THE JEWISH NEWS
How About Me, Fellows?
Incorporating the Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20, 1951
Member American Association of English—Jewish Newspaper, Michigan Press Association, National Edi-
torial 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.
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher
SIDNEY SHMARAK CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ ' HARVEY ZUCKERBERG
Advertising Manager
Business Manager
City Editor
Sabbath Scriptural Selections •
This Sabbath, the twelfth day of Sivan, 5721, the following Scriptural selections will be read
in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, 1Vaso, Num. 4:21-7:89. Prophetical portion, Judges 13:2-25.
Licht Benshen, Friday, May 26, 7:37 p.m.
VOL. XXXIX. No. 13
Page Four
May 26, 1961
Senator Lehman's Advice to a Young Boy:
'Never Compromise with Your Convictions'
Especially now, while the historic
Adolf Eichmann trial is in process in
Jerusalem, it is vital that the questions
involving Jewish loyalties should be
treated with respect and with a sense of
realism.
Our young people are especially dis-
turbed about their relationship to their
people and their fellow men. Many fail to
understand that it is possible to be very
good and observant Jews, and .at the same
time good neighbors and citizens above
reproach.
One of our coreligionists who at the
same time is - a man of great distinction
in the life of our country has given a set
of answers to the questions of a young
boy with so much dignity. that they de-
serve sharing with all young American
Jews—and with their elders who so often
need guidance. A Great Neck, N.Y.,
religious school student had written to
the former Senator Herbert H. Lehman,
posing serious questions. Senator Lehman
replied that "even though my desk is
piled high with work, I hasten to answer
your letter, since I believe your questions
are of importance." The former New
York Governor and Senator then wrote:
1. I believe that all religions play a useful
and very necessary part in people's lives, and
I respect all religions that teach belief and faith
in God. I am a Jew both by birth and by con-
viction. It satisfies my , spiritual needs and I
have strong faith in its teachings.
2. I do not believe that being a Jew has
either helped or harmed me in my public life.
I believe that generally speaking the American
people choose their public officials by their
impression of the man or woman, and although
of course bias and prejudice still exist to some
degree in this country, in my opinion it is
far less than it was 30 or 40 years ago.
3. Yes; I have found prejudice; both as a-
Michigan Week
"Michigan Marching Forward" is the
slogan that was recommended — and
accepted—for this year's Michigan Week,
now being observed. It was chosen as
an appropriate call to all citizens in this
great state to continue creating the
highest values and retaining at the same
time the high economic status which has
made our state a leader in the nation.
The purpose of Michigan Week has
been evaluated properly as being to pro-
mote the welfare of our citizens and, as
John H. Carton, the general chairman
chosen to promote the week's observance,
stated, to encourage "greater knowledge
and understanding of the history and
development of education, religion and
science in Michigan." The general chair-
man has said:
"We should encourage and assist
others in developing on the part of the
people of Michigan a thorough knowledge
and understanding of its assets and its
problems. Michigan has been maligned
in recent years and some of our folks
have a negative attitude. Michigan has
thousands of entries on the profit side of
the ledger and we should all concentrate
on letting everyone know of these assets.
In so doing we can all contribute to
making Michigan a better state. This is
our big task in Michigan Week."
We heartily endorse these objectives.
Working together, the people of Michigan
can be partners in advancing the state's
needs and objectives. Michigan Week can
—and should — serve that important
purpose.
youngster and. as an adult, but I believe to a
very great extent these can be overcome by
an individual or group by showing that they
are not justified. As I have said, there is no
doubt that social prejudice still exists, but I
do not believe that it greatly handicaps a per-
son in taking an active part in the worthwhile
things of life. Whether a boy or a man may join
a particular fraternity or club is of no great
importance. The important thing is to demon-
strate that you are a good citizen, willing to bear
your share of the responsibilities of citizenship
as well as its blessings:
4. You ask whether I have a comment to
make to my fellow Jews who may want some
day to become publicly known and feel that
Judaism may hold them back because of
either discrimination or prejudice. My answer
is that I think any man who is seeking public
office and allows his ambition to affect his
religious affiliation is not worthy of the confi-
dence of his fellow citizens. I know of very
few instances in which a man was looked
down upon because h-e was a Jew. On the
other hand, I know of many instances where a
man who sought to .hide his religion lost the
respect of his fellow citizens.
I am glad you asked me these questions.
Apparently you are a very young boy and have
your whole life before you. Mine is rapidly
coming to -a close. My advice, in a ward, is:
Never be ashamed of being a .Teiv. Never try
to hide it. Never try to compromise with your
convictions because they may not agree with
those of the group in which you f - ind yourself.
