Bowing to Cairo
THE JEWISH NEWS
incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20, 1951
Member American Association of English—Jewish Newspapers, Michigan Press Association, National Editorial
Association.
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing Co., 17100 West Seven Mile Road, Detroit 48235 Mich.,
VE 8-9364. Subscription $6 a year. Foreign $7.
Second Class Postage Paid at Detroit, Michigan
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher
SIDNEY SHMARAK
CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
Advertising Manager
Business Manager
CHARLOTTE liYAMS
City Editor
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the 25th day of Adar I, 5725, the following scriptural selections will
be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion: Exocl. 35:1-38:20; 30:11-16; prophetical portion: II Kings 12:1-17.
Licht benshen, Friday, Feb. 26, 6 p.m.
VOL. XLVII, No. 1
Page 4
February 26, 1965
Bonn's New Role: Yield to Arab Pressures
There are mounting causes for concern
over the attitudes of the present West Ger-
man administration on matters relating to
the statute of limitations and the relations of
the German government with Israel.
There seems to be a spirit of arrogance
in many German quarters, especially the
Bonn ministry of justice, on the issue of
extending the deadline for trials of Nazi
criminals. It is clear that failure to continue
the trials will provide total freedom for the
worst Nazi criminals, who have either been
hidden knowingly or succeeded in being in
hiding through their own ingenuity. A new
era of Nazism can emerge from such a situ-
ation, and any claim that might be made by
German spokesmen regarding an established
principle of "Rule of Law" dating from 1871
loses its validity when viewed in the light
of international obligations to punish the
guilty of the Hitler era.
Adding to the seriousness of the situa-
Lion is the panic that has been created by
Arab pressures on Bonn. When it was re-
vealed, about a month ago, that Germany had
provided Israel with armaments, there was a
feeling that the "revelation" was due to a
leak which could have been interpreted as
"planted." The Bonn-Israel arms deal had
been in operation for a long time. Why was
it "exposed" suddenly on the eve of Presi-
dent Johnson's inauguration and just at the
time when there had developed a new con-
flict over Cairo's friendship with East Ger-
many?
The Arab pressures are contrary to the
basic principles in established international
relations. Once again, Nasser acts like the
winner after suffering losses. Now, as in 1956
after he had suffered defeat in the Sinai Cam-
paign, he again emerges the hero: he seems to
gain from every loss. And Israel must renew
vigilance to avoid calamity that threatens
her from Nasser's psychological successes.
All Jews Targets of M. E. Propagandists
Israel's position has not been made easier
by the limelight into which she has been
thrown on numerous occasions. Congressional
debates, while not aimed at Israel or Israelis,
inevitably and invariably make the small
state the goat whenever there is controversy.
The tense issue related to the water problem
often makes Israel appear as an aggressor,
even though the diversion of water from
natural sources is being plotted by the Arabs.
The most serious of all the problems
involving Israel is the spread of anti-Jewish
propaganda by Arabs in many lands. It is
often felt in this country and it is frequently
in evidence in Latin American areas.
At the same time, the anti-Israel boycott
conducted by the Arab states has become a
serious problem for many Jewish and non-
Jewish firms, and many companies that are
determined to conduct business honorably
have been threatened by the boycott.
The Bnai Brith's Anti-Defamation
League now reveals that the Arab campaign
against Israel has turned into an anti-Jewish
propaganda drive that makes use of canards
and "new themes including assertions that
Jews were responsible for the assassination
of President Kennedy, and castigations of
the Catholic Church for the recent Ecu-
menical Council statement on the Jews."
Revealing that Africa has been a prime
factor in the Arab target, "most likely be-
cause of the extensive technical and educa-
tional aid Israel has given to newly estab-
lished nations there," Arnold Forster, ADL
general counsel, said that a pamphlet, "Israel,
Enemy of Africa," is a major document used
to spread anti-Jewish propaganda. Distrib-
uted throughout African English-speaking
sections, it is made available not only
through the United Arab Republic infor-
mation department in Cairo but also from
the UAR Embassy in Washington.
Hayim Greenberg, the eminent labor Zionist, was one of the great
It is a pamphlet that quotes from the spurious and inspirational figures on the American Jewish scene who has left
"Protocols of the Elders of Zion." It resorts to his mark on Jewish history. He was the guide and teacher of thousands,
such maliciousness as to charge that the Jewish and his influence was felt not in his own party alone but in all of
Jewry.
religion decrees that Jews must "bury the non-
It is heartening to know that his works are
Jew alive," that the murder of non-Jews is con-
being reprinted, that the Jewish Frontier
doned, and refers to the helping hand of the
Association (45 E. 17th, NY 3) is making his
Israelis to the Africans as "a hand covered with
essays available in English translations.
blood."
