THE JEWISH NEWS

Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle commenring 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 %Vest Seven Mile Road, Detroit, Mich. 48235
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PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

Editor and Publisher

SIDNEY SHMARAK
Advertising Manager

CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ

Business Manager

CHARLOTTE DUBIN

City Editor

Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the 14th day of Kislev, 5728, the following scriptural selections will

be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Gen. 32:4-38:43 prophetical portion, Hosea 11:7-12:12.

Candle lighting, Friday, Dee. 15, 4:42 pm.

VOL. LII, No. 13

Page Four

December 15, 1967

Nasser's Reply to UN: Increased Threats

Whatever happens at the United Nations,
in view of the world organization's inability
to tackle major issues, especially the truly
explosive like the Middle East and Vietnam,
becomes insignificant almost on the mor-
row after the adoption of its resolutions.
This is applicable to the Nov. 22 resolution.
But in view of the treatment accorded it by
Nasser it retains importance as a guideline
to judging the role of the Egyptian dictator.
The last Middle East resolution of the
UN Security Council emphasized the ". . .
right to live in peace within secure and recog-
nized boundaries, free from threats or acts
of force . . ." To which Gamal Abdel Nas-
ser replied the very next day: ". . . no recog-
nition—no talks—no peace . . . when the
time comes, we will strike . .. "
And in the interim there has been an
increase in terrorism and sabotage, and the
chances for peace have diminished. That
is why it will be of great interest to study
both the text of the Security Council resolu-
tion and the answer to it by Nasser as an
indication of what may be expected from
peace-negotiating mediators who have to deal
with Nasserism.
The attitude of the Syrians has been even
worse. Their actions echo their threats. The
terrorist acts of recent weeks add to the
menacing situation, the threats from Arab
summit meetings are indications that the de-
feated Arab states are not considering peace
and while Israel remains under attack—in
Cairo, at the UN, in Paris—the Israelis'
avowed enemies are plotting war, they re-
fuse to discuss peace terms, they are deter-
mined to make the war a permanent condi-
tion in the Middle East.
Had it not been for the Soviet Union,
if not for the rearming of the Arab states
by the USSR, there surely would have been
an end to warfare by this time. But instead
of encouraging amity, the Kremlin adheres
to a policy of inciting to further belligerence,
and the future is not an optimistic one by
any means.
While the dangers are multiplying, hopes
for succor from the UN are at their lowest
ebb. Confidence in the world organization
is declining while tensions are increasing.
And while these conditions persist, there
is the frightful condition of a lack of under-
standing of the developing situation not only
in non-Jewish ranks but also in some Jewish
quarters. Instead of being squelched by
the threats to Israel's very existence from
so many hate-mongering quarters, there has
been a resurgence of anti-Israel Judaism
Council activities.
These are challenges to the Jewish com-
munities of the world. It is not Israel alone
that is endangered by Nasser's renewal of
hate-mouthing. From Cairo, aided by Mos-
cow, there is a developing campaign of anti-
Jewish propaganda (one hesitates to call it
what it is—anti-Semitism—because immedi-
ately there is the come-back that Arabs, too,
are Semites); there is a revival of the vilest
libels that have been concocted against Jewry,
and once again there is need to be on guard
against the recurrence of hatred.
Would that the Arabs had taken into con-
sideration the cousin-relationship which make
us all Semites! But hatred stands in the
way. Refusal to acknowledge realities are
adding fuel to the fires that are raging in
the Middle East. There is no end to antag-
onism to Israel which has drawn all Jews
into the objects for hate.
All of which creates a condition so threat-
ening that if Jews everywhere will not be on
guard, if Jewish communities will fail to
mobilize in Israel's defense, the menace will
be aimed not at Medinat Israel (the State
of Israel) but at Am Israel (the People Israel).

The UN resolution and the defiant address
by Nasser are as follows:

TEXT OF SECURITY
COUNCIL
RESOLUTION
(22 November 1967)

"The Security Coun-
cil, expressing its con-
tinuing concern with
the grave situation in
the Middle East, empha-
sizing the inadmissibility
of the acquisition of ter-
ritory by war and the
need to work for a just
and lasting peace in
which every State in the
area can live in security,
emphasizing further
that all member States
in their acceptance of
the Charter of the
United Nations have un-
dertaken a commitment
to act in accordance
with article 2 of the
Charter (see previous
page);

"1. AFFIRMS that the
fulfillment of Charter
principles requires the
establishment of a just
and lasting peace in the
Middle East which
should include the appli-
cation of both the follow-
ing principles: (I) With-
drawal of Israeli armed
forces from territories
occupied in the recent
conflict' (II) Termina-
tion of all claims or
states of belligerency
and respect for and ac-
knowledgement of the
sovereignty, territorial
integrity and political
independence of every
State in the area and
their right to live in
peace within secure and
recognized boundaries
free from threats or acts
of force;

"2. AFFIRMS further
the necessity (a) for
guaranteeing freedom of
navigation through inter-
national waterways in
the area, (b) for achiev-
ing a just settlement of
the refugee problem, (c)
for guaranteeing the ter-
ritorial inviolability and
political independence of
every State in the area,
through measures in-
cluding the establish-
ment of demilitarized
zones.

"3. REQUESTS the
Secretary - General to
designate a special rep-
resentative to proceed
to the Middle East to
establish and maintain
contacts with the States
concerned in order to
promote agreement and
assist efforts to achieve
a peaceful and accepted
settlement in accordance
with the provisions and
principles in this reso-
lution;

"4. REQUESTS the
Secretary-General to re-
port to the Security
Council on the progress
for the efforts of the
Special Representative
as soon as possible."

