incorporating

THE JEWISH NEWS

The

Detroit

Chronicle commencing

with issue of July 20, 1951

Memo!: ionert,ax. Aawstation J Chg.,,,.S.—Jettisla Newspapers, Yining-an Pres Association, National Editorial
Ameetation.
The 1e-sigh Sews Publishing Co , :71101 West "%Nen Mile Road, Detroit, Mich. 54235,
Published .-.erg
WE SAW, %Doer:Zion $7 a :r ear. P--reign
Seneca Clam Postage Paid at Delimit. Sticingan

PHILIP .SLOMOVITZ

Editor and Publiskier

This

SIDNEY SHMARAK

CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ

Advertising Manager

Eeriness Manager

Sabbath Scriptural Selections
Sabhcah. the second day of Adar, 5728, the following

will he read in our ...-ynagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Exodus 25:1-27:19. Prophetical

CHARLOTTE DURIN

City Editor

scriptural

portion,

selections

I Kings 5-26-6:13.

Candle Heating, Friday, Mart* 1, Sea p.m.

VOL. LEL No. 24

Page Four

Marc* 1, 1961

Middle East: 'Small War' and Big Dangers

Israel's difficulties had grown in im-
mensity and the - small war" two weeks ago
which compelled the Jordanian king to pledge
a halt to infiltration of El Fatah terrorists
from his territory into Israel-held areas in-
terrupted the menacing threats for a brief
period. It is apparent that until there is a
realization that Israel must defend herself
and her people and that renewed threats
to Israel's existence will not be tolerated
there may be no end to skirmishes — many
of which may develop into vast military
operations.
The major Israeli retaliation took place
on Feb. 15. If Israel's antagonists had given
proper attention to the statement that was
made by Israel's Minister of Defense Moshe
Dayan on Feb. 14. only a day prior to the
major action. the damage to Arab areas
could have been averted. Serious destruc-
tion already had been visited upon Israeli
settlements at that time. and counter-action
apparently became a necessity. Nevertheless.
had the Dayan warnings and explanatory
notes been heeded there would have been a
smaller loss of lives and fewer damages.
In his Feb. 14 statement, Gen. Dayan
called attention to the tragic facts that -"in
the months that have passed since the end
the Six-Day War we (Israeli suffered 74
casualties, 68 of them soldiers and the others
civilians; 59 of them wounded and 15 killed.
As for Jordanian losses, it is estimated
that, among civilians and members of ter-
rorist and sabotage gangs, over 200 have
been killed and over 700 wounded. In the
same period of time, along the Jordan
River front, there were 41 incidents of fir-
ing, both light arms and artillery, 13 cases
of sabotage, nine attempts at sabotage, which
means abortive mine-laying, 12 cases of
mining and 12 abortive attempts to mine.
These are calamitous facts; they result
from activities that were inexcusable in view
of the existence of cease-fire agreements
which should have preceded serious efforts
to negotiate peace. The background was out-
lined and the Arab rulers stand indicted in
Gen. Dayan's statement:
"Besides tension provoked by the
mounting toll of incidents on the Jordan
border, we must look correctly at the
situation in Jordan itself: from the polit-
ical-security standpoint, it might perhaps
be said to he shaky. For, over and above
the Jordan government's policy, Jordan
sees itself — and has been acting up to
now — as bound closely with the Egyptian
military-political apparatus. At the same
time, sizeable Iraqi forces are stationed
in Jordan. All that has produced from the
start an extremely unbalanced situation
there in the military sphere.
"Jordan Is the principal base for acts
of terrorism and sabotage against Israel.
And not only for Palestinians there, or for
Fatah gangs, but for the Palestinian Bat-
talion in the Iraqi army, and the Fedayun
units recruited, are trained and paid by
the Egyptian army, recently concentrated
In Port Said.
"Thus, Jordan is the 'patron', and takes
under its protection other terrorist units
which belong to the armies of Iraq, Syria
and Egypt, and, from the physical and
political aspects, it puts its bases at their
disposal for their activities .. .
"Jordan speaks about us, and at us, as
if we started a war, as if we were the
aggressor, and often behaves along the
border as if we lost the war. This am-
bivalent attitude — behaving towards us
as if we were the aggressor and activating,
or permitting, activation, .of, all these units

— I can hardly term anything else but
absurd.
"From the practical standpoint, it would
perhaps be best if I began my factual re-
view from the start of the war. Let me
quote the message which the Foreign
Ministry sent to the Jordan government
on June 5 by General Bull, who confirmed
that he had sent it on:
"We are engaged in defensive fighting
on the Egyptian sector and we shall not
engage ourselves in any action against
Jordan unless Jordan attacks us. Should
Jordan attack Israel, we shall act against
her with all our might ..."
Classic Reprinted
The intransigence of Arab leaders who
are encouraging guerrilla activities is es-

pecially deplorable because of the efforts
that are being made in Israel to strengthen
civilian neighborliness and to facilitate the
best possible relations between Israelis and
Arabs. Gen. Dayan pointed out in his declara-
tion of Feb. 15:

