25,000 Decrease
Sudaiin-Foon
in Libyan Jewry Rites Solemnized
in Last 25 Years
Libya's Jewish population of
about 4,000 today is just about
what it was a century ago, ac-
cording to a report on Libyan
Jewry_ issued by Dr. Nehemiah
Robinson, director of World
Jewish Congress' Institute of
Jewish Affairs. The present
Jewish population shows a drop
of 25,000 from the peak of
slightly more than 29,000 in
1937.
Less than one percent of the
*country's total population of
1,200,000, the Jews of Libya
live mainly in Tripoli and Ben-
ghazi, towns of tragic memory
to both communities.
Until 1959 the Jewish com-
munities in the two cities
were still functioning but
early that year the govern-
ment of the province of Tri-
politania—took charge of the
Tripoli community, dissolv-
ing its central Jewish admin-
istrative council, and appoint-
ing a commissioner to ad-
minister the community and
its assets.
Robinson reports that the
Jews still in Libya generally
"live unmolested, although sub ;
ject to restriction concerning
travel abroad and communica-
tion with foreign countries, in
particular Israel. Libya, as a
member of the Arab League,
does not permit postal _commu-
- nication with Israel. The social
and sports clubs of- the Jews
have been closed."
The World Jewish Congress
survey states that Egyptian
propaganda is disseminated
through the press and the radio
while Egyptian teachers "are
dominant in the schools." Early
this year "there were strong
demands for the confiscation of
the property of the Jews as
'Zionist agents'."
The turning point in the fate
of Libyan Jewry occurred in
1938 with The introduction of
Italian racial laws. Italian na-
tionality was revoked, the Jew-
ish communities lost their legal
status and their cultural insti-
tutions were closed.
With the outbreak of, World
War II, thousands of young Jews
were forcibly drafted to build
fortifications. Later, all Jewish
men between the ages of 17 and
42 were taken from Tripoli to
desert concentration -camp s,
while women and children were
subject to a special,curfew.
Jewish quarters in Tripoli,
Benghazi, Tobruk, Bardia, Der-
na, Barca and other towns were
badly damaged by bombard-
ment as the desert war engulfed
Libya.
A large scale pogrom oc-
currecj in Tripolitania in
March of 1945. Despite the
presence of - British troops,
130 Jews were killed and an-
other 190 injured. Damage to
property was estimated _ at
about $2,000,000. Three'years
later, Tunisian volunteers, on
their way to Palestine, at-
tacked the Jewish quarter of
Tripoli. Fourteen Jews were
killed, synagogues desecrated,
private property damaged.
The pogroms and disorders,
together with the sufferings
during the war, produced an
economic debacle for Libyan
Jewry. By 1948, one-third of the
Jews in Tripoli and more than
half of those in the interior
required relief.
An exodus, principally to Is-
rael, began, and by 1951, when
Libyan , sovereignty was estab-
lished, the community num-
bered about 6,000.
Further emigration cut the
Jewish population of Libya to
its - present figure of about
4,000.
Radio Free Europe's effec-
tiveness , is proved by the fact
that the Communists have at-
tadked RFE's programs more
than 8,000 times in the last sev-
en' years.
MRS. LEONARD SUDAKIN
Anita Harriet Foon was wed
to Dr. Leonard Bruce Sudakin in
a ceremony performed by Rabbi
Jacob Segal June 20 at Adas
Shalom Synagogue.
The newlyweds are the chil-
dren of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Foon
and Mr. and Mrs. Louis Sudakin.
The bride wore a gown of silk
organza over taffeta in a princess
line with a full skirt. The pickup
front showed an Alencon lace
insertion and a border of Alen-
con .lace fell into-a chapel train.
The sabrina neckline and short
lace sleeves were of Alencon lace
embroidered with tiny seed
pearls. She wore a crown with a
short bouffant veil and carried
a bouquet on her confirmation
Bible.
Mrs. Rita Foon, the bride's sis-
ter-in-law, was matron of honor.
Bridesthaids were Mrs. Ann
Weber, Mrs. Diane Klein, Margie
Serlin and Karen Foon, the
bride's niece. Debbie Foon, an-
other niece of the bride, was
flower girl. Meyer Reisnic served
his nephew as best man. Ushers
were Edward Foon, sister of the
bride; Dr. Marvin Klein, Dr.
Richard Weber and Steven Toon,
nephew of the bride.
The newlyweds V departed for
a honeymoon in Mexico and
Acapulco.
Wedding Day 'Fast
BY RABBI SAMUEL J. FOX
(Copyright, 1961, Jewish Telegraphic
Agency, 1. .)
p it is customary for the bride
and groom to fast on their wed-
ding day.
