THE JEWISH NEWS
.
Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing With the issue.gl 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. 4'9/75.
Second-Class Postage Paid at Southfield, Michigan and Additional Mailing Offices. Subscription
a year.
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher
CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
DREW LIEBERWITZ
Business Manager
Advertising Manager
A Et \ 111TS1 ■ 1, Neu- s Editor . . 11 1-1 DI
Assistant News Editor
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the first Day of Av, 5737, the folloWing scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues:
Pentateucha I portion, Numbers 30:2-36:13; 28:9-15. Prophetical portion, Jeremiah 2:4-28, 3:4; Isaiah 66:1,23.
Candle lighting, Friday, July 15, 8:48 p.m.
VOL. LXXI, No. 19
Page FOur
July 15, 1977
The Outrage of Truth Distorting
Charges of brutality by Israel are not new in
the Jewish state's experiences in dealing with
the bias that dominates the United Nations Gen-
eral Assembly and the efforts of the Third
World as affiliates to brand Israel as racist. The
emissaries who had been assigned in the past
to deal with these accusations were so pre-
judiced that Israel was compelled to refuse to
deal with them. The positive approaches to the
entire matter could not receive a proper hear-
ing, and it is possible that some elements in
the Red Cross may have collaborated with the
spreading of the libel that has no basis in fact.
As the refutations by Israel have indicated,
the more than 40 Arabs whose testimony was
given credence by the London Times could not
be substantiated. Futhermore, the two at-
torneys for the Arabs are known to have been
building a case out of whole cloth.
The truth, as it is consistently confirmed in
responsible quarters, is that the Israeli judicial
system is fair, honorable, composed of judges
who would have been prevented by established
tsraeli codes from ruling prejudicially in mat-
ters involving criminals. The basic Israeli judi-
cial code, defined in an explanatory statement
issued officially by responsible Israelis, defines
the basic Israeli regulations as follows:
Torture by any person, including of course po-
lice, army and security personnel, is a crimi-
nal offense under Israel law.
Furthermore, any confession extracted by
force or even by threat of force is inadmissible
in Israel courts. All defendants in courts, in-
cluding military courts,, are represented by law-
yers of their own choice who are free to object
to any confession presented by the prosecution.
There is more than one force in the world to
test the sincerity of Israel's intentions. Admit-
tedly, individual cases exist to prove that tor-
ture is possible when an enraged soldier or po-
liceman deals with an Arab terrorist or with a
criminal who admittedly bombed a university
lunch room or a supermarket with dire results
for many innocent people. But when there were
instances of tortures by individuals the guilty
were properly and legally punished.
That the London Times should have sub-
mitted to the outrage it publicized is a dis-
credit to one of the world's most important
newspapers.
• Condemnations of that type of truth distortion
by- a great newspaper should come from the
journalistic ranks. Yet some editors and colum-
nists found an opportunity to harass Israel and
to lend dignity to an outrageous set of dis-
tortions against Israel. This is inexcusable and
must not be permitted to lie dormant.
Fair Play Threat at Olympics
"Send Us Your Athletes" is a suggested ap-
peal to nations - throughout the world to be post-
ed on the Statue of Liberty as a symbol of
American hospitality in the movement bidding
for the Olympic Games to come to New York
in 1984. This is indicative of the non-
partisanship and non-discrimination that is sym-
bolic of the American spirit of fair play certain
to dominate so important a task.
In the meantime, however, concern is shown
in the possibility that the prejudice that pre-
dominates at the United Nations under pressur-
es from the Third World may be injected in the
Olympics to be held in Moscow in 1980.
A warning has been sounded by Jeffrey Hart,
the veteran political columnist, that Israel may
be barred from the 1980 Olympics, that the
bias that was shown last yeaf in the Asian
Games, in which Israeli athletes were not per-
mitted to participate, will be repeated in Mos-
cow.
Hart recalled the horrors of the 1936 games
in Germany over which Adolf Hitler imposed
his influence, prejudicing the arrangements
and procedures, and the Munich tragedy when
Israeli athletes were massacred by Arab terror-
ists.
Warning of possible repflition of such occur-
ences in Russia, the host nation being the col-
laborator with the Arabs and with the enemy
forces striving to deprive Israel of elementary
rights in international affairs, Hart concluded
with this distressing statement in his warnings
in the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner:
Have we really forgotten the example of Ber-
lin in 1936, and what soon followed? Have we
forgotten Munich in 1972, the outrages and egr-
egious cheating? The sychophantic treatment
of the Soviets by ABC and Jim McKay at Mon-
treal in 1976?
