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Surveying Work for 1961

THE JEWISH NEWS

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

Member American Association of English—Jewish Newspapers, Michigan Press Association, National
X ditorial 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
8, 1879.

SIDNEY SHMARAK CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ HARVEY ZUCKERBERG

PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

Circulation Manager

Advertising Manager

Editor and Publisher

City Editor

Sabbath Rosh Hodesh Heshvan Scriptural Selections

This Sabbath, the first day of Heshvan, 5721, the following Scriptural selections will be read

in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portions, Noah, Gen. 6:9-11:32, Num. 28:9-15. Prophetical portion, Is. 66:1-24.

Licht Benshen, Friday, Oct. 21, 5:23 p.m. ,

VOL. XXXVIII. No. 8

Page Four

October 21, 1960

Israel's Appeal for Political Reaiity

Israel's Foreign Minister, Mrs. Golda appeal for peace. That necessitated resort
Meir, has distinguished herself on numer- to another speech at the UN by Mrs. Meir
ous occasions. Last week she add6d dis- to reply to "a series of most fantastic
tinction to her notable record with her accusations that distort both the ancient
masterful address to the United Nations and the modern history of our area and
our people."
General Assembly.
It is all to the good. The air must be
In her speech, Mrs. Meir, who later
was highly commenaed for her approach purified, after it has been polluted by
by representatives of many nations, made Arab accusations that defy .the imagin-
ation. Thus, Mrs. Meir utilized the opportu-
an appeal for polidcal realities.
nities available to set the record straight.
Addressing herself to the theme
Now it remains to be seen whether the
raised by United Arab Republic's Presi- great
international organization is in posi-
dent Nasser, who advised President Eisen- tion to
act to effect peace in the Middle
hower and USSR Premier Khrushchev
East.
to meet and to discuss peace approaches,
*
*
*
she asked whether Nasser is prepared to
In the coming days and weeks, the
apply his proposal to his owri area and to Arab-Israel issue again will be brought
meet with Israel's Prime Minister David forward during discussions regarding the
Ben-Gurion "for negotiations of peace or future of the United Nations Relief and
at least an agreement of non-aggression." Works Agency for Palestine Refugees. On
*
*
*
this score, too, Mrs. Meir has stated, in
It is no wonder that her logical ap- her address at the UN, that in the solu-
proach gained acclaim from the fair- tion of the refugee problem "there is one
minded delegations at the United Na- factor, and only one, standing in the way
—and that is the political policy of the
tions. _
Of special interest is the statement Arab leaders."
made by Mrs. Meir, in the course of her
The refugee problem is related to the
obstacles that stand in the way of an early
address:
solution to the Arab-Israel conflict, and
"Israel welcomes the plea by the
it is regrettable that the UNRWA direc-
distinguished President of Ghana for
tor, John W. Davis, should have yielded
the recognition of the political reali-
to a negative position of the Arab forces
ties in the Middle East _and is • willing
of a return of refugees to their "homes"
to accept his suggestion for finding
in
Israel. It has been conceded that Israel
means to make it 'impossible either for
could not possibly take in more than a
Israel to attack any of the Arab states
token number of refugees, in order to
or for the Arab states to attack
avoid creating a fifth column, and this
Israel.'
view has been adopted as a policy by
Nothing could be more rational: Mrs. many UN deleg4tions.
Meir made a most urgent appeal to the
Now, unfortunately, in spite of Mrs.
Arab peoples when she said, in her Gen- Meir's eloquent appeals, we are exactly
eral Assembly speech: "We again call where we started. Israel pleads for and
most solemnly to the leaders of the Arab craves peace, while the Arabs are battling
states: Let us sit down in a free, not pre- against amity. Peace-loving elements must
conditioned conference, to discuss peace." again bide their time, awaiting the day
*
*
*
when there will be recognition of Israel's
The peace-loving nations of the world tenable position.
A fearless position by the major world
have indicated that Israel's position is
deserving of encouragement. But the powers can bring the desired results. Who
Arab leaders have chosen to remain ada- will take the lead to bring peace to the
mant, and Nasser has rejected Israel's Middle East?

Another Year for Borman Lecture Series

Renewal by Tom and Al Borman of vising these lectures, has proven whole-
their grant for the sponsorship of the some.
Borman Near Eastern Lectures at Wayne
At the same time, audience participa-
State University deserves the commun- tion in these lectures has shown that
ity's commendations.
there is a need for this type of cultural
The Near East Lectures have at-
tracted wide interest. The importance that programming.
Wayne State University has rendered
has been placed on topics relating to the
Near East, with emphasis on the Middle a distinct service by undertaking to spon-
East, has proven especially attractive sor these lectures as part of the Semitics
because of the wise choice of some of the department. An opportunity thus is
outstanding scholars who have come here offered not only to the WSU students but
to evaluate historical data and to discuss to the community at large to share in
archaeological findings. noteworthy cultural events related to the
Dr. Abram Spiro's guidance, in super- Middle East.

