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. * * * 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. - - 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. • ACJII, Mt c'es, ac•orwgol -\