Nuremberg Cathedral Restores
Gravestones to Jewish Community
Singer's 'Bring Forth Mighty Men'
Defines Israel's Character, Its Hate
for War, Criticizes Jewish Leadership
In this period of Israel's struggle
for survival, when strong rebuttal
is necessary to counteract propa-
ganda from many antagonistic
quarters, when Jews are as affect-
ed by the prejudices as Israelis,
when presentation of facts is so
vital, arguments like those set
forth in "Bring Forth the Mighty
Men" by Rabbi Howard Singer (a
Funk and Wagnafls publication)
are immensely valuable.
The problem of overcoming pre-
judice advanced by Arabs, in the
churches, in the press and wher-
ever they may emerge is handled
skilfully by the able author, who
helped in Israel's first war of liber-
ation in 1948 and who had set up
the foreign department of the Kol
Israel Broadcasting Co.
DEP STEIN, SC-114E1T
SIEVE DER.
I-4ABAKUK 2,11
AUS DER
A
One of the four gravestones removed from the Nuremberg
Jewish cemetery in 1352 and returned to the local Jewish community
in May 1970 is that of a man who died on a Thursday in the month
of Iyar.
BY CHAPLAIN
ALLAN M. BLUSTEIN
NUREMBERG—It is of deep sig-
nificance that, some 30 years after
the Holocaust, four gravestones
taken from the Nuremberg Jewish
cemetery more than 600 years ago
have been returned to the local
Jewish community in a very mov-
ing and poignant ceremony. The
rites that took place in the funeral
chapel of Nuremberg's new Jewish
cemetery relate to events in the
years 1330 to 1340.
During that period, the Jewish
community of Nuremberg laid to
their final rest four members of
its congregation. The site of the
cemetery in which these 14th Cen-
tury Jews were interred is still
known, although it is no longer in
use.
The burials took place just prior
to the outbreak of the dread Black
Death which ravaged western
Europe in 1348, when history re-
cords that the Jews of Nuremberg
were falsely accused of poisoning
the wells and of causing the pesti-
lence. The fact that the Jews also
suffered from the havoc of the
plague had little effect on the
panic-stricken mobs. As a conse-
quence, the entire Jewish com-
munity was expelled from Nurem-
berg and many Jews moved into
neighboring Furth, as well as to
other parts of Germany.
In 1352, according to the rec-
ords, tour gravestones were
taken from the medieval Jewish
cemetery and transferred to the
St. Lorenz Church, a magnificent
cathedral in downtown Nurem-
berg. They were then cut into
shapes enabling them to be used
as part of a spiral staircase in
the south dome of the church.
The Hebrew lettering on the
stones was hidden from view, and
Arno Hamburger, vice president
of the Jewish religious community
of Nuremberg, traced the efforts
of those involved, both Christian
and Jew, to effect the return of the
stones ever since that fateful mo-
ment when Hamburger had pick'd
up a reference to them in a bock
on the Jews of Nuremberg.
All concerned were very helpful
and desirous of returning the
stones to the cemetery. However
they were afraid that the staircase
might collapse if the stones were
removed. Their fears were set to
rest after consultation and advice
from several experts on stone
edifices.
The gravestones themselves are
incomplete. The Hebrew characters
on the first one indicate that a
woman whose name ended with
sheba (either Elisheba or Bath-
sheba perhaps) died in the year
1333. The second bears no name
but is that of a male who died
on a Friday which was the 7th of
Shevat in an unknown year. The
third is that of a man who died
on a Thursday in the month of
Iyar in the year 5090 (correspond-
ing to the secular year 1330). The
fourth is unidentifiable.
Israel Aviation Industry
Seeks Loan to Build Jets
JERUSALEM — Israel Aviation
Industries, Israel's largest a i r -
craft manufacturer, is reportedly
seeking a 50 million dollar loan
to develop its two executive jets,
the "Commander" and the "Ar-
ava."
