THE JEWISH NEWS
REMEM8P1 THE HUNGRY ON YOUR THANKS)4IVIN4 DAY
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 $6 a year. Foreign $7.
Second Class Postage Paid At Detroit, Michigan
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
SIDNEY SHMARAK CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ HARVEY ZUCKERBERG
Editor and Publisher
Advertising Manager
Business Manager
City Editor
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the twenty-seventh day of Heshvan, the following Scriptural selections will be
read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Hayye Sarah, Gen. 23:1-25:18. Prophetical portion, I Kings, 1:1-31.
Licht Benshen, Friday, Nov. 23, 4:47 p.m.
VOL. XLII. No. 13
Page Four
November 23, 1962
Problem of German-Jewish Relations
face free people in the future as a result
of the seeds of hatred that had been plant-
ed by Germans—those who were Hitler-
ites and those who permitted Hitlerism
to flourish.
Even more important, as an admoni-
tion to Jews everywhere, is the news from
Jerusalem that the Hebrew University
Students Association has rejected a pro-
posal for a joint symposium on anti-Semi-
tism with German students, who were
seeking to establish German - Israeli
friendship. The views of the Israelis are
that a discussion of anti-Semitism is not
a problem for Jews but for non-Jews. This
is a realistic view.
Yet, the entire issue of German-Jew-
ish relations remains unsolved, and for
some it may always be insoluble. It will
never be easy to overlook and to forget
the horrors that were heaped upon us by
Germans.
Cancellation of a tour of West Ger-
many by. an Israeli orchestra raises anew
the question of whether or not only Israel-
German but general Jewish-German cul-
tural and other exchanges can be estab-
lished in the immediate future. It is ques-
tionable whether the forgetting of what
had happened only twenty years ago is
humanly possible.
It is conceded that forgiving is even
more difficult, and the recent resurgence
of anti-Semitism in many parts of the
world only serves to remind those who
had suffered and those who are akin to
the sufferers that any semblance of Naz-
ism must be viewed with repugnance. In
spite of the many friendly overtures that
are made by the Federal Republic of
Germany, there remain the memories
of the holocaust, and the reminders are
too numerous to calm anyone regarding
either the past or the dangers that may
Community Council's 25th Anniversary
the Jewish community in securing the
encouragement of people of all faiths in
the battle against bigotry.
The Council did not limit its efforts
to Jewish projects but aided also in the
battle against racism and in defense of
the rights of the Negroes.
Because it devoted itself so adamantly
to cultural work, the Jewish Community
Council has emerged as an instrument
of great merit through its sponsored ra-
dio and television programs and its edu-
cational functions.
By sponsoring the Warsaw Ghetto Me-
morials, annually, Detroit has been in the
lead among the cities in the entire world
whose Jewish constituents took notice of
that historic event. Similarly, the celebra-
tions of literary anniversaries conducted
by the Council have been noteworthy.
For these and many other functions,
the Jewish Community Council has
earned the gratitude of the entire De-
troit Jewish community and we join in
congratulating it on its 25th anniversary.
The past 25 years were crucial ones
in Jewish history. During that period we
witnessed the destruction of a third of our
people by the Nazis. Many anti-Semitic
movements were in evidence during the
last quarter century, including manifesta-
tions of bigoting over the radio, at public
functions and by means of printed propa-
ganda, in Detroit.
We witnessed during that period the
emergence of Israel, and our community
has actively assisted both in the philan-
thropic work for Israel as well as in work
in defense of Israel's political status.
Detroit Jewry was fortunate, during
those years, to have been guided towards
proper goals in civic-protective and cul-
tural aims by the Jewish Community
Council.
In the 25 years of its existence, the
Council, under the leadership of able
executive directors, conducted effective
civic-protective activities. It was able to
reach out into the non-Jewish as well as
Bar-Ilan s Role as a Spiritual Center
emerge as products from a Jewish school
of higher learning in Israel. Bar-Ilan of-
fers the assurance of attainment of such
a knowledge by those who study under
its guidance.
Detroit Jews were among the first to
sponsor Bar-Ilan. This community is well
represented in the names of buildings and
laboratories at the Ramat Gan university.
It is to the credit of these sponsors that
they know how to value Jewish learning
when it is linked in a general curriculum
with the arts and the sciences. And it is
an added distinction that Bar-Ilan's needs
are not being forgotten here, as is indi-
cated in the continued support being given
the Israeli school by means of funds being
raised at the annual dinners sponsored
by the local committee.
Having enrolled 1,050 students for the
eighth academic year, which commenced
on the university's impressive campus at
Ramat Gan last month, Bar-Ilan Univer-
sity now is one of the acknowledged insti-
tutions of higher learning in the Middle
East. It is third in Israel in point of stu-
dent attendance, and its curriculum at-
tests to most serious efforts to make this
school one of the great Jewish spiritual
centers.
