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THE JEWISH NEWS
Incorporating the Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20, 1951
Member American Association of English—Jewisb Newspapers, Michigan Press Associations, National
Editorial Association.
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing Co., 17100 West Seven Mile Roan, Detroit 35,
Mich., VE 8-9364. Subscription $6 a year. Foreign $7.
Second Class Postage Paid At Detroit, Michigan
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ SIDNEY SHMARAK
Editor and Publisher
Business Manager
Advertising Manager
HARVEY ZUCKERBERG
City Editor
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the twenty-seventh day of Ab, 5723, the following Scriptural selections
will be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuch& portion., Deut. 11:26 - 16:17; Prophetical portion, Isaiah 54:11 - 55:5.
Licht benshen, Friday, August 16, 7:12 p.m.
August 16, 1963
Page Four
VOL. XLIII. NO. 25
Civil Rights: Basic Jewish Concern
Many important matters affectina the dox, Conservative and Reform religious
people of this country unfortunately b have bodies, both rabbinic and lay, have fought
been shelved because the most serious the battle against discriminatory practices
Legislators such as
issue before us, that of civil rights, de- against Negroes.
former Senator Lehman; Congressman
mands prior attention.
It is to be hoped that the issue that Celler and Senator Javits have been be-
has been brought to a head will be hind much of the legislation dealing with
solved, for all time, by the adoption of equal rights and *
privileges."
*
a program that will wipe out the sins and
Numerous efforts have been exerted
the abuses of the past and that will grant
by national Jewish organizations to spur
human rights to all of our citizens.
As a means of spurrina action in sup- action in support of the strongest civil
port of proper civil rights b legislation, the rights measures.
In addition, there were many gestures
New York Board of Rabbis has designated
Sept. 7 as a special Sabbath "to bring to of good will by Jews as individuals and
the attention of the Jewish community in groups to express sympathy for the
and the community at large our concern cause of just rights for the Negroes.
The Jewish Labor Committee and Jewish Immigration Into Zion
with respect to people who are discrimi-
nated against for no other reason but Workmen's Circle, American Jewish Con-
gress, the national congregational groups
their race, color or creed."
*
*
and national women's organizations have
Unless one is acquainted with the background of Jewish
When the special prayers will be of- played active roles in the serious move- migrations
into Palestine prior to the rebirth of Israel, the
fered on that Sabbath, "for the purpose ment that is challenging Americans to present reality of Israel's existence will not be fully appreciated.
of awakening the conscience of the Ameri- join in correcting an evil that has plagued
There were many difficulties in the path of the builders of
can people to the task that lies ahead of this land for more than a century.
Zion. There were the Arabs to contend with, and there were the
*
*
*
British whose obstructions made the settlement of Jews most
all of us in helping our country to live up
Rabbis have been among those who difficult.
to its promise of being a land of equal
Bracha Habas ably depicts the struggle before "the locked
freedom and opportunity for all," there had demonstrated in behalf of the cause
will be occasion also to review the interest of just rights for the Negro and Jewish gate," the handicaps in creating a homeland for persecuted Jews
many lands, in "The Gate Breakers," subtitled "A Dramatic
that is being taken in the rights of students have joined the demonstrations, in
of the Jewish Immigration Into Palestine," published
some of them traveling from our own Chronicle
Negroes by the Jews of this country.
in the Sharon Books series by Thomas Yoseloff and Herzl Press.
community
and
from
cities
throughout
In the statement on civil rights that
The very title indicates that there had to be gate breakers with-
accompanied the proclamation of Sept. 7 the land to appear in southern communi- out whose courage the present Israeli population would never
as the special Sabbath for prayers for ties and there to .express their protests have secured its autonomy and its status as a sovereign nation.
civil rights, the New York Board of Rabbis against discrimination and their demands
Mahy are the stories related in this excellent history of the
pointed out that the concern of American for justice.
serious efforts that were made to bring shiploads of Jews into
These instances can be multiplied a Palestine by defying the British, to assure the constant stream
Jewry in proper civil rights legislation
"has expressed itself in many concrete thousand-fold to show the pioneering ef- of Jewish settlers who came via many ports, airways and other
forms." The rabbis' statement points out: forts of Jews in every American commun- avenues of escape from the indignities into the freedom of Israel.
The author describes the "underground" railways, the
"As far back as the beginning of the cen- ity in behalf of just rights for the Negroes.
arrival
of immigrants on Palestine's shores in the dead of
tury, Julius Rosenwald, a prominent phi- Our people continue to play a leading
night, the manner in which they were received by a co-
lanthropist, made available some $25,- role in support of such legislation, and
operative community that made it its aim to provide homes
000.000 for the education of Negro chil- every effort that is now being made —
for all who could be rescued from the Nazis and from other
dren in the south. One of the founders of whether through prayers, or through
tyrants.
the NAACP was the distinguished Jewish public declarations, or by means of mes-
The au t h or of "The Gate Breakers," Br a c h a Habas,
spiritual leader, Stephen S. Wise. Almost sages to members of Congress urging author of a number of other books, is a well known Israeli
since their inception, Jewish organizations speedy action in support of civil rights— writer. She is the wife of David Hacohen, the prominent Histadrut
such as the American Jewish Congress; assists in assuring promptness in behalf leader who is a member of the Israel Knesset and who had
the American Jewish Committee and the of the urgent issue now before us. Action served his country as Minister to Burma.
