purely
' Commentary
Exposes:of the Farcical 'PraYere-Amendirient
Carl Rowan, in two articleg- on the :question; of prayers in our
schools— a proposed Constitutional emendment which fortunately was
beaten-in: the U.S. House of Representatives --- brilliantly exposed the
narrow viewpoints that could lead. this nation :to destruction.
In his first article on the. subject in . ,the ,Detroit News, Rowan,
reviewing the passions that marked the..debale. in. Congress, pointed.
outs
It is safe to say that scores of members of Abe. House rarely
pray to anyone holier than their bankers and, these probably were
foremost among those who attempted to prove their piety by push-
ing for- a 'constitutional, amendment to permit prayer in public
The public gets pretty emotional over religion, which is why this
nation's founders built constitutional safeguards ,against either
government officials or an overly sanctimonious Community forcing
a certain religion or any kind of religion — on U.S. citizens.
Catholic, Protestant and Jewish leaders oppose wiping away the
constitutional safeguards against the encroachment of the state
in religious matters, even if that first government imposition is just
an innocuous prayer "to whom it may concern:"
Certainly it is not impiety or an unconcern for the moral fiber
of our children that caused church leaders to oppose the prayer
amendmenL.They simply know a danger to freedom of worship when
they
Let us sidute those House members who did not cave in to the
— passions over busing that rage in -their districts and to those who
voted against the prayer amendment. They surely felt that - re-
election is not worth the price of setting the stage for more racial
division and strife in America, or of undermining that long-
cherished constitutional protection of religious freedom.
In his second article he warned- of a renewed threat from those who
speak of "them" — that's us who adhere to the basic ideals of _ the
American Bill of Rights — and "us," the term 'they use when they call
the rest of us Commimists, anarchists, godless.
On this score Rowan said:
. If only the passions that make a majority were required to
change the Constitution, not only would we now have- prayer . in-
the schools and a bedlam of religious conflict, but the BM of
Rights surely would be stripped away.
And that is testimony anew to the wisdom of the men who drafted
that Constitution and made it so hard to change.
Another columnist, Smith Hempstone, also analyzed the situation
well when he wrote:
There is, indeed, a place in our national life for prayer. Never
has there been a greater need in men's lives for the great truths
taught by all the world's major faiths.
But the mystery and majesty of . religion is too precious a gift
to be dealt out by rote at recess like milk and cookies.
Let it be learned 'first at the knees of one's • parents and later
in church, synagogue or mosque. Neither parentt nor priests can
delegate this responsibility to school boards or principals. To do
so would be to authorize an unwarranted intrusion by government
into affairs of the spirit and to demean the relationship between
man and God.
The Bill of Rights, of which the First Amendment is a part,
never has been amended. To do so now would be to'tamper with
the bulwark which has served both church and state so well for
nearly 180 years. -
As the late Hugo L. Black once wrote: "It is only by wholly iso-
lating the state from the religious sphere and compelling if to be
completely neutral that the freedom of each and every denomination
and-of all nonbelievers can be maintained."
That is as true in 1971 as it was in 1791, when the Bill of Rights
was framed.
The American is a fortunate people that a strong minority prevents
Trends Towards Fulfillment of TraditiOnal
COngressional: ,
Needs in Our Communities
Nonsense in Prayer Debate : . hunts Rolk_
How Cur Communities Are Becoming Traditional and. !Jewified .
There are marked changes in religious attitudes of Atnerican Jews: They become evi-
dent_ at sessions like the general assembly of the Council of Jewish Federations and Wel-
fare Funds. They were apparent at the sessions in Pittsburgh list weekend.
It will be recalled that CJFWF assemblies were devoted primatily.to social services,.
to welfare needs, to Americanization. It's different now- There is no.such thing as serving
nonkosher food at assembly luncheons; dinners -and banquets. Dietary laws are Observed.
There was something very unusual at the Hilton in Pittsburgh , last - week: In the
Settler's Dining Room the menus carried a special attached note . that- included a menu
with the salutation:
WELCOME
COUNCIL OF JEWISH FEDERATIONS --
AND WELFARE FUNDS, INC. '
APPROVED KOSBER.MEAL
At all meals during the entire week Of CJFWF tesons, special meals were served,
at reasonable prices-. They were packaged', like the kosher....meals.served...on, planes.
the
Wiese l
Also: .last year at the Kansas ..City; CJFWF
Benshen. This year, at the banquet for every •guest at stheitlinnerghere -*IX:the text of
the Birkat Barnazon and the traditional grace after meal clianted,::Avith one the
young delegates.directing it.
Our young people have introduced such terms -as. "Jewifying;": "Jewing It," and
iimitat expressions uf pride in their identifying with their people. "That's', what really has
happened ni many, quarters, and especially at the sessions of federations ',which were so
assimilated_only a short, time
s ago and at which, now, Israel, Je*ish_edueation, -day school ,
are - matters Of prime importance.
