Purely Commentary
'Shalom, Shalom . . . v'Ein Shalom':
'Peace, Peace ... and No Peace'
Jeremiah in ancient times bemoaned conditions when
there was talk of peace while there was no peace.
The old Jeremiad—"Shalom, shalom . . . v'ein
shalom .. ."— might be applied today. There is endless
talk of peace in the Middle East, and the moment there is
a bright light some one appears to darken it.
Israel offered a partial withdrawal of forces from
the Suez Canal. Promptly, it was rejected.
Jerusalem spoke of peace. From Cairo came the
voice of Egyptian Foreign Minister Mahmud Riad: "To-
day's Israel is known as a Zionist state, and as such it is
obvious that there can be no relations with it . . . Even if
Israel fulfils the Security Council's Resolution 242 and
withdraws its forces from all the Arab territories that it
occupied in June 1967—even then we will not agree to
diplomatic recognition."
Riad was not alone in his belligerence. Syrian Presi-
dent Hafiz al-Asad said in an interview published in the
newspaper Al-Nahar: "Our problem with Israel is neither
Sinai nor Golan; the main problem is the Palestinian
Arab people. Any solution which ignores this main issue
will be doomed. If Israel withdraws from Sinai and Golan,
that would only settle the problem of the June 1967 ag-
gression. The main problem, i.e. that of the Palestinian
people, will remain and we shall, therefore, continue to
fight at their side, whether Israel withdraws from the
Golan or not. We never committed ourselves, nor shall
we ever do so, to restrict terrorist activities. Syria is the
lung through which terrorist activity breathes and so it
will remain."
Is it any wonder that there are snags in the discus-
sions for a prolongation of the cease fire, that there is a
delay in assuring peace for that area? Should one wonder
that Israel insists upon a guaranteed security and will
not abandon territory that provides such security?
Lessons for Mankind in Israel's Current 23rd
Anniversary . .
Israel's Peace Pleas and Egyptian
Threats ... Beth El Ground Breaking .
Personalities
Nevertheless, if one abandons hope, one dooms him-
self and his people to perdition. All of life is based on
hope, and under the slogan am Israel hai—the people
Israel lives—there is the retention of hope that even a
Jeremiad can turn into a blessing and we can have peace.
Temple Beth El in a New Building
There were fewer than 100 Jews in Detroit
in 1850 when Temple Beth El came into being.
Of these, 12 families signed up for membership
in the first Jewish congregation in Michigan.
Ten years later, Cong. Shaarey Zedek was organ-
ized by a dissident group that could not go along
with the Reform program of the esttblished temple,
and the new congregation eventually emerged
as one of the leading Conservative synagogues
in America.
These are the interesting historical back-
grounds of the two pioneering Jewish religious
organizations in Michigan, and the 121-year-old
temple is in the limelight again with its building
program that was inaugurated Sunday with the
ground-breaking for a new sanctuary.
Beth El's rich history envelops the entire
story of Michigan Jewry. From Beth El stemmed
the inspiration that resulted in the fOrmation of
several other Reform congregations in Michigan
cities. It was from Beth El's Rabbi Leo M. Frank-
lin that the encouragement came or the organi-
zation of student services at the University of
Michigan and in other schools.
It is this rich history that gives to a building
program of Temple Beth El a bit more signifi-
cance than to other synagogue building programs.
Secretary Rogers and the Arabs . . . Direct Peace Talks and the Threats -.-
Naturally, much of the talk on Israel's 23rd anniversary will be related to
peace possibilities. There is much talk about an impending war and a lot of it is
attributed to Arab propaganda geared toward appeasing mass hysteria. Perhaps a
new test is being provided by the planned visit of Secretary of State William P. Rogers
to Egypt and Israel. If it materializes it will be the first attempt by the secretary of
state to meet with leaders of both factions and to discuss with them possibility- for
continuation of the cease fire. Permanent peace
is not even discussed. If there is To
be continuing cease fire, peace may come in the course of time.
The primary need, therefore, is for direct talks, and if Mr. Rogers can brip
the two factions together for such talks he will deserve the Nobel Peace Prize.
