Jewish New Leftists Show Confusion
About Comfort Given to Israel Enemies

By MILTON FRIEDMAN
(Copyright 1969, JTA Inc.)
WASHINGTON— "Palestine Lib-
eration" instead of Vietnam may
soon be the subject of campus
teach-ins. The Arab terrorist move-
ment, El Fatah, is.,Thading cham-
pions in the youthful ranks of the
American New Left as peace looms
in Vietnam.
The Middle East issue emerged
when thousands of students con-
verged on Washington for the
"anti-inaugural" demonstration s
organized by the National Mobil-
ization Committee to End the War
in Vietnam, the activist group
that marched on the Pentagon in
1967 and helped spark the demon-
strations at the Democratic na-
tional convention in Chicago. The
mobilization's chairman is David
Dellinger and its coordinator is
Rennie Davis.
Typical workshops were held
here on the inaugural weekend to
provide "an understanding of the
movement's essential concerns."
Included were the now-familiar
meetings on the anti-draft resist-
ance, campus rebellion, racism,
Vietnam, Cuba, Guatemala, and so
forth. But something was added—
a conference entitled "Middle
East — new war already in pro-
gress; possibilities for liberation
struggle."
Another new seminar stressed
"organizing against racism in
the Jewish community—a work-
shop for Jewish. radicals." The
Jewish radicals, it turned out,
were more interested in domes-
tic racism than in the Israel-
Arab issue. The seminar con-
ducted by Mike Taber, leader of
Washingtons "Jews for Urban
Justice," attracted about 80
young people from many cities.'
They were fascinated by the idea
of a dialogue involving Jews,'
Negroes and the New Left to
deal with growing black anti-
Semitism and Jewish a n t
Negroism.
JUJ wants to "restructure the
Jewish community by radical in-
jection of Judaic ethics to end ex-
ploitation of the poor by leaders
. of the Jewish Establishment."
They would invoke the teachings
of the prophets to make super-
market owners support the grape
strike. Other objectives would in-
volve exposure of "slumlords"
who hold honored positions in the
Jewish community.
But JUJ made clear it had no
sympathy with simultaneous ef-
forts by fellow New Leftists to
create an anti-Israel movement.
It appeared that most radicals,
Jewish and non-Jewish, could not
identify with an Arab student

carrying a sign that proclaimed
"Free Sirhan Sirhan," the accused
assassin of Sen. Robert F. Ken-
nedy. Nor could they equate the
hysterical Arab calls for liquida-
tion of Israel with the aspirations
of the Viet Cong.
But some New Leftists, in-
cluding a considerable propor-
tion of Jews, seemed interested
in the emerging anti-Israel line.
The line appeared to be that the
Jordanian and even Egyptian
"Establishments" were no bet-
ter than Israel—the real freedom
fighters were the Palestinian
Arabs struggling for emancipa-
tion from "Zionist colonialsm
and imperialism." The recom-
mended literature ranged from
the standard anti-Zionist line of
British Prof. Arnold J. Toynbee
to the racist anti-Jewish rantings
of Stokely Carmichael, the black
power advocate. Also cited were
the writings of the Israeli icono-
clast, Uri Avneri, a Knesset
member who openly attacks
Israeli's policy toward the Arabs.
Despite the denunciation of
Israel's Beirut raid by the Com-
munists of the Old Left, the New
Left skirted this subject. The ap-
parent reason was that Israel
could hardly be branded an
American stooge if the Israelis
struck Lebanon, another "lackey"
of U.S. colonialism. Israel could
not be portrayed as "another Sai-
gon," a tool of Washington, if the
Israelis defied the American gov-
ernment.
Some of the most articulate and
emotional anti-Israel voices were
those of Jews. A mini-skirted girl
said she had heard the "Zionist
line" from her mother, a Hadas-
sah leader. But she could not be
true to the struggle against the
hypocrisy of her mother's affluent
generation without saying "a word
for the poor Arabs." She ended up
saying very many words. The
Palestinian Liberation struggle
sought freedom; the Israelis were
the imperialist exploiters who
were trying "to make the Middle
East safe for the Coca-Cola com-
pany." The main line of Israel's
critics was that Israel was a sort
of fascist Establishment that re-
fused to see the elementary jus-
tice in "Palestine for the Pales-
tinians."
Nevertheless, an informal sur-
vey indicated that most of the
New Leftists assembled here
were not particularly involved
with the Arab cause in the sense
of their specific commitment to
the National Liberation Front of
Vietnam.
A bearded Jewish boy said that
Israel's militarism made him feel

