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 CHARLOTTE DUBIN City Editor Business Manager Sabbath Scriptural Selections This Sabbath, the 11th day of Tecet. 5730, the following scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues: Pentateuchal portion, Gen. -1-1:18-47:27. Prophetical portion, Ezekiel 37:15-28. Candle lighting. Friday, December 19, 4:43 p.m. VOL. LV1. No. 14 December 19, 1969 Page Four Effects of Season's Religious Influences leaders in the Long Island Council that they Inevitably, at this season of the year, the mobilized to help alleviate community ten- Jewish communities are confronted with the sions arising from religious issues. But a solu- serious problem of the injection of religious tion is not easily attainable because the over- teachings in public school programs. The whelming majority that comes to the public great appeal of Christmas, the Christian pre- schools is imbued with a specific religious dominance, the displays, even if they have feeling, and expects certain practices to be the strict commercial appeal, make them- selves felt effectively. As a result, the Jewish adhered to. Supreme Court decisions are not easily enforceable, and when efforts are made minority often seeks a way out by celebrating to overcome the prejudices, there emerge Hanuka, at times by attempting also to inject counter-actions that often lead to increased the Maccabean spirit in school celebrations, prejudices rather than to a decline in bias and for those who aim to avert the intrusion and to an adherence to the hoped-for feeling of religious influences in the-: schools both observances represent harm to the basic idea of good will. There is no doubt that just as Christians of separation of church and state. That is why the Long Island, N.Y. clergymen, represent- come into public arenas with their devotions ing all faiths, have gone on record recom- so, also. must we have a strong feeling stem- ming from the home among the Jewish chil- mending that "no religious celebrations be dren. Those who confront contrary religious held in the public schools during the Christ- influences will be able to face them only if mas-Hanuka season, the Easter-Passover sea- the home habits are as strong as those of the son or other religious holidays." Guidelines set up by the Long Island In- majority. Of course, religious teachings must be terfaith Council have been sent to 110 school districts declaring that "it is the responsibil- eliminated from our schools, and from all public functions, if the basic American idea ity of the public schools to teach mutual understanding, brotherhood and respect for Nif the separation of .religion from the state's practices is to be adhered to. But the strong- group differences—racial and religious," but est instrument for retention of Jewish loyal- that "such teaching should be objective, should avoid any doctrinal impact and avoid ties must commence even before the child enrolls in school and during his entire experi- any implications that religious doctrines from which holidays flow have the support of state ence in the home and in his specific Jewish school. Therein lies a home and a community authority." It is to the credit of the many religious responsibility. Terrorism and the Peace Deterrents Terrorism has only one end: destruction; and the terrorists' gains usually are the losses they themselves or their people suffer. Terror is not war: it is an offshoot of hate that pre- vents an end to war. This is the tragedy of the present Middle East situation: that those who resort to terror, those who encourage it—like the cohorts of the destructive ele- ments in this country—are not anxious for peace, they will not confer with their "ene- mies" who happen to be cousins in kinship, they have only one thing in view: a new genocide. It is in the light of the genocide aim that it becomes difficult to understand the Chris- tians who abandon faith in Scriptures and in history and permit Israel's enemies to propa- gate the illogical idea that it is Zionism and not Judaism, Zionists and not Jews, who are linked with Eretz Israel-. The prophetic role of Israel. the historic links defy it. But geno- cide utilizes every means of misleading people to deny the very basis of insepara- bility of People Israel from State of Israel. The more tragic factor in the present situation is the encouragement that goes to the terrorists from the United Nations. Too many chances for peace were muffed by the UN itself. As time elapses, Israel is compelled to protect every avenue for her people's security. Daily attacks on terrorists' hangouts are the causes for an endless war that would never have escalated if the cease- fire agreements had been adhered to. But it really began when the armistice pledges of 1948 were continually broken, and now there is no question about the endlessness of the war that could terminate with negotia- tions. Instead, war is propagated wherever an Arab finds a platform—whether it is in Lon- don, Washington, Cairo. Beirut or on the campus of Wayne State University. Under such circumstances, how can the reiterated efforts of Secretary of State William Rogers, Lord Caradon or any other world diplomat possibly gain a hearing? . Hillel Foundations' Progressive Advances Serious views taken by Hillel Founda- tions on the troubled minds of our university students is leading toward programs which promise to link the youth in our colleges to the sources in our traditions that em- phasize the obligations to social needs and to communal duties. The decisions of the important branch of Bnai Brith to make a thorough study of conscientious objection, to the draft, to governmental duties relating to the pres- ent war situation, must be viewed as an in- troduction to studies which must indicate that our interests are not imprisoned in