THE JEWISH NEWS .

•

jneorporating The Detroit Jewish
.„._• Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20,1952

•5

• MensberLliniertalis Association-4f- Engilds4ewis;NewspalitriGlifiehigithrl.rese AlsOciation, National Editorial AssoeL
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PHILIP SLOMOVITZ - - CARM1 M. SLOMOVITZ

Editor and Publisher

CHARLOTTE DUBIN

Business - Manager

City Editor

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DREW L1111ERWITZ

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Advertising -Manager

Sabbath Scriptural Selections

This Sabbath, the ninth day of Kislev, 5732, the following scriptural selections will
be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Gen. 28:10-32:3. Prophetical portion, Hosea 12:13-14:10.

Candle lighting, Friday, Nov. 26, 4:46 p.m.

VOL. LX. No. if.

Page Four

November 26, 1971

The Presidency: Politics and Realities.

Political "prophets" have begun to specu-
late on the possible attitudes of the so-Called
ethnic groups in Amerila on the' forthcom-
ing presidential campaign. There'll be lots
of talk about the Polish vote—because a
Democratic candidate has Polish ancestry.
Jews always are in the limelight, especially
because the Middle East will be a chief topic
for debate. It is pot: stirprising, therefore,
that Newsweek's. Per
iscope should have car-
ried this item under the heading "Mr. Nixon
and the Jews":---

Cardozo, a Democrat, to the high court.
,Democrats have selected Republicans; Free-
• 'dom of action on that score is- not to be
tampered with. Suggestions are in order,
but the Persident's judgment also counts.
Therefore, the Supreme Court -matter is
minor. What does count and does t 'indeed,
create a Jewish vote, is the interest in
But all Jews are concerned with Israel's
security, and all candidates are on record ewish
_Volume
in support of a sectirg_ Israel_Therrefore-the
Jewish vote in this instance must be equated
with the American vote. If and when this will Links. History.: With the Arts
"The heads' of the Major 'Jewish :organizations
be fully understood and acknowledged, the
In the U.S. will gather in Washington late this
Distinguished scholars - combined their literary skills and their
month to tell President. Mann-Israel moat get the . issue will be obviated. -
artistic knowledge to produce an immense art work, "Pieture history
Phantom jets it wants or_ Mr. ,Nixon risks Posing
What Newsweek has overlooked is the of Jewish Civilization."
Jewish votes and backlog In, 1972. The meeting is
Published by the eminent :publisher of art works, Harry N. Abrams,
hope of American Jews that President Nixon,
at the urging of Israel itself (which feels it must
on his planned visit to the Kremlin, will this work, while not a history of the Jewish people in the 'sense of
have the jets);.but the planes are only.part of the
completeness;
- lives up fully to its title: coverage of the major Jewish
raise
the
issue
of freedom of worship and
problem. The .Jewish Widen want also to let the
in the erea of creative achievements.
cultural rights, as well as the right to 'emi- experience
President (aid. the Dentodratic hopefuls al well)
- Dr. Bezalel Narkiss - is the volume's editor-in-chief, Ind , his co-
grate, for Russian Jewry. There have been editors are Dr: &Mattel Abramsky, Prof. David Flusser, Prof. Abra-
know that theY'_Yeel ':American 'Jews are being
conflicting comments on this question. Some ham C.- Schalit' and Dr; Michael Ziv—all distinguished scholars 'and
ignored, an alienation indicated- - In -*env eyes
have been most unfair to the President be- authorities on art.
by such events as the end of the :50-year: tradition
of having-a jew'oa the Supreme Court."
cause they assumed that he was uninter-
In the 230 full color illustrations,- which cover- the 'various
.
.
. _
ested, while the record shows that at the
periods' under review, are represented the stittstic results of Jewish
We can Underitand why:Many will squirin White
labors, and it is significant that stone India, clay jugs, .ancieut
House
and
in
the
State
Department
upon reading this 'speculative political prog-
paintings, models of-granaries,..tomba and other.illustrationi depict •
nostication. In the anticipated flood of -ora- there has been considerable concern in the
. ancient -history commencing With "the -lifehrews in the Biblical
tory by our country's politicians there may matter involving Jews in the USSR.
Period" which this encyclopedic work commences).
be much that will be applied to the several . These analyses, In advance, of emerging
Because the text of about 250 Pave goes through
the im-
aspects of issues in which Jews are and must political issues are offered as a possible guide portant' periods_inieviish history_Ant_cancludes _with . "The Present:
be interested. There—will be controversy to those who may become_panickj_ovaiintet: F5firgence of Israel as-a -Middle-Eastern Power." thi.ciiativelitatisi .
over the recurring inestion whether there pretations of the Jeiviih role in the next in history attain - approximate completeness.. ' While-. it is. impossible
is a Jewish vote.
election. We already have declarations of in a text of only. 250- pages, . including the long index , and the many
to cover all details in a history of Jewish civilization, the
by Jews for both President Nixon illustrations,
Actually, the Newsweek item is greatly support
have approached . their aim With marked skill. - - •
for candidates for the Democratic nomi- editors
exaggerated. There is 'much talk about "Jew- and
It is the brevity that distinguished the work -and has enabled the
The contest will inspire debate. It
ish representation" on the Supreme Court, nation.
to proceed, from' the Bible era, to the Babylonian. exile and
be conducted rationally; without mis- authors
the destruction of the Temple, the Jews under Roman rule, the
but the demands for a Jewish appointee are, should
representation
or
misunderstanding.
We'll
be
perhaps, akin to those who ask for a woman charged with pressuring with the- Jewish emergence- of Jewish spiritual centers, and on into the millenia. of
on the high court. In principle,- there is rec- vote. When it is directed toward acquiring Jewish history. - .
The reviewer must interrupt here to indicate that' the great
ognition of the 'President's right to make
for Israel and for Russian Jewry we
Interest in archeology, as a result of .which there have been
his own selections and not to be pressured. justice
should not fear it under anV circumstances.
revelations about Masada, Herod,_ the-revolt- against Item., Bar
When appointments are suggested there is What
Kokhba and other incidents and personalities, -find echoes here
is right for oppressed Jews is right for
the traditional right to urge selections that humanity—and
and serve to enlighten the reader on the events that have drawn
for
political
candidates.
Let
are deemed appropriate or suitable, when the scalps fall where they may, but let there
so much filthiest in recent years,
candidates are viewed as offerilig to be of be justice for the needy, the oppressed, the
This applies, of course, to the • latest developments in Jewish his-
value to the country. But the 'President has handicaped. If political debates — regardless . tory—Zionist achievements and the emergence of the state of Israel,
the right to...choose.
role and the tragedies that preceded the years of re-
of _accusations—will bring desired results, Theodor Herzts
-
Thus, it was a Repliblican, - President- - beneficial to-mankind, let the fur fly where demption.
Emphasizing Jeivry'S tote as a etiltural:Spiritual force;. the authors
Hoover, who named a great jurist, Benjamin it may.
have gathered data that relate to the highest aims in the Jewish .herit-

