THE JEWISH NEWS
El-Al Makes Aviation History
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
Business Manager
Advertising Manager
City Editor
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the twenty-fourth day of Tammuz, 5721, the following Scriptural selections
will be read in or synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Pinhas, Num. 25:10-30:1. Prophetical portion, Jeremiah 1:1-2:3.
Licht Benshen, Friday, July 7, 7:52 p.m.
VOL. XXXIX. No. 19
Page Four
July '7, 1961
German Reactions to Eichmann Trial
For many. years to come, any study of
prejudices in civilized society will, of
necessity, include analyses of German
reactions to the trial of Adolf Eichmann.
In more than one sense, it is the
German people that is on trial in Jerusa-
lem as much as that people's representa-
tives who were responsible for - the 12
years of slaughter. _
In Germany today -there are very
many sincere people who abhor what had
happened, who earnestly desire to educate
their youth to be on guard—never again
to yield to the entreaties of beasts who
engineered the 12 years of massacres and
wholesale murders. There are also, how-
ever, some who, fearing the results of
the exposes in Jerusalem, despise those.
who are judging them and ask that the
past be forgotten.
It is fortunate for Germany that its
newspapers . are operated by men of honor
who desire to have current events taught
truthfully and who, therefore, are report-
ing the trial honorably.
A typical example of German press
reactions is to be found in the Frank-
furter Allgemeine Zeitung whose editors
averred, during the first week of the
trial, that "it is clear to everybody that
we admit our collective responsibility."
The imp or t a n-t Frankfurt newspaper
stated: "If Eichmann ought to make
atonement, we must all make atonement
with him for the things that could happen
in the civilization of our time, so that they
should not be possible ever again."
Other newspapers in Germany wrote
in a similar vein. It is true that instead of
speaking of and admitting "collective
guilt" the tendency in Germany is to
speak of "collective shame" and "collec-
tive responsibility," but out of that, too,
emerges -admission of guilt which must,
somehow, reach the hearts of many
young Germans whom the present Bonn
Government desires to teach to under-
stand what had happened. and not to hush
up the truth about the 12 years of Hitler
atrocities.
Thus, Germany is a typical example
of the manner in which the truth is
emerging as a result of the Eichmann
trial. This is how the historic trial is
serving a great purpose for all mankind.
Community Unity Must Be Retained
When the issue first was debated over
the original decision of the Jewish Corn-
munity Center to open its facilities on
Saturday afternoons, The Jewish News
editorially proposed a compromise. It
was long before the name of a Cincinnati
orthodox rabbi was dragged into the
issue. The latter aspect in the case may,
indeed, be irrelevant to the principles
at issue. What is involved here is the
need for a dignified approach to an in-
ternal Detroit Jewish community matter.
Our compromise proposal was pub-
lished on Oct. 16, 1959, under the head-
ing "Center Issue CAN Be Com-
promised." In the interests of communal
unity we repeat it, in its totality, as
follows:
There is danger that the controversy that
has developed over the decision of the board
of directors of the Jewish Community Center
to- open the Center's facilities on Saturdays
may cause more confusion than it will bring
enlightenment over the sacred place the Sab-
bath holds in Jewish life and tradition.
It is now being argued by the defenders
of the Center board's decision that the op-
ponents of the Sabbath opening rule are pre-
venting the introduction of study groups and
of genuine educational efforts for our children.
The argument now is advanced that thousands
of Jewish children will be encouraged to go to
the movies on Saturdays rather than to turn
to the Centers for story-telling, songfests and
genuine Sabbath joys that fit into the spirit
of an oneg shabbat—of the joy of the Sabbath.
Is there a road that leads to a compromise,
in order that whatever tensions may have been
created, whatever bitterness may lurk over
the issue, should be averted?
It is of the utmost importance that our
community should be kept intact, that the unity
about which we have boasted for many years
should not be destroyed.
We believe there is a way out of the
dilemma. Taking into consideration the sincer-
ity which has motivated many members of the
Center's board of directors to act in support
of a Sabbath cultural program, we see a way
of retaining a plan for Sabbath programming
—provided it is limited to the cultural aspects
of communal planning, provided that the physi-
cal facilities of a health club are kept at rest
on that day, and provided that the proposed
programs begin at a time when the traditional
period of family gatherings after Sabbath serv-
ices are not disturbed.
In cooperation with our synagogues, it
should be possible for the -Centers to introduce
a program that will be in consonance with the
Sabbath spirit, by eliminating resort to labor —
to writing and painting and similar proscribed
activities.
The Center issue CAN be resolved, by means
of a compromise which calls for complete elimi-
nation of the physical efforts involved, and by
protecting the status of staff members who must
not be compelled to acid a Sabbath work .day to
their routine schedules.
Under such a compromise, the introduction of
a strictly educational oneg shabbat in the Centers
must be a late Saturday afternoon . affair, to be
planned in accordance with regulations that will
not violate traditions and will not intimidate
sacred feelings or upon our heritage of
the Sabbath as a day of rest.
