THE JEWISH NEWS
Incorporating The Detroit „Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20, 1951
Member American Associaton of Englah.Jewtsh Newspapers, Michigan Press Association, National Editorial Association
Southfield, Mich. 48075.
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing Co., 17515 W. Nine Mile, Suite 865,
Phone 356-8400
Subscription $7 a year. Foreign $8.
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor
and
Publisher
CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
Business M
CHARLOTTE DUBIN
City Editor
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the second day of Sivan, 5730, the following scriptural selections
our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion. NU771. 1:1-4:20. Prophetical portion. Hosea 2:1-22.
will be read in
Shavuot Scriptural Selections
Pentateuchal portions: Wednesday, Exod. 19:1-20:23, NU711. 28:26-31; Thursday,
Dent. 15:19-16:17, Num. 28:26-31.
Prophetical portions: Wednesday, Ezekiel 1:1-28, 3:12; Thursday, Habakkuk 3:1-19.
Candle Lighting, Friday, June 5, 7:46 p.m.
VOL. LAIL No.
12
Page Four
June 5, 1970
Tragic June 5: Day of Hope for Peace
Almost to the hour, exactly three years ago. Israel struck at the Egyptian air force
to prevent an impending threat to demolish the state, to expropriate the people, to destroy
what had been built for decades as the redeemed Jewish homeland.
It was then depicted as the Six-Day War. Now it has extended into a 36-month con-
flict to which there seems to be no end, a war that has resulted in thousands of casualties--
hundreds of dead, many hundreds maimed for life.
If it had not been for the planes that were given to the Arabs by Russia, the tanks
that came from the USSR and from democratic countries, there would have been no threats.
SEEtt16 ••
411214
there might have been a prolonged cease fire. possibly Jews and Arabs would have met to
make peace. But Russia's intrusion into the Middle East. the f ears that were instilled into
Arab ranks by terrorists, the rifts that were created internationally on the issues involving Maturing of Yiddish Literature(
Israel have combined to turn the entire Mediterranean area into a boiling cauldron.
On the third anniversary of Israel's great triumph in the third war with the Arab
nations, there is a feeling of hopelessness, a mood of deep sorrow that cousins can not get Classified by Prof. Sol Liptzin
together, that the major world powers fail to take a strong stand for peace and against ter-
Dr. Sol Liptzin. currently chairman of the department of human-
ror. that the international organization known as the United Nations is marked by disunity, ities at the American College in Jerusalem, is the author of the second
by inability to act, unwillingness to exercise justice.
volume in a trilogy on Yiddish literature. His first volume, "The
of Yiddish Literature," dealt with Yiddish writers prior to
The third anniversary of the war of June 1967 is marked by tragedy. Instead of Flowering
The second in the series, "The Maturing of Yiddish Literature."
suggesting hope for the advent of a better day, of a time for peace and for international 1914.
has just been published by Jonathan David. A third volume will con-
brotherhood, we are faced with a great danger to the lives of nearly 3,000,000 people clude the trilogy.
who are the citizens of a very small state but who are surrounded by enemies for whom only
The current volume covers a vast field. It deals with Yiddish lit-
the extinction of Jewish national sovereignty will satisfy and appease a thirst for destruction.
erature and the eminent writers in this country. Russia, Poland, Ro-
This would be such an ideal time for the political and religious leaders of the entire mania and South Africa. It is a most revealing work, indicating the
world to speak in defense of a just deal for Israel, to assert the right of an ancient people to extent of Yiddish literary progress that has been attained between the
a life in its old homeland. But the enemies, in 14 states, now possibly growing to 15 in num- two world wars, and it points to the transition during which the ac-
tivities were transferred from Eastern Europe to he Americas.
ber, begrudge Israel and Jewry even the minute territory amidst its vast oil-rich areas.
Novelists and poets as well as eminent essayists pass in re-
Oil-soaked purposes are being advanced by elements that are giving comfort to those
vie• in the historical reviews m this Interesting volume, and Amer-
who would destroy Israel, and instead of compassion for the few who seek survival there
ican Jews will be especially interested to learn about the emi-
are secret deals to protect the oil empires, to appease the power seekers of the Kremlin who
nent porsonalities who helped enrich Yiddish literature in this
seek domination over additional territories and waterways.
country.
Therefore the third anniversary of what was a triumph for defenders of an em-
significance of these searches into the noted writers' migra-
battled people is such a sad day for all of us. for liberty-loving men and women of all faiths, tion The
to this country, their struggles, their creative works, lies also
for the Jewish people throughout the world.
in the addenda they provide for general Jewish American records.
Nevertheless, we must not despair. We dare not abandon hope. Having held fast for
What Prof. Liptzin does is to reintroduce some famous names who
many decades to the Zionist hope that was a continuation of the prophecies of millenia. that have been forgotten because Yiddish is less read now. Thus, men like
Zisha
Landau, Moshe Nadir, Mani-Leib and others reappear in the
there should at long last be an end to the homelessness of the Jewish people, we now reaffirm
that faith. There can be no retreat from a purpose that aimed at ending persecution, prevent-I review of their works. And the noted I. I. Schwartz whose "Kentucky"
ing repetition of humiliations suffered through the ages, assuring freedom and sovereignty was one of the great works written in Yiddish regains fame, thanks to
the critical tasks undertaken by Dr. Liptzin.
for a people that has succeeded in ending national homelessness.
