THE JEWISH NEWS
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PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher
1l.1
CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
DREW LIEBERWITZ
Business Manager
Advertising Manager
IIITS1.1. News Editor . . 1 i 1-.11/1 l'itE5!, ..1ssistant News Editor
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the 16th day of Tammuz, 5737, the following scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Numbers 22:2-25:9. Prophetical portion, Micah 5:6-6:8.
(:andle liuhtinar. Friday Jule I. 8:53
Page Four
VOL. LXXI, No. 17
July 1, 1977
Helsinki Belgrade • Jews, Dissidents
,
Certain rules were set down, over the signa-
tures of representatives of 35 nations, estab-
lishing a code for human rights. Its basic termi-
nology, which commends continuous emphasis,
serves as an important document in contempo-
rary history, declaring:
"The participating states will respect human
rights and fundamental freedoms, including the
freedom of thought, conscience, religion or be-
lief, for all without distinction as to race, sex,
language or religion.
"They will promote and encourage the effec-
tive exercise of civil, political, economic, so-
cial, cultural and other rights and freedoms, all
of which derive from the inherent dignity of
the human person and are essential for his free
and full development."
The decisions made in Finland two years ago
were threatened with abrogation in Belgrade
last week.
The apparent dangers stem from the Soviet
Union's denial of the Very principles enun-
ciated in the human rights declaration. Per-
haps the Kremlin is so irritated by the uninter- •
rupted emphasis on human rights in the con-
sistent adherence to its basic principles by
President Carter that the most elementary
ideals inherent in the approach to international
aspirations for justice may be undermined.
Is the present USSR administration recon-
structing the Stalinist policies of oppression ? Is
it possible, as is often charged, that what is
practiced in the Soviet Union is a perpetuation
of Czarism?
The fact remains that dissidents, who had
their roots in the revolutionary movement
against Czarist oppressions, have emerged
cc arageously in a struggle against the oppres-
si. _1 methods of the ruling party of some
3,000,000 members who are dominating more
than, a quarter—billion people. .Concurrently,
there is the Jewish issue, a means by bigoted
Russians to use Jews as targets and scape-
goats when human rights become involved in
that country's politics. Jews are the available
victims to be blamed.
Thus, at a time when thousands of Jews are
craving for the right to leave Russia, the de-
mand for exit visas is a major irritant and
Jews are chief sufferers in a policy of suppres-
sion of the very rights that were promulgated
in the important Helsinki statement.
There may be more dissidents than Jews in
the USSR, and there certainly are many Jews
who keep demanding the right to emigrate. Con-
currently, the dissidents, among them many
Jews, are demanding abrogation of repression.
Thus it is Jews and dissidents who are the suf-
ferers in the tyrannical Communist rule and
the propagators for human rights have to con-
front a struggle of immense proportions.
On paper there may be many pledges for jus-
tice. -In practice there are untold discrimina-
tions. They add up to an obligation on the part
of all who are concerned that injustice, should
not be perpetuated. They must carry on the
struggle against tyranny and oppression. Hel-
sinki and Belgrade, Jews and dissidents, all
add up to an obligation on the part of free men
everywhere to strive for the sharing of their lib-
erties by those who are deprived of them in the
USSR.
Israel on the Defensive
Charges that Israel's Arab prisoners have
been tortured are not new .They hav-. been made in
the United Nations and have been refuted. Such
charges have been leveled since the Six-Day
War by. Arab diplomats, and inquiry commis-
sions have been accused of prejudice and were
not welcomed in Israel because they were corn-
posed of selectees who were known to be pur-
suing their tasks with preconceived intentions
to condemn Israel.
Admittedly, when Arabs demonstrated
against Israelis, in the Nablus area primarily,_
it has been admitted that Israeli soldiers
struck back and that violence may have been
answered with violence. The view has been
heard that Jewish soldiers who had suffered at
the hands of Arab militants had reacted in
kind. These are the misfortunes of a tragically
aggravated situation that can be corrected only
in the process of peace-making.
Regardless of charges and counter-charges,
the latest series of accusations, published in
the London Sunday Times, demand an effort to
end the unfortunate exchange of animosities.
If the charges contain even an iota of truth,
the existing conditions must be corrected. If
they are untrue, the realities must be made
known with all possible emphasis.
