THE JEWISH NEWS Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20. 1951 Member American Associaton of Englsh-Jewish Newspapers, Michigan Press Association. National Editorial Association Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing Co., 17515 W. Nine Mile, Suite 865, Southfield. Mich. 48075. Phone 356-8400 Subscription $7 a year. Foreign $8. PHILIP SLOMOVITZ Editor and Publisher CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ Business Manager CHARLOTTE DUBIN City Editor Sabbath Scriptural Selections This Sabbath, the fourth day of Teret, 5730, the following scriptural selections tel be read in our synagogues: Pentateuchal portion. Gen. 44:1-44:17. Prophetical portion, 1 kings 3:15-4:1. Candle lighting. Friday, Dec. 12, 4:49 p.m. Torah readings for Fast of 10th of Tel:et, Friday, Dec. 19: Prophetical portion, Erod. 32:11.14, 34:1-10: Prophetical portion, Isaiah 55:6-56:8. VOL. . LVI. No. 13 Page Four December 12, 1969 Histadrut's 50 Years of Service When, in 1920, a group of pioneers who were among the builders of the early settle- ments in Eretz Israel gathered to form the General Federation of Labor in Palestine (with the term Israel used after the emerg- ence of the state). the movement that became known in Hebrew as Histadrut began its activities as one of the great forces in Jewish life. The founding of the great movement 50 years ago emphasized the major social forces that were inherent in the Zionist cause. The creation of Histadrut gave impetus to halut- ziut—to the desire for and allegiance to pio- neering in the re-birth of a Jewish national existence. It was a force not only in the Land of Israel, in the Yishuv which preceded Israel as a state, but in Jewish communities through- out the world because it represented labor and the return of Jews to creative pursuits from which they were barred by the pre- judices of the Christian communities almost everywhere on the globe except in the demo- cratic countries that rejected prejudices only in the current century. Histadrut taught young Jews who settled in Israel to return to an old Jewish calling-- to farming and to tilling the soil, to horticul- ture as well as to agriculture, and to experi- mentations which revolutionized the new Jewish life that was rooted in the ideal kibutz collective life. It was a social force in many other aspects —in the creation in later years of cooperative efforts in the distribution of farm products, and in the establishments of industries that became vital to Jewish statehood. In the critical years when both the British and the Arabs threatened the existence of the Jewish settlements, Histadrut inspired the movement of the shomrim—of the guards, protectors, watchmen, who served as Israel's defense units. With the emergence of Israel, these shomrim became the nucleus for an army and were the background for the de- fensive elements who protected the settle- ments that dotted Eretz Israel that had be- -crrA come Medinat Israel. When Histadrut first was organized, there were 87 delegates representing 4,433 Jewish workers at the formative meeting. Today Pere Marie-Benoit, Anti-Nazi Histadrut is a force of more than 1,000,000 members. Counted among them are tens of Hero, Acclaimed in New Book thousands of Arab workers, who, thanks to One of the noted heroes of the last war, the anti-Nazi Capuchin Histadrut, have gained high status as labor- ers, as wage earners who receive pay equal to priest, Pere Marie-Benoit, who risked his life to rescue Jews in France that acquired through the years by their Jew- and in Italy, is receiving acclaim in an important volume by a lady ish fellow-workers and fellow-citizens. Those who labored with him in his rescue activities. who are antagonistic to Israel would do well In "Incredible Mission," published by 'Doubleday, Fernande Labou- to learn these facts, and the Arabs themselves have much to learn from this experience to cher relates the dramatic events that marked the activities of the Frenchman who first labored in behalf of the refugees in his native land, appreciate how Histadrut has helped elevate then escaped to Rome from Nazi threats to apprehend him and to send their standard of living. him on with other victims to concentration camps and possibly exter- Histadrut has gained high status among mination camps. In Rome, he carried on his work of saving lives. the world's labor movements. We extend to it our hearty greetings. On this occasion, as the The tribute is the work of the widow of one of the Jews who Detroit supporters of Histadrut engage in was murdered by the Nazis but who had been helped to escape upholding the hands of the Histadrut leader- from one of the prisons in which he was held. Ludwik Nadelman, ship in Israel, we view the local fund-raising Fernande Leboucher's husband, was an idealist. He was unselfish. campaign as deserving of generous support. He did not wish to be rescued alone as long as there were other (4 1k_ Jews who were held by the Nazis. That is why he delayed escaping, Order-Taking as a Criminal Defense Vietnam's tragedies assume a frightening role in the murder charges that have been leveled against American servicemen. Admis- sions of mass murders, the cold-blooded form that the attacks assumed in the death of men, women and children, of what appeared to be routine killings, are reminiscent of the Nazi era. What has taken place in Vietnam is akin to the defense that was resorted to by Adolf Eichmann and many other Nazi criminals who claimed immunity because, as soldiers of war, they were following orders. It is this horrible defense that must be exposed and ruled out for all time to come as a valid reason for committing murder. When a person is ordered to kill, or to commit any crime that is contrary to his con- science