THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Friday, August
" Detroit Dormitory to Be Built at Hebrew Sen. Clark Seeks Retraction by
iversity; Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt Slated Gen. Grant of Anti-Semitic Article
WASHINGTON, (JTA) — A Senator said. "Particularly by
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eq to Address Dinner of Local Group Sept. 24 movement is under way in the the implication that, by virtue
conspicuous service" to only Senate to persuade Senators be- of his position as chairman of
15 men and women in North longing to the Civil War Cen- the Civil War Centennial Corn-
America. This year, the Elea- tennial Commission to insist mission, the article has official
nor Roosevelt Chair in the His- that Gen. U. S. Grant, 3rd, sanction. General Grant's fail-
tory and Philosophy of Science chairman of 'the commission, ure to print a retraction of this
was endowed by the Women's retract an anti-Semitic article baseless attack is a clear breach.
Division of the American he endorsed relating to the of his responsibilities as chair-
Friends of the Hebrew Univer- Civil War. man of the commission."
sity. Mrs. Roosevelt traveled to
Sen. Joseph S. Clark, Penn- Senators holding Commission
Jerusalem last spring, to be sylvania Democrat, said that he membership are Hugh Scott,
present at the opening lecture asked Senate colleagues on the Pennsylvania Republican; Clin-
which dedicated the chair.
commission that they insist ton P. Anderson, New Mexico
Mrs. Roosevelt's deep con- upon an immediate retraction. Democrat; Carl T. Curis, Ne-
"I was deeply disturbed by braska Republican; and Joseph
cern, however, is not merely
with the humanization of the General Grant's sponsorship of C. O'Mahoney, Wyoming Dem-
teaching of science at the Uni- an anti-Semitic article," the ocrat.
vei-sity, but with the welfare
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of the students there. "The
presentation by the Jewish
Boris Smolar's
Community of Detroit of a stu-
dent residence on the Univer-
sity campus is a tribute to her
special interest," the commit-
tee's statement said.
The Detroit Dormitory, link-
(Copyright, 1959
ing this city's name with the
Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
foremost educational institu- Accent on Khrushchev:
tion in the Middle East, will fill
There is great confusion among American Jewish organi-
an acute need on the new cam- zations in connection with the arrival next month of Soviet
pus of the. Hebrew University. Premier Khrushchev in this country . . . Numerous Jewish
The current enrollment at the groups, large and small, want to be represented on a delega-
By PHI LI P SLOMOVITZ
University is 5000. It has pres- tion that may seek to meet with Khrushchev on the treat-
ent on-campus dormitory facili- ment of Jews in the Soviet Union . . . Some of these organi-
Sincere Israeli Move to Eliminate Inequality
Experiencing an internal social crisis involving . the status ties for only 300 students. The zations do not hesitate to bother the State Department seeking
of Jews from North African countries and their resentment remainder of the students—who to arrange that Khrushchev receive their representatives • .
against Occidental superiority which took the form of several come not only from every part Other organizations do not want things to be left to chance,
serious riots, Israeli leaders appear to be facing the issue with of Israel, but from distant con- and apply to the Soviet Embassy in Washington directly to
a sense of realism and with a determination to provide solutions tinents including the United be put on the list for a possible meeting with Khrushchev . . .
eventually to end the tensions. States, Canada, Western Europe, All this does not add to American Jewish prestige, either
The "color" question is in some measure akin to the race Africa and Asia—must live in with State Department officials or with Soviet Embassy officials
issue in this country. There are no political issues involved, since rented rooms and makeshift . . . Among the Jewish organizations seeking to get on the
all Jews, regardless of their origin, enjoy full freedoms, have dormitories in Jerusalem. These bandwagon are minor groups whose voice on matters concern-
equal voting rights and are welcomed for participation in the present sub-standard facilities ing the protection of rights of Jews abroad is of no signi-
government. include the Allenby Barracks, ficance . . . On the other hand, among the major Jewish
There are, however, measures of inequality that are trace- a former British Army camp, organizations, there are some that are inclined to doubt the
able to social and educational standards. Along these lines, the considered unfit for military wisdom of seeking any meeting with Khrushchev . . . They
findings of the Israel parliamentary inquiry commission, which use, and the former Swedish ask themselves whether such a meeting would be of real
was selected to probe into the recent riots, provide interesting Mission School, located danger- value, and whether it would not merely give Khrushchev a
commentaries on Israel's desire to assure absolute equality ously near the Jordanian border. forum to repeat his well-known views . . . The matter has
among all elements . in the population. The construction of- the new reached a point where the National Community Relations
It should be noted in advance that the parliamentary inquiry campus of the Hebrew Univer- Advisory Council had to step in, inasmuch as the entire
commission included members representing both the Oriental sity has been widely hailed as issue requires coordination of Jewish thinking and action . .
