Purely Commentary
World Leader's Good
Judgment .. Hanukah's
Ideological Stirrings
B y Philip
Slomovitz
Huntley Report:
Few Christians
•
Helped Victims
We are inclined to be less concerned about the "getting-
and-giving side of the holiday." If the spirit and the true mean-
NEW YORK, (JTA)—A dra-
ing can penetrate, we are willing to compete. We have to
A School Book for Honored Guests, kept by the Hayim compete during the entire year, and we'd like to be on the matic documentary television
program, illustrating the manner
Greenberg Hebrew-Yiddish Shule, has this addition to its note- winning side.
in which "pitifully" few Chris-
worthy insertions:
Dr. Eisendrath states that he is troubled "even more" by tians, "in some areas disgrace-
"Shoov zochiti losur l'pinah zu shel chinuch Ivri vlish'ov the tendency and inclination to observe Hanukah as a great
fully few," helped Jews in
korat—ruach meen ho'avira hashoreret- bo."
military triumph, illustrating "the alleged distinction between Europe during the Nazi holo-
The English translation of this Hebrew assertion is:
Judaism and Christianity, in which Christianity is identified as
"I was privileged to pay a second visit to this center of the religion of love, while Judaism is regarded as the religion caust, was transmitted coast-to-
Hebrew education and to enjoy the warm atmosphere that of harsh justice. Christianity is thus identified with 'turning coast here by the National
Broadcasting Company.
exists here."
the other cheek,' while Judaism is associated with the "battles
Chet Huntley, a member of the
It was signed: Moshe Sharett.
of the Lord," the 'fight for right' as exmplified and glorified prize-winning Huntley - Brinkley
The background of this declaration needs to be placed on by the Maccabean rebellion."
team of news reporters, acting
the record of our communal annals.
"Of course," he added "this Is a superficial and specious as narrator on the program, en-
Moshe Sharett, Israel's first Foreign Minister and its former
distinction. Christianity has been far from a religion exclu-
Prime Minister during a two-year period of a temporary retire- sively based on love. Christendom has rarely—including the titled "The Righteous," declared:
ment by David Ben-Gurion, was in Detroit for a few hours' visit, present time—practiced turning the other cheek. Instead, as "The righteous were few in
number. They were spread un-
in behalf of preparatory activities for the Allied Jewish Cam- in the Crusades and the Inquisition and in the long series
paign. He had an additional few hours at his disposal and he of wars which have through the centuries mocked the preten- evenly throughout Europe. There
expressed a desire to visit the Hayim Greenberg Shule, which is sions of religion, Christianity rationalized its resort to violence were almost none in Germany,
Austria, Poland, the Ukraine, the
being administered by his friend and former associate in Zionist
by citing noble ends to justify violent means. On the other
Baltic States and Eastern
work in Belgium—Movsas Goldoftas. He indicated a desire, once
hand, the same Jewish traditions which glorified the Maccabees
But it was in France,
again, as be did on an earlier visit in Detroit, to be instrumental also held in reverence those noble Jewish martyrs who did not Europe.
Belgium, Hollan d, Denmark,
in encouraging Jewish educational activities.
resort to retaliatory force but, through the millenia, died
For a full two-hour period, Mr. Sharett conferred with "l'Shem shomayim" (in the name of Heaven) or 'al kiddush Italy and Norway that the Jews
found sympathy and, sometimes,
_Goldoftas and his staff of teachers, chatted with the children and
ha Shem' (in sanctification of the Holy Name)."
assistance.
-
--
-
Dr. Eisendrath makes the observation that we are today,
"At this late date, however,
"all of us—Christian and Jew—in an altogether new world, neither numbers nor nationality
confronted by nuclear fission and the trembling fears of world are crucial," Huntley continued.
suicide which have haunted us, particularly in recent months. "What is important is to find.
In such a world, what has Christianity to contribute to the those who helped, not only for
desperately needed search for peace? Many thoughtful Christians their sake but for ours. From
are re-examining the concept of the "just war" and the role of them, we may learn the motiva-
the Church. And what of Judaism? We, who have survived tions of the righteous man, for
similar crises throughout our history, what wisdom and insight the need for the righteous is
can we contribute to mankind at this critical hour?"
always with us."
