A History of Crises: Portuguese Jewry
Portugal's revolt draws attention to that country's
Jewish community whose history has been marked by
many crises from the time when, under King- Alfonso
Henriques I (1139-85), they enjoyed autonomy, through the
era of the Inquisition, the subsequent years of persecu-
tions, then, during the Nazi period, when Jews could settle
in Portugal temporarily while seeking refuge from the
Hitler terror.
It is estimated that there are fewer than 700 Jews in
Portugal today, most of them living in Lisbon, and some
60 or more in Oporto. There is a synagogue in Lisbon at -
50 rua Alexandre Herculano, and another one is function-
ing in Oporto at the Communidade Israelita de Oporto
at 50 rua Guerra Junquiiro. Neither has a rabbi and there
haven't been functioning spiritual leaders there in many
years. Kindergartens have been organized for the very
young and those desiring a Jewish education must de-
pend upon private instruction. There is a shohet in Lisbon
and some kosher meat is made available.
Fully a" third are Sephardic Jews and the others are
immigrants who came after the Nazi persecutions.
Many thousands of Jews found refuge from Nazism
in Portugal from 1933, prior to their emigration else-
where.
While two kings, Joao 121 (1385-1433) and Joao II
(1481-95) refused to cooperate in the anti-Jewish policies
that had been enacted in neighboring Spain, King Manuel
(1495-1521), submitted to the Inquisition and by a decree
issued Dec. 4, 1496, ordered the expulsion of the Jews
to take effect the following October. That's when Jewish
children were forcibly converted and 20,000 adult Jews
were enslaved.
The Manuel Decree also led to the massacre of 2,000
Marranos—New Christians—in 1506.
The end of the Inquisition was marked by a partial
return of some Jews to Portugal in the 1820s and 1830s,
and the most dramatic occurrence was the discovery, in
1917, by a mining engineer, Samuel Schwartz, of a colony
of New Christians, near the village of Belmonte. They had
retained their Jewish memories and continued some Jew-
ish practices. The sensation then was the formal declara-
tion by a Portuguese Jew s of Marrano descent, Captain
Arturo Carlos de Barros Basto.
Lisbon's and Oporto's Jews are few in number, but
they have formed a close relationship with world Jewry.
There had been a Keren Kayemet (Jewish National Fund
representative there (M. Ruten) several years. Portu-
guse Jewish women are enrolled in WIZO. ORT has a
chapter there. Thus it is Israel mainly that helps form a
link with a community, once strong, then destroyed, re-
vived when a measure of hospitality was provided for
escapees from Hitlerism. Those few in Portugal who re-
tain a knowledge of Hebrew are heard to affim nezakh
Yisrael lo yeshaker—the eternity of Israel lives even under
dire circumstances.

Terrorism-Condoning Anwar Adds to Uncertainties, Challenging Henry
Whatever Anwar el-Sadat said, or might have added enemy's weapons and the threatening terrors. Perhaps an
to his comments on the Middle East situation in the tele-
alerting to the dangers will help provide the defensive
vised "Issues and Answers" program Sunday, would have
means of avoiding a calamity.
been understandable. He is at war with Israel—only dis-
Sadat seemed to challenge an old saying by Publilius
engagement keeps the two contending forces apart—and
he has no love for Israel. His only expressed love at the Syrus: "Familiarity breeds contempt" (Nimia familiari-
tas parit contemptum). If Sadat wishes to glorify "Henry,"
present time is for Henry A. Kissinger.
But when Anwar, constantly referring to "my friend, it may be all to the good, Henry conceding. Meanwhile,
because the situation has become so tragically tense,
Henry," failed to condemn terrorism, especially the latest
there ought to be an end to the thinking and speculating
massacre 'at Kiryat Shemona, he at once obliterated• hopes
about "Henry the Jew." If new analysts and commen-
for an end to enmities and for a possible early peace.
He had spoken more or less calmly about his own , tators wish •to return to the subject of his ancestry, let
them. If Anwar will respect Henry the Jew, let it be
position and attitude and the role of Egypt. It could not
for the good. But Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger
have been a pro-Israel expression. He kept talking about
represents the American people. His marriage is his bus-
"Henry," with confidence that the secretary of state can
succeed in his missions. But when, with a laugh, he re- iness; •his parents' Jewish devotions are their private r"-m-
cerns. In the issue involving Israel and the Jewish p.
peated what Yassir Arafat has been saying in Beirut or
there are strictly American policies involved, there
wherever he was approached, that they were Arabs fight-
human concerns. There are the questions of a U.S. role
ing to regain their land who were meant by terrorists,
in the Middle East and in the human aspects of a people's
he gave approval to the outrages.
survival, and the approach, the demand for justice, must
If terrorism, mass murder of women and children,
be on the basis of common decencies, fair play, support
violence, bombings in public places, is to be the way of
of the basics in a people struggling to survive threats of
Israel's enemies conducting a war, there is ground for
annihilation.
pessimism.
Is it all up to "Henry"? Will he be the miracle man?
It's regrettable that Israel is in the midst of internal
Will the Anwar-Henry friendship be a mere love affair
rifts.
This is hardly the time to have a divided people. It
between two diplomats or will it lead to 'an end to horror
would be equally deplorable if the Jews of the world, if
in an embattled area?
American Jewry, were divided. Both Israel and Jewry
("You are in Henry's family here," Anwar said to
need strong leaderships. Out of the ranks of both must
Nancy in Cairo on Tuesday. Will there be kissing in Jeru-
develop new strength. It is apparent that strength has
salem on Friday?)
ebbed! Israelis undoubtedly will emerge stronger from
Perhaps there should be -an expression of gratitude
conflict. World Jewry must demand greater strength and
to Anwar el-Sadat for having spoken as he did on Sunday.
developing wisdom from leadership. These are critical
In confronting menacing situations it is well to know the
times. Let us not be found wanting in a time of need!