The 1980 Games in Moscow 'are shaping up
as the most corrupt and politicized in history.
What is called for at this time is a Congres-
sional resolution to the effect that the exclusion
of any nation from-the Games for political rea-
sons should be grounds for U.S. withdrawal.
Robert J. Kane, president of the U.S. Olym-
pic Committee, appears optimistic that Russia
will refrain from discriminating against Israel.
But another example of bias against Israel, the
barring of her team in the Karate Games in
Japan last week, adds pessimism to a shocking
situation- of Arab states dominating even the
sports world. -
The question has been posed whether Russia
could act in favor of Israel in the event that a
dozen Arab nations and their allies in the Third
World demanded the ousting of Israel's athlet-
es. The mere fact that such a condition could
be posed is at once an indication of the state of
horror that has taken root in the world, with
the free nations helpless and the bigotries that
revive the Middle Ages dominating mankind.
In a civilized society it would have been ex-
pected that the truly free nations would refuse
to be partners in such a game of hatred rather
than sportsmanship. The free peoples had been
put to the test in the past, but a game is a
game, just as business is business, and thus far
there have been no indications that Americans
who are dedicated to fair play would withdraw
from games in which fair play has been out-
lawed. That's where there is a real test. Will
true libertarianism emerge triumphant; or will
genuine libertarians be- shackled?
8,000 Topics by 200 Authors
in New Jewish Encyclopedia
"The New Standard Jewish Encyclopedia" just published by Doub-
leday. is, indeed. new in the sense that it is up-to-date and ap-
proaches completeness.
Even though it is in one volume. the 2.000 pages are packed with
the knowledge it imparts and the historic facts that have been in-
comorated in it.
This is the fifth edition of the Doubleday Standard Jewish Encyclo-
pedia and to the credit of publishers and editors it should be stated
that great caution is in evidence in this compendium for adherence
to facts, for observance of historical truths and the inclusion of all
available data about events and personalities.
The editor of this new edition comes to his work highly recommend-
ed by previous accomplishments. Dr. Geoffrey Wigoder had com-
pleted the editing of the 16-volume Encyclopedia Judaica and its sup-
plements. As author of several books and editor of Jewish period-
icals, as contributor to important magazines, he has established a re-
cord for research as well as writing.
Similarly. his chief associate. I.J. Carmin Karpman. as editor of
"Who's Who in World Jewry," similarly has the background that as-
sures authoritative approaches to filling an important duty to adher
to accuracy.
In the 2.000 pages are incorporated facts for which there is a con-
stant search. More than 8,000 topics in the encyclopedia were written
by more than 200 scholars.
The fact that the events relating to the Yom Kippur War and the
problems that have emerged since then are given special status in
this new encyclopedic edition provides it with timeliness The Israel
situation, the personalities involved. the manner of dealing with the
UN and terrorism. these add importance to the previous editions of
the encyclopedia.
Activities that have marked the successful Israeli archeological en-
deavors are up-dated in this work.
Religious and traditional observances are defined here by experts
and they supplement he historical experiences and the cultural at-
tainments of world Jewry.
"The New Standard Jewish Encyclopedia"is intended basically as
a work of contemporary reference. No comparable work has ap-
peared since before World War II and during this interval three ma-
jor events have occurred in Jewish history—the destruction of Eu-
ropean Jewry, the establishment of the state of Israel, and the
emergence of the United States as the outstanding Diaspora commu-
nity.
This work, therefore, throws special stress on these recent historic
developments, although at the same time covering every phase of
Jewish life, literature, and thought from their beginning. Particular
attention is paid to the American community and its outstanding fig-
ures and to the twin pole of modern Jewish life, the state of Israel
and the men who are shaping its development.
Dr. Wigoder had edited earlier editions of the encyclopedia with
the late Dr. Cecil Roth and in his present task he has pursued ar
established policy for thoroughness.
Others who have added towards the complet on of this new encyclo-
pedil edition include Alexander Peli. ma aging editor: assistant edi-
tors Dov Ben-kbba and Prof. Murray Roston; and the American advi-
sory board: Harry J. Alderman. Dr. Meir B-n-Horin. Sam E. Bloch.
Prof. Gerson D. Cohen. Dr. Moshe Davis. Dr. Lloyd Gartner. Rabbi
Phillip Goodman, Dr. Joseph Kaminetsky. Akita L. Lebeson. Rabbi
Irving Lehrman. Dr. Isaac Lewin. Dr. Raph•el Patal and Dr. Marie
Sorkin.