Already, obstacles are being placed in his path. Terrorists are planting mines
and only by a miracle was a busload of 30 children saved from death—three Israeli
officers died instead minutes after that bus passed over the planted bomb near Hebron!
And in Lebanon there is talk of demonstrations against Rogers when he comes to that
area! Under such conditions one wonders whether the term shalom
which also is
salaam in
Arabic will be abused or whether realism and a genuine desire for peace ,.
will become evident in the embattled Middle East. We must hope that U. S. policy
will not be jolted, that Secretary Rogers will be introduced to realities as they function
in the Middle East and that there will be greater recognition of the truth as it affects
Israel's determination not to permit anything spelling destruction to strike again
at the Jewish people.
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A New Arab Federation . . . Its Threats . . Role of Unenrolled Arab States
Serious-minded students of world affairs are justifiably concerned about the
nearly federated Egyptian-Libyan-Syrian governments which are expected to come
into force by plebiscites on Sept. 1. Naturally, since the aim of the new federation
is 'Israel's destruction there is great worry over what may happen in the near future
in the Middle East.
But Sudan did not join the new federation. Saudi Arabia did not respond to it.
Jordan is at loggerheads with both Egypt and Syria, and the latter's aim to support the
terrorists gives it special status within the new structure but has not gained for
it the opposition of both Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
Talk is cheap and propaganda confuses. There
affect international relations and Israel's negotiations
ducted with the United States and the United Nations.
mains problematical and that Israel's existence can
tically.
are fears that may or may not
for an extended cease fire con-
The fact is that Arab unity re-
not be threatened propagandis-
By Philip
Slomovitz
Israel's Anniversary . . . Plea.
to Christians for Justice
During the 23 years of Israel's sovereignty, there
has been much to worry Jews everywhere in relation
to their neighbors.
Many Christians recognized the justice of the Jewish
position and they support Israel. Very many saw fulfill-
ment of prophecy and rejoiced that they, too, were wit-
nesses to the rebirth of Israel as an augury of history.
Yet, in the current crisis, when peace is so near
yet so far, the basic concern is that many non-Jews are .
partners in a scheme to undermine and destroy whatever
tasks are being attained to assure amity for Jews and
Arabs.
There is the basic right of a people to live in peace
and to survive. We are not frightened by the dangers
and we know that Israel will survive. But we pray that
such survival also will be fortified by friendships that
will mark the elimination of age-old hatreds. Isra ,.
redemption provides such a possibility. All talk ab
ecumenism is shallow unless it is rooted in proper and
realistic efforts to assure for Israel—and through Israel
for world Jewry—the right to retain traditions and his-
toric links between People and Land—and Language and
Faith!
On Israel's 23rd anniversary a great hope is that the
friendships between Jews and Christians can be 'strength-
ened and that any effort to undermine them will be
frustrated—more by Christians than by Jews because they
are with us everywhere!
Israel provides that opportunity, and support for
Israel's right to live and rejection of any attempt at
destruction must receive great emphasis from our non-
Jewish friends.
We hope for this to be an international phenome-
non as a major salute to Israel on the state's 23rd an-
niversary.
A sense of confidence must be retained that anything approaching a threat
to peace will fail. Israel's friends are limited, but Israel's own determination never
again to be subjected to a holocaust will play a vital role in the deliberations, whether
they are in the State Department, or at the UN—or in Cairo. A people's will to live"
supersedes all such elements of diplomacy.
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Potpourri: Personalities, Experiences, Tasks in. Fields of Human Endeavor
Judge Nathan J. Kaufman deserves commendation and encouragement in
strong stanA against gun-carrying. The crime waves have become a national issue. It
is not to be ignored, and one way of dealing with it is not to encourage hoodlumism .,_
freedom to carry guns at random.
Judge Kaufman has an excellent record as a judge in more than one' court. In
the juvenile court he established precedents which enabled the community
to deal
with serious youth problems. He leads the way now in an effort to prevent the growth
of crime resulting from too much liberty to weapon-toting, would-be criminals who-
might be led, to straighter paths if they are prevented from the temptation . -tfr-do harm .,
147,:poor law enforcement . . . .
