Purely Commentary
Jewish Position—the Pride and the Problem--as
Sketched in Newsweek . . :Documentation of Basic:,
Issues Affecting, USSR Jewry on Intemaficipay Basis
Jews Under Newsweek's Microscope—the Confrontation Under Freedom
Newsweek's analysis of the Jewish position in this country is realistic. It covers a lot
-
of ground, points to the new pride without ignoring new problems.
Yet, that report poses many additional problems to those indicated. The glorious
definitions are in themselves problematic.
The pleasing factor about the lengthy feature which earned the cover designation
within the traditional Magen David is that Newsweek's writers, unlike predecessors who
envisioned only gloom did not speak of the vanishing Jew. Aside from the immorality of such
a prophecy—too many Jews were responsible for the view that the Jew was in a state of
disappearance—a student of history who knows how to apply past to present in order
properly to anticipate the future must be positive. After all, the "le omut" stubbornness of
the prophet has not stopped functioning for the Jew who warns "I shall - not die because
I retain life . . ."
There is a place in the Newsweek analysis for the view of Nathan Glazer that the
Jewish position in this country is likely to deteriorate. That's possible, with an admission
even from the most optimistic. But the lengthy article also points to an increase in anti-
Semitism. Whenever and wherever there is bigotry the Jew is more likely to sustain his
identity as a basic weapon against dangers from without.
The basic problem is survival under freedom. That is why the concluding- note of
hopefulness in the Newsweek article presents perhaps the most challenging thought to the
magazine's efforts. The happy thought in the last sentence stated: "It seems equally-possible
that in a time when more and more Americans are learning once again - to appreciate - the
nation's historic ethnic diversity, Jews will be freer than ever to be themselves.'
Therein lies the bigger problem that was never touched upon in the Newsweek article:
when Jews are free to be themselves, do they uphold the great ideals inherent in their
,
heritage?
Let's turn to the noted critic, 'Alfred Kazin, who is quoted by Newsweek: "I don't think
that there has been in the history of the Jewish •people anything quite -like the influence
that Jewish intellectuals have exerted on American culture. In that sense, America has really
--
been a very great success for the Jew."
It has been a mutual success. America was great for Jewry—Jewry was great for
America. It is a relationship that needs •perpetuation. Great liberalizing forces need to be
strengthened to overcome emerging conservatism that often borders on reactionary ideologies.
Judaism and America are linked in nobility, and the 6,000,000 Americans who are Jews
are not ungrateful to American history.
Yet the Kazin statement, in all its realities, poses a question: to what degree have the
Jewish intellectual contributions in this country served Jewish studies, research into Jewish
history, involvements in causes serving Jews, identification with the Jewish community?
These challenges now confront. us. They are especially directed at youth from whose ranks
come the major challenges. -
From this point on anything else we say about the Newsweek article becomes an
internal matter. Now the issue is our own: will youth's protests, demands, confrontations,
become dialogues or will they sink into monological inanities? Youth needs to be under-
stood. It also needs to be consistent and practical in its demands for a share in Establishment
since it will soon itself become the Establishment. In its persistence, youth must strive for
improved cultural creativity. It must become knowledgeable and it must battle-against
ignorance. We need a knowing generation. If we attain it, the hopefulness in the Newsweek
article will emerge as a progressive step toward perpetuation of the legacy that is ours both
as Americans and as Jews.
By Philip
The Nixon Administration and the Middle East
President Nixon's position on the Middle East is much more frank
than commentators usually credit him with. For some weeks there
has been lots of speculation and many have predicted that the pressures
from the White House may lead to calamity for Israel. But every time
the President himself speaks on the issues involving Israel he emerges
consistent. As he did last week, the President spoke with an awareness
of Russia's role and he pulled no punches. He emphasized that be does
not want confrontations but he recognizes the menacing situation.
Naturally, the Cairo-Beirut-Amman cliques don't like it and they
keep hounding the United States and President Nixon as their enemy.
Whatever the State Department or the President may do to assist the
Arabs—and there has been consistency - on that score as well—doesn't
count for those who have only one objective: Israel's total destruction.
But the President is committed to Israel's security and he sticks to
his guns. To deny him that credit is to be utterly unfair.