In the interim, other demands have arisen for "af-
firmative action," a real estate case before a federal
judge in Detroit extends the debate on the principles
raised into other areas, and if these discussions are to
evolve as further crises there may be many more Amer-
ican conflicts without either rendering justice or elimi-
nating rancor.
Jewish ranks remain divided on the subject. National
Council of Jewish Women supports "affirmative action" un-
equivocally. The Reform ranks are split but a large portion
of some aspects of privileges to be accorded to an op-
ganizations continue to condemn anything approaching a
quota system. Jews have suffered enough from quotas
to be expected to back the idea even in its strictly amend-
ed forms. A quota is a quota and it does not merit con-
doning.
Yet, the black appeal does not negate consideration
of some aspects of privileges to be accorded to an op-
pressed race and those in its ranks who seek opportunities
under freedom.
What -about the reference to "individual merits"?
And if there are serious handicaps on racial grounds, are
the needs as well as the demands of our black fellow-cit-
izens to be ignored?
Much has been written on the subject, and it is ac-
cepted as a certainty that the problem will be in the high
court's dockets again before very long. The same lineup
of pros and cons is to be anticipated. Yet there are other
–arguments. One very moving appeal was made by a
Black, James L. Coleman Jr., who is soon to come to
Detroit as a clerk of one of Detroit's federal court judges.
He wrote inter alia in the New York Times:

When Party Politics is Damaging
A nation with one political party is a curse. The
United States is blessed to have two strong political fac-
tions. Israel has her headaches with some 21 parties-11
in the Knesset. But when the leading—still not the major-
ity—group seeks to hoard everything it smacks of regret-
table domination.
That's what's happening in the attempt to retain
power in the Jewish Agency and the World Zionist Or-
ganization. The acting chairman of both—Leon Arye Dul-
zin—is a career man. He has risen from the ranks. As
treasurer of the Jewish Agency for Israel he was a valued
servant of the Jewish people. As acting chairman, a post
"Imagine that what is involved is not competition for jobs but
instead a relay race between two teams, one black, one white, with
he attained as successor to the late Arye Pincus, he
the finish line being a particular goal sought by both—a job, ad-
proved his ability to perform his tasks with efficiency and
mission to law school or promotion.
with dignity.
But the Labor Party seeks control. Who would replace
him? The president of the Hebrew University or the Israeli
foreign minister have been mentioned as possible acquirers
of this important post. That's wherein the Labor faction
By BEN GALLOB
sions and experiences in the
errs and introduces dissension in Jewish ranks.
current issue of "Council
(Copyright 1974, JTA, Inc.)
The candidates proposed for the major Jewish Agency
Woman," the quarterly pub-
NEW
YORK
—
The
first
job are able. That -does not give their party the right to
lication of the National Coun-
woman rabbi in American cil of Jewish Women.
dominate and to seek control.
history reported that 10 worn-
en are studying for the rab-
H e r rabbinical activities
Justice for, the Blacks Does Not Negate a Quota binate in Reform and Recon-
have not been limted to one
How far will "affirmative actions" go in solving the structionist seminaries and area of the synagogue.
race issue and in establishing good relations between predicted that women will be
The only area in which
blacks and whites?
ordained as Conservative
Does a Supreme Court delay in confronting the issue rabbis within the next 10 people "have shown any real
hesitation is that of my of-
of quotas in universities contribute twoard a solution or years.
ficiating at funerals," Rabbi
does it aggravate a sad situation that needs pragmatism,
Rabbi Sally Priesand, as- Priesand said.
fair approaches to a problem that continues to create ani-
On the whole, she added,
mosities unless contending forces affirm that prejudices sistant rabbi at the Stephen
in reverse do not eliminate but may prolong ill feelings? Wise Free Synagogue of New "my colleagues in the Re-
The Marco DeFunis Case has become more vital than York, made that prediction form movement have wel-
a mere incident related to the name of the Sephardic Jew. in a review of her experi- comed me warmly, many of
It still is labeled DeFunis Case, but now it is the principle ences, adding that she had them inviting me to occupy
more than the man that is at issue: , True: the litigant -become a role model for their pulpits."
will soon have his law degree and his personal victory young girls who have been
Holding that it was "still
ends his role. But the issue remains hot and filled with inspired by her example to too early to assess the im-
work for the goal of ordina-
contentions.
pact of my ordination," she
tion.
said it nevertheless could be
2—Friday, May 3, 1974
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
She reported her impres- considered part of a definite

