54 Friday, August 12, 1977THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Oppressed Youth Built Maccabi Movement BY HASKELL COHEN (Copyright 1977, JTA, Inc.) '1'EL AVIV—Now that the 10th Maccabia has been con- cluded and innumerable re- cords in a variety of sports have been established, it might be timely to review what the Maccabia Games are and how they came about. Aside from the athlet- ic festivity and the pomp and ceremony of the games. there is a more serious note to the running of the quadrennial festival, and that is the desire to keep Jews from all over the world together and make them aware of each other. The Maccabi spirit origi- nated basically from the de- sire of molested Jews to hit back at their oppressors. The movement started to- wards the end of the 19th Century when most of the Jews residing in Eastern Europe lived in squalid con- ditions. They constantly were beaten up on the slightest pretext. and in the business world were re- fused admission to all but a very few professions. This condition. coupled with the Dreyfus case, which came up at the con- clusion of the past century, did little to help the morale of the people. Jews all over reasoned that if a Dreyfus situation could develop in France where the people supposedly fought for liber- ty. equality and fraternity. it could very readily hap- pen in Russia. Poland or Lithuania. As a result of the gloom the young Jews in the shte- tel and in the larger cities began to ask themselves questions. Foremost in their minds was what would happen if instead of running away from the po- lice who attacked them, they hit back? Con- sequently the Jewish com- munal leaders in the big- gest Central European cities called for an organiz- ed program in the form of athletics and gymnastics. It wasn't merely for the sake of competition, of being able to run faster than the next guy. but for the sake of developing quick reactions in man-to- man combat. essential for protecting themselves and their property. In the beginning, reli- gious leaders were against the idea. mainly because they felt that this physical fitness and educational pro- gram would antagonize their non-Jewish neighbors. However. the elders were overruled by the younger generation and were forced to accept the development of an organized program which subsequently came under the banner of the name of Maccabi. History is a little hazy as to when the first Maccabi group was formed, but it seems reasonable to as- sume it was established in Istanbul about 74 years ago. Shortly thereafter the first German Maccabi unit was started in Berlin and their programs included cultural as well as sports activities. In due time sporting con- tests were arranged be- tween Jews and Gentiles and as a result it developed a higher level of under- standing and acceptance of the Jewish people as individ- uals. Eventually clubs like the Hakoach of Vienna. with 5.000 members, came to the forefront. To this very day many soccer afficianados contend that the Hakoach football team was the best one to ever play. and when they appeared in the United States for the first time in the early 1920s they drew crowds of approximately 50,000 to their games in the old Polo Grounds. Their water polo team, together with the Hagibor nine from Prague, Czechoslovakia. were rated among the top in Europe. All the while the Maccabi program was developing in Europe. a counterpart start- ing approximately at the turn of the century. was formed in Jaffa. and in a matter of three years there were several clubs located in five sections of Pales- tine. The Maccabi move- ment spread throughout Eu- rope and in the 1930s. clubs sprang up in South Africa and Australia. It is esti- mated that by 1932. when Hitler was reaching the zen- ith of his power, there were 100.000 active athletes among the men and women in 22 countries. During the great conflict which involved the United States and Russia and Eng- land against the Nazis. the Maccabi contingent played strong roles. When anti- Semitic threats were made or riots started against the Jewish population and their properties. police in the area called on the local Jew- ish clubs to send out de- fense squads to protect the synagogues and businesses. It is a matter of history that Maccabis went into the underground movements in their respective countries and fought against the Nazi invaders. During Israel's War of In- dependence of 1948 and sub- sequently against the Arabs in 1956 and 1967, Maccabi members made their pres- ence felt. Today the Mac- cabi numbers more than 200,000 active members all over the world. and