THE JEWISH NEWS
Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with the issue of inly .20, 1951
Member American Association of English-Jewish Newspapers, Michigan Press Association, National Editorial Association.
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PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher
CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
DREW LIEBERWITZ
Business Manager
Advertising Manager
ALAN HITSKY,-Ne_ws
PRESS. Assistant News Editor
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the 15th day of Av, 5737, the following scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11. Prophetical portion, Isaiah 40:1-26.
Candle lighting, Friday, J uly 29. 8:36 p.m.
VOL. LXXI No 21
,
Page Four
Friday, July 29, 1977
New Moods Signifying Fair Play
New moods are in evidence in public rela-
tions and media for Israel, her kinspeople and
her friends. The aftermath of Israel's election
was marked by ugliness in many ranks. The
only terms commentators found for the duly
elected new government of Israel were "terror-
ist," "guerrilla," "ultra rightist" and their syn.
onyms. There was a lack of respect for the emi-
_ nent Likud personality who emerged the victor
in unforseen results at the polls in Israel on
May 17. The attitudes appear to have been
greatly modified. Menahem Begin was wel-
comed with cordiality and the Jewish commu-
nity became acquainted with a man of strength
who may be a match in diplomacy to those he
will confront on the international scene as well
as his antagonists in Israel.
There were other manifestations of antago-
nism which became matters of concern for Is-
rael and her friends. The Jewish state and its
leaders and those who have been asking for
fair play for Israel and the Israelis were sub-
jected to so many harmful analyses, they were
bombarded by such an avalanche of criticisms, -
suspicions and frequent condemnations, that a
spirit of bitterness 'developed in many quarters.
The White House attitude was interpreted as
not of the best. A meeting with President
Jimmy Carter in which 40 spokesmen for the
American Jewish community participated did
not leave a good taste. Now there is a feeling
that many of the views which were interpreted
as unfriendly have changed, that much of the
American friendship for Israel is regaining a
dignified wholesomeness.
While the new moods can not be judged by in-
dividual instances of adherence ,to fair play in
the ranks of the communications media, there
is one special expression on Israel and the situ-
ation affecting her that merits special atten-
tion. George F. Will, defining the conflicts that
have arisen over Israel's role in the inter-
national disputes over the Middle East and the
Arab-Israel issue, as well as Op attitudes of
this country's leaders, emphasized the injustice
of an attempted imposition of a withdrawal and
other critical conditions upon Israel. He con-
cerned himself with the issues and the U.S. atti-
tude, declaring in part :
"Today the U.S. Government is anxious to be-
stow upon Israel the honor of leading a life
more daring than other nations choose to live.
The U.S. became .a mighty continental nation
through conquest in the name of 'manifest des-
tiny.' But the U.S. Government is irritated be-
cause Israel is reluctant to commit itself, be-
fore negotiations, to return land; it conquered
from aggressors who still deny its right to exist
on the coast of Palestine. U.S. security has
always been a function of broad oceans and pla-
cid neighbors. But the U.S. Government is irri-
tated because Israel is wary of turning a geog-
raphical buffer (the occupied West Bank of Jor-
dan) into a Palestinian 'homeland' that prob-
ably would be dominated by the Palestine
Liberation Organization, terrorists committed
to the destruction of Israel.
"The U.S. position is that Israel should with-
draw to the 1967 borders (perhaps with slight
revisions) and the Arab states should take
`steps toward' normalization of relations with
Israel. But even if Israel were to withdraw in
exchange for full peace (recognition of its right
to exist, plus free movement of people, ideas
and commerce in the region), there still would
be an inherent asymmetry of risk in a trade of
the physical for the political. Arab political con-
cessions could be repudiated overnight; Is-
rael's physical concessions could not be recl-
aimed without war.
"Nevertheless, Israel has accepted this asym-
metrical policy. It has asked two things. One is
that the U.S. not intrude itself so much that it
spares Arab states the need to negotiate di-
rectly with Israel. The second is that the U.S.
not propose a specific outcome (such as with-
drawal in exchange for 'steps toward' normali-
zation). Israel thinks that if Arab states regard
withdrawal as a given, they will have no in-
centive to give anything. After four wars, Is-
raelis are unmoved by the idea that their secu-
rity depends less on tlieir toughness than on
their malleability. And since the fourth war
they are especially impatient with assurances
that the 'conscience of the West' will be their
shield. In the October 1973 war Israel not only
suffered debilitating losses comparable to Brit-
ain's in the first world war, relative to national
men h. Israel also suffered an acute under-
stan ,.of the 'conscience of the West' under
NI pressure. Israel was isolated.
