Old
Purely Commentary
Memorandum Outlines Jewish Grievances
Against Persecution of Kinsmen in USSR
"The Russian Orthodox
values and large-scale institu-
(Continued from Page 1)
The memorandum quotes at I tions of one particular nation- churches are permitted to main-
tain a centralized, nationwide
An Evaluation of an International Gathering
great length the reports of the ality,
among
than
100 na-
tional
groups more
which
continue
to organizational structure of re-
STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Aug. 13—Representatives of 43 coun-
tries from all parts of the globe had their belongings packed today British and Canadian Com- enjoy their cultural privileges." ligious congregations, with the
to return to their respective homes, and each of the 195 delegates munist parties, establishing that . Touching upon the discrimi- Patriarch as its head. Similar
and the additional 45 alternates undoubtedly is reviewing in his nothing in the Yiddish language nation against Soviet Jews in systems exist on • a national
or her mind the values of a 12-day gathering at which Jewry's has been published in the Soviet the field of religion, the Ameri- basis for the other religious
can Jewish Committee memo- faiths—except for the Jews.
representatives spoke their minds and reported on conditions in
Union later than in 1948; that randum says: "While it is true Not only is there no federation
their lands.
There must have been a collective vote of thanks to the the Soviet Encyclopedia,. which that religious worship is per- of Jewish communities, or even
Almighty for the Sabbath on which all had 'rested from a in its 1932 edition devoted mitted in the Soviet Union, for a Chief Rabbi, but contact and
multiple score of speeches. Except for the sermon in the liberal about 160 columns to the Jews, Jews as for other indigenous communication between the
synagogue to which the 50 or so delegates who attended the reduced this space in the 1952 faiths, it must be stressed that local congregations appear to be
service in the beautiful synagogue, the orators rested on that day. edition to four columns; that religious facilities at the dis- disrupted, and even the distribu-
tion of gifts of ceremonial ob-
Indeed, the Plenary of the World Jewish Congress was a the biographies of many promi- posal of Soviet Jews are statis- jects appears to be hindered by
marathon of speeches. That, of course, was to be expected. After nent Jews had been removed; tically inferior to those avail- the authorities.
all, a major portion of world Jewry was represented at the and that even Karl Marx was able to other faiths.
a Jew.
"The Jewish communities are
Of the four major denomi-
sessions here, and it was an education for the delegates to learn no longer referred to as
what is transpiring everywhere. Even the colored reports from
The memorandum also quotes nations in the Soviet Union also at a severe disadvantage
in terms of available religious
Poland contained a modicum of interest. The Polish delegates reports of Communist dele- — Russian Orthodox, Mos-
could have repeated their addresses of five years ago—with their gations establishing that, dur- lem, Baptist and Jewish— facilities. Today there are some
talks about peace, their attacks on Nahum Goldmann, their ing the "Black Years" of 1948- only the Jewish faith is kept 60 rabbis available for 3,000,000
criticisms that had a Soviet coloration. But in their totality, the 1952, many Soviet Jews were organizationally in an atomi- Jews—one for every 50,000 per-
speeches were constructive and had the merit—collectively—of dismissed from their posts; zed condition," the memo- sons. Many of these rabbis are
not properly ordained."
Jewish poets and writers were randum stresses.
an analysis of the world Jewish situation.
There wasn't much new in the resolution, but they, too, by arrested and charged with trea-
their reaffirmation of the aspirations of Jews as a collective body, son and executed; Yiddish
pleading for the rights of Jews in Russia, asking for compensa- literature disappeared from the
Boris Smolar's
tion for the sufferers from Nazism, advocating extension of streets and market places; all
Jewish
cultural
institutions
cultural activities, had their merits.
were closed down; and that "de-
Most important of all at these sessions was the "ingath-
liberate efforts" had been made
ering" of Jews from everywhere, except the Iron Curtain and
to repress all expressions of
Moslem countries, for mutual exchanges of experiences,. for
Jewish
culture.
the tieing of bonds of unity, for reaffirmation of common
(Copyright, 1959
Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
"There is a remarkable con-
ideals.
