Publishing Co., 17100 West Seven Mile Road, Detroit 35,
Mich., Published
VE 8-9364.
Subscription
a year.
Foreign
March Entered
3, 1879. as second class matter Aug. 6, 1942, at Post Office, Detroit, Mich., under Act of Congress of
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher
SIDNEY SHMARAK
Advertising Manager
CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
Circulation Manager
FRANK SIMONS
City Editor
Shabbat Nahanni Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the Sabbath of Consolation, sixteenth day of AB. 5718, the following
Scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Va.ethanan, Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11. Prophetical portion,
Isaiah
40:1-26.
Licht Benshen, Friday. August 1, 7:03 p.m.
VOL. XXXIII. No. 22
Page Four
August 1, 1958
Lebanon, Its Maronites and Israel
Lebanon was Israel's "most peaceful"
Palestine? Considered from this angle, the
neighbor. Lebanese and Israeli farmers in
Palestine of 1918 appears to us a barren
the border areas were known to fraternize.
country, poor, denuded of all resources, the
There were even said to be movements of
least developed of all the Turkish vilayets.
The Moslem-Arab colony there lived on the
residents from both states into one an-
other.
borderline of poverty. Jewish immigration
began, colonies were formed and established,
True, there were occasional fracases.
and in less than twenty years the country
But in the main, the Lebanese border was
was transformed, agriculture flourished, large
the least offensive to Israel.
industries were established, wealth came to
Yet a state of war existed. Lebanon
the country. The presence of such a well-
seemed to fear repercussions from other
developed and industrious nation next to the
Arab states and therefore refrained from
Lebanon could not but contribute to the
negotiating with Israel, and Lebanon's
welfare of all—the Jew is a man of practical
executive ability, the Lebanese is highly
chief delegate to the United Nation s,
adaptable, and for that reason, their proximity
Charles Malik, was one of the bitterest
could only serve to better the living condi-
spokesmen against Israel.
tions of the inhabitants.
Friedman Edits Buber Volume:
This same Dr. Malik used the same
"From the cultural point of view these
• language in his attack on Nasserism and
two groups may boast that they have as many
the United Arab Republic in the UN,
cultured and intellectual people as all the
while defending L e b an o n, that Israeli
other countries of the Near East put together.
spokesmen used in their defense against
"It would not be fair to allow a million
all the Arabs, including the Lebanese
advanced and educated human beings to be
• representatives.
the plaything of a few interested persons who
*
*
*
happen to be at the head of affairs, who lead
Perhaps the most contradictory of all
several million backward and unprogressive
aspects in the Middle East is the position
people and dictate the law as they please.
There is an order in the world, an order
of the Maronite Catholics in Lebanon.
which establishes the proper balance. If the
Most of the Lebanese Christians, who are
United Nations are really desirous of main-
said to number more than 52 per cent of
taining this order, they must do everything
that country's population, are Maronite
possible to consolidate it.
Catholics. But the Maronites deny kinship
"Major reasons of a social, humanitarian
with the Arabs. They claim that the
and religious nature require the creation, in
Hebrew-speaking Phoenicians were their
these two countries, of two homelands for
ancestors.
minorities: A Christian home in the Lebanon,
Maronite Archbishops have, in the
as there has always been, a Jewish home in
past, s p o k en fearlessly in support of
Palestine. These two centers connected with
Zionism and of a Jewish State in Pales-
each other geographically, and supporting and
tine. Some of them have supported Israel.
assisting each other economically, will form
Their kinsmen in this country--there are
the necessary bridge between West and East,
a million Lebanese on the American con-
from the view-point of culture and civiliza-
tion. The neighborly relations between these
tinent----have, in the main, been friendly
Dr. Buber
two nations will contribute to the main-
Dr. Friedman
both to Israel and to Zionism. Yet, in the
tenance of peace in the Near East which is
present rebellion against the government
One of the ablest young philosophers of our time, Prof.
so divided by rivalries and will lessen the
of Camille Chamoun, who is himself a
persecution of minorities, who will always Maurice Friedman, has made it possible for the layman to
Maronite, Maronite leaders have played a
read with thorough understanding some of the outstanding
find refuge in these two countries.
leading role.
essays
by one of the world's greatest philosophers, Dr. Martin
"That is the opinion of the Lebanese
How can we possibly explain such
whom I represent; it is the opinion of these Buber. Buber's "Hasidism and Modern Man," edited by Dr.
contradictions, in the face of threats to
people whom your Committee of Enquiry Friedman, published by Horizon Press (220 W. 42nd, N. Y. 36),
not only is an excellently edited work but -is a splendid
Christians in Arab-dominated territories?
was unable to hear.
collection of the best in Buber's writings.
