Purely Commentary

Honors for a Great War Hero at U. of M.
School of Architecture . . . Israel's Many
Universities and Special Bar-Ilan Role

A Belated Honor for a Great War Hero: the U-M Wallenberg Lectureships

By Philip
Slomovitz

Israel Universities: Bar-Ilan': New Plans,

Heroic acts were legion in the last war against Nazism. It has been charged that Jews did not resist Hebrew University's Progress, Achievements
as they should have. Similarly, Christians have been accused of yielding to terrorism and brutality and of Other School, Including American College
to the inhumanity of the German Nazis without even as much as protesting.
In spite of the vise into which Israel's enemies would gladly place
True as these accusations arc in great measure, it is equally true that there is a record of courage that
has often bordered on martyrdom but in the course of which the determined will of great men was recorded her in the offorts to crush the Jewish state, the embattled little nation
is not merely a militarily alerted community. While fighting for life,
in acts that are inerasable in the story of mankind's most noble people.
Raoul Wallenberg was such a person. Would that we were assured that we could say he is such a Israel is making progress. Research is done at Weizmann Institute and
person. Because in deference to his mother, and to many in Sweden, we shall not speak of any undertaking the Technion, in both of which marvelous achievements have been
to honor him as a memorial. We concur in the tea that what we do is to honor a great human being. recorded. Haifa University is making rapid progress. Tel Aviv Univer-
Because there is doubt whether Wallenberg had died in a Russian prison in 1947, or whether he was sity has grown to a vast role in the academic structure of the country.
murdered several years thereafter, or whether he is still languishing in a Russian prison, we choose to At Beersheba there soon will be another important Israeli university.
The accomplishments of the Hebrew University, the major school
honor and not to memorialize.
' of higher learning in Israel, are too well known to need elaboration. It
But we wish to plead with our contemporaries, with our fellow men, not to forget a very great man.
Thanks to his former teachers, to his classmates, to the revelations of Arthur D. Morse, the movement isn't and can not be forgotten in the consideratiOn of Israel's great
has been launched to remember the deeds of the young Swedish graduate from the University of Michigan schools of learning.
College of Medicine who had said: "If I can save a single Jewish life, I'll accept the assignment in
Now we also have the American College in Jerusalem and once
Hungary." Those he succeeded in rescuing numbered in the tens of thousands. The manner in which he did again a Detroiter—Benjamin M. Laikin—is showing an active interest
the saving of lives was so daring, so courageous, that it will be recorded as one of the most moving stories in a new development in Israel.
in world history.
Especially newsworthy at this time are the creative efforts of Bar-
Now we respond to a call to honor him with a lectureship in the American school that had awarded him, Ilan University located in Ramat Gan. Its rehabilitation counseling
with honors, his architectural degree. Thatks to the efforts of Sol King, the distinguished leader in the
American field of architecture, who was Wallenberg's classmate, enough has been gathered to assure the program has drawn wide attention in this country and close relation-
duration of the lectureship for five years. We would like to perpetuate it for all time because the name . ships have
been established with American schools to advance the idea.
Now there are plans for the creation of a law department which will
Raoul Wallenberg is indelible from Jewish history, from the history of the struggle against Nazism, from draw into action established Hebraic principles to replace the confused
the history of the University of Michigan, from the human records of mankind.
state of legal procedures that are based mostly on British and Turkish
Fund raising is not a pleasant task. It is a duty when it is shared in. It is a duty to labor tirelessly laws. This new project is expected to contribute greatly towards
for the Allied Jewish Campaign and through it for the United Jewish Appeal; to work for Israel and Israel's academic needs.
related causes; to strive to elevate the standards of Jewish culture which must retain priority in Jewish
Because so many Detroiters are aiding the Israeli universities, and
endeavors. It is equally a duty not to forget the hero Raoul Wallenberg. That is why we do not hesitate to
such a deep interest is being shown in Bar-Ilan—whose purposes will
deviate from policy of not making direct appeals for funds by urging gifts to the University of Michigan
be
analyzed
at Wednesday's dinner of Detroit Friends of Bar-Ilan by
Raoul Wallenberg Architecture Lectureship Fund, by mailing checks to Mr. Sol King, 345 New Center
Hubert H. Humphrey—it is natural that the community should be so
Building, Detroit, Mich. 48202.
pleased with the contributing factor towards the advancement of learn-

