Inhumanity
of a Boycott

'Theory, Reality
in Youth Problem

•

.

Reform Service
in Israel

Solution of
Israel's Major
Water Problem

of

—I— 1=2 C.) IT

A Weekly Review

Editorials
Page 4

•

iICHlGA fV

A Play on
Hebrew Words

Jewish Events

Commentary
Page 2

Michigan's Only English-Jewish Newspaper—Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle

Vol. XLVI — No. 21

17100 W.

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7 Mile Rd.--NE 8-9364—Detroit, Mich. 48235—January 15, 1965—$6.00 Per Year; This Issue 20c

Religious Freedom Convention
Juwii*..Red- Hurdle;Debated in UN

(Direct JTA Teletvue Wire to The Jewish News)

Hebrew Press Asked to Provide

Better World Jewish Coverage

Special to The Jewish News

-

JERUSALEM—Jewish newspapermen from all parts of
the globe, in session here at the third conference of the World
Confederation of Jewish Journalists, called upon the Hebrew
press to provide better coverage of world Jewish news as a
means of fulfilling the obligation of keeping Jews everywhere
linked with knowledge about happenings in all communities.
The decision followed criticism by Dr. Nahum Goldrnann
of the manner in whch the press here is functioning and of its
failure to cover the world scene.
The conference decided to expand its existing quarterly
organ, Korot. and to plan the publication of an annual, a Jew-
ish newspapermen's who's who and a history of Jewish journal-
ism.
Philip Slomovitz, editor of The Detroit Jewish News, one
of the speakers at a special session held at the home of Israel's
President Zalman Shazar, deplored the negative attitudes
towards the Diaspora and expressed. hope that the English-Jew-
ish press in America will be strengthened to assure proper
communication and keep Jews in America fully informed on
Jewish-events everywhere.
Eliezer Lipsky, president of the Jewish Telegraphic
Agency, and Slomovitz, one of the JTA vice-presidents, called
for greater interest in JTA's work as a basic need to strength-
en the world Jewish news agency's work.
Aryeh Zimuki was re-elected to direct the work of the World
Confederation of Jewish Journalists.
In a sense, the discussions at the journalists' confer-
ente echoed those at the World Zionist Congress. Without
regard to realities, there were criticisms of both Diaspora
and world Jewries that ran the gamut of emotions.
An overcrowded series of panels, the anxiety to give
every Israeli editor a chance to speak, the crowding of the
agenda with addresses by Prime Minister Levi Eshkol, Dr.
Emanuel Neumann, Abba Eban and Dr. Goldmann left no time
for analysis of the existing issues, and the condensation of the
entire conference into a single afternoon and evening reduced
the chances for proper study of issues that are considered
major in Jewish life today.

e

GENEVA—After several years of obstruction by the Soviet Union and Poland, the
United. Nations Subcommission on the Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of
Minorities opened a full-scale drive Tuesday toward debate on the U.S. proposed draft
convention of religious freedom.
The draft is aimed at all governments throughout the w o r 1 d , but pinpoints the
USSR particularly due to the Kremlin's denial of religious rights and freedoms to Jews
in the Soviet Union.
Morris B. Abram, United States expert on the 14-member body, who is also presi
dent of the American Jewish Committee, introduced the draft.
While his text did not mention the Soviet Union by name — in conformance to
the subcommission's rules—his aim against the USSR was clear, as evidenced by the
fact that both the Russian and the Polish representatives on the subcommission re-
acted sharply against the draft. The Pole, Wojciech Ktyzynski, immediately told the.
body he has a draft convention of his on which he wants debated.
Meanwhile, an open clash took place between Abram and the Russian represen-
tative, Evgeni Nasinovsky, on a related issue.
This dispute centered about a proposal made by Abram that a study being
conducted on equality in the administration of justice must include not only state-
ments from governments but also data supplied by non-governmental organiza-
tions. The study is being conducted by the Sudanese member of the group,
Chief Justice Abou Rannat of Sudan.
Abram urged Justice Rannat to include specifically a recent report by the Inter-
national Commission of Jurists, which accuses the Soviet Union of persecuting Rus-
sian Jews in connection with trials for alleged "economic crimes." Nasinovsky objected
to the Abram proposal with considerable heat, stating that the report by . the Interna-
tional Commission of Jurists, "is a libel against the Soviet Union."
Pierre Juveny of France supported Abram's demand that the International Com-
mission's data be included in the Rannat report.
The Soviet representative finally said his government was not opposed to the
participation of nongovernmental organizations, provided such organizations were af-
filiated with organizations in the Soviet Union.
Abram retorted that, while such an attitude was well and good, he wanted to know
about organizations that were not allowed to have affiliates in the Soviet Union, such
as Jewish organizations.
None of the Jewish nongovernment organizations accredited to the UN have af-
filiates-in the USSR. Such groups include the World Jewish Congress. Agudath Israel,
Bnai Brith, the Board of Deputies of British Jews, Anglo-Jewish Association, Alliance
Israelite Universelle, and others.
The big fight centered around the steps being taken to put through the subcommis-
sion the proposed convention for the elimi nation of all religious discriminations. Such
a draft has been proposed during several sessions of the subcommission and has been
pushed into the background persistently due to Soviet insistence that no such con-
vention was needed and that if enacted should give freedom to atheists to oppose
religious practices.
As soon as Abram presented his draft. Arcot Krishnaswami of India and Peter

