Eichmann Aides
Hist oric Day • in Jerusalem-I-Hopes Tried
in Frankfurt
for Peace, O 14s-true-tell by Difficulties'
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
JERUSALEM — June 5 — It was an
historic day for Israel and world Jewry, and
it was an. occasion of great significance for
a visitor privileged to see a people bent on
peace in action against the mounting threats
to their very life, a people reconstructing
its life with dignity — and with courage.
The first anniversary of the war for
survival was not observed here with jubila-
tion. There were no demonstrations by Jews,
and there was no evidence of rejoicing.
On the contrary, there were notes of sad-
ness. The memory of those who perished
in the task of assuring _security for Israel
created notes of sadness.
The Six-Day War occurred before Shavuot
on the Hebrew calendar, and in 1967 there
were the first observances of the Feast of
Weeks at the Western Wall. This year
Shavuot on the Hebrew calendar occurred
prior to June 5 and commemorations al-
ready had taken place. But on Shavuot in
all synagogues the names of the dead were
Dead as part of the El Malei Rahamim
prayers, and many memories were revived
in other prayers — in tribUtes to the Six
Million. in honors to founders of the move-
ment of Liberation for Jewry: Zionism. The
combined spirit is one of solemnity.
But in East Jerusalem Arabs demon-
strated, and in Arab capitals there were
renewed threats to annihilate Israel. It is
here,_ on the day of an historic anniversary
and only a few hours after the Arabs had
demonstrated that we witnessed another
type of calmness: stores were closed, but
children were returning from their schools;
buses were running but police were in evi-
dence. There was some stone throwing —
rocks were accumulated as ammunition.
But contrary to the typical Arab propa-
ganda claims in their radio broadcasts that
the entire Arab world had organized in a
strike against Israel, it was only in Nablus
(Shehem) that schools had been closed
for several days, and only in East Jeru-
salem was there a threat of violence.
The peace is being kept by Israel. But
the war still is being threatened by Nasser
and Hussein — and the latter's blessings to
the Iraqis and Saudi Arabians for being
near him on the anniversary that turned
out so sadly for him revives the puzzle
whether the king of Jordan who really is
without much power and influence can
remain for very long the claimant that
he is a moderate while he serves as a
Nasser tool in his own palace.
* * *
Meanwhile, life goes on here and Israel
keeps creating, building, setting up new
schools. establishing universities — teach-
ing its people the urgency of self-defense
and the importance of creating a strong
internal economic structure that should be
able to withstand all obstacle's.
That is why the one notable outcry is
for aliya — for more immigrants and for
an increased population. There is no other
need as vital.
That is why at the 27th World Zionist
Congress opening Sunday the chief item
on the agenda will be ALIYA !
There is much talk about a return to
classical Zionism — yet not many under-
stand what this may mean. The fact re-
mains that the great need is for new
settlers and for retention of the strongest
instruments in defense of Israel's status.
There is a feeling that new threats are
developing at the United Nations, in the
State Department, certainly in the British
Foreign Office which has always been
menacing to Zionism, and now behind the
iron Curtain. Therefore out of the WZCon-
gress must come new strength for the de-
fensive factors in Jewish life.
In all probability, Dr. Nahum Gold-
mann will remain president of the World
Zionist Organization, in spite of his pro-
testations that he is not a candidate for
re-election. But there also is the possibility
that there will be a nominal president (Dr.
Emanuel Neumann?) and a more active
chairman of the World Zionist Executive
— or, as on a previous occasion, a Tri-
umvirate serving as the directing heads of
the movement.
*
*
*
The creative Israeli accomplishments
must. he noted with pride. This people that
soon will number 3,000,000 is becoming
increasingly university-conscious. The role
of the Hebrew University is well known.
Among the chief accomplishments in the
schools for higher learning are the ad-
vances of Bar-Han University, which has
grown from a handful a decade ago to
nearly 4,000 students now.
.
Then there is the mushrooming of Tel
Aviv University which has gained widest
respect and recognition. The place attained
by Technion — in Haifa — which has be-
come known as the MIT of Israel — is one
of highest respect and admiration. Then
there is the new Haifa University; and and a
ride up the Carmel on the site of the new
school gives an idea of new growth — of
the creation of a university where it is so
vitally needed for a growing population in
the north of Israel. And in the south, too,
in. Beersheba, a university is beginning to
blossom.
Adding to these the many research
projects, the work of the Weizmann Insti-
tute, we have a cultural attainment of im-
measurable significance.
*
*
*
These are only a few of the noteworthy
things about Israel and the Israelis. Would
that many more American and other West-
ern Jews could see how life is cherished
and ennobled here — as, for example, in
Gush Etzion, outside of Hebron. It was a
day for blessings — on June 5 — also to
be here!
Gush Etzion has become a symbol of
Israel's determination to survive, to re-
construct, to rebuild, not to forget the past
for the sake of the present and the future.
