THE JEWISH NEWS His Master's Voice 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 85, Mich., VE 8-9364. Subscription 85 a year. Foreign 86. Entered as second class matter Aug. 6, 1942 at Post Offic,, 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 third day of Kislev, 5719, the following Scriptural selections will be read in our synogogues: Pentateuchal portion, Toledot, Gen. 25:19-28:9. Prophetical portion, Malachi. 1:1-2:7: Licht Benshen, Friday, Nov. 14, 4:54 p.m. VOL. XXXIV. No. 11 Page Four November 14, 1958 The Hate Sheets Challenge the U. S. In the heated debates that marked the November 1958 election that is now part of the interesting record of American political thinking and action, an impor- tant issue played an important role. It was the use that was being made by some candidates of anti-Semitic pamphlets that were distributed in several states, includ- ing California and Michigan. We are certain that some candidates made use of hate sheets unsuspectingly, but they are not to be excused for having made such blind use of hate-instigating pamphlets. * * What bothers us much more is that so little attention has been given until now to the flood of hate sheets with which bigots have been swamping Fed- eral and State officials in recent years. A number of members of both Houses of Congress, who were instrumental in calling attention to the distribution of Kamp hate brochures in California and Michigan, have been telling us about the avalanche of anti-Semitic and anti-Catho- lic literature that invades the Nation's capital; and members of both Houses of the Michigan Legislature frequently send us copies of anti-Semitic hate sheets which clutter their mails. * * * Since this is not a new occurrence, we must ask why the liberals who so genuinely oppose the spread of bigotry have been so inactive in the battle against all displays of prejudice. Now there is idle talk about legislation to bar hate literature from the mails, and there is a genuine feeling that such a law might turn into a_double-edged sword that could hurt the honoroble and honest pamphle- teers as much as the spreaders of hate. Such legislation might be turned into a weapon for political bias by one party against another, especially in areas where one party predominates. But the question remains: what is being done to offset the hate that is being germinated? * * * A serious challenge faces the Ameri- can people. The hate sheet besmirches our most sacred ideals. It negates the basic principles of Americanism. It must be fought with the strongest weapon at hand: the truth about and the reality of our democratic way of life. The fight against bigotry must not be limited to pre-election periods alone. It is an all- year-round job which should begin the moment our Congress reconvenes. * * * Meanwhile, however, President Eisen- hower has--unwisely, we believe—ruled out the possibility of a White House conference to deal with the problems created by the bombings in the South. But Senator-elect Kenneth Keating, of New York, in compliance with a cam- paign pledge, has made a personal study of the tragic Southern situation, together with Senator Jacob K. Javits, the other Republican Senator from New York, and it is quite clear that the Administration in power is not united on the question and may be in a quandry over possible action to be taken to prevent the spread of un-Americanism that has hit religious and secular institutions. Thus, "the sin of anti-Semitism", as such bigotry had been labeled by the late Pope Pius XII, the guilt of racial and religious prejudice, remains to plague us. Rabbi Emmet A. Frank, of Alexandria, Va., whose courageous repudiation of Southern prejudices made him a target of segregationists and forced the cancel- lation of one of his addresses that was scheduled by an Unitarian church, took occasion, in another commendable ser- mon, to condemn racism. In his recent sermon, Rabbi Frank took note of the claim that "a large num- ber of people profess a segregationist policy," and he had this to say: "Since when do numbers legitima- tize sin? Sin is sin, regardless of num-' hers. Since when would we legitima- tize stealing because it would be widely practiced? Since when would adultery become the righteous way of life be- cause it would be widely practiced? "Since when does a 'massive resist- ance' program of inequality and sup- pression of a group of God's children become legitimate or godly because large numbers follow its intolerant doc- trine?" If all religious teachers in the South were to speak up in a similar vein, we could begin to hope for an end to segre- gation and to racial and religious bias. * * * Arnold Forster, the general counsel and national civil rights director of the Anti-Defamation League, in a report on conditions in the South, which he called "a new field for an old (anti-Semitic) game," reaches the following conclusions: "There are about 40 organized anti-Semitic groups operating within the South today. About 15 of these, perhaps, are only paper fronts which do mail distribution of hate mate- rials. All these'groups are to be found among three general classifications of organizations fighting desegregation—white citizens councils, the Klans, and other extremist movements. "The anti-Semitic elements within these classifications are pumping a fresh supply of hate from the North into the side-streams of Southern life. Conde McGinley's