THE DETROIT JEWISH NEW S — Friday, February 24, 1961

Purely Commentary

An Angry Man in Grand Rapids

Senator's and Rabbi's
Anger . . . Prophecy of
Doom Repudiated

Senator Fulliright on 'Censoxship in Israel'

•

•

By Philip Israeli Charges

SiOMOVitZ

Anger Fulbright;
Hits 'Censorship'

It is the angry man who accomplishes things. It is the man Senator'J. W. Fulbright - chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign
who resents injustice who often mobilizes a battle against it. Relations Committee, has taken issue with Israel on the ques-
WASHINGTON,(JTA)—
The sensitive person who strives for decency frequently is aroused tion of press censorship. The lengthy correspondence on the Chairman J. W. Fulbright of
to anger. subject he has inserted in the Congressional Record, in addi- the Senate Foreign Relations
Dr. Harry Essrig, the rabbi of Temple Emanuel, in Grand tion to articles from • the New York Times and the Washington Committee, took the Senate
Rapids, is that type of person. He is angered by unfairness and he Post, on the Lavon question, leaves the impression that the floor last week to criticizeIsrael
preaches righteousness. Arkansas Senator is very disturbed over the criticism that was —alleging that Israel practiCes
Thus, in recent months, he has expressed anger over some leveled at him due to his attacks on Israel's press relations undemocratic censorship — and
actions of the Jewish press and he came to the defense of one and refugee policies.
to reveal the contents of private
Since he has incorporated as part of his statement to the correspondence with Israel Am-
periodical of his preference becauSe it was eliminated from an
advertising schedule by a national Jewish organization. He has Senate the complete text of an address delivered in the Knesset bassador Avraham Harman.
expressed anger against even his own parent religious organiza- by Israel's Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion, in which he dis- I Senator Fulbright, Arkansas
tion — the Reform element — when it acted contrary to his cussed Senator Fulbright's critical attitude of Israel, his dis- Democrat, told the Senate that
cussion of "Censorship in Israel" should be welcomed. The "last spring after I had visited
convictions.
Last week, in his congregational bulletin, which gives him Israeli Prime Minister has treated the subject quite adequately in the Middle East I was taken
a good platform because many of his confreres read it, he and has refuted the rather unfortunate remarks that were made severely to task by the Israeli
launched his displeasure at the type of platform that is pro- by Senator Fulbright last spring.
Prime Minister because I refer-
There is an exchange of private correspondence between . red to censorship in Israel." As
vided for rabbis and the alleged denial to them of opportunities
Senator
Fulbright
and
Israel's
Ambassador
to
the
United
States,
a result, he said he exchanged
to express themselves. That's the reason -capable young men do
Avraham Harman, in the Senator's statement published
in the with the Israel
not study for the rabbinate, he contends.
correspondence
Rabbi Essrig commenced his article by stating that "it is Congressional Record. Ambassador Harnian had sent the Senator Government to make known his
•
• pleaSUre at SUCri
reported that the seminaries, both Christian and Jewish, are the text of Ben-Gurion's speech in which the latter stated:
Cr1L1C1Sm.
Senator Fulbright spoke of censorship which exists in Israel and a dlS
having difficulties recruiting students for the ministry." He
censorship which exists in Egypt. This comparison is groundless. Egypt
Senator Fulbright revealed
wrote that there is a fear that "in time clergymen will become is ruled by a regime of military dictatorship and the entire press is subject „ anger in the correspondence at
to the dictator. In this country there is complete freedom of the press.
more scarce and will not represent the more capable elments There
was no basis for such talk by a responsible person who heads the
Israeli allegations that he mis-
of the population." The rabbis, he states, "are the last reservoir Foreiom Relations Committee of such an august institution as the U.S. represented facts and made
Senate.
of Jewish vitality in this country; if this runs dry, . then our exist-
The second point which is not fully correct is the Senator's double and,
statements "apt to be mislead-
,,
