THE JEWISH NEWS 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 CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ Editor and Publisher Business Manager SIDNEY SHMARAK Advertising Manager CRTCHINq up ON fits READINg HARVEY ZUCKERBERG City Editor Sabbath Scriptural SelectiOns This Sabbath, the twenty-eight day of Tammuz, the following Scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues: Pentateuchal portion, Num. 30-2-36:13. Prophetical portion, Jeremiah, 2:4-28; 3:4. 2:4-28; 4:1-2. Licht benshen, Friday, July 19, 7:45 p.m. July 19, 1963 Page Four OL. XLIII. No. 21 The Map Teaches a Serious Lesson CUS dip A BAGDAZ .... J EWISH t N'T°L JORDAN SAUDIA ARABIA Paperback Fills Great Need YEMEN `The Wild Goats of Ein Gedi': Israeli Religious Encounters SUDAN IVORY COAST GHANA NIGERIA A new campaign of anti-Israel propa- ganda is in evidence. Whenever a scheme for unification of the Arab states is mentioned, it is inevitably linked with charges that it is Israel that seeks terri- torial expansion and that a major as- piration of the Nasser forces is to des- troy Israel. The Ba'athist opposition, the contin- uing struggles against Nasser's control in Yemen and other rebellions indicate that the proposals for a "supreme politi- cal command," which would include Al- geria, are far froin realization. Furthermore, the charge that was leveled in Washington last week by a spokesman for Yemen's royalists that a sum of money provided by the United States is being used to appease the Egyp- tian dictator and is aimed for use against Israel, serves to complicate rather than clarify the existing issues. But while Nasser's plans continue to be challenged and their realization is not so certain, there is one charge that needs to be exposed for all it is worth, and that is the accusation that Israel seeks territorial gains. One look at the accompanying map will indicate the true state of affairs. ETHIOPIA SOMALI REPUBLIC r In this map, which shows how Nasser would link Egypt with Algeria, Syria, Iraq and Yemen, it is necessary to search for Israel. The Jewish State occupies so small an area, it is surrounded by so many antagonistic nations, that any at- tempt for additional land would repre- sent so great a risk that only an act of insanity could explain aggression. And while Israel is charged with seeking land gains, Nasser continues his own aggressive acts. He has poured in military forces into Yemen, he is threat- ening other Arab nations into a war with the United Arab Republic and his aims are so clearly marked by greed for territorial expansion that only the blind can fail to recognize the realities of the existing Middle Eastern conditions. Is it any wonder that the imposition of military build-ups in the Middle East prevents the raising of the health, edu- cational and economic standards of the Arab nations which surround Israel? If only there could be a recognition of the true peace aims — so many benefits could thereby be derived not only by the refugees who would then be released from self-imposed bondage, but by op- pressed masses in all the Arab countries. I More Than Lip Service Needed to Bar Genocide Myer Feldman, Deputy Special Coun- on the Genocide Convention from the sel to President Kennedy, was a bit United States Senate if the Administration ludicrous in his statement, at the recent were to press for such action. Last year convention of Brith Shalom, that the Ken- Senator James W. Fulbright, chairman nedy Administration intends to ratify the of the Senate Foreign Relations Commit- United Nations Genocide Convention if tee, and Senator Eugene J. McCarthy of the U. S. Senate consents. Minnesota indicated the need for a If it was a political move for ingratia- "strong push from the White House" to tion with Jewish voters who have good secure ratification of the agreement de- reason to resent the failure of the U. S. daring mass murder of racial, religious to ratify the Genocide Convention, the and ethnic groups as constituting an able Jewish assistant to the President was international crime. But aside from the pious lip service unwise in assuming that a Jewish audi- ence is unaware that such a convention from Mr. Feldman there has not been a cannot be ratified by the Administration firm move from the White House in sup- port of the UN Genocide Convention since because it is a Senate prerogative. It is true, as Mr. Feldman said, that President Truman first urged its adop- the United States played a leading role tion. If we are to be limited to lip service, in