*
*
*
"Behind the closed- doors of the Sofar
Let us look at the record. When the
The contents of this book provide gems that will inspire
Hotel you were able to listen only to the
United Nations Special Committee on
words dictated to our so-called legal repre- and instill feelings of great religious stimulus on nearly every
occasion in a person's life. Whether it is prayer, or love of
sentatives by the lords and masters of the
Palestine (UNSCOP) studied the Pales-
neighbor, or pride and humility, or kavana (intention), the
neighboring Arab countries. The real voice
tinian situation, the Maronites fearlessly
Buber ideas, the explantory notes, the parables, combine to
of the Lebanese was smothered, by the group
defended the idea of a Jewish State. The
fascinate the reader and glorify the subject.
who falsified the elections of May 25.
late Monsignor Aghnatios Moubarak, the
*
*
*
"The Lebanon demands freedom for the
Lebanese Apostle, who died on May 19
Jews
in
Palestine—as
it
desires
its
own
Free-
at the age of 83, was in Europe at the
Here is an example: dealing with pride: "Even the
dom and Independence."
time of UNSCOP's visit to Lebanon. But
followers of Abraham knew pride, even the followers of
This is the position of the fair-minded Balaam knew humility. But the former had. the right sort
he prepared a statement in which he
protested against Moslem persecutions of Maronites who seek amity for themselves of pride; they lifted their hearts and dared. to accomplish
great things on behalf of God.. And the latter had the
Christians and took occasion to express and the Jews in Israel.
wrong humility; they debased their hearts and did not trust
his views on the Palestinian situation. He
What has happened to alter this situa- themselves
to fulfill the commandment: Depart from evil and
said in his statement:
tion?
do good; that is, make out of the evil good."
"It is an uncontestable historical fact
Maronites quoted from a statement
that Palestine was the home of the Jews and
Prof. Friedman's introduction and explanatory notes are
by Gregory Feige's "Catholics and Jews,"
of the first Christians. None of them was of
exceptionally valuable. Dr. Friedman points out: "It is to
published
by
the
Catholic
Association
for
Arab origin. By the brutal force of conquest
re-creation of Hasidism that Herman Hesse pointed
International Peace, under the imprim- Buber's
they were forced to become converts to the
when he nominated Buber for a Nobel Prize in literature in
atur of the Archbishop of Baltimore and 1949: He has enriched world literature with a genuine treasure
Moslem religion.
Washington, Michael J. Curly, D.C., as has no other living author—the Tales of Hasidim.'"
"Historical vestige s, monuments and
which declared: "No Christian can in
sacred mementos of the two religions remain
*
*
*
fairness deny to the Jews the sympa-
alive there as evidence of the fact that this
Dr. Friedman explains: "Buber regarded Hasidism as the
country was not involved in the internal wars
thetic support of their humanitarian
between the princes and monarchs of Iraq
efforts to make a spiritual and temporal real, though subterranean, Judaism as opposed to official
and Arabia. The Holy Places, the temples,
place of refuge for oppressed Jews — a rabbinism which was only the outer husk. He has come to
the Wailing Wall, the churches and the tombs
place which they could truly regard as feel that in Hasidism the essence of Jewish faith and
of the prophets and saints, in short, all the
was visible in the structure of the community
their homeland." Yet there are dis- religiousness
relics of the two religions, are living symbols,
but that this essense has also been present in a less condensed
senters
in
the
now-embattled
Lebanon
form everywhere in Judaism,' in the 'inaccessible structure of
which alone invalidate the statements now
who may be responsible for untold the personal life.'"
made by those who have some interest in
troubles not for Israel alone but for the
making Palestine an Arab country.
Buber's Way of Hasidism, The Way of Man, Love of God
entire world.
"These two countries, these two home-
and Love of Neighbor, in addition to the rich chapter dealing
lands, have proved up till now that it is both
Israel's and Jewry's hopes are that with
The Baal-Shem-Tov's Instruction in Intercom-se with God,
useful and necessary for them to exist as
the ideals of the late Monsignor Aghnatios combine to offer a wealth of folklore incorporated in Hasidic
separate and independent entities.
Moubarak and of the moderate and demo- teachings.
"The Lebanon and Palestine must con-
cratic elements in Lebanon will endure,
This is truly a treasure-house of Jewish folklore. A great
tinue to be the permanent home of minorities.
and that there will, after all, be peace author
and a very able editor combined to make it
"What has the role of the Jews been in
a very
between Israel and Lebanon.
great book. -
'Hasidism and Modern Man'
A Treasure-House of Folklore