THE JEWISH NEWS
.1 neorporattng The pet roil .leti•ish Chronicle row menei ng with the issue of July 20. 1951
Member American Association of EnglisCeJewish Newspapers. Michigan Press A,sociation. N:itional Editorial A,sociat ion
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing -Co., 17515 W. Nine Mile. Suite 865. Southfield. Mich. 48075
Sa.cond-Cla,, Postage Paid at Southfield. Michigan and Additional Mailing Office, Subscription 512 it year.
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher
Business Manager
ALAN HITSKY
HEIDI PRESS
DREW LIEBERWITZ
News Editor
Assistant News Editor
Advertising Manager_
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the 17th day of Tammuz, 5738, the following scriptural selections will be rend in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Numbers 22:2.25:9. Prophetical portion, Micah 5:6-6:8.
Sunday, Fast of the 17th of Tammuz
Pentateuchal portion, Erodux 32:11-14; 34:1-10. Prophetical portion (afternoon only), Isaiah 55:6-56:8.
Candle lighting, Friday, July 21,11:44 p.m.
VOL. LXXIII, No. 20
Page Four
Friday, July 21, 1978
Quarantine Them . . . How?
Nazis were a farce in their march in the Therefore, the protests are understandable. A
Chicago park. But so also were the counter-
way must be found for their expression without
demonstrators.
the American a Nazis
feel victorious in Perhaps
having accomplished
major giving cause for venom from the lunatic fringe.
And the latter has grown rather than di-
purpose — that of attracting nationwide atten- minished.
tion to their hatreds.
In this respect, the voice of the Christian citi-
There were some 20 Nazis in the Chicago zens of Skokie, Ill., which was heard as a firm
march. Their antics were spread worldwide by rejection of the Nazi threats, will be remem-
more than 200 correspondents and via a couple bered as one of the noble expressions against the
of dozen television cameras. The marchers were hatred and bestialities of Nazism.
a cause for ridicule and not too many of their
The role that was played in the sad chapter
sympathizers were among the thousands who involving the latest Nazi tactics by the Ameri-
came either to demonstrate against them or out can Civil Liberties Union remains one of the
of curiosity. Meanwhile, the Nazi slogans depressing factors in an oppressive issue. Cor-
gained notoriety and they claim victory in their rect in its adherence to basic principles, the
efforts.
ACLU nevertheless erred by giving too much
What's the lesson of Skokie and Chicago in freedom to a group that would deny the basic
the developing Nazi propaganda? How could the rights to life and limb and pursuit of happiness
publicity accorded them have been averted? to those they hate.
The American Jewish Committee has a policy
ACLU has lost ground. Its membership has
in treating such matters: Quarantine them, the been reduced as a result of the resentment that
AJCommittee advises. But how can you ignore the movement should have gone all out to pro-
a group that propagates "Kill the Jews," "Hi- tect the Nazis in their claimed right to freedom
tler's job has not been completed," and similar of speech. It need not have been so complete a
hate-inspiring slogans advocating genocide? submission to a rule which would give those
Solutions are offered in legislation proposed seeking freedom the right to advocate rejection
in some states. It is suggested that resort to of that very freedom for the people they would
slogans calling for mass murders should be not only persecute but annihilate if they had the
made punishable and that the wearing of Nazi power.
swastika-clad uniforms should be outlawed.
A very ridiculous defense was resorted to by
There remains the problem of how preven- ACLU in its effort to regain financial support
tion of crimes, and Nazism must be viewed as from a dwindling constituency. It made refer-
criminally-motivated intentions, can be out- ence to a .contributor who accompanied his
lawed. Nevertheless, it is reasonable to believe check with the message "defend the bastards."
that the quarantine method cannot be over- Is this what ACLU is here for? It has a claim
looked and that the notoriety often gained by when it maintains that every person should
the demented and criminally-minded could be have the right to speak his mind and defend
averted.
himself. If the contributor had said, "Here is a
This is where the press, radio and television gift to help you find a defender in the courts for
come in for challenge and criticism. As long as the bastards" it might have made sense. But it
an issue is sensational the media grab for oppor- hardly carries a message of justice to offer to
tunities to play up the silliest of nonsense. protect lunatics, cutthroats, barbarians and
When major issues like those involving the sec- savages. It is very difficult to defend the ACLU
urity of an entire nation are involved the media when it protects Nazis. It would be equally as
have failed to delve into the facts and moralities difficult to support the movement if it protected
of the issues. But When crazed Nazi-minded in- the insane who publicly advocate "Kill the nig-
dividuals negate truth they are treated notori- gers" or resort to similar slogans.
ously.
