THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS—Friday, December 12, 1958-2

Purely Commentary

The United Nations' Major Achievements

Two matters stand out to the credit of the United Nations:
the world organization's success in securing armistice agreements
in the Middle East and its adoption of the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights. Neither attainment is, as yet, even near the
complete realization of the
hopes for peace and for hu-
man liberties. But they are
the beginnings for such ac-
complishments.
With greater determina-
tion and more realistic firm-
ness, we might have had
peace in the Middle East.
Perhaps the next step could
have been the removal of
East-West tensions. But even
a temporary armistice is
something to boast about.
The same is to be said about the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights. We are far from having assured liberty for the
oppressed of the world. We not only have tyranny in many parts
of the globe but there is still slavery in Yemen and in Saudi
Arabia.
The Human Rights Declaration adopted by the UN was an
important step in the direction of wiping out the disgraceful
blots on mankind's record in many areas of the world. We pray
for the complete fulfillment of the Declaration's objectives.

Religion Must Be Kept Out of Our Schools

It has already been indicated in our columns that any con-
cession to those who seek to break the principle of Separation
of Church and State can only lead to the eventual introduction
of religious teachings in our schools. Detroit's Jewish Community
Council, adhering to a policy pursued by the National Community
Relations Advisory Council and the Synagogue Council of Amer-
ica, is on record against_the celebration of Hanukah in our schools
—for the same reason that we object to the celebration of
Christmas in our schools.
This is a Christian country, though the founders of this nation
would not say. so . The strong adherents to the major clauses in
our Bill of Rights would object to such terminology. But the
overwhelming number of people in this country practices Christi-
anity and introduces it at all opportunities. These people have
introduced Christmas practices in our schools. Christmas has
become an official American holiday. All that we, who are not
of the Christian faith, can do, is to insist that such observances
should at least be limited to Christians; that Jews should not be
asked to sing the season's carols.
What we ask, of course, is adherence to the principle of
freedom to worship—for Christians to worship as they see
fit, and Jews and members of other faiths to haye equal
rights without interference or missionary influences or
pressures.
. Perhaps this could have been attained, had it not been for
the fact that some Jews thought it would be a good idea to have
combined Hanukah-Christmas celebrations. This meant, at the
outset, that we recognize the right of, introduction of religious
practices in the schools, — provided our practices also are intro-
duced. It was a wrong move from the very beginning and the
evil has come home to roost in New Hyde Park, New York. In
that community, the Jews were told that they could not discuss
Hanukah if it interfered with Christians.
Naturally, the New Hyde Park Jewish community was out-
raged by its city's Board of Education ruling. Protests have been
uttered, explanations were issued, denials were heard. All these
polemics do not matter. The issue at hand is that of the threat
of the introduction of religious practices in our schools. Such
practices are contrary to the _First Amendment of our Consti-
tution which asserts that "Congress shall make no laws respecting
the establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise
thereof."
Any actionin favor of religious observances in our schools
is contrary to this principle. We do not stand alone in this
battle. There are many Christians who adhere to the basic
American ideal incorporated in our Bill of Rights. There are
Christian sects that are opposed to the introduction of Christmas
into public school curricula as much as they object to the com-
mercialization of Christmas.
This is an old battle. • But its newness stems from the
sting that came to those who wanted to compromise with an
American principle in the New Hyde Park schools. Let it be a
lesson for all of us.

UN Landmark . . . Sad
Bereavements . . . Keep
Religion Out of Schools

By Philip Named Chairman
Slomovitz of Hanukah Festival

himself as the advocate of the League of Nations ideal. He was
one of Zionism's stauchest supporters and his friendly declara-
tions are quoted several times in Nahum Sokolow's two-volume
"History of Zionism." As Lord Cecil, this eminent British leader
had said that. there were only two good results of the First
World War: the establishment of the League of Nations and the
foundations that were set for a Jewish National Home by the
Balfour Declaration.
Blessed be the memory of the righteous and the creative
people whose contributiOns to mankind and their kinsmen have
left indelible marks on history.

