What Next? THE JEWISH NEWS Incorporating the Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20, 1951 Member American .Association of English—Jewish Newspapers, Michigan Press Associations, National Editorial 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 in This Sabbath, the twenty-second day of lyar, the following scriptural selections will be read our synagogues. portion, Jeremiah 16:19- Pentateuchal portion: Be-hukkotai, Leviticus 26:3-27:34. Prophetical 17:14. Licht Itenchen, Vol. XLI — No. 13 Friday, May 25, 7:36 p.m. Page Four May 25, 1962 USSR Sensitiveness to Criticism There is no doubt that even the ex- tremist totalitarians are sensitive to criti- cism. Hitler was furious over the boycott of German-made goods that was instituted by American Jews. Czarist Russia feared the criticisms that were expressed in the U.S. Congress about its anti-Semitic measures. Soviet Russia similarly is sensi- tive to public opinion. This was evidenced last week when the Soviet Embassy in Washington issued a statement aimed at disproving the ex- istence of anti-Semitic campaigns in Rus- sia: The USSR apologies are, however, totally unconvincing. An analysis of merit was made editori- ally in the New York Times. Under the `heading "Jews in the Soviet Union," the Times editorial stated: "Stung by recent widespread charges in the West of Soviet anti-Semitism, the Soviet Government has attempted a refu- tation by releasing abroad—but not at home—some interesting data on Soviet Je WS. The most striking figure made avail- able is the indication that about 20 per cent of all Soviet Jews are professional and semi-professional workers, as against 5 per cent of all Russians and 4 per cent of all Ukrainians. Soviet Jews, who make up 1.1 per cent of that country's popula- lion. account for one-seventh of all Soviet doctors, over one-tenth of all Soviet scien- tists, and almost as high proportions of Soviet lawyers. writers and artists. Even. when account is taken of the concentra- tion of Soviet Jews in cities.• these are strikingly high figures. But they obviously represent only a transitional phase of Soviet history since the new data also indicate that Jewish university students make up omit 3 per cent of the total. Thus in the long 7. 21n the ratio of Jewish pro- fessionals is likely to diminish. "These data, however, do not meet the specific questions raised recently in the West. Why are Jews not permitted to have .matzos baked at Passover? Why has such prominence been - given to Jewish criminals in the Soviet press in recent months, though no corresponding promi- nence is given to the important role Soviet Jews play in their country's scientific, medical, literary and legal life? And why are Soviet Jews treated worse than any other major Soviet minority when it conies to freedom to express their cul- tural interests in the traditional language of Soviet Jews, Yiddish? In a sense the - mystery surrounding the position of So- viet Jews is actually deepened now that we know concretely how big a part they play in key nonpolitical areas of Soviet life." One important fact is overlooked in this splendid evaluation of the position of the Russian Jews: that in its very empha- sis on the "domination" of Jews in the professions, the USSR spokesmen may be pursuing an old anti-Semitic policy of in- furiating the Russians into believing that Jews dominate in many fields. The USSR Embassy's release fails to prove many things. It does not convince anyone that the numerous anti-Semitic articles in many Russian periodicals, which have been pursuing a Czarist Black Hundreds' policy of inciting to riots against Jews, are uninspired and merely represent isolated instances of bigotry. The latest Soviet statement fails to com- ment on the anti-Yiddish, anti-Hebrew, anti-Israel policies of the Soviet regime. There are scores of other issues on which there is need for clarification of the So- viet position. Would that it were true that there is no anti-Semitism in Russia. But the fact that the USSR apologetic statement is at- tributed to Jewish scholars does not prove a thing. Under pressure from a dictatorial government some very great men have compromised their views and have issued proclamations harming even their own kinsmen. The Russian situation remains one of. the most threatening to a large segment in Jewry. There are nearly three million Jews in Russia and , their position. con- trary to Russian denials, is precarious. As Jews they certainly are ghettoized by their being branded on their identification passports. while they are being denied the right to Jewish studies, to read Jewish papers, to attend Jewish theaters. But as long as Russians are sensitive '-to criticism, it is to be hoped that this and other challenges to Russia eventually will result in an easing of tensions, an abandonment of anti-Semitic policies, the commencement of a new program of fair- ness to Jews who. desire to retain their Jewish associations and their interests in Jewish culture. It is to be hoped also that if there is to be a change in Russian attitudes towards its Jewish population it will include the right of Jews to emi- grate. Perhaps time will prove a great healer even in Soviet Russia. Need for Merger of All Zionist Groups Dr. Nahum Goldmann, president of the World Zionist Organization, made a strong appeal for the coordination of all existing Zionist groups and for their merger into a single Zionist movement. While