The company's production this
year is expected to have a total
value of $116,000,000, compared to
While emphasizing the realities
of Israel's status and refuting
the arguments posed against the
existence of the young state,
Singer also proves a point: that
it is Israel's character: the aim
for peace and the aspiration for
a better life and higher standards
for all—with assistance to Arabs
whenever and wherever there is
the opportunity for it — is the
superb quality of the people en-
gaged in war. Therefore the sub-
title to the book, "On violence
and the Jewish character," ex-
plains the theme "Bring Forth
the Mighty Men" which is taken
from the Book of Joel (4:9-10):
"Therefore proclaim this among
the nations, Declare War, Bring
Forth the Mighty Men, let them
press forward, let them rise
up ..."
The significance of this book lies
in the fact that the author takes up
argument after argument and de-
molishes it by presenting the facts
of Jewish existence, the actual oc-
currences in Israel which indicate
the desire to create rather than de-
stroy, to elevate human beings,
Arabs among them, rather than
degrade them.
church officials and Jewish com-
56—Friday, June 19, 1970
8750,000 in orders. Half of the or-
students in Hebron, and now
Ifebronite Arabs say the English
instigated the killing.
To describe the character of the
Israelis, Singer tells about 19-year-
old Elisheva Yardeni, who was
trained in broadcasting but she
saw the need to train dogs to guard
kibutzim against Arab infiltrators.
The author states: "There was
nothing I could do to dissuade her.
Israel needed dog handlers more
than it needed radio personalities.
Elisheva would have shrugged off
the notion that she possessed halut-
ziut; that would have struck her as
pompous, pretentious: Elisheva is
the Israeli army's secret weapon."
The Nasser-Hussein telephone
conversation in which they de-
cided to put the blame for the
war on the United States is re-
produced here to show the trick-
ery which the free peoples of the
world are inclined to forget.
Singer describes the battle for
Jerusalem, the emerging religious
feelings, yet, to emphasize the
character of the Jew and the Is-
raeli, he quotes an incident which
caused a religious old Jew to com-
ment, with regard to loss of life in
that struggle: "We Jews do not
think stones and sites holy. Let the
Pope make much of such things.
This is not our way. God is every-
Singer's concluding chapter is a
surprise. In "an analysis and a
program" he deals with American
Jewry, and he excoriates the na-
tional Jewish organizations. He is
critical of all of them, of the con-
cessions they wish to make, of
their failure to act when there is
need for firmness.
He is all too outspoken in what
may be half truth but which does
not tally with all the facts because
the national Jewish movements of
late have been very active in Jew-
ish defense work.
He is critical of the ecumenical
and other approaches:
"Jews need to be reminded
that they have always bled for
everybody, but no one bleeds
for them."
In this sense he admonishes us
about the faults and shortcomings.
Yet he concludes with hope: "I
believe American Jews will gather
their energies and their wits and
find it possible to do whatever has
to be done."
Even if he is over critical, Singer
has rendered a great service by
gathering the facts, by introducing
the character of the Jew, by expos-
ing the lie. "Bring Forth the
Mighty Men" is a fine guide to-
ward proper defense of the Jewish
position in Israel—P.S.
Summer 1970 Gentlemen's Quarterly—Features
Splendid Styles; Hebrew Alphabet, Israel Art
and father.
Gentleman's Quarterly deals Gan impression Masada, David's
Then there is another article,
with style. It is devoted to the Tower, Old Jaffa, Caesaria, and
other scenes are depicted.
by Raphael Rothstein, entitled
gentleman's style.
But
this
is
not
all.
