Virgin Islands, West Indies
Jewish Communities Growing
New trend southward evidenced in revised figures
about Jewries in San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Maarten.
Oldest communities in Western Hemisphere show
new signs of life.
Prof. Lifson's
History of
Yiddish
'TR czA - r-
A Weekly Review
Review on
Page 4
Genocide
Convention
Must Be
Ratified
NE
Interesting
Theater
Commentary
Page 2
NA
Changing
Neighborhood
Dilemma
1—f I
f Jewish Events
I .
Michigan's Only English-Jewish Newspaper — Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle
VOLUME XLVI I I—NO. 14
Printed in a
100% Union Shop
17100 W. 7 Mile Rd., Detroit 48235—VE 8-9364—Nov. 26, 1965
Editorials
Page 4
$6.00 Per Year; This Issue 20c
Communist Romania Appoints
Full. Ranking Minister to Israel
New Refugee Decision Forces
Unrealistic Program Upon UN
Direct JTA Teletype Wire to The Jewish News
TEL AVIV — The Communist government of Romania notified Israeli officials
Tuesday, in a further demonstration of its friendlier attitude, of appointment of a full-
ranking minister in Israel. The Romanian legation here has been headed only by a charge
d'affaires.
The Bucharest government also has displayed a more independent attitude on Israel
than other East European capitals in other ways. One recent example was shown in the
United Nations, where the Romanian delegate abstained from an anti-Israel resolution
which was supported by other members of the Communist bloc.
(Communist Russia was second to the United States in establishing diplomatic
relations with Israel. Poland also exchanges envoys).
By SAUL CARSON
JTA Correspondent at the United Nations
(Copyright, 1965, JTA, Inc.)
UNITED NATIONS, N.Y. — After • debates on the Arab refugee
question lasting more than a month, taking up a total of 26 sessions,
the General Assembly's Special Political Committee has proven one
point regarding that issue. The committee showed conclusively that
the only real solution to that problem is the one proposed a dozen
times by Israel, consistently rejected by the Arabs, and never sup-
ported by the United States.
The solution is really very simple: direct negotiations on the
refugee issue between the Arab "host" countries and Israel. The "host"
countries are those that have jurisdiction over the areas where the
refugees are given care by the United Nations Relief and Works
Agency for Palestine Refugees — Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and the
Gaza Strip, which is under Egyptian rule. But the last thing the
"host" countries desire is negotiations with Israel. Not only because
such talks would recognize the existence of Israel. But also because
the "hosts" want to perpetuate the refugee problem. And the United
States, which pays 70 per cent of UNRWA's costs, amounting over
the last 15 years to upward of a half-billion dollars, simply lacks the
visceral stamina to face up to a situation that is so costly because it
fears to hurt the feelings of Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.
So instead of backing Israel on its call for direct negotiations, the
U.S.A. had introduced a resolution that pleased no one. For the sake
of harmony, Israel withdrew an amendment to that draft which
would have incorporated its call for negotiations. But peace, even
inside the committee, was rejected by the Arabs. They had some
of their Moslem friends introduce a series of amendments of their
own, and refused to withdraw those "improvements."
The Arabs lined up enough votes to pass the amendments in
the committee by a simple majority. So onerous were the amend-
ments that, in the end, the U.S.A. voted against its own resolution—
and was hit smack between the eyes by another majority vote for
the adoption of the very draft which the Washington delegation had
first sponsored, then rejected. If this sounds complicated—it is.
What were those "improvements" to which both Israel and the
United States objected so vigorously, and unsuccessfully? Their
main aim was to give the "host" countries the decisive voice in
determining eligibility for UNRWA relief. As adopted by the com-
mittee, the amended resolution called for UNRWA to determine relief
. - eligibility in accordance with a nine-point formula proposed by the
"host' countries to Laurence Michelmore, the commissioner-general
_ of UNRWA. Michelmore had accepted that formula and now, under
the pro-Arab amendment, those nine points would be binding upon
him as the "will of the General Assembly.
The most vital change needed in UNRWA's procedures is recti-
fication of its rolls, which are admittedly overloaded with perhaps
as many as 500,000 fraudulent claimants for relief. Michelmore has
tried to remove those chiselers. Instead, the "host" countries have
choked down his throat an agreement whereby they—not he—will
decide as to a person's eligibility for UNRWA relief. That's the nub
of the entire issue. Since the "hosts" are interested in loading the
relief rolls, rather than in decreasing them, the result of such a
change is obvious. Egypt, or Jordan, or Syria, or Lebanon would
decide who is to get relief. All that will be left to Michelmore is
to put those claimants on the relief rolls.
Those "new" claimants will include refugees who enlist in the
Palestine Liberation Organization for war against Israel. They are
certain to include the third generation of so-called refugees—the
children of the children of the original refugees who did leave Israel
in 1948. They will include the many thousands of dead—probably
between 50,000 and 100,000—whose ration cards are still held by
people alive who value the cards as bread-and-butter currency. And
of course they will include the many out-and-out chiselers whom
Michelmore himself considers as plain and simple frauds.