While he was a master of English and other
Here are some of the statements con-
languages, most of his writings were in Yid-
tained in the Arab propaganda pamphlet:
dish. The second volume of his selected
"Kennedy was a Catholic—and his assassin
essays, issued by the Frontier Association
Jewish . . . While the Catholics are busy making
under the title "The Inner Eye," is a most
peace with the Jews—the Jews are assassinating
welcome addition to our literature.
the foremost Catholic lay personality in the
He was a universalist, as the series of
world . . ."
essays in this volume dealing with per-
"The Zionist terror . . . and the Jewish gangs
sonalities indicates. He had written not
are the ones responsible for the crime of Presi-
only about Bialik, Sholem Asch and Zas-
dent Kennedy's assassination . . ."
lawsky. This new volume also contains an
"The Jews are used to living on the blood of
essay "With Roman Roland." The one on
others . . ."
Asch deals with the Yiddish writer's
"The lie of the six million murdered Jews
"Christological Writings."
is not taken seriously by anybody."
In view of the current concerns about
". . . the Jews are the root of all creeping
Jewish survivalism it is important to nate
corruption .. ."
that in this essay on Asch, Greenberg ex-
It is no wonder that most of the anti-
Hayim Greenberg pressed concern over the danger of the
Semitic venom in evidence in this and in emergence of a vacuum for American Jewry, "an alienation from re-
Latin American countries is being charged ligion, indifference, a broad yawn that engulfs the life of the souL"
to Arab propagandists. It is possible that the He warned:
"We should all be seriously concerned about our ability to build
revival of the ritual murder lie also is due to
the campaign inaugurated by the Arab propa- houses and our incapacity to create homes, about our doors without
mezuzot, our walls without a mizrach, our tables without grace, the
ganda bureaus.
barbarousness of our funerals at which we fill the vacuum with
While the lies that emanate from the speeches
and more speeches, the greyness of our existence. It is these
anti-Israel quarters are nonsensical and that we must be concerned about. Instead we indulge in petty fault-
should be viewed as utterly puerile and stu- finding and in mutual recriminations which are seldom justified and
pid, there is no guarantee that the average very often even lack genuine conviction.
non-Jew will be able to see through it and
Such was the genius of the late leader who was able to get at the
to understand the intentions of the propa- root of problems and to show the way constructively towards hon-
gandists. That is why our self-defense burden oring the heritage of Jewry.
becomes more pressing as time goes on. It
Those who are unable today to evaluate Zionism properly will
is not enough that we are a chief target of find an ever-new guide in his essays on Jews and Zionism.
the racists in our South: we have a serious
And there is genuine dedication to the basic principles of our
enemy in the Arab propagandist. It is vital people in the essays which have been compiled under the heading,
that we should be on guard against both with "Religion and Ethics."
It is impossible to conceive of anyone forgetting the tragedies of
increased vigilance, and that we should be
prepared to show how ridiculous and in- the Nazi era after reading his essays on the holocaust.
The editors of "The Inner Eye" were wise in choosing Marie
human are the charges leveled against us.
Syrkin, Maurice Samuel, Zalman Shazar and Jacob J. Weinstein to
write introductory essays about the late Zionist leader.
To Miss Syrldn he was "The Man of Luminous Intimations?
"Thank God we knew him" is the manner in which Samuel explains
saying: "The Zionists are more afraid of me how he "pervaded our generation," created "reverence for life," was a
sage who "moved us to a liking and respect for humanity."
than the racists."
Israel's President Shazar writes about him: "He knew how to ex-
It doesn't make sense, but the propaganda
that apparently has seeped in from Arab plain, to resolve doubts, to win hearts. The 'practical' people were
quarters has made Zionists a target for haters. amazed at the accomplishments of this man of spirit."
Rabbi Weinstein views him as having been "ahead of his time?
It doesn't make sense, yet prejudice rides
"The Inner Eye" is a great book, it is a tribute to a great sage,
high—often even among the objects of preju-
and
its contents are a veritable treasure for all lovers of Jewish
dice!
literature
and all who seek guidance in facing life and in solving
In the Saturday Evening Post article,
"An Ex-Officer Tells Why the Black Muslims Jewish problems.
In an essay entitled "Lessing Rosenwald and Ibn Saud," Dr. Green-
Are a Fraud," Albert Barnette and Edward
Linn concluded their observations by stating: berg took the Council for Judaism leader to task for having "in-
of
"Perhaps it is the nature of a hate move- formed" untruthfully in a magazine article "that a native brand
Nazism
is
on
the
rampage
among
Jews."
ment that it becomes the very thing it
There are essays on prayer, repentance and death that are worthy
preaches against."
of the classics in theological studies.
This summed up Malcolm X perfectly.
Bias Even Among Victims of Prejudice
What a pity that those who suffer from
prejudice are themselves often biased and
are unable to differentiate between truth and
falsehood, reason and hatred!
A typical example of the way a human
mind often runs off on a tangent is the
statement that was made by the late Mal-
colm X, who once was associated with the
American Black Muslim sect and who became
a "martyr" to his cause, possibly at the hands
of the group from which he defected.
He had been barred from France and
immediately blamed "international Zionism"
for the ban placed on him by the French
authorities. He was quoted in the Paris
1,1!
41,
War al ri Tribune — as
Greenberg's Essays: 'Inner Eye'
Is Veritable Literary Treasure