THE JEWISH NEWS

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

-Len DO SOMCIIIING ABOUTIMS SORE!

Member American Association of English-Jewish Newspapers, Michigan Press Association, National Editorial Associa-
tion. Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing Co., 17515 W. Nine Mile, Suite 865. Southfield, Mich. 48071.
foeasOCIado Postage Paid at Southfield, Michigan and Additional Mailing Offices. Subscription /8 ■ year. Foreign fla

PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Stater and Publisher

CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ

CHARLOTTE DUBIN

City Editor

Business Monad*,

DREW LIEIERWITZ

Advertising /damper

Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the 29th day of Adar 1, 5733, the following scriptural selections
will be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Exod. 35:1.38:20, 30:1.16. Prophetical portion, II Kings
12:1-17.
Rosh Hodesh Adar II Torah Readings, Sunday and Monday, Num. 28:1-15.

Candle lighting, Friday. March 2, CM p.m.

VOL. LXII. No. 25

Page Four

March 2, 1973

Tragedy: Result of Failure to Make Peace

Not only the Israelis but Jews everywhere
are in a state of mourning over what had
happened over Sinai. It is one of the worst
tragedies that emanated from the continua-
tion of an unnecessary state of war. It was
undoubtedly a result of the fears on both
sides of Israel's borders.
When there are threats to Israel's exist-
ence there also are unending panics and ev-
ery indication of a possible emergency or an
impending danger to the people of the en-
dangered little state could erupt at any time
into a menacing state for Jews as well as
Arabs, for Israel as well as the nations who
speak in terms of destroying her.
It was to be anticipated that the claims
will be, whatever the threats to Israel's se-
curity and the state's future, that there was
no excuse for shooting down of a plane with
innocent passengers. True! Because this is
applicable to the murder of innocent ath-
letes, the massacre of people in an airport,
the murder of athletes, the letter bombs that
caused the death of diplomats.
These incidents were not the acts of war-
riors, and neither was the shooting down of
a planeload of travelers a reaction to what
had occurred in the earlier tragedies. These
shocking events are a collective result of the
fears that stern from a war atmosphere and
the only way of avoiding repetition of such
occurrences is by ending the war and creating
a friendly spirit for all the nations involved.
Part of the tragedy is the anticipation of
new acts of vengeance. Every blunder in-
cites another blunder, every sin is counter-
acted by sin. Avera goreret avera—a sin in-
evitably inspires sinning! There is only one
way to end it: to get to the root of the prob-
lems'
It may take time even to ask for an end
to rancor, let alone an approach to common
sense and to action for a cessation of the
bitterness. Furthermore, it is established that
the Arab demand will be for an end lo
Israel's existence; otherwise, why would a
Kuwaitian diplomat, speaking unrealistically
about Israel's role in the Middle East, assert
—claiming to speak for Palestinians—that
even a postage-stamp-sized Israel would not
be tolerated by the Arabs? It is such a threat
to Israel's very life that causes the worst of
blunders, and it is this that must be elimi-
nated from the verbosity of genocide inspir-
ers.
Some Arabs have conceded: Israel is here
to stay. It is on this basis that there must be
an end to threats to Israel's existence. It is
in such a spirit that neighbors must sit to-
gether and reach agreements. In such a spirit
there can be hope for a termination of the
animosities that can bring to even greater
calamities than was experienced last week.
This is where President Nixon, our gov-
ernment and the international community
can step in: to end the bitterness, to demand
that the two kindred Semitic peoples send

their emissaries to a negotiating table to
talk peace and to enact it.
Perhaps the meetings between President
Nixon, State Department officials and Golda
Meir, which started in Washington Thursday,
will lead to sensible action. It is to be hoped
that out of them will emerge not only continu-
ation of American-Israel friendships but an
introduction to an accord between Israelis
and their Arab cousins.
The first step toward amity is communi-
cation. If the cousins can begin to talk to
each other, there'll be a chance to avoid
further horrors. But the very idea seems to
have been rejected when Moshe Dayan's sug-
gestion for a hot line—call it Red Line or
anything you wish — was rejected by the
Arabs.
It is clear, therefore, why the trouble is
far from ended. This becomes even clearer
upon reading the most recent declaration of
the president of Libya, Muammar Moham-
mad el Qaddafi, who described peace as
nonsense. In his declaration, made at the cel-
ebration of the eighth anniversary of the for-
mation of the Fatah movement, at a rally in
Tripoli, Qaddafi said:

"Our issue with Israel differs completely from
the disputes between France and Germany, India
and Pakistan or between any two neighboring
states which have recognized each other. Our dis-
pute with Israel is essentially based on the non-
recognition of each other. Even if Israel rec-
ognizes the neighboring Arab states, to us, Israel's
existence is rejected. Talk about peace, agree-
ment, withdrawal and border adjustments is non-
sense and must not take plac7 between us and
Israel. If the matter is raised in official discus.
sions, I will say that I am not ready to listen to
or discuss the matter. Arab weapons nullify all
peace agreements and treaties and all this non-
sense and make them ink on paper."

