One of the Roots of Bigotry
THE JEWISH NEWS
Incorporating the Detroit Jewish Chronicle ccnnmencing 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 Offices, Detroit, Mich.. under act of Congress of March
3, 1871.
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher
SIDNEY SHMARAK
Advertising Manager
CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
Circulation Manager
FRANK SIMONS
City Editor
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath. the eleventh day of Heshvan, 5719, the following Scriptural selections will
be read iu our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Lekh Lekha, Gen. 12:1-17:27. Prophetical portion., Is. 40:27-41:16.
Licht Benshen. Friday, Oct. 24, 5:45 p.m.
VOL. XXXIV. No. 8
Page Four
October 24, 1958
Slanted Thinking Path to Injustice
Arab leaders will gather in Kuwait in
a few days to plan the extension of their
efforts to boycott Israel.
With Nasser's United Arab Republic
of Egypt and Syria, Saudi Arabia, Yemen,
Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, Libya and the
Sudan already committed to the Arab
League boycott, the question that is now
posed is whether the new Arab League
members, Tunisia and Morocco, will en-
dorse the boycott plans.
The New York Times has pointed out
editorially, in its discussion of the Arab
League's expansion with the admission of
Tunisia and Morocco, that "if this means
only one more step in the establishment
of Nasser's dream of an Arab empire
from Gibraltar to the Arabian Sea, under
his control and with the avowed purpose
of 'driving Israel into the Mediterranean,'
it can be a very bad thing. Much depends
upon the ability of Tunisia's Premier
Bourguiba, who is a moderate and a
realist, to restrain the more rampant
Nasser. If he can do so, he will have en-
hanced the stature of the Arab League
in the councils of the world."
There is a ray of hope in Tunisian
President Habib Bourguiba's defiance
of Nasier and his declaration in his
address to Tunisia's Constitutent As-
sembly: "The primary enemy, one has
the habit of saying, is Israel. However,
i why is it that this state is quiet while
the Arabs are killing one another?"
The wise Tunisian ruler thus sees
•
through Nasser's schemes. Perhaps he
will truly be a redeeming factor in
Middle Eastern affairs.
*
*
*
Yet, there remain many occurences
to disturb us.
The astonishing thing is the failure
of the world's democracies and of liberty-
loving people to recognize the menace
that is inherent in the Arab boycott of
Israel. It is an immoral movement, and
should have been stopped long ago by
fair-minded people. But there is total
indifference on this score, and Israel is
being left to the wolves, fighting her own
battle against great odds.
The injustice of international actions
in dealings with Israel becomes evident
too frequently, in analyses of news and
in diplomatic discussions.
An example of unfairness appeared
in an article in the Christian Science
Monitor in which the writer, Courtney
Sheldon, sought to indicate that the bor-
der problems and the refugees are keys
to a peace for Israel. There is no doubt
that this writer meant well in his review
of existing conditions. But in his discus-
sion of Arab attitudes he wrote:
Time and again the argument was made by
Moslem Arabs that "we are like you. We
could never be Communists. We believe in
one God."
When the debate turns to what can be done
to settle age-old strife in the Middle East,
Israeli-Arab differences become crucial.
There is a disposition in the UN to let the
Arabs settle disputes among their own states
without UN supervision except of the most
casual sort.
That is not true of the Israeli issue.
Whether or not Israel continues as a state in
the Middle East is a question which many
non-Middle Easterners feel they have com-
petence to talk about.
Unless the United Nations, which formally
established Israel as a state, unexpectedly
reverses its action, it is clear that some way
must be found to bring Arabs and Israelis
together for a peaceful settlement of their
differences . . .
As long as Arab refugees remain clustered
on nonproductive land, while supported by
UN funds and encourgaged by the pan-Arab
movement to agitate for a return to Israel en
masse, they will be an unsettling influence.
Borders and refugees. These are the two
areas in which effective steps short of force
could be taken in a part of the world which
may be some time in shaking off a cynicism
on why non-Middle-Eastern nations interest
themselves in the Middle East.
The solution may be in a firm guarantee of
Israel's borders of today, or a slight modi-
fication of them, by the UN or all the great
powers, together with a wise and generous
disposition of the refugee problem.
This would take a stroke of statemanship
beyond anything yet exhibited by any of the
participants in the power struggle in the
area. It might take another trip to the brink
of war to convince the nations concerned
that force is more futile than ever in a
nuclear age.
The mere fact that a responsible cor-
respondent permitted himself even to
think in terms of a reversal by the UN
of the established principal of recogniz-
ing Israel's independence and autonomy
is very disturbing.
Sheldon's main points are well taken.
The border issues and the refugee pro-
blem must be solved. Israel has shown
an earnest desire to participate in dis-
cussions of these two issues and in their
solutions. But the issues can not be dis-
cussed on the basis of dangers to Israel's
very existence. All considerations of the
Middle East issue must be on the basis
of Israel's right to live.