Hebrew U. to Expel Students
Using Hallucinatory Drugs

JERUSALEM — The rector of the Hebrew University has
published a warning to all students that the university will
expel any student detected in the possession or use of halluci-
natory drugs such as hashish, marijuana or LSD. The notice,
which has been posted on all university bulletin boards in the
teaching buildings and dormitories, repeats the text of a dec-
laration of policy issued last week.
The declaration points out that the Hebrew University has
always been cognizant of the human, social and educational
harm resulting from the use of drugs and adds that both on
legal grounds and in the light of the university's cultural and
social responsibilities it does not consider that students who
use such drugs have a place within its ranks. "The university
endeavors to educate its students towards an enriched life
experience via contact with reality and cannot countenance
escape from such reality brought about by any flight into the
illusory world of drugs, the statement said.
The notice to students repeats that the university expressly
forbids the use of drugs both within the university itself and
beyond its immediate confines. The rector points out that in
addition to running the risk of the penalties imposed by Israeli
law, the university will take disciplinary measures against any
student caught using such drugs or having them in his posses-
sion. Students will have to answer the charges of "failing to
comply with instructions issued by the university authorities"
and "conduct unbecoming to the dignity of the institution and
offending public morality." Those found guilty will be per-
manently expelled. Both the charges listed above form part
of the regular disciplinary statutes for Hebrew University stu-
dents.

Israel Pays Tribute to Holland for Aid
Through Bonds; Mi ami Conclave Set

NEW YORK—The state of Israel
has paid tribute to the govern-
ment and people of Holland, the
"guilty like I feel because my own first country in Europe to support
country is brutalizing Vietnam." Israeli's economic development
His friend disagreed, accusing the through the sale of Israel Bonds.
youth of a "Jewish guilt hang-up."
As the coupon bonds of the first
The friend went on to say that he
was not Jewish and while "Israel development issue of Israel Bonds
reached
maturity, Shimshon Arad,
is obviously wrong to some extent,
the Arabs are behaving like the Israel's ambassador to Holland, de-
livered
to
the Dutch finance minis-
Nazis or the U.S. Green Berets."
ter a letter from Israel Finance
Anti-Israel arguments were be- Minister Ze'ev Sharef expressing
ing answered by anti-Establish- appreciation to the people of Hol-
ment students. Mention of the Bnai land for "the incomparable way in
Brith Hillel Foundations elicited which they have from the very
laughter. "Hillel house is the home beginning stood by the state of
of the bourgeois Brith," cracked Israel."
one protester. "My father is a
Meanwhile, it was announced
member of Bnai Brith," he ex-
that the 1969 campaign for State
plained, "and the old man wants
of
Israel Bonds will be formally
to program me through the Jewish
Establishment computer to become launched at an international in-
another materialistic country club
48 Friday, January 31, 1969
phony."

—

augural conference Feb. 27-
March 2 at the Fontainebleau
Hotel, Miami.

Dr. Joseph J. Schwartz, vice
president of the Israel Bond Or-
ganization, said the conference
will inaugurate a worldwide
effort to help Israel meet the
problems and needs of its eco-
nomic development in the midst
of the continuing crisis on Is-
rael's borders.

The 1969 Israel Bond drive will
seek to provide at least half of
Israel's development budget of
$333,000,000 for the coming year.
The development budget allocates
funds for Israel's key develop-
ment projects, including those in
the fields of agriculture, commerce
and industry.

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

This story, which appeared in a recent issue of "Mefalsim"
magazine, explores one of the aspects of child-rearing in a
kibutz, the communal upbringing of the children apart from
their parents, and reflects the continuing internal dialogue
which keeps the philosophy of the kibutz movement evolving
and vital.

The author, who came to Israel in 1948 from South America,

fought in the War of Independence and worked for 15 years in

Kibutz Mefalsim, is presently the director of education in the
Latin American Department of the Jewish Agency.

"COOPERATION"

By D. Hardan-Halpern

That evening, as usual, my wife
and I went to put our little daughter
to sleep in her house. She herself
does not call it her house, but "our
house"; and she calls the room
which my wife and I have. "our
room." Our daughter does not have
a house or a room of her own, and
yet my wife and I call the house in
which she lives. "her house," and
our room. "my room." One of the
members once told me that our
children are superior to us. for they
understand the word "our" better
than we do.
On the way, a dog joined us and
walked alongside. My wife said,
"this dog had a litter of five pups.
What did the Education Commit-
tee do? It divided them among the
five children's houses. One puppy
lives in the kennel near our daugh-
ter's house."
When we reached the house, our
daughter came out to greet us.
"Why did you come so late?" I
answered. "we've just -finished eat-
ing." and went into the house,
which was a jumble • 1 children,
parents and toys. I saw riends talk-
ing in a corner and went over to
them; my wife joined a group of
women. My daughter came over,
grabbed my trousers and said,
"Abba. tell me a story." "Soon." I
replied. "Tell me now, Abba." I
groaned quietly and thought, this
child is bothering me. But then I
remembered that this child was my
daughter. and I said. "look, Abba
has to talk to his friends. Soon I'll
be with you." She burst out crying,
so I picked her up. sat her on her
bed, and told her a story.
My wife came over, undressed
the child, put her to bed and cov-
ered her. Immediately the regular
evening routine began. She asked
for a drink—I brought her water.
She asked for a kiss—my wife bent
and kissed her; then I bent and
kissed her. We said goodnight and
started to leave. She asked for an-
other drink—we brought her water.
We left the room and said, we'd be
outside for a while. She cried and
asked for another kiss—we kissed
her again. I said to myself: this
child doesn't want kisses, she wants
to keep us tied to her bed; and
she's already learned how to tell
lies. We left the room. My wife
went to check on the work sched-