It is especially significant, in his challenging statement, that
Ace NBC correspondents inter-
Dr. Eisendrath draws upon the wisdom of one of the great viewed, on the program, a num-
percurors of Theodor Herzl in the modern Zionist movement— ber of Christians who partici-
Moses Hess—in indicating a distinction between "two opposing pated in the work of aiding Jews,
value stances." Declaring that he is troubled because Jews, often at the risk of their own
. like their neighbors, "seem now also to worship at the throne lives. Among them were a French
'Ss
of power and military grandeur, he states:
Capucine monk, Father Benoit;
"More than a century ago, Moses Hess wrote a treatise Mrs. Jean Damon Scagliona, a
entitled 'Rome and Jerusalem' in which he used Rome and former Belgian school teacher,
Jerusalem to symbolize two opposing value stances. Rome
now living in California; Ana
---
stood for power and military greatness; Jerusalem represented Simiate, a librarian in Vilna
attended their classes, the accompanying photograph showing him
moral and spiritual strength. In the. century that has passed during the war, now living in
in one of the classes with a group of children and Mr. Goldoftas since that book was written, the Jewish world has, perhaps Paris; Hermann Graebe, one of
unconsciously, rejected the values which Hess identified with the rare Germans to help Jews,
(right).
Mr. Sharett said he was pleasantly surprised to hear the
Jerusalem. We have apparently wearied of the image of who lives in San Francisco; Leo
school's children converse with him in Hebrew. He was delighted
the long-suffering, sensitive, non-violent Jew. Our current Hordyk, a. Dutchman also living
to learn that they have a knowledge of Jewish history and of our literature exalts the image of the Jew as brave, heroic, violent now on the West Coast; and Mrs,
traditions and that they hold Israel in deep affection.
man of _ action. This explains the phenomenal success of Eduardo Focherini, -widow of an
The big thrill of this episode, which stands out as an event •Exodus', 'Mila 18', and 'Burnt Offering.' It is the dawn of a
Italian who died in a Nazi con-
of significance for the Hebrew-Yiddish Shule, even more in the
new Jewish stereotype—warrior, blunt of speech, morally
centration camp after being
spirit of the world famous visitor than in the children. Mr.
unsqueamish, and quick on the draw. How far removed is
arrested for aiding Jews.
Sharett can find honors and comradeship wherever he turns in this image from the Biblical stress on 'Not by might, and not
"The crimes of the Nazi era,"
Jewish communities. But he had chosen to turn to the children. by power, but -by My Spirit, saith the Lord.'
said Mr. Huntley in concluding
He emerges truly eminent because he has displayed an under-
"No doubt our exaltation of physical courage and violent the program, "could not help but
standing of the need to bring the children closer to the adult action, at the expense of the tender and compassionate shake our faith in the essential
community — and he has chosen to set the proper example
qualities reverenced by Jewish tradition, stems from our goodness of man. Yet such a faith
through a Jewish school.
traumatic reaction against Jewish passivity in the Nazi is essential to the functioning of
The Sharrett visit to a Jewish school in Detroit, to socialize
holocaust. But it is a reaction which can lead to the most a democratic form of government,
and to exchange views with children and their parents, is more I primitive forms of self-righteousness, to the super-patriotism and it's the essence of Western
than an episode: it is an example to all our elders that they which now imperils the world, and to a blunting of moral liberalism.. The deeds of these
may learn to understand that the more intimate we are with
righteous Christians are suste-
sensitivity.
our children via their Jewish classrooms, the more glorious will
"The world's worship of power—and the denigration of
nance for that faith."
be our future. And a generation that possesses leaders who set the spirit and dignity of man—is the greatest single threat
the example that was shown by Mr. Sharett may have the oppor- to the future of man. For Jews to extract from the Chanuko New Head of Algerian
tunity to consider itself truly blessed.
story only the heady wine of military prowess, for Jews to
*
make AA Ben Canaan the symbol of what modern Jews should Jews Pays Tribute to
i be, is to sacrifice all that our sublime Jewish tradition has Ben Bella Government
Hanukah Thoughts: Gift Giving, Militarism,
to offer to a confused and panicked world; the power of the
PARIS (JTA) — Dr. Henri
Worship of Power, Opposing Value Stances,
Goslan, newly elected president
While our children are rejoicing on Hanukah and are spirit, the effectiveness of moral courage, the hatred of blood-
of the reconstituted Algerian
especially intrigued by the gifts they receive, and many -adults spilling, the tender respect for the individual child of God,
Jewish community, paid tribute
glorify. the military lesson of the festival, the leader of one and the passion for peace. These are the values which Judaism
to the Ben Bella government
of our major congregational movements is distressed over the exalts. They are the contributions we have to give a world for its "understanding attitude"
"misconceptions about Hanukah." which recently came so close to losing its head. They comprise
Rabbi Maurice N. Eisendrath, president of the Union of the unique legacy which we have given the world—and can to Algerian Jewry, it was re-
ported from Algiers.
American Hebrew Congregations, in a statement in which he still give today—and for which we. have endured the sufferings
' Goslan presented Algerian
refers to Hanukah as a most beautiful festival and as repre- of the ages. What the world cries out for today is the Jeru-
Jewry's good wishes to the Al-
senting most meaningful events on the Jewish calendar, neverthe- salem which the prophets symbolized and of which Hess spoke,
less deplores the misconceptions and the wrong interpretations "It is not JerusaleM come to Rome. It is not a Jewish religion gerian government. Later, in an
which joins in an easy amen to the power and military oral report, he said that some
which, he charges, "are corrupting the true significance of the
25,000 Algerian Jews still re-
Feat of Dedication." emphasis of our age."
mained in Algeria out of a total
On
this
score,
there
is
no
disputing
with
Dr.
Eisendrath.
He
His first objection is to the misguided effort to convert
Hanukah "into a Jewish equivalent of Christmas," by balancing has touched upon an important aspect of Jewish-thinking. There of 125,000 who lived there when
it in our public schools, by the attempts to glamorize the holiday is as much heroism in upholding our spiritual and cultural prin- it was a French colony.
Jewish sources in Paris ques-
"to counteract the attractiveness of the Christmas celebrations." ciples as there is in battling militarily for Jewish rights. Indeed,
His contention is that such efforts have led to "an over-emphasis it takes more courage to adhere to the spirit of the law than tioned Goslan's figure, indicat-
on the materialistic getting-and-giving side of the holiday." to the physical needs and requirements. On many occasions, we ing that actually there were no
more than 6,000 Jews now liv-
Many parents may be puzzled by Dr. Eisendrath's rejection are troubled by emphasis on "bauch" (stomach) Judaism, in the ing in Algeria.
emphasis on the culinary on our festivals, rather than on Torah
of the gift-giving standards, apropos which he said:
(Premier Ben Bela is a revo-
"Gifts are ladle.d out in many families on each of the eight Judaism.
lutionary
disciple and close
Eisendrath
therefore
has
provided
food
for
thought.
He
Dr.
nights of the observance, as though to win the competition by
sheer weight of lavishness—as though emotional security and i offers a new guide for our thinking, in relation not only to friend of Egyptian Premier
Amal Gabdal Nasser.)
religious values could be delivered on a silver p la
a tter r, an d if our children but also to ourselves.
the. handsome gift-wrapping is white and blue instead of green
and red, a sufficient distinction between Hanukah and Christ- Michigan Senators Lead Efforts for Senate Rule Change
mas thereby has been demonstrated. Indeed, as in the case
Rosenzweig's letter pointed out 1 and get to a vote. Senator Me-
In a communication to Michi-
of Christmas and the Christians, the. real meaning of Hanukah
gan
senators
and
to
Detroit
area
that
"Rule 22" in the Senate 1 Namara has supported this posi-
for the Jew is in increasing danger of being swamped in
members of the :U.S. House of has in the past proved to be an i tion, and Rosenzweig's letter
annual
carnival
of
gifts
and
parties."
an
commended Michigan's two sena-
Since we do live in a competitive society, we wonder whether Representatives, Louis Rosen- impassable roadblock to mean- tors for their leadership in this
zweig, vice-president of the Jew-
Eisendrath
is
totally
justified
in
this
criticism
and
in
his
Dr.
ingful. civil 'rights legislation. effort.
concern about gift-giving. The tradition of distributing "Hanukah ish Community Council of Met-
In a letter to Congressmen
Senator Hart of Michigan,
ropolitan
Detroit
and-
chairman
gelt" to the children is very old. When that was done in the
along with Senators Humphrey, Dingell, Griffiths, Nedzi, Ryan,
Old World, it was not an imitation of Christmas. To this country of the Community Relations Com-
Javitz, Kuchel, Case and Scott, Lezinski and Broomfield, Rosen .
was brought the "gelt" giving tradition and the Hanukah plays; mittee, urged support of changes
has been the leader of a move- zweig stated the interest of the
in
the
rules
of
the
Senate
and
gives
us
an
days,
it
and since the festival does last for eight
ment to obtain a new rule which Jewish Community Council in
House
which
will
be
considered
advantage over an environment that overwhelms, in which the
on the opening day of the forth- provides that a majority of the the enactment of an adequate
n Es; and the emphasis on a religious festival threaten luringly,
total Senate can close debate civil rights program
coming session.
orkiy to be overcome by the lianukah spirit.
Moshe Sharett's Privileged Visit to a Local
School: A Leader Keeps Close to His People