THE JEWISH NEWS
Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20, 1951
Member American Association of English—Jewfah Newspapers, Michigan Press Association, National
ussociation.
Editorial
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing Co.. 17100 West Seven Mlle Road, Detroit, Mich. 48235
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PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher
CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
Business Manager
SIDNEY SHMARAK
Advertising Manager
CHARLOTTE DUBIN
City Editor
Scriptural Selections for Conducting Days of Sukkot
Sabbath Hol Ha - moed scriptural selections: Pentateuchal portions, Ex. 33:12 - 34:26,
Num. 29:17 - 25. Prophetical portion, Ezekiel 38:18 - 39:16.
Hol Ha-nzoed scriptural selections: Sunday, Num. 29:20-28; Monday, Num. 29:32:31;
Tuesday, Num. 29:26-31.
Hashana Rabba scriptural selections: Wednesday: NUM. 29:26-34.
Shenzini Atzeret scriptural selections, Thursday: Pentateuchal portions, Dent. 14:22-
16:17. NUM. 29:35-30:31. Prophetical portion, I Kings 8:54-66.
Simhat Toro scriptural selections: Pentateuchal portion, Deut. 33:1-34:12, Gen 1:1-
2:3, Num. 29:3.5-30:1. Prophetical portion, Josh. 1:1-18.
Candle lighting, Friday, Oct. 20, 6:24 pm.
VOL. LII, No. 5
Page Four
October 21, 1967
Shocking Obstructions to Israel's Existence
If it should really develop that British
parliamentary leaders will be prevented from
participating in celebrations of the 50th an-
niversary of the Balfour Declaration, we shall
be experiencing another demonstration of
the violation of historic associations of the
British people with world Jewry and the
Zionist ideal which aimed at Israel's re-
birth. The emergency of Israel is a result
of the pledge incorporated in the historic
statement issued on behalf of his government
by Arthur James Balfour. The British foreign
office, its anti-Semitic foreign secretary
Ernest Bevin, who had the encouragement of
Clement Attlee, and a clique of British anti-
Semites sought to undermine the Jewish set-
tlement in Palestine that had established the
foundations for the Jewish State. In spite of
the state's emergence and the reality of Is-
rael. there is an element — and once again
it is imbedded in the Labor Party! — that
seeks obstruction. Thus a group that should
in all its natural asseverations and traditional
policies be a peace-seeker encourages war and
hatred!
We have no doubt that Richard S. Cross-
man, the parliamentarian who is scheduled
to address the Balfour anniversary celebration
in London, will not be controlled by his polit-
ical party there were men before him who
defied perfidy, who rejected some British 'Faith and Destiny of Man'
parliamentarians' desires to destroy the
Jewish State at its very root. There was,
especially, the courageous Josiah Wedgewood
who rebelled against his party—Labor—in
advocating Jewish statehood. Crossman, we
believe, wears Wedgewood's mantle.
If we are now experiencing another era
During his 40 years in the rabbinate, Dr. Joseph H. Lookstein
of obstruction — Dean Acheson on the Amer- primarily preached at the Kehilat Jeshurun synagogue in New York.
ican scene, Clement Attlee shortly before his A leader in orthodoxy, he nevertheless is recognized among the
death expressing sentiments similar to Ache-
liberals. Active in the Joint Distribution Committee,
son's of adhering to a view that Israel's state-
American Jewish Congress and other movements in
hood "was and is a mistake" and now the
addition to the traditional orthodox, he is the equal
of equals in all efforts in behalf of Jewry and in
British Labor Party leaders' antagonism —
defense of Jewish rights and survivalism.
then the call for renewed vigilance must not
His collected sermons published by Bloch under
fall on deaf ears. Even in a position of na-
the
title 'Faith and Destiny of Man," aimed at
tional sovereignty, abuse of Israel's independ-
describing
"traditional Judaism in a new light,"
ence must not be condoned on any front,
emphasizCs the naturalness of traditionalism in 20th
whether it is from a former Secretary of State
Dr. Lookstein century living.
or politicians in Britain.
Plan for Refugees and Expose of Exaggerations
Israel's Foreign Minister Abba Eban re- Heights of Sinai, the Gaza Strip, the Jordan-
vealed during his Detroit visit last week-that ian Jerusalem sector and the Jordan River
an important proposal will be made by his West Bank, Israel's figures of refugees vary
government to the United Nations for the from those of UNRWA. Israel claims there
settlement of the Arab refugee problem. With were 220,000 refugees in the Gaza Strip
the cooperation of the International Red against the UNRWA figure of 317,000; 120,-
Cross, it is Israel's intention to repatriate 000 in the West Bank against UNRWA's
a considerable number of Arabs, to reunify figure of 311,182. While Egypt counted a
families that have been sundered by the war population of 545,000 in the Gaza Strip, in-
and to provide means of solving some of the eluding refguees, Israel's census showed a
inequities of the conflicts dating back to 1948. total of 356,000.
