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 $10 a year.

PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

Editor and Publisher

CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ

CHARLOTTE DUBIN

City Editor

Business Manager

DREW LIEBERWITZ

Advertising Manager

Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the eighth day of Heshvan, 5734, the following scriptural selections
will be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Gen. 12:1-17:27. Prophetical portion, Isaiah 40:27-41:16.

Candle lighting, Friday, Nov. 2, 5:07 p.m.

VOL. LXIV. No. 8

Page Four

November 2, 1973

Oil and Blood: Guilt Where It Belongs

An accounting for an unnecessary war will be made not in the United Nations, nor in
the deserts whence stems the insanity responsible for tens of thousands of casualties, but by
historians who will not distort the facts. A tragic calamity was planned for Israel. Those who
were digging a hole for Jewry fell into it themselves.
"Bor koro va-yikhperehu, va-yipol b--shakhat vipol" — the Psalmist thus warned that
"he who. digs a ditch for others will fall in it himself."

M'1.7

tirrrn It

History will know how to judge the Soviet tactics. Had it not been for the Kremlin,
there would not have been a fourth Arab-Israel War.
Had it not been for the Soviet spokesmen, the United Nations would not have been
transformed into a vile and vicious arena for bigotry.
Now it is vital that the American people should not misunderstand Israel's and world
Jewry's positions.
Simultaneous with the speedy, even if limited, tranquility that was restored on the
banks of the Suez, there were military stirrings. American troops were being mobilized
because Russia threatened to send an army into the Middle East. All that happened after
Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger and USSR Party Chief Leonid Brezhnev had agreed
on a cooperative approach to the situation to assure a cease fire.
All fingers of guilt are directed at the Russian plots not only to harm Israel — while
hypocritically and sanctimoniously posing as friends of the Arabs — but apparently to taunt
the United States.
Yet, there is talk about a detente, and while it has not been undermined completely,
the efforts of Dr. Kissinger were temporarily harmed.
The conflict is far from ended. The most difficult task is yet to be faced by the con-
tending forces. The U.S.-USSR difficulties have not been solved, even if they are tempo-
rarily lulled. China is a force to be reckoned with as a puzzling enemy of Israel.
It is the American attitude that will count in the long run in situations affecting a
peace that could well evolve into a world crisis. We are dealing, after all, with oil and the
wealthy producers of the product that is viewed in some quarters as more vital than
military might. It is an article that has given the Arab potentates billions in cash. When-
ever there is mention of millions colleceted by Jews philanthropically to assist their kinsmen
whose very lives are endangered, immediately there is talk about "Jewish money"—money
that totals into pennies compared with the wealth of the Arab monarchs and sheikhs.
While the saber-rattlers who keep seeking Israel's destruction are mixing oil with
blood, by constantly fomenting wars, the sane amid the war-crazed must strive to overcome
the fears that have arisen over a threatened energy crisis. There are other dangers related
to the threats to the democracies from the oil magnates. On the eve of the cease fire, the
Chicago Tribune warned editorially against the "Oil Blackmail."

The oil-producing Arab nations have fulfilled
their threat of withholding oil from western countries
as a weapon in the Middle East conflict. Fortunately,
the more moderate Arab leaders were able to per-
suade their radical brethren to adopt a cautious
approach in the implementation of the policy of
international blackmail.
Considering the rhetoric that had beep used by
the oil-rich Arabs before and since the outbreak of
the current fighting, the 5 per cent reduction in
monthly export of oil is indeed a . mild step. More-
over, it does riot foreclose diplomatic efforts to bring
about a cease fire between the Arabs and Israel.
The economic impact, however, will be felt by
Western Europe and Japan, which are dependent
upon Middle East oil for 85 per cent of their supplies.
As for the United States, the withholding of oil will
have little immediate consequences, but the warning
to the U.S. is clear.
The United States imports nearly 17,500,000
barrels of oil each day, of which about 1,000,000
barrels come from the Middle East. A 5 per cent
cut in oil shipments amounts to 50,000 barrels a
day. According to the U.S. Office of Oil and Energy,
simple conservation steps such as reducing home

heating temperatures by 3 degrees and using car
pools and public transportation could save the energy
equivalent of 3,000,000 barrels of oil a day.
Far more disturbing from an economic stand-
point are the reports that Arab countries art selling
vast quantities of dollars on the European foreign
exchange markets in an effort to depress further the
value of the American dollar. Because of their oil
revenues, the Arabs have been accumulating both
dollars and gold in large amounts. Large-scale sales
of these dollars could upset delicate world trading
arrangements which are just beginning to recover
from the two devaluations of the dollar.
The action of the Arab states is clearly designed
to bring economic pressure to bear on the United
States in order to force this country to reduce or
end its support of Israel. This we will not do.
Blackmail is blackmail, whether it achieves a
noble objective or not. The fact that the United
States is dependent upon foreign sources for a por-
tion of its energy makes it all the more urgent for
us to seek alternative sources of energy to meet our
ever-increasing demands. It will take time, and the
cost will be high, but we must strive for independ-
ence from foreign sources of energy.

