THE JEWISH NEWS
Incorporating th e Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20, 1951
Member American Association of English--Jcwish 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 Office, Detroit, Mich. under act of Congress of March
■•■
Si, 1879.
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher
SIDNEY SHMARAK
Advertising Manager
CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
Circulation Manager
Sabbath Hazon Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the sixth day of Ab, 5720, the following Scriptural selections will be read
in OUT synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion-, Devarim, Deut. 1:1-3:22. Prophetical portion, Is. 1:1-27.
Fast of Tisha b'Ab will be observed Tuesday
Licht Benshen, Friday, July 29, 7:36 p.m.
VOL. XXXVII No. 22
Page Four
July 29, 1960
Tisha b'Ab and the Hope for a Better Future
Tisha b'Ab,_ which this year occurs on selection, the fifteenth chapter of Isaiah,
which begins with "Nahamu, Nahamu
August 2, is a sad day on the Jewish Ami"—"comfort
ye, comfort ye, my peo-
calendar. The First and Second Temples
ple."
were destroyed on this day, and the
Thus, consolation replaces mourning.
Judaeans were driven into exile. It was That
is why the important message to
on Tisha b'Ab that the Bar Kochba redeemed
Israel, now that Statehood has
rebellion ended at Betar in the year 150 been revived,
is inspired by the prophecy
of the present era.
of
Amos:
Other sad events occurred on that day.
the plowman shall overtake the reaper,
S.
It is recorded that Moses broke the "When
And the treader of grapes him that soweth
Tablets of the Law on that day, and
,
seed;
subsequently there were other tragic
And I will- turn the captivity of My people
The Herzl Centennial Year draws attention to the remarkable
Israel,
events that took place on the ninth day
literary works of the founder of the modern political Zionist
and
And they shall build the waste cities,
movement, Dr. Theodor Herzl. It reveals the understanding the
of Ab. The day therefore was declared
inhabit them;
creator of the Zionist Congresses and the founder of the World
a fast day.
And they shall plant vineyards, and drink the Zionist Organization had of Jews and Jewry.
It was on the 17th day of Tammuz
wine thereof;
It is appropriate, therefore, that the works of Herzl should
that a breach into the wall of Jerusalem,
They shall also make gardens, and eat the appear in new editions during the current year.
and internal controversies among warring
fruit of them.
Bloch Publishing Co., jointly with the Herzl Press, just re-
factions led to the fall of Jerusalem three
And I will plant them upon their land,
issued his "Altneuland"—"Old-New Land," in a second edition
up
And they shall no more be plucked
weeks later.
with revised footnotes, in the splendid trans-
In remembrance of the sad events,
Out of their land which I have given them,
lation from the original German by the dis-
Saith
the
Lord
thy
-
God."
Jews sat in mourning and fasted on Tisha
author, Lotta Levensohn, who first
This is one of the reconstructed mes- tinguished
b'Ab, they read the Book of Lamentations
translated it in 1929, during her residence in
and the Dirges of Jeremiah, as well as sages on the day that was. one of sadness Jerusalem.
An enlightening preface by Dr. Emanuel
the Kinot that were composed by Jewish and fasting for centuries, which today
also is an admonition to Israel never to Neumann, one of the most eminent American
poets throughout the ages.
But Jewish tradition does not prescribe lose hope. Tisha b'Ab remains a day of Zionist leaders; adds importance to the new
continuing mourning. It provides consola- sadness, yet the message of hope that and attractively printed edition.
Dr. Neumann describes the novel, which
tion. It calls for retention of hope in the accompanies it serves to assuage a people
future. That is why the Sabbath after that knew how to mourn and also how contains "a love story of sorts, memorable
of Palestinian nature-scenes,
Tisha b'Ab is called Sabbath Nahamu- to be comforted. Its fulfilled hopes serve descriptions
individualized a n d differentiated character
to
justify
the
confidence
of
Jewry
in
a
the Sabbath of Consolation — so named
sketches, and a series of stirring climaxes," as
from the first words of the Haftarah better future for itself and for mankind. having for its purpose "propaganda—to inspire
Dr. Herzl
Dr. Herzl s Vision of Jewry s /
Future in Novel Altneulancl
the Jewish people with faith and confidence in the Zionist idea."
In "Old-New Land," Herzl saw the vision of a Jewish future
in a Jewish State. It was the great leader's way of replying to
those who condemned Zionism as Utopian and unrealistic. It was
d em o c r a tic countries in the world. a challenge to opponents to make the Zionist dream a reality.
Equally puzzling is his approach — the
The remarkableness of this novel is that it all became so
attempt of the Swedish anti-Semite to real, prophecy turning pragmatic realization.
Yet, Herzl, who labored for his ideal with limited assistance,
prove that Jews are seeking to "rule the
who tried to prove with his novel that there was a goal to be
world" through theology.