Who, therefore, fears the future and is worried about_ survival? Not the youth, nor
- -
those who have introduced the traditional _ in our communities.-
Fear not ...
-
of the Arab states invaded Palestine from all sides. The Arabs.
however, failed to achieve their objectives of erasing Israel alto-
gether."
He then explained how the armistice borders were reached:
"The net result of the campaigns was that the territory assigned by
the UN to the Jews was left intact; of the territory assigned by the
UN to the Arab Palestinian. State, cerain districts in West Galilee,
in the central area and in the Negev were overrun and occupied by
the Israeli army; the Gaza Strip was occupied by Egyptian forces;
and the rest was annexed by Jordan; the old quarter of Jerusalem
was occupied by Jordan and the new quarter by Israeli forces. In
1949, armistice agreements were concluded between Israel and
Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. The present boundaries of Israel
, are those defined by these agreements, which recognize, however,
that theie boundaries are not final." So much for the borders of
June - 4, 1967.
"It will be far from discreet on my part, on -such an occasion, to
make observations regarding the absence of a final settlement be-
tween Israel and the Arab states and the complicated problems
arising out of this lack of agreement. These are matters outside the
scope of any expression of sincere felicitations from one who has
the friendliest of feelings and the highest admiration for Israel and
her gallant people dedicated to the noble cause of peace, progress
and prosperity ... •
"I had the good fortune to accompany our Prime Minister U
Nu when he visited Israel in May-June 1955, and I saw with my own
a new nation imbibed with an extraordinary intensity of pur-
pose and an abundant hope for its future. I had the privilege of tour-
ing various parts of the countrywith our prime minister and
viewing a comparatively full picture of the country's life and
--
aspirations.
"In the arid south U Nu could see the implementation of
Israel's bold plans for the conquest of the desert which - he had
earlier seen graphically at the exhibition of the same name in Jeru-
salem. The prime minister's party visited collective settlements and
cooperative settlements, a unique feature of Israel's agricultural
and 'social experiment.
"Visiting a number of industrial enterprises, we could see the
contribution made by skill, ingenuity and perseverance to the nation's
economy. We also saw various activities comprising measures- for
the integration of new immigr a nts, the promotion of social and cul-
U Thant's Record ... He Once Supported Zionism
U Thant's role as UN secretary general will be debated for many tural progresses and the teaching of skills. We saw the efforts of
years, especially in view of the severe criticism of him registered in Israeli scientists to harness science into the service of their country.
President Johnson's memoirs. Thant is blamed by the former President Chance encounters with settlers, townspeople, workers and school
for having made possible the Six-Day War, with his quick conceding to children revealed to us a glimpse of Israel's soul . . .
"Many thinking Asians view anti-Semitism as basicidly
Nasser's request for the removal of the United Nations Expeditionary
and naturally their sympathies go to the down-trodden Jews. There-
Force from the Egyptian-Israeli border.
On numerous occasions, Thant had been condemned as having fore, the return of the Jewish people to their homeland—the Orient
been too pro-USSR and pro-Cairo and as having acted decidedly —is looked upon by many race-conscious Asians as the return of their
es to their- hearths and homes . IL Thant eon-
as anti-Israel. He denies it, and only a while ago, at a UN program, ..long-lost re I a tiv
gratifying to note that Israel is
he contended that he had received appeal from hundreds of Russian. • chided with this statement: It
over . anxious to establish normal relations with her immediate. neigh-
Jews who wished to emigrate to Israel and that he had helped them.
• . hors so that she will be able to export her -skill, also. to countries
He stated in that speech:
"Last month, I was gratified to have been informed officially' nearer home -- -"
a deluded majority (there was a majority vote for the school prayers—
five to one Republicans, five to four Democrats) to rob it of its better
senses in dealing with tlfe church and state issue. Now there must be
vigilance lest the majority again goes half-cocked and renews the
battle for the required two-thirds vote to defeat us on the question of
Separation. Let us protect ourselves against such an eventuality.
•
•
•
This is an important addendum to UN history and to an under.
that more than 400 of the 800 appellants on my list were now in
Israel. It was far from my intention to mention this matter publicly standing of the men who govern the world body. The record must be.
kept
complete. Out
'
of office—after he retires the end of next month
during my tenure as secretary-general of the UN however, the er-
U Thant , will be more helpful to - Israel than he' was
roneous impression has been given that the world organization is not
concerned with such problems, that nothing is being done."
while In . office. .
Whilehe spoke as the UN official, it was a personal defense as-
an answer to attacks frequently leveled at him. -.
By Philip
Slomovitz
Nigerian .--K4 CoMpletes
Study- as -Specialist
JERUSALEM — .Dr. Theophilus
Olawole Cole, of Ibadan, Nigeria,
has just conipleted.a year of spe-
cialist study - in heart diseases at
the Hadassah-Hebrew University
Medical Center in Jerusalem.