Near Hebron there were four settlements
in 1948 — Kfar Etzion, Massuat Yitzhak,
Revavim and Ein Zurim. On March 27 and
28 there was that tragic slaughter — the
Arabs attacked, the British failed to come
to the aid of the handful of people who
were the targets of the Arab Legion (led
by Glubb Pasha), and 141 were slaughtered.
Palmach and Hagana groups came to
the aid of the settlers, but the area is wide-
spread and the defenders were few. It was
hopeless!
Now the children of the victims and
other volunteers have returned, and Gush
Etzion has come to -life! Hanan Porath, a
mere youngster, is secretary of the group.
You must pry information out of him —
there is such modesty about . a great oper-
ation! He started with a handful that has
grown to 60 volunteers. They already had
a wedding there, and on the day of our
visit — the historic June 5 — there was
the first Brit Mila. Now there are -two
children there.
Among the settlers are two volunteers
from the United States and a few from
other lands. It is a religious settlement, and
while they see an occasional movie their
leisure itme — when there is such time —
is spent in study of the Talmud, in review-
ing Jewish history, in acquiring JeWish"
knowledge.
The government, the UJA, and espe-
cially the Jewish National Fund assist in
the development of Gush Etzion, as they
do in other, similar projects, The JNF is
road building and has provided these
settlers with means of developing a part
of the Adullam area as means of acquir-
ing sustenance. The settlers are in the
very early 20s — few are more than 23 to
25.
We were fortunate, on the historic
June 5, to be here with one of Israel's best
informed guides — Mordehai Shoshani —
who is among the best informed men in
Israel about the Keren Kayemet (JNF).
Mordehai, who had been with us on most
of our dozen visits here, was one of the
Palmakh group who came to defend the
Kfar Etzion settlers in 1948. He escaped
with his life, was captured, was one of the
700 who were kept prisoners in Amman,
Jordan, in 1948, for 11 months.
Mordehai's parents came f rom Iran.
What is today a few hours' air journey
to Israel took them — their group and their
rabbi — two years to walk from Persia to
Eretz Israel. Now Shoshani, father of
three, is able to tell a tale that could form
a story of heroism, or great courage and
devotion — but you have to pry it out of
him!
The story of the Guide—we capitalize
the word because of their knowledge and
attainments—will one day form a romantic
chapter in .Israel's history. The guides are
men who know every inch of Israel's
ground, and when they become well versed
in certain movements, as Mordehai Sho-
shani did in JNF, they are the experts.
Take, as an instance, Sigi Neuhaus. As
a youngster he barely escaped death when
he transferred from one boat to another
on his way to the then Palestine from
Romania. The first boat was sunk by the
Germans with all the passengers. Now,
since 1942. he tells a tale of service with
the British in many areas, having visited
all the Arab capitals — and of service in
Israel's defense.
Most impressive is the record esablished
by Joseph Natani. He knows the work of
the Joint Distribution Committee — and
especially of Malben — as few others do
in Israel, and he describes it with great
pride. He knows Malben, ORT, those who
labor in their institutions and those who
emerge from them, and he describes ac-
complishments with a sense of love and
dedication.
At Neve .Avot JDC Village for the Aged
near Hadera and Pardess Hanna, he led the
way through the area that houses 1,100
old people who are escapees from the Nazi
terror and from Moslem persecutions and
who are learning to be productive. There
are people there as old as 105, - and the
youngest is 70 — the average age is 80.
But many of those who are in the 90s have
learned to work with ceramics, the women
to sew and to make dolls and other items
which are placed on sale. They entertain
one another, love to sing, enjoy visitors.
At this JDC Malben center, remarkable
work has been done in the physiotherapy
department by the physiotherapist, Joe
Green, who came from Scotland, fell in love
with the country, and remained there.
Work in the field of geriatrics has
given JDC another cause for pride in its
work. The government of Israel eventu-
ally will assume control of the Neve Avot
centers. Other governments have much to
learn from Israel in this area.
This applies, also, to ORT and its
many centers where so many young people
are learning vocational trades, In the ORT
center in Natanya, for example, the agro-
mechanical school has shown wonderful
results in teaching mechanical skills to
agricultural workers, and in that school
agricultural training is provided for Afri-
cans who later serve as instructors in their
native lands.
*
* *
Being a guide is a true art. In Israel it
became a profession. An Israeli guide
knows history, he is an expert in his coun-
try's geography, he understands the art of
warfare, he knows what has happened—and
he is sort of a prophet of things to come.
In a sense, the labors of guides must be
watched. If they become too enthusiastic
they can dream up facts that sound fan-
tastic and may mislead tourists.
But it is to the credit of Israel that the
country's guides in the main are trust-
worthy. And that's a blessing for the coun-
try and its tourists.
