TIIE JEWISH NEWS
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CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Business Manager
Editor and Publisher
CHARLOTTE DUBIN
City Editor
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
iii!
7'his Sabbath. the 19th day of Kislec, 5730, the following scriptural selections
he read in our synagogues
Pentateuchal portion. Gen. 32:4.36:43. Prophetical portion. Hosea 11:7-12:12.
Ilannka Torah readings: Friday, Num. 7:1.17.
Candle lighting, Friday. Nov. 28, 4:43
Page Four
Vol.. LVI. No. 11
November 28, 1969
Jerusalem - - Always a Jewish City
The anti-Israel campaign is used in some Jewish sanctuary but also its position in mod-
quarters as a means of denigrating Jewish ern history, in the 19th and 20th centuries.
It was in Jerusalem that the Zionist move-
aspirations and the unification of the Holy
City of Jerusalem as an inseparable part of ment established the great Hebrew Univer-
sity.
The university buildings on Mount
the state of Israel.
What has been overlooked is the basic Scopus were isolated from the Jewish state,
and its educational efforts were interfered
truth that Jerusalem has always been a city
with a Jewish majority, that Jews had never with. But they were not interrupted: they
left Jerusalem-except during the years when continued in rented buildings in the New
Jordan drove the Jewish residents out of the Jerusalem, and now they are again function-
ing on Mount Scopus.
Old City.
There are facts that must not be over-
Hadassah's great initial hospital was estab-
looked and should be re-emphasized. For
lished in the Old City. It, too, was shut off
more than 100 years during which factual from general use-in spite of the fact that
records are available, Jews were a majority
as many if not more Arabs than Jews bene- Plea for Jewish Studies
in the Holy City. Moslems barely outnum- fited from it. Now the vast Hadassah struc-
bered Christians in Jerusalem while Jews
tures are linked anew with a reunified city.
were predominant there. Taking into account
Jews never deviated from veneration for
figures that are available from Encyclopedia Jerusalem, and not a week ever has passed
Britannica, Living Guide Indicator de la
that Jews did not recite, as they rose for the
Terre-Sainte published in 1876, the British Torah, that "Mi-Zion tetzeh Torah u-davar
A most remarkable volume has been published in Paris. Under the
Mandatory Census, the Israel Bureau of Sta- Adonai m`Yershalayim"-"out of Zion shall
title "The Talmud and Its Personalities" ("Der Talmud un Zeine
tistics and various other sources, the actual
come forth the Law and the word of the Lord Perzenlikhkeiten-LeTalmud
et ses Personalites"), David Malki pre-
figures for the Jerusalem population from
from Jerusalem."
sents a portrait of great men represented in the Talmud and evaluates
One wonders why it should be necessary in translation the ideas of these giants in Jewish history.
1844 to the present are:
Jews Moslems Christians Total
Year
to recite these historic facts. Yet the need
It is in Yiddish, and the book was published by Malki whose home
15,510
3,390
5,000
7,120
1844
to remind people not to forget them, the is in Paris. He is represented in the United States by his daughter,
25,030
Malki's 'The Talmud And Its
Personalities'- a Notable Work
12,000
1876
28,112
1896
40,000
1905
47,400
1910
33,971
1922
51,222
1931
100,000
1948
1967 195,700
7,560
8,560
5,470
8,748
7,000
13,000
13,413
14,699
9,800
19,894
16,400
19,335
25,000
45,420
60,000
73,600
62,083
90,451
165,000
urgency created by some Christian and Mos- Mrs. C. Carmi of Brooklyn.
lem forces in questioning elementary Jewish
It is the Jewishness-the yiddishkeit-the Jewish tradition That
rights compels repetition of the ancient dec-
is emphasized as the appealing factor for the reader in this splen-
laration and calling attention to the reality
inherent in Jerusalem as a Holy City of
did work.
Jewry.
The holiness of the city to Christians and
Students of the Bible are aware of the Moslems is never questioned. It is under
role of Jerusalem, the City of David, in Jew- Israeli rule that such sanctity is guaranteed:
ish history. No one with a sense of reality it was abused under Jordanian rule.
For an understanding of the basic truths
would dare speak of the city as anything
other than the capital of the restored Zion. we have just indicated, it is important that it
That is why it is so necessary to indicate not should be known: Jerusalem always was a
only the ancient role of Jerusalem as the Jewish city and remains so.
40,00e
54,963
12,963
263,626
UNRWA Perpetuates Misery and Injustice
It is sad to say, but the United Nations
Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Ref-
ugees, which was formed to alleviate want, is
perpetuating misrepresentation, misery, injus-
tice and contributes towards the continuation
If UNRWA
were to East.
provide relief for the
of strife
in the Middle
Even more distressing is the support that
goes from UN funds to the terrorists: the
It is as an introduction to the great men of learning in the Talmud
and in the Mishna that Malki presents this work as a way of acquaint-
ing the reader with the formulas of Jewish teachings, with the noted
men who directed Jewish thinking through the early ages.
And in the process, Malki teaches Torah, "the Torah," as he
states, "that has sustained the Jewish people in all times, under ail
conditions."