This
issue
"Battles
or No, the Beat Goes On
Its Summer 1970 issue has a
style all its own. It is as much of Gentleman's Quarterly contains —Almost . . Israel's young are
two
special
features
of
note.
into free sexual relations erotica,
art and utilization of the most
There is an interview with 'easy rider' and some are turning
imaginative-historical and the
Assaf Dayan, the son of Moshe on — yet there's no generation gap."
linguistic related to the Hebraic
Dayan. Written by Jan Hoden- It's a story about the young, the
and Israel.
field, its long title is: "Assaf army, their attitudes ... a whole-
The stylistic aproach is linked
Dayan
Is Better Than The some piece.
in this issue with the Hebrew
Movie — How to be the son
In its entirety, the Summer 1970
alphabet, and the lover of He-
of
the
national
hero without be- Gentleman's Quarterly is a most
brew, those interested in Israel,
ing The Son Of The National interesting collection of styles and
will treasure this work as a mag-
Hero." And Assaf speaks his Hebrew letters, photos and im-
nificent creation.
mind here with unusual candor, pressions of great merit. It's an
"Summer: the Free Style" is
revealing some family facts, issue that will be displayed and
the title for this issue of the
stating the reactions to mother valued by its possessors.—P. S.
magazine, and the major portion
of it is "The Style: Free . . .
The Land: Israel." "
Eastern Mr Lines Music Boosters
This fashion magazine for men;
4*
linking the most magnificent crea-
11
tions with every letter in the He-
• 1`13,,
brew alphabet, also attaches great
Cl
importance to major scenes in
2 1- W-143.,
Israel.
:In ▪ I '
,
--.
4r2
Interestingly, the title page lead-
ing to the many pages in this
section dedicated to the Israeli
styles, contains scenes from sacred
places to all faiths, interposed
upon a Magen David, with a bus
ticket as emphasis, the Kennedy
Memorial and the Chagal windows
in the Hadassah chapel in Jeru-
$81,200,000 last year.
they became a permanent fixture
Representatives of Israel's lea- salem among the notable pictorial
of the church. Some 600 years therwear industry returned from views.
Descriptions of the various styles
later, thanks to the efforts of an exhibition in New York wit n
munal representatives, the grave-
stones were removed from the
cathedral and restored to the Jew-
ish community of Nuremberg.
Here's an example of proof he where, not merely at the site of
offers of Israel's desire to assure His ancient Temple. And precisely
best treatment for Arabs: In the because the old stones are now in
U.S., during the last war, one out our hands again, this is the right
of 1,750 Americans was a Japanese moment to remember what is
and a possible enemy; in Israel in really holy."
And so, human life and welfare
June of 1967 every 12th person was
an Arab and a possible enemy; yet rises above everything in the char-
acter-building
of Israel.
the U.S. acted harshly with the
Japanese, Israel refrained from
Another man Singer quotes is
embarrassing Arab citizens. The
Yebudah Kleinman, a civil en-
approach in Israel was: Elohim
gineer, who has been in the war,
yidag lanu—God will worry about
who speaks out against warfare:
"Listen, you know Jews. To us
us.
war is not glamorous, it's stupid
Arab fantasies are exposed,
. . ." And the emphasis and the
such as the attempt to hide facts
proof is on taking pleasure in
about what happened when there
creating things.
was a massacre of theological
are in themselves results of the
ders have been placed with the endeavors of experts in the world
leather clothing factory of Acre of fashions — in this instance for
1 which was founded three years men. At the same time the pic-
torial review is fantastic. Mt.
ago.
Moriah, Dome of the Rock, Jeru-
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS! salem's Damascus Gate, a Ramat
stub ;1
I I
3
it 2
Maurice L. Kelley, Jr., vice president of Eastern Air Lines, is
flanked by Cantors Norman Summers (left) and Paul Kwartin as be
accepts a special album of cantonal music, presented to him when
he turned over to them a check for $2,500, an Eastern Air Lines grant
to make possible the presentation of premieres of new liturgical
music at the ACC's convention in Curacao, June 28-July 2.
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June 19, 1970 - Image 56
- Resource type:
- Text
- Publication:
- The Detroit Jewish News, 1970-06-19
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