THE JEWISH NEWS

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Incorporating the Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20, 1951

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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 Offic,, Detroit, Mich. under act of Congress of March
a, 187!.-

PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

Editor and Publisher

SIDNEY SHMARAK

Advertising Manager

CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ

Circulation Manager

FRANK SIMONS

City Editor

Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the sixth day of Adar I, 571 9, the following Scriptural selections will be
read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Terumah, Ex. 25:1-27:9. Prophetical portion, I Kings 5:26-6:15.

Licht Benshen. Friday, Feb. 13. 5.44 p. m.

VOL. XXXIV. No. 24

Page Four

February 13, 1959

Arab Boycott of Israel Must End

Israel's problems are so enormous
that economists with a sense of reality
constantly wonder how the little state
manages to come through so many con-
flicts either unscathed or with very few
scars.
The constant flow of new hordes of
immigrants would in itself be enough to
tax Israel's energies. On top of it, there
are the problems involving the encircle-
ment by the antagonistic Arab states and
the- boycott of Israel that has done so
much harm to her economy.
There has been a ganging up on
Israel from the very first days of the
rebirth of the Jewish State. The comfort
that was given to Israel's enemies by
other countries added to the harm im-
posed upon the Israelis.
There was an encouraging word, in
protest against the Arab boycott of Israel,
during the past week. U. S. Senator
Hubert H. Humphrey of Minnesota made
an official inquiry about Jordan's black-
listing of American business firms that
do business with Israel, and he received
this reply from Assistant Secretary of
State William B. Macomber, Jr.:
"The boycott is of great concern
to this Government. We do not recog-
nize or condone it and have protested
to the Arab governments their discrimi-
nating practices which affect United
States firms and citizens. This Govern-
ment and its representatives abroad will
continue to emphasize to the Arab gov-
ernments, as occasion permits, that
there . should be no discrimination
against American firms because they
carry on business relations with Israel."
Another encouraging development is
revealed in the announcement made this
week by the American Jewish Congress
that Charles Abrams, chairman of the
New York State Commission Against
Discrimination has ruled that Aramco,
the Arabian American Oil Company, vio-
lates the New York law against discrimi-
nation when it screens Jewish applicants
for employment at Saudi Arabia's demand.
The American Jewish Congress was
granted an appeal for reconsideration of

a decision made on Nov. 10 dismissing
the charges against Aramco. In a 17-page
opinion, Abrams upheld the Jewish Con-
gress' complaint and it now will be re-
considered by the New York commission.
Aramco officials have not denied the
charges leveled against them. In his rul-
ing, Abrams noted that "there is no need
to compel Aramco to employ persons of
the Jewish faith, if such persons cannot
obtain visas from the Saudi Arabian gov-
ernment. The main points to be considered
are whether Aramco as a private and non
sovereign corporation doing business in
New York State must comply with the
law of the State in which it operates."
Aramco's action is part of the Arab
boycott of Israel, and it is related to
the worldwide activities in which many
firms are involved as comforters of the
Arabs who are pushing the boycott.
Distributors of American-made cig-
arettes who have become parties to the
boycott are equally guilty of participat-
ing in acts that are damaging to Israel,
and since the British Tobacco Co. has
admitted that it is yielding to Arab
pressures to stay out of Israel, firms
associated with it, in this and in other
countries, must be considered enemies
of the Jewish State who are contributing
towards the harm imposed upon the
Israelis by their boycott.
The Arab boycott of Israel was con-1
siderably extended in the last few weeks,
in actions taken in Baghdad and in the
support given Israel's antagonists in free
countries, including our own.
The State Department official's con-
demnation of the boycott, the ruling
against Aramco in New York and the
efforts that are being exerted by Jewish
leaders everywhere to stem the boycott,
must be taken seriously.
In the best interests of all the coun-
tries in the, Middle East, it is essential that
the boycott should end speedily. Those
who can contribute towards the culmina-
tion of the unjust pressures against Israel
must mobilize their forces to expose the
movement and to work towards its
suppression

