NEWS
THE
Ti.. Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20, 1951
naseuriation et iltaglian.horish Nerew•pers. Michigan Press Association. National Editorial Association
bThe Jewish News PubliaMeg Co.. IAN W. Mae Mile. Saito OW Southfield. Mich. 41071.
Panda: WOW
Socand•Cass Prionage Paid at Southfield. ilthrMgan and Additional Mailing Otrieen
inisscrieition N a year. Parsign SO.
1111UP SLOMOVITZ
and Meaner
CARMI M. ALOMOVITE
Suelesse Martser
CHARLOTTE DUBIN
City Ildn•r
Sabbath Seripenral Selections
This Sabbath, the 19th day of Tevet, 5731, the following scriptural selections
will be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Exod. 1:1-6:1. Prophetical portion, Isaiah 27:6.28:13;
29:22-23.
Conan nesting. Friday, Au. IS, tag p.sa.
VOL. LVUL No. 11
Page Fear
January 15, 1971
Reality of 'Let My People Go!' Demand
There is no pulling of punches: in the
present struggle for freedom in Russia, in the
determined will of the Jewish people not to
let the Russian kinsmen down, there can be
no letdown in the demand of "LET MY PEO-
PLE GO!"
There is the established international
right of people to leave their national homes
if they have a preference to go elsewhere. in
the instance of the Russian Jews there is a
rebellion against suppression of their rights
to faith, to language, to the literature they
choose to read. These have been denied to
them and they state bluntly, without apolo-
gies, that their choice of residence is Israel.
Some are being granted their demands to be
permitted exit from the land they consider
undesirable as their home. This does not ful-
fill the great demand of many more who wish
to leave Russia.
When, therefore, the cry "LET MY PEO-
PLE GO!" is reiterated, and is supported by
the kinsmen searching for national freedom
as well as by the non-Jewish defenders of
such an inalienable right, it must not be aban-
doned—until the desired task of freedom to
choose one's residence is firmly established.
The Russian-Jewish tragedy devel
into a state of horror with the trumped up
court cases. The civilized nations quickly
acquired realization that the motives of the
Russian hierarchy are to humiliate Jews who
desire to leave Russia. Hatred for Israel has
created such extreme phobias that the Soviet
authorities had begun to believe that inter-
national disapproval of hijacking would give
the Kremlin wide support in its anti-Jewish
acts on the international scene. But it soon
became apparent that no plane was hijacked,
that no one was hurt, that all those who were
being tried did was to express a desire to set
up their homes elsewhere.
Therefore Russia is more generally con-
demned than ever before, on any issue in-
volving the persecutions that stem from total-
itarianism
Now it becomes the responsibility of all
who seek justice for Russian Jewry not to
slacken the protests, to keep demanding free-
dom for our fellow Jews, to insist upon their
right to migrate where they choose.
•
•
•
While there was cause for concern about
the indifference of academicians and noted
world leaders over the dangers that confront
Israel, the Leningrad trial served to awaken
public 'opinion.
•A typical example of an awakening to
action is the cabled appeal to Konstantin
Fedin, head of the Soviet Writers Union in
Moscow, in which the noted Jewish writer,
Howard Fast, said about the Leningrad
court's original verdict of death sentences for
two of the accused:
"This sentence becomes an act of barbarism
that will destroy the last shreds of trust that so
may people sill have in the Soviet Union. In its
enreasoa and mindlessness, it is reminiscent of
the most hideous persecutions of the Czar against
the Jewish people and it can only serve to increase
the melancholy and hopelessness that men of good
will in my land feel when they look toward the
Soviet Union."
Equally significant was the cable sent by
a critic of Israel, Prof. Noam Chomsky of
M.I.T., who joined with Prof. H. Stuart
Hughes of Harvard and nine other profes-
sors in asking Ambassador Dobrynin whether
asserting the Russian Jews' right to migrate
from the USSR constituted a capital crime.
Another telegram to Dobrynin was signed
by 100 Harvard, Tufts and Brandeis profes-
sors, and two Nobel Prize winners, Prof.
George Wald of Harvard and Prof. Salvador
Luria of MIT, cabled these sentiments to
Jacob Malik of the USSR UN delegation and
Ambassador Dobrynin:
"When Arab guerrillas hijacked Western planes
in order to destroy them and capture civilian hos-
tages, these Arabs we scot-free. Now a groom it
Jews and ethers seemed d sody wishing to hi-
jack a plane for nonsere aggressive purpose than
to leave the Soviet Union has been condemned,
two to death, the others to long prison sentences.
"Has the government of the Soviet Union no
concern for human rights or for the decent opin-
ion of mankind? Has It only repressise and basalt
for these of its citizens who express such concern
as some of your noblest citizens have recently
dose? Has it gone hate the business of making
martyrs to decency and freedom for all the world
to see?"
•
•
•
There is the urgent need to alert all peo-
ples everywhere to the truth that in the in-
stance of the Leningrad court case it was not
a matter of hijacking that was being punish-
ed, that it was part of a campaign of villifica-
tion of Jews everywhere. Letter writers to
newspapers now accuse Jews of being incon-
sistent, of having asked for punishment of hi-
jackers when they were involved and of now
defending Jews who are hijackers. This is an
untruth, since no plane was hijacked by Jews
in Russia and since the pleadings by Jews in
Russia are not in criminal fashion but for the
right of exit from their motherland whose
government is charged with cruelties and bias.