The most nagging question to many here, Americans, Israelis
and many others, is: when will the U.S.A. show enough courage to
tackle the Arab refugee issue decisively—by endorsing Israel's call
for direct negotiations? That question remained unanswered at the
United Nations because the decision on such a change in U.S. attitude
is not in the province of the U.S. delegation here. Such a decision
must be made by the administration in Washington, by the State
Department, by Congress. So far, despite official Washington's un-
happiness over the mounting costs of UNRWA, now in danger of
being increased by the will of the "host" countries, official Wash-
ington stays silent on the central issue. Washington refused to back
Israel's call for direct negotiations—although now, once again, that
step has been proven as the only real solution to the Arab refugee
problem.
Two Changes Foreseen in New Israel Cabinet
JERUSALEM (JTA) — David Ben-Gurion, former Prime Minister and, at 79, the oldest mem-
ber of the Knesset (Parliament), presided over the first session of the sixth Knesset which opened
here Monday, after an inaugural ceremony by President Zalman Shazar.
In an address which bypassed all controversial subjects, Ben-Gurion referred to one issue of
general interest by declaring that the Zionist movement's vitality "has declined and has almost lost
its identity." Then, as presiding officer pro tern, he gave the oath of office to all members of the
new Knesset, and called for the election of a Speaker.
Kaddish Luz, Speaker in the last Knesset, was nominated by all the parties in the House except
Rafi, the Israel Workers List formed by Ben-Gurion as dissidents from the Mapai Party, the Com-
munists and Haolam Hazeh. Luz was re-elected for another full term as speaker. Members of the Rafi
faction in the Knesset explained that they had abstained in the voting on the speakership because of
the stand Luz had taken against Ben-Gurion and on the latter's insistence on the reopening of the
old I.avon Affair.
The Knesset also elected eight Deputy Speakers, whose names were previously agreed upon by
all of the principal parties represented in the 120-member House.
The ceremonial inauguration of the session was preceded by President Shazar's entry into the
House, after being greeted by a fanfare and by
a guard of honor outside the building.
Prime Minister Eshkol announced that the
entire Cabinet had presented its collective resig-
nation to President Shazar at a separate ceremony
Announcement was made this week by
in the home of the President. The resignation
the Jewish Welfare Federation that Sol
is a mere formality, since the Cabinet will re-
Eisenberg, Irwin Green and Abraham
main as a caretaker government until a new
Borman again will head the Allied Jewish
government is formed and presented to the
Campaign. The three successful chairmen
Knesset for its approval.
of the 1965 drive were given the commun-
Attending the opening session were members
ity's expression of confidence by being re-
of all previous parliaments; executives of the
named to head the drive in 1966.
Jewish Agency; Dr. Vera Weizmann and Mrs.
Detailed story on Page 5
(Continued on Page 32)
Eisenberg, Green Borman
to Head Campaign in '66
,
.
Trent Assassination Due to Judiciary Error • •
Cleric s Sharp Knife Deletes little Simon
By JULIO DRESNER
Jewish Telegraphic Agency Correspondent in Rome
(Copyright, 1965, JTA, Inc.)
ROME—The town of Trent, in Northern Italy, once a stronghold of various German empires,
a jewel indeed of Gothic and of baroque art, has had for Jews the bitter taste of slander, torture and
death.
After five centuries, one of the most diabolically plotted accusations of ritual murder was
recently revoked by a letter from the Archbishop of Trent to the faithful. The worship of the alleged
victim, "Blessed Little Simon of Trent," was stopped, the chapel dedicated to him was closed. The
letter took care to specify that there has never been a canonization of the "martyr," nor beatification
by the Vatican. After many hesitations, only the prayers and mass had been authorized and considered
as a "local belief."
There, in Trent, I spoke with the man who, on the side of the Church, had contributed most to
put the word "end" to one of the saddest chapters of Jewish history. True, Msgr. Rogger, professor of
ecclesiastic history at the theological seminary in Trent, and associate professor at Padua University,
does not claim great merits for himself. His involvement was rather incidental, he says. About 20
years ago he had been entrusted to write about Little Simon in the Catholic Encyclopedia. He
concluded his note with the cautious remark that, in spite of the "findings" of the Trent trials against
the Jews, it cannot be said that their guilt had ever been proved.
It was this note of his that caused in 1961 the visit to him of Miss Emma Volli, of Trieste, a
one•woman fighter, so to say, though she had always been valiantly supported by Raphael Cantoni,
a top figure of Italian Jewry. Miss Volli had made the case of the Trent Jews a major task in her
life. Msgr. Rogger admits frankly that discussion with her and her articles revealed to him the Jewish
position in that question for the first time. For him, as well as the population of Trent, the
worship of Little Simon, the cruel paintings and sculptures, the processions, the booklets issued on
those occasions, had no anti-Semitic character. He agreed, however, that Little Simon was "not in
order," and that something should be done. Unfortunately,there was practically an interregnum at the
Trent archdiocese from 1960 to May 1963, when the present Archbishop Alexander Gottardi arrived..
Msgr. Rogger said he hastened to inform the latter of his doubts and to suggest reserve and
detachment against that worship.
It needed his attendance, as the only clerical member, at a stormy meeting of the Society
of Studies of Trent to persuade him that action was overripe. The discussion, there and then, took a
(Continued on Page 32)