Israel's - public officials are an interesting lot. In the army
officers fraternize --
with the ordinary Men in the army. In all activities a cabinet member cori meet
at
random
with
the
marl
,
in the street. This item from IsraekDigesV
- .
.
.empha-
siges equality: "Sometimes , even a cabinet minister has to
tiwrnb,,a , ride
i
. . at
leastiiiijsrael: Deputy Premier:Xigctl 'Alton -161d_ a conference ikigilat=recently:lhat
Car :_broke
ort>'evtogiig
he .was driving
i
,..notsar
'to. Jerusalem_ He hitched ridel- Beisan and kiMSerf,„*tek .: - from Kibitz
frofKlyie to Jerusalem
fifl young man, whia-_-.1zad grown. un in to
Beisan . and not edigot school :there. .
1 07,01614f inies gets a;-.040tter vie
W
,of Ike. problems - the' couittri
random con-
ver4aAonv4otil-V,its: peoitakihan. one dOes -at organized :Me
k - ings,' he noted." °
'
Ecclesiastes reminds us that `"Of
aking,-.man -books there is no end" and this
is a reminder of special merit about a very eminent historian;
Dr. Jacob R. Marcus.
He has numercius..bookstO;his credit, and among the most outstanding is his three-:.
volume "The Colonial
published by Wayne State University Press.
We had occasion * .to:inmend this Jew"
great literary-historical achievement when the
three volumes first came off the press three 'months *ago. Now it
is a joy to learn
that the Ohio Academy of History has chosen the newest Marcus books as the out-
standing literary; effort by a member of the academy in 1970. •
pi. Marcus. was honored by the American Jewish Historical Society, at ,
sessions at Brandeis :University last Sunday, on his 50th anniversary as rabbi, teach
of JewiSh . historY and author of historical works. He is blessed by his fellow men
because his labors - hake enriched this generation of American Jews.
Jewish Historical Society to Blueprint Community Role
•in U.S.' 200th Anniversary
in 1976
WALTHAM, Mass.—The 79-year-
old American Jewish Historical
Society has been named to co-
ordinate the Jewish observance of
the U.S. Bi-Centennial being cele-
brated in 1976.
According to Dr. Abram Vos-
sen Goodman, president of the
Historical Society, the appoint-
ment was made after a meeting
in Washington, D.C., with the
American Revolution Bi-Centen-
nial Commission.
2—Friday, April 30, 1971
Dr. Goodman said, "We have
been recognized to link together
the Jewish commemoration of our
nation's 200th anniversary. In
this effort, we will work with
other Jewish groups."
He made the announcement at
the group's 69th annual meeting
last weekend at the Marriott
Motel in Newton and at the so-
ciety's headquarters in Waltham.
Rabbi Goodman of Lawrence,
L.1., indicated that a committee
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
appointed by the Historical So-
ciety, headed by former Brandeis
University President Dr. Abram
Sachar, had already started work-
ing on the project. The commit.
tee's co-chairmen are Dr. Jacob
Rader Marcus of the Jewish
Archives, Hebrew Union College—.
Jewish Institute of Religion in
Cincinnati, and Dr. Oscar Handlin
of Harvard University.
Dr. Goodman stated that the
Jewish observance committee of
'76 consists of a broad Jewish
representation, incl u d i n g the
heads of national Jewish organ-
izations scholars and Jewish
business leaders.
The Washington Bi-Centennial
Commission stated that the repre-
sentative formula conceived by
the Historical Society for the Jew-
ish community should serve as a
model for other ethnic and religi-
ous groups marking the anniver-
Rabbi Goodman noted that of
all the minorities and religious
groups in America, "Jews have
identified with the Amercan dream,
and have carried out the demi:-
cratic ideals of our nation's found-
ing fathers."
He cited Jewish pioneering in
urban and suburban development;
their work as real estate develop-
ers (the Gratz family); shipping -
(Lopez and Frank families); tex-
tiles and formation of labor un-
ions. He noted that Jews helped
establish the city of San Francisco
immediately after the California
gold rush.
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ACJII, Mt
c'es, ac•orwgol
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