Dr. Nahum Goldmann, the re-elected president of the World trast between the general pic-
Jewish Congress, again emerged as the outstanding Jewish ture of major cultural activity Vacation Reading
There is nothing sensational in the "sensational" novel "New
leader in the world. By his own admission, it is regrettable that among nationalities in the
one man should be the head of the World Jewish Congress, the Soviet Union and the unique Face in the Mirror" by Yael Dayan, daughter of the former
president of the World Zionist Organization and chairman of treatment of one single nation- Commander in Chief of the Israel armed forces . . . It is a well-
the Jewish Agency for Israel. But the general opinion is that ality—the Jews, "the American written book by a young authoress which reflects the feelings
it will be difficult to find a .successor to him at the next World Jewish Committee points out in of a 20-year-old Israeli girl who is arrogant, strong-willed,
and suffers from egomania . . . She adores her domineering
Zionist Congress, to be held in Jerusalem next July. It is a faCt its memorandum to Mikoyan.
father, a military commander in Israel, and she believes that
that is being deplored—because it indicates a lack of major
"This exception," the mem-
she, too, is a domineering personality . . . She likes to dominate
leadership in Jewish ranks. Dr. Goldmann nevertheless remains
orandum says, "is • even more men, to hurt them, but gets badly hurt herself in one of her
the great leader who was described by the late Dr. Stephen S.
striking when consideration
affairs with a young man . . . Her entire outlook on life changes
Wise as "Nordau redivivus."
is given to the tremendous
when she falls sincerely in love with an older man who shows
Three very wealthy men now hold leading official posi- Jewish cultural organization her undemanding affection and is not influenced by her delib-
which existed throughout a erate attempts to hurt him . . . She begins to feel completely
tions in the World Jewish Congress—Israel Sieft of London,
considerable period of the soft and happy in the "home atmosphere" which she establishes
Samuel Bronfman of Montreal and Ira Guilden of New York. It
Soviet Union's history, and
will be interesting to know whether the large sums that are
while living with the man who is so much older and wiser
which, at its peak during the
needed for cultural as well as political activities envisioned by
than she is . . . Throughout the book—the American edition
1950s, included some 1,400
the WJC will be forthcoming now that wealth is "partly in the
of which was published this week by the World Publishing
Yiddish schools; some 20 Company—a picture emerges showing that her parents simply
saddle."
theaters
and
theatrical
On the whole, the WJC Plenary was an interesting gathering.
neglected to give her a "home" • . . Her father, whom she ad-
groups; nearly 20 daily, week- mires so much, does not come out in a very good light as the
From the point of view of the representation from so many
ly
and
monthly
journals
in
lands, it was historic .
head of the family . . . He is always impatient at home and
Oddities: Yiddish was the language used more extensively Yiddish; publishing houses
shows no emotion either for his wife or for his children . .
with
an
annual
output
of
al-
than any other at the WJC Plenary. It was believed that even
A good deal of the book describes life in a girls' military camp
most
two
million
copies
of
in Israel and the negative reactions of Israeli girls to military
in the American delegation at least half of the representatives
books and pamphlets; local routine . . . Is the heroine in the book, Ariel, typical of Israeli
understood Yiddish. English was a close second, with French
the third official Plenary language, due to the large delegation Jewish soviets in certain girls of today? . . . Probably not, if one is to judge from the
villages and townships, and moods which the other girls in the military camp display in
from France and from French speaking countries (Tunisia,
Morocco, Algeria, etc.) . . . Among the interesting personalities in special sections of local
their intimate talks . . . She is simply 'a product of bad up-
courts in which Yiddish was bringing, as one can see when she becomes mature and mellows
this correspondent had an opportunity to meet was Dr. Felix
the official language."
Kersten, who was Himmler's personal- masseur and who played
under the influence of her elderly lover . . . The book is written
an important role in rescuing many Jews from extermination
"The report of the British with great honestv and deserves to be read on its merits rather
by the Nazis. Dr. Kersten • had exposed the claim that the late Communist Party" — the AJC 1 , than on the sensational publicity given to it that it is a "sexy"
Folke Bernadotte was a major figure in rescue efforts as a gross memorandum continues— ' novel •
•
* * *
exaggeration. Dr. Kersten still is showing his friends copies of "makes it clear that all cultural
The Detroit Jewish News and Congress Weekly in which this activities came to an abrupt and
Contemporary History
commentator's articles appeared about him, his book and the violent end in 1948, not be-
Another book deserving large readership is "Eva," a novel
true Bernadotte story. . . . Another eminent Stockholmite is cause of any disappearance of
Hugo Valentin, the noted author whose book on anti-Semitism, interest on the part of the Jew- by Meyer Levin, published this week by Simon and Schuster.