and Occidental elements in the population. Headed by Judge one of the "miracles" of the NCRAC would, of course, like to see an all-inclusive Jewish
Moshe Etzioni, the commission included the Hebrew University • new State of Israel. The He- delegation formed of personalities able to impress the Soviet
sociologist, Prof. Shmuel Eisenstadt; Yaakov Klebanov, General brew University was established Premier . . . At present the chances of forming such a dele-
Zionist member of the Knesset; Ram Salamon, Haifa attorney, 41 years ago, on Mt. Scopus. gation are very slight . . . However, there seems to be general
and Rabbi Yitzhak Abu Hatzira, of Ramie, who is of Moroccan During Israel's War of Libera- agreement on one thing—if a delegation is to be sent, it should
origin. tion, the road to Mt. Scopus be composed of not more than four people.
The commission reported that "if, on lower levels, there are was cut by an act of war and Jewish Strategy:
de facto situations of inequality and discrimination, there exists the University buildings iso-
The National Community Relations Advisory Council, which
on the planning and policy level a genuine desire and a clear lated on the mountaintop. Al- is attempting to bring coordination and dignity into any
tendency to give special care and priority to Oriental immigrants, though the Rhodes Armistice planned Jewish meeting with Khrushchev, seems to be interested,
and attempts to integrate them in all areas of Israeli life." Agreements of 1949 affirmed also, in clarifying the questions to be presented to Khrushchev
Their report emphasized that "there is absolutely no deliberate that the University facilities . . . In this area, also, unity is necessary, if any positive
discrimination against North African immigrants on the part of were to be made available, the achievements are anticipated . . . The general sentiment seems
public and state institutions." agreements have never been to be not to raise with Khrushchev the issue of permitting
While the riots were spontaneous, the commission found implemented. Deprived of its Soviet Jews to emigrate to Israel . . The _raising of this
that "this spontaneity gradually disappeared . . . and reactions buildings, the University began issue, it is argued, would only bring Israel and Zionism
were largely shaped by one or several organizers." While there immediately to function in tern- into the discussion with Khrushchev and could spoil rather
was "a criminal element" among the rioters, the commission porary q u a r t e r s scattered than improve matters . . . Thus, it is suggested that, if and
rejected the contention that "any public or political bodies were through the city of Jerusalem. when a meeting with Khrushchev does take place, emphasis
behind the disturbances." Five years ago, the government should be laid primarily on restoration of Jewish cultural
There is a great measure of sincerity in this commission's of Israel gave the university a rights in the Soviet Union and on the abolishment of restric-
report. In its findings that some of the immigrants are "unable large tract at G-ivat Ram, on the tions against Jews in higher education and in government serv-
to compete on an equal level with other citizens, particularly outskirts of Jerusalem, along ices. . .. Also on demanding equal religious freedom for Jews,
in the field of primary education," the commission recommended with priority to build a Univer- comparable with the rights enjoyed by other nationalities in
the speeding of efforts to improve housing, education and the sity City.
