56 June 11, 1976

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

An Historic Editorial Mission to South Africa

(Continued from page 1)
communicative tongues —
in South Africa.
The chief opposition
leader to apartheid is the
courageous Jewish woman,
Helen Suzman, the organ-
izer of the Progressive Party
who was alone in its organi-
zational commencement
and now has 12 adhering
parliament members.
Mrs. Suzman proposes
immediate removal of all ra-
cial barriers and total en-
franchisement of the non-
white. She told the Ameri-
can editors that she ap-
proves of "affirmative ac-
tion" as advanced in the
United States. When the
term was referred to, she
commented, questioningly,
"Discrimination in rev-
erse?", and proceeded to say
that as an atonement for the
aimes committed against
the blacks they should get
priority whenever grants,
jobs, social and economic
opportunities are available.
She went so far as to assert
that this would require a
generation, an age to cor-
rect, and it was interpreted
as requiring the sacrifice of
a generation.
Propagating a multi-ra-
cial society with an aban-
donment of restrictions,
Mrs. Suzman foresees suc-
cess for her party and
early succession of the
moderates to the party
headed by Prime Minister
John Vorster.
The Jewish community
has a positive approach to
the serious issues. It is lib-
eral, it strives for racial jus-
tice and its position is out-
lined in a statement which
declares:
"Whilst recognising that,
in regard to the racial and
political problems of the
Republic, there is a diversity
of outlook in the Jewish
community as there is
among our fellow South
Africans; we share with all
those who dwell in our coun-

try the great challenge and
opportunity involved in es-
tablishing, on ethical foun-
dations, a just, stable and
peaceful relationship be-
tween all races and groups
in South Africa, which ac-
knowledges the right of all
to live in dignity and secu-
rity, to maintain their group
identity and distinctive cul-
ture, and to exercise the
opportunity to advance in
all spheres."
Three functioning South
African Jewish newspapers
have high ratings in Jewish
journalism and their editors
have served as historians of
their communities.
The three weekly news-
papers, published in Jo-
hannesburg, serve the
117,000 South African
Jews with world news
provided by the Jewish
Telegraphic Agency and
by special correspondents.
The Jewish Herald, Jew-
ish Times and Zionist Rec-
ord have earned commun-
al respect and cooperation.
Like the community at
large, the newspapers are
strong supporters of Israel.
The S. A. Jewish commu-
nity is the most united pro-
Zionist Jewish community
in the world.
One of the newspapers,
the S. A. Jewish Herald, has
emerged as the major Her-
ut-Revisionist periodical in
the world. Its editor, Harry
Horowitz, who continues to
propagate the views of Vla-
dimir Jabotinsky, also plays
a major role in Jewish com-
munal affairs. At a dinner
meeting at the Connoiseur
Kosher Hotel in Johannes-
burg, when all of the visit-
ing editors and the out-
standing South African
Jewish leaders conferred on
all of the country's and the
Jewish community's issues,
Horowitz presided and con-
tributed towards thorough
analyses of disputed global
and South African Jewish
issues.
Prime Minister Vorster's