The Senator's answers call attention
anew to the courage with which he faced
many issues in the United States Senate.
the dignity with which he defended
human rights, the unhesitating stand he
took in support of Israel, against unjust
immigration restrictions and in defense of
all liberal ideas.
When he wrote to the young boy never
to be ashamed of being a Jew, he was
really telling him how he, himself, had
acted— throughout his life, as a private
citizen and during his public career. For
such - a noble life, he has earned all the
honors that. Jewry always rejoiced to
accord to him, and for the advice he gave
so eloquently to a youth we are addi-
tionally indebted to him, since it can be
shared with all American Jews who seek
encouragement in their allegiance both
to Judaism and to Americanism.
Synagogue Centennial
In extending-. good wishes to Congre-
gation Shaarey Zedek, on the occasion of
its new building program, and on the eve
of its 100th anniversary, the opportunity
is afforded to review the events of the
past century.
The centennial year of Detroit's sec-
ond oldest Jewish house of worship will
provide many opportunities to examine
the happenings of the crucial century,
of the occurrences that started during
the unhappy year of our Civil War; of
the pogroms that initiated the BILU
movement in the 1880s and which intro-
duced the initial Zionist activities in the
Holy Land; of two world wars, of the
holocaust, of the emergence of Israel and
of hopes for a better future for America,
for Jewry and for all mankind.
When the events that paralleled
Shaarey Zedek's history are reviewed, in
the course of the chronicling of the con-
gregation's history, the entire.. community
will benefit from the knowledge that will
be imparted. All of us in Detroit join in
greeting Shaarey Zedek on this historic
event, and wish it well on the occasion of
its having undertaken the new syna-
gogual construction program.
New Biography of Ben-Gurion
Written by Robert St. John
Robert St. John already has written the story of Israel's
recently-resigned Prime Minister. It is entitled "Ben-Gurion:
The Biography of an Extraordinary Man." He has now pro-
duced a second biographical sketch of the Israeli leader, under
the title "The Story of Ben-
Gurion: Builder of Israel,"
which ha's been published
by Doubleday.
The newer biography lends
itself especially as reading
for the younger people, but
the adults will derive as
much joy and knowledge as
their children from this in-
terestingly - written account
of the life of Israel's great
statesman and hero.
There are many inti-
mate incidents in the life
of Ben-Gurion that will fas-
cinate the reader. The au=
thor traces Ben-Gurion's Ben-Gurion
career to his childhood, through his early years as a pleader
for the Zionist cause, his participation in Palestine's liberation
in World War I, the struggles that followed, up to the emer-
gence of Israel and the war for Israel's independence.
The great men in Israel who were Ben-Gurion's associates
are introduced in this volume, and in the space of only 185 pages
the story of Zionism and Israel, as they were reflected in Ben-
Gurion's life, emerge from Robert St. John's biographical sketch.
Many pioneering experiences are related in this story. One
of the most touching narrations is about the
demented young man who threw a bomb
into the Knesset, injuring several Israeli
leaders, including Ben-Gurion. The touching
letter Ben-Gurion wrote to the parents of
Boshe Dueg, the misguided young man who
committed the crime, is part of St. John's
story.
Equally moving is the story of the sui-
cide of Nehemiah Argov, Ben-Gurion's
chauffeur and bodyguard, who ran over a
man and injured him seriously. He thought
St. John
he had killed him, and he ended his own
life. But the man recovered. The occurrence was a great blow
to Ben-Gurion.
-
St. John tells how- Ben-Gurion was 'exercising, on the Tel
Aviv beach while standing on his head and hOw he learned
jujitsu.
The new biography is a splendid story that is greatly en-
hanced by the illustrations by Emil Weiss.
Two Informative Brochures
The impressive series of informative brochures, issued by
the Herzl Press, has been implemented by the issuance of two
new publications.
Sir Isaiah Berlin, one of Britain's most distinguished schol-
ars, is the author of "Jewish Slavery and Emancipation." In
it he evaluates the significance of the Zionist movement, the
elements of opposition to it, and the pragmatic results of the
great national movement.
He reaches the conclusion: "A national problem—indeed
a world problem—has been solved in our day. Surely, despite
those who invent a hideous dilemma and demand all or noth-
ing (all Jews to go to Israel, or in some other way to keep
out of our sight), this is miraculous enough for one genera-
tion of men."
The second brochure, Dr. Emil Lehman's "Living with a
Sense of Jewish History," evaluates Jewish traditions, the festi-
vals, etc., and makes a strong plea for the preservation of Jewish
traditional values.