Our New Jewish Community Center

Official opening to public view of the
first section of the new Jewish Com-
munity Center — the physical education
wing — marks the realization of long-
term planning and the fulfillment of
hopes for facilities to care for many of
our communal recreational and educa-
tional needs.
It is believed that the new Center,
located at Curtis and Meyers, will be the
largest Jewish facility of its kind in this
country. It is not its size. however, that
offers cause for celebration over the
completion of the impressive building.
The vast program of activities en-
visioned for the Center should thrill
the entire community in its welcome to
the successful planning for the advance-
ment of Detroit Jewry's numerous needs
that are to be served in the new struc-
ture.
The rapid movement of sections of
our community from several areas that
were previously heavily populated with
Jews, into suburban and other sectors,
and the need for a stabilized and central-
ized location for major communal activi-
ties, has resulted in the selection of the
present site, which, it is believed, will

outlast by many years other sections that
may lend themselves to movements of
population.
In addition, the increased interest of
our community in many cultural projects,
the importance of providing facilities for
recreational . and educational programs
for our youth, the special needs of many
of our women's organizations, called for
action in establishing a large Jewish
Center, to be commensurate with the
expansive efforts of Detroit Jewry.
The new Center promises to fulfill
all the needs that called for the creation
of this imposing new building.
While the entire Center is not avail-
able as yet for complete use in all its
departments, the initial open house, on
the occasion of the commencement of
activities in the physical education wing,
symbolizes the fulfillment of the hopes
for adequate Center facilities.
Sunday's initial inspection is, there-
fore, an occasion to be acclaimed as one
of vital significance to our community.
It is an occasion for self-congratulation
and for the extension of sincerest wishes
for successful attainments to the planners
of the new Center and to its staff.

Sequel to Simonhoff's Biographies

'Saga of American Jewry

'

Harry Simonhoff, whose biographical sketches were serial-
ized by Seven Arts Feature Syndicate, and whose essays have
appeared in scores of periodicals, rendered an important service
to American Jewry with his first
book, "Jewish Notables in America-
1776-1865." He thereby enlightened
his readers on many issues and pro-
vided them with information about
the early American Jewish pioneers.
Now he has extended his bio-
graphical writings with a similarly
impressive work, the second in his
series published under the title "Saga
of American Jewry-1865-1914" by
Arco Publishing Co. (480 Lexington,
N.Y. 17).
The new Simonhoff book is, in-
deed, "a link in an endless chain."
The new "saga" of this able writer
covers a very important era in Ameri-
can Jewish history, the period of
large Jewish immigration movements,
the emergence of the major Jewish
causes, the extension of philanthropic
activities, the beginnings of increased
Simonhoff
and enlarged educational efforts.
A mere glance at the personalities evaluated by Simon-
hoff gives the reader an idea of the immensity of the
collection of biographies. Simonhoff includes here a num-
ber of pioneers and industrialists who set into motion great
productive efforts — Michael Goldwater the Arizona pioneer,
the tunnel builder Adolph Sutro, the inventor Emile Ber-
liner, the Guggenheim copper kings and many others. In-
cluded in the list are Southern loyalists, judges, members
of Congress, lobbyists, U.S. Consuls; and then come the great
figures in the labor movement, in the field of industry, in
education, in philanthropy, in music and in other fields.
The life stories of the heroes in this volume combine to
form a virtual supplementary history of American Jewry
until the years of World War I. Paul M. Warburg, the father
of the Federal Reserve; the financier Jacob H. Schiff, and the
founding president of the AFL, Samuel Gompers; Sir Moses J..
Ezekiel, the sculptor; Isaac M. Wise and Solomon Schechter,
Reform and Conservative leaders; Oscar Hammerstein and
Adolph Zukor, Charles Frohman and David Belasco, and Abra-
ham Goldfaden, of the world of entertainment; Adolph S.
Ochs and Joseph Pulitzer, the publishers; and the many others
whose works have left indelible marks on American history.
Even Leo M. Frank, the martyr is included, and Emma
Goldman and Alexander Berkman, the anarchists, are not over

Nobel Prize winner Albert A. Michelson. the "agrarian
missionary" David Lubin, Judah L. Magnes, Senator Raynor
and a score of other great names are in this hook.
The volume is enriched by scores of illustrations, by a
valuable glossary and a helpful bibliography.
One of the most interesting aspects of this newest work on
Jews who contributed to the progress of the emerging Ameri-
can civilization is the fact that Simonhoff reveals that the early
figures in' this "saga" were on both sides of political and social
conflict. Some were native born and well integrated in the
American scene in the early years, and others were immigrants
who had fled from religious intolerance or political tyranny.
Some were builders of the great Wild West like the Goldwaters
of Arizona or the Sutros of California. During this era, medi-
cine in the U.S. was indebted to Abraham Jacobi and Simon
Baruch.
The book scrupulously covers the development of the sweat-
shop and eventually the evolvement of the scientific manufacture
of clothes, a contribution not only to the standard of living of
garment industry workers but to democratic living by abolishing
class distinctions in dress.
"Saga of American Jewry" deserves commendation. It is
a book worth possessing and should be read by many of our
people. It will inspire the interest that is needed in the grow-
ing activities of American Jewry and in gig leaders.

