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 Association. 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 IT'S AU. MINE FAMI LY DREW LIEBERWITZ Business Manager Advertising Manager Sabbath Scriptural Selections This Sabbath, the 29th day of Av, 5734, the following scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues: Pentateuchal portion, Deut. 11:26-16:17. Prophetical portion, Isaiah 54:11-55:5. Rosh Hodesh Elul Torah Readings, Sunday and Monday, Num. 28:15. Candle lighting, Friday, Aug. 16, 8:13 p.m. VOL. LXV, No. 23 Page Four August 16, 1974 End of Sham, Emergence of Integrity The Great American Tragedy was cli- that is represented by the similar, perhaps maxed so dramatically that this generation even more effective, friendship President will long remember its impact, its horrifying Gerald Ford has for Zionism and for Israel. genesis, the emerging hope that the end will This policy of justice for the Jew and for Is- justify the pride all Americang take in our rael has deepfelt appreciation in Jewish ranks. traditional approaches to just democratic so- The aftermath of the national tragedy that lutions of all evils. affected all Americans must also give new This nation has been dragged through emphasis to the values of a free and inde- muddied waters. The chief executive's long pendent press. political career was filled with as much an- It is the fearlessness of the major news- athema as the positive achievements, and the closing years of his services have been marred papers of this country, the desire of dedi- by despicable. acts for which so many mem- cated reporters to arrive at the truth, that bers of his official family are being punished. brought to light the conspiracy against polit- Now the resigned president has punished ical honesty. It is a strong press that seems to be putting an end to power-seeking and himself. What the messy Watergate case did was domination by cliques drunk with the powers to offer a lesson in ethics and poltical moral- attained by overwhelming votes cast by de- luded citizens who expected and should have ity. A nation sickened by what had occurred received the highest duties by elected officials. A return to ethical practices, respect for now demands that the great values of legal- ism and morality shall never again be abused. the electorate, strict adherence to honest pol- What has occurred was a disrespect for itics—these are lessons never to be forgotten, even if some have to learn them anew as a the electorate. It all stemmed from abuse of power, from result of the Great Tragedy. Prayerfully, confidently, all Americans a group so drunk with a desire to dominate that its stupidities overwhelmed common look forward to the dawning of a new day for this nation. sense. The former president, as head of the gov- A nation whose genius -is rooted in normal ernment, admittedly bore responsibility for political evolutionary practices, whose trage- outrageous performances.' The punishment dies are borne with as much courage as the was due and appropriate. greatest joys; a people that can change gov- _ Richard M. Nixon will be remembered as ernments constitutionally rather than through a staunch friend of Israel. Let it be recorded military coups—such a folk can feel heartened that his friendship indeed coincided with an that its destiny is secure. This is one of the established American policy, 'rooted in Amer- great lessons of the events of the past two ica's vital role in the Middle East, where pro- years. tection for a deniocratic state whose rebirth To have inherited such traditions is an was backed by the international action of the assurance of the support President Ford is United Nations, needed the guarantee of certain to receive from constituents with security. honor and strength of character. The American policy of defensive action With pledges of loyalty to President Ford, for Israel had and continues to have the over- a new faith will hopefully be kindled in re- whelming support of both houses of Congress. pudiation of those who were rejected for The gratitude to Mr: Nixon for his friendship striving to be above the law and in tribute is, therefore, a link with the appreciation the to the new chief executive whose integrity Jewish people has for the sense of justice guarantees an abiding lawfulness inherent in rooted in Americanism. a great democracy. The shams are rejected, It is this root — the-support for Israel of the highest principles of justice again are most Americans and of a friendly Congress— the objectives of the American heritage. • New Goal for Black-Jewish Relationships An important step was taken recently, ly to the need for ethical rather than ethnic in San Francisco, at the 64th annual conven- considerations of mutual accord. This is a pragmatic view and if both sides tion of the National Urban League, in the direction of good