"If we assume that both teams are lined evenly up at the start,
the outcome would seem to depend on the individual abilities and
talents of each runner. Shortly, however, a hurdle appears for the
black runner to clear, then a large wall has to be scaled by him,
then a waterhole has to be negotiated.
"Meanwhile, the other runner continues the race, his progress
unimpeded by artificial obstacles. After a while, of course, the
white runner begins to open up a significant lead, and if the ob-
stacles remain, the conclusion of the race is never in doubt.
At this point major officials of the race make a major decision
to remove the obstacles from the track and to allow both teams
to run to the best of thefr abilities, unhampered by hurdles or
waterholes or walls.
"Nevertheless, as the race goes on, intermittently a spectator
or two will run onto the track and continue to construct more
subtle barriers in the black runner's path. Under these conditions,
the race progresses.
"Faced with this situation, the officials responsible for the
race are now faced Wittr—another major issue. If lie race con-
tinues in its present form, even without the barriers, one runner
has already gained such an advantage that it is absurd to expect
his competition to catch up.
"Each time the baton is passed, the runners on both teams
are fresh, but to win, the black one would have to make up ground
lost because of the obstacles put up to slow the runner before
him. The decision that has to be made then is whether to ignore
this and pretend that the race is fair, or whether to eliminate
the artificial advantage the white runner has.
"It is precisely this problem that racial quotas address. To
ignore the advantages, created for whites by past discrimination
against blacks, is to ignore reality."

Unavoidably, the issue remains ,a legal one. The
courts will have to decide. Is there another way out, of
extending the much-needed justice for Blacks—a point no
longer debatable even by enemies of civil rights—while
avoiding introduction of quotas?
In his dissenting opinion, Supreme Court Justice Wil-
liam 0. Douglas, who favors preferences for students in

the deprived economic groups, described his view as in
"a racially neutral way." How is that to be arrived at?
It will take many of the best legal minds to arrive at
a solution of such a bitterly aggravated problem. But if
the lessons of history are to be learned well, the admis-
sion must be emphasized that "a quota is a quota." The
injustice of quotas cannot be denied.

Women to Be Conservative RabbisWithin a Decade: Sally Priesand

movement "toward complete
and f u 11_ participation by
women in the life- of the Jew-
ish community."

Rabbi Priesand mentioned
that "liturgy committees are
becoming increasingly sensi-
tive.to the language of prayer
which has been traditionally
male-oriented."

Moreover, religious school
textbooks are being rewritten
"and little girls know that
they have the option of be-
coming rabbis and cantors if
they so choose."

She said she was opposed
to changes in Jewish Religi-
ous Law, contending that "all
options must remain open."
The rabbi said that as long
as there are Jewish women
who are satisifed with Or-
thodoxy, "they should have

the option of living within
the Orthodox environment."
Those women who want "a
fuller and more complete
participation in synagr
life" can choose from
servative Judaism, R e c -
structionism and Reform
Judaism, she said.
Rabbi Priesand declared
her answer to the question as
to what special contributions
women can make to Jewish
communal life was that she
felt it was -unwise to "sepa-
rate the contributions that
women can make from those
that men can make." She
argued that "we ought to
think in terms of what every
individual has to offer rather
than what men and women
have to offer by virtue of
their sex."

_-