Therefore, the cry "LET MY PEOPLE
GO!" is not a myth and is not a legend dating
back to Pharaoh's days. It is part of the real-
ity of an existing situation which is being con-
fronted firmly by rational-minded people. Let
there be no end to the demand for an end
to discriminations in Russia and for fulfill-
ment of the plea: LET MY PEOPLE GO!
War-Mongering vs. Peace-Striving
Howling masses of Caironeans, moved to
Jerusalem keep fomenting trouble but they
hatred by Anwar el-Sadat's speech, cried for have the freedom of speech.
war against Israel.
That's the difference between the "Never!
We should ,be so grateful that no such Never!" outcry of Sadat with regard to peace
with
Israel and the right to free speech in
demonstrations are even possible in Israel.
Israel where the craving is only for a lasting
There are, among the Israelis such extre- peace. That's the difference between true
mists who would sacrifice their country's democratic principles and authoritarianism.
present position for the type of merger that
would deprive Israelis of their independence.
Matzpen is such a group. Three extreme
Communists are in another party that aims
at sacrificing the independence of the
Israelis. But these people are not deprived
of the right to speak. They have representa-
tion in the Knesset. Anti-Israeli Arabs in East
Rabbi Goodman's Anthology
Enriches High Holiday Studies
There is a marked enrichment of available literary material
dealing with the Jewish festive days in the newest work published
by the Jewish Publication Society of America.
In "The Rosh Hashana Anthology," Rabbi Philip Goodman, who
already has authored important anthologies on Purim and Passover,
provides a most impressive collection of classical writings dealing with
the Jewish New Year, its traditions, its solemnity, the liturgy of the
Holy Day, the art and literature related to it.
"Marked by prayer, contemplation and self-searching," Rabbi
Goodman takes into account the solemn character of the day that
inaugurates the Days of Awe, and he deals with Rosh Hashana as "a
festival when the Jew prays that 'the righteous shall see and rejoice,
the upright shall exult, and the devout shall delight in song,' " as
he quotes from the Holy Day Mahzor.
Appropriately, the enwpfier conneennes' wilbAhe aiinshas to
Rash Hashana in the Bible and be points sod- Must einly_esee does
the name appear In one at the Reeks—in Iliskie•4lkl—and there
Otzeiess- Rash
it actually refers to Yom Kipper. •-
Haskana's •s...romans "on the first day it (hi Maria* lase& and
calls it when the been is semoded.'"
In post-biblical writings, excerpts . from which, are Tthen incor-
porated in this anthology, the Apocrypha , and Phan are aqpecially
.
quoted.
•
Direct references to Rosh Mishima, which - appear . ettensively in
the Tahnud and Midrash, indicate emphasis on the Shofar, comddera-
tion given to penitence, "the greatness of repentance," the significance
attached to these factors by the Sages.
The numerous photographs in this book assist the reader in an
undesstanding of the sacredness of Rosh Hashana, the emphasis given
it in medieval literature, the prayers that have been included in the
festival's liturgy.
Then there is discussion of - Rash Hashana in Jewish law,
Maimonides being quoted at length.
Selected prayers, appropriate poetic works dealing with
Rosh Hashaza, scriptural reading* and csomeldluies ape *elm'
a special chapter on the Midas and the urea _ y if the Tatillikle
—the Casting of alas into the sea—prevo meet inetrnetive.
There is a vast amount of popular reading, and entertaining
features, In the collection of pirables, in the Hasidic tales, in the
modern prose dealing with Bosh :Hashana,
A special chapter by Prof. Joseph Gutmann of Detroit is devoted
to a discussion of "Rash Hashana Art."
Equally important is Max Wohlberg's essay "The Music of the
Rash Hashana Liturgy." -
Then there are descriptions of Rosh Hashana observances by
Jewish communities in many lands. The reader thus is introduced to
the observances in Israel, in the East European and other communities.
It is worth noting that the latter secUen contains Jobs
Hersey's "Tashlikk in the Warsaw Ghetto," recalling the period
of the -heroism, and Babel Yam& Ben-Zvi's "Holy Days in •the
Holy City."
Not only the poetry of Hillel Zeldin and Erruna Lazarus, but the
stories of Shmuel Agnon, I. L. Peretr, , Maurice Samuel, Isaac Bashevis
Singer' and :others add merit to this collection.
. -
There is a culinary section that will please the women readers, -and
That's why we keep praying that the
Arabs will see the light of day and will sfrive there are special features for children that help make this book one
through peace with Israel to labor for the of exceeding value for the entire family.
elevation of the standards of living of their
There are children's stories and poems for Rosh Hashana.
people instead of adhering to war-mongering.
Suggested games for the festival also prove valuable.
That's why we feel a sense of pride in the
Glossaries and Rosh Hashana terms, a long bibliography and
Israelis that they reject hatred and have one other features make this a much needed book for an understanding
major aspiration: GENUINE. PEACE!
of everything related to Rosh Hashana.