"Civilian activity, as distinct from
Jordanian military sabotage, has increased
and is increasing since the end of the
war, all along the cease-fire line. From
the economic and social-humanitarian
standpoints, there were many positive rea-
sons for maintaining that activity. As for
the economic aspect, exports of farm
produce, and especially olive oil and citrus,
from the West Bank during the period in
question was equal to the corresponding
period of the year before the war. This
means that, in spite of the war and the
departure of hundreds of thousands of in-
dividuals and the basic upset in the mar-
ket sources of raw materials, we have
succeeded in organizing marketing.
"We grant permission to residents of
the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to go
and work, if they wish, in countries beyond
the Jordan border, and permit them to
return. This process has already begun.
Arabs who previously worked in Kuwait,
Jordan and Saudi Arabia have left for those
countries: the number who departed
amounts to several hundred.
"We also grant permission for visits
by relatives. The war led to economic,
social and family disturbances, and our
government consequently decided to per-
mit Arabs of the West Bank and the Gaza
Strip to make visits to the East Bank and
return, already more than 20,000 per-
sons have availed themselves of this in-
dulgence."
In view of such earnest efforts to en-
courage peaceful relations, the latest develop-
ments are disheartening and deplorable.
There might have been better opportunities

for peace if not for the combined efforts of
those who encourage the El Fatah to retain
an objective of destroying Israel. It stands
to reason that Israelis will not tolerate such

an attitude, and the international community
has made it quite plain that Israel's ex-
istence must be acknowledged and assured.
Now we seem to be moving quite a dis-
tance farther away from peace. American
encouragement to Jordan, by providing
Hussein's weak government with arms which
can only be used against Israel, certainly is
not a contribution to peace efforts. If the
Russian threat in the Middle East is to be
averted it can not be by arming an American
"ally" (sic!) who speaks through both sides
of the mouth — by claiming preference
for American friendship while giving com-
fort to Egypt's chief supporter — the USSR.

. • l •
Kaplan's 'Judaism, a Cm ization'
Retains Strength as Paperback

A recognized classic work dealing with the major Jewish religious
Recognized since its initial appearance in 1934, as one of the great
works evaluating Jewry's role in the world, "Judaism as a Civiliza-
tion: Toward a Reconstruction of American-Jewish Life," by Dr. Mor-
decai M. Kaplan, is now available as a large paperback, containing
the entire text of the original work, with a
new 1967 preface together with the prefatorial
introductions of 1933 and that of a 1957 edition.
Prof. Kaplan makes it clear in his new
preface that characterizing his work as "a
classic," though it is a compliment, is likely
to shelve it for dust-gathering if the author
is judged as being ahead of his time and there-
fore won't be taken seriously. He re-defines
his position, seeing Judaism as a totality, deaL-
ing with all its aspects. As the founder of the
Reconstructionist movement, which in a sense
emerged simultaneously with the publication of
"Judaism as a Civilization," this concluding
paragraph of his new preface is meritorious
as an analysis of existing conditions and as
Dr. Kaplan
self-analysis:
"The worst aspect of the present situation is the alienation
from Jewish life and religion of American intellectuals of Jewish
parentage—of scientists, writers and academicians—and the bob-
tomless ignorance of Judaism on the part of some of the leading
laity. Due to the worsening of the situation, the opening chapter
of this book is somewhat dated. However, the main body of the
book, dealing as it does with the normative aspects of Judaism,
is still timely, for the simple reason that while the proposed pro-
gram has been approved by a considerable number of men and
women of light and leading, it has not yet been translated into
action."
Even "the dated" portion of the book has much relevance to
historical data, and while the entire volume dates back to the pre-
Hitler era, the study of Jewish thinking, of the attitudes of the youth,
of the destructive indifference to Jewish needs in many Jewish ranks
—all have great bearing on our time as well.
It is the resume of Jewish organizational life, of the religion!
standards, of the place of religion in Jewish life, as outlined by Dr.
Kaplan, that retains great significance for his book which many
insist on calling a classic in spite of the author's humble rejection
of the term.
Dr. Kaplan's work has additional merit for its explanatory
essays on the Tora, Jewish folkways, ethical teachings, educational
endeavors in this country and other aspects of his approach to
the idea that Judaism is a civilization. It is, incidentally, the work
also of a dedicated Zionist for whom the Zionist idea Is it
separable from Jewish life, from Jewish hopes and traditions.
Even now, 35 years after Prof. Kaplan had written his book that
has served as a stimulant for religious and community—needs discus•
sions, his chapter on education is meritorious, deserving of consider&
tion in planning cultural work for American Jesis.
Rabbi Kaplan pleaded and continues to plead in his reprinted
work for the stimulation of esthetic creativity, agaerting that "chil-
dren are entitled to esthetic experience in their own right," that In
planning their education "their spontaneous feelings should be focused
about Jewish values and directed into' the channels of expression
through song and music." His advice is for extension of activities,
embracing the beautification of ceremonies for festivals and other
occasions.

Then therp Is in conclusion, the program for "creative Juda-
ism," in which he pleads for "an 'end to misconceptions and min-

understandings," asserting that "as - a civilization, Judaism)

Is

that dynamic pattern of life which ,enables the Jewish people be

be a means of salvation to the individual Jew."
Our State Department and the White House
"Judaism as a Civilization" thim remains as valuable—as a gala"
should look well into the situation before for those searching for religious inspiration—as it was when it first
aggravating a world crisis with arms for appeared, with Dr. Kaplan still the major pedagogue of the Reece-
structionist movement, • • • • • • • • • • •
enemies• of derno‘rAcy..
. .
. -. •