THE JEWISH NEWS

Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20, 1951

LIBYA'S PHILANTHROPY

Member American Association of English-Jewish Newspapers, Michigan Press Association, National Editorial Assoeis-
tion. Published every Friday by The Jewish r•if 'MU Publishing Co.. 17515 W. Nine Mile. Suite 865, Southfield, Mich. 480711.
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PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

!Inter and Publisher

CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ

CHARLOTTE DUBIN

•vainess Manager

City Editor

DREW LIEIERWITZ

Adyitrtising

Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the 24th day of Shevat. 5733, the following scriptural selections
will be rend in our sunnanoues:
Pentateuchal portion. Exod. 13:1-20:23. Prophetical portion, Isaiah 6:1.7:6, 9:5-6.
First Day Rosh Hodesh Adar I Torah reading, Friday, Feb. 2, Num. 28:1-15

Candle nettling, Friday. Jan. 26, 5:21 p.m.

VOL. LXU. No. 20

Page Four

January 26, 1973

1st Amendment and Abusive I nhumanities

On the basis of the First Amendment, a about Israel that they emerge as anti-Semitic
federal judge ruled, in a Cleveland court, and therefore utilized the swastika with
that the American Nazis must be permitted which the articles were branded.
to wear swastika armbands while attending
A half-hearted apology that came as an
city council meetings.
afterthought from the., WSU paper's editors
Impelled by the smile basic American merely added insult to injury with its attempt
principle in defense of the right of free at a political interpretation, and the demand
speech and freedom of expression, the pres- for action is for complete repudiation of the
ident of Wayne State University has shown perjudiced approach.
concern over charges of failing to adhere to
Assuming that at issue is the First Amend-
the First Amendment in the shocking demon-
ment, and possibly also the regulations set
stration of bigotry in his university periodical
down by the Michigan State Legislature
which resorted to use of a swastika within
which prohibit interfering with the activities
a Magen David to besmirch the Jewish peo-
of a bigoted sheet, then it becomes necessary
ple and to incite to hatred against Israel and
to demand a reinterpretation of the constitu-
the Zionist movement.
tional ideal so that it should reasonably pre-
If the libertarian thus is placed in a quan- serve all rights to freedom of expression with
dary over a basic American principle when the provision that it can never permit its
it is misused to create prejudice and to en- trespassing to such a degree that appeals to
courage inhumanities, then all of us are placed hatred will run wild and unimpeded.
in a very sad plight. Must he who loves free-
Appeals to genocide are not First Amend-
dom and adheres to the First Amendment
ment ideals, and those in authority must give
submit to bias in upholding the right of any
emphasis to principles that will not turn the
one to preach anything he chooses, even to
sacred American ideals into mockeries.
the extent of advocating mass murders and
Such an obligation is applicable to judi-
a return to Hitlerite genocide? Are there
cial circles and to heads of universities, to
any restrictions at all on people's rights to
newspapers and their readers.
preach and to propagate bigotry, regardless
In the instance of our university's period -
of the menace they may impose upon an
ical, which became a hate sheet soon after
entire community?
the original Collegian, which was a univer-
Indeed, to borrow from the late Supreme sity newspaper of merit, was transferred into
Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, does
a distorted opinion sheet rather than a jour-
the First Amendment justify permitting a
nalistic venture for a great- college.
man to shout fire in a crowded theater, there-
The new periodical is financed with our
by creating panic that will cost many lives?
tax dollars to the tune of a $72,000 allocation
Does the major American ideal permit a man
from the Michigan Legislature. The spread
to run loose on our public avenues shouting
of hatred, the anti-Semitic tones, other bigot-
"kill . . . , " whether it is aimed at Jews or
ed demonstrations, should have impelled
their fellow citizens, black or white, Jew,
anthorities to deal firmly with that sheet's
Christian or heathen? Where is the line editorial commanders at the outset. It is not
drawn?
too late to do so now, even if it is at the
If the biased Christian whose fulminations
risk of compelling wholesome and pragmatic
became .a credo for the Wayne State Univer-
definition of the First Amendment. It is al-
sity periodical had spoken the truth, we
ready a bit late, but not too late to act firm-
ly with the few Christians who misrepresent
could not the
argue
periodical
that
has the Jewish and the Israel position, and with
retained
role with
of a a hate
sheet for
some
so-called journalists who give credence to the
years. And it is because the minister's hate-
mongering is filled with misrepresentations spread of untruths about us.

Golda Meir's Role in Diplomatic Dispute

A five-day tour of three European capi- the Catholic people.
tals brought Israeli Prime Minister Golda
The criticisms of Mrs. Meir may have been
Meir into international limelight and created
unjustified. The unfortunate interpretation
disputes over her role in Paris, at the Vatican
of the result of the Israeli prime minister's
and during her conference with the head of
visit at the Vatican may eventually be ex-
the Ivory Coast.
posed for all it is worth, historic experience
It is only because Israel's position is so being that over-anxious papal interpreters at
delicate that the issues that arose emerged
times resort to their own whims to becloud
as controversial. Any other statesman visit- Vatican issues.
ing foreign capitals would have had o
That the bias against Jews stemmed from
right to speak freely in behalf of f the Catholicism should have created tension for
government he or she represented, and would Israel's prime minister, reminding her of the
not be questioned regarding priorities in con- cross as a symbol under which "Jews were
ferring with diplomats from other lands.
killed for generations" emerges as a sad com-
But Mrs. Meir was confronted by antagon- mentary pursuing the aftermath of "an his-
Time
as the healer should also
toric meeting."
ism in Paris, and she showed courage in her soothe
this bit of
agony.