This is the tragedy of the Middle East—
of the world that is affected by the influence
that stem from the oil-rich countries that are
so close to Israel. So long as heads of govern-
ments view peace and talks about amity as
nonsense, there is a lessening of chances for
conversations, for communications. Therefore,
the horror that resulted in the Sinai tragedy
remains part of an even greater tragedy—
the lack of human contacts and the perpetua-
tion of threats, suspicions, fears and a total
lack of security.
These are the horrors we fear: these are
the inhumanities that must end if there is
to be a resumption of sanctity for human
lives and an assurance of freedom of move-
ment for people who travel, who wish to be
safe while visiting families, for those who
are intermediaries in trade relations who
need to tour from country to country.
Only a genuine peace can possibly lead to
an end to the tragedies that have placed all
justice-loving people in a state of sorrow,
with compassion for the sufferers from the
unjustified hatreds that have affected the en-
tire Middle East.

Hope for Menand Nations-if They Banish Despair

An encouraging mite during a most crit- Arabs as well, and primarily that it is the
ical week was the fact that in spite of the viewpoint of the State Department.
heavy loss of lives after the Sinai tragedy,
The results of the Nixon-Meir talks must
there was near-unanimous assertion that it be awaited for judgment on how the present
would not interrupt talks for possible peace crisis will be resolved. But as long as there
arrangements. Golda Meir retained such a
is hope there is also the chance for some sort
sense of confidence. President Nixon's spokes- of accord.

men said so Even from Ciro there was word
that negotiations would continue.
This is both heartening and an indication
thak.16:Aet_ts rue alone in the, quest for peace,
that tt,r7e is recognition for its need among

These are critical times, but as long as the
statesmen and diplomats speak optimistically,
all hopes for an end to hatreds and inhuman-

ities have not ended. There still is -a-chance

for better days for mankind.

asim

ajl'A

Reform Approach to Sabbath
Revolutionized in New Manual

Truly exciting chatptes are taking place in the observance of the
Sabbath and the festivals and in the introduction of customs and cere-
monials in Reform congregations.

Perhaps the disillusionment evidenced by' youth had something
to do with new approaches in Conservative as well as Reform syna-
gogues, and the changes that are taking place in Reform synagogues
are especially noteworth;'.
A new prayer book to be introduced for Reform synagogues will
read from right to left tc comply with the Hebrew portions. This is an
added bit of impressive information regarding the proposed changes
in liturgical practices. In advance of this innovation there is the appear-
ance of the newest work that reads like an Orthodox text, "A Shabat
Manual," published by ,he Central Conference of American Rabbis.
The Shabat Mitzvot, tho. Havdala, the utilization of the most tradi-
tional interpretations of the glories of the Sabbath—all these and more
give the new manual spo - ial significance as a factor in the revivalism
of Jewish observance.
"Tadrikh L'Shabat" is the Hebrew title of the manual, and the
chairman of its editorial committee, Rabbi Gunther W. Plaut of Toron-
to, in an introductory note, in which he mentions departed members
of his committee, he is like an Orthodox, using the Hebrew letters
zayin-lamed, which stand for zikhrono livrokho—blessed be his mem-
ory—an emphasis on He ,,rew seldom heard under preceding conditions.
The Sabbath Eve Kidlish, candle lighting, the Hamotzi are among
the naturals in Reform jewish practices. But the Birkat Hamazon, the
Shir Hamaalot, the Havdala and the Zemirot are new, and they em-
phasize the new trend—and the resort to Hebrew is especially signif-
cant.
More than that: the emphasis on the Sabbath is the primary ob-
jective. Rabbi Plaut explains the intentions of the "Shabbat Manual":
1. The Sabbati, he states, "has been and must remain the
center of Jewish existence. No Judaism in a meaningful sense can
be perpetuated without it."
2. Sabbath observance is not identical with synagogue at-
tendance. "It is a function of personal as well as communal living."
and both are subject to the same form of religious demand.
3. "The Sabbath starts at home and lasts 24 hours. The Sha•
bat Manual therefore contains a series of services and songs,
designed to enrich the Sabbath experiences of the individual and
the family."
Rabbi Plant says of this new work for Reform Jewry that
"It is, in a manner •f speaking, a revolutionary document, despite
its demure appearance. For by introducing discipline, in the form
of •mitzvor (commandments , or good deeds) into the lives of
Reform Jews, it opens a new dimension for our movement. It does
so by remaining true to the basic liberal life-style. It maintains
the idea of freedom, and its 'mitzvot' are a catalogue of oppor-
tunities."
•
Kedusha, menuha, oneg — holiness; rest, joy — are emphasized in
the Sabbath tradition dealt with in the newly traditionalized Reform
'Manual, and the return to these traditions gives Reform an aspect of
Hasidut.
The songs in the manual, the glossary, the special section "Ques-
tions and Answers About Shabat" give new dimensions to an old
theme that appeared abandoned by the Reform element but which
now lends it new glory.
"Rest" as expressed in the Sabbath is not simply abstention from
work but a "physical avid spiritual release from weekday pressures."
It is this quality of "menuha" which leads Jewish tradition to call the
Sabbath "a foretaste of the days of the Messiah," the Reform Jew
is admonished. "Oneg" joy) is more than pleasure or fun. "It is the
kind of joy that enhances our personal lives and leaves us truly en-
riched for the days alp•ad."
In the new approach, Reform emerges as the guide toward new
dimensions in Jewish observance, in the remarkable .work. produced.

by Rabbi Plaut and his committee.