the Jews deeply concerned
over the future. A commu-
nity that 10 years ago
counted a Jewish population
of some 7,600 has been re-
duced to 4,000. But the Jew-
ish schools function — there
are two in Salisbury and
Bulawate. The standards
are not high because of dif-
ficulty in securing well-
trained teachers. The avail-
able ones must be brought
from Israel.
Three Jews serve in the
Rhodesian parliament and
Magen David Adorn
there is one Jewish member
Devotion to Israel is of
Rhodesian cabinet,
marked in another field of Eli the
Bromberg, minister of
endeavor — in the tasks in immigration
and tourism.
support of Magen David
Not
unlike
Jewish
Adorn, the Israel counter- communities, other
Rhodesian
part of the Red Cross.
is concerned about
Having secured govern- Jewry
mixed marriages and assi-
ment endorsement of this milation. But there have
movement's activities, with
approval of fundraising and
remission of funds for the
agency in Israel, this group
operates independently of
other Zionist movements.
Its chairman, Jack Harris,
took pride two weeks ago in
the successful operation of a
major fundraising function,
the "Republic-Wide Golf
and Bowls Tournament."
Scores of cities had a share
in the project and it had an
impressive financial result.
In Cape Town, the Ma-
DENIS DIAMOND
gen David Adorn activities
are chaired by Mrs. Sylvia
been more than the usual
Malt who conducts effec- percentage of non-Jewish
tive public relations work converts to Judaism.
Russia's menacing propa-
in behalf of the organiza-
ganda, the Angolan and
tion.
Harris shared the plat- other experiences, have
form of the International made Communism the ma-
Magen David Adorn Confer- jor danger to the area and
ence in Jerusalem with Jo- the root of bitterness in-
seph Handleman of Detroit jected in the race issue. As a
and Miami Beach, who has result, anti-Communism
recently been elected presi- has become a major plank in
dent of American Friends of South African government
policies.
Magen David.
* * *
* * *
John Rosettenstein and
Neighboring Rhodesia
Nearby Rhodesia is per- Denis Diamond, in behalf of
haps the tensest of the Jew- the S.A. Jewish Board of
ish settlements in Africa. Deputies, joined in a mes-
The recent Angolan develop- sage to American Jews in-
ments, the state of war that viting them to visit their
virtually exists there, keeps country. "The same hospi-
tality that was accorded to
editors awaits our fellow
Jews who choose to visit
with us," the stated.
They emphasized the one-
ness of the Jewish people
and the urgency for an un-
derstanding of the aims of
the various communities no
money and resources. "I
believe the time has come matter how distant. "Surely
for the middle powers to we share the same concerns
and are equally dedicated to
pool their resources and
support and defense of Is-
stand together," he said.
Vorster claimed that the rael," they added.
The uniqueness of the edi-
main division in the world
today was between the tors' fact-finding mission is
Communist world and the that Pan-Am had the co-
free world. Citing the sponsorship in its arrange-
"lesson" of Czechoslovakia, ments, of the Jewish com-
he said that in the Commun- munities and their leaders,
ist world, not even one's own of the South African Rail-
brand of Communism is al- ways, of the South African
lowed. In the free world, na- Tourist Bureau — SATUR
tions can evolve their own — and therefore of official
policies and have their own government participation
outlook. "Israel and South because SATUR is a govern-
Africa both belong to the ment agency.
Sidney Gewirtz, Pan-
free world," he said. Vorster
also observed that it was un- Am vice president, to-
productive when heads of gether with David Koch of
state got together to discuss the Joseph Jacobs Na-
only their differences. It is tional Advertising Execu-
much more productive to ac- tives, made the initial ar-
cept differences and seek rangements and the entire
common ground. "That is mission had the guidance
what my colleagues (in Is- of a competent staff, in-
cluding Brad Dressler,
rael) and I did," he said.

recent visit in Israel natu-
rally aroused wide attention
and Israeli-African rela-
tions have become the sub-
ject of many analyses and
evaluations.
Full diplomatic relations
with Israel were established
two years ago and Itzhak
David Unna, who served as
Israel consul general in
Chicago from 1954 to 1959,
now is Israel Ambassador to
South Africa.
* * *

Vorster Sees Israel—S. Africa
Ties Benefitting Both Countries

JOHANNESBURG (JTA)
— Prime Minister John
Vorster said with respect to
his recent visit to Israel,
that despite differences, the
two countries could work to-
gether and pool resources
and know-how for the mu-
tual benefit of both. Work-
ing together would not pre-
clude Israel from working
-with people "who do not like
me or do not like us," Vors-
ter told some 300 guests at a
banquet tendered in his
honor in Cape Town by the
South African Jewish Board
of Deputies and the South
African Zionist Federation.
The banquet, attended by
cabinet ministers and other
South African dignitaries as
well as Jewish community
leaders, marked the Prime
Minister's return from his
first visit to Israel.
"In Israel," he said, "I
fo-tind dedicated men and
women, men and women

who are at all times pre-
pared to serve their country.
That impressed me very,
very much. I found idealism
and the will to work. I did
not only find the will to
work but also saw people
working with a will," Vors-
ter said. He also spoke of
the "unforgettable experi-
ence" as a Christian visiting
the "Land of the Bible" and
seeing the holy places he
had known of since child-
hood.
Vorster said economic
policies could be worked
out and trade between
South Africa and Israel
could be increased. The
exchange of "know-how"
and raw materials could
be of benefit to individuals
of both countries and raise
living standards. He ob-
served that research today
was costly, and the big
powers were able to do this
because they have the

William Evans and John
Robert, together with var-
ious Jewish communal
and government experts.
Returning to the U.S. on
the inaugural flight of the
Pan-Am 747 SP jet, the

editors are viewed as emis-
saries from kinsmen in dis-
tant !ands to their own com-
munities, as means of
assuring strongest links be-
tween varying factors in
Jewry.