• W. Averell Harriman, a former U.S. envoy to the Soviet Union,
in a special article jn the New York Times emphasizing the need for
the U.S. to "talk with the Russians," advanced the following important
arguments based on information he imparted regarding his conferences
with the Russians:
Negotiations are taking place on three significant issues: the
• Middle East, Berlin and strategic arms limitation. Failure to resolve
one or more of them would markedly worsen the world situation. We
must both make every effort to compose our differences wherever
possible In order to live together in peace on this small planet
without war.
On my recent visit to Moscow with Senator Muskie, the Soviet
leaders emphasized their firm support for a real peace in the Middle
East and their willingness to participate in effective Four-Power
guarantees of that peace. They are, perhaps, motivated to end the
conflict, which they have exploited to gain influence In the Arab
world, by their desire to avoid direct confrontation with us. The
Soviets evidently do not want another war between Israel and Egypt.
Their prestige is committed too greatly for them to allow Egypt to
suffer another humiliating defeat. They seem to fear that if Egypt
is not strong enough they would ha•e to intervene even more directly
- and that such intervention would involve a confrontation with us.
In addition, the Soviets want to reduce the burden of supplying
aims to the Arabs and are anxious to have the Suez Canal reopened
to permit them to fill the vacuum left by British withdrawal from
the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea.
I gained the Impression that the Soviets have used their influence
to encourage the Egyptians to move toward a peaceful solution,
accepting Israel's right to exist. The Soviets have never supported
the Arab call to drive the Israelis to the sea. They now contend that
the United States should join them in demanding Israel's withdrawal
from all occupied Arab territory, conforming with their interpretaden
of the 1967 U.N. resolution. They disregard Its ambiguity, designed to
permit territorial rectification.
Regardless of the doubtful validity of the last sentence, the fact
is that there is optimism in the air, that there is hope for an extension
of the cease fire after March 7, as hinted by President Nixon as well.
There, is hope for an eventual accord and President Nixon is hel#ful.
The free world can be grateful to him for his efforts to help end the
Middle East conflict. Perhaps it will be part of a parcel that also will
include an end to the Southeast Asian war.
Documentation Emphasizing Established Right of Russian Jews or Any Others
Who Wish to Emigrate and Background of U.S.-USSR Friendships
Aside from the unfortunate disruptions that emerged last week in
Brussels, there were positive angles to Jewry's approach to the Russian
problem. Responsible men had no hesitation in asserting that Jews are
not fighting the Russian regime, they are not engaged in a battle
against Communism. The basic objective in the struggle in defense of
Russian Jewry is to secure for the oppressed the just rights to enable
them to pursue their cultural aspirations within the USSR and, if they
so choose, to leave Russia and to settle wherever they choose.
For the record, several documents must be emphasized as basic
to the issues. One is a letter that was addressed by the Jewish War
Veterans' National Commander Albert Schlossberg to USSR Premier
Kosygin. It spells out the historic truths regarding an earlier friendship
between the U.S. and the USSR and it rationalizes about conditions
that should never have been permitted to emerge as a scandal and
as a world problem.
The other factual statement was addressed by Jewish Labor Com-
mittee President Charles S. Zimmerman to UN Secretary General
U Thant, and it relates to the_ entire issue affecting the persecuted in
Russia in calling attention to a basic principle involving the right to
emigration. We present these statements in full out of the conviction
that the record needs to be kept fully documented in order that we who
also are called propagandists should have credit for truth in our
appeals for justice. Here are the two important messages:
January 19, 1971
flee the persecution of the Czars
Premier Alexei Kosygin,
Chairman of the Council of Minis- whose inhuman treatment of Jews
is also part of our cormion heri-
ters of the USSR,
tage. Indeed, it would be presump-
Moscow, USSR
tuous to recite to a Soviet leader
Dear Mr. Chairman:
Almost twenty-six years ago, the the cruelties of -the Czars. Who
U.S. and USSR fought side by side knew it better than your people?
to defeat the Hitler war machine In the painful memories of Jewish
which had devastated your country suffering, only Hitler ranks higher.
and brought indescribable suffer- It is these haunting memories
ing to millions of your people and that make Jews deeply sensitive
those of other nations. Among those to apparent manifestations of offl-
who died were many Americans cially tolerated'', anti-Semitism in
and Soviet citizens of Jewish hell- your country: Such acts have al-
tage. Others returned home wound- ways been the harbingers of a
ed and maimed. Much of the lead- worse fate to come.
ership of our own as well as that As Jews, we have no illusions
of your country served in the war about what is happening in your
country. It is not easy to be a Jew
against Nazism.