EXCERPTS FROM
NASSER'S ADDRESS
(23 November 1967)
"We will not recog-
nize Israel. We will not
make peace with it, or
negotiate with it. We
will not permit Israeli
navigation in the Suez
Canal. And we will not
forego the rights of the
people of Palestine. Is-
rael's withdrawal from
all the occupied areas is
not a matter for negoti-
ation. Our aim: the lib-
eration of the country
Ethical wills have become a tradition in Jewish life, and many of
and the restoration of the significant declarations by other Jewish personalities through the
ages have been expressed in such last testaments. It was not necessary
rights . . .
for the great scholars in previous generations to have material poses-
"Our Army has again sions. Many of them had ideas to pass on to their children, and their
amassed a force of war last testaments were ethical wills.
strength and is capable
There have been important expressions in the wills of many
of effective action. Its American Jews, and the collection of the "Wills of Early New York
capacity today exceeds Jews (1704-1799)' which have been collected by the American Jewish
what it was before the Historical Society and have been published in a volume by that name
war. Our fate will be are very valuable for a study of American Jewish history.
decided by the • force
They were collected and edited, and are incorporated with
that we will train. We
facsimiles in this volume, by Prof. Leo Hershkowitz of Queens
will step up our military
College of the City University of New York. There is a foreword by
activity under condi-
Dr. Isidore S. Mayer, editor of the American Jewish Historical
tions and in circum-
Society, and the views of both have great merit in appreciating the
stances convenient to us.
contents of this impressive work.
What has been taken by
Dr. Mayer states that it is "a desideratum,' that "it is a challenge
force can be restored to historians devoted to early American Jewish historiography," that
only by force; the polit- the 41 wills of 18th Century Jews should have been located, preserved
ical fight is merely a and registered. He declares that "if such endeavors of ingathering and
rung on the ladder of scholarly investigation were undertaken in such early budding Jewish
force. When the time communities in Baltimore, Charleston, Newport, Philadelphia, Rich-
comes, we will strike to mond and Savannah, during their formative years, our knowledge
cleanse our land which would be greatly enriched."
is now occupied by the
There is a dearth of such material, and Dr. Hershkowitz indicates
enemy. We can afford in his introduction how "rewarding and invaluable for the study of
no more defeats. Time American Jewish history" is the material he has found available in the
is on our side ... The New York registers.
sinking of the enemy's
The documents he has collected are, as he indicates, "highly per-
large, modern destroyer sonal" representing "a kind of sum total of private existence," but ho
proved that the enemy is expresses the hope that since they have become "a part of history ...
not undefeatable. We those involved would approve" their use in the present form.
have proved that we are
Of the 41 wills, four are by women, 11 make no mention of
capable of fighting . . .
spouse or children, 16 left bequests to rel
igions organizations—the
Our economy continues
largest, 50 pounds, by Joshua Isaacs, the smallest, five pounds, by
on a war footing .
Moses Gomez.
Dr. Hershkowitz indicates: "Few make mention or use phrases
"We will not permit such as the 'God of Israel' or similar language or use the Jewish
Israel passage through calendar in dating. For whatever reason, the names of many 18th
the Suez Canal—no mat- Century New York Jews tend to disappear with the influx of newer
immigrants. Gone to a great extent are such names of Jews as
ter what the price ...
Fonseca, Nunez, De Lucena and others. Perhaps this underlines the
"The British resolu- transiency of the community. Few of the wills mention real property
tion will not suffice, ex- and fewer define that property. Colonial Jewry did not seem to
cept together with the speculate in real estate. Few, if any, joined in the vast 18th Century
interpretation given it land schemes which attracted so many of the great of New York
society, maybe because of a socio-economic barrier which Jews could
by India, France and the not surmount. Jews, however, like other New Yorkers owned other
Soviet Union. A decision kinds of property, like slaves. Nine of the 41 testators were slave
of the Security Council owners; three, Manuel Myers, Benjamin Gomes and Moses Michal,
is useless; there are manumitted their slaves."
Thus, Uriah Hyam left "my Negro boy named Cavandro" to his
many decisions that have
youngest son Andrew Israel.
not been implemented
Many of the annotations by Prof. Hershkowitz are of great
... A decision does not
importance as explanatory factors in this book. For instance, the
signify a solution. The
will of Abraham Mendes Seixas (1756) commences with "To All
decisive question is:
the Singular the Faithful in Christ" and is addressed to the
Will Israel withdraw
"Archbishop of Canterbury primate of all England," and the
from all the territories?
editor of this volume explains: "The probating of wills in the
If we fail to achieve a
London, England, area, was the prerogative of the Archbishop of
political solution, the
Canterbury and therefore the language and format of wills by Jews
world will understand
had to conform to established procedures of the Prerogative Court
and will support military
of Canterbury.
action . .. Present cir-
One appendix to this volume reproduces a Surrogate's 1789 Order;
cumstances and the Se- another contains an alphabetical index of the wills with the dates of
curity Council decision probate; and an extensive bibliography will astonish the reader as an
necessitate the conven- indication of the extent of Prof. Hershkowitz' research.
ing of another summit
Also, his excellent index to this volume is of unusual merit, again
conference. Unified Ar- indicating the thoroughness of the editor's work.
ab action is a vital and
"Wills of Early New York Jews" is a truly exciting volume,
pressing need. The task: significant as history, thrilling as a revelation of the type of testament
elimination of the re- that was written 200 years ago. The American Jewish Historical
sults of the aggression." Society has enriched the Jewish history bookshelf with this volume.

L

U.S. Jewish History Enriched
With 'Wills of Early N.Y. Jews