State Department Supports Transit
Freedom in Suez, Congressmen Told
Legion's Split Personality
By MILTON FRIEDMAN
(Copyright, 1959, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
WASHINGTON—The Ameri- lation, and other controversial
can Legion, America'S largest actions are recalled.. But it is
veterans group, has selected a also true that the Legion has at
rabbi as national 'chaplain at a other times opposed Egypt's
time when the ,Legion is em- Nasser regime and militantly
broiled in its mast bitter. racial fought Nazism.
Jews have always been .wel-
controversy.
Sen. Jacob K. Javits, a Le- corned by the Legion. Some take
gionnaire, has vigorously pro- leading roles. In many cities and
to
tested the vote of the Legion states the Legion does much
convention to bar Negro veter- combat anti-Semitic hate mong-
ans from the Legion's subsidiary ers. Most Legionnaires see no
organization, the 40 and 8 So- anachronism in the election of
ciety. Other Legionnaires of a rabbi as national chaplain.
There was world notoriety
Jewish faith have expressed
for the Legion in the wake of
shame and indignation.
The Legion's publication of its Minneapolis convention.
anti-Israel propaganda, opposi- The Legion voted 1,650 to
tion to displaced persons legis- 1,388 to bar Negroes from its
40 and 8 Society. An Ameri-
can minority that patriotical-
ly served despite the wide-
spread denial of equality was
again insulted.
Direct JTA Teletype Wire
To The Jewish .News
United. States firmly supports
the principle of freedom of
transit through the Suez Canal
as an international waterway.
You may be assured that when-
ever the occasion permits we
will continue to avail ourselves
of opportunities for setting
forth our views in this regard
in various appropriate interna-
tional agencies, including the
World Bank."
Macomber said: "We continue
to hope that, aided by the coun-
sel of the United Nations and
of other friendly countries, in-
cluding the United States, prog-
ress toward solution to the prob-
lem of the present restrictions
on transit of the canal can be
achieved."
WASHINGTON. — The State
Department supports freedom
of transit in the Suez Canal and
will avail itself of opportunities
The Legion" chose Rabbi Rob- to advance its views in the
ert I. .Kahn • of Houston, Tex., World Bank which is consider-
as its new national chaplain. ing a loan to the United Arab
This typified the Legion's split Republic to widen the canal.
personality. It was dignified and The Department's position was
American to have a rabbi take outlined by Assistant Secretary
a turn at the chaplaincy. But it of State William B. Macomber,
was "un-American" to admit Jr., speaking for Secretary Her-
Jewish refugees from the very ter in a communication to Rep.
Nazism the Legionnaires fought. Seymour Halpern of New York.
Rep. Halpern was one of 13
While the Legion concentrated
on its "Back to God" movement, members of the House Banking
it flouted brotherhood of man and Currency Committee who
by rejecting the human- dignity Wrote President Eugene R.
Black, of the World Bank, in
of Negroes.
Hope has been voiced that August, protesting the loan to Israel to Aid UNICEF
Rabbi Kahn, a distinguished the UAR by the World Bank.
leader, will spiritually reach the The Congressmen, who include with $25,000 Donation
UNITED NATIONS, N. Y.,
prejudiced elements to show Martha Griffiths of Michigan,
them the way to dembcracy and held that the loan should not be (JTA) — Mrs. Zena Harman,
God. Certainly, the rabbi does granted to improve the canal as Israel representative to the
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
not countenance the barring of long as it was used as a block- United Nations Children's Fund,
Hebraic and Scriptural Names on Maps
veterans on a racist basis from ade instrument against Israel. announced Israel's intention to
It has long been a cause for punning that while Christians the Legion's honorary 40 and 8 Rep. Halpern later wrote Sec. contribute $25,000 to UNICEF
Herter calling his attention to for the current year. Mrs. Har-
still were giving their children Hebraic names, there was a Society.
tendency, for a time, among Jews to get away from the Bible
Senate Majority Leader Lyn- •the views put forth in the letter man made the announcement
in naming their children. "Montgomery," "Pierpont" and similar don B. Johnson, of Texas, ad- to the bank. • at a session of the UNICEF
Replying officially, Macomber executive board, of which he
names were not uncommon for a time. "John" and "Donna" mires Rabbi Kahn. When the
were more popular than Jacob and Rachel.
rabbi became Legion chaplain, said: "The Government of the is a member.
Yet, the Scriptural influences are felt everywhere, and there Sen. Johnson told the Senate:
is in evidence a return among our people to preferences for "The Lone Star State is proud
of this honor that has been be-
Biblical names and terms.
