THE JEWISH NEWS
incorporating the Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20, 1951
National
Member American Association of English—Jewish Newspapers, Michigan Press Associations,
e;ditorial 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 SIDNEY SHMARAK
Editor and Publisher
Business Manager
Advertising Manager
l
it1131.
HARVEY ZUCKERBERG
City Editor
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the fourth day of Elul, 5723, the following Scriptural selections will
be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Deut. 16:18-21:9; Prophetical portion, Isaiah 51:12 52:12.
-
Licht benshen, Friday,August 23, 7:04 p.m.
VOL. XLIII No. 26
Page Four
August 23, 1963
Vindication of Pro-Israel Functions
Dr. Emanuel Neumann undoubtedly centralized in the American Zionist Coun-
was correct in his assertion that the cil, have been fully evaluated.
During the hearings it was indicated
Jewish Agency's activities were vindi-
cated during the hearings on the func- that there may have been "technical"
tions of the Agency's American Section violations, but there were no misrepre-
that were conducted by Senator J. W. sentations and the funds were handled
Fulbright at a public session of the Sen- scrupulously and the functions of the
movement were carefully organized.
ate Foreign Relations Committee.
Distinguished members of the U. S. Similarly, the status of the Jewish
Senate utilized the public hearings for Telegraphic Agency, whose financial dif-
expressions of friendship for the Zionist ficulties compelled it to look for aid from
movement and for the efforts to resettle the Jewish Agency, was frankly stated
refugees in Israel, and Senator Fulbright, and evaluated.
The hearings may have caused some
while seeking information to establish the
relevancy of the foreign principals' reg- embarrassment because spokesmen for
istry act, was not antagonistic, as reports the Zionist movement were compelled to
make a public appearance to state their A Revised Prayerbook
may have indicated.
The 200-page Senatorial report on the case and to open up all their records anc1
hearings reveals that all the necessary to present to public view the financial
information Senator Fulbright's commit- statements. But, as Dr. Neumann, the
tee was in search of was provided, that chairman of the Jewish Agency American
the monetary negotiations and the politi- Section, said, the pro-Israel activities con-
cal activities in defense of Israel were ducted by American Jews have been vin-
fully recorded and nothing was hidden. dicated. Everything that has been said,
Unusual interest attaches to the second revised edition of
If there was a temporary embarrass- all that was heard, serve to encourage "Weekday Prayer Book" issued by the Rabbinical Assembly,
ment, the record now is clear and all of American Jewry to continue the humani- which represents 800 rabbis and their Conservative congrega-
the activities that have been conducted tarian efforts for the liberation of the tions.
The editorial and translating committee, headed by Rabbi
by the various branches of the Zionist oppressed in many lands and for an
Gershon Hadas of Kansas City, which included Rabbi Max Weine,
movement, especially those that wer e assurance of the security of Israel.
Traditions Adhered to in New
Edition of Conservative Siddur
'Cold War' in Arab 'Unity' Scheme
A review of the "Shifting Sands of foreign analyst made this observation:
"The Cold War which is now developing
Power in Arabia," written for the London
between Nasser and the Baath can threaten
Times by its -Middle East correspondent,
both Western oil wells and East-West peace.
contains this telling sentence:
Yet neither side is likely to win decisively.
"Every time an Egyptian bomber
Today Nasser is the stronger, and may yet
climbs into the dawn above Sana, the
topple his opponents in Damascus and Bagh-
high Yemen capital, and disappears on
dad. But the union with Syria showed that
another grim errand, it is a mockery of
the Nasserist system of government did not
suit the temperament and tradition of the
the trust the United States puts in Presi-
other Arab peoples. And Yemen has shown
dent Nasser, even though she has recog-
that force is no substitute for an indigenous
nized the Yemen government Egypt is
political base .. .
in this way supporting."
"Meanwhile the wretched Arab peasant
This is a very disturbing rebuke, yet
continues to live on an income one-tenth the
it has been uttered in many other ways
Western European average. The Cold War
and has been heard in this country as
between the Baath and Nasser may distract
well.
Western attention from over-population in
The pathetic thing about the whole
Egypt, underproduction on farms throughout
the Middle East, and falling investment in
mooted business of Arab unity, which
industry. But these remain the crucial issues,
still subsists on hatred for Israel, is that
and no Arab movement is likely to succeed
the Arab masses continue to live in
unless it can resolve them."
poverty and degradation while their
That's the tragedy: that the Arab
masters are building up strong military
masses continue to live a wretched eco-
machines.
The New Republic also has analyzed nomic existence while their dictators
the Arab issue, in a discussion of the strive to perpetuate power. And we are
"Cold War Among the Arabs," and its helping the dictators!
