, x .' : . ‘ i ;:A; ,;.• ` : n ••• \ '. V . W : V - 'WOM .'''‘,.\.< \, \\\,\\\\\ .\\., .. s- '4, .--\ \ • \ . ;,,, ki.:„, ..,,,,,,1/4—. ,.., • „:\ •\-,.\\ 's %\s. '...,: 4.\ ,„. 'k\, , k \ .,,, .s. .:::. , . $ : :;. ?. & :: K . -, - ,: %, ' •, , : m ,,,, •:• ::: : -- ' k . \ - -,, . .S ,' t ! ° , ;,‘ , , w wmz i., :?NxIme. c. ...,.. ---::-4xe-,4-4,, \-. -\. . .\::::: ' \s. I ; ;. • . : s $ 0 ckt *4 , ' • A4ai.VM,;.,.g*.41:kateUtlak4Z119.1VNMNISINOMM.11I's „AO Anti-Semitism Raises Its Hoary Head Again to Make Jews tl he Scapegoat An old canard—Blame the Jew!— may be raising its ugly image again. It may be the old story repeated: Blame the Jew for Communism, Socialism, Capi- talism. If the Jew favors a home for the home- less, he is an imperialist. When he adheres to an established human rights regulation of a person's justification to choose his home, and therefore to have the right to emigrate from persecution, he is interfer- ing in the internal affairs of • a sovereign state. If the Jew accepts a place in govern- ment, having been chosen for it on his merits, he is suspected of being one of the dominating Elders of Zion. Are these poisonous experiences to be repeated? Is there a revival of vile anti-Semitism? If there is such a new development in civilized communities, then the Jew must be prepared to revive his own methods of overcoming the impending dangers by stif- fening his resistance. Views expressed in many quarters in the past few days seem to encourage blame upon the Jew for the Russian rejection of the trade agreement with the United States. The reiterated emphasis is that the USSR is justified in condemning action by the U.S. Congress in making the right to emi- grate a condition for Most Favored Nation status for the Soviet Union. Emphasis in news and editorial comments is on the Jews seeking the right to emigrate from Russia. The fact is that Jews are not alone in such desires, that Ukrainians, Lithuanians and others ask the same rights. The truth is that a dissident element in Russia, a protesting academic community, is demanding equalities denied to them. The many Russian intellectuals who are supporting free emigration rights have earned a voice in the quest for justice. This is the principle that motivated the action of the U.S. Congress. But the Jews are the targets, in spite of the fact that a Jew, Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger, battles in defense of the Russian position. Then there is the energy problem. Is- rael is under attack, the destruction of a tiny Jewish state is the aim of the oil magnates. But the entire world is endan- gered by the Arabs' greed. But the Jew is available as the subject sought for at- tack. The sensible know the real danger, the seekers for lines of least resistance to a world menace find it easier to have a scapegoat. The historic scapegoat is on hand: Blame the Jew say the panicked who find it so easy to reconstruct the anti-Semitic farce. There were years of respite during which anti-Semitism was dormant. But there al- Youth: Its Problems as They Spill Over to Concern Everybody "Wie es christelt sich . . ." is a formula applicable to many cultural and social factors in life, and the schools, with emphasis on universities, are not excluded. Drastic changes have taken place in the educational spheres in this country. Curricula have been altered, students have freedoms that were inconceivable two decades ago, curfews have been relegated to antiquity and the effects are questionable. Since freedoms . are often abusive, what has happened is not always for the best. That which affects universities may inject negations into approaches to religious and other studies. Since it is accepted as a truism, "wie es christelt sich so judelt sich" should not be overlooked as a warning to Jewish educators and laymen alike. While it may be a bit far-fetched to apply the warnings of Dr. Steven M. Cahn, head of the philosophy department of the University of Vermont, to Jewish experiences, what he has written is nevertheless so serious that to ignore him would be self-harming. "If at First You Don't Succeed, Quit" is the title of his N.Y. Times article in which he asserts bluntly: American higher education stands on the brink of chaos. Never have so many spent so long learning so little. The present crisis stems from the increasingly widespread acceptance among faculty and administrators of the fatal educational principle that a student should not be required to do any academic work that displeases him. If a student prefers not to study science or history or literature, he is allowed to attain his degree without studying any science, history, or literaure. If he prefers not to take examinations, he either makes special arrangements with his instructor or else chooses his courses from among the ever-gfowing number that involve no examinations. If he prefers that his work not be graded, he arranges in most or all of his courses to receive an undifferentiated pass or fail. If he is concerned about obtaining high grades, he