Boris Smolar s

'Between You
... and Me'

Editor-in-Chief
Emeritus, JTA

(Copyright 1976, JTA, Inc.)

JEWISH CONGRESS AT 60: The American Jewish
Congress, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary, is a -
product of the will of Jewish immigrants from Eastern Eu
rope to create a representative body to speak in the name o
the Jewish masses. It was established 10 years after the
founding of the American Jewish Committee which was an
organization of selective individuals — of Jewish aristocrats
who considered themselves the "protectors" of American
Jewry.
Jewish nationalistic elements — consisting mostly of
immigrants from czarist Russia, Poland and Romania —
did not want to be "protected" by the notables who were
primarily German-born. They wanted to let their own
voices be heard through a democratically-elected leader-
ship. The American Jewish Congress was thus born in 1916.
The ideological differences between the American Jew-
ish Congress and the American Jewish Committee came in
collision soon after the Congress was formed. The differ-
ences were quite substantial. The AJCommittee believed in
quiet intervention while the AJCongress advocated open
mass action through mass meetings and public protests.
The AJCommittee was non-Zionist — often anti-Zion-
ist — while the AJCongress was essentially Zionist. The
AJCommittee was a body "for" the Jewish people, while the
AJCongress considered 'itself a body "of" the Jewish people.
The membership of the AJCommittee was limited to the
highly-Americanized Jewish elite, while the membership of
the AJCongress was open to all.
Today, the situation is quite different. Gradually, the
AJCommittee leadership came to recognize the movement
for building a Jewish national home in Palestine; it even
joined the Jewish Agency for Palestine as a non-Zionist
partner. The AJCommittee also abandoned its policy of
being the superior body of American Jewry; it reorganized
itself into a mass membership body with branches through-
out the country open to all. Since the establishment of Is-
rael, the AJCommittee has strongly and openly supported
the Jewish state. On the other hand, the composition of the
AJCongress membership also changed — it became more
Americanized.
The ideological differences between the American Jew-
ish Committee and the American Jewish Congress are thus
now very small. They are practically non-existent.
THE CREATIVE PERIOD: The most creative and in-
fluential period of the American Jewish Congress during all
the years of its existence was the period when the organiza-
tion was led by Dr. Stephen S. Wise, who was a titan in
American Jewry. The organization began to lose steam
after his death.
Dr. Wise was not an East European immigrant. He
was born in Budapest, Hungary, and brought to this coun-
try as a child. Despite his being a leading Reform rabbi, he
was an ardent Zionist and very strongly nationalist-
minded. The philosophy of the American Jewish Committee
was not acceptable to him. He believed in the masses and
not in "closed corporation" leadership.
The founding of the American Jewish Congress as a
representative body of American Jewry was therefore very
much to his heart. He became the central figure of this
body, and his influence was felt not only among Jews in this -
country but also among non-Jews. The latter considered
him a top spokesman for American Jewry. Another pillar of
the-American Jewish Congress was Louis Lipsky, who was
also the leader of the Zionist movement in this country.
The president of the American Jewish Congress now is
Dr. Arthur Hertzberg, a rabbi, author of important books
and lecturer at Columbia University. He is a great lover of
Hebrew and Yiddish and is actively involved in Jewish cul-
tural projects and in strengthening Jewish identity.
A major part in the AJCongress program is its activity
in the legal fielcl. The organization stands on guard for the
constitutional guarantees to separate church and state, and
often presents petitions to courts in cases where these guar-
antees are violated.
A part of the AJCongress' legal activities is now the
fight against American corporations yielding to the Arab
boycott blackmail in violation of American federal and state
laws.
The AJCongress participates actively in the fight for
the rights of Soviet Jewry. Needless to say that it is in front
of the Jewish groups watching Israel's interests in this
country.