"Israelis are obsessively interested in U.S. di-
plomacy, and were fascinated by Jimmy Car-
ter's May meeting in Geneva with Syrian Presi-
dent Assad. Carter praised Assad's helpfulness,
constructive attitude and 'intimate knowledge.'
That, Carter said, 'has helped me a great deal
to understand' the Nlideast. Now, diplomacy
always involves a lot of solemn nonsense, but
Carter went a tad far. In recent years Assad
has called Israel 'a basic part of southern
Syria,' and his controlled press has asserted
that Israel 'shall be destroyed.' Today the U.S.
is pleased to regard Assad as a 'moderate.'
Has Assad changed, or has the U.S.? Today
Assad says 'the Palestinian problem has two
parts,' the first concerning the West Bank and
the Gaza Strip. 'On this territory a Palestinian
state might be established, as is now envis-
aged. This state could not accommodate all the
Palestinians. This leads us to the second part
of the Palestinian problem, namely the refugee
problem. These refugees...have a right to re-
turn to the land from which they were driven
in 1948.' "
Here is a viewpoint so heartening that it giv-
es new courage to the Israelis and to those who
are deeply concerned that the spread of libels
against Israel, the obstacles in her road to
peace, the seriousness of the need for realism
m treating the Middle East issue should not be
terrorized by unjust diplomatic policies.
The injustice of many approaches to the situ-
ation, the libels directed at Israel, such as the
nasty corruption of truth regarding Israel's
treatment of the Arab prisoners, are all mat-
ters that must be resolved without prejudice.
The George F. Will viewpoint does not repre-
sent the entire jounalistic fraternity. It may,
however, serve as a guide towards unmitigated
fairness for Israel. For such guidance, Mr. Will
has- earned 'deep_ appreciation among all who
seek security in a setting of fairness for Israel.
`Torah and Flora' Impressively
Interlinked in Tradition
Biblical lore contains so many links with nature, with flowers and
plants, with fruits and vegetables, with trees and all that relates to
farming and soil's products, that a truly fascinating subject emerges
from a study of these gifts to mankind.
Rabbi Louis I. Rabinowitz, a noted scholar, the former chief rabbi
of South Africa, has made a deep study of the subject and his book
resulting from it, "Torah and Flora," published by Hebrew Pub-
lishing Co.'s Sanhedrin Press, will encourage many to pursue the
topic. It is an informative and delightful book replete with the
sources on the subject from the Torah.
In his introductory comment, Dr. Rabinowitz makes this explana-
tory reference to his dedication to the subject of his new book:
"The present work, which is in essence a selection from the week-
ly column bearing the same title as this volume, which appeared
regularly for over 12 years in the week-end edition of the Jerusalem
Post, does not claim to be a scientific work adding to the knowledge
of biblical botany. It represents the fruit of personal observation ac-
quired in the course of my weekly hikes through the lovely coun-
tryside of Judea, and in addition reflects the love which the rabbis of
the Talmud and Midrash had for the phenomena of Nature and the
homiletical use they make of it. There is virtually not a plant or an
agricultural product which they do not press into service in this man-
ner, and the material, of which this volume represents only a minor
fraction, is almost inexhaustible."
Indeed, the book is a source of inspiration for further pursuance of
the topics enumerated. The many items covered include the fig, the
olive, spices, the pomegranate, spices, cypresses, the sycamore, the
carob, honey, dates—even thorns!—every element related to food
and the earth traceable to the Bible.
The sources, the Bible references, are especially descriptive of the
deep study that was made by Rabbi Rabinowitz. Here are a few of
the samples of the quotations he has used to define the many factors
in "Torah and Flora":
And they sewed fig-leaves together, and made themselves girdles.
—Genesis 3:7
And he spake of the trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even
unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall.
—I Kings 5:13
And they made upon the skirts of the robe pomegranates of blue,
and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen.
—Exodus 39:24
I was no prophet, nor the son of a prophet; but I was a herdsman
and a dresser of sycamore-trees and the Lord took me from follow-
ing the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go prophesy unto my
people Israel.
—Amos 7:14-15
He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink and shall
drink no vinegar of wine; neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes,
nor eat grapes, moist or dried. All the days of his separation he shall
eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from kernels even to the
husk.
—Numbers 6:3-4
. . . A land of olive-trees and honey.
—Deuteronomy 8:8
All of the impressive elements in the Rabinowitz book are addition-
ally fortified by the indices of scriptural references to the floral treas-
ures culled from the Bible. Dr. Rabinowitz has produced an enlight-
ening and truly informative work in "Torah and Flora."