THE JEWISH NEWS Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20, 1951 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. 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 Business Manager CHARLOTTE DUBIN City Editor DREW LIEBERWITZ Advertising Manager Sabbath Scriptural Selections This Sabbath, the 21st day of Tamuz, 5733„ the following scriptural selections will be rend in our sunnanoues: Pentateuchal portion, Num. 25:10-30:1. Prophetical portion, Jeremiah 1:1-2:3. Candle lighting, Friday, July 20. 8:47 p.m. VOL. LXIII. No. 19 Page Four July 20, 1973 Must Ratify Genocide Convention Already approved by 75 nations, including major powers like the Soviet Union and many of the lesser countries like Israel, the United Nations Genocide Convention has not yet been ratified by the United States. While the latest report is that 60 U.S. senators have pledged to support it, it is expected that there will be a filibuster, led by Senators Sam Ervin and James Allen, when the measure comes up for action in the U.S. Senate in late August. United Nations Security Council session in Panama City, at which America was forced to use the veto to prevent passage of a resolution challenging our clear and legal title to the Canal Zone, are indicative of the kind of treatment we can expect at the hands of "non-partisan" international bodies. If possible, the World Court, in which the Genocide Convention places such confidence — and such power — has proven itself to be even less responsible than the United Nations. It is a measure of the strange times in which we live that the United States Senate can give serious thought to the passage of a document such as the Genocide Convention. The Senate must think again; the treaty must not pass." From Dec. 9, 1948, when the United Na- tions adopted the Genocide Convention which was fathered by the late Prof. Raphael Lem- kin as a step towards preventing the recur- rence of the Nazi inhumanities, there has been increasing support for the effort to de- clare it an international crime to aim at the destruction of national, ethnic, racial or re- ligious groups. Such arguments have already been refuted. They represent the negation to the most pro- gressive efforts to counteract the bigotries that have caused the world tragedies of the 1930s and 1940s. The universal appeal in support of the Genocide Convention is recognizable in the fact that it aims at the defense of all peoples. Fathered by a Jewish idealist, it is not aimed at defending Jews alone but at providing security for the existence of all peoples and their religious identifications. Nevertheless, there are elements that have become' concerned lest this Convention should infringe upon domestic sovereignty — in the case of the United States in matters involving blacks and Indians; that the Convention might give undue power to the federal government in relation to state's rights; or that local of- ficials could be prosecuted for genocidal guilts. These arguments have been refuted, and authoritative declarations., by Senator Jacob. Javits, former Supreme Court Justice Arthur Goldberg and other responsible Americans have indicated that action against genocide is a matter of international concern, that there are no threats to states' rights; that, contrary to one of the objections raised by Senator Ervin, denial of adequate welfare benefits is not covered, in the Genocide Con- vention provisions. 'Nevertheless, the fears that have been engendered by misinterpretations of the UN Convention's aims have bolstered an opposi- tion that now includes a Jewish group. In the ultra-rightist magazine "Ideas," which is de- scribed as "a journal of contemporary Jewish thought," the editor goes along with the American Bar Association whose slim major- ity in opposition to the Genocide 'Convention — based primarily on the fear that some foreign power might influence American ac- tion — seems to have influenced the U.S. Senate in the last 25 years. The editor of "Ideas" seems to have panicked over the pos- sibility that the Genocide Convention might gain a 76th-nation supporter in the United States, and he concluded his opposition edi- torial by stating: "The Genocide Convention is surely one of the most ill-conceived and incompetently drawn treaties ever to see the light of a Washington day. Its pas- sage by the Senate would be a disaster. At best, it could prove a constant source of embarrassment and inconvenience to the United States; at worst, it could — and does — seriously compromise Ameri- can sovereignty and the rights of American citizens to be tried in our own courts with full Constitutional guarantees. The recent farcical carryings-on at the A thorough study of the entire Genocide Convention issue has been made for the Institute for Jewish Policy Planning and Re- search of the Synagogue Council of America by Anne M. Foss of the staff of the leadership Conference on Civil Rights and her conclu- sions merit serious consideration. She states: "Perhaps because the pros and cons of the issue of American ratification are complex — and also because the issue is largely symbolic as much as practical in terms of current implementation — the question has not really been called until now. The Convention is the product of a post-war idealism about the prospects for world peace and under- standing through formal international organizations, an optimism which has largely lost currency in the subsequent period of Cold-War tension, Korea and Vietnam, in which world organization was virtually helpless. Currently, however, perhaps bolstered' by a new spirit of East-West detente, there is signifi- cant, real political interest in deciding the issue. The fact that it is symbolic — American