Purely Commentary
THE DETROIT ,JEWISH. NEWS
F day, June 28
I-
Jewish Hospitals and Doctors—A Communal
History With Many interesting Connotations
Dr. Harry C. Saltzstein's historical analysis of the Jewish
hospital movement in Detroit won't be a "best seller," even on
our own community's limited basis, but it serves an important
purpose in its evaluation of the efforts that were exerted here
to assure the establishment of a medical center strictly under
Jewish auspices. It does even more than that: it calls attention
to the possibility of perpetuating and recurring discriminations
which may make it difficult for Jewish physicians to become
actively associated with hospitals under other than Jewish
management.
There persists the belief even now that, while graduates
from medical schools do not have difficulties of associating
with hospitals as interns. there remains the haiiclicap created
by the exclusion of Jewish doctors from specialties in some
hospitals. Also: in Jewish-operated hospitals Jewish physicians
have found it much easier to secure facilities for research.
The question of kashrut is not excluded. Those who insist
on food prepared in accordance with dietary laws will secure
satisfaction only from a kosher kitchen like the one we have
at Sinai Hospital in Detroit.
Dr. Saltzstein, one of Detroit's most distinguished surgeons,
emerges as an able research man in the book he has written
on the history of Detroit's hospital movement. He traces the
opposition to the cause as well as the strong support for it
which finally resulted in Sinai's' establishment here. He
deserves commendation for adding so valuable a chapter to the
history of the Detroit Jewish community.
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David Ben-Gurion's Retirement
Israel has reached such a happy state that the resignation
of David Ben-Gurion no longer is viewed as a crisis-.
The Jewish State is firmly established, and a sufficiently
strong group of statesmen has been trained to take over vital
tasks whenever any member of the government may choose to
resign.
Therein lies the state's developing security. The army is
there, under permanent leadership, to provide protection for a
people that is surrounded by so many enemies. The diplomatic
corps has been trained to deal with foreign affairs, and there
are able men and women in the land to handle internal matters.
This protective status is due in great measure to the leader-
ship of David Ben-Gurion who has guided his people ably, who
mobilized Israel's defense forces, who gave inspiration to his
nation during the 15 years of its sovereignty.
Ben-Gurion has emerged as one of the geniuses on the
world's diplomatic arena. He has earned a rest. While no one
can tell what the future will force upon any one—even B-G
may have some tricks up his sleeve in the resignation that he
now calls irrevocable — it is to be assumed that even as a
private citizen B-G will be helpful to Israel. His party will
always call upon him for guidance and help and his people
will revere his name which will be recorded in Jewish history
among the most heroic and among the most creative.
Tragedy on the Diplomatic Arena
Tragedy struck the diplomatic corps earlier this month. A
hero of World War II, Henrik Kauffmann, who represented
Denmark as his country's Ambassador to the United States, was
in great agony from incurable cancer. To save the 74-year-old
diplomat from his sufferings, his 63-year-old American wife
killed him and then took her own life.
It is difficult to forget the Kauffmann name. The deceased
statesman, who retired from his Ambassadorship only five years
ago, was a warm friend of the United States, a strong supporter
of the Allied cause in the last war and a fighter against Nazism.
When the Nazis invaded Denmark, he refused to take orders
from the new and temporary rulers in Copenhagen and virtually
acted as a government-in-exile. It was Henrik Kauffmann who
signed the agreement for the defense of Greenland; then a
Danish colony, by the United States, and he was the man who
proclaimed Denmark an ally of the democratic powers against.
Hitlerism.
It was in recognition of Kauffmann's humanitarianism that
Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion awarded him
the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters on March 26, 1955, and!
the citation stated:
"When forces of barbarism unleashed in Europe in-
vaded your free land and the foe singled out for mass de-
struction the thousands of Denniark Jewish citizens, the
Danish Crown and people instantly united to preserve them.
The annals of Jewish history will forever celebrate the
humanity and the courage which your people thus displayed.
In you we honor Denmark's noble spirit."
The memory of this great statesman and humanitarian will,
indeed, live as a blessing in Jewish annals and in the history of
Denmark and of all mankind.
Debate Over Gerold Frank's 'The Deed'
Is terrorism ever justified in struggles for political free-
dom? "The Deed" by Gerold Frank, published by Simon and
Schuster, poses the question anew.
When the reign of terror was instigated in pre-Israel Pales-
tine by the fighters for freedom, the Jewish community dis-
approved of murders. The Sternists and the other Fighters for
Freedom groups represented so small a minority that their
numbers counted in less than three digits.