Welcome Labor Zionist Convention Delegates

A hearty welcome awaits the dele-
gates from all parts of the United States,
Canada and Mexico who will convene
here next weekend for the national con-
vention of the Labor Zionist Organiza-
tion of America.
The record of achievements regis-
tered by the LZOA is a very long one.
Its members have staunchly supported
the cause of Zionism and Israel. Many
of its youth have settled in Israel and are
taking an active part in the , country's
development.
Linked with the Histadrut, the Labor

Zionist stake in the Jewish State is based
on tremendous achievements.. This move-
ment's support of Israel's defensive needs,
its creative efforts in establishing medi-
cal centers, its interest. in Israel's in-
dustrialization—all combine to give the
LZOA high status in Jewish ranks.
The appearance at the convention of
Mrs. Golda Meir, Israel's Foreign Min-
ister, will lend additional significance to
the convention.
We join in welcoming the LZOA dele-
gates to Detroit-, in greeting Mrs. Meir
and in wishing the convention well in its
deliberations.

Is Hebrew Alphabet the Oldest?

Dr. Diringer Describes Origin
in 'The Story of the Aleph Beth'

At the invitation of the World Jewish Congress, Dr. David
Diringer, lecturer in Semitic Epigraphy at the University of Cam-
bridge, England, has compiled interesting accounts of "The Story
of the Aleph Beth," which has been published by Thomas Yoseloff
(11 E. 36th, N.Y. 16).
This extensive study deals with the origins of the Hebrew
alphabet, its scripts, its adaptation to other tongues, its use on
coins.
The author shows "that the Hebrew alphabet is both one of
the world's most original discoveries and the result of a long in-
tellectual evolution."
Tracing the early Canaanite inscriptions, Dr. Diringer writes:
"The solution of the problem of origin of the alphabet may
come from Palestine, where since 1929 several Middle and Late
Bronze inscriptions have been discovered. These inscriptions can
be divided into three groups, belonging to (1) the 18th or 17th
century, B.C.E.; (2) the 15th or 14th century; and (3) the 13th
century B.C.E The script of these inscriptions shows close
external resemblances even in detail with that of the early
Hebrew, Phoenician and Aramaic documents of the first mil-
lenium B.C.E."
Posing the question whether "the ancient Hebrews who pre-
sented the world with the Bible and monotheism also gave it the
alphabet," Dr. Diringer states that this "possibility certainly exists,
although it would not be easy to prove this thesis, apart from the
generally accepted view that the Ten Commandments were prob-
ably promulgated about the 15th century B.C.E., whereas the alpha-
bet was probably invented about the 18th century B.C.E. On the
other hand, it must be emphasized that Prof. N. H. Tur-Sinai has
rightly attempted 'to show . . . that the basic concepts of the
Israelitic faith are very much older than the Sinai legiSlation.'
_However, it would be scientifically unwise to draw any definite
conclusion."
Theories of many Biblical critics are drawn upon, and Dr.
Diringer discusses not only the past, in relation to origins of the
alphabet, but also makes interesting proposals for the reforin of
the Hebrew alphabet, but also makes interesting proposals for the
reform of the Hebrew alphabet, pointing to some typographical
inadequacies.

,
Communitas Classic Guide /
Heads Random Paperbacks

When "Communitas," the classic guide in the planning of -
cities, first was published in 1947, it was welcomed as a most
valuable contribution to the art of community planning.
Its authors, Paul and Percival Goodman, are outstanding
authorities on the subject.
"Communitas" now is available as a paperback, in the Mod-
ern Library' Vintage Books series . of Random House.
Vintage Books this week also issued the following addi-
tional paperbacks:
"Man in Modern Fiction—Some Minority Opinions on Con-
temporary American Writing," by Edmund Fuller;
Robert Lowell's "Life Studies," with an autobiographical
fragment by the author;
"The Complete Plays of John M. Synge," including "The
Playboy of the Western World," "Riders to the, Sea," "In the
Shadow of the Glen," "The Well of the Saints," "The Tinker's
Wedding" and "Deirdre of the Sorrows"; .
"The Song of Igor's Campaign = An Epic of the 12th Cen-
tury," translated from Old Russian by Vladimir Nabokov, and
"The United States in World Affairs, 1959," by Richard P.
Stebbins, published under auspices of the Council of Foreign
Relations.
The latter .paperback contains a section dealing with the
Middle East and Israel. It includes a valuable chronology of
world affairs for the year 1959.