selects his teachers from among the many who have yielded to student pressure and now indiscriminately award A's to virtually everyone. Cahn justifies his distress and goes deeply into analyses of problems that have arisen in institutions of higher learning. He concludes with added admonitions: It is not easy to read intelligently and think precisely. It is not easy to speak fluently and write clearly. It is not easy to study a subject carefully and know it thoroughly. But these abilities are the foundation of a sound education. If a student is to learn intellectual responsibility, he must be taught to recognize that not every piece of work is a good piece of work. In fact, some work is just no good at all. A student may be friendly, cooperative, and sensitive to the needs of mankind, but he may nevertheless turn in a muddled economics paper or an incompetent laboratory report. And that he means well is no reason why he should not be criticized for an Israel Hits Fatahland Bases; Syrians Positioned in Lebanon TEL AVIV (JTA) — Three Israeli task forces swept through Fatahland for the fourth time last weekend in continuation of Israel's mini- war against terrorist strong- holds and communications in southern Lebanon. Israeli artillery 'suspended firing on the terrorst strong- holds Sunday to permit the villagers who had evacuated the place, to return for their belongings and leave again. The Israeli guns held their fire at the special request of Gen. Ensio Siilasvuo, com- mander of the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF). Meanwhile, a Palestinian battalion of the Syrian army has established positions on the ridges opposite Har Dov, a strategic spur on the west- ern slopes of Mt. Herman overlooking Fatahland which is occupied by Israeli forces. Defense Minister Shimon 2 Friday, January 24, 1975 — Peres said that the entry of the Palestinian battalion into Lebanon was a "Syrian pro- vocation aimed at torpedoing any negotiations and arrange- ments with the Egyptians." The Defense Minister said the Syrians were seeking a foothold in the Har Dov re- gion in order to threaten Is- _ raeli forces there. He attributed the recent upsurge of terrorist activity in the region to an attempt by the Syrian authorities and the Palestine Liberation Or- ganization to create a mili- tary provocation aimed at sabotaging political negotia- tions between Israel and Egypt. The Palestinian battalion was reported to be well en- trenched and to have road communications with Syria. Several reports indicated that terrorists hit by Israeli forces recently were part of the battalion. THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS ways were the warnings that the hatred for the Jew will recur in a time of economic declines. It has been said time and time again that a depression will be accom- panied by an ancient ghost: that of the anti- Semitic escpapism from realities. So—there is a return to the old groove.. The hatreds that vanished with prosperity may be back on the scenes of a declining civilization. The reaction of placing the blame where it belongs—upon the Russian-Arab clique, may be of little help, save in a minority setting. The clock has been turned back again for the Jew: he must be prepared to face dangers from many quarters. Once again the stubborn, stiffnecked Jew — the Am k'shay oref—readies anew to reaffirm the right to live. Will the anti-Semite ever learn that there's indestructibility in such a dedica- tion? inadequate performance. Such criticism, when well-founded and constructive, is in no way demeaning, for the willingness to. accept it and learn from it is one mark of a mature individual. Yet criticism of any sort is rare nowadays. As student opinion is given greater and greater weight in the evaluation of faculty, professors are busy trying to ingratiate themselves with the students. A democracy, however, cannot afford to transform its educational system into a Caucus-race, for the success of a democracy depends in great part upon the under- standing and capability of its citizens. And in the complex world in which we live, to acquire sufficient understanding and capability requires a rigorous education. If we fail to provide that education, we shall have only ourselves to blame as mis- guided policies in our universities contribute to the decay of our democracy. These are ideas not to be trifled with. They relate to a lowering of cultural values. Competence in professions is becoming a concern in a revolutionary age which should produce improvements rather than inject degradations. Instead of emphasis on studies there has been in evidence an anarchical resort to absolute freedoms that relate to the sexes; and what has been termed morality in the past is now shunned the moment morals 'are inferred. Do Dr. Cahn's admonitions relate to Jewish scholastic needs and problems? If lethargy is not involved then there is another element—that of competence—seriously to be concerned with. For some years the appeals in behalf of Jewish schools dealt with hopes for