THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, April 9, 1971-31
•
A people whose history
defines course
and vision.
The word Israel means "he wrestled with God." The patri-
arch Jacob was called Israel, but only after he had earned
the name in a night of violent struggle. Since all Jews are
said to be descendants of Jacob, they are known as "The
House of Israel" or, "Israel."
In a sense, the 4,000 year history of the Jewish people
has been a continuous struggle to be able to call itself Israel.
And, like steel, which develops its tremendous strength
only by enduring the awful .heat of the blast furnace, the
character of the Jewish people. has been forged in the
flames of persecution and oppression, its will to survive
-has been tempered by the fires of exile and slavery.
Through most of Jewish history the key to survival
as been migration. They made their home in new lands,
asking_ nothing more than the right to live in peace and
°think less than freedom. And when it was denied them,
ey moved again — but they survived to dream of the day
When they would no longer be strangers in hostile lands.
lathe late 1930's there was no place left for 6,000,000
Jews to go. No country would take them. The screams of
anguish from behind the ghetto walls and the barbed wire
enclosures of the concentration camps moved the Jews of
America to an unprecedented effort — and in 1939 the
United Jewish Appeal was born.
Out of death came hope for life; out of despair came
the promise of a future; out of slavery and imprisonment
came the promise of freedom. And in 1945, the pitiful,
starving remnants of a once flourishing culture came out
from the camps of hell. Buoyed by a tradition of survival
reaching back through 40 centuries, with the help of funds
channeled through the UJA, the homeless Jews made
their way to the home of their ancestors.
In 1948 Israel was established as a free Jewish state.
But another battle in the 4000-year war to survive erupted
and once again, Jews died for the ideals of freedom and
peace.
An equally great struggle for survival was being
fought on other fronts. Jews from 100 countries were mak-
ing their torturous way to Israel. Many were penniless,
sick, handicapped, aged. They required help in all the
ways humans might be in need. And when they arrived in
Israel, UJA helped provide them with housing, food,
clothing, medical care and education.
In 1950, the entire Jewish population of Yemen-
49,000 — fulfilled the Biblical prophesy and flew "on the
wings of an eagle" to the home of their forefathers.
By the 29th of November, 1950, the 500,000th immi-
grant arrived in Israel, and eleven years - rater, another
500,000 immigrants were settled. Each man, woman and
child is a testimony to the Jewish will to survive and the
insurmountable devotion of Jews to their communal re-
,
sponsibility.
In 1951, 110,000 Jews were airlifted to Israel by "Oper-
ation Ezra", rescued from squalor and persecution in their
Moslem home land.
Through the United Jewish Appeal we have done for
Jews in Israel and other lands what circumstances pre-
vented them from doing for themselves. Now, of all times,
we cannot fail our obligations.
Within a period of 22 years, the best of Israel's youth
has been wasted in three bloody battles for survival. But
the "wars" of 1948, 1956 and 1967 are just a continuation
of a struggle that has existed since the earliest days of re-
corded history. The Jewish people, tested and proven in a
centuries-old war of attrition, have grown and survived.
They will continue to flourish, continue to help fellow
Jews in need wherever they may be, wherever help is
needed.
Survival means sacrifice. The Israel Emergency Fund.