Perhaps it is legislation that is needed to
The sentiments of the survivors from quarantine the demented who are poisoning
Nazism and those who know the history of the society with their venom. If advocacy of
Hitler era cannot be ignored. The memory of the genocide cannot be stopped legally, at least it
Holocaust cannot and must not be erased. should not be sensationalized by the media.
The Cossacks in Control
They are in control, the legators of Czarist
barbarism. That is why the dissidents, the
courageous Jews who demanded visas to go to
Israel, the fearless who spoke out in protest
against Communist anti-Semitism, were given
stiff sentences.
It is the Cossack hetman in power at the
Kremlin that has defied public opinion, the con-
demnations of President Carter and European
leaders, during trials on drummed-up charges
against men the Russian hierarchy of au-
thoritarians was determined to prosecute and
persecute in circler to retain the power of domi-
A Collier Paperback
Kortzeris - What Is a Jew?'
Now in Its 40th Printing
Dr. Morris N. Kertzer gained popularity in 1952 with an essay
entitled "What Is a Jew?' which was published by Look Magazine.
Not unlike the situation today, the question of what or who is a Jew
was being posed and the Jew was an enigma to many. He was a puzzle
even to many young Jews. Therefore, that essay was timely,
thought-provoking and was the cause for many disputes.
That it was and remains an informative and fact-providing essay is
evidenced in its many printings when it was reproduced in book form.
It has just been reprinted in its 40th printing by Collier Books. It is the
book's fourth edition, accounting for many revisions and additions.
The present Collier paperback of the Kertzer book calls attention
again to the fact that this essay has been translated into Norwegian,
Chinese, Japanese, German, French, Russian and Portuguese.
Naturally, it received special attention in Jewish ranks and the
intent of addressing the message to Jews makes the Kertzer book a
guide for understanding Jewish traditions, laws and the aims of major
Jewish movements.
The value of the book, in which Rabbi
Kertzer answers more than 100 ques-
tions about Jewish observances and his-
toric traditions and backgrounds, is in-
dicated in the use of his book as a man-
datory textbook in religious classes that
are required for all public school stu-
dents in Portugal.
Of added interest is the fact that in
Russia the Kertzer book has become the
best seller in underground studies con-
ducted by and for Jews.
The fourth edition of the Kertzer book
now issued by Collier as a paperback
has a new chapter on the focusing of
current problems in Russia and the
RABBI KERTZER
matter of wdmn's liberation.
The topics covered in "What Is a Jew'?" are "Jews and the Commun-
ity," "Marriage and the Family," "Religious Law and Ritual," "Cus-
nation over public opinion.
toms and Traditions," "Feasts and Fasts," "Modern Israel," and "Jews
Will the protests bring succor for the suffer-
and Christians."
ers? It is doubtful. The Russian Communist in
Dr. Kertzer has been the spiritual leader of several New York
power is set on teaching a lesson to those who
synagogues and has served as a national director of interreligious
dare speak out against atrocities. This they can
affairs for the American Jewish Committee. In addition to several
not tolerate. Truth becomes intolerable.
earlier books he is also the author of "Tell Me Rabbi" — a collection of
reflections about his experiences as a rabbi — and he has written
What had happened last week may augur ill
articles for a wide variety of publications. In 1956, Dr. Kertzer led the
for the future protester against indecencies, pre-
first delegation of rabbis to the Soviet Union. For his service as the
judices and persecutions. Therefore, public
only
Jewish chaplain on the Anzio beachhead during World War II hp
opinion throughout the world must keep re- - was awarded
a Bronze Star.
asserting itself. It is the only hope that perhaps
Currently Dr. Kertzer is serving as scholar in residence at Bnai
the hetman who emulates the worst in Russian
Yehuda Synagogue in Homewood, Ill., and in January will resume his
pogrom-history will eventually relent.
teaching at Mesa Community College in Mesa, Ariz.