Many of the names in the American section—Isaac Raboy, David
We must hold fast to the faith that our Christian fellow - men will not abandon us, Ignatoff.
Joseph -Opatoshu—were famous in their day. • hey are un-
that all peoples of good will will come forth with encouragement to the nation that is fight- known now
because, as Dr. Liptzin hints, their works have not been
ing for its very life against serious odds; that the democratic countries will abandon their translated into English. In the new record provided by Dr. Liptzin
bias, that the international organization of which Israel is an accredited member will not they emerge anew in their full glory as great writers in a language
permit that nation's fellow members in the UN to advocate its destruction.
that teas spoken by many millions.
This is our prayer for peace. for an end to destruction, for the commencement of
The works of lyricists, too, are fully credited here. There were
Ephraim Auerbach, Menashe Boraisha,' Zishe Weinper, B. J. Bia-
amity in an area in which Israeli children will be able to meet Arab children on a plane of
lostotsky,
many others. And the work of 1. I. Schwartz is duly
justice and decency and cooperation and humanitarianism.
accorded deserved recognition.
We mark the date of June 5 with sorrow and in anguish. To overcome it we pray
Then there were the famous Yehoasti and H. Leiviek, A. Glanz-
for good days of genuine peace. 11ay that day bless mankind very, very soon!
Leyeles and others and men like Jacob Glatstein who continues to this
■
Shavuot: Decalogue's Clarion Call
When we speak of Shavuot, to be observed
next week, we are influenced in our thinking
by the Decalogue, by the Commandments that
are at the root of all human behavior, all the
obligations that man has to himself and to his
fellow-men and to the society in which he is
a link for the highest goals in life.
What is implied is more than law and order:
it is a duty to mankind and therefore empha-
sizes a great duty to yield to self-discipline in
attaining the aims for righteousness and jus-
tice, for the vital factors that make life sacred
and assure for the social order of which we
are a part the dignity that rules out violence
and the inhumanities that negate civilized
living.
It is so easy to say these things, to resort
to preachments, and yet they must be uttered,
there must be constant emphasis on the
ethical codes that have made our faith the
very foundation of our existence as a people.
On Shavuot we reaffirm the ethical teach-
i day to write novels, to contribute critical works, to write poetry.
In the process of Dr. Liptzin's reviews of these creative efforts, the
reader learns about the history of the time under review, and, while
it is Yiddish literature that is analyzed, there are evidences of the
; effects of history upon the writers and their works that emerge from
these scholarly analyses.
I
ings and plead for continuity in making them
the guidelines for our daily existence. It is
not because vve live in an age of terror that
By taking the readers to Galicia, to Russia and Romania, to
we turn to the Code of Jewish Law, that we
Warsaw, Moscow and Minsk, and finally to Vilna, Dr. Liptzin
shares with them knowledge of the tremendous achievements of
stand in awe when the Decalogue is read on
Yiddish literary writings.
Shavuot. This is an unending duty, to be
observed daily. Yet it is just because of the
It is evident that what Dr. Liptzin did was to cover the globe, to
very threats to that ethical code that we dare indicate the internationalism of Yiddish literary creativity.
not abandon the faith in the higher ideals that
Merely to list the names of the many writers whose roles are
stem from our people's religious teachings depicted in this volume would occupy many pages of printed reviews.
even for a single moment.
The commentaries by Dr. Liptzin on the vastness of the Yiddish
There are cries today for law and order. literary writings add immensely to the worth of his new book.
Discussing Yiddish ideologies, the author takes into account the
On Shavuot we could learn anew about the
recent decline in Yiddish as the language of the Jewish masses but
rules of conduct that are humane, civilized, he lists the efforts to retain its significance and he points out:
compelling highest respect for human values,
"Buttressed by the efforts of VIVO, YKLIE, CYCO (the Congress
as,they are avowed in the Decalogue.
for Yiddish Culture) and by an ever increasing number of departments
Jewish studies at universities, the decline of Yiddish was slowed
Shavuot is so vital for such rededication, of
down, though not arrested. At the close of the 1960s, however, Yiddish-
for reaffirmation of the great human values ism, as an ideology, was no longer at the forefront of discussion."
taught by our sages.
While pointing to the publication of dictionaries and lexicons for
May the days of Shavuot prove again to Yiddish readers, Dr. Liptzin nevertheless is realistic in recognizing
the
problems on hand in preserving Yiddish. His emphasis on the
be occasions for clarion calls to strengthen creative
labors of those who, like YIVO, are preserving the valuable
man's duty to man, rejection of violence, Yiddish literary documents, adds value to his notable discussion of the
respect for the dignity of man and his society. maturing of Yiddish literature.