There is a lot of talk now about the Arab dignity and honor. No one begrudges them
the joy of carrying and waving swords, but peace-seekers hopefully will not permit a desire
to regain self-adulation to be attained at the expense of an entire nation whose very existence
is threatened by warmongering Arab powers. Therefore, the near-unanimous American posi-
position adhering to support as an assurance of Israel's security is of greatest significance
to us.
How many more men must die before this terrible war is brought to an end? What
can be done to make this the last Mideast war? These are the questions which must haunt
those who live in the Mideast—and those who live outside.
The obligations are serious. Israel has emphasized readiness to make concessions,
but only by means of direct negotiations with the Arabs. The civilized elements in mankind
seem now to be acknowledging the importance of the demand for such an approach to
peace. Will the U.S. and the USSR cooperate to attain it? That's the big question of the
hour.
Meanwhile, threatened with the oil-blood mixture as a weapon against mankind and
primarily against Israel, the Jewish people must continue to provide the philanthropic
assistance to keep Israel's communities functioning, to assure that the schools and univer-
sities are not closed, to give aid to the medical forces, to provide for the health and eco-
nomic security of the country. The dollars needed for the Israel Emergency Fund and in
behalf of the threatened government with Israel Bond dollars, must never be interrupted.
That's - our obligation and we dare not deviate from`-it.

-cope
Dr. Goitein Relates Yemenite
Jewry's History, Their Tales

Yemenite Jewry, in its entirety transmigrated to Israel, represents
one of the most fascinating elements in the Jewish state. The airlift
of 1949-50 that became famous as "Operation Magic Carpet," was one
of the most dramatic settlement tasks in the nation's earliest history.
Prof. S. D. Goitein of the Hebrew University, formerly a member
of the Dropsie University faculty, now a member of the Institute of
Advanced Study at Princeton University, is the acknowledged outstand-
ing authority on Oriental Jewish history and especially on the role of
the Jews of Yemen. His "From the Land of She-
ba: Taies of the Jews of Yemen" has been re-
issued by Schocken Books in a new and revised
edition. Supplemented with a history of the Jews
of Yemen by the eminent scholar, this new edi-
tion has great historical merit.
Long before the re-establishment of the Jew-
ish state, Jews began to settle in Palestine. A
caravan of these Jews left Haidan for Eretz Is-
rael in 1907. A chapter in this volume, "How the
Haidan Yemenites Went to Palestine," describes
that early episode.
Dr. Goitein describes the life of these Jews,
their entertainment and education, and a review
Dr. Goitein
of their past includes "Mohammed's Letter of
Protection," numerous manuscripts.
Readers of this volume will be fascinated by the love song,
"The Goat Girl and Her Suitor."
There is a charming legend, "Not So Fast, Dear Mr. Messiah,"
of the era of Sabbatai Zevi, recounting the hope for the coming of
Messiah.
Dr. Goitein recalls the Yemenites' struggles, his visit in the re-
ception camp near Aden, South Arabia, in 1949, when their mass
movement to Israel took place, and he states:
"Despite enormous economic, social and spiritual handicaps, as
a whole, the Yemenites have adapted well to Israel. The recent elec-
tion of a Yemenite, born and bred in Yemen, to the prestigious posi
tion of speaker of the Knesset, might serve as an indication." (His
reference is to Yitzhak Navon who was a candidate for Israel's presi-
dency).
There is emphasis on the "tradition-bound society" of the Yemen-
ites as related to him by a Yemenite and told in the first of the tales
in this volume under the title "A Good-for-Nothing."
Dr. Goitein refers to the famous 12th Cenutry letter of Moses
Maimonides who told in his epistle of the charity, munifience and
hospitality of the Yemenite Jews.
The poetry of the Yemenites, their humor, their religious devo-
tions are described as an emphasis on works produced by Jews in an
Arab land. The author states regarding their religious fervor:
"All poetry, including that destined as a passtime in the`
weeks of wedding celebrations and other festivities, had to be re4.-as.
A specific type of Yemenite poetry developed and became so widely
accepted that there is hardly a Yemenite house without one or several
books of songs, which became as ubiquitous indeed as Bibles and
prayer books."
Yemenite personalities, their skills, their mastery of silversmith-
ing, the art of weaving, receive due consideration.
Had they remained in Yemen, Dr. Goitein points out, "they would
have been thrown out of their age-old spiritual world in the same
measure as they already had been in the process of using their socio-
economic function in the country."
Yemenites in Israel, the author explains, cherish and keep alive
memories of their old country. "Learned Yemenites," Dr. Goitein says,
"arc contributing much to their conservation in writing. All festive
occasions, traditional attire and jewelry, song and dance are dis-
played. And most important: the imponderable influence of the old
life is felt in many ways, comparable to the imprint made by East-
European shtetl on the life of large sections of American Jewry."
The compilation in the Goitein volume evidences the reality of
this condition in the life of an important sector of Israeli'Jewry.