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ing.
By emphasizing the cultural, Israel negates the charge of being
Another intriguing story in this issue serves as a warning to people not to generalize.
In the account of the assistance that was given by the Pole Franciczek Siwek in rescuing the family primarily militaristic. "Out of Zion shall go forth the law . . • "
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of David Heisler, it is evident that not all non-Jews, not all Poles, were cruel and anti-Semitic.
The record of Germans, Poles, Hungarians, Ukrainians, some Latvians and even Dutch and Swiss, is When Egyptians Signed the Armistice
An old photograph might speak louder than words in this period of
quite bad. Many acted brutally and inhumanly toward Jews. But there were very many who aided in rescue
i conflicting reports regarding the possibility of an imposed peace on the
work. Even among the Germans there were some who were martyred because they defied Nazism.
We therefore have a lesson in this story not to generalize. We can't generalize when dealing with Middle East.
There were three wars between Israel and the Arab states, and in
Germans and Russians. We dare not generalize in speaking about Arabs.
The evil that man does is often rejected by his kinfolk. Let us respect those who defy tyranny and all of them Egypt was the biggest loser. Only during the 1956 Sinai
Campaign were the Israelis compelled, due to the lack of vision in the
inhumanity.
, Eisenhower-Dulles days, to withdraw from occupied territory which
■■■••■■•••■•••■••
could today have been a free area had there not been the grave error
Quebec Schools
in Washington.
But in 1948 Egypt was licked, just as Nasser's armies were licked
I
Boris Smolar's
Try Re-Scheduling
again in 1967. Nasser himself was wounded in 1948.