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Continued on Page 5

Zionist Congress Tests Jewish Leadership

1

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
JERUSALEM— World Jewry's great parliamentary body, the
World Zionist Congress, has ended its sessions here, and a new era
of striving for a strengthened. Zionism begins in the Diaspora. It may be
too early to judge the effects of the Congress upon the movement and as
influence upon public opinion. Nevertheless, it is safe to say that the test
will be in the leadership rather than the constituency. Scores of speakers,
among them responsbile leaders from more than 30 countries, were un
hesitant to criticize. Will they be able to go into their own communities
upon their return to revivify the aims of Zionism?
The movement weakened with the emergence of Israel. Its objectives
were attained, and realities inevitably displace hopes and dreams. There
is, however, a recognition that Zionism has much to attain in the Diaspora
—that the cause whence stems the realization of the dream for Jewish
national rebirth has a continuing responsibility to create a greater interest
in educational efforts, to arouse an interest in Hebrew studies, to en
courage tourism and investments .
Now that the leadership has hurled criticisms at American Jewry,
will it be sufficiently responsible to assist in giving new strength to the
American Zionism Council, to encourage the establishment of Hebrew
elaSses to strive for the enrollment of youth in active Jewish ranks?
One would imagine, after listening to speeches in Jerusalem, that
they. were delivered in Detroit or in Cleveland or in New York. It is the
same story everywhere: that youth is indifferent, that the problem is one
of survival under freedom, that it is more difficult to attain Jewish goals
when it is "easy to be a Jew" because that invites assimilatory trends.
There is the compulsion, therefore, to feel that i fthere are problems,
they must be solved at home. But in _ spite of that, it is difficult to accept

_

the proferred criticisms without a sense of resentment that those who cri-
ticize the most often do the least to provide for solutions.
This applies to Nahum Goldmann as well as to Louis Pincus. Their
criticisms were sharp, but what did they do between Congresses to assure
the retention of Jewish loyalties?
*
*
American Zionists have special reason to be apprehensive about future
activities in view of the split in the ranks between the Rose Halprin-Israel
Goldstein Confederation and the Emanuel Neumann Jacques Torczyner
World Union factions. Zionism could gather so much strength in unity!
All of the movement's functions could be helped if the two groups could
get together! But the charge of the first group against the second that it
aligns itself with the Liberals in Israel and thereby joins in Israel's politi-
cal actions is presented as a stumbling bloc against unity: Yet, the Con-
federation, too, plays its political role and one would have to be blind not
to suspect its affiliation with Papai in many of the Congress decisions.
American Zionists have reason to protest against the disunity, and
those who are affiliated with the Zionist Organization of America have
cause to deplore the fact that some of its most prominent Zionists, former
national presidents and leaders in important pro-Israel movements, have
defected from the ZOA. They: could bring back life to Zionism by their
return to active leadership in the movement.

-

American Zionists were greatly rewarded with a visit they paid, during
the. Congress sessions, to ICfar Silver, the agricultural village established
by the Zionist Organization of America in honor of Dr. Abba Hillel Silver.
The growth of the village, the enthusiasm that was displayed by the
250 young students who met with the ZOA delegates, the expanded courses
Continued on Page 40