THE JEWISH NEWS Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with the issue Qt . 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 Sti5, Southfield, Mich. -1S075. Second-Class Postage Paid at Southfield, Michigan and Additional Mailing Offices. Subscription $111 a year. PHILIP SLOMOVITZ Editor and Publisher CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ Business Manager DREW LIEBERWITZ Advertising Manager Man Hitskv. Neus Editor . . . Heidi Press. kssistani Nes,. Editor Sabbath Scriptural Selections This Sabbath, the 13th day of Heshvan, 5786, the following scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues: Pentate-uchal portion, Gen. 12:1 17:27. Prophetical portion, Isaiah 40:27-41:16. - Candle lighting, Friday, Oct. IT, 6:30 p.m. VOL. LXV111, No. 6 Page Four Friday, October 17, 1975 Human Right to Live and to Differ John Stuart Mill (1806-1873), the famous British economist and philosopher, made the important point that to establish truth only one person need be viewed as an authority. In . science and philosophy, in historic studies, many often differed with a single person or a few opponents. When the latter proved correct it didn't matter if the entire society with which they were affiliated differed. Mill maintained that if the entire world opposed the one person of truth, that person emerged as the acceptable authority. This human truth compels recognition of many basic differences that divide people in our time, in all historic experiences. It is a basic fact applicable to the disputes that affect this country in relation to the Middle East and the Arab-Israel problem. Drawing upon the views of an authority of a century ago becomes a necessity when an im- portant newspaper resorted to sensationalism in discussing differing views on the current pressures emanating from the State Depart- ment and the White House for partial decisions affecting the war-theatening situations in the Middle East. The resort to numerical strength of the Zionist movement as a contrast to the much larger figure of Jews in the United States was a shibboleth so puzzling, so confusing, that the need for proper understanding of the major is- sues involved becomes a necessity. In a wholesome society the differing views on the latest negotiations instituted by Secre- tary of State Henry A. Kissinger, with the bless- ings of Preside,nt Gerald R. Ford, do not neces- sarily imply either obstruction or unjustified negation. Jews, as well as their kinsmen, have a right to division in the ranks on the proposed role for technicians, as well as on the matter of territorial divisions of the Sinai area The fact is that since the rebirth of the state of Israel the Jewish support of the Zionist idea has become near-unanimous. The lesser numeri- cal strength of paying memberships in the Zion- ist movement in no sense reduces the priority of Zionist thinking. It is regrettable that Zionist numerocity is not larger, as it should be. But the supporting factor in Jewish ranks is unquestion- able. But even if the lesser figure were to be ac- cepted as a basis for argument it does not mean that the minority, if Zionists are to be viewed as a minority, renders the views of the smaller group less acceptable to fact. The Zionist leadership has a viewpoint. It calls for action and for caution. That compels vigilance, and the militancy that has been ques- tioned applies, as it was intended, both to the U.S. Administration's viewpoint as well as to Jewish leadership. An end to secret diplomacy, uncovering of all facts, might well have avoided the confusions which have intruded into the vitality of human relations and the future of the most vital area in the world where security has become difficult as a result of the East-West tensions. The debates, the editorial disputes, the venimous United Na- tions outpourings could have been avoided, as they should be, if a single basic factor were to be dealt with humanely: the fact that the smallest of the nations involved, Israel, is fighting for its very life and must not be denied the right to a normal existence. Only one truth dominates the entire conflict: the right of Israel to live and to function amidst the overpowering 20 Arab na- tions whose wealth has become a threat to the entire world because of the domination of oil interests. Is it too much to ask that civilized society should recognize that right and should assist in assuring a small nation's safety? Unless a great injustice is to be perpetuated as a demand by a new form of racism and anti- Jewishness, there remains the hope for an eleva- tion of the highest principles of humanism. The press can play its role, especially if it recognizes the right to differ. Primarily, government, the religious elements, the press, civilized society, must adopt the rule of even the smallest of na- tions' right to live and to function as part of the world civilized society. Once the path to such basic rights is denied even to a very minor ele- ment in the world, no other group is safe and even the mighty may fall. Let the mighty judge aright, in defense of the small and the war-threatened, in the best interests of all mankind. Jewish Leaders hip Dilemmas Spokesmen for the Zionist Organization of America, who were critical of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organiza- tions at the recent Chicago convention sessions, were not alone in demanding a