greater involvement of young people in the teaching profession. If the ablest are not drawn into the Jewish pedagogical dedications then the danger of sinking into ignorance will grow in our school systems. There are other factors that were not touched upon by Dr. Calm. There are the morals and the family sanctities. The home spirit, if it has not vanished, certainly has not been elevated of late, and academicians may be as guilty as heads of house- holds who have tacitly yielded to new pressures. At the risk of being called "prudes," those concerned with the Jewish family spirit and continuity in assuring retention of highest values in Jewish ethical principles on sexual relationships, the developing conditions must be considered in all seriousness. The new liberties in universities contribute to the spread of inter- and mixed marriages. There is an assumption of freedoms that leads to indifference to the basic principles of protecting the solidity of the Jewish family and communal structures. Prudity or no prudity, the fact is that the new trends in open door policies in college dorms does not contribute to the best in Jewish experience. It multiplies dangers stemming from intermarriage. It contains a gesture of freehandedness that permits anything that absolves youth from traditional duties. Is there to be a submission to Dr. Cahn's "If at First You Don't Succeed, Quit" or are the new trends to be fought vigorously? The challenge is too evident to need additional explanations. Secured in Israel Prospects of a National Unity Government no political option on the fu- who declare their aim to an- By UZI BENZIMAN (Copyright 1975, JTA, Inc.) JERUSALEM — The pros- pect of a national unity gov- ernment being established here has become increasing- ly less remote. Premier Yitzhak Rabin seems to have abandoned his previoUs absolute objections to the idea and has adopted a more pragmatic line. Re- cently he noted that the de- cision would have to be taken by his party's institutions. He also said that the Likud itself had not expressed read- iness to join the Cabinet on its present platform. These statements could be interpreted as a cautious hint to both his allies and to rival politicians that the time is right for new discussions on the possibility of widening the government base. Rabin demands that the Likud de- clare its readiness to adopt present government policy and implies that if this is agreed there should be few real obstacles on the path to national unity. While the Likud factions- are united in their desire in principle for the party to join the Cabinet, they are divided in their views on the acceptable ideological basis of such a step. Herut demands that the Likud must ensure that the government platform does not contradict Likud's own basic policies— especially on the question of the future of the West Bank. Other components of the Likud—including most of the Liberals, the State List and tre Free Center — maintain that the establishment of a national unity government could be achieved by empha- sizing the common approach of the Zionist political par- ties rather than stressing on seeking to reconcile their dif- ferences on this or that issue. Those who previously sup- ported the idea of a unity Cabinet now argue that the Rabat summit conference and Yasir Arafat's speech at the United Nations General Assembly have substantiated the contention that there is ture of Judeaa and Samaria. nihilate it, the advocates of a unity government argue. This being so, they contin- Those who are opposed to ue, there is no reason why the Likud should not share widening the Cabinet's base in the burden of government. at this time claim that the If the government truly in- Likud stood behind the il- tends to foster an 'atmosphere legal settlement attempts on of national emergency, it the West Bank several weeks should gain the sympathy ago. A party which could and support of all sectors of support unlawful acts does public opinion. Therefore, it not deserve—or is not fit— is essential to add the Likud to share the responsibility of —which represents 33 per- administering the count - cent of the voters—to the they claim. government. Secondly, the introduction Thirdly, the enlistment of of Likud into the government the Likud to the Cabinet's would inevitably harden Is- ranks would assist the Cabi- rael's foreign policy and net in its struggle to imple- would foil its efforts in the ment the new economic pol- international diplomatic are- icy. It would also raise the na. morale of the army, where Furthermore, the oppo- Likud support is traditionally nents believe, it is still too high. early to conclude from the Fourth, the establishing of Rabat conference resolutions a national unity government that the political option on would demonstrate symbol- the West Bank has ceased to ically that Israel "means exist. But if Likud joined business" in its declared de- the Cabinet it would acceler- termination to fight for its ate the closure of the polit- vital interest against those ical option.