100%

Scanned image of the page. Keyboard directions: use + to zoom in, - to zoom out, arrow keys to pan inside the viewer.

Page Options

Share

Something wrong?

Something wrong with this page? Report problem.

Rights / Permissions

The University of Michigan Library provides access to these materials for educational and research purposes. These materials may be under copyright. If you decide to use any of these materials, you are responsible for making your own legal assessment and securing any necessary permission. If you have questions about the collection, please contact the Bentley Historical Library at bentley.ref@umich.edu

October 25, 1968 - Image 47

Resource type:
Text
Publication:
The Detroit Jewish News, 1968-10-25

Disclaimer: Computer generated plain text may have errors. Read more about this.

Top Leaders in Labor and Industry Join
Eban and U. S. Jewish Leaders in Honoring
Reuther With Chair in Weizmann Institute

.

New substance was added to share the honors with him, and the
the Israel-American friendly rela- audience stood and applauded his
tions at the dinner in Cobo Hail, desire.
Reuther acknowledged the vision
Saturday night, when a distinguish-
ed gathering of more than 1,500 of Dr. Chaim Weizmann, founder
acclaimed the establishment of a of the Weizmann Institute in 1944,
professorial chair in the Peaceful prior to the rebirth 'of the State of
Uses of Atomic Energy at the Weiz- Israel, who sought to have the
mann Institute of Science in Re- emerging state "come to grips with
hovot, Israel, in the name of Walter science in the 20th Century," and
P. Reuther, president of the United he declared it to be to the eternal
credit of the people of Israel that
Automobile Workers of America.
With Israel's foreign minister, they are devoted to learning, that
Abba Eban, as guest speaker and in the search for leadership they
Dewey D. Stone, chairman of the went to scholars and not to
board of governors of the Weiz- soldiers."
mann Institute, making the presen-
Declaring that the world's prob-
tation, the event was one of the lem "is not science, it is man."
most impressive ever held here.
that "we must harness the
A sum of $250,000 was contrib- power of the atom to peaceful pur-
uted by the assembled guests — poses," Reuther expressed grati-
the entire sum coming from non- tude for having been chosen for an
Jewish sources in recognition both honor aimed to that purpose in
of the merited efforts of Reuther Israel. "The gap between the haves
in areas of peaceful application of and have-nots must be narrowed,"
atomic energy and the historic he said, emphasizing "the need for
achievements of the Weizmann In- a sense of moral purpose to deal
stitute—and the gathering included with the crises and to reject fear,"
the outstanding labor leaders in the and he said he had "faith in to-
country and many of the best morrow in spite of our difficulties."
known figures in industry.
Eban expressed gratitude for
Personalities who were seated
labor's interest in Israel and he
on the dais included distin-
rejoiced in an opportunity again
guished educators, including
to renew "the fraternal spirit"
Robben Fleming and William
with the labor movement in be-
R. Keast, presidents, respective.
half of his nation, and he espe-
ly, of the University of Michi-
cially spoke with gratitude for
gan and Wayne State Univer-
the friendship for Israel shown
sity. Senator Philip A. Hart
by Reuther. Emphasizing Israel's
and Mayor Jerome Cavanagh
quest for peace, he outlined the
delivered brief talks, expressing
aims to advance science in be-
their appreciation of the labors
half of human needs and he de-
of Reuther and their admiration
clared it to be "Israel's real
for Israel. Mayor Carl B. Stokes
business to give the world a real
of Cleveland, Israel Consul Gen-
model for a free society, to trans-
t- eral Avraham Avidar and other
late liberty into a real growth."
notables were among the guests
Because
"from a peaceful des-
at the speaker's tables.
tiny we have been diverted by hos-
Adding to the significance of the tility," Eban said he was impelled
occasion was the evaluative anal- to discuss "in the interest of the
ysis of the current Middle East cause of peace" Israel's inten-
situation presented by Eban, who tions. He called attention to an
explained Israel's role and his Arab leader's "offer to dismantle
countrys' aspirations for peace.
and disperse Israel" and warned of
With Emil Mazey, chairman of the "intellectual frivolity of dis-
the dinner committee, presiding, mantlement" in the threats leveled
the entire evening served to em-
at his people.
phasize anew the link between Is-
He pointed to the Czechoslova-
rael's labor movement, Histadrut,
and the labor force in the United kian tragedy, "the darkness that
States. In his address responding descended on the Czechs after 30
to the honors accorded him, Reu- years" as a result of the Soviet
ther spoke of this link, declaring actions and warned that "There is
that "We consider Histadrut one of no certainty that the process will
the finest labor movements by the stop short where it is." He thereby
example it sets for stability. indicated that a proposal for a
In his address of presentation four-power imposition of a solution
of the Middle East issue is unac-
of an embossed scroll encased in ceptable, with the Russian tactics
a silver container, Stone an-
as an example of what is to be
nounced that the Walter P.
Reuther Chair will be formally awaited, and declared that peace
is possible only when the two
inaugurated at the Weizmann
parties involved — Israel and the
Institute at ceremonies on Dec.
Arabs—write that peace.
1 when the incumbent of the
Referring to the inapplicability
chair, Dr. Joel R. Gat, acting
of an imposed United Nations
head of the Weizmann Institute
solution to the Middle East prob-
Isotope Research Department,
lem, Eban pointed out that of the
will be inducted into the newly-
125 members of the UN only one
created post.
—Israel—inhabits the same land
Stone recalled Reuther's long-
and speaks the same language as
time interest in the peaceful uses
3,000 years ago.
of atomic energy and his notable
Discussing the attempt to gather
part in helping to bring about the
nuclear test ban treaty and further forces for Israel's destruction,
Eban
said that "Israel's feelings
to broaden its scope with the non-
proliferation treaty. He under- are not dominated by a military
scored Reuther's "great services victory but by recollections of the
in helping to secure an establish- horrors of the Holocaust, and he
ment of the State of Israel and his stated emphatically that his people
many acts of friendship to assure is determined that the Nazi horror
is not to be repeated again in the
its survival and development."
Responding, Reuther took occa- form of extinction.
"The June 1967 war must be the
sion to commend Israel to speak of
Israel's dreams "for justice for all last of the Middle East wars," he
mankind" as being akin to the emphasized, "and this resolve in-
spires the work we have for a per-
American dream.
He said he accepted the honor manent peace."
Calling attention to an address
in behalf of the 1,600,000 mem-
bers "who make up the family delivered by Nasser in June 1968
of our union in struggles to ex- in which he spoke of no peace with
tend justice and in the search Israel, no recognition of Israel, no
negotiadons with Israel, Eban de-
for peace."
He said he wanted his wife, May clared: "How to make peace that
—who shared with him his lifelong way surpasses my understanding."
activities to attain his goals—to Recalling the Bible story about