Boris Smolar's
The fact is that the maps of the world are dotted with stowed upon Rabbi Kahn, for
cities, rivers and important places that bear Biblical names. "A he is indeed a distinguished
Jewish Tourist's Guide to the U.S." by Bernard Postal and Lionel man of faith. Rabbi Kahn is
Koppman (published by the JeWish Publication Society of known in Texas for his intelli-
America) reveals this truth about our own country. This is gence, his character and capaci-
true also about European and Latin American countries.
ty for leadership, and his warm
(Copyright, 1959
A bicentenary brief, released on the occasion of Canadian sensitivity. I am 'delighted that
Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
Jewry's Bicentenary, presenting some of the highlights in the American Legion has made
Canadian Jewish history tells the following interesting facts this choice."
Military Moments: .
about Old Testament
A tall Texan, Rabbi Kahn at
President Eisenhower is attaching great importance to the
n names prevalent in Canada:
"The map of Western Canada reads like a guidebook 48 has served 15 years as spir- role played by the United Nations Emergency Force in main-
to the Old Testament. There are numerous place names of itual leader of Congregation taining relative stability along the Israeli-Egyptian border and
Jewish interest, such as the gorge Abram Gates, Samson Emanu-El in Houston. He is the
at the Strait of Tiran . . . This is indicated by him in a report
Lake and Job Creek, all in Alberta. Actually, though the roots
third Jewish clergyman in the prepared for the Congress on United States participation in the
of these names lie in the Bible, they are based more
40-year history of the Legion to United Nations . . . The report reveals interesting military de-
immediately on the names of Indian guides who were well serve as its chaplain.
tails on the composition of the UN Force stationed between
known in the area. But there is also a Lake Sarah in
Commenting on his Army ex- Israel and Egypt . . . Its strength has been maintained at about
Manitoba; and mountain peaks named Simon, Leah and
perience, the rabbi said he did 5.000 men . . . It has been reorganized to provide 68 platoons,
Solomon in_ Alberta; there is a village named Hebron in
not expect his being a non- or 2,500 men, for patrol and . guard duty, with the remaining
Manitoba, a Palestine in Saskatchewan and Mizpah in Alberta.
Christian would be a handicap. personnel providing essential support activities . . . India has
Mount Maccabee is a peak in Alberta, and Mount Babel is
"When I was in the Army," he the largest number of men in the UN troops—more than 1,160
explained, "I was rabbi to the soldiers, and Canada is next with about 1,000 men . . . Other
part of the Rocky Mountain chain.
"Jewish place names in the Canadian West are not limited Jewish soldiers but chaplain to countries which have units in the UN troops are Brazil, Den-
to Biblical sources. In Manitoba, for example, there is a
mark, Norway and Sweden and Yugsolavia . . . Yugoslav and
all men of the outfit."
station named Leven after a former president of the Jewish
Rabbi Kahn noted that in Canadian units patrol the 132-mile-long border between Egypt
Colonization Association. In the same province there is a town
many public functions, the Le- and Israel . . . Other contingents maintain a 24-hour ground
called Hadashville, a combination of -Hebrew and French
gion calls on the clergy of all patrol of the 38 miles of the border between the Gaza Strip
words meaning New Town, but actually named after the post-
three major faiths — Protes- and Israel and provide troops for the units watching the Strait
master of the district, a Mr. Hadash. There is also a station
tant, Catholic, and Jewish. of Tiran .. . The UN troops have their air station at El Arish
named Levine, and one named Leon which the Geographic
Asked if he had seen any re- and a special port of entry at Port Said .. . The United States
Board of Canada records as having been named after a Jewish
sults of the Legion's "Back to is giving "logistical support" to the UN force by providing
peddler.
God" movement, Rabbi Kahn equipment and supplies on a reimbursable basis .. . The value
"In Saskatchewan there are several Jewish farm colonies
observed that they had been of such U.S. support totalled over $7,000,000 last year .
.
-
Purely Commentary
I
Between You i
. and Me'
I
such as Edenbridge (Jew's bridge) and Lipton, which has a
post office called Herzl. . The station of Hirsch is named
for the Baron de Hirsch who financed early attempts at Jewish
colonization in the west. There are two villages named after
Jewish authors, Beaconsfield (Disraeli) and Zangwill, and two
post offices named for Jewish farmers, Hoffer and Ratner.
"There is even a station named Katz in British Columbia,
but the origin of its name is as yet unknown."
.
A more complete study of the uses made of Old Testament
data, and of the popularity of some Jewish terms among
Christians, would make interesting reading. The facts already
available, including the Canadian bicentenary note, should
encourage such a study.
