THE JEWISH NEWS Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with the 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 400 a year. CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ PHILIP SLOMOVITZ Business Manager Editor and Publisher DREW LIEBERWITZ Advertising Manager Alan Hitsky, News Editor . . . Heidi Press, Assistant News Editor Sabbath Scriptural Selections This Sabbath, the 20th day of Shevat, 5735, the folowing scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues: Pentateuchal portion, Exod. 18:1-20:23. Prophetical portion, Isaiah 6:1-7:6. Candle lighting, Friday, Jan. 31, 5:27 p.m. Page Four VOL. LXVI, No. 21 Friday, January 31, 1975 Merited Acclaim for Dr. Haber Acclaim for Dr. William Haber's 25-year leadership of the American ORT Federation not only by thousands of his admirers in this country but also by world Jewish leaders was testimony last week to the immensity of his services to a great cause. The recognition accorded him also ern- braced appreciation of his many other affilia- tions in major Jewish academic as well as philanthropic causes. His retention of the presidency of the World ORT Federation adds to the assur- ances that Dr. Haber could not nor does he desire to limit continuity of his services. He will merely be sharing his dedicaton to great needs with others who had been prepared by him to pursue the standards he had set for noble tasks. Dr. Haber had given especially impres- sive service to ORT and to Israel's universi- ties, and the honors accorded him there were especially merited. Thus, Israel and Diaspora pay due honor to a very eminent personality. Population Freezing and Status Planning World Jewish population figures compiled by the editors of the 1975 American Jewish Year Book reveal many interesting develop- ing factors about communities everywhere. The American figure is not as large as has been estimated for several years. It is under rather than over the anticipated 6 million figure. Since accurate figures for as large a community as American Jewry are difficult to acquire under the most adequate circum- stances, the disparity is understandable. But it is equally reasonable to conclude that large increases are not to be expected and that there may be a freezing point on U.S. Jewish population figures in the approaching years. This is especially true about many other Jewish groups, in Western Europe and else- where, and only in Israel are increases assured both through immigration and natural growth. But even in Israel the normal growth is not as large as had been hoped-for, and the num- ber of births in the Arab population exceeds the Jewish births enormously. In many lands there are such drastic de- clines in Jewish population figures that the global numbers do not promise more than sub-normal growth. It is inconceivable, for example, that the Jews in Russia will remain at the present figure for very long. Rapid in- creases in intermarriages threaten the stabil- ity of communities throughout Europe. Had it not been for the Holocaust and the demolition of the shtetl, the virtual extinction of the Eastern European Jews, the Jewish population figure worldwide would have been far in excess of 30 million. The 6 million dead, the vanishing Jewish institutions, the tragedy of the Holocaust—the combination of horrors added to the reduction of Jews to its present low figure. American Jewry's numerical status may well be questioned. Even if it is to remain frozen in its present role, the low birth rate, the fertility decline, the possible reduction of communities, may create unanticipated prob- lems. Surely, the school systems are already affected by the new conditions. Schools like Detroit's are growing, smaller, the student population having declined drastically. That also affects the numerical strength of the teaching staffs which may also suffer quali- tatively. There may be no remedies for such condi- tions. But the facts and the truth of existing conditions should not be overlooked. Commu- nity planners should not be like ostriches with heads in sand. Only when all of the circum- stances affecting a people's position are taken into consideration can proper planning for wholesomeness be assured. Outlaws of the Desert and Oiled Terrorism Apparently even the most criminal are able to blush. Else, why would the inspirer of murders of children and defenseless women, Yasir Arafat, disavow guilt for the recurring brutalities at airports and elsewhere? It is because they seek respectability, in their quest for more power than even their oil profits have given them, that responsibil- ity for crimes like those at Orly Airport have been denied. But the terrorism contin- ues, the Arafats keep threatening Israel with destruction, Jewish lives are valueless to them, and in the process non-Jews have suf- fered. Israel's Ambassador Asher Ben-Natan judged the Orly situation properly when he admonished the French not to be misled by new names for terrorist organizations. He charged that they all stem from the same hatred, and there is certainly no disputing this accusation. That the French government shotild be blamed for what happened is not surprising. It is not only the French pro-Arab policy but its officialdom's enmities to Israel that have contributed to ill will and that gives encour- agement to terrorism. 