48 Friday, October 25, 1968



THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

Egypt that forced Jews to make
bricks without straw, Eban won-
dered how peace can be made
without negotiations.
It has not been a Six-Day War
but a 20-year war, he empha-
sized, stating that what is needed
is "not belligerency but coopera-
tion," and he called for agree-
ment on territorial boundaries;
"not pretense that Israel does
not exist but an acknowledgment
of Israel's deep roots in the Mid-
dle East." He condemned the
pretense that Israel is alien to
the Middle East and declared:
"Israel is a part of the Middle
East, a part of its past and its
glory."
He declared: "We must have se-

cure and recognized boundaries,
not the vulnerability under which
Israel lived until last year. We
must have a new and agreed per-
manent security and a territorial
map with agreed boundaries. We
propose freedom of maritime pas-
sage founded on equality of rights.
Israel does not seek unilateral
jurisdiction of holy places. Refusal
to negotiate with us means refusal
of recognition, and this does not
make for peace. An imposed solu-
tion is unrealistic. We reject the
proposal of an imposed solution be-
cause we are in an area of sover-
eign states. We say to the Arab
states that for you and for us this
region in which we live is the cher-
ished home in which our history

was fashioned and in which we
must live in mutual respect."
Rabbi Richard G. Hirsch of
Washington gave the invocation at
the dinner. Mrs. Marie Roumell
sang the American and Israel na-
tional anthems. The orchestra play-
ed numerous Hebrew selections.
* * *

Describes `New Disease'

REHOVOT—A formerly uniden-
tified disease which decimates
laboratory mice was described for
the first time Oct. 22 at the Las
Vegas meeting of the American
Association for Laboratory Animal
Service by Dr. Asher Mechorer,
head of the diagnostic laboratory
of the Weizmann Institute Animal
Breeding Center.

