THE JEWISH NEWS
For a Better Future
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
This Sabbath, the twenty-first day of Sivan, 5722, the following scriptural selections will be
read in our synagogues.
Pentateuchal portion, Be-hanlotekha, Numbers 8:1-12:16. Prophetical portion, Zechariah
2 : 14-4:7.
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Licht flenchen, Friday, June 22, 7:52 p.m.
Vol. XLI No. 17
Page Four
June 22, 1962
UN Acts Against Bias in Education
Marked progress is being made on an
international scale to combat discrimina-
tion in education, and the newest inter-
national convention for the eventual en-
forcement of educational equalities went
into force on May 22. It now needs the
ratification of the member nations of the
United Nations to assure its enforcement.
First adopted, in 1960, by the
UNESCO (United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization) Gen-
eral Conference, it has thus far been rati-
fied—in chronological order—by France,
Israel, the Central African Republic, the
United Kingdom, the United Arab Repub-
lic and Liberia.
UNESCO's newest booklet, "The Fight
Against Discrimination: Toward Equality
in Education," written by Pierre Juvigny,
Maitre des Requetes of the French Con-
seil d'Etat, member of the UN sub-com-
mission on prevention of discrimination
and protection of minorities, serves as a
guide for legislators, jurists, educators
and parents in explaining the purposes
of the new UN convention which it is
hoped, will set up an international barrier
against bias in education.
The new convention, based on the
UN's Universal Declaration of Human
Rights, defines discrimination as includ-
ing any distinction on the basis of "race,
color, sex, language, religion, political or
other opinion, national or social origin,
economic condition or birth."
N4.
Assuring the right of people to religi-
ous observances of their choice, the new
convention declares that "parents are The Fascinating Psalms
free to choose for their children institu-
tions other than those maintained by pub-
lic authorities but conforming to such
minimum educational standards as may
be laid down or approved by the com-
petent authorities.' Thus, there is free-
Psalms are more extensively used in religious services than
dom for those preferring it to provide perhaps any other portion of the Holy Scriptures. They are
educational facilities for their children quoted and applied to many situations. They play an important
within the religious orbits of their faiths. part in the life of people everywhere. An understanding of them
The new convention is another step in therefore becomes very vital, and a good evaluation of them
the direction of assuring human rights in contributes greatly to our daily experience.
That is why "The Psalms for the Common Reader," by
accordance with the universal UN decla-
Excellent Evaluation of Old
Testament Book by a Christian
Mary Ellen Chase, published by W. W. Norton & Co., (55 5th,
ration. It is heartening to know that N.Y.)
is so welcome and serves such a valuable purpose.
Israel, as in other similar instances, was
In fact, the reading of the book and the sharing with
among the very first to ratify the new Miss Chase of the glories of the Psalms becomes a thrilling
convention.
experience.
Validity of a Single Ame rican Zionist Movement
When the Zionist Organization of
Anierica meets, in Washington, next .
week, for its 65th annual convention, it
will be faced by a number of serious
issues, chief among them being the pro-
posal that has been made by Dr. Nahum
Goldmann for the formation of a single
Zionist confederation within whose frame-
work all Zionist parties can work together
without internal hindrance.
Those who recognize the vital neces-
sity of continuing the Zionist movement
and retaining its ideology must appreci-
ate the urgency of such a move in the
direction of unified action by all parties
in Zionism. There has been a decline in
Zionist activities, and the harm that en-
sued has been more to Israel's disadvan-
tage than to_any party or organization.
The fact is that the decline of interest in
Zionism is part of a pattern in Jewish life.
Zionist groups have suffered from a lack
of response only to the degree of similar
indifference that is being shown to other
fraternal and communal groups, and a
revival of interest is possible only through
the merging of objectives now repre-
sented by a number of parties.
The task facing the Zionist Organiza-
tion of America is not an easy one. While
many of its leaders are amenable to a
merger with other parties, it is in the
ranks of the religious Zionists and among
some of the laborites that there is an
evidence of opposition to the formation
of a single American Zionist confedera-
tion. The opponents are unwise in their
approach and blind to realities of Jewish
life. They fail to see that American
Jewry's cultural interests can be bene-
fited by such a merger and that Israel's
needs can be advanced much more effect-
ively by an united effort.
It is to be hoped; in the best interests
of effective communal activities, that the
Zionist Organization, at its approaching
convention, will take the lead in support
of Dr. GoldmanWs proposals. The entire
American Jewish community can be the
beneficiary from efforts in that direction.
'Beginning of Wisdom '—An End to' Driftin g'
Israel's Minister of Education Abba the youth of Israel.