It is in such a role that Bar-Ilan's
appeal for assistance from American Jews
must be viewed. While Bar-Ilan's curric-
ulum includes mathematics, languages
and the sciences, it places emphasis on
Jewish studies. This is a point not to be
overlooked. Without a basic Jewish knowl-
edge, it is inconceivable how scholars can
•
•
They Came from Everywhere:
Robert St. John's Book About
12 Who Molded Modern Israel
Robert St. John has caught the spirit of 'Israel—and has
acquainted himself with the pioneers who created the Jewish
State—so well, that he is today one of the chief interpreters of
the Zionist idea.
His recent book, "Israel," published by Time and compiled
together with the editors of Life, is one of his outstanding works.
He has authored a biography of David Ben-Gurion, and another
of his noteworthy books is "Tongue of the. Prophets," the story of
the revival of Hebrew as a spoken tongue and of- Eliezer Ben-
Yehuda who was cheifly responsible for the first steps towards
such a revival.
His newest book, "They Came From Everywhere—Twelve
Who Helped Mold Modern Israel," published by Coward-McCann
(210 Madison, NY 16), enriches his collection of books and
articles on Israel and the Zionist movement.
Appropriately, he commences the description of the activi-
ties of the 12 he has selected for his book with Theodor Herzl.
The longest of the series, it is an impressive biography and
describes the man and the movement of which he was the chief
architect, his trials and tribulations, his difficulties with states-
men and his success in creating the first worldwide movement
of Jews for the redemption of Zion.
Twelve world centers are represented through the heroes
depicted by St. John, emphasizing the fact that "they came from
everywhere." Herzl hailed from Budapest. His biographical sketch
is followed by that of Ben-Yehuda- who came from Lithuania;
Vladimir Jabotinsky, from Odessa; Henrietta Szold, Baltimore;
Chaim Weizmann, England; Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, Latvia;
Baron Edmond de Rothschild, Paris; A. D. Gordon, Podolia; Orde
Wingate, India; David Ben-Gurion, Poland; Rachel Zeltzer,
Bessarabia, and Zivia HabshUsh, Yemen.
It is an impressive collection, and while there are scores of
others—and many other countries they represent—who could
have been included in such a collection, it is a good cross-section._
It will be noted that St. John did not limit himself to Jews.
He did not forget Wingate the non-Jew, who did .so much to
create an army of fighters for Israel, who ended self-restraint
(havlaga) when it became necessary for Palestinian Jewry to
resist attacks.
The Yemenite symbolizes an important factor in Israel, just
as Rachel Zeltzer evidenced the willingness of Israelis to die in
order to assure independence for their people.
•
City of Hope s Fiftieth Anniversary
Fifty years ago, the Los Angeles Sana-
torium was organized to serve the needs
of tubercular Jews from many states. Al-
most from its very inception, Detroit
Jews began to support it, and a Detroit
Auxiliary of the Los Angeles Sanatorium
became a very active group here.
When streptomycin became a factor
in the cure of TB, the Los Angeles Sana-
torium became the City of Hope and since
1946 it has had three functions: research,
patient care and medical education.
In all three areas—in behalf of the
300 regular patients and the 3,000
Jewish Leaders Evaluated by a Non-Jew:
monthly outpatient services; in research
and in educating medical students, this
center has rendered great service.
Through the Business Men's Group
for the City of Hope and the earlier De-
troit Auxiliary, it is estimated that nearly
a half million dollars has been contributed
towards the City of Hope's services.
Detroit therefore plays a vital role in
the City of Hope's history and activities,
and the dinner of the local group, on Sun-
day evening, will be an appropriate occa-
sion to mark the 50th anniversary of the
non-sectarian institution.
When he writes about Ben-Gurion and Ben-Yehuda, St. John
is the expert, having made such deep studies of the two eminent
pioneers. Similarly, he has become expertly acquainted with the
life and work of Henrietta Szold, and there is an act of fairness
in his having included Jabotinsky, whose name still is anathema
to many of the Israeli labor leaders.
It will be recalled that St. John also is the author of a volume
—"Shalom Means Peace"—that was hailed as one of the best books
about Israel by a non-Jew. He had written on other subjects
related to Jewry and Israel, and even his biography of Nasser,
"The Boss," had its value in viewing the Middle East situation.
Because of his deep-rooted knowledge of and interest in
Israel, St. John is in great demand as a lecturer. He has a long
schedule of speeches for October and November, and his itinerary
includes Toledo, Oct. 31; Pontiac, Nov. 14; Northville, Nov. 15,
and Fond du Lac, Mich., Nov. 17.