democratized form of Jewish representative leadership for American Jewry. The present central body — and the Conference of Presidents must be ac- knowledged as, presently, the spokesman for U.S. Jewry — may have found itself helpless in tackling the serious issues involved in the Arab- Israel crisis. But there are occasions when deci- sions should be made in more consultative fash- ion. The pressures on Israel, and unavoidably also on American Jewish leadership, by the Is- raelis as well as the State Department and the White House, might have had the same response if there were a democraticly organized assembly rather than picked leadership of presidents who are not obligated to report to the larger Ameri- can Jewish constuency periodically. Neverthe- less, closer contact with constituents and a more consultative form of representative community would clarify and resolve the serious problems that have plagued and will continue to torture Jewry. An opposition to the Ford-Kissinger propos- als for the newest Sinai accord was in evidence at U.S. Senate hearings. It stemmed from the Zionist Revisionist as well as Kahane's Jewish Defense League which had utilized a distorted form of "Conference of Presidents" for its pur- pose. A democratized form of Jewish activism would serve to clarify justification for opposi- tion. A lack of more consultative status for rep- resentative action adds to distortion, misunder- standing and such puzzling judgment of Jewish public opinion polling as caused one Detroit newspaper to go off on a tangent of misjudg- ment and uncalled for indictment of the major Zionist leadership in America. Yaacov Herzog's Literary Legacy: Posthumous Essays The Herzog name is written indelibly in Jewish history. Isaac Halevi Herzog was Chief Rabbi of Israel. His wife, Sarah Stillman Herzog, was imbued with dedication to learning and this year earned an honorary doctorate from Bar-Ilan University. Their son, Chaim Herzog, became an authority on Israel's military needs, was head of intelligence in the Israel army and presently is Israel's chief delegate to the United Nations. Another son, Yaacov Herzog, gained so much fame as a rabbi and scholar that he was offered the Chief Rabbi's post in Great Britain. He declined it out of a desire to continue his services to Israel and to remain an independent advocate of Jewish aspirations and as an adviser to Israel's chief administrators. He died shortly after the coveted invitation from British Jewry in 1972. The latter, posthumously, continues through his writing to be a spiritual and cultural guide to his people. Herzog's "A People That Dwells Alone," published by Sanhedrin Press, a division of Hebrew Publishing Co., is filled with a wealth of literary gems about Israel and world Jewry, about Jews and their spiritual treasures. Edited by Moshe Louvish, the volume commences, appropriately, with two tributes to Yaacov Herzog by the late President Zalman Sha- zar of Israel and Sir Isaiah Berlin. The writings and speeches of Yaacov Herzog which provide the wealth of reading material in this volume present a veritable portrayal of Jewish experience through the ages, with many emphases on Israel and the Jewish state's role in this century of turmoil. Especially noteworthy is the address he delivered May 18. 197-1, in Durban, South Africa, on "The Permanence of Israel," in which he expressed confidence in Israel's future, asserting: A British statesman said to me some months ago: 'Maybe your analysis is correct, but can you take it, have you the strength? And who will stand with you? Are you sure that your people throughout the world are with you?' I said: 'I have no doubt.' And we in Israel have no doubt. "My friends, the nature of this epoch is so stirring: it has revolutionized an en- tire people; it has revolutionized the inner springs of perspec- tive across the world towards us. With firmness touched with generosity, with strength uplifted by spiritual understanding, we can move ahead. We can make this the true beginning of a new epoch of endless vistas. We face perils. No man can guar- antee that fighting will not resume tomorrow, that our sol- diers will not have to again fight bloody battles. But we know we have the strength to withstand them. The balance of arms is in our favour at the moment. The strategic balance is with us because we have the most advantageous strategic lines. "We may face political isolation and pressures, but we face all this in the knowledge that we belong to a new epoch and that the Jew has changed — in Jerusalem, in Israel and across the world. And though at times it looks dark, the light will reap- pear. With all the difficulties, with all the pressures, we are the generation of redemption. Let us indeed be worthy of this priVilege that defies human logic and supersedes human vistas." Many Israeli meanings are defined here. The state building and citizenry protecting it are analyzed skillfully. In totality, these essays, speeches and commentaries form a worthy addition to Jewish and Is- raeli history. Comments on Israel's relations with the United States and Can- ada and the Diaspora influences additionally enrich this volume. Arti- cles on personalities, Theodor Herzl, for example, David Ben-Gurion and others, and on religious topics, Hanuka, Yom Kippur, and other occasions, are equally meritorious. The late Dr. Yaacov Herzog's collected works leave a rich legacy.