THE JEWISH NEWS
Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20, 1951
Member American Association of English-Jewish Newspapers, Michigan Press Association. National Editorial Association
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing Co., 17100 West Seven Mile Road. Detroit, Mich. 48235.
VE 8-9364. Subscription $7 a year. Foreign $8.
Second Class Postage Paid at Detroit, Michigan
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher
CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
Business Manager
SIDNEY SHMARAK
Advertising Manager
CHARLOTTE DUBIN
City Editor
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the fifth day of Tarnuz. 5729, the following scriptural selections
will be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Num. 16:1-18:32. Prophetical portion. 1 Samuel 11:14-12:22.
Candle lighting. Friday, June 20. 7:53 p.m.
Page Four
VOL. LV . No. 14
_
June 20. 1969
Poland's Successful 'Judenrein' Campaign
Poland has learned well from the Nazis.
Hitler Germany aimed at making Germany
Judenrein and in the main has succeeded.
Poland's similar aspiration nears a triumph
for the imitators of the medieval barbarism
that was motivated by such deep-rooted
hatred that only the destruction of the Jews
would satisfy them. This seems to be the
German-imitated Polish attitude today.
There is no other way of judging the
Polish decision, as reported by Poland's offi-
cial news agency. PAP, that emigration of
Jews will be stopped on Sept. 1. Already
having attained a goal of depriving Jews of
their means of earning a livelihood. Poland
now has yielded to pressures from Arab
potentates who object whenever there is an
opportunity for .Jews to come to Israel. It
may well be Arab interference that prevents
an open door for Russian .Jews who wish to
emigrate to Israel. That was the case several
years ago when the exit of Jews from Ro-
mania was curtailed for a short time. Arab
fear that Israel will be strengthened by the
influx of more people of knowhow from
lands. of oppression has caused this attitude
which has stood in the way of settling many
Jews from lands of oppression in a free
Israel.
There may also be a realization by Po-
land that the country • losing a large num-
ber of its skilled en ineers and scientists.
But such concern undoubtedly is limited
to the more rational elements whd have
Poland's highest interests at heart. It can not
possibly apply to the bigots in the govern-
ment, the ruling elements who take their
orders from the Kremlin and who have cre-
ated the Zionist bogey as a means of per-
petuating an inherited anti-Semitism that is
one of the vilest on record.
The Polish press agency reports that since
July 1, 1967, 5,264 Jews had left Poland for
Israel. A report from the Institute of Jewish
Affairs in London provides the additional
information that 14.000 Polish Jews had
applied for exit visas. It is known that since
Poland had broken diplomatic relations with
Israel after the Six-Day War, applicants for
visas to go to Israel are assisted in their
emigration plans by the Dutch Embassy in
Warsaw. that their entry to Israel is guaran-
teed and their travel costs to Vienna assured.
but that not all go to Israel after reaching
Vienna.
A serious problem has been created for
the Jewish relief organizations by the res-
trictions on emigrants from Poland. They are
permitted to take with them S5 and a limited
amount of personal belongings. There are
restrictions on transfer of personal savings or
assets abroad. The less than 25.000 Jews who
had chosen to remain in Poland now realize
that Communist rule is not a panacea and
that oppression is predominant.
During the Nazi regime. Poles collabor-
ated with the Hitler hordes. The preachments
of Hitler. have borne fruit not only in Ger-
many but also in the lands he had influ-
enced. notably Poland. And Poland. like Ger-
many, is becoming "Judenrein."
Rebirth of Med ieval Credulity
Polish anti-Semitism stems from political
machinations. Similarly. in the main. Rus-
sian discrimination results either from the
search for a scapegoat as means of diverting
the people's attention from government ills
or is linked with a desire to foment trouble
in the Middle East.
It's an entirely different story when med-
ieval prejudices are revived to accuse Jews
of many crimes, to charge them with ritual
murder — a revival of which occurs from
time to time in the Ukraine and other Com-
munist-ruled areas
or with kidnapings. as
in the instance of a most amazing spread of
hatred in the French city of Orleans.
The trumped up accusations in Orleans
were so incredible that there is amazement
that anything of the sort could possibly have
been concocted in the 20th Century. Leading
.Jewish-owned stores in Orleans were charged
with having set up tunnels through which to
transport kidnaped women for sale in the
white slave market. and the rumors also re-
sorted to such fairy tales as drugging of
women. their alleged disapperance while
shopping and subsequent embellishments
that have emerged into a portrayal rivaling
the worst lies of the Middle East.
How could anything like it happen in an
enlightened age? Why were the rumors
spread in the schools, why were they spread
into such a madness that women who had
shopped in Jewish stores for many years
—
should suddenly have declared that they
would not enter them unaccompanied by
others as a protection? And the result was
that people stopped visiting Jewish stores
and the lie spread like wildfire. It has sub-
sided. and there should be evidence of shame
over what had occurred. It remains to be
seen whether the Jewish community will re-
ceive a mass apology from citizens who were
duped back into the ignorance of the Dark
Ages.
How did it all happen? Some say it was
manufactured by competitiors. That often
happens. Some ascribed it to a prank. That.
too. occurs. But the majority in Orleans who
have been asked for an opinion now submit
that it was sheer anti-Semitism. That's more
rational. The anti-Jewish menace is emerging
anew. No matter how confident we may be
in the superiority of human nature over the
ignorance that is linked with hatreds, the
hatred of the Jew is now becoming all too
evident again. The Arabs have helped to
foment it. Communist Russia has contributed
to it. Bigots in our midst are among the guil-
ty. and extremists who are fomenting distrust
in schools of higher learning have aided the
haters. Once again even the ranks of intellec-
tuals are contributing to the campaign of
hate.