If there is to be a compromise, as we hope
there will—in the best interests of a community
that cooperates in unity—then it must be on the
basis of acceptance of the most dignified Jewish
traditional practices, and in cooperation with the
spiritual leaders Of our community whose gui-
dance should not be shirked in planning a gen-
uine oneg shabbat.
The fears that were entertained in
1959, that bitterness over the issue may
lead to the sacrilege of its being dragged
into an external public discussion, has be-
come a reality. Sheer irresponsibility
must be ascribed to the request that al-
ready has been made for court action
against the Center's board of directors.
Woe to a community whose members
are unable to negotiate over basic prin-
ciples!
What is involved here now is the grave
danger that the unity of our excellent
community may be impaired, that the
cooperative spirit that has marked our
emergence as an important factor in
American Jewish life may be seriously
harmed, and that the services we have
been able to perform when acting in
dignity and in harmony may be injured.
We repeat, therefore, our plea for a
compromise and for speedy action to pre-
vent harm to unified Detroit Jewry. Any
attempt to drag a Jewish issue into a
public debate—in areas that should be
barred for discussion of sacred internal
Jewish problems—should be condemned.
And all efforts, by all elements in our
community, should be directed towards
orderly consideration of our needs, lead-
ing towards such compromise that will
assure the retention of our dignified
united efforts in defense and support of
the highest social ideals of American
Jewry.
Valuable Collection of Essays
'Zion in Jewish Literature
•
"Like the tragedy of Galuth, the hope of redemption was
ingrained in the hearts and minds of the Jews generation after
generation," Dr. Abraham S. Halkin declares - in the new Heril
Press volume, "Zion in Jewish Literature," in which he shows how
"Jewish literature reflects the moods, longings and actions" repre-
sented by Zionism and discussed in the several essays in this book.
Prof. Halkin declares that "beginning with the Bible, which
is the fundamental source for the importance of Zion, as it is for
almost every item of the religious tradition, all subsequent literary
products, in every age, are rich in content on this theme."
In this collection of essays, so well edited by Dr. Halkin, the
place of Zion in Biblical literature is described by the editor him-
self.
Gerson D. Cohen deals with "Zion in Rabbinic Literature";
Chaim Z. Dimitrovsky and Nahum N. Glatzer with poetry and
prose works, respectively, on the theme "Zion in Medieval Litera-
ture"; and Hillel Bavli and Ben Halpern with Hebrew poetry and
prose, respectively, on the theme "Zion in Modern Literature."
Each of the essays is annotated With references to important
sources upon which the authors had drawn in dealing with their
subjects.
All of the authors are highly qualified to deal - with their themes,
having dealt with them in classes or in published works for many
years:
- Dr. Cohen refers to the Mishna and Talmud. He points out:
"The Rabbis could no more conceive of Judaism without the land
of Israel than they could have without the people of Israel. After
all, the entire Bible is a record of that inseverable connection in
the divine promise and in the divine injunctions for daily
behavior. . ."
The significance attached to "the Messianic ideal of return
and restoration" receives excellent and most interesting treat-
ment in the essay on "Zion in Rabbinic Literature."
Dimitrovsky quotes from the eminent medieval Jewish poets,
from the kinoth, from the works of Yehudah Halevi, Al-Harizi,
Kalonymos, and others.
In his discussion of medieval literature, Dr. Glatzer reviews
attempts at redemption by false Messiahs, militant Messianism,
"Zion as a personal solution," which was the case with Yehudah
Halevi, and the views held by IVIaimonides and Nahmanides. Mai-
monides emphasized the necessity-for dedication. to Torah, although
he wrote at length about the Messianic turn of events and the un-
restricted hopes for the liberation of Zion.
The Haskalah period and the works of modern Jewish writers
are reviewed by Bavli and Halpern.
This new Herzl volume greatly enriches the available literature
on Zion and Zionism.
Dr. Zeligs' 'History of Modern
Israel' Out in Revised Edition
Dr. Dorothy F. Zeligs, who already had distinguished herself
with her books on Jewish history written for children, adds to
her excellent record as a writer with her revised edition of
"The Story of Modern Israel,!" just republished by Bloch.
In the four parts of this completely revised edition • of a
book for young people that at the outset gained acclaim, Dr.
Zeligs takes her readers on a tour of Israel; reviews the history
of Zionism; deals in detail with the birth of Israel and describes
the first stages of Israel's statehood.
Steeped in Jewish knowledge, having herself visited and
toured Israel extensively several times, Dr. Zeligs writes with
authority.
Her portraits of noted Zionist and Israeli leaders, her
descriptions of Israeli sites, her explanations of Israel's cele-
brations and holiday observances—all combine to make an
exceptionally good guide for young people who desire to acquaint
themselves with Israel, the Israeli conditions, her people and
their attainments.
Dr. Zeligs' "The Story of Modern Israel" is a history and
an adventure book. It is very well illustrated, and the excellence
of the narration gives the book literary status.
.