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January 24, 1969 - Image 2

Resource type:
Text
Publication:
The Detroit Jewish News, 1969-01-24

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

Purely Commentary

Bright Spots on a Dark Horizon
All that is shadowed is not gloomy. There are bright spots on a
horizon that is tinged with suspicions and hatreds. As long as there
are reasonable people who have the courage to speak out against
indecency and tyranny, there is hope for mankind.
This is true in the struggles over just rights for the oppressed, in
the race issue, on the university campuses.
We had a few tense days here, during which deluded, uninformed,
hate-oriented youngsters conducted an anti-Semitic campaign on the
WSU campus. Out of that short period of anxiety there emerged the
fact that the hatemongers did not represent a very large body, that
young people can think for themselves without being led into bigotry-
ridden quarters. The era for bias is being shortened.
Then there are the problems on other campuses. Morris Abram is
confronted with grave problems in the first few months of his presi-
dency of Brandeis University. But he is showing courage. He has not
called the police, as he undoubtedly should have, to oust from the
captured building the small group of troublemakers. But his attitude
proved correct, and he and others like him no doubt will succeed in
the long run. For an obvious reason: the overwhelming majority of
American students insist upon pursuing their studies unmolested, and
those who interfere with them are the protestors who protest for the
sake of protesting. That's the tragedy of our time: the revolutionaries
do not fully define what they are revolting against and they refuse to
talk reasonably with those who are willing to negotiate with them.
An interesting episode, reported from Waltham about the barricaded
Brandeis University building, illustrates the point regarding objections
to extremism in many ranks. Reporting to the New York Times,' John
H. Fenton wrote:

"A woman who did not identify herself, pounded on one of the
barricaded doors of the building with her fists and an umbrella,
crying out, `Christopher Carombo, come out! Christopher Carombo,
come out! I don't believe in black power!' A few moments later,
one of the Negro students came down a fire escape, got into a car
with the woman and was driven away."
There is no reason for doubting that human power may soon re-

By Philip Ask Congregants
Slomovitz to Keep Informed,

whom? To U Thant? Not directly to Israel? Withdrawal where to?

Perhaps again into areas into which Arabs can once again throw bombs
at civilians, button-sized bombs into school yards?
The attitude of the "liberal" (sic!) press is as shameful as that of
Life magazine. And the genuine lovers of peace have a continuing
battle on their hands to overcome the damage to human values in the
acts that are such a plain gang-up in support of terrorism that places
obstacles in the path of libertarians.
• • •
Eric Hoffer's Alarmism
Eric Hoffer sees an "Ill Wind for Israel." Algebraically, he is no
doubt correct. Jews are outnumbered, they are surrounded by vast
enemy armies. But when he writes that—
"My feeling is that for the balance of this century Jewish leaders

must cultivate the habit of viewing with alarm and expecting the
worst"—

-

(Direct JTA Teletype Wire
to The Jewish News)

NEW YORK — A comprehensive
program of "vigorous involve-
ment" by which the Jewish com-
munity can present a "balanced
picture" of the Israeli Arab crisis
was spelled up in a detailed mem-
orandum distributed Monday to all
lay and rabbinic leaders of Reform
Judaism in the United States and
Canada.
Under the heading, "Justice in
the Middle East," the communica-
tion advised that, "As tensions in
and over the Middle East continue
to mount, it is essential for lead-
ers of the Jewish community to be
informed and to articulate in-
formed views to government of-
ficials, to the public media and to
the public at large."
The memorandum was sent by

he is a bit too alarmist. Then he ceases to be the historian and
becomes the temporary analyst.
It is true, as Hoffer admonishes, that Jews must, in the words of
the poet, "Train for ill and not for good," out of historic experiences.
But there is such a supplementary aspect as the indestructibility of
Israel, there is the lesson of the ages that has briefed Jews for the ills
of the future and has steeled them for the trials of the present.
Conditions are perilous, there are signs of doom—but we have seen
such signs before. That is why (unlike the unrealistic admonition of a
Jewish writer) when we speak of Jewish history we consider the past
as it relates to the present and affects the future. From these lines
we learn our lessons and are able to expect the worst, hope for the Cyrus Gordon, a New York attor-
best, strive for attainment of the highest goals and have confidence ney, chairman of the commission
that while there are signs of perilous doom we remain girded for a on social action of the Union of
brighter future.
American Hebrew Congregations
• • •
and Central Conference of Amer-
A Couple of Lessons for the Indifferent
Two editorial replies to pro-Arab propagandists are worth reading. ican Rabbis. The UAHC and the
CCAR
are the congregational and
A lady from Troy, N.H., wrote to Atlas magazine complaining
about the "Palestinians drawn from their homes by the creation and rabbinical governing bodies of
1,000,000 affiliated Reform Jews.
expansion of Israel under Zionist pressure." Atlas replied:
"Unfortunately, the Arab press does not seem as concerned with
"While American Jews are not
the plight of the refugees as you do. A sharp reflection of comment obligated to explain or defend Is-
in Arab newspapers and on Arab radio is the article, 'War is the rael actions," the document stat-
Only Answer in the Mideast,' from the semi-official Cairo daily, Al ed, "non-Jews may be turning to
Ahram, which usually speaks for UAR President Nasser."
the American Jewish community
Then there was a reply to a pro-Arab letter in the London Times for their view of what happened.
written by the author Anthony Nutting whose writings have been We, therefore, urge our lay and
notoriously pro-Arab. Challenging Nutting's views, a correspondent rabbinic constitutents to take ad-
who signed himself Donaldson, giving his address as Brooks's Club in vantage of their warm telation-
London, closed his letter with a comment about Israel's greatest need ships with local churchmen and
being not for more territory "but for peace in which to develop the church members to enter into seri-
territory she already held," and he wrote:
ous conversation about the pres-
"I am reminded of Low's famous cartoon in the days of Man- ent situation.
shukuo where the Japanese complained of the Chinaman: 'He hit me
"It would be a tragedy if we
in the fist with his face.' "
These are superb lessons for the indifferent who overlook the again failed to communicate across