Mr. Eban was quite emphatic in his
To arrive at a proper solution of a basic
declaration that Israel will contribute toi.vards
the solution of the problem, and if there is problem, it is vital that the true facts should
be
known,
that it should be indicated that
a measure of sincerity in the Arab complaints
about the refugees there should be a joint only about 450,000 Arabs left Israel when
effort to end what has been considered the state was established, whereas the total
even at this late date, many of the dis- number of refugees listed by the United
putes. Unfortunately, past experiences Nations to have been concentrated in Jordan,
showed that the Arabs treated the refugees Egypt, Syria and Lebanon is given as 1,-
325,000. Even with a vast growth over the
as "hostages" in the threats to Israel, and
even at this late date, when many of type years it is apparent that this figure is gross-
refugees who had fled from the West to the ly exaggerated.
Refugees' needs must be attended to, they
East Bank of the Jordan River were permit-
ted to return to their homes, 7,000 who were must be resettled so that they should become
to have been resettled failed to make an ap- self-supporting and should be trained for
pearance. It is believed that the failure of honorable pursuits. This cannot be accom-
the latter to make an appearance for re- plished with appeals to hatred. There must
patriation acted on orders from the Jordan- be a human approach and a practical one. If
ian government which still desires to use the returnees represent "agents of hostility," as
refugees as bargaining media against Israel. Mr. Eban described returnees who are being
While, therefore, there is in evidence a trained by Jordan to become political weap-
movement for repatriation, for the settlement ons against Israel, then it is inconceivable
of the refugees and for an end to their plight, that such an element should be permitted to
there are difficulties to be encountered, and get a foothold in Israel — a state still af-
perhaps the most serious of them will arise fected by threats from war-threatening neigh-
when it is revealed that the refugees' num- bors.
bers have been padded, that ration cards of
Once again the UN may be put to the
many thousands of deceased have been used test in the matter involving the refugees. If
as a means of capitalizing on the food and the statesmen representing 121 nations will
other aid provided by the United Nations decide to treat the 122nd member — Israel
Relief and Works Agency. If there is to be — with respect and with a sense of justice,
a solution to the problem of refugees it must
even the most serious of problems can be
be on a basis of honest and honorable ap- solved and there can be a genuine approach
proaches and not by means of padding to peace. The coming weeks may reveal the
figures.
true attitude of the world community which,
It is now indicated that there are 280,000
until now, has expressed only abuse in deal-
fewer refugees under Israel's control than
ing with Israel. Perhaps the time is approach-
are listed by the UNRWA. While a million ing for a restoration of dignity on the inter-
Arabs are listed as residing in the Golan national arena.
Lookstein's Homiletical Essays
Portray Tradition in New Light
Rabbi Lookstein offers a definition of homiletical writing.
"The essayist," he states, "is a writer; the homiletical essayist is a
preacher."
In his initial essay on new light in tradition he declares that
no traditionalist in his right mind would imply even remotely that
all that is new must be rejected. His view is that "there are times
when old ways must be abandoned and new paths must be blazed."
In support of his view he draws upon the views of an eminent
scholar:
"The immortal Chief Rabbi Kook of Palestine, religious
philosopher and mystic, summed up our thought with remarkable
clarity:
"'Let the old be revived;
Let the new be sanctified.'"
Speaking, in another sermon, with the influences of environment,
Dr. Lookstein asserts that "we have become naively psychiatry-
minded. There is a tendency to explain away the criminal and to
whitewash the guilty. The Communist is a neurotic. The war criminal,
with the blood of millions on his hands, had an unhappy childhood.
The lewd and promiscuous woman is the product of parental repres-
sion. The dishonest politician was brought up in poverty. And in all
this diagnosis of smut and sin, we lost our awareness of the factor
of personal responsibility. We dare not come to regard the analyst's
couch as a modern altar of absolution."
Quoting the sages, referring to a comment that when the answer
to distressing questions by God was: "Why do you ask me? Let me
go down and ask Man," Dr. Lookstein states: "Indeed, the answer
does lie with us."
Man's role is viewed traditionally by Dr. Lookstein who, in
one sermon, states that the religious definition is: "Man is master;
let him never be enslaved. Man is the inventor; let him never be
identified with or eclipsed by the machine which is his invention.
Man is mind; let his genius never be shackled. Man is prophet;
let his vision remain ever clear."
tion:
And in another essay on the worth of man he makes this declara-
"It is not the wages that makes or the compensation that he
receives. It is not the fortune that he has or the affluence that he
enjoys. It is what a person is; the life he leads, the ideals he lives
by, the goals he sets, the heights he reaches. The estimate of a man's
worth — his rating as a man — cannot be obtained from a human credit
agency. It comes from a different source. There is a divine standard
of value."
Rabbi Lookstein's themes include elements related to "the prac-
tical uses of faith" and "basic human needs." He describes the art
of self-discovery, analyzes memory, expresses views on serenity and
happiness.
His concluding essay emphasizes that "where there is hope there
is life." Pointing to the "gloomy prophecies" to which Jews are
exposed, admitting that symptoms are alarming, he calls upon historic
experiences to show how Jews survived, continued to practice their
faith, retained hope.
Dr. Lookstein, the dynamic leader who has guided the activities
of Bar-Ilan University for the past few years and has created a
following in this country for the Israeli school of higher learning,
expresses unquenchable faith in this impressive volume of bons/Teti-
cal writings.