ule, and I waited for my daughter
to fall asleep. I thought: tonight I
have an important meeting, and
soon I'll be late. I peeked into her
room. She lay silently, her eyes
wide open. She said, "Abba." I bent
and kissed her. "Abbe, don't go."
I said, "Abba must - go. Abba has
to sleep too." "But I don't want to
stay alone. Abba, don't go. I'm
afraid."
I thought: it's late and this child
isn't gOing to sleep. She'll make me
late for the meeting, so I said in a
gentle voice, "You're a big girl.
aren't you? You shouldn't be
afraid," and -I kissed her. Imme-
diately she burst into tears and
sobbed. "But I don't want to stay
alone!" I kissed her tears away and
said, "You're a big girl and mustn't
cry. I'll come back later and give
you a kiss." She thought a moment
and said. "alright, Abba, go." I left
her room with a hurried step, but
at the doorway her voice stopped
me, "Abba!" I was angry. I turned
around and scolded her. She looked
at me with her enormous, sad grey
eyes, but she didn't cry. I was angry
at myself for having scolded her,
angry at her for not letting me go,
and angry about the meeting. Fi-
nally I kissed her and said, "I have
to go."
I found my wife and said "she's
quiet." We started for the meeting
and on the way the same dog
joined us. She was holding one of
her pups between her jaws. My
wife said, " she is collecting her
pups and bringing them to her
kennel. It's cold tonight, and she
wants to keep them warm.-
My wife was tired and went to
our room, and I reached the meet-
ing just as someone was saying that
we must increase our cooperative
efforts. But one member argued,
"we are only human, and we can't
force a person to • go beyond the
limits of human nature." ,A heated
discussion developed about the wel-
fare of mankind and the education
of future generations, about the
supremacy of the ideal and the
sacrifice of all that is dear, about
future happiness as a result of co-
operative effort. I joined the high-
blown discussion and was borne on
waves of enthusiasm when the thin,
weak sound of childish • crying
reached my ears. I thought of my

daughter, but decided it was im-
possible. I returned to the high-
blown discussion. but the echo of
that crying sounded in my ears. I
felt uneasy and got up and looked
out the window into the dark night.
I rejoined the heated discussion,
and again heard the sound of cry-
ing. Tnis time it seemed closer and
others heard it too. Someone said,
"its some kid acting up , , ."
1 seemed to see my daughter's
enormous. sad eyes and hear her
tear-filled voice, "Abba. I don't
want to stay alone. Don't go!" At
that moment the man sitting be-
side me was proclaiming. "Any
deviation from complete coopera-
tive effort is bound to endanger
. . ." and suddenly I heard an ear-
splitting cry: Abba!!! Startled, I
rushed out.
The night was cold and dark. I
ran to my daughter's house and
entered her room. She wasn't in her
bed. I rushed out and stood in the
doorway debating which .way to
run, when muffled sobs reached my
ears. I followed the sound and
found my little girl lying on the
ground, half undressed, barefoot,
her head cushioned in her arms.
sobbing and whispering repeatedly.
"Abba. Abba" ... Suddenly I saw
the kennel, within -it the dog lay
warming her puppies with her body.
I immediately picked up my daugh-
ter and turned toward my room. I
gave her to my wife, went out and
brought her bed to my. room. Her
mother put her to bed and I forgot
about the meeting and the lofty
discussion. I sat in my room .and
read a book.
My child stopped crying. She
asked fpr one kiss, and as her large
eyes began to close. a peaceful,
happy smile hovered aboht her tiny
lips. Her mother sat beside her and
stroked her hair. Then, suddenly.
my daughter.opened. her--eyes and
called, "Abbe." Yes, my child."
"This is our room, isn't it, Abba?"
"Yes, dear, this is. our room." She
thought a moment and added, "And -
it's also my room.. Abba?"- I was
bewildered and remained silent. She
repeated, "Abba, isn't it 'also my
room?" I leaned over her and said,
"Go to sleep!" Again she fixed her
deep, sad eyes on me and as they
grew larger I remembered the sobs
which had penetrated my friend's
proclamation and the high-blown
discussion at the important meet-
ing: and I whispered in my daiigh.
ter's ear, "Yes,"my child, this is
also your room."

Translated by Priscilla Fishman

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