or to the basic principles, he must reserve the right to defy orders, to refuse to be a party to a killing. War in itself is cruel, and the protests we have today from an awakened youth and their supporters may be leading us to the right path of peace. Dr. Albert Einstein at one time advocated that people should refuse to serve in capacities that could lead to war, and his feeling was that if there was such a rebellion it would be better for those refus- ing to be cannon-fodder or media for murder to fill the world's jails than to yield to the crime of war. It was only when the Nazi ter- ror afflicted all of mankind that he condoned the democracies' struggle to stop the Hitler horrors. But even then Einstein would not and could not have approved of order-taking. That in itself, when human lives are involved, or basic decencies are negated, is wrong. It is in this light that the case of those involved in the Vietnam murders must be judged. Once and for all time to come, let such an idea—approval of order-taking—he erased from the human mind. Then it might end forever in human actions. Educational Reform: Community Council Proposal "With the exception of parochiaid," the Jewish Community Council goes along with the program introduced for educational re- form to repair much damage suffered by our schools for lack of funds, proper teach- ing personnel and the desired cooperation of parents and teachers to assure proper designation of duties for the most vital instru- ment in the life of our people. It can not be denied that much of the flight from the big cities is ascribable to the decline in our educational system in the big cities. Regardless of the causes that have led to such a tragic state, the fact is that there is need for advancement, that there must be an exertion of effort sufficient to reduce the shortcomings and to speed the way to- wards the progress that is needed to guaran- tee the highest standards in teaching. The Community Council's admonition is based on the belief that: "All citizens of Michigan must recognize and address themselves to a financial and educational crisis of major proportions exist- ing in the public schools of our state. The defeat of millage proposals in many districts, the subsequent deficit financing of these districts, the lengthy teachers strikes, the continuous problem of high school dropouts and overcrowded classes and the need to assign educational responsibility at the state level, bear testimony to some of the inade- quacies of our present public educational apparatus." These views must be accepted as ele- mentary and therefore as especially compel- ling in the present critical stage in American life. By rebuilding our school system we will have rebuilt our communities and re- established the amity that stems from knowl- edge and understanding among all elements in our midst and is therefore the most vital in our life. perhaps that is why he perished, since he could have saved bis own life several times. He-was finally caught and sent to his death, and in the meantime Father Marie-Benoit carried on his labors and emerged among the saintly men who defied Hitlerism. Fernande had gone to Father Marie-Benoit to ask him to help her husband. He consented, proceeded to assist Ludwik, provided false passports and ration cards to Ludwik and the fellow sufferers from Nazism who were helped by him, many escaping. It was the beginning of a courageous few years of labor during which the Capuchin father did not hesitate to forge pagsports, to risk his own life in the rescue efforts, to call upon other clerics to help him in the dangerous labors. He became the head of the DELASEM organization—the movement known as Delegazione per l'Assistanza dei Emigranti Ebrei — Jewish Emigrants' Aid Society, and he succeeded in gathering funds that made it possible for the group to function and to aid many escapees and those it helped escape from the Nazi terror. Some of the methods resorted to in gathering aid for his move- ment and in providing relief involved Marie-Benoit in many dan- gers and on several occasions he barely escaped capture. Among the men the priest worked with was the late Chief Rabbi Israel Zolli of Italy who later became a convert to Catholicism. Fer- nande does not tell about the conversion of Zolli, and this is one of the shortcomings in an otherwise most valuable book that gives credit to a heroic figure. Mme. Leboucher also undertakes in this volume to defend Pope Pius XII, whose failures to speak out against the Nazis had been condemned in "The Deputy" and other exposes. But the author of "Incredible Mission" points to occasions when Pius XII did rescue Jews and encouraged Catholics and churches to welcome refugees and to work for their rescue. But the quotes of Pius XII's declarations clearly indicate that he never referred either to Jews or Nazis by name when speaking of help for the needy. What Fernande does is give a full account of the German meth- ods of rounding up Jews who were destined for destruction. Her book is a review of the war years and the Nazi tactics in France and in Italy. Her hero is portrayed in appreciable fashion as a humble and dedi- cated religious leader. He was born Pierre Peteul and he was named Marie-Benoit for his priesthood in honor of a Catholic saintly leader. He is now a Capuchin father superior. His having been a passport forger is recorded among the great deeds of a noted humanitarian, and he has received honors from the state of Israel, which has recognized his heroism, from the president of Italy and from former President Johnson. The greatest tribute is a canticle composed by Jewish children in Italy who honored him in poetic fashion. That poem is an appropriate conclusion to- the-noteworthy. book-by Fernande Leboucher.