r- 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 Second-Class Postage Paid at Southfield. Michigan and Additional Mailing Offices. Subscription $8 a year. Foreign $9 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.