Vast Amount of Data on Th ree Faiths Includes
Debatable Factors in Religion in Middle East

More than ever, because of the
conflicts in the Middle East. as
a result of the ecumenical trends.
the history of religions is being
studied more carefully, and there
is a deeper interest in the rela-
tionships between the three major
faiths.
That is why "Religion in the
Middle East," the two-volume en-
cyclopedic work prepared under
the general editorship of Dr. A.
J. Arberry, St. Thomas Adam's
Professor of Arabic in the Univer-
sity of Cambridge, is of such vital
importance.
Published by Cambridge Uni-
versity. Press, these two volumes
are the results of the combined
efforts of noted scholars.
Dr. E. I. J. Rosenthal, reader
in Oriental studies in the Uni•
versity of Cambridge, is the
editor of the section on Judaism.
Christianity is dealt with in
essays edited by Cannon M. A.
C. Warren of Westminster. The
editor of the portion on Islam
Is C. F. Beckingham, professor
of Islamic studies at University
of London.
The first volume is devoted to
Judaism and Christianity, the sec-
ond to Islam.
In all instances the illustrations
add to the merit of the studies,
since they provide an understand-
ing of observances.
Distinguished theologians and
authorities on the religious fac-
tions discussed have contributed
articles offering explanations of a
variety of issues involved in the
discussion of the basic subjects,
and the collective effort illumin-
ates the subjects, throws light on
the multiplicity of views on the
problems that emerge and add
data to the gathering of factual
information.
In the concluding section the
contributing authors deal with
"concord and conflict" and the
Zionist aspect is discussed inter
alia. This, too, is of value because
of the totality of the religious
tapestry woven for the readers.
Dr. Arberry makes this ob-
servation in his preface: "The
editors have aimed at accuracy
and consistency; it will be ob-
vious, however, that complete
uniformity, however desirable,
remains unattainable, not least
because of the great variety of
source-languages involved."
In the section on Judaism, the
authors and their essay topics are:
Prof. Jakob J. Petuchowski of
Hebrew Union College-Jewish In-
stitute of Religion, "Judaism To-
day;" Prof. Norman Bentwich of
the Hebrew University, "Judaism
in Israel;" Prof. H. Z. (J. W.)
Hirschberg of Bar-Ilan University,
"The Oriental Jewish Communi-
ties:" and Prof. S. D. Goitein of
the University of Pennsylvania

' and the Hebrew University. The
Jews of Yemen."
Christianity in the Middle East.
the Orthodox Church. the Roman
Catholic C h u r c h. the Coptic
Church in Egypt. the Ethiopian
Orthodox and the Syrian Orthodox
, Churches, the Armenian Church.
the Assyrians. the Lutherans and
Anglicans are defined by W. II. C.
Frend of the University of Cam-
bridge, Prof. C. II. Malik of th?
American University in Beirut.
the Rev. Fr. G. C. Anawati of
Cairo. the Rev. Otto F. A. Meinar-
, dus of the American University
in Cairo. the Rev. Fr. Paul ♦ er-
ghese of Kottaya in. the Rt. Rev.
K. V. S a rk issi a n of Antelias.
Canon Edward Every of Jeru-
salem, Pasteur Jean-Michel'
. Ilornus and Honorary Canon Keit-
neth Cragg of Canterbury.
I
•
;'The Islamic section edited by
Prof. Beckingham provides an
historic review, outlines of Islam
in Egypt, the USSR, the Sudan,
Turkey, Northwest Africa, East
and West Africa, the Balkans;
Iranian Islam, the Druzes, the
Ahmadis, Sufis m, Wahhabis,
Zaydis, lbadis, Ismailis. Emin-
ent men from all faiths have
been called upon to write on
these subjects, and Prof. Hirsch-
berg of Bar-Ilan University
authored the Druze chapter.
In the latter, Prof. Hirschberg
notes that 10 per cent of the
Druzes live in Israel. The Druzes
believe in the divinity of al-Hakim,
and Jewish sources present al-
Hakim in a favorable light. The
author of the essay on the Druzes
also states that "an Egyptian
scroll" of 1012 mentions al-Hakim
as the "protector of the Jews." Ref-
erence is made to the comments
on "Druze Settlements in Israel"
in the writings of the late Presi-
dent of Israel Itzhak Ben-Zvi.
Of special interest is the final
section in both volumes, "The
Three Religions in Concord and
Conflict," as well as the frequent
references to conflicts as well as
concords in the entire collection
of noted works on the major re-
ligions.
Discussing the Roman Catholic
Church, Fr. Anawati writes about
Arabs "defending their country"
and of Zionist clashes with the
British breeding terrorism. It is
not among the friendliest, refer-
ences.
Similarly, the R e v. F. F.
Bishop of Glasgow University,
writing on "Islarrt-in the Coun-
tries of the Fertile Crescent,"
speaks of Zionism as "almost
exclusively a political problem"
and of the refugees and their
problem as none of the making
of the Muslims. There are fre-
quent references to Arab hos-
t tility to Zionism and there are
many challengeable and debat-

able issues in these works.
Another inst a nce: discussing
The Cultural Aspect: with special
reference to Egypt and Syria,"
A. L. Tibawi of the University of
London discusses community loyal-
ties and describes Jews as remain-
ing "a race apart, whose religion.
and later political Zionism, put
them either outside the Christian-
Muslim affiliations or in an am-
'Uguous situation permitting little
scope for outright alignment with
either Zionism or Arab national-
ism." The referred-to march of
events is well known.
In the discussion of the cultural
aspect there is also the contention
that Christians ranged on the side
of Moslems against Zionism. Em-
phasis on the tensions in the Mid-
dle East is frequent in these an-
alyses.
Of course, especially in the
Jewish elaborations, as well as
those of Christians and Muslims,
there are many accounts of the
Jewish historical developments
that have led to Zionism and
the history of the movement is
not ignored.
Neither is there an avoidance
of reference to the anti-Semitic
movements and to "the sin" of the
hatred -generated by Jew-baiting.
Inevitably, much is debatable in
these works. In their totality they
nevertheless offer textbooks on the
three religions and bases for dis-
cussion even when there are vast
differences of opinion on much
that has been compiled in the two
volumes "Religion in the Middle
East."