Nevertheless. there were irritations that account for all
that had happened. and even among the British there were some
who justified their acts—just as there were Britishers who ap-
proved of the terrorists in Ireland. There is an important faction
of believers who contend that without attracting world attention
to injustice a good cause can not triumph. There were not many
assassinations of Nazis by Jews, but the few on record helped
draw attention to the Hitlerites' barbarities.
The apperance of Frank's "The Deed" aroused such strong
resentment in some ranks that the New York Times found it
necessary to condemn him editorially. Frank redeemed himself
well in his reply that was published in the Times a week later.
In his letter. Frank showed how he had acted merely as the
historian and that in no sense did he justify murder. Those who
have read his book—and his audience justifiably is increasing—
will attest to the fairness of his contentions.
Yet. Frank could have told more. When he was here to speak
to the Detroit Zionists, this Commentator posed the question:
why did he fail to indicate in his book that Lord Moyne, who
was assassinated by the two youth whose deed is described in his
The Danish Nobleman . . •
'The Deed' . . . Dilemma By Philip
of Our Jewish Doctors SIOMOVItZ
book, had a plan of action against the Jewish community in
Palestine and that he had aimed to destroy Jewish hopes. Frank
explained that he did not wish to stir up a political issue and
that he was concerned only with a stirring historical occurence.
At the Overseas Press Club in New York, there was a panel
discussion on his book. A spokesman for the anti-Israel and anti-
Zionist Council for Judaism (which dares to append American
to its name while resorting to un-American policies of instigating
hatred for all Jews, not Zionists alone) argued during that dis-
cussion that Frank's book justified assassinations. That is a bit
far-fetched and hardly denotes a truthful evaluation of "The
Deed." Participating in that discussion also were other noted
writers, among them Frank Gervasi and Hal Lehrman. The
latter—to quote the report on the panel from the OPC Bulletin
---"felt that Frank had not gone far enough in justifying the
killing of Lord Moyne by the two young Israelis."
Referring again to our own question to Gerold Frank, it is
our feeling that without necessitating justification for the crime
the author of "The Deed" should have related the inhumanity of
Lord Moyne's projected plan which was aimed at preventing the
emergence of Israel. That, too, is part of the drama that neces-
sitated the deed.
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'Vox Popule—When Its Sanctity is Abused
There is nothing more sacred than "vox populi"—the voice
of the people and the right of individuals to express their views
on public issues. But- when the voice becomes one that appeals to
hatred, it turns into a stinging, venomous poison.
Our morning newspaper showed very poor judgment by playing
up a letter, anonymously signed "Disgusted," from a Mt. Clemens
reader who fumed against what he labeled was Zionist propaganda
that harms the Arabs and Germans.
By giving a platform to a delusion that Jews are attacking
the Arabs, little good is served. Since when do Zionists, and Jews
generally, hate the Arabs? We protest against threats to Israel
and to Jewry by Nasser, and we question Nasser's alliance with
the East and his constant war threats; but we plead for amity with
the Arabs who are our cousins and our fellow-men.
As to the Germans—the "disgusted" chap who wrote with
such venom seems to have forgotten that two world wars were
fomented by the Germans and that liberty-loving people are striv-
ing to avert the re-emergence of Nazism. Unless the "disgusted"
correspondent is himself a Nazi, he is not upholding an American
principle with his attacks.
But real harm is done by newspapers that give notoriety to
stupidities, untruths and half-wittedness. When truths are dis-
I torted they are neither "vox populi" nor "vox dei" and they cease
to be representative of freedom of popular expression.
Jewish Organizations
in U.S. Send Well
Wishes to Pope Paul
NEW YORK (JTA) --L Major
Jewish religious organizations
sent messages of greetings to
Pope Paul VI emphasizing that
the Jewish religious community
in the United States is praying
that his reign will be crowned
with the aspirations of mankind
f o r peace, brotherhood and
amity.
Leading in the messages was
the Synagogue Council of Amer-
ica which is
t-h e national
coordinating'
body for the
rabbinical and
con gr egation-
al associations
of the Ortho-
dox, Conserva-
tive and Re-
form Jewish
comm u n i ties
comprising the
, Pope Paul VI Central. Con-
ference of American Rabbis,
Rabbinical Assembly, Rabbini-
cal Council of America, Union
of American Hebrew Congrega-
tions, Union of Orthodox Jew-
ish Congregations of America
and United ynagogue of er-
ica.
M essages were also sent to the
newly elected Pope by the
American Jewish Committee,
American
w s
Congress,
Bnai Brith and other Jewish
groups. From Geneva, Dr. Na-
hum Goldmann sent a message
to the Vatican on behalf
World Jewish Congress. A con-
gratulatory message to Pope
Paul VI was also sent "in the
name of the people of Israel"
by Israel's President Zalman
Shazar.