these are the sportsmen who make it possible to run the games every fourth year after the Olympic year in the state of Israel. End of DMC-Likud Coalition Talks in Israel Causes Public Split in Political Leadership TEL AVIV (JTA)—A pub- lic split appeared in the leadership of Prof. Yigael Yadin's Democratic Move- . ment for Change (DMC) only days after its Central Committee voted 61-8 not to join the Likud-led coalition government. Yadin, who held a press conference last Thursday to explain the decision, had no sooner finished blaming tie breakdown of siegotiations on Likud and its religious coalition partners when e was challenged by DMC Meir Zorea. Zorea alleged that the DMC leaders who con- ducted the coalition talks — Meir Amit and Amnon Ru- binstein — were opposed to joining and deliberately ma- neuvered the negotiations into a deadlock. He charged that to blame the failure on Likud was "hypocrisy". Zorea, a general in the re- serves, was promptly ad- monished by Yadin who re- minded him that such accu- sations should be brought before the appropriate party bodies, not the press. Yadin said he disagreed to- tally with Zorea's charges and was convinced that the party will remain united around its program and ob- jectives. The DMC Secretariate on Friday condemned Zorea for his behavior and called upon him to consider giving up his membership on the Secretariate. Earlier Yadin and others objected to the demands of some that Zorea be ousted from the Secretariate and that he give up his Knesset seat. Zorea, while saying he will consider resigning from the Secretariate, was furious that the DMC body did not take up the sub- stance of his charges. The coalition talks with the DIVIC, which have been going on almost from the day the Begin government took office, broke down part- ly because the two parties could not agree on Cabinet portfolios and partly . be- cause the religious part- ners, notably the tiny Aguda, feared that the DMC's demands for elec- toral reforms would elimi- nate it from the political scene. The religious parties also demanded that the DMC vote along with the coali- tion on religious issues. The DMC insisted on freedom to vote as it chooses on these matters. Begin now has the task of filling the government por- tfolios that had been left open for the DMC. These are the Welfare Ministry, the Ministry of Transporta- tion and Communications and the Ministry of Justice. Former SS Man Acquitted Despite Admitting He Ordered More Than 400 Civilians Slain BONN (JTA)—A former SS officer, who admitted he ordered the murder of more than 400 men, women and children in Brest- Litovsk in 1942, has been ac- quitted by a Kiel court on grounds he had acted "in a war situation" out of a "sense of duty" and that "cruelty" or ,a "crimi- nal lack of compassion" had not been proven. The acquittal verdict for Erner Poehls came in spite of documents showing he had written to his com- manding officer, com- plaining that Russian villa- gers whose lives had been spared during mass shoot- ings included some parti- sans, and asking permission to shoot them. Evidence in- dicated that permission was granted and that Poehls lat- er reported "success fig- ures" showing that his unit had shot 417 villagers, in- cluding 60 children and 40 women. A German Jewish paper charged that "only one log- ical conclusion" could be - drawn from the verdit — that the court did not wish to condemn Poehls, who joined _the SS as early as 1933 and "was decorated" by SS chief Heinrich Him- mler. The weekly added that Poehls was -now a free man, able to exercise all civic rights." The weekly said the acquittal "extend- ed in a horrifying manner the chain of misjudgments in favor of Nazi regime exe- cutioners. Bnai Brith Parley to Host Speakers WASHINGTON — Eli Wie- sel, Lucy Dawidowicz, It- zhak Itzhaki and Leon Jick will be featured speakers at the Princeton II Conference of Bnai Brith inter- national's adult Jewish edu- cation program Oct. 22-24, at the Henry Chauncey Con- ference Center in Prince- ton, N.J. The conference is organiz- ed this year around the theme of - What The Mod- em Jew Needs to Know." For information on the conference write Mort Fei- genbaum, B'nai Brith Adult Jewish Education and Pro- gram Depts. 