According to Rabbi Eleazar
Rokeach (Hilchot Berachot, 353)
this fast shows the devotion of
the pair in carrying out their
religious obligation. Pious men of
older days would fast before the
performance of any mitzvah
which was especially dear to
them. Some claim that the bride
and groom fast because the peo-
ple of Israel were said to have
fasted when the Torah was "given
and the giving of the Torah was
considered as a marriage be-
tween God and Israel. Others
claim that the fasting is ob-
served because a wedding is like
a day of judgment and the sins
of each are forgiven. It is,
therefore, like Yom Kippur and
fasting is in order. There are
some who claim that the fast
simply a measure observed
keep both bride and groom
sober state fearing that
might consume food an
and become drunk at th
the ceremony, thus, not
the marriage bonds
session of their faculti
N.Y.U. Prof Fi
Lost Haley' Poe
A long lost poem by
Halevi, the 'foremost Hebrew
poet of the Middle Ages, ap-
pears in - print for the first
time in the current issue of Bit-
zaron, Hebrew literary and
scholarly journal.
The poem was found in the
Soviet. Union last summer by
Dr. Abraham I. Katsh, profes-
sor of Hebrew culture educa-
tion at New York University
and curator of NYU's Library
of Main and Hebraica.
Of all the navy beans grown
in the United States 99% are
produced in Michigan. Beans
are high in body building nu-
trients and cost, on the average,
from Germany and joined his as little as 2c per serving.
her
research
work.
aunt in
Activities in the atomic field
then were transferred' to the
United States, with Niels Bohr
among the chief actors in the
great drama, and Fermi one of
his chief associates. When it
became necessary to interest
the U. S. Government, the scien-
tists drew upon the help of
Albert o wrote his
OFF
s letter to
about
oosevelt, ad - ising hi
On Our
the research in the atom field. *
Then the U. S. became the chief *
inspirer of the historic efforts.
*
Many other important names *
*
ure in the tory. Those of
re ong the *' ncluding Brand Names:
nd B
4:t
. under-
a
• Dumont
king
• Leslie Lloyds
Id
The atom helped end
• Fashionbilt
ds her
ar II. Mrs. Fe •
eful note:
story on ••
TUXEDO RENTALS
now offering to man-
FOR ALL OCCASIONS
ind—the whole of mankind—
Perfect Individual Fitting
more power, better health, more
food, more knwledge. It has
Expert Alterations and
furthered scientific and techno-
Remodeling on Ladies
logical collaboration between
Men's Clothing.
and
all countries of the world.-The
atomic age, young as it is, is
Charge Accounts Invited
well under way."
In "The Story of Atomic
Energy," Mrs. Fermi skillfully
Tailors, Clothiers &
relates how this came about. It
is the best written book for
Cleaners
young people, and laymen desit-
22155 Coolidge, Oak Park
an understanding of the
LI 7-1511
an acquire it from this
ten book.
Laura Fermi Tells Dramatic Story
of Development of Atomic Energy
Laura Fermi, the widow of
Enrico Fermi, one of the
world's most eminent scientists
who pioneered in the develop-
ment of atomic power, has made
a great contribution towards
the youths' understanding of
the conquest of the atom.
Mrs. Fermi's "The Story of
Atomic Energy," which has, just
Land-
and-
been issued as one of
mark Books by Random House,
will assist young Americans in
their understanding of ato
science.
k. In
It is a remarkable
e, Mrs.
the simplest lang
Fermi offers exp ations of
how the splitting f the atom
was achieved. e treats her
subject histori ly as well as
scientifically, cing the back-
ground of th scientists' road
toward the at inment of their
goal, and she Mains how the
deadly atom ca
benefit mankind rather t an for
destructive purposes.
The Fermi book refers to the
thinking of Democritus and
John Dalton, who developed the
atomic theory but thought the
atom indivisible, and then
begins another historical chap-
ter with Henri Becquerel to
show how the world of science
began to learn that atoms are
divisible. The work of the
Curries, Ernest Rutherford, J.
J. Thomson, the Joli
Fermi, Otto Ha
and many
part of t •
ermi is modest, but
Mrs
her ory V could have been en-
the tribute
lar d to incre
pays to
5
o was on
nil ses in t
atomic pow
n simple but
s she
t
des
persecutio
ewish bac
peciall
usband was half-
gro
,
used the flight of
J ish)
from Ger i
scient.
was
Melt
fle
he We t
then ended
er-
with Otto
e own
eless wrote her
ere help
xperiments whi
research. -
ul in the at
L i.s e Meitner's
, Otto Frisch, also fled
17
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Labor Zionist Leader
Attacks Russia for
Denying Jews Rights
BUENOS AIRES, (JTA)—A
resounding attack against the
denial of full rights to the
3,000,000 Jews in the Soviet
Union was delivered here by
Yaakov Zerubavel, Israeli Labor
Zionist leader and director of
the Central Archives of the Jew-
ish Labor Mov el
AviV.
was the princi
Zer
at th,e opening session
e national convention of
dut Avodah Poale Zion here,
attended by 250 delegat from
Argen-
every Jewish ce
i general
ion,
III
g as
Am assad '
Avidar.
bi
.Y. Parley
ORK, (JTA) — An
ess by Chief Rabbi Yitzhak
Nissim of Israel by a trans-
oceanic telephone hookup from
Jerusalem will highlight the
three-day _ convention of the
Rabbinical Alliance of America
to be held next week in South
Fallsburgh, N. L., it was an-
nounced by Rabbi Ephraim
Wolf, convention chairman.
The theme of the Orthodox
rabbinical conclave will be "Re-
storing Torah Authority to Jew-
ish Communal Life."
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