ence as a minority group is seriously threatened. The old allure as it were, balanced demand addressed to Israel and to the Arab rulers.
harges,
c his
Senator Fulbright does say that the Arab rulers intend to destroy Israel ing. Defending
is gone and the frustrations .multiply . . . Too many laymen have
and keep attacking and arraigning her in public. and he asks them to stop
Sen. Fulbright's correspondence
the impression that a man enters the Rabbinate because it sum- doing so. But at the same time he demands that Israel shall obligate her-
to refrain from expanding her borders by force. Not a single respon-
mons less from an individual or because he could not make his self
sible person in Israel has ever as much as hinted at such intentions. The , the press, "invaded the Sinai
, ,i i
mark in any other areas of employment . . Too often. con- juxtaposition of Nasser's declarations regarding the destruction of Israel-D,
v olate d United Na-
. eninsata,
with alleged Israeli declarations regarding the forcible expansion of her
gregations throughout the country have a begrudging attitude
borders is bound to be misleading.
tions Armistice agreements, and
Senator Fulbright apparently did this in order to balance up both sides
- toward the economic well-being of their spiritual leaders . . ."
sought to minimize the actual
but there is no justification for such a balance. And it is rather strange
His article deplores the small salaries given to some rabbis that
Senator Fulbright, whilst admitting that the Egptian ruler keeps number of Arab refugees as
and "the deterioration of their professional standards" because declaring his intention to destroy Israel, at the same time expresses regret enumerated by the United Na-
Na-
the United States does not provide Egypt with military aid. It would
"in. the large cities it is customary for rabbis to spend a great that
have been more logical if the Senator had expressed hi's regret that the
tions.
marriages
or
funerals
for
non-affiliated
U.S.S.R.
gives
military
aid
to
this
ruler
who
makes
declarations
of
this
-434fOrnlitkge:
deal of :tinfe
Senator Fulbright informed
Jews in order 141itieeftliek - -04.40teii.0states,:;that, for years kind. Finally, a few words with regard to what the Senator had to say the Senate of criticism of him-
about the Arab refugees. He stated that there were over a million refugees.
now the-. : movement has
It is. however, well known — and anybody can verify this by examining self by Ben-Gurion and quoted
PlacenienC. ureau because the laymen prefer to g&::4i•hp•
the population statistics of the country before 1948 — that there were Ben-Gurion's statement t h a t,
somewhat less than 500,000 Arabs in the area which is now Israel. In 1948
and are able to strike better bargains this way and
"There was no basis for such
after Israel was established there were in Israel about 120,000 Arabs. We
increasingly lose all respect for themselves and theie;*illtsie.'
later admitted about 30,000 refugees on the basis of the reunification of talk by a responsible person
families.
If
you
deduct
from
the
500,000
(in
fact
there
were
less
than
and he concludes by stating:
who heads the Foreign Relations
in our area before 1948) 120,000 which were then in Israel and again
"Hundreds will turn out for a trial sermon, but after the first 500,000
30,000 which we admitted later, it is rather hard to arrive at the result that
Committee of such an august in-
year a stony silence greets the average rabbi in the sanctuary on
there are more than a million refugees, as the Senator maintains.
On one important point the Senator did not lay sufficient emphasis stitution as the U.S. Senate."
Friday nights. This is the great shame of Judaism, a secret that is thowli
he mentions it by the way, namely, that the Arab rulers exploit
Sen. Fulbright brought the
leaking out and will some day cause us the most serious embarrass- the refugees as a political weapon in their endeavors to destroy Israel.
re committing, controversy up to date by insert-
is perhaps . the greatest crime that the ,bArabri.ilers are
ment. We spend years on homiletics, we argue about the subject This
th
u gee
n dt Itioe ..*Ieafin
haiesni reryeels erxepsl o int alto, e
thae rs e ing into the Congressional Rec-
at our conventions, we live with the weekly pressure of preparing t
. For the Arab rule refugees po n these
ord a number of news dispatches
try
until
such
time
as
they
would
have