The texts dealt with in this volume are presented in their original,
with the adequate translations into Yiddish, and with the appropriate
commentaries.
Malki notes that the reader who does not know Hebrew can
lean entirely upon the Yiddish translations. Here there are some
shortcomings. As on pages 108ff, translations of debates between
the Houses of Shammai and Hillel are lacking, and this is a short-
coming.
Arabs call them guerrillas and Israel's ene-
mies subscribe to such terms, but actually
these El Fatah elements are part of a gang
that attacks innocent people by means of
throwing bombs into school yards, super-
markets and university cafeteria while claim-
ing to be conducting a war in guerrilla
fashion.
The by complaints
that Israel's
were registered
at
the UN
Yosef Tekoah,
spokesman,
Steeped in Jewish learning, in the Talmud, in the Mishna, devoted
to Yiddish, Malki's introductory essay is a review of the periods
during which study of the Talmud was pre-eminent in Jewish aca-
demies. At the same time he points out how for centuries, Yiddish was
the medium of study of the Jewish traditional teachings and of talmudic
debates.
There is something fascinating in the author's appeal for new devo-
tion to the Talmud, for study. He declares in his introduction:
who
gathered
in relief-provided
there have
could
be an end
to the refugee camps,
prob- against the financing of camps that shelter
terrorists, especially those in Lebanon, were
lem. But UNRWA has been
to the
padding of the refugee rolls. It blind
gives aid
in- justified condemnations of the UNRWA. The
counter-claims
that were
uttered
are uncon-
discriminately on orders from the Arabs, and
vincing and unless
an effort
is made
to end
does not take into account the fact that many terrorism it is
not
only
Israel
that
will
suffer
of the refugees have become self-sustaining
but the entire Middle East. Lebanon espe-
and should not receive the extra help that
becomes a should
target for
sabotage
if
comes from the UN fund, the bulk of which cially
the terrorists
be Arab
financed
in the
In this spirit he pleads for knowledge, and while, in the introduc-
tion to the first edition he expressed concern about the possible lack of
response, in an addendum in the second edition which has just ap•
peared, he rejoices that much, very much, interest has been shown in
his efforts.
Equally valuable in Malki's approach is his own discourse,
especially when he asks "Wis is Yiddishkeit"-"What is Jewishness,*
and the reply again is to learn-"lernen!"-to keep studying-"Torah,
lemon Torah."
Based on the excerpts from the Talmud he deals with, Is the
emphasis on Torah study, the love for learning-and the selections
emphasize the teachings he draws upon and offers in an excellent
Yiddish.
needy-and Israel alone contributes to such
aims-and were at the same time to. assist
among the Middle East nations in job-finding,
in rehabilitation, in restoring dignity to those
is
U.S. money.
By so fraudulent
doing, UNRWA
prolongs of
camps
Lebanese
soil. sense,
In the best
interests
misery,
encourages
applications
peace on
and
of common
the UN
must
for assistance and negates the very aim of help put an end to terrorism.
the UNRWA charitable obligations.
Violated Agreements: Peace Preventatives
Peace is possible even under most diffi- Arab sabotage and terrorism, there will be
more of them.
cult conditions if there is a desire for it.
On April 18, there was a similar breach
But when agreements are broken, peace
of an agreement in that area when a bomb
is postponed. When cease-fire decisions are
was thrown into Eilat. Israel retaliated with
violated, there is accelerated warfare.
This became apparent when an agreement an attack on the Jordan sector in that area.
This is how terrorism operates: it breaks
that had been honored until now that there
should be no conflicts in the Gulf of Aqaba agreements, it foments war, it causes suffer-
was violated. It had been established that ings among innocents.
But at the UN and in quarters where
there should be no military operations in the
Eilat and Aqaba area. But two Israeli ships there can be influence for peace, there is
either
blindness or total silence. The "states-
were, damaged there last week, and the break-
ing of the agreement certainly will not be men" speak only when they can condemn
ignored, by, Israel, ,Duce .there is .yielding .to. Israel.. Wee unto such a peace aim! .
"Rabbotai, 'oink lernen"--"gentlemen, let's learn!"
The themes are as varied as the Talmud itself. There are sec-
tions that mark discussions about pessimism and optimism, and
the debates between Shammai and Hillel are here reviewed to indi-
cate exchange of views over a period of years.
Because of the misunderstandings that often arise over the "eye for
an eye" dispute, it is interesting to note that Malki takes into account
the explanatory portions in the Talmud in which Rabbi Eliezer ben
Hurkenus was involved and the Tanaim broached the subject. ,
The period in history related to Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai is =der.
review, and the discussions between Yohanan ben Zakkai and Ellezer
ben Hurkenus similarly form an important chapter in the book.
Thus, the law of retaliation, the lex tallonis, the historic episodes
involving ancient Jewish experiences, conflicts in Jewish ranks and
many other factors make this work outstanding.
Most impressive, as indicated, is the serious effort to urge study, to
advocate review of the Talmud, to retain an interest in Yiddish.
For these numerous reasons, "The Talmud and Its Personalities"
by. David,144144 is, 4 Pighlx cntin;agtidabie work.
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