1640 Rhode Is- land' Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20036. Morocco Mourns Benzaquen, Minister and King's Advisor PARIS (JTA)—Seven Mo- fairs, believing that the roccan ministers as well as Jews can and should play a personal representative of and important role in Mo- the king attended the funer- rocco's political, economic al service and burial Mon- and social life. day in Casablanca of Mo- The government went out rocco's first Jewish Cabinet of its way to honor the late Minister, Dr. Leon Ben- Jewish doctor. A Moroccan zaquen. spokesman told the Jewish The Jewish doctor served Telegraphic Agency that as Cabinet Minister in two the official funeral was or- Moroccan governments ganized "to honor the man and. until his death Sunday but also to show that Jews at 76, was the Jewish com- and Arabs can -live lil munity's ''elder states- brothers united by a col,_ man." mon purpose. - Benzaquen, a lung dis- The Moroccan 'govern= ease specialist, was asked by the Moroccan Istiklal ment last week said it was Party to become a member ready to help organize talks of its delegation to the talks between Israel and the Pa- with France held in Aix les lestinians on its soil. The Bains in 1955. which paved Morocco press said these the way to Morocco's inde- talks could be held in Casab- lanca "where Jews and pendence. After the country's inde- Arabs have lived together pendence and the return of in peace and understanding King Mohammed V from for over a thousand years. - The press also recalled exile in December. 1955, Benzaquen was appointed the king's "invitation - to Postmaster General. He Morocco's Jews who have _ was reappointed to a min- emigrated to - return to isterial post the following - their former homes." King year and left the govern- Hassan issued this in- ment three years later to vitation to "return - last devote himself to his medi- year and reiterated it again this spring. cal practice. BenzaqUen remained, Several Israelis of Moroc- even after he left the gov- can origin, including for- ernment, a close advisor to mer Jerusalem Deputy King Mohammed V and to Mayor Andre Chouraqui, his son, Hassan II. He was visited Morocco this year at also active in communal af- the king's invitation. Israel Proud of its Girls, Army BY DAVID SCHWARTZ (Copyright 1977, JTA, Inc.) "Why don't you come to Israel? There are lots of nice girls there," Mrs. Begin told an American re- porter who interviewed her. Then she added, "I always like to see people married off. I guess I can't stand seeing people happy." Mrs. Begin has a sense of humor. I think perhaps the trouble is the Arabs have little sense of humor. They have plenty of territory— many countries of their own—they have a monopoly of the oil—they have many virtues but little sense of humor. Pharoah of old had no sense of humor. Think of the great *pyramids of the Egyptians a M. Wonderful buildings that are still the object of admiration today, but what were they built for? Tombs. Could a people with a sense of humor spend so much of its effort doing that? Mrs. Begin shows that Is- rael at least has some sense of humor and she is right too about Israel hav- ing nice girls. Last year an Israeli girl was named Miss Universe. And Israel is a wonderful place for love- making. There is the great Mediterranean moon. Love has always been a great thing in Israel. Is there a greater love poem than Solomon's Song of Songs? He compares his be- loved to "an army with ban- ners." What a phrase to conjure up the excitement of love. Mrs. Begin is very proud of the Israeli army. The great tragedy of Nazi days, she told the newsman, was that the Jews were unable to fight back. "We don't hate the Arabs." she told the reporter. "As long as you can fight back you can learn to respect an oppo- nent. The Nazis just slaugh- tered us. There was never an opportunity to fight back." The other day President Carter named Milton Wolf ambassador to Austria. When Grover Cleveland was President, Austria re- fused to accept the man he named for ambassador be- cause this man had a Jew- ish wife. Austria was also the native country of Hitler. There has been a change in the attitude to the Jew, and this change I believe is due to Israel. In time, -Maybe, the Arabs will also change their attitude. The other day the New York Times carried a letter from Harry Goldsmith of Montclair, N.J. suggesting that Saudi Arabia invest some of its surplus billions. which it seems to have some dic - culty in spending. in Isi Bonds. Mr. Goldsmith may be exercising his Jewish sense of humor, but who knows, some day the Arabs may take the advice. The great leader, Feisal, who led the Arab countries to independ- ence in World War I, offi- cially and publicly endorsed Zionism. I have always loved the idea of those pious Jews who envisaged "the world to come" as an immense li- brary, where all the truly good books written by man would be available to the righteous dead. — Leo Rosten