.11111111141=1..1=1.0 ■1■ 1•0 •••11H1 ■ ••••(
Soviet Missiles,
Rocket Experts
•
Arrive in
Egypt
Boris Smolar's
'Between You
... and Me'
LONDON, (JTA)—Groups of
(Copyright, 1963,
Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
Russian rocket experts have
been arriving in Egypt recently On The Alert
along with considerable quan-
Important non-Jewish organizations in the field of public
tities of Russian anti-air-craft education -
are now taking steps to check emotional outbursts against
weapons and air-to-air missiles, the Supreme Court decisions banning Bible reading and the Lord's
the London Daily telegraph cor-
respondent reported from Bei- Prayer from public schools . . . They are especially interested in
preventing anti-Jewish propaganda, such as took place last_ year
rut.
when the Supreme Court banned the Regents Prayer in New York
He said that according to re- state . . . The American Association of School Administrators
liable Middle East sources, the addressed a memorandum on the subject to all school superinten-
rocket experts included men dents reminding them that the initial excited reaction in connec-
shifted from Cuba. The corre- tion with the Supreme Court's decision against the Regents Prayer
spondent asserted that, follow- last year was later substantially modified by "second thoughts"
ing the announcement in Mos- after the Court's ruling was studied and analyzed . . . The asso-
cow of a new Russian agree- ciation expects the same thing to happen now, and advises school
ment to provide aid to Egypt, it superintendents and members of Boards of Education "not to join
could be expected that the num- in the outcry of the uninformed" . . . It points out that the welfare
ber and size of Russian rockets of the schools and the harmony of the community will largely
going to Egypt would increase. depend on the reaction of local public officials to the Court's deci-
He also reported that prelim sions . . . And it explains that in the two controversial cases on
inary work had been started on which the Supreme Court issued its decisions last week, there was
sites in Egypt for middle range no question of the propriety of constitutionality of using the
missiles supplied by the Soviets. Bible as a source or reference work in the teaching of such sub-
C a i r o Radio reported jects as literature, history and art which may be part of the
that the new Russian-Egyptian regular school curriculum . . A memorandum similar to the one
agreement would "strengthen sent out by the American Association of School Administrators
Egypt militarily and econom- was also sent out by the National School Boards Association.
ically." The correspondent de-
Jewish organizations are highly pleased with the fact that the
Glared that the development school superintendents and the Boards of Education in each
was a further setback for Pres- locality have been urged by their national organizations to abstain
ident Kennedy's policy of re- from falling under the influence of inciting statements.
garding Egyptian President Education in Braille
Nasser as Washington's "chosen
The Jewish Braille Institute of America, which is doing
instrument" in the Middle East. excellent work in bringing Jewish education in Braille to the
He reported that Egypt was blind, is now emphasizing the need for the publication of an
known to already have four English-Hebrew and Hebrew-English Braille dictionary . . . It
Russian - equipped launching also has the ambition to publish "Everyman's Talmud" Braille -
sites while several squadrons of and correspondence courses in Jewish history, religion, literature
Russian MIG-21 jet fighters and .current events .. . Many contributions are now being made
have been equipped with air- by individual wealthy Jews and Jews foundations for educational
to-air missiles serviced by Rus- purposes . . . Projects of the Braille Institute are modest com-
sian technicians. A Russian na- pared to the establishments of chairs in universities and other
val mission is training Egypt- educational projects sponsored by Jews interested in Jewish eul-
ians in the use of Soviet-built ture . . . The Braille Institute, with its meager funds, is doing
Komar-class missile-launching its best to provide blind Jewish adults and children with books of
Jewish contents in English Braille . . . It adapted Braille also to
ships, he added.
the Hebrew alphabet and to Yiddish and published the entire
Hebrew Bible in Braille, in twenty encyclopedia-sized volumes . .
Herzog Meets With
It also published the first Hebrew Braille textbook, "Hebrew
Canadian Premier
Self-Taught" and the first Yiddish "Talking Books" on long-
OTTAWA, (JTA)—Israel Am- playing records, containing the works of Jewish classics . . . It
bassador Yaakov Herzog met issues Hebrew lessons and preparations for Bar Mitzvah and Bas
with Canadian Prime Minister Mitzvah of blind Jewish children and has completed the first
Lester Pearson. They discussed Jewish Sabbath and High Holiday prayer book ever to be embossed
Middle East affairs.
in both Hebrew and English Braille.
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