Aberg's new pamphlet seeks to prove attained by the Jewish masses; found it necessary to conclude his
that Jews, harboring a secret plan to novel with this Epilogue:
"But, if you do not wish, all this that I have related to you
a c q u i r e international rule as "God's
is
and
will remain a fable:
Chosen People," laid the foundation for
"I had meant to compose an instructive poem. Some will
their "conquest" thousands of years ago say, it contains more poetry -than, instruction. That it has more
in the Old Testament which they later instruction than poetry will be the verdict of others.
"interlaced" into the New Testament.
"Now, dear Book, after three years of labor, we must
Thus, Israel remains unforgiven for part. And your sufferings will begin. You will have to make
having dedicated itself to monotheism your way through enmity _ and misrepresentation as through
and for having provided, the background a dark forest.
"When, however, you come among friendly folk, give them
for the major faiths adhered to by man-
greetings from your father. Tell them that he believes Dreams
kind.
But that's how bigotry operates — also are a fulfillment of the days of our sojourn on Earth.
from Deeds as some may think. All
without reason and only by means of Dreams are not so different
the Deeds of men are -only Dreams at first. And in the end,
the basest instincts in men.
their Deeds dissolve into Dreams." . , .
The hero of Herzl's novel, Litvalc, was patterned after Herzl's
friend and close associate, David Wolffsohn, who succeeded him
to the presidency of the World Zionist Organization. Other noted
early Zionists symbolize soiree of the cliracters in his "Old-New
By injecting themselves into the cam- Land"—the Marmoreks, Mandelstamm, Josef Israels, Joseph
paign, candidates of high repute are help- Cowen and others. They were part of ilerzrs Dreams-Deeds which
ing to elevate aspirations to public of-• pleaded for recognition and which became realities, as he had
fices to positions of dignity. It is by par- predicted, 50 years later.
There is impresSive realism in Herzl's story. As in our own
ticipating in political campaigns that
diescusses anti-
young people now are lifting politics out day, a Jewish gathering depicted in the novel
Semitism. The Zionist idea is suggested as a solution, and the
of the mire into a status of trust.
crowd laughs, whereupon the pro-Zionist rabbi asks them whom
Heretofore, unnecessary stigma had . they
are mocking, "yourselves?"
been attached to the very term "politics."
Dr. Neumann, in his interesting preface to the novel, points
It was a most unfortunate attitude, and it out: "In this novel, Herzl reveals a dimension in his personality
undoubtedly tended to discourage able not generally recognized. He was fascinated by the social and
people from seeking office. This attitude technological sciences, conversant with their developments and
now is a matter of the past. It is to be keenly aware of their social and political significance." Explain-
hoped that the honorable tasks of office- ing the realities that have since proven the wisdom of Herzl's
seeking and the dignity that must be "dream," Dr. Neumann states:
4 "Altneuland' is a 'welfare state'. Its systems of employment
given to political aspirations will receive exchanges,
care for the poor, for the sick and for the aged, health
new status as time goes on.
insurance, public housing—is, with minor variations, to be found
Thus, election day should be approach- in the modern State ... The application of scientific research and
ed with seriousness and a sense of awe, technology to the improvement and growth of the economy is as
in view of the .importance of the many intense and inclusive in the living commonwealth as in Herzl's
positions to be filled.
dreamland . .." '
The immediate duty of all citizens is , "Old-New State" is part of the prophetic literature about
to vote—first at the Primaries and then Zionism. 'It is 'even more valuable as an explanatory message of
to study candidates and their views in the Zionist idea than it was in 1902, when it first was published.
order to make the best choices for public It should tempt all Jews to becOme its readers. Its reappearance
office—nationally, statewide and locally. is a real contribution to Jewish Bookland.
Swedish Anti-Semite's Appeal to Basest Instincts
Nearly -a year after the World Jew-
ish Congress held its sessions in Stock-
holm, the notorious Swedish anti-Semite,
Einar Aberg, issued another of his vitu-
perative pamphlets in which he reiterates
his anti-Jewish charges and attacks the
Swedish government for having permitted
the Jewish congress to hold its sessions
in the Swedish Parliament.
"The Masque is Thrown" is the man-
ner of Aberg's handling of his charges
in which he accuses the Jewish Congress
of following "secret and sublime interna-
tional Jewish directions" and of being
"at present the highest executive instru-
ment of imperialistic world Jewry."
It is one of the puzzles of our time
that Aberg's anti-Semitic propaganda
should emanate from one of the most
Duty of All Citizens: Study Issues and VOTE
A "hot". political campaign is certain
to ensue soon, now that the two national
parties have ended their conventions and
have selected their standard bearers.
Serious duties will evolve upon the
citizens of this country to repudiate ap-
peals to hatred, to eliminate from the
campaign elements of prejudice and to
keep the contest on a high level.
Michigan's citizens first must make
important decisions on • the candidates
who will represent the two parties at the
November election, for various state and
local offices, including the governorship,
judgeships and other major posts.
It is vital, therefore, that all attention
should now be focused on the Primaries,
and that all citizens should vote next
Tuesday.
A heartening factor in the current
Primary campaign is the entrance on the
political arena of many young people. It
is encouraging to witness the active par-
ticipation in the campaign of many young,
Jews who are defying the previous un-
fortunate attitude that "politics is filthy."
,