invade
people
to
leave
the
coon
a sermon—but few want to listen to us! The irony of this is indeed
Israel and destroyed her. They could easily have prevented the suffering
devastating. It is enough to crumble a man's integrity . . . and so of the refugees just as we prevented the sufferings of hundrds of thou- from Israel and Cyprus, pub-
lished in the New York Times
sands of Jewish refugees from Arab countries by making tremendous ef-
we turn to other compensations.
torts, efforts beyond our possibilities,- to take them in and to settle them.
"There was a time when the capable rabbi found an out- The Arab rulers could much more easily have settled the Arab refugees and Washington Post within the
last month, containing refer-
where they are. But these refugees are weapons in their hands in their fight
let in speaking for other causes: UJA, Zionism, etc. But now a
Israel.
ences to the use of censorship
new mood has been established in American Jewry. The comed- against
Ben-Gurion thought Fulbright did not present the facts as by Israel in the Lavon ease.
ians and the fashion shows now raise money for Israel. All the they are when he spoke on the subject in the U.S. Senate nearly
(See Commentary, This Page)
generals and politicians and party leaders make annual treks a year ago, that what he said "is apt to be misleading' and that
to this country. A rabbi doesn't stand a chance! We cannot draw a a prudent person like the U.S. Senator should not have done
crowd and so stay home, while the beauty queens sell the image what he did.
of Zion restored. But, you will say, at least he can teach his
He was no doubt right in his expression of regret over the
people. Well, rabbis too have become captives of their own actions of Senator Fulbright. But in view of all the circum
assumed inadequacy and so they bring in speakers from outside stances, what the Senator did in incorporating all the relevant
their community and judge the value of an adult education pro- documents in the Congressional Record should go a long way
JERUSALEM, (JTA)
gram by, the number of people who come . . . And so, why should in clarifying Israel's position. Senator Fulbright was too extreme Simcha Pratt, former Israel Min-
a capable young _man study for the Rabbinate?"
in his attacks on Israel's "censorship." Likened to what is ister and Consul General in New
There is justification in Rabbi Essrig's linking the problem happening in many other lands—including countries that -are
York and pre-
•771,'•:YO
of the pulpit with that of programming policies of Jewish move- not subject to attacks from the outside, as Israel is—Israel's free-
sently head of
ments, but he may have strayed a bit and thereby he has over-spent dom of the press is one of the most admirable and is comparable
the Foreign
his anger.
to that in the United States.
Ministry's In-
We are not convinced that the rabbinate or the ministries
The - facts speak for themselves, and Ben-Gurion's speech ternational Or-
of other faiths will fail to attract able men. There are always on the censorship question and on the refugee issue helps to ganization Di-
enough spiritually-inspired personalities who will be drawn into clarify many issues and to set many critics straight on the two vision, was
the religious field of service. That does not mean that the pul- subjects.
named Minis-
piteer must also be the fund-raiser. On the contrary, it may be
t er of th e
The
Simon
Dubnow
Centenary
Celebration
healthier for the preacher if he remains the teacher rather than
The celebration of the centenary of the birth of the great Union of South
the campaigner.
Jewish historian, Simon Dubnow, arranged by the Jewish Corn- Africa. He re-
,=r;.F.V. a long time, we have battled for better programming _munity
Council, to be held at, the Jewish Center Sunday eve- places Katriel
own community. We are seeing the best .results in such
ning,
serves
to call attention to many interesting historical oc- S'almon, a for-
l.104igns.
There
is
no
reason
for
begrudging
-
:
:
:aii
-
41
Bond
C,:
currences
revolving
the name of the noted Jewish writer mer military
dt*-4V.Atshion... shows. When an Israeli-orien
6hce is who died a martyr's around
attache in
death
at
the age of 81.
ibuting
introdtice*eatiii.:f4skions,-jt ben efits
A distinguished scholar, Dr. Salo Baron, will evaluate Dub- Washington,
factor to the cause of Israel's ilpbulding.
~ Vl yersohn
now's contributions to Jewish literature and to the tasks of who was nam-