Israel's New Minister for Religious Affairs

David Ben-Gurion's selection of 78-year-old Rabbi Jacob
Moshe Toledano for the post of Minister for Religious Affairs
in the Israel Cabinet :was a clever political move. In a sense,
it removed the right of selection of a Cabinet Minister for this
post from the religious parties, but, at the same time, it gave
the post to a very religious man whose devotion to Jewish
traditions is unquestioned.
Rabbi - Toledano was born in Tiberias. He held rabbinic
posts in Tangiers, Cairo and Alexandria and then returned to
his homeland.
His selection by no means solves the religious issue in
Israel, but it gives the conflict in the Israeli government a
new wrinkle.

.*

'Forms from Israel'. . . Meritorious Exhibition

We were privileged to be at the opening of the world
premiere of "Forms from Israel," an exhibition of Israeli crafts,
forms of nature and the desert, art works, religious objects
representative of all faiths, books and other creative Israeli
forms.
The premiere showing was in the Baltimore Museum of Art
on Dec. 6. Mayor D'Alesandro, Israel Ambassador to Canada
Arthur Lourie and other notables participated in the inauguration
of this exhibition, which will be retained in this country for a
two-year tour of American cities. Detroit's date for this exhibit
has not been set as yet.
"Forms from Israel" reveals many aspects of creative Israeli
efforts. It shows how far advanced this little land is in the arts
and crafts. It will be a showing well worth participating in when
the exhibition comes to Detroit.

TOM BORMAN, who has
been active in the leader-
ship of the Israel Bond cam-
paign since its inception in
1951, has been named
chairman of the Hanukah
Festival for Israel, it was
announced by Abe Kasle,
chairman of the Detroit Is-
rael Bond Committee.

Jordan Book Ban

JERUSALEM (JTA)—The
Jordan Ministry of Education
has banned the use of a Brit-
ish geography book and has
ordered that a standard en-
cyclopedia be scissored so as
to eliminate the name of
Israe 1. The book, Dr. I.
Stamp's "The World," long
used in Jordan schools, was
banned because the current
edition has a chapter on
Israel.

Cabaret Style Hanukah Celebration
Saturday Evening to Feature Jessel,
Ambassador Tsur and Musical Program

The original program an-
nounced for the Hanukah Fes-
tival for Israel. this Saturday
night, at the Masonic Temple,
has been broadened, it was
announced by Tom Borman,
chairman of the celebration.
Rabbi Jacob E. Segal, of
Adas Shalom synagogue, will
join Yaacov Tsur, Israel Am-
bassador to France, and George
Jessel, on the speakers' ros-
trum.
Cantor Nicholas Fenakel,. of
Adas Shalom, will sing on the
program as will Marjorie Gor-
don, a newcomer to Detroit.
Cantor Fenakel will render his
own arrangement of "Haneros
Halolu."
Miss. Gordon, a lyric soprano,
was formerly with the New
York City Center Opera Com-
pany. She will be remembered
for her thrilling performance
with the Detroit Symphony last
spring. She has appeared with
major musical groups in the
country and has been seen and
heard on many network tele-
vision and radio programs.
The invocation and benedic-
tion will be given by Dr. Leon
Fram, of Temple Israel, and
Several Sad Bereavements
Rabbi Yaakov I. Homnick, of
A number of deaths, reported in the past two weeks, are Young Israel Center of Oak
causes for general mourning.
Woods.
The passing of Moishe Oysher removes from the entertain-
response to many re-
ment world a very talented singer and an able interpreter of quests, tickets to the Hanu-
Jewish music.
kah Festival for Israel will
The death of Artur Rodzinski, the eminent conductor, is a be available at the box office,
great loss to the musical world.
but the committee has urged
We are especially grieved by the passing of Jean. Jaffe, the people who plan to participate
very dedicated Yiddish writer and foreign correspondent who in this climax to Israel's tenth
has "covered" Jewish happenings for her paper, The Day, for anniversary year celebration to
many years. Her reports on conditions in Jewish communities make their reservations by
throughout the world, including Israel, were among the keenest calling WO 2-5091.
observations of Jewish life. She has spoken in. behalf of national
Refreshments will be served
causes in Detroit and in
i many other communities, and her death
on a boat that was to take her from Hong Kong to India is an and the audience will be seated
in cabaret style. This will not
indication of the areas she covered.
Another eminent personality whose death we mourn was be a dinner.
Ambassador Tsur was sched-
Elias Epstein, who headed the Keren Kayemeth (Jewish National
Fund) world office in Jerusalem for many years and who at uled to visit Detroit last spring.
the time of his death was the head of the ZOA (Zionist Organi- His coming was postponed,
zation of America) House in Tel Aviv. He was a distinguished however, to permit his return
writer, an able leader and a dedicated worker in the cause of to France because of the grave
crisis there at that time. His
Israel's rebirth.
Among those who have been called to the great beyond in return and subsequent meet-
the past two weeks was Viscount Cecil, who was Edgar Algernon ings with key figures in de-
Robert Gascoyne Cecil at his birth 94 years ago. He was the Gaulle's new government are
Nobel Peace Prize winner in 1937 and he had distinguished credited with the cordial rela-

