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. 98075.
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PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher
,
CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
• Business Manager
'DREW LIEBERWITZ
Advertising Manager .
Alan
Hitsky, News Editor . . . Heidi Press, Assistant News Editor
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
•
This Sabbath, the 10th day of Nisa'n, 5735, - the following scriptural selections
will be read in our synagogues:..
•
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Pentateuchal portion, Lev. 6:1-8:36. Prophetical portion, Malachi 3.4-24.
Passover
Scriptural Selections
Pentateuchal portions: First - Day Passover, Thursday, ExodAs 12:21 - 51,
Numbers 28:16-25; Second Day Passover, Leviticus 22:26-23:44. Numbers
28:16-25. .
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.
Prophetical portioni: Thursday, Jeremiah 7:21-8:3, 9:22-23; Friday, II Kings
23:1-9: 21-25.
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•
Candle lighting, Friday, March 21, 6:27 p.m.
V OL.
LXVII, No. 2
Page Four
Fiiday, March 21, 1975
Challenges to Libertarians
Passover's libertarian aspects, as the first festival on record
to have marked the attainment of freedom by a people emerging
from enslavement, 'emphasizes the responsibilities of civilized
people to maintain the basic ideals that keep mankind above
barbarism.
If men are to remain free they must assure similar rights to
their neighbors.
•
A nation, in the Lincolnian interpretation, can not survive if
it is half free and half slave.
Abraham Lincoln undoubtedly meant his definition to ap-
ply to the entire world, to all mankind.
Tragically for the last quarter of the twentieth century, this
ideal has not been attained.
•
A world that competes for domination of munitions trading
can not possibly reach the high goals of humanitarian equalities.
Availability of military hardware encourages its use, and when
the little ones become the targets of the giant gun-toters the
values of life and security are menaced.
In the course of the contemporary experiences; in the proc-
ess of exposure of the horrors that accompany the concern over
the. priority given to munitions=making, little Israel is an exam-
ple of the danger of suffering by the minute nations when they
are stacked against the all-mighty. Almost without exception, in
all-of the commentaries on the spreading munitions sales, Israel
is selected as a pawn. It is the small Jewish state that is chosen
for either warning or rebuke 'or both. When this is done, the
protesters fail to -take into account the immensity of sales to
Israel's enemies. Without the security acquired by whatever
amount of defensive weapons Israel secures, where would that
, little nation be?
What is needed is a single standard of judging' world affairs
and responsibilities and applying them honorably. Israel has
done more pleading for disarmament than any other nation. A
total disarmament would solve the problem. But business' is
business and the merchants of death are not abandoning their
manufacturing of deadly weapons.
'
In a free society there might some day come an end to the
competitiveness in munitions-making. In a civilized world there
would be hope for equality based on the right to life and liberty
for all, regardless of race, creed, sex, color of skin or language
spoken
The attainment of such an ideal would end the strife that
makes men brutal and drags them back into the jungle. Is it too
much to hope for such an ideal society at Passover time? At
least, it is an aspiration and it provides a sense - of dignity and
moral encouragement to hope for it as Jews sit at the Seder table
to take heart in the high principles of the Festival of Freedom.
S
Historic Passover. Tradjtion: Sustenance for All
In an era of continuing struggles for freedoms in many lands, at a time -when poverty men-
aces the very existence of millions of unfortunates in many lands, at a time when bigotry still
raises its hoary head, Passover's message assumes greater significance than ever.
The Festival of Freedom denotes not only the striving for human liberties. It is a time to
think of the needy. It is an occasion to reaffirm the basic principle that justice is not for the few
who are affluent and territorically dominant but for all mankind.
It would be useless to speak of freedom without considering the human needs in libertarian-
ism. That is why the first principles introduced in the Haggada are for the elimination of want
and for granting food to the needy. That is why the initial declaration in the Haggada is con-
tainecl in the Ho Lakhma — let all who are hungry come and eat, as stated at the outset in
commencing the Seder festivities:
"This is the bread of affliction that our forefathers ate in the land of Egypt.
Let all who are hungered, come and eat! Whoever is in need, come and celebrate the
Passover.
Now here, next year in the land of Israel.
Now enslaved, next year sons of freedom."
How appropriate also that the Ho Lakhma should be followed by the answers to the que
about freedom in the deliberations of the Seder discussants who commence with the Avadim
Hayinu, there was enslavement under Pharaoh, proceeding with analyses of the values of human
liberties.
No wonder that the festival's basic ideals should have been tackled so delicately by the
rabbinic scholars for whom freedom- was not a right for the few but a legacy for all mankind.
These are the ideals glorified by a community that seeks protection not for itself alone but
for all. Embodied is the recognition, eloquently defined by all libertarians, that no one is free
unless all of society is free.
Passover is dedicated to the fulfillment of these ideals. It is to the fullfillment of these ideals
that this Passover is rededicated anew, and in that spirit the celebrants exchange the spirited
good wishes for a -Happy Passover.