Generalizations Are Delusive in Judging Peoples

'Between You
and Me

Shavuo-Set Exams

MONTREAL (JTA)—The Quebec
Department of Education has
promised that it will try to work
out arrangements whereby observ-
ant Jewish children will not be
(Copyright 1969, JTA Inc.)
required to take their high school
final examinations on June 10-11, a
date that conflicts with the holiday
By BORIS SMOLAR
(copyright 1969, .1TA, Inc.)
of Shavuot. The matter w a s
IDEAS AND IDEALS: More and more books on the Hasidic move- brought to the attention of the
ment—which emphasizes joyful praying and humility as the basic tenets board by the Joint Community Re-
of Judaism—are now being published in this country. They include best- lations Committee of the Canadian
seller novels, like Chaim Potok's, as well as history and interpretation Jewish Congress and Bnai Brith.
of Hasidin. The latter was supported by the
The latest such book is Dr. Milton Aron's "Ideas and Ideals of the Protestant School Board of Greater
Hasidim," just published. Montreal.
Interest in obtaining knowledge on the Hasidic movement is grow- I S. W. Dickson, associate deputy
ing especially among American-born Jewish intellectuals as they learn . minister of education of Quebec,
that the Hasidic philosophy is built not only on religion but also on explained in a letter to the com-
social factors. The movement is growing especially among American- munity relations committee that
born Jewish intellectuals as they learn that the Hasidic philosophy is "difficulties which arise as a result
built not only on religion but also on social factors. The movement of 'moveable' holy days become
originated in the 18th Century among Jews in Eastern Europe who quite complex in a pluralistic so-
lived in economic misery and spiritual depression. ciety and from time to time there
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! seems to be no alternative other
ETHICS AND MORALITY: Dr. Aron, in his "Ideas and Ideals of than to invite some concessions
the Ilasidim," surveys the entire Hasidic movement—its history and from those immediately concern-
philosophy—against a background showing that Hasidism is in essence ed." He requested the community
an ethical and aesthetic interpretation of the divine deals embodied in relations committee to detail "the
the 613 precepts of Judaism. difficulties that Jewish students
Some 60 men of various age groups were among the original disci- would encounter if examinations
pies of the founder of the Hasidic movement, who was not considered were scheduled on June 10-11."
a great scholar. Among these disciples were foremost rabbis and de- In reply to Dickson, the
As a result of the Israel triumph in 1948, the Arabs sued for an
scendants of talmudic giants. Dr. Aron presents brief but interesting CJCongress-Bnai Brith unit noted
armistice. They had met with the Israelis under the guidance of
sketches of the most outstanding contemporaries and successors of the that Jewish students are excused
Dr. Ralph Bunche on the Island of Rhodes. The accompanying
Baal Shem. Among the original disciples were some who had previous- from attending school on religious I
photograph shows the Egyptian delegates, Col. Ibrahim Seifeldin
ly been his opponents, but they later became most diligent defenders holidays and that the scheduling
on
the left and Ibrahim Rahmani signing the document, in the
of his teachings. of final examinations on such days
Rhodes Hotel de Roses, declaring an end to the Egyptian-Israeli
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"would simply mean that observ-
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war.
It was in the terms of the armistice signed at that time that
DESTRUCTION AND REBIRTH: The destruction of Jewish life in ant Jewish students would not be
Israel acquired the major portion of the Negev as part of the
Europe by the Nazis has greatly affected the Hasidic movement.. able to take them and thus be vic-
Jewish state.
Among the 6,000,000 Jews killed by the Nazis were a number of globally , timized for their religious princi-
The background of the Rhddes armistice negotiations has been
known Hasidic rabbis. pies." Dickson wrote back, "Even
ignored
in all discussions of a possible peace meeting. If it is to be on
Great Hasidic centers in Poland—like in the cities of Ger, Lublin, though scheduling increases
through direct
Kotzk, and others—were wiped out. Some Hasidic leaders who were in difficulty each year through the the basis of the Rhodes experience it will have to be
negotiations,
as it was then under the leadership of Dr. Bunche. There
fortunate to escape from Nazi hands established their centers in New addition of new subjects, I am con-
no
delusions
about
it.
can
be
York and in Israel. Outstanding among them is the Lubavitcher center fident that the Examination Serv-
Perhaps the photo reproduced here will serve as a reminder that
in New York from which Hasidic educational and religious activities ice will be able to comply with
there were direct negotiations and that they are possible today. .
are directed among followers in many countries. your expectations."
Dr. Aron's book is a great contribution to the literature on Hasid-
ism.
Reform Educators Plan to Study Social Issues at 'Experiential' Institutes
NEW YORK (JTA) — An insti- Union of American Hebrew Con- with the cooperation of the UAW

...

Hague Prosecutor Pleads on Terms for Arab

THE HAGUE (JTA) — The throwing a grenade at the Israel
Hague public prosecutor has filed Embassy on Sept_ 8.
an appeal in the Supreme Court
The sentence, in a reformatory,
against a juvenile court sentence
of three months for 15-year-old will be less time the boy has spent
Jordanian Taysir El-Attar for in detention.

2—Friday, November 28, 1969

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

social action department, ' accord-
ing to Abraham Segal, director d
The first of the experimental in- teacher education.
as one of a series of "experi- stitutes was held for three days
The participants included a
ential" gatherings to bring Reform last June at the Reform move- principals of Ref or m JewLsh
educators into actual experience ment's Religious Action Center in schools, eight teachers, one eon-
in various fields of action, accord- Washington which was conducted gregational president and three
ing to a report by an official of jointly by the UAHC teacher edu- spouses who took part in discus-
the department of education of the cation department and the center, sions.

tute for Reform Jewish educators gregations,

is planned in Israel next summer

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