racial relations and in re- can sit together, and jointly arrive at cooper- establishing the traditional friendships be- ative methods of avoiding prejudices, danaer- tween Jews and the black community. ous confrontations could be avoided and bthe In an address of major significance to American way of life, with benefit from the Jewry, to •the blacks and to the entire country great Jewish ethical teachings, can, indeed, —since the best racial relations among all' recreate the tradition for neighborliness, com- citizens are vital to good neighborliness in munal friendships and common sense. this country—the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, pres- With faith in the American principles of ident of Operation PUSH—People United to fair play, the issues that have plagued the Save Humanity—called upon black and Jew- white and black communities in recent years ish leaders "to resume our relationship." —all, it is true, stemming from the sin to- There was realism in the Rev. Jackson's wards the oppressed — there is justified approach to the serious rifts that have been reason to believe that the Rev. Jackson will evident in the two communities whose have, many fellow blacks in the ranks of his friendly relations have symbolized the high- seekers of cooperation. Just as Jewish striv- est idealism in American justice and fair ing for fairness must multiply, the oppres- play. Recognizing the difficulties that have sions must end entirely, and the rifts among resulted from the approaches to "affirmative citizens must not be tolerated. action" which has created the threat of a There can be only agreement with the quota system that i's judged as endangering Rev. Jackson's assertion that "there is much the Jewish position in universities and in in- to be gained by being together." Let that be dustries, the black leader pointed dramatical- the motto for all Americtns. AMMIMM Ork 'Peace in Jewish Tradition' Defined in Hirsch's Study Rabbi Richard G. Hirsch selected an excellent period in history for the publication of "Thy Most Precious Gift—Peace in Jewish Tradition." The new 90-page paperback published by the Union of American Hebrew Congregations covers the subject of shalom his- torically, in the teachings of the Prophets, in the experiences of the Jewish people. Rabbi Hirsch is pragmatic. He deals with the ideals and with the realities of the subject as it emanates from the story of the Jewish people. He discusses "Criteria for Warfare Today," and touches upon- "The Obligatory War" as well as upon "The Optional War." He traces the ethical and does not ignore the inevitables of present-day Israel. He makes a reference to the Midrash (Deuteronomy Rabbah) which asserts: "The greatness of peace can be gauged from the fact that, even when dealing with war upon which one enters with sword and spear, God said: 'When you go to make war, begin with proclaiming peace.' " There are- defensive wars but the basic ideal prevails in Jewish teachings, as Rabbi Hirsch affirms: "War and its instruments are con- demned ,throughout the Bible. God Himself is pictured as despising war." Thereupon Rabbi Hirsch quotes: And I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the land, And will make them to lie down safely.—Hosea 2:20 He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; He burneth the chariots in the fire.—Psalms 46:10 There is a qublation from Midrash Torah, Hillthot Rotzeakh that emphasizes a basic Jewish ideal: "If one is able to save a victim at the cost of only a limb of the pursuer and does not take the trouble to do so, but saves the victim at the cost of the pursuer's life by killing him, he is deemed a shedder of _blood and he deserves to be put to death. He may not, howevr - be put to death by the court because his true intention was to sc life, he must be punished rather than put to death." "The same reasoning," Rabbi Hirsch adds, "applies in the in- stance of a person who is pursued and kills the pursuer, when maim- ing a limb might have sufficed." A vast area relating to the Jewish ideal of peace and the pur- suance of it is covered in this volume. In a foreword to the booklet, Albert Vorspan, vice president of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations and director of the commission on social action, states that "never has there been a better moment to examine the Jewish teachings on peace" following the fourth bloody war Israel has had to fight. Rabbi Hirsch's "prob- ing of the rich vein of Jewish ethics;" Vorspan wrote, "helps to il- luminate the human condition and to remind us, once again, that, while we are part of the problem, we are also part of the solution." Rabbi Hirsch, whose home is presently in Jerusalem where he is the director of the World Union for, Progressive Judaism, has made a valuable contribution to the study of peace movements with "Thy Most Precious Gift."