Of course, Israel will insist on such
an inalienable and sacred right and will
fight for it. But such a principle must
be taken for granted. Any other con-
sideration will be rooted in injustice. And
it is the eradication of injustice—inherent
in the Arab boycott of Israel and in any
credence given to the destruction of
Israel—that should be a major objective
of the United Nations. Any other view
is not only unjust but also immoral.
Vital Bond Effort
American Jewry has been asked to
dedicate its efforts during the concluding
months of the current civic year towards
advancing the goals of the Israel Bond
drive.
Only a few weeks remain to attain
the quotas that are being assigned to
our communities, and it becomes urgent
at this time to appeal to our community
to do all in its power to extend the econ-
omic aid that is so vital to Israel through
Bond sales.
Israel has mounting responsibilities.
She meets most of them through high
taxation of Israeli citizens. Her problems
can be eased materially through support
of her economic programs, and the Israel
Bonds provide such aid.
Detroit Jewry, always responsive to
our kinsmen's needs, has a good Bond
record. Much remains to be attained to
match or exceed last year's sales.
One of the occasions provided for
additional purchases of Bonds is the testi-
monial dinner to be given next Tuesday
in honor of Harry Cohen, one of the most
distinguished of our communal leaders
and workers. Mr. Cohen, who has just
attained the age of 75, continues untir-
ingly to labor in behalf of all important
Jewish causes, and he is one of the main-
stays of the Israel Bond drives. Now, the
Israel Bond Organization desires to honor
him, and by honoring him, also advance
the goals of the Bond drive.
It is hoped that the Oct. 28 dinner and
subsequent Israel Bond undertaking will
result in large Bond sales which will
again place our community among the
leaders in behalf of Jewry and Israel.
-ARE YOU WITH ME OR ELSE...!
Christian Minister Evaluates
Martin Buber's Philosophy in
Book 'To Hallow This Life'
The Rev. Jacob Trapp, minister of the Community Church,
Summit, N. J., has caught the spirit of Dr. Martin Buber so well
and so completely that his splendid anthology, "To Hallow This
Life," a collection of important selec-
tions from Buber's works, must be
considered as one of the finest works
on Buber.
A keen understanding of Buber's
philosophy is shown in the explana-
tory notes to each section by the able
editor of this book, published by
Harper.
The Rev. Trapp's introduction
provides a brief explanation of Dr.
Buber's great prose-poem, "I and
Thou." Referring to other philoso-
phers' "mysticism of flight from the
world - and of flight from self, of world
renunciation, subjectivism and detach-
Martin Buber
ment," he states in the introductory
essay that "Martin Buber's magnificent Jewish heritage saved
him from that kind of mysticism, the very something which, I
believe, turned the course of Western history toward democracy."
The influence of Hasidism, "undoubtedly the strongest in-
fluence in his life," Rev. Trapp writes, "also served to turn
Martin Buber away from a self-denying, world-renouncing mysti-
cism." He adds that "to his studies in Hasidism may be traced
also Martin Buber's wonderful reaffirmation and elucidation of
Judaism's doctrine, made real again in the Hasidic movement
at its best, of redemption of the whole man and redemption of
the whole of creation."
Dr. Buber's "envigorating doctrine, so needed in our time,"
is seen by Rev. Trapp as necessary "to be studied for a pro-
founder understanding of Judaism and Christianity, but above
all to be studied for his insights into man, and into that Kingdom
which grows and shall prevail beyond 'the exiles of the reli-
gions.'"
Many of the quoted selections. in this book are from "I and
Thou." In the first chapter, "The Eternal Thou," are incorpo-
rated classic thoughts from the great philosophic work.
Other Buber works quoted include "Between Man and Man,"
"Tales of the Hasidim," "The Early Masters, God and Evil,"
"Hasidism," "Israel and Palestine." "The Prophetic Faith," "Ten
Rungs: Hasidic Sayings," and other of the outstanding writings
of the philosopher.
Every chapter includes the editor's explanatory notes. In
the chapter "Love, Human and Divine," Rev. Trapp writes that
"Divine love and human love are interpenetrating realities" and
he says that "it is truly representative of Martin Buber's thought
to put them together."
Especially valuable is the section dealing with religion,
and Rev. Trapp states in his evaluation of Buber's ideas:
"Religion is not some isolated element, but a life, and a teach-
ing transmitted by life. It is man standing in the presence
of God, man countering the mystery in himself and others,
living men and women endeavoring toward wholeness and the
hallowing of all life, now and always. It pertains not to a
part of life, but to the whole of life, and intends its hallowing.
`The substance of its truth can only be revealed by making
it true in human life,' and in that sense it wills to supersede
itself."
"Moses and the Prophets" is another revealing chapter. Ii
"The Modern Crisis" the editor speaks of "the loss of com-
munity" and he states with reference to the quotations from
several of Buber's works: "The present crisis in civilization
(where words are used as weapons) is characterized by an acute
lack of trust between man and man, and by a breakdown of the
kind of dialogue between nation and nation that builds civiliza-
tion and helps to keep it healthy."
"For Zion's Sake," dealing with Buber's views on Israel and
Zionism, is a thought-provoking chapter. Indeed, in its entirety,
"To Hallow This Life" is an outstanding anthology.