State Appeals Court Rules for Synagogue
in Benton Harbor: Pledge Card Is Binding

A pledge is a pledge, the Michi- that such a large contribution the pledgor tries to withdraw the
pledge before the donee institu-
gan Court of Appeals has ruled in would provide an inducement to
a unique case involving a Benton other members to make similar tion acts in reliance on having
Harbor synagogue and a family gifts. Sure enough, by June of the pledge."
The pledge card constitutes a
who reneged on a donation pledge. that year, the campaign had
valid contract, the court ruled, and
The decision was just released reached its goal.
However, during the course of in addition, if the contract is found
by the court of appeals, which up-
held an earlier decision by a trial the campaign, there was a rift be- in default, "It is within the dis-
tween the Martin family and the cretion of the trial court to award
court in Grand Rapids.
Brought by Cong. Bnai Sholom congregation, and in October they interest from the time a pledge
against Morris, Irving and Jack withdrew their pledge. Again in became due."
When all else had failed, the
Martin and Bessie Martin Stein- November, the y insisted upon
berg, the suit touched on a number withdrawing, pointing out that they Mai -tins' last motion for amend-
of issues, among them the juris- were doing so before the congrega- meat to the pleadings claimed that
diction of a "heathen" court. De- tion had entered into building con- the Jewish law "prohibits the in-
stitution of this suit prior to sub-
fendant Morris J. Martin had tracts, or borrowed money.
The congregation brought suit mission to a Jewish religious court
claimed in his appeal that Jewish
law prohibits the institution of such against the Martins in 1962, alleg- called 'Beth Din.' "
States the court opinion:
a suit prior to submission to a ing breach of contract. The trial
Jewish religious court, or "Beth court later ruled against the
"In defendants' brief on this sub-
brothers, but a summary judgment ject they state that the authorita-
Din."
The court of appeals rejected was found in favor of Mrs. Stein- tive code of Jewish religious law
berg because her name had been and customs is the Shulhan Arukh.
this idea, ruling instead:
"The ruling of the trial court placed on the pledge card without This is quoted as stating that
where there is a controversy aris-
that it is not necessary for the her ratification.
parties to a dispute within a syna-
In upholding the verdict of the ing between 'two persons' it should
gogue to take the dispute to a trial court this April, the Michigan be compromised if possible and if
Jewish court before they come to Court of Appeals declared:
not, should be taken before a
a civil court even though Jewish
"A pledge of future contributions Jewish tribunal."
law is to the contrary will be up- is supported by consideration and
The opinion then quotes the Shul-
held absent a definitive showing binds the pledgor when the fact han Arukh:
that both parties were familiar that the pledge had been made
"It is forbidden to bring a suit
with this facet of the Jewish law." was publicized and provided an before heathen judges in their
In 1959, Bnai Sholom embarked incentive for others to pledge con- courts, even if their decision would
upon a building fund campaign, tributions even though there was be in accordance with the law of
to which Martin and his two no other consideration for the Israel. Even if the two litigants
are willing to try the case before
brothers pledged $25,000, includ- pledge."
It also stressed that when such them, it is forbidden. Even if they
ing a promissory card signed
for their mother without her
a pledge is used as an incentive made either an oral or a written
for others to contribute, it is agreement to that effect, it is of
authority.
considered "binding on the donor no avail. Whoever takes a case be-
Martin, who was chairman of the
building committee, had agreed under the theory of mutual prom- fore them, is a godless person, and
with the professional fund raiser ise among donors even though he is considered as if he had de-
filed, blasphemed, and rebelled
against the law of Moses, peace be
unto him. Even in the case where
a man may take the law into his
own hands . . . if it please the
Almighty . . . yet it is forbidden to
do it through a heathen. Even if
he does not bring the case before
a heathen tribunal, but he forces
his opponent through a heathen,
that he go with him before a Jew-
ish court, he deserves to receive
a flogging;
"When heathens are in power,
or if the defendant is a hard
man, the plaintiff should first
summon him to appear before a
Jewish court, and- on his refusal
to do so, the plaintiff should ob-
tain the consent of the Beth Din
(Jewish court) and save his
property -by a suit in a general
Court of Law."
On this question, the court again
upheld the trial court decision:
that the congregation had not pre-
The first family from Pakistan to be assisted by United BIAS
viously used the Beth Din and that
Service arrived at Kennedy Airport to begin a new life in the there was no evidence the congre-
United States. Benjamin Reuben, 45, a building maintenance con-
gation was familiar with its usage.
tractor, accompanied by his wife, Nora, 37, a fashion designer, The court ruled that the pledge
and their children, Lisa, 3, Malcolm, 14, Lynn, 16, Karen, 9, and card form demonstrates a legal
David, 7, will join relatives in Los Angeles. Originally from Karachi obligation, not merely a moral
where they were Jewish community members, the Reuben family one. "Had there been any desire
will be assisted to establish new roots by the Los Angeles Jewish to create here a moral rather than
Family Service. This year, United BIAS will aid more than 6,600 a legal obligation, it would have
refugees and migrants throughout the world to resettle in freedom been simple to make this fact
and security in the U.S., Canada, Australia, Latin America and known to the prospective donors
other Western countries. and so to word the plerge card."

Pakistani Family Aided by HIAS

Back to Top

© 2024 Regents of the University of Michigan