tions now existing between
France and Israel.
Jessel has just visited Israel
again. A devoted worker in
Israel's service, he was decor-

ated for his outstanding activi-
ties for Israel, primarily in the
Israel Bond effort to build Is-
rael's economy toward eventual
self-sufficiency.

Boris Smolar's

`Between You
... and Me'

(Copyright, 1958,
Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)

The UJA Conference:

Everybody knows about the American "three Rs" — Readin',
'Ritin', and 'Rithmetic • .. But few know of the Jewish "three
R's" which are now part and parcel of the United Jewish Appeal
. .These are: Relief, Rescue, Rehabilitation . . . At the nation-
wide annual conference of the United Jewish Appeal—being
held this week-end in New York—the Jewish "three Rs" will
come to the forefront more forcefully than at any time during
the last few years . . . This is because a new situation is de-
veloping which requires urgent action on the part of American
Jewry . .. This situation has been brought about by the sudden
flow of immigrants into Israel from countries behind the Iron
Curtain . . . Nobody knows why some of the Iron Curtain coun-
tries suddenly decided to permit Jewish emigration to Israel
and for how long they will maintain this policy • . . This is what
makes it imperative to take out as many Jews as possible from
these countries while the taking out is permitted . . . But this
also means the mobilization of special funds, and they can come
only from American Jewry . . At the UJA conference this
problem will be the center of all discussions . . . UJA leaders
who recently visited Israel on a study mission saw the ships
bringing the wave of new immigrants from the Communist
countries, and spoke to these immigrants . . . The conclusion to
which these leaders came is, that if all Jews who can now come
to Israel are not taken out of the Iron Curtain countries, it will
be the fault of American Jewry .. .

The Top Leaders:

The person who spends many restless days and weeks
carrying the burden of leadership of the United Jewish Appeal
is Morris W. Berinstein, UJA general chairman . . . He has been
a mainstay of the UJA for .many years, serving in top-level
capacities before he was elected General Chairman last year .. .
Highly respected by Jewish community leaders all over the
country, he will be re-elected to this most responsible • post in
American Jewish communal life for 1959 • . . His devotion to
the UJA knows no end . . . He practically neglects his private
business affairs giving all his time to UJA. efforts.
Another principal driving force in the United Jewish Appeal
who knows no rest and is busy even on week-ends is Rabbi
Herbert A. Friedman, UJA executive vice-chairman . . . He is
the man behind the wheel in the UJA campaign, and he has
to his credit a record of fine achievements . . . Young, energetic,
and a gifted speaker, he is today the youngest among the top
American Jewish leaders.