*
Avraham Harman: Israel's New Ambassador
The warm welcomes accorded Avraham Harman, Abba
Eban's successor to the Israeli Ambassadorship in the United
States, attests to the popularity of the able young statesman
and to his abilities as a diplomat and as an orator.
In his numerous previous capacities in this country, in
behalf of his government, Ambassador Harman has demonstrated
marked ability to deal with issues, • to confer with statesmen
of other nations and to present his people's case to his Jewish
kinsmen as well as to the Christian community.
We are confident that he will live up to the Israeli traditions
of dignity and statesmanship in his new post and we join in
welcoming Ambassador Harman and his family to this country.
*
*
The Late David Tannenbaum
A few weeks ago, David Tannenbaum, a dedicated Zionist
leader, who had been making his home in Jerusalem after many
years of devoted services to the cause of a redeemed Israel,
undertook the important task of managing the ZOA House in
Tel Aviv.
On the day on which he assumed his new post, he was host
to this Commentator and his wife and members of his family
•
at a luncheon in the ZOA House.
His influence as a Zionist, as an able director, already had
begun to be felt. Last week he was the victim of a heart attack.
His loss is an irreparable one. The Jewish people have lost an
able leader and this Commentator has lost a dear friend.
more in quality than in quan-
tity. He said he referred to
the quality of -the -services at
Legion conventions, the re-
sponse to Legion telecasts
and the feeling among Le-
gionnaires that the "Back to
God" effort was not empty
piety, but honest recognition
that religion plays an impor-
tant role in all of life.
Suburbia Studies:
Of the more than 5,200,000 Jews in the United States,
3,700,000 live in ten of the largest cities and in their suburbs
. . . And more and more of those living in the cities move to
the suburbs . . : Is suburbia becoming a gilded ghetto? . Why
do Jews move to the suburbs? . .. How do their children grow
up there? . . . Are they becoming more Jewish-minded there
or do they strive to lose their Jewish identity? . . . Rabbi Albert
I. Gordon, of Newton, Mass., made a study of Jewish communi-
ties in about 90 suburbs and came up with a very interesting
Rabbi Kahn was endorsed for book entitled "Jews in Suburbia". .. In this volume, published
national chaplain by the Texas by Beacon Press, he attempts to give an answer to the questions
Department of the Legion. This posed above, as well as to various other questions concerning
of Jew
Department said he brought it Jewish life in the suburbs . . . He analyzes the type move
to
"the very best in spiritual guid- who prefers — or is compelled by circumstances — to
a
suburb
although
his
daily
work
keeps
him
in
the
city
.
.
.
during
his
term
as
De-
ance".
And he presents quite a number of reasons why Jews move in
partment chaplain. •
a
The rabbi, an adherent of Re- such great number to suburban communities . . . There is
form Judaism, was born in Des good deal of light and shadow in Jewish life in suburbia and
Moines, Iowa, in 1910. He re- Rabbi Gordon attempts to evaluate both . . . He tells of the
ceived an A.B. degree from the great interest Jewish parents take there in giving their children
University of Cincinnati, Ohio, a good education, but at the same time he emphasizes that
in 1910. In 1935 his rabbinic Jewish fathers do not read much . . . It is the mothers that do
degree was conferred by the most of the reading and show. concern for factual knowledge
Hebrew Union College, Cincin- about what is going on in the Jewish world . . . In numerous
nati, and in 1950 he earned a Jewish upper-middle-class families the English Jewish weekly
Doctorate' in Hebrew Letters newspaper of the nearest city is being read . . . The syndicated
from the same college. His articles and columns published in the English Jewish news-
thesis was on "Anglo - Jewish papers provide the suburbia Jews with- current information and
Preaching in the 19th Century." opinion on many weighty and important Jewish themes, while
the news there keeps them informed about major developments
of Jewish interest throughout the world . . . The author believes
New Eilat Shipping Line
that Jewish family life in the suburban home is more closely
new
JERUSALEM, (JTA)—A
knit than in the city . . . He speaks at great length of the
shipping line has begun opera- role which the synagogue plays in Jewish suburban life and of
tions between the Israeli port the frustrations of many suburban rabbis . . . He establishes
of Eilat and East and South that most Jewish parents in the suburbs do not favor inter-
African ports. A 2,700-ton marriage for their children . . . And he comes to the conclusion
freighter operated by the line that the Jews' of suburbia have, to date, achieved a high degree
made its first call to the Israeli
of integration into the total life of their communities.
'oft last week-end.
-