addresses a women's audience in her role of - a former beauty
ed Minister to
queen, she does it on the strength of her own experiences in Israel, preserving Jewish records. The Sunday evening meeting is Rumania.
deserving
of
an
overflow
audience.
and she brings her enthusiasm to her audiences. The beauty
The Foreign
This Commentator has located in his files the Jewish Tele-
queen may be as influential a message-bearer as an. army graphic Agency report, from London, dated June 11, 1943. It was Ministry also Pratt
heroine—and both bring the same type of message.
then' that it first became known definitely that Dubnow was announced the appointment of
Why isn't the rabbi invited to inspire audiences in behalf murdered by the Nazis in the ghetto they -established in Riga, Mordechai Shalev as Consul
of Zionist causes? The truth is that they are! But there is another
Latvia. It took nearly two years for the facts to be made known. General in Los Angeles. Shaky
angle that must be brought to light: often the very rabbis who
The JTA report stated that "exactly a year ago it was reported is currently director-general of
resent not being invited to public functions are the very men who that Dubnow died 'somewhere in Russia' where it was stated the Foreign Ministry and pre
do not participate actively in the causes involved: they come
_evacueesfrom the Nazi-held Baltic countries." viously had served as First
when they are invited to give an invocation or a benediction, he was among the.
It was estiii400d4:014-:;0~(ad not retreated with the Secretary of the Israel Embassy
and many an important public function is often attended by only
Russians, thaiiiel*Its tktu-fet 2ietfie -Riga ghetto before being in Washington.
two rabbis: the two who are invited to give the opening and put to death at the age of 81. The Simon Dubnow tragedy adds
Yaakov Aviad was named'
closing prayers.
to the multiplying evidence exposing the brutalities of the Nazis. Consul for press information at
Indeed, the rabbis themselves often are to blame for their
the Consulate in New York.
own plight—if they really are in a plight. But we can't agree - that Zionist Polemics
Life Magazine's editorial on "The Crisis in Zionism" was not
the rabbinate really is in danger and that capable men are being;
driven away from spiritual guidance in American Jewish corn: in the best taste. It confused philanthropy with politics and the frightened by a non-existent
Munities. Every effort is being made to encourage higher studies social justice of Zionist ideology with the many misinterpretations ghost that he can't resist shout-
and to inspire young men to.. enter the rabbinate. If rabbis often that resulted from the recent rather uncontroversial address by ing, in an effort to besmirch the
invite "speakers from our side" to address their congregations, David Ben-Gurion into which foolish. American Jews who have term Zionism.
Actually, this is much ado
they, in turn, are invited to share pulpits in other communities. It been honored with high official positions have injected bitterness.
about
very little. But since even
But
the
fault
possibly
lies
more
with
misinformed
Jews
than
is a fair exchange.
This time, Rabbi Essrig is a bit too angry. There is no reason with misinformed non-Jews. The regrettable sense of panic that a cat can spoil things—as the
for becoming panic-stricken over a situation that may, in truth, be accompanied Ben-Gurion's quotation from the Talmud suddenly the Yiddish saying goes, afile
die katz can kalie machenit is
improving. We have just come of age as a Jewish community in created a furor that is being unduly dramatized, although it really
regrettable that sensible editors
is
a
tempest
in
a
teapot.
this country. We are elevating the standards of Jewish learn-
As a result of the new notoriety given the Zionist controversy, should fall victims to nonsense,
ing. We'must be hopeful that good days are ahead for American
and, even more, that responsible
Jewry and that we shall develop a high-ranking cultural group Rabbi Elmer Berger has again plunged into the limelight with a
Jews should be responsible for
that will be the pride of world Jewry. We prefer confidence letter in Time in which he again cringes out of fear of some sort
so it.
of
inimical
Zionist-American
conflict.
The
poor
fellow
seems
we
can't
condone
prophecy
of
doom.
tee anger, and

1Pratt Appointed
S. Africa Envoy