Russia. . . . The question of emigration from the Soviet Union
establishment of new settlements for the new immigrants from
Thirty buildings have been —it is recommended—should be discussed in a general way,
North African countries. It urged priority in the elimination of completed on the campus, and and not in terms of "let my people go." .. From what I gather,
slums and maabarot—thes temporary housing camps.
several of these bear the names the American Jewish Committee, which is not affiliated with the
The tensions in Israel are deplorable, but they are curable. of American cities. These in- National Community Relations Advisory Council, has so far not
It is evident that the state's leaders are determined to assure elude the Los Angeles Building been approached by the NCRAC on joint planning and action
equality and justice for all elements in the population. The for Physical and Organic Chem- with regard to Khrushchev. . . . However, all indications point
Oriental element now represents approximately half of Israel's istry, the San Francisco Build- to the fact that the NCRAC will make every possible effort to
population. It is, in the main, law-abiding and, except for a ing for Geology, Geography, bring the American Jewish Committee also into the picture.
handful of troublemakers, it cooperates in the upbuilding of Climatology and Meteorology, . . . Whether the AJC will agree on a joint delegation will
Israel on highest levels of prophetic justice. the Cincinnati Physics Pavillon, probably depend on the composition of such a delegation.
Proof has been provided by the Knesset commission of the Minneapolis Lecture Hall, Quiet Diplomacy:
inquiry that there is a genuine desire to prevent the intrusion and the Houston, Laboratory,
Another foreign ruler is now quietly seeking to be invited
of prejudices into Israel's social structure. Thus, the young state "The Detroit Dormitory will be to Washington. . . . He is none other than President Nasser of
has emerged again on a high level of statesmanship and a significant addition to the the United Arab Republic, Israel's enemy Number One. . . .
university's new facilities," the -Americans of Syrian descent are approaching members of the
humanitarianism.
committee stated.
Judge Charles C. Simons' Retirement
U. S. Congress in an effort to stimulate an official invitation for
After 36 years of uninterrupted and untiring service on
Nasser to this country. . . . The initiative for making such an
the Federal Bench, in the last 27 years as Judge of the U. S. Head of Alliance Israelite effort comes from Nasser himself, who has been spitting fire
Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge Charles C. Simons plans to Given Top French Honor
against the United States Government ever since he turned his
face in the direction of Moscow. . . . It was he who indicated
retire on Sept. tt.
PARIS,
(JTA)
—
Prof.
Rene
The best wishes of appreciative communities in the circuit
to a group of Americans of Syrian descent—who visited him
he has served—including the states of Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky Cassin, vice-president of the recently in Cairo — that he would like to come to the United
French Council of State, and
and Tennessee—go to Judge Simons.
States as a guest of the government. . . . So intense is his in-
For more than three decades, he served with sincerity and president of Alliance Israelite terest in the matter, that he keeps on inquiring for reports as
devotion, and many of his decisions are going down into judicial Universelle, was awarded the to how the American Syrians are pursuing their efforts. . . . Not
history as great legal documents. highest French decoration, be- all Americans of Syrian descent are, however, eager to see
Judge Simons was not only a great judge: he was a dedicated ing made a Grand Officer of Nasser in this country. . . . There are among them quite a
civic leader and a devoted Jew. He never shirked responsibilities the Legion of Honor. Former number who do not approve of the fact that Egypt has swal-
to his faith, to the charitable causes of our people, to all calls chairman of the United Nations lowed up Syria. . . . There are even among them some who
for service in behalf of dispossessed and downtrodden. Commission on Human Rights, favor the conclusion of a permanent peace between the Arab
We wish him many years of good health, to be able to con- Prof. Cassin is a member of the countries and Israel, and are not at all influenced by Nasser's
tinue his interests in the legal aspects of American life and in European C o u r t of Human threats against Israel.
the humanitarian endeavors of the Jewish community. Rights.
Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt will timately associated with the
be the guest of the Jewish corn- Hebrew University. She is an
munity of Detroit at a dinner "Honorary Fellow" of the Uni-
and reception, to be held at versity, a distinction given "for
Hotel S taller, Thursday eve-
ning. Sept. 24, under the aus-
pices of the American Friends
of the Hebrew University.
The dinner, at which Mrs.
Roosevelt will be principal
speaker, will climax a campaign
to raise $250,000 for a building
which will be known as the
Detroit Dormitory on the new
campus of the Hebrew Uni-
versity, in Jerusalem.
Plans for the dinner are being
completed by a sponsors' com-
mittee of which Judge Theodore
Levin is chairman, Leonard N.
Simons and Alan E. Schwartz,
vice-chairmen, and which will
include 50 leading men and
women of Detroit.
The former First Lady is in- MRS. ELEANOR ROOSEVELT
Purely Commentary
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