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THE JEWISH NEWS

Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle

COIllmencing

with issue

of July 20, 19.51

Member American Association of English-Jewish Newvpapters, Michigan Pre, Association, National Editorial Associa-
Ilion. Published every Friday by The Jewish Neu,: Publishing Co. 17515 W Nine Mile. Suite 885. Southfield. Mich. 48075
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PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

Editor and Publisher

CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ

CHARLOTTE DUBIN

Business Has

City Editor

DREW LIEBERWITZ

Advertising M

Shavuot Scriptural Selections
Shavuot is being observed today and Saturday. Scriptural selections for the

lestiral are
Pentateuchal portions - Today, E.rod. 19:120.23, Num. 28.26 - 31: Saturday.
Deut 1.5 19 16 17, Nuns. 28 26-31.
Prophetical portions: Today. Ezekiel 1:1-28: 3:12: Saturday, Habakkuk 3.119.

Candle liabling, Friday, May 19, 1972. 7.31 p m.

VOL . LX1. No. 10

Page Four

May 19, 1972

Shavuot: _Challenge to the Calloused

How much of the spirit that generates ish values. Therefore, on Shavuot, there is
from Shavuot is effective in our time'
more than a challenge: there is an obligation
Does Torah. the holiness of scriptural wis- to look into the source both of neglect as
dom, retain centrality in the life of our peop-
well as tardiness in arriving at solidarity with
pie, and especially our youth?
our people.
It is one of the three great pilgrimage fest-
It is one thing to succumb to solidarity
ivals that inspired our forefathers and linked when we must fight for just rights for our
them with the heritage that stemmed from people in the Soviet Union. It is another when
Jerusalem and kept bringing the worshipers -youth is asked to accept the same links with
to the Holy City of Peace. Through the ages. Jewry—a return to the spiritual fountains of
Shavuot was an occasion for study, celebra- Judaism, as in the USSR—and thereby to
Lion and observance, and youth shared these have solidarity with the ages and the tradi-
glories with parents. Lions of our people.
Surely, it is well to ask whether it retains
Perhaps we are failing in our schools. As
the sanctity of the ages and whether our peo- the years advance it is becoming more and
pie generally--except the minority that ob- more difficult to enroll the best teachers for
serves the Sabbath and therefore also honors our schools. With the changes that we have
the festivals—give heed to Shavuot. True: on experienced, the hours of study have been
the day on which \'izkor is recited there is reduced, the number of pupils has declined.
an attraction to the synagogue. But what we speak of studies in colleges and of estab-
about the Torah? How about the traditions lishing schools of higher education and in
that go with Shavuot' . the interim the elementary school is collaps-
As one of the pilgrimage festivals and be- ing.
cause it is part of the Israeli regulations which
We are told that the congregational school
make the festival a legal holiday, it will re-
is assuming the great role of reaching out
taro its traditions in the Holy Land. The into the ranks of our youth and is creating
Western Wall will be crowded on that day. a mass movement for the enrollment of all
Tourists in Israel will share in the spiritual Jewish children for Jewish studies. They have
values which compel respect for Torah. And yet to prove it. In the meantime we find a de-
the Diaspora? cline rather than progress. This generation
For us here it is a challenge. It is a time has much to answer for, and before it has too
to remind us that tne legacies which are pri- much to atone fOr, let there be an accounting
manly significant when we concern ourselves both of guilt and of responsibility.
with Torah are begging for attention. concern
These are the factors to take into consid-
respect, adherence, observance, loyalty
eration on Shavuot. We can't afford failure in
One never writes off a heritage, and never our spiritual sentimentalities. There has to
scraps a legacy. It would be fallacious to say
be a response to the call for loyalty to Torah
that youth rejects what we cling to. The
and the ideals inherent in Jewish life. It is
young in all generations have usually been
in support of such loyalties that we must be
slow in getting closer to their elders and their
responsive to the needs and less blinded to
ideals, to the treasures handed down to them
the realities which make of us a Yizkor peo-
by the generations of Jewish creators of high
pie with a youth limited only to Bar Mitzva
moral and spiritual values. Perhaps. however,
duties. If there is to be a true Shavuot. let
the generation in an age of total freedom is
there be an awakening to the cultural chal-
slower moving in its acceptance of our Jew-
lenges and the spiritual responsibilities.