Our joint World War II experie- in the Soviet Union, to profess a
basis
for
writing
this
Jewish
identity, to acknowledge a
is
the
ence
letter. Furthermore, many Jewish kinship with the people in Israel.
citizens of this country are descend- We have heard repeated assertions
ants of those who were forced to by Soviet officials to the contrary
2—Frkkty, Arch 5, 1971
that such accusations are false, ties, in Hitler's image, the cause Soviet Union, in the traditions of
that the Jews have a good life in of so much pain to your country- the Czars and Stalin, have been
making Jews the scapegoats for all
the Soviet Union, that they are men?
On our part, we must tell you kinds of political, economic, and
free to be themselves.
Evidence indicates otherwise. The that we shall continue to arouse social difficulties, and have been
recent trials of Jews for an alleged the conscience of the entire world waging a war of cultural genocide
hijacking attempt and the result- toward the plight of Jews in the against them.
ant sentences are glaring examples USSR and to urge you to release I quote from a report recently
of such evidence. those Soviet Jews who wish to go circulated by the Socialist Inter-
There is simply too much history to Israel. We are certain there will national:
" Although it is official Soviet
to acknowledge that the Jew must be many who will join us in our
policy to provide children in schools
give up his sense of Jewishness to effort.
Sincerely,
with instruction in the native Ian-
survive as a citizen of any State.
ALBERT SCHLOSSBERG guage, not a single school in the .
He will be a good and loyal citizen
Commander,
USSR teaches Hebrew, Yiddish, or
of any State that allows him the
Na tional Council of
any other Jewish language .. .
dignity of being himself, as it is
Jewish War Veterans
"Jewish literature, history, and
our right in the United States.
*
*
*
culture are not taught in Russian
Why should a Jew be denied his
February 11, 1971 or any other language . . .
Jewishness anywhere on earth? Or
"The Jews have no official state
a Christian his Christianity? A Dear Mr. U Thant:
I call your attention to Article theater, the last being the famous
Muslim his Islam? Jewish identity
will peLsist. Jews have suffered 13 of the Universal Declaration of Moscow Yiddish State Theater,
for it. Jews have died for it. They Human Rights - adopted by the forcibly closed in 1948 along with
should not—indeed, they will not— United Nations in 1948 and reprint- all Jewish publishing houses, maga-
give it up. ed as recently as April 1968. It zines, schools, etc."
The animosity toward treatment says: "Everyone has the right to The report of the Socialist Inter-
of the Jews in your country does leave any country, including his national says further that the treat-
not come only from Jews. It comes own, and to return to his country." ment of Jewish religious communi-
from people who believe, above all, I realize that, as Secretary Gen- ties is clearly different from, and
in the dignity of self, of being what eral of the United Nationi, your more repressive than, the treatment
you are, wherever you may reside. powers are limited, but it seems of other recognized faiths. It notes
It is a world-wide phenomenon. It to me that, at the very least, you that no national religious organiza-
is happening also in the Soviet have an obligation to speak up for lion is permitted to Jews, that the
Union, and no amount of repression the purposes to which the United number of synagogues has been
will halt it. Nations is dedicated. I believe that drastically reduced, that there are
We do not believe in the tactic this obligation has special force, no facilities for the training of rab-
of violence as either necessary' or in the instance of Article 13, be- bis, that Jewish religious communi-
productive in the effort to call at- cause the violation of Article 13, in ties are abandoned to the mercy of
tention to the fate of Jews in your effect, condemns the people of a the local police, and that the Jewish
country. Just as we do not believe given nation to other barbarities faith has been "singled out for
that the tactic of violence used by in violation of the U.N.'s Declara- special derogatory treatment." The
Soviet officialdom against the Jews tion of Human Rights.
report by the Socialist International
in your country will succeed.
I have in mind the Soviet Union's concludes that "the special treat-
Certainly, reality should dictate denial of the right of its Jewish ment meted out to Judaism can
that it does no good to enflame citizens to emigrate from that hardly be interpreted in any other
latent anti-Semitic tendencies in country. Jews are not alone in way than as part of a policy aimed
your own country. What is to be suffering from Soviet tyranny; it at eradicating Jewish consciousness
gained by fostering hatred among is easy to demonstrate, however, and tradition In general."
your own citizens? To what end that they have been its special
THE DETROIT JfINISN:NfWS are such actions by Soviet authori- victims. The present rulers of the
All of this, which is Soviet state
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