In her current book, the author describes the activities of
Anti-Defamation League and our Ortho- in support of civil rights brooks no delay.
'The Gate Breakers'
Israel and the Nuclear Test Ban
The signing by Israel of the Soviet- illiteracy. It is when the UAR gets mili-
Ango-American nuclear test ban treaty tary aid that may militate against Israel's
makes another step in Israel's cooperation security that we become concerned.
The world situation is grave enough
in international efforts for peace.
It should be noted that Israel's hope without added aggravations, and the
for world disarmament as part of that hopes of mankind hinge upon the success
small nation's desire to cooperate in peace of the nuclear test ban treaty. With its
movements attests to the Israeli desire fulfillment also must come assurances
to assure the cessation of arms deliveries that small nations will not be unduly
on the basis of reciprocal international attacked, that there will be an end to
supervision. This, in substance, was the land grabs, that there will be cooperation
declaration of Israel's Prime Minister among nations leading towards peaceful
Levi Eshkol who emphasized his gov- solutions of all international problems.
ernment's desire to seek friendly rela- Part of such cooperation must be an
tons with all nations, including the USSR. effective direct-negotiations plan to bring
Meanwhile, W. Averell Harriman, Israel together with her Arab neighbors
addressing the annual convention of the and to assure the consent of the latter to
Jewish War Veterans, expressed the view discussions leading to peace and mutual
that elimination of sophisticated weapons accord. If and when that is attained, the
in the Middle East might ensue from the world peace schemes will be measured
test ban, and he also stated that it would as constructive and positive. Until then
be against Israel's interests for this all efforts must be made to prevent an
country to diminish its support of the imbalance of military power which will
United Arab Republic because our Gov- make Israel the constant target of war-
ernment gains "influence" with Nasser threatening Arab nations.
Meanwhile, however, Nasser's threats
through such support.
While Undersecretary of State Har- to Israel represent a menace not only
riman declared that "as far as I am con- to the peace of the Middle East but to
cerned, the army that - I respect is the the peace of the entire world. While sign-
Israeli army; I think they can take care ing the nuclear ban treaty, Nasser is
of themselves," it should be understood increasing his military build-up and • is
that there can be no objections to Ameri- not hiding his intentions to make war
can aid to Egypt, provided it is intended upon Israel. Mr. Harriman and his asso-
for the uplifting of the UAR standards dates in the State Department should
and for the elimination of poverty and take note of it.
the ghetto fighters, the symbolism of Zionist resistance as repre-
sented in the tragedy of the SS Patria, the triumphs of Jewish
underground workers and many of their tragedies and disasters.
Istanbul as a base for rescue work, the Exodus, and other
ships that sought their way to Palestine with human cargo, the
inroads of immigrants, as those from Yemen, "on eagles' wings,"
the various means used to bring escapees from . misery into the
Land of Israel—these and many other element of gate breaking
enter into this story.
The heroes who played their roles are the people of
courage who form the characters in this great drama. Many
of the heroes remain unnamed, but the most distinguished
of the leaders in the historic effort to regain freedom for a
harassed people emerge in the Bracha Habas story - as great
and fearless men and women.
Referring to the band of heroes in the Hagana whose fear-
less activities helped to bring tens of thousands of Jews into
Palestine in spite of the obstacles that were set up by the British,
the author states:
"The illegal immigration effort continued until the gates
of independent Israel were opened to every Jew wishing to re-
turn to his homeland. Only then did the group disband. Theme,
members, some of whom had been engaged in the dangers and
labors of Aliya - Bet for 15 years, returned to their various tasks.
They had set out as youths, and returned as men who had ex-
perienced much, met many severe tests, and were proud of hav-
ing served their people faithfully. Today they are to be found in
all walks of life in the growing State of Israel. They are farm-
ers, artisans, army officers, and captains of the large and hand-
some vessels of the Israeli merchant marine. They are also to
be found among the leaders of the State, holding important
positions in the Government and the Knesset (Parliament), and
representing Israel among the nations of the world. Israel . wfll
ever be in their debt."
Indeed, the manner of transporting immigrants between
France and North Africa, via the dangerous routes that were
patrolled by Nazis and others who stood in the way of the po-
tential new settlers in Israel, the ships that traveled from Italian
and other ports, all combine to create a fascinating story of
escape from tyranny, of gate breaking, of creating a Homeland.
The illustrations by Anna Walinska add to the charm of this
valuable historical account of immigration into Palestine.