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. ...•••••1110. ..."-•••• ■ ••• 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.