Mid-East Playtime THE JEWISH NEWS 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 Nahamu Scriptural Selections This Sabbath, the sixteenth day of Ab, 5721, the following Scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues: Peutateuchal portion, Vaethanan,, Deut. 3: 23-7:11. Prophetical portion, Isaiah 40:1-26. . Licht Benshen, Friday, July 28, 7:37 p.m. VOL. XXIX. No. 22 Page Four July 28, 1961 The Tragic Status of Algerian Jewry An Algerian Jewish merchant, describ- ing the position of the Jews in Algeria, recently told a correspondent of an Amer- ican newspaper: "Our status is that of neither fish nor fowl. We are not really full-fledged Frenchmen. Very few Jews become mixed up with the `Algerie Francaise' ultras, either. And yet, we do not know exactly just what is to become of us if we remain in an independent Algeria." Westernized Algerian Jews thus find ' themselves in a great predicament. The Moslem nationalists have asked the Jews -to become citizens of an independent Algeria and have assured them full rights. On the other hand, the French have asked that they remain under their protection, as French citizens. Thus, a minority in Algeria is in a great dilemma, and because they are Jews their status becomes all the more uncertain and they remain in a state of grave danger. The Moslems have inherited an anti-Jewish feeling that has been in- creased by the venomous propaganda of the Arab League; and the anti-Semitism that prevailed in French colonial military ranks is a matter of record. The Algerian Jews, therefore, are not only "neither fish nor fowl": they also are between the devil and the deep sea. For many, the solution eventually will be in emigration, Israel being the only place they can turn to. But there are loyalties among the Algerian Jews, dating back many generations — many of the Algerian Jews came to Algeria after the Spanish Inquisition, in 1492—which will keep them there, even under threats to their lives, until the very end. It is to be hoped that "the end" will bring succor and that there will be a peaceful solution to the problems of Algeria. Meanwhile, the Jews of Algeria are in a state of real danger, and•we pray that "the end" envisioned will be one of justice for them as well as the people among whom they live. Konvitz Traces Negro's Fight for Rights to Biblical Ideal "The demand that the Negro makes today is as reasonable as that which Diogenes made of Alexander: 'Stand out of my sun- shine!' ", Dr. Milton R. Konvitz de- clares in "A Century of Civil Rights," published by Columbia University Press. Dr. Konvitz, who is professor of industrial and labor relations at Co- lumbia University, reaches the con- elusion that the slavery of the American South is the harshest system of its kind in history because "it left no hope for a slave to become a freedman and for a freedman to become a free man." Collaborating with Prof. Konvitz in writing this book is Theodore Leskes, director of the legal division of the American Jewish Committee, who wrote four chapters—a study of "State Law Prof. Konvitz The situation as it exists today is far Against Discrimination." Dr. Konvitz commences his theme by defining the status of from bright in the Middle East. The Rus- freedmen as contrasted with free men by declaring: "The neo- sian position there is uncertain, and while Kantian philosopher Hermann Cohen pointed out that it was the - there have been differences between alien, the stranger, who introduced to the ancient Hebrews— Cairo and the Kremlin, the United Arab and thus to the world—the idea of humanity. It was not difficult Republic still is being armed to the teeth to recognize a common humanity with one's kinsman, with a by Soviet Russia, thereby adding to the member of one's tribe or nation; but the foreigner might be of war threats in that entire area. - another breed, another species. It was against the natural inclin- Arab boy'cotts have proven harmful ation of men to see kinship in the alien, and so they had to be to the interests of American seamen, and commanded constantly to love the alien, the stranger. This com- it is no wonder that the National Mari- mandment in the Old Testament was probably the first acknow- time Union, in order to protect the ledgment in history of a common humanity among all men, and, . the same time, it was a recognition of man's strong disincli- interests of American seamen and of free- at nation to assimilate the stranger to his own kin or nation." dom of navigation once again is threaten- Leskes' study makes reference to the ruling against the Bob-Lo ing measures to counteract the discrimi- company when Negroes were barred on its excursions in 1948. It nations imposed by Nasser against anyone also mentions the case of the N. Y. Times' editing of discriminatory dealing with Israel. ads and the court ruling in favor of the newspaper. A speedy solution to these problems Among the historic statements quoted in Dr. Konvitz's conclu- will go a long way in solving the interna- sions is a passage from the first Justice Harlan's dissenting opinion tional pressures in the Middle East. A in the Berea College case in 1904. Justice Harlan then ruled in firm stand is needed, and what is required support of the integration of Negro students in the Kentucky col- is not only the retention of the clause lege, and stated: "If the views of the highest court of Kentucky be sound, opposing discrimination by the Arabs that commonwealth may, without infringing the Constitution of against Israel, in the foreign aid bill, but the United States, forbid the association in the same private also its strict enforcement. school of pupils of the Anglo-Saxon and Latin races respectively, or pupils of the Christian and Jewish faiths, respectively. Have we become so inoculated with prejudice of race that an American