Eban uttered a warning that long needed
Perhaps Israel's Prime Minister David
to be stated when he said, in a speech Ben-Gurion is the guiltiest of all in hav-
in Jerusalem, in a "Dialogue" session i ng, brought about the exisiting situation
conducted between American Jewish Con- by his attitude of defiance of American
gress and Israeli spokesmen, that there
Zionists, his controversial acts toward
is a "drifting apart" between American American Jewish leaders and his stubborn
and Israeli Jewish youth.
nsistence that a Zionist must be one who
The former Israeli Ambassador to the s ettles in Israel. Such an attitude created
United States emphasized the need for a puzzlement and a measure of suspicion,
common understanding between the two because American Jews, who had learned
Jewries in this country and in Israel and t o respect the term Zionism, knew that
he stated, appropriately, that "the begin- t hey can be of such great help even from
ning of wisdom" should be the abandon- a distance in assisting in bringing hun-
ment of such an unfortunate drifting.
dreds of thousands of dispossessed Jews
Mr. Eban was not the first to have from lands of oppresion into Israel. Mr.
noticed the status of apartness that exist-
Ben-Gurion, however, could not resist
ed in the relationship between the youth
`pilpul," and it did not bring the best
of this country and those of Israel. What r esults.
has been in evidence for some time is
Mr; Eban has paved the way for better
that the Israelis have been the guiltiest understanding and for a greater measure
in this respect, and that if there ever
of "wisdom." Now let us hope that the
arose a semblance of indifference on the I sraelis will show the way towards an
part of American Jewish youth it was a bandonment of "drifting." We are cer-
motivated and inspired by the lack of t ain that American Jewry—a leader in
understanding of the great role American I srael's upbuilding and a factor in its
Jewry played in Israel's rebirth • among d efense—will be happy to follow.
The Christian author of this book, whose earlier works on the
Bible already have gained wide acceptance, writes for all faiths.
While her book on the Psalms has the Christian's approach, the
Jewish reader will learn much from it and will be greatly
enlightened by what she has to offer—and her gifts as an
analyst of the great book are immense.
Miss Chase is, indeed, very modest. Explaining that her book
is, as stated in the title, "for the common, or general reader,"
she asserts that "it is neither scholarly nor profound, in the
sense of deep or extensive learning; in other words it is not
intended for the specialist in Hebrew literary studies."
This is such an under-statement! Miss Chase has succeeded
in her objective to make the Psalms' "old and familiar words,
phrases, and lines more exciting and more real through new
understanding and perception of them." She has achieved her
purpose and she has made the delight for her readers that she
asserts she took in writing the book.
"No subject is more fascinating or more worth further
study," she declares in her foreword. What Miss Chase has
done with her able study is to create a fascination that will
surely encourage increased interest in the Psalms as she has
evaluated them.
It is no wonder that Miss Chase has been able to make her
task a work of dedication. "In church," she writes by way of
introduction, "we heard them read. In Sunday School we were
required to memorize the more familiar ones; at home their
phrases were household words; and in our country school we
began each day by reciting either the 23rd, or the 19th or the
21st, or the 100th, which commanded us all to 'make a joyful
noise unto the Lord,' even though we were all longing to make
that noise elsewhere, with the Lord, I am afraid, well out of the
picture."
She displays an excellent sense of humor by recalling:
"At home my father with the help and inspiration of
Psalm 91 aptly characterized a great-aunt of ours, whom none
of us much liked. When we heard that she was coming for
dinner with us, he defined her as "the destruction that wasteth
at noonday'; and whenever she stayed for a night, she became
`the pestilence that walketh in darkness.' Although my mother
was given to reproaching him for his employment of such holy
words, we children delighted in them."
Miss Chase delights in her work, and therefore she has pro-
duced a classic commentary on a book from the Scriptures with
her excellent review of the origin and authorship of the Psalms.
The role of David is studied and the influence of ancient poetry
upon the Hebrew psalmists is examined. She quotes the opinions
of the best scholars that most psalms were written at a later
date than David's, "between 500 and 200 BCE, after the Hebrew
exiles had returned to Judea in 536 or 537 BCE from their 50
years' captivity in Babylon." She adds that the title of the
Psalms—The Psalms of David—"lies deep in Hebrew tradition,"
that 72 of them are definitely ascribed to David.
The collection and use of the Psalms, the significance of
many of them as she evaluates them, their literary devices and
poetic structure, how they should be read and the types of
Psalms—these form the important sections of the book. "Typee
of Psalms" ,is a section of quotations, signifying their values as
paeans of Thanksgiving, as national and personal laments; a
number of them grouped as historical, some as nature Psalms,
others as pilgrim songs and as Psalms of personal meditation
and reflection.
For a more perfect understandiing of the subject, Miss Chase:
has written a concluding "Short Account of the History of Israel."
She has, indeed, achieved perfection with this most excellent
work on the fascinating subject of the Psalms.