Direct JTA Teletype Wire to The Jewish News

JERUSALEM—Rain fell for several hours in some
parts of Israel Wednesday morning for the first time in
11 months, bringing hope that the disastrous drought
might be over.
The dry spell has already cost Israel many millions
of pounds in lost crops.
Weather experts studying cloud formations said it
was still uncertain whether the rains would continue.
Agricultural authorities said there was still some hope
for some major crops, but others were beyond saving,
even if the rains continued for a substantial period.
Continuation of rain would, however, eliminate the
present threat of a lack of water next summer.
News of the rain evoked expressions of rejoicing in
many parts of Israel. The members of the Kabbalist sect
residing in Safed claimed the rains came in answer to
their prayers.
The Ministry of Agriculture Wednesday set up a
special drought committee to maintain a constant watch
on the situation and to order emergency measures where
needed. The Ministry was reported considering proposal
to have the entire portion of Israel south of Rehovot
become a "water protection" area. In such an area, any
major exploitation of water resources, such as irrigation
and drilling of new wells, would require special govern-
mental permission.

Castro's Forces Aided by
Jewish Youths; Bigotry
Unknown in Rebels' Ranks

Continued from Page 1

anti-Semitism as such. He esti-
mated that 95 percent of the
Americans evacuated on the
steamer City of Havana were
Jews.
He said that his contacts with
Cuban Jewry led him to believe
that Castro had no desire to
inject anti-Semitism into the
scene and that the rebel leader

was anxious to avoid such a
development among his follow-
ers.
It was reported that Cuban
friends of Israel are hoping
for early diplomatic recogni-
tion of the new Cuban reg-
ime by Jerusalem.

Havana Jewry is expressing
the universal opinion that Is-
rael should be among the first
states to extend diplomatic rec-
ognition to the new regime. Is-
rael's Consul Sender M. Kaplan
has expressed the hope of an
early extension of recognition
by Israel. The feeling here is
that it would strengthen Israel
relation throughout Latin Amer-
ica.

Life Sentences
Given Two Arabs
for Killing Israeli

Direct JTA Teletype Wire
to The Jewish News

JERUSALEM — Life sen-
tences were imposed Monday on
two Gaza Arabs convicted of the
murder of Roy Rothberg, of the
Nahal Oz Kibbutz.
The Jerusalem District Court
passed the sentences after
hearing testimony that the de-
fendants, one a farmer and the
other a police sergeant, accom-
panied by an Egyptian officer,
crossed into Israel territory,
seized Rothberg and dragged
him across the border where
he was brutally murdered- in
April 1956.
The suspects were seized sev-
en months after the crime dur-
ing Israel's occupation of the
Gaza Strip in the Sinai Cam-
paign.

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'Divided' Village
• •
Gets Electrtaty

Overcoats, Suits
and Topcoats

Direct JTA Teletype Wire

JERUSALEM — The Israel

part of the divided border vil-
lage of Beit Zefafa, half of
which is in Jordan, received
electricity Tuesday night when
Interior Minister Israel Bar
Yehuda pulled a switch in a
brief ceremony.
The village, in which the
main street is part of the
Israel-Jordan border, has never
had electricity. When ..Israel
technicians began installing
electrical installations several
weeks ago, Arab legionnaires
tried to halt the work with
threats to shoot the workmen.
The installations were com-
pleted under police protection.

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ORT to Get $1,600,000
from JDC During 1959

The Joint Distribution Com-
mittee will provide $1,600,000
during 1959 for the vocational
Among Castro troops ar- training programs of ORT, the
riving in Havana are Sephar- Organization for Rehabilitation
dic Jewish youths from San- Through Training, under an
tiago. They wear the Muzzu- agreement signed last week in
zah proudly on their chests. New York City.
In Havana the leader of an
A major provision continues
important group of July Uni- large-scale assistance for the vo-
versity youths, bearing arms cational training of Jews in Po-
in the Castro forces, is Max land, both those repatriated
Lesnick, a Jew.
from Russia and the needy
In Santiago, Jews have for among the so-called "settled"
many years been friends of the population.
Castro family. Most Havana
Jews • sought to avoid taking
sides in the highly volatile sit-
uation, avoiding politics. But
youths of many Havana Jewish
families joined the Castro uni-
versity movement, source of the
revolutions strength. Jews re-
port virtual extortion by some
Batista officials involving per-
sons doing business here, al-
though Batista apparently gave
orders to avoid anti-Semitic ap-
pearances because of concern
over tourism from the U.S.

Cessation of terror and re-
sumption of communications, a
direct JTA teletype wire to The
Jewish News from Havana,
states, revealed no damage to
Jewish institutions or syna-
gogues or injury to Jewish civi-
lians. While many Jewish-owned
shops were damaged and looted,
it has been established that
the attacks were -made not by
Castro revolutionary forces but
by criminal elements who in-
spired chaos and exploiting. Pa-
trOls of revolutionary groups
now protect business firms,
which are reopening as normal-
cy returns.
Informed sources report that
the new Castro government in-
cludes intellectuals friendly to
The Castro officials have
Israel and known for friendship shown .total absence of corrup-
with Jewish religious leaders.
tion and indicated clear dispo-
sition to protect all Jewish
rights and interests. Although
IF YOU TURN THE
some individuals of Jewish
faith were associated with
gambling casinos, now outlawed,
UPSIDE DOWN YOU WON'T
there are absolutely no over-
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tones of anti-Semitism in the
closure of their questionable
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Fearing the worst, an Israeli
Kibbutz woman cabled her Ha-
vana sister: "What do you need
from us?" The main need of
Jews and all Cubans of course
is the consolidation of law and
order now being advanced un-

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der the new democratic re-
gime.
A number of Detroiters were
on the Cunard liner Mauretania
on their return to New York
after witnessing some of the ac-
tion by the Castro forces.
Among them were Mr. and Mrs.
Stanley Yates, Mr. and Mrs.
Alex Spyer, Mr. and Mrs. Rus-
sell Nida and Mr. • and Mrs.
Michael R. Bagdade.

3-THE DETROI T JEWISH NEWS—F riday, January

Rains Fall in Israel,
End Harmful Drought

Savings Accounts Insured to

$10,000 by an Agency of U. S. Gov't

• DEXTER AT CORTLAND
• LIVERNOIS AT W. 7 MILE
• W. 9 MILE NEAR COOLIDGE

Main Office

Woodward at Congress
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