64 October 17, 1975 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Golda's Role in Diplomacy and War `My Life' Recalls Israeli and Zionist Architects fl'olda Meir has written her name indelibly in Jew- ish history, In the state of Israel she \will be rated among the builders of the redeemed Jewish homeland. In the ranks of Zionism her position will be among the leaders in the struggle for libertarian attainments. Labor will describe her as a champion of justice for the tnasses of workers who rose above the oppressive state in which they suffered at the time when the immigrant from Russia who became a Milwaukee school teacher Was battling for higher standards of living for the less affluent. This story about a great woman has been told again and again, and it receives emphasis in her own words, in "My Life," bylined Golda Meir, published by G. P. Putnam's Sons. She had not kept a diary and her story is from mem- ory and, of course, from available records of the history of Zionism, the la- bor movement, Socialism and the experiences re- lated to Israel and the years that preceded state- hood during the struggle with Great Britain and the Arab opposition. Therefore, the written story is like her role of spokesman for Jewry; it is told simply, factually, with- out reservations, except in instances or occurrences which, for diplomatic rea- sons, must not be made pub- lic at this time. It would have been so much more valuable if she had kept a diary. There are shortcomings that may well be considered inevitable un- der the conditions of her work on her life. Unques- tionably, -the concluding chapter which deals with the tragic events of the Yom Kippur War assumes much significance. It is a heart- rending story of travail for Israel, of a surprise setback caused by refusal to yield to demands for pre-emptive strikes. The people's suffer- ings from the war's losses are recorded by Mrs. Meir with anguish. But the then prime minis- ter of Israel declares her conviction that, for the sake of retaining the friendship of the United States and obviating the blame that Israel strikes first, it was wise not to pre-empt. The notable accounts she gives of her meetings with President Nixon, her faith in his sincerity, therefore, provides most valuable evidence of the friendship she helped ce- ment between Israel and the United States. Of great historic significance, therefore, is this assertion she makes in the course of her chronicling the Golda Meir-Richard Nixon-Is- rael-U. S. relations: "However history judges Richard Nixon — and it is probable that the verdict will be very harsh — it must also be put on the record forever that he did not break a single one of the promises he made to us." The recollections of the Nixon role during the Yom Kippur War, her confidence that the President acted firmly and courageously in Israel's behalf, that he had ordered the war supplies to assist and save Israel during the early and tragic days of that war are worth reading, recording, emphasizing. Yet, there may be differ- ences of views with the for- mer prime minister on her own role. It was dramati- cally defined in Chaim Her- zog's book on that war. There are notable omissions in her story. Is it possible that the name of General Ariel "Arik" Sharon could have been omitted from her story inadvertently, or was it deliberate? Perhaps there are other facts which she should have recorded. That's what the reader has to suf- fer from — the lack of a diary which could not have been erased. Gen. Sharon, now a severe critic of the Rabin adminis- tration, was the hero of the post Yom Kippur surprise attack on Israel. He led in the crossing of the Suez and he surrounded the Egyptian Third Army. Why was he forgotten in the analyses? Chaim Herzog's book on "The War of Atonement" did not overlook his role. Nevertheless, "My Life" is Golda's life as she retraces her recollections and it emerges as a story of great significance be- cause it embraces the steps to statehood, the bat- tle for Zionist attainments, the personal sacrifices when she and her husband — and her sister Shana who inspired her in child- hood to Zionism and labor Socialism — all combine to make the autobiography a great work for this and future generations. Mrs. iVIeir's experiences in Russia, as Israel's first am- bassado• from Israel to the Kremlin, are related in an especially moving descrip- tion in one of the most inter- esting chapters in her book. The noted labor Zionist, the Socialist who objected to having a rabbi officiate at her marriage to Morris Meyerson in Milwaukee and who conceded on having Rabbi Schonfeld perform the ceremony — this lady went to the Moscow syn- agogue, with staff members carrying siddurim and tal- eisim, there on a second visit to be greeted by tens of thousands of Russian Jews who saw in her coming to the Russian capital a sym- bol of redemption. Impressive also is the, out- lined analysis by Mrs. Meir of the incoming immigrants to Israel after the Holo- caust, the new freedoms won by those who escaped the Nazi terror. The empha- sis here, with emotion and enthusiasm, is on the mass settlement of the Yemenite Jews, the Magic Carpet mi- gration from virtual death in a land of oppression to a new life. with President Richard M. Nixon at the Whip Mrs. Meir's participation in arousing world Jewish opinion in support of the great movement stemming from Zionism was especially expanded after she had wit- nessed the callousness of the world's statesmen who, at Evian, where she was an observer, refused to open doors to safety for Jews con- demned to die at the hands of the Hitlerites. Of course, the personal aspects in the Meir story are vitally interesting. Her activities for Histadrut, her Zionist devotions, provide inspiration for delving into the history of the movement that domi- nated her life. It is interesting that Mrs. Meir should have referred to "the shadow figures of Zion- ism" and yet should have failed to mention a few of the very great. Of course, she dealt with Chaim Weiz- mann and there was one obstructive episode in their relationships. But how come that Nahum Sokolov, who functioned in her lifetime, did not figure in her Zionist