he has reiterated a position he had already taken a few years ago when he urged the formation of a single, over- all Zionist movement, his appeal comes at a proper time, when there is great need for unified action in defense of Israel's position amidst war-threatening nations. There is need for a thorough under- standing of the right of Israelis to sovereignty and to autonomy over the small area of the state in which they live, and there frequently emerges the inevita- ble need to clarify this basic right among the nations of the world whose vacilla- tions in facing the issues confronting Israel could become detrimental to Israel. The fact to remember is that while there is lip service in recognizing the existence of Israel, modern warfare makes it possi- ble for Israel's enemies to deal a death blow to the Jewish State during a few hours' fighting under conditions of over- whelming Arab military superiority while the Arab states are being armed to the hilt by Soviet Russia. If a calamity ever were to face Israel, any expression of regret or extension of sympathy would come just too late to save the situation. That is why it is necessary to criticize the U.S. and UN positions on the recent Syrian incidents. That is why it is so urgent that a strong public relations force should be in existence to clarify Data About Many Nations United Nations Yearbook For an understanding of all the functions of the United Nations and its specialized agencies, the 14th edition of the "Yearbook of the United Nations," published by Columbia University Press in cooperation with the UN, is indispensable. This voluminous work contains a complete record of the UN's calendar year 1960 and the General Assembly's March-April 1961 session. It includes data about UN member nations, legal and administrative facts, information about the international trusteeship system and the numerous activities and functions of UN commissions. In addition to numerous references to Israel and informa- tion about Israel's participation in many UN functions, 12 pages are devoted to "The Palestine Question", providing a record of the issues that arose as a result of the Arab-Israel conflicts. This chapter describes developments on the armistice demar- cation line between Israel and Syria; the several incidents that arose, as a result of which there were complaints by Arabs and replies by Israel; operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency and the assistance given the Arab refugees; the activities during World Refugee Year; the list of contributions to UNRWA by the various cooperating nations and the General Assembly's considerations of the variety of questions that had arisen during the period under review. The United Nations Emergency Force and its consideration by the General Assembly form part of this re- port. All issues are accompanied by lists of documentary references. There is a variety of details about Israel's participation in UN commissions, the Jewish State's contributions to the international organization s funds, personnel of Israelis on commissions, its rep- resentation on numerous boards, etc. The review of the work of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the charts, maps and the reproduction in colors of the flags of the UN member nations add interest to this volume. Divided into two parts, the second is devoted to the inter- governmental agencies related to the UN — the Atomic Energy Agency, the International Labor Organization, the Food and Agri- culture Organization, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the world health, monetary, meteorologi- cal and other branches. The chapter devoted to the International Court of Justice has special significance, in view of some important cases referred to within it. In the appendices are included the text of the Charter of the United Nations, a description of the UN's structure, the delegations and the UN centers in various parts of the globe. As a reference work, and as a textbook for students of world affairs, "The 1960 Yearbook of the United Nations" is an excep- tionally valuable work. It was meticulously prepared and it provides facts and figures that make the book's possessors fully informed about the world organization. Jews in the Time of Jesus Schuerer's Ancient Jewish History Shocken Books (67 Park Ave., N.Y. 16) has just issued an abridged edition of "A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus," by Emil Schuerer, edited by Dr. Nahum N. Glatzer. This paperback edition contains an introduction by Dr. Glatzer as a commentary on Schuerer and his book and the sources and literature relating to the period covered in this history. The reader is greatly aided by the chronological summary of the political history of that period, the list of rulers of Syria and the genealogy of the Hasmoneans and the House of Herod. This history deals with two periods—from Antiochus Epipha- nes down to the conquest of Jerusalem by Pompey, including the rise of tthe Maccabees and the Period of Freedom; and from Pompey's conquest of Jerusalem to the Hadrian war and issues and kgep the world well informed the Roman-Herodian era. The fact that there are 100 pages of notes appended to the on the true facts in the Middle East 300 pages of text is an indication of the high scholarship of situation. A strong, unified Zionism can this history. Lengthy bibliography and index sections also are accomplish this purpose. appended.