written more than 30 years ago, still is among the most ish population, but through of- . . . It is a powerful book on the life of a Polish-Jewish. girl
who, seeking to escape Nazi extermination, poses as a Ukrainian
ficial administrative action on
authoritative on the subject. .. .
maid . . . The book is written so convincingly that all the time
*
*
*
the part of the authorities.
the reader is under the impression that the author of the book
There
is
no
doubt
that
this
ac-
Meyer Levin's 'Eva'; Powerful Novel
is not Meyer Levin, but the girl herself . . The facts stand
tion constitutes an unprece-
out vividly as real—as they probably were—in Mr. Levin's
Deserving of Best Seller Rating
dented and willful act of de-
This commentator concurs with the flattering review of struction of major cultural book, and the atmosphere pictured by the author shows his
strong emotional participation in the sufferings of the Jews
Meyer Levin's "Eva" (Simon and Schuster), appearing in the
under the Nazi regime • . . In order not to be recognized as
"Between You and Me" column of our distinguished confrere,
when Detroiter Charles Fein- Jewish, the girl changes her Jewish name and with false iden-
Boris Smolar.
berg acquires the notes, writ-
tity documents succeeds in penetrating into the interior of Nazi
"Eva" is a human document. It is a splendid account of a
ten in Hebrew, which served Austria . . . She gets a job as a servant maid with a German
in
her
flight
from
danger.
The
first
part
young girl's experiences
as background material for family, the head of which is a Nazi . . Far from .suspecting
of the novel relates how she managed to pose as an Ukrainian
"Eva," he will be in posses.
Christian, how she had hidden her Jewish identity and managed sion of what may become a that she is Jewish, the German employers are so much impressed
with her, that they insist on adopting her as their only daugh-
to escape dangers.
truly historic document.
ter . . . A "Germanization" committee examines her bodily and
We might have questioned some of the details in the first
The reader will be impressed mentally and establishes that she is "pure Aryan" fit to become
portion of the book, if we were to give credit to the Nazis as
a full-fledged member of a German family . . . But the girl,
possessing the ability to detect "non-Aryans." But whatever by the factualness of the data
who
changed her Jewish name Eva to the Ukrainian name Katya,
related
in
the
narrative.
Meyer
slight weaknesses there may be in the early pages and in the
clings
to her Jewish past and succeeds in escaping from the
Levin
rises
to
great
heights
as
initial stages of the narrative which moves a bit slowly at the
outset, it is more than atoned for in the second half of the book. a delineator of conditions that "honor" of becoming a real German . . . She finally lands in
That portion assumes historic significance in the powerful de- had shocked the civilized world a concentration camp, but manages to remain alive, until the
scriptions by the eminent novelist of the life in the concentration —facts that are being forgotten downfall of the Nazi regime . • . She returns to her hometown
camps, the final days of escapees under Nazism, their struggle and which need recalling. In the in Poland, only to find that her family there has been annihi-
for life and their determination to hold on to their Jewish novel they serve a valuable pur- lated by the Nazis as were all the other JeWs in town . . .
pose in recording the events of While the book depicts the struggle for life under which this
identity.
brave girl has to liVe under the Nazis under dangerous
Some are „inclined to liken "Eva" to the Anne Frank Diary. some of the most tragic years circumstances, it also shows lighter moments . . . These are
in
world
history.
There is no comparison between the two books. They are vastly
Additionally, "Eva" is a good moments when .Eva attempts to fall in love with young non-Jews
different in approach and in contents. The latter is a diary;
under the Nazis who seek her affections when she is the
"Eva" is an account of life among the victims of Nazism based novel that holds the reader's servant maid in the German family . . . Strongly Jewish, she
attention
from
first
page
to
the
on actual facts that have been gathered by Meyer Levin.
finds it extremely difficult all the time to think of marrying
It can and should be told: "Eva" existed—and exists. The last. It is a great story and we a non-Jew .. . However, she falls deeply in love with a yoUng
heroic girl whose account now is given by Meyer Levin in the
join in nominating it for a top PoliSh Jew in the underground movement whom she marries.
form of a novel could well have been another diary. The position among the books of -the . . Both succeed in reaching Palestine, finding happiness there
heroine lives in Israel, is married and has two children. She
and becoming the proud parents of two "sabra" children . •
nnd_ifark _ I_('11 vent vear..
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
0./
Between You
. and Me'