experiences? Sokolow was president of the World Zion- ist Organization during the early 1930s and he was a power in diplomatic rela- tions and in meetings at the Vatican. It is not surprising that she should emphasize know- ing Nahman Syrkin. The latter's daughter, Marie Syrkin, became one of her closest friends and was her biographer. And an excep- tion from the list of those omitted in her story is Shmaryahu Levin whom she admired. She does not mention Louis D. Brandeis, the leader for a number of years of the opposition movement, the General Zionists who, unlike the situation today, were the leaders in world Zionism overwhelmingly more influential than the present dominating force, the labor Zionists. An amazing omission is the name of Nahum Gold- mann. Also missing in the recollections are the names of Stephen S. Wise and Abba Hillel Silver. Understandably, Golda Meir began in the labor ranks and devoted her life to the movement. Naturally she referred to good friends, wrote about the pioneering efforts of David Ben-Gur- ion, Moshe Sharett, Pinhas Sapir and many others. So, omissions of Wise and Silver may be understandable. But she had a big role in the World Zionist Con- gresses, she differed with Nahum Goldmann at the WZCongress in 1972 in Je- rusalem and it was common knowledge that she had a share in the behind-the- scenes manipulations to oust Goldmann from leader- ship. , Why was he additionally rebuked by being ignored in "My Life?" Even more surprising is that Golda Meir's story has no mention of the dis- tinguished woman Zionist in the General Zionist ranks, Henrietta Szold. The personal incidents will fascinate Golda's read- ers and those who know a bit of history will be in- trigued on many scores. She tells of the sacrifices she made, abandoning family associations in order to travel for the cause, and one of her missions was to so- licit for the party (Poale Zion) newspaper, the short- lived Die Zeit. She could have written a chapter on that brief episode in Yiddish journalism. Die Zeit was a classic in Yiddish newsgath- ering and literature. The best writers were on its staff. The famous Yiddish writer and playwright, David Pinski, wrote a series "Solomon and His Thousand Wives" which added popu- larity to this newspaper that could not gain suffi- cient readership or enough strength to meet competi- tion. Thus, the Golda Meir story is full of drama, pa- thos, courageous action, step-by-step description of a labor socialist propa- gandist rising to very great heights in world di- plomacy and reaching the heights in a role of state- building. In more than one sense, "My Life" is the life Zionist movement, r— aei, and world Jewry in the gen- eration of the author of this volume which has so much merit in this period of stress for Israel and humanity. —P.S. Boris Smolar's 'Between You ... and Me' Editor-in-Chief Emeritus, JTA (Copyright 1975, JTA, Inc.) • JEWISH "KNOW THYSELF": Jews in this country know little—almost nothing—of their colorful American Jewish history. There are good books on early American Jewish history but they are not being read. There are no textbooks for school children on American Jewish history whether in English, Yiddish or Hebrew. In- dividual episodes—like the story of the Jews who accompa- nied Columbus, of the first group of Jews who arrived in New Amsterdam, or of Haym Salomon, or Major Noah— are being related in children's publications, but there is no coherent book of American Jewish history for youngsters of any age. Wide-scale Jewish participation in the 1976 Bicenten- nial celebration programs may lead to correcting this gap in American Jewish "know thyself." All major Jewish organi- zations, as well as the organized Jewish communities in this country, are now completing plans for such participation. CJFWF SURVEY: The Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds is now surveying the activities by na- tional Jewish agencies and local federations in planning for their participation in the Bicentennial celebrations. Leading in providing direction and material for the planning are the American Association for Jewish Educa- tion, the Jewish Historical Society and the National Jewish Welfare Board. The AAJE is publishing this month a Bicen- tennial Directory which is a sourcebook and guide listing bibliographies, texts, film strips and other material dealing with all aspects of the American Jewish experience. The AAJE also has prepared for publication an anthology of American Jewish fiction. The American Jewish Historical Society, jointly with the National Jewish Welfare Board, is preparing two bibli- ographies—one dealing with American Jewish history and the other with American Jewish biography. In addition, they are preparing jointly a travelling historical exhibit and are organizing a travelling public lecture series on "Jewish Americans in Colonial Times." The National Jewish Welfare Board is providing a broad spectrum of program resources for local Jewish cen- ters. The American Jewish Committee, the American Jew- ish Congress, the Anti-Defamation League of Bnai Brith, the Jewish Labor Committee, the Jewish War Veterans and other community relations agencies have completed plans for wide observance of the Bicentennial. The Synagor-ie Council of America will guide the synagogues in celebf., the Bicentennial. IMPRESSIVE PROGRAMS: By happy coincidence, the 75th anniversary of the Jewish Federation in Philadel- phia takes place in 1976, so that many parts of the anniver- sary are being related to the Bicentennial. Special tours of. Jewish historical interest are part of the Bicentennial pro- gram. The annual General Assembly of the CJFWF—the central body of all organized Jewish communities in the United States and Canada—is also to be held in Philadel- phia during the Bicentennial. Impressive Bicentennial programs are also being devel- oped by the Jewish communities in Chicago, Detroit, Bos- ton, Baltimore, Washington, Cleveland, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Metropolitan New Jersey and a number of inter- mediate and smaller communities. New York City promises the widest Jewish participation in the Bicentennial celebra- tion.