Israeli Miracle: Victory for Intelligence

If ittwere not so funny, the El Fatah role
would really be a subje't for a modern
Freud.
How could they possibly understand the
value of neighborliness, if they can claim
that Dayan's being at the control tower for
23 hours was their victory?
And to blame Red Cross and the Bel-
gian government for the failure of a mur-
derous plan!
Yes, mingled with the miracle of another
Israeli triumph is the inanity of gullible
fanatics.
Imagine how their Arab kinsmen must
view the situation! Is it any wonder that 95
per cent of Arabs in liberated Israeli terri-
tory voted in last month's election, that
entirely new slates of municipal officials
were elected in areas in which Arabs pre-
dominate? It was an Arab revolt against
insanity. They . must be getting wise to the
stupidities of those 1.\ ho would destroy arid
do net know how to sit amicably with their
.Jewish cousins to assure safe homes for all

And the 'non - Jews who were on the Sa-
bena plane traveling to Tel Aviv? It was good
that they hastened with a show of hands to
indicate they were not Jews: in the event
of a tragedy instead of a victory for Israel.
Jews might have been saved during their
liberation. We invite them now to share our
admiration for those who rescued them and
the plane on which they were held hostages.

-%/174.
'Geography of Israel' Outlines
Israel's Demography, Geology

Israel's most important refi'rence book, containing the country's
basic information about its geological history, climate, wildlife, demo-
graphy. archeological and historical background, the settlements,
population growth, economy and a score of other subjects, has been
issued in a third revised editioft to include facts about the adminis-
tered area that came under Israeli rule in 1967.

"Geography of Israel." published by American Heritage Press,
was authored by Efraim Orni, fbremost Israeli geographer, and Prof.
Elisha Efrat of Tel Aviv Univerlity.

This immense work is indispensable for students of Jewish history.
of Zionism, of modern Israel and of the development of the area since
the emergence of Israel.

For factual data abou. Israeli settlements, as well as for
knowledge about flora and, fauna, wildlife, vegetation, etc., it
is necessary to t.".n to thse thorough studies by two eminent
authorities.

A typical sample of the wealth of information provided in this
volume will be found in the chapter of "Urban Settlement." It con-
tains figures on "Agglomerations of 10,000 Inhabitants and More in
Israel" and lists more than 50 cities and settlements, their populations
in 1948 and 1969. the forecast for 1982 and the town planning out-
line scheme. Jerusalem, for example, had 89.984 in 1948, 283.100
(including East Jerusalem) in 1969, with 250.000 for the New City
alone predicted for 1982 and a town planning outline scheme for
320,000.

Tel Aviv-Jaffa, with 3E2,900 in 1969, has a forecast of 500,000 for
1982, and a town planning for 050,000.

More interesting are the figures for Acre. whose 1948 population
of 4,016 grew to 33,500 in 1969, with a 1982 forecast of 52,000 and a

Miracles? He had to be a Jewish pilot on town planning scheme for 65,000.
the Sabena airship, who used his head and
Entirely new to the revised edition is Part IV dealing with
gave assistance in guiding the liberators in
the administered areas—Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip, Judea and
their ultimate goal of ending a hijacking plan
Samaria and the Golan.
that would have meant 100 casualties in a
scheme of madmen!
Naturally, in a volume like this, the illustrations are important,
The point is: Israel scored another victory and the' many maps are most helpful in acquiring 'knowledge about
in exercising intelligence. Some enemies rec- the land and its historic settings bird life, vegetation, etc.
ognize it. Some hate us for it.
The Climatic conditions in various areas are fully outlined to in-

Nixon at the Summit

With the U.S.-Soviet summit meeting an
apparent reality, there is due cause to believe
that President Nixon will submit American
Jewry's request for consideration of the Jew-
ish appeals for just rights for Soviet Jews
to the Kremlin.
The summit meeting may hold in the
balance the issues affecting world peace and
the need for international cooperation to-
ward enforcing peace and ending conflicts
in Northeast Asia as well as the Middle East.
To that end. the President must be accom-
panied on his trip with the blessings of all
Americans. Even a divided constituency —
and the latest polls show that the President
is supported in his tasks by a majority of
this nation—must share in hopes that Ameri-
can interests and the hopes for humanitarian
goals will succeed when the leaders of two
great nations meet to deal with what may
prove to be the fate of good will on a world-
wide scale.

dicate the changes as one travels, in such
area to area.

a

small country, from

Archeological students will ,be enriched with knowledge in the
special chapter devoted to the diggings that have resulted in many
new findings about Jewry's past history.

Taking into account the Zionist contributions, the settlements
that were created as a res ilt of this movement preparatory to
the emergence of the state of Israel, the authors give a graphic
view of the various aliya movements during which pioneers estab-
lished the foundation for statehood.

Accompanying this section is a chronological listing of the periods
in Israel's history from the Palec/lithic Age to the present.

The demographic factor in 'Geography of Israel" is immensely
valuable The sections dealim, with the rebirth of Hebrew are accom-
panied by explanations of the stititus of other dialects used by Jews
in various areas and ages.

There is an account here of the growth of the diamond industry.
and figures for imports and exports give the reader the needed
information about the economic growth of Israel. Thus, the status of
foreign trade, the role of various industries, the emergence of a
mining activity and other Israeli accomplishments are noted here.

"Geography of Israel" fills a great need for non-Jews as well as
Jews who seek information about the country's status as well as the
background out of which the present progressive state has emerged.