Israeli's Debate Censorship of P lay, Offends Son le of Its Citizens
By MOSHE RON
TEL AVIV—Do the state
and other organs have the
right to cancel a theatrical
performance because its con-
tents might offend the reli-
gious feelings or spiritual
values of a part of the pop-
ulation'
Israeli humorist Amos"Kee-
min wrote a piece entitled
"Friends Talk About Jesus,"
which was canceled for pub-
lic performance by the Coun-
cil for Cinema and Theater
Critics. Keenan has appealed
to the High Court of Justice
against this decision. The
court advised the council to
point out to Keenan those
parts in his play which might
offend the feelings of a sec-
tion of the population.
The well known Maariv
theater critic, Nahman Ben-
Ami wrote about this dispute
after seeing the performance
at a special closed showing
for writers and artists.
"If I had not known that
this piece was the work of
the Israeli journalist and
writer Amos Keenin, I
would have thought it a para-
noid creation, born in the
head of a lunatic, who is a
masochist who hates himself
and everyone else and wishes
to destroy everything," Ben•
Ami wrote in his critique.
Ben-Ami says the writer
did not intend creating a
theatrical piece hut political-
social propaganda, and direc-
tor David Bergman has
Tali('
a theatrical perform-
ance of it. It shows how the
young Jesus is sacrificed on
the cross by foul murdereds.
Ile wants to create an anal-
ogy with Jewish youth, mur-
dered by the Israeli Estab-
lishment.
There are infantile and ar-
tificial effects like Jesus
writhing in pain on the cross
and shouting: "Melons, mel-
ons, cut in pieces by a knife
—a quarter, a half—to gain
a four-room apartment and
four wind directions.
Ben-Arni states that the
contents of the piece are
against war. It is a form of
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modern pacifism which does
not strengthen love for life,
light and better times. The
whole contents speak of
death, pain, torture, blood-
shed, slaughter and murder.
There is one victim, the fig-
ure of Jesus, who represents
the Arab victim, and there is
one had factor, the Jew who
murders, who really repre-
sents the state of Israel and
its army. "Anyone who does
not say this frankly and
clearly after seeing this per-
formance, is either a liar or
wishes to mislead others,"
Ben•Ami writes.
It is characteristic of dem-
ocracy in Israel that Amos
Keenan had received a spe-
cial scholarship from the
cultural council of the minis-
try for culture. Now the
council appeals to the High
Court of Justice for the can-
relation of performances of
his theatrical piece.
1 Friday, Nov. 3, 1972
—
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
First with Oakland
County
Federation-Supported
Hospital Aids Victims
of Chicago Wreck
CHICAGO (JTA)—Michael
Reese Hospital, an affiliate
of the Jewish Federation of
There were critics in Israel, Metropolitan Chicago, was
although only a few, who de- the first medical resource to
fended this performance on aid victims of an Illinois
the basis of the freedom of Central commuter train wreck
writing and acting.
in Chicago Monday morning.
Former Labor Knesset The accident, the worst rail-
member Shulamit Aloni, road disaster in the U.S. in
came out with a strong at- 14 years, claimed 44 lives
and injured 320.
tack against the council.
Reese Hospital is about 200
Ben-Amt referred to her
yards
from the site of the
attack: "If !qrs. Aloni has
no religious feelings and sa- wreck, and its disaster plan
was
implemented
immediate-
cred values, it is her own
personal matter. But this ly, a hospital spokesman told
the Jewish Telegraphic Agen-
does not 'alter the fact that
cy. Doctors and nurses
the majority of the Israeli
reached the tracks within
population does have and
minutes, and within the first
cherish such values. Because
four hours following the
many Israelis are religious
wreck 153 victims were
and base their own and their
treated in the hospital's
f amity life on the ethical val-
emergency room.
ues of Judaism, there should
James P. Rice, executive
be a law and a special insti-
director of the Jewish Feder-
tution which can cancel per-
ation, the Jewish Welfare
formances offensive to
a
Fund and the Jewish United
large part of the population.
Fund, reported that many
members of the JUF women's
•
Meaning of 'Kvittel' division were among the
By RABBI SAMUEL J. FOX scores of volunteers serving
at the hospital during the
(Copyright. 1972, ETA Inc.)
"Kvittel" is a Yiddish emergency.
He said that federation
word that means a "note" or
a "ticket." What this word staff members went to the
hospital
to provide whatever,
is -perhaps best known for
is the piece of paper on assistance they could to the
which some people write hospital staff.
Also on hand were Rabbi
their name and their request
or need. This, according to Ephraim H. Prombaum, the
Hasidic custom, is sent or chaplain assigned to Reese
handed to a Hasidic rabbi, Hospital by the JUF-support-
sometimes with "redemption ed Chicago Board of Rabbis,
money" (i.e. "pidyon"). Upon and Rabbi Mordechai Simon,
receipt of this the Hasidic executive director of the
rabbi prays to the Almighty board.
Rabbi Simon also assisted
for the sake of the individual
whose name and needs are at Mercy Hospital, where
inscribed on the note (i.e., other victims of the train
wreck were treated.
"kvittel").
Judge Alice L
Gilbert
...Strictly Justice
• 11 years judicial experience
• President, Michigan District Judges'
Association 1969-70
• Now District Judge, State of
Michigan
ENDORSED BY The Oakland Press. Eccentric
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Sometimes a note like this
Snatch and eat, snatch and
is called a "tzetel." Some-
times notes like these were drink, for this world is like a
PAID POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT
wedding.—Erubin.
left on the graves of saintly
figures who were expected
to pray for the people whose
names were inscribed on
these notes. Some Hasidim
will leave such notes at the
Recorder's Court deals only with crime in the city of
graveside of the deceased
Hasidic rabbi who served as
Detroit. Recorder's Court has failed you. Replace a
their ideal mentor during his
Recorder's Court Judge with someone "OUTSTANDING"!
lifetime. Currently, one can
see such notes being left in
the crevices of the Western
Wall . in Jerusalem where
many people offer prayers.
Nachmanides, in- his corn-
' mentary to the Bible, relates
that such a custom may have
been based upon a practice
in the time of Moses. Who-
ever came to see Moses with
a problem in the sanctuary
of old used to approach him
with a written note on which
• Graduated first in class Wayne Law School
was inscribed his name, the
• Former Asst. United States Atty. (41/2 years)
name of his father and the
name of his tribe. The note
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may even have had thera-
Attorney (4 years)
peutic value in the sense
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