outrageously anti-Semitic Common Sense is particularly in evidence in the South. "For some years now anti-Semitic organiza- tions had been developing a furtive character in the United States. In fact, to one extent or another, organized anti-Semitism in the United States seemed almost to have gone under- ground. In the South today a reverse process has set in. At public meetings conducted by John Kasper, expressions of anti-Semitism are loud and raucous. In other places, too, there seems to be open defiance of what had been a growing tradition of tolerance for all re- ligious-minority groups. One Sunday this sum- mer, for example, there was simultaneous picketing by extremist groups at the White House in Washington, D.C., the Atlanta Con- stitution in Georgia and the Louisville Courier- Journal in Kentucky. "To date, the more extreme anti-Semitic utterances and activities in the South have been rejected by the great bulk of the Southern Press and Southerners themselves. "But in the charged atmosphere of the South today, tense and troubled over deseg- regation, the professional anti-Semite has found a new, huge marketplace for his wares. No matter how remote his 'charges are from reality, they are made persistently and shrilly." This analysis of the existing condi- tions indicates that the national Jewish organizations are on guard against the further spread of the horrors which al- ready have disgraced America. By being on guard, by encouraging our legislators to act, by encouraging re- ligious leaders to speak up fearlessly against bigotry, we can hope to defeat the menace that is threatening not only the South, but the entire land. The process of education and of erad- icating hate is all-too-slow. But we must keep vigil, and remain active. Else, the bad experiences will grow worse. Dr. Eisenberg s Interesting `Story of the Jewish Calendar Why is the Jewish calendar different from the civil calendar all of us use in dating our correspondence and our business transactions? Dr. Azriel Eisenberg provides a simple but very complete answer in a book for young people, "The Story of the Jewish Calendar," published by Abelard-Schuman (404 4th, N.Y. 16)- It must not be considered, however, as merely a book for youngsters, since adults are as keenly interested in the answers to the question of the development of the Luah—the Jewish calendar—and the Jewish lunar year, based on the moon's movement around the earth. As a background, Dr. Eisenberg tells the story of two boys who are watching for the new moon in Jerusalem. Out of it develops a story that explains im- portant elements in Jewish traditional observances. In the course of his narrative, Dr. Eisenberg explains the Rosh Hodesh, how the Shofar was blown in olden times to herald the beginning of an- other month, and he relates the aban- donment of the observance after the destruction of the Temple. Describing the determining point of Dr. Eisenberg a new month, the molad, Dr. Eisenberg points out that Rosh Hashanah may not fall on Sunday, Wednes- day or Friday. But in the year 4681-921 on the general calen- dar—it was expected that the molad for 4684 would take place on Saturday after midday and that would require postponement of Rosh Hashanah for two days. Whereupon Rabbi Ben Meir allowed an extra 35 minutes after noon for the molad in 923. It created a great controversy, and Rabbi Saadia was among those who bitterly opposed Rabbi Ben Meir. Some observed the calen- dar according to one of the scholars, and others according to the opponent's calculations. This important incident is related in Dr. Eisenberg's book. Rabbi Saadia, he writes, wrote a book outlining his views and "has always been considered by the Rabbis and scholars of later centuries to be 'father and founder of the science of the calendar.' " Many other interesting descriptions of the Sabbath and the festivals are incorporated in Dr. Eisenberg's book. His "The Story of the Jewish Calendar" is truly an important work for young and old alike. Year-Book 1958' a Storehouse of Information ' Statesman ' s A vast storehouse of information, 'about every State in our Union and all states throughout: the world, is incorporated in "The Statesman's Year-Book 1958," published by St. Martin's Press (103 Park, N.Y. 17). Edited by S..11. Steinberg (Ph.D., F. R: Hist. S.), this volume contains all the basic data, statistical and historical, about every state in the world. It has the latest information about social welfare, finance, religion, education, communications, banking, weights and measures, governments and constitutions. "The Statesman's Year-Book" has become an indispensable guide for delegates to the United Nations, newspapermen, librarians, religious leaders, industrialists and bankers. It is a sort of "must" for all who desire data about the nations of the world. There is a valuable chapter on Israel, and the data on Soviet Russia refers to a Jewish Autonomous Region in the USSR. Israel's governmental set-up and other data are evaluated in the Medinat Israel—State of Israel—chapter. Local government councils are described, and there are explanations of Israel's area and population, immigration, religion, education, social welfare, the courts, finance, defense, commerce and industry, agricultural activities, communications, currency and banking and weights and measures. Diplomatic representatives are listed, and there are a number of book references.