4 ' 4 • i . Terrorists can not be expected to know that "Out of Zion comes the Law .. because, as outlaws from the desert, they are bent upon destruction. Their paths are oiled and Western civilization has one tough job to prevent the greased wheels of barbarism from overrun- ning civilized society. Histadrut Campaign After a lapse of more than a year, during which the Labor Zionists adhered to a mora- torium on fund-raising because of the emer- gency that arose after the Yom Kippur War, Histadrut campaigns are being resumed. The drive in Detroit is part of an effort to provide for needs to assist in continuing many of that movement's social and health services. Histadrut, as the influential agency that serves the working elements in Israel, has many continuing programs that need assist- ance from supporters in this country. Israel's needs are inseparable from the Histadrut ac- tivities and the funds supplementary to the United Jewish Appeal—to the Keren Hayesod and other vital services—add immensely to the encouragement Israel must be given In a time of great need. Scholarly Silberg Study Links Talmudic Law With Modern "Talmudic Law and the Modern State," a scholarly treatise by Dr. Moshe Silberg which gained acclaim when it appeared in Hebrew under the title "Kakh Darko shel Talmud," has been issued by Burning Bush Press in a translation by Rabbi Ben Zion Bokser. The book was edited by Rabbi Marvin S. Wiener. "Talmudic Law and the Modern S'tate" is a brilliant exposition of talmudic law from the perspective of its inner dimension which enabled it to speak to the human conscience and gain obedi- ence without coercion. It offers an overview of the Talmud as a whole and an analysis of its modes of logic and forms of expres- sion. Assessing especially the relevance of talmudic law to the problems of the state of Israel, it presents intriguing proposals for the proper utilization of talmudic law within the heterogeneity of Israel's growing population. This volume originated in a lecture se- ries delivered by the author at the Hebrew Dr. Silberg University in Jerusalem. The lectures, and the Hebrew volume which resulted from them, were followed with great interest by the Israeli public. The English translation of this volume now makes this material available to the English-speaking world. Dr. Moshe Silberg is former deputy president of the Supreme Court of Israel and Professor Emeritus of Law of Personal Status at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Internationally recognized as an outstanding authority on Jewish and Israeli law, his writings. and legal opinions enjoy a wide following. In 1958, Justice Silberg was the recipient of the Bialik Prize and in 1964, the Israel Prize. Rabbi Ben Zion Bokser is spiritual leader of the Forest Hills Jewish Center (New York City) and editor of the Eternal Light radio program. A prolific author, Dr. Bokser has taught at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, Queens College and the Hebrew University. Rabbi Marvin S. Wiener is director of the National Academy for Adult Jewish Studies of the United Synagogue of America. He has edited studies on various aspects of Judaica, among them the Jewish °- Tract Series. New Book on Freud, Followtk Knopf has published "Freud and His Followers", the long- awaited major study of Freud—viewed, for the first time, within the context of his complex relations with the extraordinary men and women who, as disciples or renegades, went on to build the founda- tions of modern psychoanalytic theory. Paul Roazen, widely acclaimed throughout this country and abroad for his two previous books on Freud, "Brother Animal: The Story of Freud and Tausk" and "Freud: Political and Social Thought" has, in his new study, developed a rounded, many-sided portrait of Freud, the man and the genius. Drawing on several hundred interviews with more than 70 persons who knew Freud ("It was clear to me," says Roazen, "that these witnesses of that revolution in the history of ideas would not have many more years to live."), and using the unreleased papers of his official biographer, Ernest Jones, Roazen was able to gain an understanding of Freud—to come to know him— beyond what the great man ever revealed in his books.