There is an urgency for responsible inquiries,
by trusted investigators, to study the facts and
to make them known. This must be a major
task of the new Israel government and should
be pursued promptly.
Boycotts and Selfish Pressures
President Carter put his ideals on the major
danger point affecting human relations and the
vulnerability of ethnic groups when prejudice
raises its ugly head. Signing the bill that would
make the boycotting of Jews, in relation to trad-
ing with Israel, a punishable crime, he said
that when one group in the American society is
threatened, other groups may face similar dan-
gers if discrimination is not outlawed.
Thus, action by this government against
boycotts of Jews and others who have business
relations with Israel becomes prohibitive.
Yet, from all quarters, it is apparent that big
business often keeps adhering to the repulsive
idea that "business is business." This became
apparent when men high up in large corpo-
rations were exerting pressure on legislators
not to support the anti-boycott measures
adopted by Congress, now bearing the signa-
ture of the President of the United States.
If many still believe that "laws are made to
be broken," then the combined pressures from
Arab and anti-Israel forces, and from the "busi-
ness as usual" quarters may strive to negate
what has been adopted and endorsed by the
President.
Once again, therefore, there remains the
need to be on the alert, to be vigilant that the
adopted measure outlawing prejudice should
not be violated.
Ben Dunkelman, Canadian
Hero and Israeli Patriot
Ben Dunkelman continues to be a name to contend with both in
Canada and in Israel. His record for service as a Canadian citizen is
enviable. He was a World War II hero, having won the D.S.O. for
heroism, and his role in defense of Israel was equally dramatic and
creative.
Therefore his autobiography, "Dual Allegiance" (Crown) not only
relates to the activities of a distinguished Jewish-Canadian-Israeli
patriot, but also serves to defend what had previously been a means
for anti-Semites to attack Jews on the ground of sharing loyalty to
more than their own nation. The Dunkelman story _admirably de-
fends a person's right to live honorably in behalf of the idea of serv-
ing two people to Which he becomes attached. Dunkelman did and
continues to do it well, both as a loyalist to .his Canadian citizenship
as well as to his devotion to a sacred heritage involved in his dedi-
cation to the Zionist cause and to Israel's redemption.
In 1948, Dunkelman participated in the battle for Jerusalem and
earned a share of glory in resisting the siege which was so threat-
ening to Israel's existence. It was at the request of David Ben-Gu-
non that he also commanded the 7th Brigade in the northern war in
the battle for Israel's independence.
He had given up affluence to settle in what was the Palestinian
Jewish settlement before the emergence of Israel and when the war
against Hitlerism broke out he returned to serve in the Canadian ar-
my.
Thus he had been on the beaches in Europe on D-Day and in the
troubled era of Israel's rebirth in the ancient homeland.
Reconstructing many of the events in which he played impoi -tant
roles, Dunkelman, relating to the battle for Jerusalem, recalled in
his autobiographical reminiscences:
"I keep my foot on the accelerator, swerving as much as I can to
throw them off their aim. Bullets are flying in all directions. It's
like a tropical rainstorm, I can see bursts of fire splatter and splash
on the tarmac in front of the car."
Ben Dunkelman the devoted participant in Jewish causes, the man
who contributed of himself, his time, his funds his volunteering serv-
ices .to Jewish movements is especially vital in - the story.he relates
about a career markedly unselfish and loyal to traditions and the -
Jewish legacies. This is the story of Ben Dunkelman and the patri-
otic citizen of Canada and the loyal Jew. It is a fascinating story
that adds immensely to Jewish Canadian experiences and serves as
an inspiration for his fellow Jews whose dual loyalties are marked
of distinction to be admired.
`Resistance' Exalts Underground
Cutting through a maze of myths and legends, and drawing on a
vast range of sources, "Resistance: European Resistance to Nazism
1940-45" by M.R.D. Foot (McGraw-Hill) is the first book to analyze
the full scope of the underground in 27 Nazi-occupied nations during
World War II.
The most comprehensive work ever written on this subject, "Re-
sistance" deals in hard facts—heroism and cowardice, conformity
and revolt, achievements and disasters—set into their historical con-
text. It explains what resistance was, who the resisters were, what
they could do, and how and why they wanted to do it.