Chills Come from German Surveys
A West German survey on the trials
of Nazi criminals, issued from Bonn,
shows that more than 10,000 Nazi war
criminals have been sentenced since the
end of the tragic World War. There were
489 executions out of the 818 who re-
ceived death sentences, but only 12 of
those who were executed received their
death sentences in German courts, the
others having been ordered to the gal-
lows by Allied courts.
These are revealing figures. There is
no doubt that West Germany is anxious
to cleanse its people by imposing penal-
ties upon the guilty who have besmirched
the German name. But some of the facts
revealed in the newest survey arouse deep
concern over the attitude of the Ger-
mans, nearly all of whom must share
responsibility for what had happened
under the Nazis.
The fact is, as shown in the survey,
that only three of those who were sen-
tenced to death by German couts were
executed before the abolishment of capi-
tal punishment by the West German Fed-
eral Government. While West Germany
tried 12,846 since the end of the war,
only 5,526 were found guilty, and many
of the 5,025 who were found guilty in
Allied courts might have escaped punish-
,rnent if the German Court actions are to
be taken as indications of the workings
of the German legal minds.
There are many who may say that
the war is over, that we should forgive
and forget. But there are so many indi-
cations of a threatening re-emergence of
sentiments that condone many of the
Hitlerite acts that there is need for
greater vigilance lest we have a recur-
rence of the crimes and the tragedies.
Surveys often conducted in Germany
to probe the German minds and to evalu-
ate the desire to punish the guilty often
leave us quite chilled. Too often we
become aware of a German indifference
to the past and of a desire to forget in an
effort to forgive and thereby to justify
what had happened. That's what should
trouble every person who recalls what
the Germans did to our people and to
humanity.
of Camden, N. J., a prominent former Detroiter, was subjected
to criticisms when the first edition appeared in 1961. But the
errors to which exceptions were taken were mainly technical and
the corrections were made in the second edition.
The new edition may incur wrath in orthodox quarters be-
cause of the introduction of alternate readings in the Sabbath
and festival Musaf (additional) services of special versions which
are explained by the committee as follows:
"The Hebrew text of the Weekday Prayer Book is tra-
ditional except for variants reflecting vital changes in Jewish
life and thought. Such variants are especially significant in
the Musaf services. There the traditional prayers for the
restoration of the Temple and the resumption of animal
sacrifices have been replaced by a new text commemorating
the Temple observances and expressing the prayer that the
Land of Israel shall remain a haven for the homeless of our
people and grow as the spiritual center of Jewish life every-
where. As alternate readings, the rendition of the Musaf in
our Sabbath and Festival Prayer Book has been retained."
Since both the original and the alternate versions are in-
cluded in this Siddur, it will be interesting to know whether
those who object to any changes or variants whatever will rise
up to protest against the Rabbinical Assembly's newly revised
edition of the prayer book.
In its entirety it is a highly commendable work and its
improved translations and the readability of the prayer book
make it stand out as a noteworthy Siddur that stands out for its
attractiveness as well as of its all-inclusiveness.
It is unquestionably a traditional Siddur, except for the
variations indicated, and another addition to it is a specially
composed prayer, appearing together with similar prayers for
Purim and Hanukah, to be recited on the anniversary of Israel's
independence.
•
The entire text, including the additions, is, of course,
in Hebrew, with the English translations on opposite pages.
Adding greatly to the value of this Siddur is the inclusion,
at the back of it, of the Torah readings—these are exclusively
in Hebrew—for Mondays and Thursdays, Rosh Hatlesh, Hanukah,
Purim, intermediate clays of Pesah and Sukkot, Tisha b'Ab and
fast days.
*
*
*
The Hanukah and Purim prayers, the Havdalah service, the
Hoshanot liturgy, and special prayers for bride and bridegroom,
newborn babies, the sick and for Gomel Benshen—on deliver-
ance from danger or recovery from illness—are part of this
Siddur.
The introductory notes carry suggestions for an abridged
morning service, indicating the prayers to be included in such
a service; and they suggest the form of a service in a house of
mourning.
There is no doubt about the excellence of the transla ,.
tions in this new Siddur.
With only three exceptions—Adon Olam, Yigdal, Maoz Tzur
—the English text of this Siddur is new. The editors state that
"the Hebrew text is faithfully reflected in the translation except
in the passage Wondrously Are we Made (page 8) which is an
interpretation rather than a translation of the original."
Thus, since tradition is strictly adhered to, it is to be ex-
pected that the Rabbinical Assembly's "Weekday Prayer Book"
will meet with very wide acceptance.