isolation, that there is a universalism in Jew- ish teachings which demands devotion to the needs of the larger community and to our being linked with our neighbors and fellow citizens with obligations to elevate the status of all citizens and to take into account sentiments which appear to be rebellious but which are, in reality, the right to an expres- sion of views within the realm of a demo- cratic society. When some of our youth charged that Jews were too parochial, too disinterested in civil rights, too isolated from the trends of the time, they were speaking without knowl- edge of the obligations inherent in Jewish teachings, in our traditional duties to con- sider mankind's needs without prejudice, to labor in behalf of the downtrodden regard- less of their religion or race. New trends in Hillel ranks seem to prom- ise an approach, by way of understanding to be reached cooperatively and through studies, that these values will emerge anew in their fullest realization and understanding. Nothing is lost in a society that is determin- ed to arrive at truth through knowledge. Urgent Israel-Diaspora Links Emphasized in Book by Louvish Israel's history, the struggle for survival, the aim to establish modernity in a neglected part of the world, the basic need to solidify Israel-Diaspora relationship—these are given emphasis in an impres- sive work by a writer whose background indicates his right to the claim of being an authority on the Zionist-Jewish State matters. In "Challenge of Israel," published by Ktav, Misha Louvish, who has held important posts with the Israel government press offices and other Israeli official posts and who is a noted translator from the Hebrew, provides a portrait of Jewish national revival—and the strug- gle for survival—in an impressive literary style. "Variants and cross-currents" in Israel's existence are outlined by the author in his description of the differing views over handling the Arab problem and the territorial issues. He faces them realistically, presenting all views, describing the challenges and the needs, empha- sizing that without negotiable means through direct talks there is little hope for change. Israel, under trying conditions, must seek solutions to guarantee her security, he declares. Israel's influence upon Diaspora Jewry is defined by the author and affirming that a bulwark against the danger of extinction of the Jew is the synagogue, Louvish also asserts that "Judaism cannot be divorced from the ties of the Jew to his people and its ancestral homeland." He therefore places great emphasis on the need to strengthen the ties of world Jewry with Israel. The plea for such unity is contained in Louvish's concluding words, thus: "Today, Israel is not a Zionist Utopia, where all Jewish problems have been solved and nothing is left to do but to sit back and enjoy the fruits of perfection. It is the growing point of Jewry; a pilot plant for Jewish culture; the center in which the Jewish destiny is being worked out through a process of stress and strain, trial and error. It has achieved much and still has much to achieve. Its future is inextricably bound up with the future of the more than four-fifths of Jewry who live abroad—mainly in the Western democracies. Neither can solve its problems without the other. "Without its ties with the Diaspora, Israel is a small Middle East nation, not yet economically sound or militarily secure. But it has as much to give as to get. It can show Jews everywhere an example of a Jewry that enjoys not only civic and political liberty and tolerance but spiritual and national freedom and independence; it offers those who desire it the opportunity to build a logically consistent Jewish life for themselves and their families. "Together, Israel and the Diaspora can go far to realize in the modern world the potentialities of 4,000 years of history, and enable the Jewish people to make its maximum contribution to the progress of mankind." Story of Israel's Stamps Sabra Books and Funk and Wagnalls jointly published a book of such great delight that philatelists will list it among its guides in ad- vancing one of the most interesting hobbies. In "The Story of Israel Stamps," Maxim and Gabriel Shamir reproduce 98 types of stamps, starting with the Theodor Herzl emblem through the "Freedom From Hunger" commemorative. An explanatory story is like a paean to the glories that have been attained by Israel. The authors rightfully point out that the test of a country's progress is not alone in the immigrants it invited, as is the case of a pioneering land like Israel, but in being able to absorb them fully. Part of the absorption is, of course, the creation of all the media necessary for a national life. The post office is vital, and the manner in which the stamp is produced indicates skill and imagination, Israel's stamps combine history with the procedural life. In Israel's case it is past linked with present, looking to the future. Therefore the personalities symbolize all these factors. The Indus- trial accomplishments are represented. The schools are remem- bered. The children play their role. Indeed, in Israel's stamps are mirrored all of life in the land, and nothing is overlooked: the holiday stamps depict religion and faith, music is denoted, world events are presented, the stamp "Cooperation" did not overlook Russia's role, and the Russian term Sotrnnichestvo for Cooperation is included in the original. The authors are instructive in their approach, and in the appendix to their book, "About the Stamps," they briefly list the history of each, the meaning, the names of the lithographers and designers. "In a "Shalom" introduction to the volume, Israel Consul General Rehaveam Amir especially commends the volume to the youth for whom it was especially intended.- llders also will delight in this work.