drafting the Genocide Convention and nothing Mr. Feldman or any one else that President Truman had urged the in the White House will say in order to Senate to adopt it 15 years ago. In the make political friends will serve the re- interim, however, although 64 nations quired purpose. What is needed is what already have ratified the convention, Senator McCarthy called "a strong push there are strong influences, emanating from the White House." Until we see from the American Bar Association, which such action, mere lip service will remain have stood in the way of positive action. lacking in the required solemnity in sup- Mr. Feldman may be right in assum- port of a cause that began as one of the ing the favorable action could be expected first human revulsions against Nazism. "The Wild Goats of Ein Gedi: A Journal of• Religious En- counters in the Holy Land," by Herbert Weiner, has been issued as a paperback jointly by Meridian Books of World Publishing Co. and the Jewish Publication Society of America. Already reviewed in these columns when it first appeared in hard covers, Rabbi Weiner's most informative book deserves added attention. It is a most valuable explanation of the nu- merous religious practices in Israel. It describes the various ele- ments in Jewry and is a very fair evaluation not only of the numerous Jewish groups but of the Christian missionaries and the non-Jewish sects as well. Israel's religious problems will be much better understood after reading this exceptionally well written book. The interviews with religious leaders and with laymen and the descriptions of Israeli events and developments read like fiction in this factual book. It fills a great need in this era of misunderstanding of events related to the religious conflicts in the Jewish State. Dr. Lehrman 's Evaluation of 'The World of the Midrash' Continuing its publication policy, the World Jewish Congress has enlarged its Popular Jewish Library with its latest book, "The World of the Midrash," by Dr. S. M. Lehrman of London, England, published by Thomas Yoseloff (11 E. 36th, N.Y. 16). The value of this new book on the Midrash lies in its brevity, conciseness and clarity. Explaining the origin and the nature of the Midrash—"born because of the economy of expression adopted by the Torah which looks askance at tautology and the redundant word or letter" — Rabbi Lehrman describes the importance of the mid- rashic storehouse of folklore and wisdom. He states that "the Midrash is the best refutation of the non-Jewish definition of the Torah as the Law, an error de- liberately repeated in order to stress that the Christian Testa- ment pictures God as Love, whereas the Jewish God is one of vengeance, jealous and exacting. There is little in the Midrash to corroborate this fallacy. Its main task is not apologetic and defensive, but to shed light on obscure passages, to harmonize seeming paradoxes and to reconcile apparent contradictions. It also did something more. Whenever new demands of life needed explanation in the light of an all-embracing faith, it was the Midrash that courageously stepped into the breach, supplementing, adjusting and occasionally modifying. . . . The Midrash, with all its fascinating spiritual wisdom, riveted the attention of all those who valued learning and supplied that first breath of imagintaion which gave sparkling new life to Judaism." He proceeds to show how the Midrash serves as "a map designed for righteous living, a civilization which steels fortitude and refines character." Step by step he shows how the Midrash is related to faith and to man. to Jews and to Judaism. He devotes an informative chapter to an evaluation of the Sabbath as it is delineated in the Midrash; to traditional views on marriage and a score of other ethical values. While not belittling the effects of the Zionist movement and the genius of Dr. Theodor Herzl, Dr. Lehrman asserts that "the most vital cause for the return of the Jewish people to rebuild a new Jewish state is the undying love for the Land of Israel expressed in our sacred literature and not least in the Midrash." An entire chapter is devoted to a discussion of "Loyalty to Zion" as expressed in the Midrash. Other chapters deal with "The Discipline of Sorrow" and "The Messiah and Life Immortal." Biographical sketches are eppended of principal rabbis mentioned in the Midrash and referred to in this book. Rabbi Lehrman has written a valuable description of mid- rashic lore and his book enhances the World Jewish Congress' Popular Jewish Library.