place either white or black power in the sincerest interests of advance-
ment in the best relations among citizens regardless of race or religious
beliefs, and then we may see an end to the type of antagonism that
could spell genocide.

*

The Mounting Troubles and Incidents of Anti Semitism
It would be suicidal, of course, to turn ostrich and to ignore the
accumulating incidents of anti-Semitism and the divisiveness that
afflicts our society on the race issue. We are not burying head in sand.
We know that the situation in New York, where the teachers' strike
resulted in the spread of the vilest type of bigotry, is outrageous,
shocking, un-American and worthy only of the lowest form of hatred
that had soiled the European climate under Czarism, Hitlerism and the
medievalism of the periods of the Inquisition and the Crusades.
The anti-Semitic poems read during a New York radio program
should put Negroes who are conscious of the misdeeds of their kinsmen
thoroughly to shame. Israel was linked with the hate spreading mes- realities of current situations.
sages, and the entire incident turned into such a vile demonstration of
• • •
lost.
Student Activism and the Young Jews
anti-Semitism that there is due cause for concern.
In his most interesting article on "The Jewish Role in Student
The report issued in New York City last week by the Mayor's Activism," in the current issue of Fortune Magazine, Prof. Nathan
Committee on Racial and Religious Prejudice contained an urgent Glazer of the University of California expresses the view that "it would
plea to all citizens that they "must condemn and repudiate racism be hard to fmd evidence that the concern of young radicals for geno-
and anti-Semitism and all other manifestations of bigotry." The cide affecting Vietnamese or American Negroes has any source in the
committee found it necessary to state in the report: "It is ironic recollections of the genocide committed against European Jews."
This and a score of other valuable points raised in Prof. Glazer's
that this conflict should develop so speedily and massively between
Jews and blacks—two groups who for many years have so success- article throw light on the position of the young Jews, reveal the change
fully cooperated with each other in attempting to promote a higher in attitude between generations, and makes the important point that
level of human dignity, racial and religious understanding and "the Jewish experience during the recent past does not appear to have
played an important role in molding the somewhat apocalyptic radical
equality of opportunity for men of all colors and creeds."
It is because these elements who stand fast in their striving for outlook of the new left." He adds: "The literature of the movement
"human dignity" still have the courage to speak up that we retain faith makes relatively little reference to the murder of the Six Million, but
in the ultimate triumph of the clear-thinking among both Jews and a good deal of reference to 'genocide: by which Is meant the tragic
Negroes. Whitney Young of the Urban League spoke his piece two killing of many thousands of Vietnarnesecivilians by American soldiers
weeks ago. Last week Roy Wilkins of the NAACP condemned the desire and airmen, the occasional political assassination of Negro leeaders,
to set up "racially based Jim Crow schools" and urged blacks to study and the more common but still occasional killings by police."
The relationship of young Jews to the entire situation, their heri-
harder, get their degrees and go out and work to bring advances to
their race within the framework of American society. James Farmer's tage, an anlysis of developing conditions over the years—these combine
to make Dr. Glazer's study most interesting, especially his comment:
statement in a Baltimore speech also was reaffirminfg.
The NAACP official publication recently condemned and repudiated "This is not a period in American history in which there is much dan-
"racism, including anti-Semitism." While a 34-year-old Negro scholar, ger that Jews will suffer from unequal treatment, prejudice or dis-
Dr. Nathan Hare, director of the Negro studies program at San Fran- crimination. If it were, I for one would hesitate to discuss in a non-
cisco State College, differed with him bitterly, the president of United Jewish periodical the interesting and peculiar phenomenon that Jews,
Negro College Fund, Dr. Stephen J. Wright, repudiated divisiveness as who are very likely the most prosperous religious group in the country,
are strikingly prominent among young radicals both on and off campus
"a kind of separatism that isn't going anywhere."
So the ranks are divided. But as long as there are differing views today."
One hopes that there is genuine realism in this definitive statement.
and as long as there is a minority that stands for cooperation and har-
mony between whites and blacks, all hopes for a better day are not We live in an age of fears, concerns that have seriously affected
*
s
*
Jewish thinking. The positive and hopeful view of Dr. Glazer is reliev-
ing. His study deserves study in our ranks.
The Gang Up Against Israel
Meanwhile the gang-up against Israel is becoming more and more
deplorable. Once again Life magazine has returned to its policy of anti-
Israelism, in another editorial that spells bigotry and indicates a lack
of desire to recognize the conditions that had led to reprisals by Israel.
JERUSALEM — Hebrew Univer- who made the actual field sur-
Life condemns Israel but has not found a word of comfort for the civil- sity geographers have recently vey. In East Jerusalem, the team
ians who were murdered in the Jerusalem market place, for the men completed a survey of East and was accompanied by 5 to 6 Israeli
and women who miraculously escaped death at the Athens airport, and West Jerusalem, using a university Arab students at the Hebrew
the many others who are victims of terrorism. Life does not understand computer as a new means for pre-
University who acted as transla-
the difference between defensive action and the courage of the El Fatah paring an urban atlas.
tors in interviews with the local
that can throw a bomb into a gathering of civilians but speaks of con-
"We believe this is one of the population.
ducting a war and refuses to recognize Israeli warriors' rights to pro- first times the computer technique
According to Dr. Shahar, few
tect their people on the borders of the sovereign State of Israel.
has been adapted to map a city,"
But it is not Life magazine alone that is in the gang-up. The so- Dr. Arie Shahar, specialist in ur- cities in the world have been sur-
called liberal weeklies of America have once again taken the anti- ban geography, says. Dr. Shahar, veyed geographically in such detail
Zionist and anti-Israel stand that soon develops into an anti-Jewish 33, is chairman of the university's with the purpose of describing and
attitude. The Nation, for example, published an article in which it Mt. Scoups program committee and analyzing their functional struc-
posed the question whether Nasser will "be willing—and able—to exert was in a recent student poll chosen ture. Jerusalem has the advantage
pressure on the Israeli government to accept a settlement on terms as one of the most popular lectur- of having been surveyed several
times.
other than its own?" Just exactly what is meant on Israel's own terms ers at the university.
He has, together with Prof.
the Nation refuses to recognize: such terms are that if people are to
Describing the old technique as
David Amiran, head of the uni- too tedious and slow — it meant
live in harmony as neighbors they must be on speaking terms. Or there
was the editorial in the New Republic which declared: "What's needed versity's geography department, drawing preliminary maps in the
is Israeli withdrawals from annexed Arab territory in exchange for who initiated the project, con- field and transferring the findings
ducted a 13 months' study of the to general maps. Dr. Shahar said
Arab acknowledgment of Israel's sovereignty." Acknowledgment to
formerly divided city. They were that the new method is much sim-
2—Friday, January 24, 1969
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
assisted by a team of 30 students pler and more efficient and will