Hitler would have gloried over the tri-
umph his philosophy of hate has attained
even in enlightened areas.
Panic-Spreading in Middle East
Chief spokesman for Egypt's President
Nasser, the editor of Al Ahram. Mohammed
Hussanein Heykal. predicts "a hot and ex-
plosive winter" as a follow-up to the Israeli
elections in September.
If Heykal listens to the declarations of the
Israeli statesmen, he should know that condi-
tions do not change, that the established
policy remains intact, that Israel is not fooled
by the present conditions, and its leaders and
Leviant Compiles 2,000-Year
Treasury of Hebrew Literature
Prof. Curt Leviant of Rutgers University has produced an antho-
logy that provides exactly what the subtitle of his new book claims:
- A Treasury of 2.000 Years of Jewish Creativity."
In "Masterpieces of Hebrew Literature," published by Ktav, Dr.
Leviant has gathered a number of masterpieces of post-biblical times.
lie has shown good judgment in the material he has chosen for this
work, and his introductions to the various sections, his supplementary
facts about the authors and the times in which they wrote. serve to
produce a magnificent record of great literary creations.
From the literature of the .Apocrypha—the Wisdom literature and
the popular writings in the Middle East—to the 18th Century. he has
chosen the major works and has elaborated upon them. He com-
mences, for instance, with his note on the Apocrypha and his explana-
tory essay is typical of his entire evaluative work. About the Apocrypha
he writes:
"The books of the Apocrypha (known in Hebrew as 'Sefarim 111t-
zonina. the 'Outside Books') were officially placed outside the bib-
lical canon. But the ban in no way diminished their popularity, as
may be seen by the somewhat hyperbolic statement of R. Akiba (2nd
Century CE): 'Whoever reads the Outside Books loses his share in
the World-to-Come.' A thoroughly stringent remark not at all typical
of Akiba's gentle demeanor, the intent may have been to warn the
reader against accepting these books on the same level as Holy Writ.
"The prohibition notwithstanding, the books of the Apocrypha
were read and copied, and their influence, whether through direct
quotes or indirect suggestion, w as felt in various Midrashim, legends
and ancient liturgic poetry.
Hebraic in spirit and variegated in their subject matter, the
Apocrypha, in Greek translation, was kept by the Church for two
millenia as part of its sacred writ, and linked with what Christians
term the Old Testament. Only in the past generation have all the
books of the Apocrypha been retranslated into the original Hebrew
from the Greek."
In this section he proceeds with "The Wisdom of Ben Sira." "The
-
Story of Susanna" and "The Book of Tobit," and the gems of old lore
are shared with readers who will surely treasure this entire collection
in which are incorporated:
Pirke Abot (Ethics of the Fathers) in a fine translation: other
selections from the Mishna and Talmud: Josephus' "The Jewish War:
The Fall of Masada'', Bahya Ibn Pakuda's -Duties of the Heart;" the
noteworthy portions of "Ethical Wills" by famous scholars: Leon of
Modena's "Responsa:" portions from the writing of Maimonides: Moses
liayim Luzzatto's - The Path of the Upright;" Nachmanides' "The De-
putation With Paulo Christiani:" and other famous portions from the
great writings by our most distinguished scholars over a period of
20 centuries.
Many eras. a vast variety of subjects are covered in this antho-
logy. We have here Rashi's Commentary, selections from the finest
poetic works by authors of the Golden Age of Spain (Samuel Ha - Nagid,
Solomon Ibn Gabirol. Moses Ibn Ezra, Judah Halevi) and other classics.
Prof. Leviant has turned to a new field, his previous works having
dealt with Sholom Aleichem and other related subjects. He adds to his
good record with another good book, these "Masterpieces of Hebrew
Literature. -
Exposition of Observances
"The Jewish Way" by Rabbi David H. Weisenberg, published hf
Christopher Publishing House, Boston is subtitled "A Lucid Exposition
of Jewish Observances and Proper Conduct." It is just that. It contains
definitive brief essays of Jewish ceremonial practices, symbols in Jew-
ish traditional worship, synagogue rituals, holiday observances, Sabbath
lore and many related subjects.
The author, whose work was illustrated by Leo Hirsh, deals with
kashrut, divorce, conversion, the Jewish calendar, prayers for all
li
occasions, yahrzeit, candle lighting, and nearly every aspect of Jewish
people know that the "hot war" has never
receded.
Also—if Heykal were to visit Israel, he'd
know that except on the borders there is no
panic, normalcy prevails and whatever panic
There is a section with questions, the provided answers to which
may emanate from Israel stems from news - additionally
guide the reader towards an understanding of many /Mr
paper reports in the foreign press.
portant
facts in Jewish conduct and observance.
If the calmness of Israel could be shared
Explaining the mezuza, the sukka, Passover and its symbols,
by the Jewish state's neighbors there 'd be less the author provides the information the Jewish layman needs in order
fear and more confidence in a possibility for I properly to approach Jewish observances with knowledge and under-
peace in the Middle •East.
standing.- • • - • - --- • ..... -