government, professedly based on the principles of freedom, and charged with the protection of all citizens alike, can make dis- tion consists in practicing in this and in coming tinction between such citizens in the matter of their voluntary generations a morally unassailable, h6norable, meeting, for innocent purposes, simply because of their respec- and loyal policy for the reconstruction of tive races?" Europe — to atone for what we contributed Dr. Konvitz's analysis of the 100-year history of civil rights through a criminal policy to the destruction of struggles, with emphasis on equality of treatment in public accom- Europe. That is historical reparation. What we modations, housing, education and employment, offers a powerful are paying the Jews today doesn't count for plea for justice for the Negro. He declares: "The American people—through Congress, through the Supreme much. And it won't bring the dead back to life. In thirty years there won't be much talk about Court, through states' civil rights and fair employment practices acts, it. But in thirty years we shall be asked, 'What through executive action affecting the military and civilian popula- have you Germans done to make good your tion, and through a Civil War that was the bloodiest and costliest debt to Europe? You opened the door to Bol- war in American historyhave rejected the slavery arguments for shevism. You started the war that brought the the inherent inferiority of the Negro race. With the ending of Russians to the Elbe. What have you done to slavery, a hundred years ago, there should have come an end to make good the crimes you committed against the incidents and badges of slavery, concretized in racial segrega- tion enforced by state law and custom. For these badges and inci- Europe.' That is what they will ask us." of slavery were based on • an immoral opinion of what human Like his confreres in the present West dents nature is. low Americans must still teach one another what it German government, Straus accepts re- means to be a human being. The choice is not between law as a sponsibility for the Jewish sufferers from means and education as a means; for the law is itself a teaching Nazism. The fact that he acknowledges a device and education is itself an enforcing device. The disagree- debt to all of Europe confirms the sense ments are only superficially over the means. The•real disagreements of indebtedness to all mankind. Are we are over the ends—the inclusion of the . Negro race in the corn- to wait for an entire new generatioh to munity of citizens and in the communion of human beings. But in arise as proof of Germany's total repudia- this instance; end and means are inextricably intertwined; for the tion of the past crimes? Straus' inference Constitution, which is a law, demands that the school shall itself a means and an end: that it be a demonstration of the ideal of is realistic. It relates to the hope that be equality, and that it contribute to the establishment of a society in Germany's youth will be properly edu- which equality 'is a working ideal. The question that Ecclesiasticus cated to reject every attempt at the re- asks about one's self can be asked also of a nation: 'Who will vival of anything that is akin to Nazism. justify him that sirmeth against his own soul? and who will glorify Unless the new Germany succeeds in this him that dishonoreth his own life?' As the Negro struggles for task, all attempts at democratizing all of freedom from dishonor and freedom from indignity, he struggles, too, to free America from dishonor and indignity." Europe will be endangered. - -4 Foreign Aid Bill Must Counteract Bias Many issues involving Israel and her neighbors, the refugee and other prob- lems are certain to be placed on the agenda of the next session of the United Nations General Assembly, in September. Because the discussions at the UN may be affected seriously by events in Washington, it is to be hoped that there will be positive approaches on issues in- volving Israel in Congress and at the White House. At the moment, it is urgent that the foreign aid measures should be adopted by Congress. Our representatives in Washington should be told of the com- munity's sentiments in support of the Kennedy foreign aid program. ,But our representatives in both Houses of Congress also should be advised to take a strong stand against the Arab boycotts of Israel and of American business firms trading with Israei, thereby preventing discrimina- tion by nations receiving American aid against a friendly nation. 4 4 4 What Future Hopes Out of New Germany? A world crisis exists vis-a-vis Germany. The East-West -conflict involves not only the German Federal Republic and the so- called East German Democratic Republic, but also the Western powers, and espe- cially the United States. From England it is reported that there is extreme caution, arising from mem= ories of a tragic war and great opposition to another world conflict. Our govern- ment's position is firm on the question of West Berlin's autonomy. What does the future hold in store for mankind, in view of the current developments? George Bailey, Reporter Magazine correspondent, writing from Bonn, suggests that Franz Josef Straus, who heads the German Ministry of De- fense should be watched in the present issue and he says of him: "He is the new Germany!" He quotes Straus as having told him in .a recent interview: "There are three kinds of reparations to be made—moral, material, and historical. Moral and material reparations must be made to the victims of the Third Reich, whether they were Jews, Socialists, or Catholics. Whenever I speak publicly I always give particular emphasis to historical reparation. This is not to be paid merely in books about the Third Reich or by collective shame. Not at all. Historical repara- • 1 • 1 1