Dr. Cole• said he is going home
with a sound knowledge of basic
techniques. ;.
From the point of view of its
size, stage of development and
medical knowledge, Iirael is an
ideal country- for a Nigerian to
study the latest methods of deal-
ing with heart' conditions. Israel's
department . ., of international co-
operation granted Dr. Cole a
scholarship.'
"I want to say that the Israeli
people are the nicest in the world,
without exception," Dr. Cole de-
dared. "Everybody was very kind
and friendly and helpful. It was
hard for us = the children are
only 5 and 2 --- and we certainly
needed a lot of help. We got it."
"Next time I won't come just
to work; btit to enjoy some rec-
reation as well We will be back,
don't worry," he said.
* *
New Hadassah Lab
to Study Brain Workings
JERUSALEM The Hadassah
Hebrew University Medical Cen-
ter, with substantial grants from
the - Zalman Aranne •Memorial
Fund has opened a human psycho-
physiology laboratory, named af-
ter the late minister of education
and culture of Israel. •
Numerous research -projects . at
Hadassah compare the mental ac-
tivities in the undamaged brain
with persons whose brains have
been damaged at birth or in ac-
cidents. The studies cover the en-
tire range of mental processes,
such as thinking, 'use of language.
sense -of touch; .perception.
The laboratory - ii part of the de-
partment-of neurology under Prof.
Shaul Feldman and is headed by
Dr....-Antirazn_Carmon, Who has' in-
ventedieieral instruments for -•he
measurement of reflexes and
movement. -
"' . - at Aron Kodesh
-Front
Donated
.to
ort SynagOguc
. _
Most of the criticisms of U Thant were on the score of the Soviet .. 'mini
-_, -
.
. Thailand
..
-
- ,
. khes). was era
ganging up on Israel and .the fact that -Israiel,doesn't'.1- . ‘ li W '; YORK- - The e -
eohn,. formerly
Y• of Bangkok and , Th _ curtain e
of
the
Coy
have a chance to have her •views listened to in the Seciwity-Counea,:r.Synagegue's irerkauf museum :at now of Heidelberg. : - --- - e
th Sisters
Yet, there is on record a- friendly act toward Zionism by the UN- the Jahn r-. Kennedy international :,:-
- intaa .64-jaaagOojai W ept ta. .;enan
b
tAlle b-y tWn
. .4nhlets. a the...I.—
en
, . . ,.
. - , • . . , -, - : . . . ,
secretary-general.
general.
probably the
Commandments-
were- engrave.a PY
.AirPort hiereceived
.
''-
- It has now come
become known that U Thant; when he was Burma's *ninnnettlielY -Ark ha'exintenee; 13 - . • Bangkok ht 1940,
, _ the
s Jewiak - eon- --,-'
sliver a
. a e e Y, lanai --iiatisiasik.4*-
,
w 'lit
as en e - kea malle
Indian
ambassador to the UN„ spoke—it may have been in August of 1956-- -Inches:A
7 is
, . E ni
---, , , ;7h111- . 1 mom'
1,141
all . r th 4
I , ;Ii _tedi
ns
f.1:e14 ), 3 ...
a..4rebs
--frwm - ' . in
d. .4
: . , .,, ,jaiabscihmt
elor . :,, ob
. .lr a . iwW1
and
at the Jewish Center of Lynn, Maas., and in the course of his address ilan d, - • 411;:
•
,
-
— .
.
ark
f sysagagarimr- :-. tiny -(mainkti) : Inaldithe ark,-. a
be commented on Arab-Israeli relations, on numerous other matters
res ented by Bab- emdrements ee
--_,_.
d - w Il a . s GUFM
P - Aon... executive, a ar k Ptegovirig
and especially on the question of the borders of Israel, in relation to b1 7111e arm
. :Ne -therefertt
- fto:; - a li
iiiathriect
il , German
litilidis dedined
Shatar:I t eit ius
,the ihape
'alt :- . euitioan
which he said in comment upon the developments in 1948: • . n vta cord
e
We
ar
Ra
enb
tkia
a'
th
w
:
e
w
aaantl
-y
•
NYull‘
:
of
rthe
Baildidet
,
idartraehi:Woe
d
e---,
' "Immediately the British Mandate came to an end, -tie armies -- — —' who fre -
ierell
-"_
lbe;.1.11atiK.lnaneC1-ta'
ang„--k-
travels to the Far East, He re--- Tham_
- Genolnt . earprater "- - bir' ' Elizb4I'ageraDeg a the c
-
2--Friday, Navonbar -1 4 1, 11171
TIE DETIMOIT:JEWON NEWS ceived it from Dr. Trane.B.:-Jago
TIN
,b- .... , - ..:*ade ao..iirk:firt:4 teilnOwod, , gad*
and Afro-Asian
..
,