-

Tell Israel Position

faith lines and, instead, contented
ourselves with the hurling at one
another of verbal thunderbolts
from the distance of pulpits and
through the mass media."
Declaring that "Our foreign
policy is in a state of flux" with
the advent of the new administra-
tion, the memorandum went on to
say—
"Ultimately, foreign policy is
dependent on public opinion. U.S.
public opinion is now in motion.
One can detect not only increas-
ing criticism of Israel's action at
Beirut, but also a renewed gen-
eral sympathy for the Arab cause.
At the same time, many impor-
tant newspapers continue to point

out that Arab hostility is the root
of the unrest.
"Hence, it is of great importance
for rabbis and lay leaders to state
the facts at every , opportunity, to
follow carefully and to respond
where necessary to editorials, let-
ters to editors, and to radio and
television commentaries; to com-
municate with President Nixon and
the secretary of state; to main-
tain close contact with religious
and civil leaders, and to educate
your own congregants."

Hebrew U. Team Uses Computer to Map Jerusalem

result in many more maps, more
detailed and less expense. The
computer mapping technique, orig-
inally begun in the United. States
but now adapted to an urban geo-
graphical survey, means that phy-
sical characteristics found - during
the field survey are no .longer
drawn on maps but written on
cards which are punched . and com-
puterized.
The survey may be used as a todi

for planning the further develop-
ment of Jerusalem, Dr. Shabar

says. It may help the authorities to
establish where there is a lack of
facilities like shopping centers,
parking places and parks. By using
a so-called simulation technique,
the university geographers will now
try to predict future patterns of
development and land uses in the

Jerusalem area.

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