*
*
*
Tourism is vital for Israel — and it is
especially important that more Americans
should come to Israel and view for
themselves how great is the need and how
impressive the accomplishments. Their
constantly increasing gifts to UJA would
cease to be cause for wonderment. What
such acquisition of knowledge may do
among the youth is to encourage their ac-
ceptance of the Aliya plea as normal and
as very necessary. It is no wonder that
many young people visiting Israel often
choose to remain there — as pioneers, as
frontiersmen, as students, as lovers of Zion.
Meanwhile, recognition of the merits of
the American fund-raising agencies also
grows, and there is a realization of the
need for investments, an area in which the
Israel Bond cause remains major.
A return visit to Ashdod re-establishes
that appreciation. There are three ports in
Israel — Haifa, Eilat, Ashdod. Haifa's role
is • well known: it is the oldest. There was
a time when people used to arrive in Is-
rael by way of Jaffa — they could not get
too near the shore, had to be taken off a\
boat in small rowboats and taken to the
shoreline with their baggage by Arabs.
That was long ago — in the first three
decades of this century. Now people and
many freight shipments, arrive in Haifa,
and Eilat and Ashdod serve as increasingly
important areas for shipping of goods and
reception of merchandise to be consumed
in Israel.
The belief is that Ashdod soon will be
Israel's largest port — and that will be
thanks to Israel Bond dollars which have
provided means for. the expansion of that
entire area.
One large private investment in Ash-
dod deserves special. mention, It is the
Leland Corporation — established by in-
vestors from Israel and Great Britain. This
plant already has shipped 82 buses it
manufactured for Romania, and its Ro-
manian deal includes another order for 100
more buses to be shipped soon.
Leland manufacturers for the Eged and
Dan Israel bus .organizations — and the
(Direct JTA Teletype Wire
to The Jewish News)
BONN — Two former aides of
Adolph Eichmann went on trial in
Frankfort Tuesday for the second
time on charges of complicity in
the murder of 300,000 Hungarian
Jews during World War H. The
retrial is being televised.
The defendants are Otto Hunsche,
56, and Hermann Krumey. Both
were tried on the same charges
in 1965 when Krumey was ac-
quitted for lack of evidence and
Hunsche was convicted and sen-
tenced to five years imprisonment.
The high court quashed both the
acquittal and the sentence and
ordered a new trial for the men.
According to the TV program
giving the background of the case,
Htinsche was Eichmann's legal ex,,
pert. He is alleged to have held
talks in Budapest with representa-
tives of the Jewish council while_
elsewhere in Hungary, Jews wer
being deported to exterminatio
camps. The purpose of the talk:.•
the TV commentator said, was to
give the Jews false hopes that
they might survive and thereby
prevent them from taking steps
to escape.
A middle-aged male juror was
replaced Tuesday after he said
"I hate these criminals to the
core." The man said that members
of his family had experienced dif-
ficulties during the Hitler era..
Meanwhile, in Stuttgart, a 63-
year-old former SS corporal, Ed-
gar Enge, walked out of court a
free man although a jury found
him guilty of aiding in the mass
murder of nearly 6,000 Yugo-
slavian Jews near Belgrade dur-
ing World War U.
According to the presiding judge,
Enge was released without punish-
ment because it was found that
he had acted under orders and his
personal guilt was minor. The
prosecution had asked for 4 1/2
years at hard labor. Enge was in
charge of transport vehicles which
were used to gas nearly 60,000
Jewish women and children by
exhause fumes. He was responsible
for the machines between March
and May 1942, the prosecution said.
Earlier, ten former members of
Hitler's police were acquitted in
Bochum of taking part in the kill-
ing of 8,800 Jews in Russia be-
tween 1941 and 1944.
The court complied with the
prosecution's demand that the men,
now between 52 and 56 years of
age, be cleared because they had
acted under orders and their
guilt could no longer be proved
beyond reasonable doubt.
In Cologne, the prosecution in
the Grodno war crimes trial has
demanded life imprisonment at
hard labor for Kurt Wieser, one
of two defendants who is charged
with the murder of 86 Jews in one
of Grodno's two ghettos during
World War II.
No sentence has been demanded
yet for the second defendant, Kurt
Erelis.
The prosecutor argued that the
accused has shown no signs of
emotion or remorse as evidence
revealed details of the murder of
some 25,000 Jews in Grodno.
latter two complain that they are
not being made fast enough for
theni. But the Leland managemen
—Zalman Klionsky, who was for-
merly with Alliance Rubber Co.,
spoke for the corporation—does its
best to get motors and to assetril
buses . and trucks for mass use
speedily as possible.
* * *
These are brief views of a few
Israeli accomplishments. No mat-
ter how often one returns here, he
sees new creativity and has cause
to glory in retracing the treks of
the Tanakh. The life that flourishes
here is the result of blood and
sweat—but they are mingled with
love and devotion.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
48—Friday, June 14, 1968