refutation of the legitimacy of any attempt ever again to perpetrate a Holocaust — should not diminish the interest of American Jews in resolving the question of how to reject genocide. It may be that the specific instru- ment of the Genocide Convention is not the best or ideal method of rejecting genocide, as its opponents contend. But it is the instrument now on the table. Seventy-five nations — all the other major powers, and most of the world's democracies, including Israel — have already approved it; it is clear, more- over, that American ratification would add strength to its credibility. "The history of the Jews is replete with incidents of • persecution and victories over persecution. But the events of World War II reinforce the tentative quality of some of those victories. The full moral commitment of the world's nations, including the United States and the Soviet Union, to prevention and punishment of genocidal acts in the future might just provide some security that there will be no repetition. This possibility alone makes the issue of American ratification of the Convention worthy of serious consideration by American Jewry." While a small group of Jews, under in- fluence from the regrettable position taken by the American Bar Association — an atti- tude that is fast losing ground — is opposing the most important proposals for humanitar- ianism to result from the Nazi Holocaust, the worldwide position is clear. The Genocide Convention should and can be ratified by the U.S. Senate. But the views of humanitarians must be heard. The Jewish voice must be loud in the matter. The coming month's de- bate on the subject in the Senate must be preceded by public expressions to induce our representatives in our highest legislative body to recognize the validity of this country's going along with 75 other nations in affirm- ing that anything akin to the Holocaust must be prevented. Senate action for ratification of the Genocide Convention will make such a contribution to human rights on an inter- national scale. • 16th Century Mystic Dramatic Story of Holy Ari, Yitzhak Luria, Told in Novel Last year, an important anniversary was marked in Israel. It was the 400th year of the death of Yitzhak Luria. He became known and has been revered since 1572, when he passed away at the age of 38, as the Holy Ari. He was the Lion of Safed, where he inspired the spiritual forces who created a heritage for sanctity. Shalom Ben-Chorin, a well known Israeli journalist, authored the mystic novel about. the Ari under the title "Hear, 0 Israel. - It was published in Jerusalem by Marshal Publications. It re-creates the life story of the saintly man who brought messages of hope to the Jewish people. Luria was an inspirational force in the Kabala movement, in the mystic idea which then developed into powerful media of inspira- tion for Jews, and the idealism stemmed from Safed where Luria taught, studied, labored to raise the spirit of his people. He became closely allied with Joseph Caro, the author of the Shulhan Arukh. It started with a feud between the two, but Caro soon recognized the spirituality of Luria and their joint efforts were assured. This was in the time of the false messiah, Solomon Molcho, who was revered by Luria, whose message was believed to be timely and sainted. The events of that period in history thus are reflected in the Ari story, and Luria's indelible mark on history, religious traditions, the kabalistic factors, are related forcefully and with splendor in the Ben-Chorin novel. The story commences with the devotionalism of Luria's parents from whom he inherited the vision of better days for his people and the elder Luria left his legacy in the upbringing of a spiritual genius who is revered unto the present, after a 400-year span. , The spiritual-cultural giants of that era pass in review in the novel on the life and activities of Yitzhak Luria. The hordes of fol- lowers who came to Safed to learn from Luria, to study with him and to be inspired by him, included some of the great names—Rabbi Moses Alspech, Rabbi Abraham Halevi Beruchim, Rabbi Joseph Ha- Maarabi Ibn Tabut, Elijah Falcon, Samuel di Uceda and many others. A major role in the saintly developments was by Rabbi Moses Cordovero. This dramatic and moving novel is a combination of history and biography, a review of noteworthy events of an important period in kabalistic history. The author, Shalom Ben-Chorin, born in Germany in 1913, has lived in Jerusalem since 1935. His several books deal with the history of the period of the Second Temple. For his life's literary work he has been awarded the Leo Baeck Prize by the Central Council of Jews from Germany. 'East Side, West Side' New York: Pictorially Narrated For young readers ; who love good stories and realistic 'pictorial descriptions, M. Sasek's "This is New York," a Collier-Macmillan paper- back, will be ideal for reading or to be read to. An abridged version of "East Side, West Side, and all around the town—This is New York," the Sasek story starts with the purchase of New York, for $24 in housewares, from the Indians. Then come the many New York features—the Statue of Liberty, the big store, Macy's. and the smallest, the pushcart; the UN and the Empire State buildings —and so much more! The author should have known better than to say that the Basar Kasher Hebrew sign over the kosher butcher shop was Yiddish. But the inevitable factor in viewing the East Side of New York is thus well represented. The good illustrations, the selection of the most noteworthy features and the proper guidelines make the Sasek picture story well worth using for the very young children who hear about New York and need just this type of introduction to the big city.