participation in the Socialist International
gatherings. She had a cause to defend when
It is true that, under the circumstances,
meeting with the friend from the Ivory Mrs. Meir was under duress and was com-
Coast, out of hope that some assistance will pelled to take only a handful of her associ-
come in bringing the African countries, who ates into her confidence about serious mis-
benefited so much from Israel, into reason. sions in behalf of her people. Shouldn't such
And there was the talk with Pope Paul conditions be understood and actions related
VI who had visited Israel, who should be them be excused? If Israel were in a state of
well informed on the manner in which Is-. peace her diplomats could afford not to re -
sort to secret diplomacy. Conditions being
rael goes for
to all
extremes
to friendship
assure religious
- they are, Mrs. Meir's hands should not be
freedom
and whose
is need as
ed by Israel in order to cement amity with weakened in her international dealings.

USSR Jewry's Status, Multiple
Problems Analyzed by Experts

Special significance attaches at this time to the publication of a
second edition of "The Jews in Soviet Russia Since 1917," which has
been published by Oxford Press for the Institute of Jewish Affairs
of the World Jewish Congress head office in London.
Edited by Dr. Lionel Kochan, of the University of Warwick, this
volume has an introduction by Prof. Leonard Shapiro, who points
to the comparatively small percentage of Russian Jews who are re-
questing exit permits to settle in Israel. He indicates that 100,000 are
expected to emigrate, and that there is therefore a great need to pro-
tect the status of the vast majority that is destined to remain in Russia.
He declares: "The future of Soviet Jews, as indeed the future of
any minority in the Soviet Union, or of any individuals who wish to
preserve any kind of distinctive faith or culture, can only he assured
by the emergenc of some degree of officially practiced tolerance."
At the same time, in any analytical introductory chapter in
which he reviews the conditions that prevail in the USSR as they
are viewed in the authoritative articles in this volume, Dr. Shapiro
explains that the revolutionary Jews, having broken with the Jew-
ish past, as Jews, and that: "This is one of the many factors In
the complex kaleidoscope of the history of the Jews In the Soviet
state which makes it a* difficult to speak of Soviet Jewry as a
homogeneous and readily Identifiable and definable community."
"In fact," Dr. Shapiro declares, "'Soviet Jewry' denotes men and
women whose aims and hopes can vary from desire for complete as-
similation with their Russian neighbors to the other extreme of na-
tional, cultural or religious separateness—with many stages inter-
mediate between the two extremes."
Russian intolerance, the anti-Zionist and anti-religious propaganda,
the collapse of liberal ideal, are among the factors that become evi-
dent in the series of descriptive essays that provide a fuller under-
standing of Russian Jewry's role and the transformations that have
taken place under communism.
Every aspect of Jewish life in the USSR is under consideration
in this compilation. In the opening essay, "The Jews in Russia at the
Outbreak of the Revolution," Prof. S. Ettinger of the Hebrew Univer-
sity points to the weakness of Russian democracy. lie states that "the
communist revolution put an end to the social, cultural and national
hopes of the Russian Jews."
Dr. S. Abranisky, also of the Hebrew University, describing
the Birobidxban project, says it was "born of contradictory trends
in policy, executed haphazardly, and without due consideration
for Jewish feelings and sentiments," and that it was "doomed to
failure and tragic collapse."
While Yiddish sank to a pariah status and there were disparaging
aspects in Soviet theories on the Jews, a study by Dr. J. Miller of the
University of Glasgow shows the possibility in some USSR quarters
of new approaches and a realization that the problem of anti-Semitism
in the USSR is becoming increasingly urgent.
Authoritative reviews of Jewish accomplishments in the Soviet
Union also include an essay by Prof. M. Friedberg of Indiana Univer-
sity on "Jewish Contributions to Russian Literature. "Prof. Ch. Shma-
ruk of the Hebrew University deals with "Yiddish Literature in the
USSR" and Y. A. Gilboa with the Hebrew literature aspect.
Of special value in this collection of studies of Jewish condi•
tions in Russia is the article on the Jewish population and demo-
graphic trends by Profs. A. Hove and 1. A. Newth of the Uni-
versity of Glasgow. Jews in the army, is technical institutes, per-
centages in the population and In the national economy, the pro-
fessionals and in other fields are presented in statistical! listings.
Included in the analyses are essays on the USSR and Zionism
and Israel, an historical enquiry on the legal position of Soviet Jewry
by W. Korey; "Anti-Semitism in the Soviet Union" by Prof. R. D.
Weinryb of Dropsie University and essays on the Six - Day War, World
War II and the emerging "Jewish Question" in the USSR by R.
Ainsztein, Zev Katz and Philippa Lewis.
Prof. Kochan points out in a concluding chapter how the Jewish
issue has been bedeviled by the internal Russian problems and how
the Middle East situation may affect solutions. A supplementary note
shows a decline in the Russian Jewish population between 1950 and
1970.