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Federations and Our Cultural Aims

If there is the slightest doubt about
American Jewry's having 'tome of age,"
it is now being dispelled at the - annual as-
semblies of the Council of Jewish Federa-
tions and Welfare Funds.
It was not so long ago when any -. refer-
ence to federations was like waving red 'be-
fore a bull in Monist or ultra-Orthodox ranks.
Federation leaders were considered un-
friendly to Jewish culture, to Ahe national
liberation movement, to traditions in Jewish
life. Now a CJFWF assembly is like - an Or-
thodox gathering. Kashrut is observed, the
Sabbath is respected, the traditions are hon-
ored.
There is no longer the difference of
opinion over Zionism. Now Israel is the
major responsibility and it is not a debatable
subject.
What could have been questioned was
the attitude of educational needs, and the
last few assemblies have removed doubts.
So much priority is being given the day
school movement that the CJFWF president,
. Max M. Fisher, placed it first on the agenda
of domestic interests.

,

It is because youth has asserted . itself
so vehemently at the assemblies of federa-
tions that the question was brought to a head
more speedily in recent years. But even be-
fore youth demonstrated, - with demands for
great cultural commitments the welfare
funds' leaders had already begun to give
priority to the needs of our school systems.
This has been in evidence. in Detroit, whose
Jewish We/fare Federation has been giving
unstintingly towards the support of all
schools in our community.
Great progress has been attained in our
communities. The needs always are greater
than the means with which to meet the
challenges. But the response is evidence that
the responsible community organizations not
only respect our traditional and our:sacred
heritage but also strive to elevate them to
the highest degree of acceptance. We _have
thus reached an age of significant linking of
the generation that is beset with so many
problems with our people's major responsi-
bilities. We have made progress,- and we are
on the road to even greater fulfillment in
the perpetuation of our ideals.

age, to the schools that were created, to the emphases that were placed
on art in the synagogue and the illustrative material that emerged with
the interest in the Menora, the Hagada, the Paisover,- lianuka-and Holy
Day observances. Some.of the most acclainted works by.Jewish crea-
tive artists, sculptors, painters and inoiders of .religious artifices are
-included in the collected. works reproduced in' this volume.. -
• The .authors have - not overlooked the centuries - Of heirrers:
. the medleval . period during which Jews -suffered from
mur-
: der 'Pell,' thous the Crusades and from .1dgetries - that_sternmed
from the Church.
But there were revivals, and therefore there-is asMuch_ space
even • to- the -renaissance of Jewish culture - as to , the negative factors
in- Jewish . experience. • -.
Than is why the - descriptions of the- contributions
' to Jewish labors
e, Tosefists,
by. Krill, Joseph Nasi, Dona' Gracia, Moses Idontifior
Hasidim, Masldlim—to mention just a few-who figure in this work-
. are eminent m the history thus depicted.
There were conflicts, between Hasidim and Maskilim,.for example,
and these are not ignored.
. .
.
.
tionalism
Besides, there' is an account of the conflict -between
na
•
y quickl to
assimilation,- and there were the elements that - yielded
the lure of offers of panaceas. They are recorded -here—and that's the
wonder, that in so little space so much la packed
.

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While the remarkable factor here is the vast. collection of photographs,
multicolored, that relate to the subjects covered, It should be noted. that the
historical. -factors are not to be ignored. There. are chronological tables that
are 'of grtat value to the student of Jewish history. There is, Soy instance.
the table giving "Dates in Jewish History - from the Return of Zion (538
BCE) until the Reaction of hie Babylonian Talmud (500 CE)." As an adden-
dum to the factual compilations of'- he scholars who have produced this work.
this is especially meritorious. And there are other chronological facts that
attest to such merits. •

Lovers of art will:cherish this work. Historians will find it suitable
as an addendum to their.studies and teachings: The-inodern period is
as fully -.covered as the ;entire span of:Jewish:historical experiences.
The Abrams-published "Picture History of_..TOwish_ Civilization is-an-
other of the eminent publisher's highly- cominendable creations. .

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