■
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By BEN GALLOB

(Copyright 1910, .LTA. In,'.)

The newly elected president of
the Religious Zionists of America
has disclosed plans for major new
programs aimed at combatting in-
different and negative attitudes
toward Zionism and Israel among
Jewish college students and in
Jewish day school teaching person-
nel.
Rabbi Bernard Poupko of Pitts-
burgh discussed the projected pro-
grams during an interview with the
Jewish Telegraphic A g en c y, in
which he said that the Religious
Zionist movement in this country
had long been almost totally iso-
lated from the Jewish youth gene-

ration.

He indicated support for much
of the criticism w h i c h Jewish
youth is currently firing at the
Jewish establishment and asserted
that many of their charges of hy-
pocrisy and irrelevance were jus-
tified.
He disclosed that a "council of
intellectuals" was being organized
within the RZA as a permanent
Rabbi Joseph Solove1
um tth
.
chik as adviser.
Rabbi Poupko said that the basic
idea of the program was to seek
to make it clear that every value
and ideal motivating Jewish youth
idealists had its historic base in
Jewish tradition.
"We want to show these young
people that they did not have to
wait for a Cite Guevara to bring
them the message of freedom,"

Consequently, the Soviets en-
NEW YORK (JTA)—A Czecho-
slovakian Jew who was a member couraged Egypt to precipitate a
war
with Israel in 1967- "To make
of the Prague government in the
late 1940s, warned that Soviet Rus- the Arab states more dependent
on
the
Soviet Union, Soviet intelli-
sia is bent on the annihilation of
Israel and will try to bring that gence told Cairo of great weakness-
es
in
the
Israeli defense system
about as soon as it has achieved
off
full domination of the Arab gov- and encouraged Egypt to set
the war," Prof. Loebl wrote.
ernments.
"The Soviets were not surprised
Prof. Eugen Loebl, former Czech
deputy minister of foreign trade,
who now teaches at Vassar, said
in a letter published in the New
York Times that "there is grave
danger that the Soviets will feel
that they are about to attain this
degree of control of the Middle
East."
According to Prof. Loebl, the So-
viet government "feared that once
East conflict was set-
the
Arab governments, no
tled,
longer needing Russia's military
aid, would turn toward the West
for economic assistance."
He said that Moscow viewed
with disfavor the prospect of an
Egyptian v i c t or y over Israel
"with resultant freedom of ac-
bon for the Arab governments."

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Religious Zionists Plan Program
to Combat Student Hostility to Israel

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"Hebrew Culture Caravan" Feature Prepared by Tarbut Foundation for the
Advancement of Hebrew Culture.

THE
MUSIC
OF
ISRAEL:
INGATHERING

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MARCH 22-APRIL 20,1970
Purim to Frey Pesach

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by Egypt's defeat; on the con-
trary, it was important to their
strategy. The war's brevity alone
disappointed them. Thus the war's
outcome should not be understood
as a Soviet defeat. The Soviets not
only did not lose their foothold in
the Middle East but they also suc-
ceeded in extending their po we r
there," according to Prof. Loebl.

Sounding Note for Music Festival

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1.1

he said. "We must and will go
beyond labels to reach them."
He said the program would be
a cooperative one, in which quali-
fied Jewish spokesmen for the
RZA would seek out alienated or
indifferent students for inform:.)
efforts at communication, in which
the spokesman would seek to con-
vey what authentic Jewish tradi-
tion has to say about the critical
issues of modern times.
lie said the program aimed at
day schools will have two objec-
tives. One will be to deal with a
substantial number of teachers in
such schools who have come from
extreme right-wing Orthodox sem-
inaries which have consistently op-
posed Israel on religious grounds.
The other phase will be a pro-
gram of support for wider efforts
to obtain larger allocations for
day schools from federations and
welfare funds.
Rabbi Poupko also reported on a
reorganization of the RZA youth
program. The RZA has long had
two youth affiliates, Mizrachi Hat-
zair and Bnai Akiva. He said there
had been disputes between the two
youth groups on matters of budget
and program.
Under the reorganization, he
said, Bnai Akiva will function as
an aliya-oriented group with its
program centered on that phase
of Zionist ideology and practice.
Mizrachi Hatzair will concentrate
on Zionist and traditional programs
for Jewish youth expecting to
spend their lives in the American
Jewish community.

Israel's Destruction Soviet Goal in M.E., Says Czech Exile

NEW EXPRESSIONS

Visual Aids
Glossary

Aliya-Oriented Effort

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This poster announces the dates and theme of the 26th annual
Jewish Music Festival being celebrated nationally through April 20
under sponsorship of the National Jewish Welfare Board's Jewish
Music Council. The event, launching the Music Council on its second
quarter of a century of cultural activity, will be observed by more
than 2,000 Jewish centers, schools, synagogues, orchestras, choral
groups and radio and TV stations.

48—Friday,- March 27, 1970

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS