▪ - 'THE JEWISH NEW •; "is 7"- - • 7.7 Initne ,--,-- •7`,..• F_. • • ••••••v x ,.._ :t ' ; 7 -! '7 7. 77 - •• IES - 7- ♦ r7 77 st..oh•Gnfrrz St...taacrvrt-z E.3•*.r- nwl.•.itss aLsomope,. awe lksamomor a•- se:-:c .if i 14 g 114-e : .77 Page Flair VOL_ LVE• So. N 1.913 Al 1;713Z A Cultural Road Toward M.E. Peace on -= La:X:7 - s- - - en:s t; at.ona: r - :-- a tr. :na: _efense G. ano' 7. I:1.LE _ .;-as neata-: s-tr_re tnat z.es and :ne • -- - on nee-ta Is:ae.. of :n r_at.tna. tn -_se of tne :n tnIse E.t.a:as The 7r-roe-Oval peewee:rya:ion of the pecipte SkVarnd only to national defense. is - Ed= • peoesk told F. v %c.o. ner we s lu'ael." cation is the key to the sar-iiva: . . eloc ution is Moreover. we soon discovered s prineipal rivecitazasm for intteatimx . and for hcildbig a sok-s di•ressi. soriesj nation too of an assortment of midticoltaral ill:- MIX:fan:1- The following cavart fflostrates the priorities education •ertas national defense: Percentage of GrOSS N160C2: Prod:its, spent for education (all levels 195•91,1-7 I_ mitt.: States 7_5 fsra•I Percentage of budget of national gosernment all ~ ua ted to national defense '11559-70.: 41.8 rt : . v*1 States •2 . G Percentage of Gross Natihnal Product spent for national defense (190-49 : 9.1 United States 16.1 Israel (estimated 25.0 in Orl • rerv•ri sneh figures. it should surprise po one to learn that Lsrael is deeply committed to raising the educational lest' of its citizens to that of other industrialized nations of the oorict Indeed. in Valn ► instances. the educational at- tainments of Israel already exceed those of Wes tt rn societies. Given the monumental problems of a relative- ly (1.! 16 (*ionic, , this commitment to education is impressive indeed. That great strides in edu- cation have been made since the birth of Israel in 194 11 :s clear from the fact that today one- third of the total prOdnetiOn r,f Israel is insoisEd in some form of organized educational instruc- tion. That the population of Israel has grown, from apprczimatels 654,C00 in 1948 to 3,000,000 to- day, raises the first major problem facing the Israeli educational system: the accommodation of the huge influx of immigrants during the past two decades and preparations for absorbing the immigration which is expected to continue. In the 1948-49 academic year, just 22 years ago. there were 130,000 students in Israeli elem- entary and secondary- schools. Today this figure has leaped to 775.000. Rapidly growing cities, like Beersheba in the northern Negev Desert, base burgeoned from a few hundred Penni! to V• 000 in less th a n a generation. It is clear that providing an adequate educa- tional ssstem for this great infusion of new- comers has been, and will for some time con- tinue to be, the major problem confronting edu- cation in Israel. These facts. figures and comments are of immense importance at this time because they have great bearing on the issues at hand and on the situations that confront us today. The emphasis on the rr.ilitary needs carries LE ',Lt.,: anea: :ne ennzioa.s . s• :o • ::::zer_s—ant: of :he _nene :ne of :ne In one when.- antf -A nen C". of was na-c-s.ary. of con- 'ne gaps s-thodt: - ins -tr.:men': for ar.d cievg- . . olting a sense nat:ona: purp, ose• and the ft.:ow:nit CC- :7 - ::J rner- ;!_s containinc. One problem that the de-le-gallon did come up ga last "3 gala and again - w as "ilgenX-a dee Cy( whom! -The Sews and the Arabs." Oa the one hand. Mr. Brademas said. --we were im- mensely impressed by the eat:apiece Lack of hos- tile statements from any Jew- in Israel against the Arabs. and this inducted stbool-chHdre2. - This they ail found -very civilized." However. If the declared policy cf this COnntry is intesga- tion and a multi-ethnic society. - We can't un- derstind 'why you don't have mixed Arab-Jewish schools. - Mr. Brademas said He was concerned at the fact that - Arab chil- dren aren't in Gadna, that there arc separate schools for Aralas and that there se-ern in he al- most no Arabs at the universities. - Mr. Brade- mas and his colleagues found "an ambivalent attitude about the problem. It's all very well saying that the Arabs don't want it, but bow many of them have had the experience of mixed education to judge whether they would Ince it or not?" What language would you teach in these schools' -Perhaps Arabic for Arab hisoirs• religion and literature and Hebrew for Jewish history. religion and literature_" When the Con- gressmen tackled Mr. (1-tgal , Allon on the question. - He was very open. He said that he personally favored integrated schools, or at least bringing Arab school-children into Gadna." The very criticism uttered by Congrsma• Brademas has relevance to the tragic situa- tion affecting the rifts between Arabs and Jews. An end to war would also end the bitterness and the suspicions. Peace could assure the establishment of such strong rela- tions that the Middle East could well become the inspiring medium for true brotherhood_ The "lack of hostile statements from any Jew in Israel against the Arabs - is a vindi- cating assertion from an impartial observer. It serves as an encouragement in efforts for peace and in the belief that there are many among the Arabs who wish for peace while Israelis keep pleading for it. Studies conducted in - Israel point to the progress attained in the land. They also emphasize the need for peace and an end to an unnecessary war. It is for this that we pray and toward this that all must labor in these crucial times. Dr. Jarring's Goal: Lasting Peace Gunnar Jarring has begun a great task in all scinousness. For the first time in the nearly three- year-oici assignment given him to direct peace talks between Israel and her Arab neighbors, the Swedish envoy made the verbal declara- tion on Monday, announcing that he was to begin immediately the task of bringing Jews Dr and Arabs together. They won't be direct talks immediately. but they may. lead to intimacy. The fact that Dr. Jarring spoke of an aim towards a lasting peace lends encouragement that we are on the road toward the urgently needed amity for the benefit of Jew and Arab, the Middle East and the world. 1850 Edition of Descriptive Palestine Geography Reprinted In 1850 in PhiladelOia, an unusual work was published. Under L'I-et. tole "A Descriptive Geography and Brief Historical Sketch of Paitine." Rabbi Joseph Schwarz had presented his unique study of the Holy Land, its people, its fauna. Hermon Press is the publisher of volume. Interestingly. the volume published in Philadelphia was translated ••om the Hebrew by the famous Rabbi Isaac Leeser who was the first translator of the Bible into English in this country. Containing reproductions of numerous old maps and engravings, this volume provides excellent background to the study of the Israel of today. This work becomes invaluable in dealing with the history of the Middle East. As a description of the topography of the Talmud as well as the L'ihie. as an historical analysis and geographical outline of ancient Palestine. Rabbi Schwarz's study is unique, important, serviceable for silider.ts and teachers alike and for all who are anxious for thorough knowledge of a subject that engrosses worldwide interest. The title page of this valuable documentary volume still carries the original publisher's note: "Philadelphia, Published by A. Hart, Late Carey and Hart, 5610-185C." And in the translator's preface there are descriptions of the perplexities that confronted him when he first received the Hebrew text and a German translation of the manuscript. The mixed dialects, the impure Hebrew caused difficulties but the scholarship of Leeser undoubtedly enabled him to correct errors and td provide a text that is still utilized by all who are interested in the Holy Land's topographical aspects. Many Palestinian sites, the country's boundaries according to Numbers XXXIV:1-I5, the fish of the Kineret, Hebron's role, Jericho's history—these are among the many notable facts in this nork. Animals, vegetables, minerals are subjects accounted for here. The history of Palestine, including descriptions of Hebron. Sated and Tiberias. add merit to this work. There is speculation about the Ten Lost Tribes that may puzzle the reader but nevertheless adds to the interest this book is certain to. arouse. There is much here that may not be accurate for our time, but as a g.uide to the geographical aspects of the Holy Land this reprinted volume should again attract wide interest. Guides to Current Problems in 'Let Us Reason Together' Rabbi William Berkowitz, who succeeded Dr. Israel Goldstein as rabbi of Bnai Jeshurun synagogue in New York, has conducted an- other series of dialogues with a group of the most eminent American personalities on a variety of subjects of general Jewish and Amer- ican interests. He has dedicated t he volume to Dr. Goldstein and under the title "Let Us Reason Together" presents views that are certain to stimulate added interest in all of the issues discussed. Included in this volume, published by Crown, are discussions with Dr. Mordecai M Kaplan, Ira Ilir-schmann, Adm. Lewis L. Strauss, Prof. Cecil Roth. William Laurence, Leon II. Keyserling, Dr. Mortimer °stow. Dr. Joseph L. Blau, Isaac Bashevis Singer, Sholem Secunda, Rabbi George B. Lieberman, Jan Peerce, Max I. Himont and Rabbi Zalman Schachter. As the names of the participants indicate, the subjects are varied, covering nearly every topic of major concern to mankind, and especially. to Jewry, today. Science. mUSic, literature, issues revoking around the Jewish position in the USSR, Israel. the population explosion -these are just a few of the subjects thoroughly analyzed by the eminent author- ities whose views appear in the dialogues. In the course of the discussions, the participants, guided by Rabbi Berkowitz's questions, delve into history and apply the ex- periences of the past to the present time. As a guide to contemporary problems, "Let U.,: Reason 'Together", resulting from the dialogues he conducted, is a volume that stimulates reasoning and interesting approaches to major issues.