2 Friday, September 29, 1978
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Purely. Commentary
An Urgent Statement of Principles Calling for
Emphasis on Learning About Israel and Zionism
During 5739 . . . America's Protest Role in Kishinev
By Philip
Slornovitz
Emphasis on Learning and Knowledge as Major Message on the New Year
Rosh Hashana has always been an occasion for emphasis in the priorities to be given by
Jewish communities everywhere to study, to learning, to acquisition of knowledge.
Such a message may be more vital than ever at this time. Because Israel is under
pressure, world Jewry's pressures become all the more aggravating. The repetitive barbs
aimed at Israel's leaders often create unfounded suspicions and arouse doubts regarding
the realities of Jewish aspirations in support of Israel.
Special attention must, therefore, be given to an important statement issued by the
National Commission on the Teaching of Zionism and Israel. While the emphasis is on
Israel and the Jewish libertarian movement, it relates to all efforts for the advancement
of Jewish cultural-scriptural projects. The statement of this commission declares:
In its ringing response to the concerted attack on Zionism, Israel and
World Jewry, the Jerusalem conference of Jewish Solidarity (197) af-
firmed the inalienable right of the Jewish people to its unique collective
identity in religion, culture and language and pointed to the Jewish educa-
tion of our young people as the guaranteed basis of Jewish creative con-
tinuity.
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As it concludes the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the establish-
ment of the state of Israel, the American Jewish community must re-affirm
this commitment, and set Jewish education high on its public agenda. The
curriculum of the Jewish school, in the elementary and high school grades,
must be enrichedand strengthened with regard to the study of Zionism and
Israel, as well as the values embodied in Jewish tradition and the Jewish
spiritual heritage.
Zionism was born out of a burning desire to create a normal environment
for Jews in a society of their own, living in the rhythm of their own calendar
and in the ambiance of their own culture. It became an indispensable
instrument, by which American Jewry came to terms with both its
Americanism and its Judaism, remaining loyal to the yearnings and
memories and vast experience of the Jewish people.
The essential constituents of the Zionist program are the unity of the
Jewish people, with its common history and destiny; the centrality of Israel
in Jewish national life; the ingathering of the Jewish people in its historic
homeland; the realization in the state of Israel of the prophetic vision of
social justice and peace; the preservation of the Jewish people through the
fostering of Jewish education; and the protection of Jewish rights
everywhere.
The Land of Israel is an integral part of the living memory of the Jewish•
people, recalling the wisdom of Torah, the creation of a nation, the prophets
and scholars whose words and deeds molded the character of our people.
Indeed, the eternal longing.for the Return has been expressed through the
countless centuries in daily prayer, in a varity of customs, in our religious
. and secular literature. Its meaning lies not only in the re-establishment of
the political entity, but in the restoration of the cultural, religious and
spiritual integrity of the Jewish people through the dynamics of the Zionist
.movement. •
A principal task of Jewish education in the -United States is to convey
information and influence attitudes, so that Jewish students may deal with
both the reality and the history of Israel in a constructive manner, enrich-
ing their lives as Jews. Israel must be understood in a spirit of common
responsibility and mutual pride.
The Jewish school must teach the sacred texts which tie the Jewish
people to the Land of Israel; familiarize its students with the fundamental
similarities between the democratic ideals of the United States and those of
the state of Israel; relate the students to the people of Israel in firm bonds of
kinship, and bring them close to the Jewish communities of the entire
world; encourage them to experience Israel through formal study, volim-
teer service and Aliya; and teach them modern Hebrew as the living lan-
guage of the Jewish people. The Jewish school should also relate to Israel in
its informal activities, such as music, dance, arts and crafts, and audio/
visual presentations.
By enhancing the place of Zionism and Israel in its curriculum, the
Jewish school becomes a truly vital institution in America ; nurturing the
growth of personal authenticity in its students, while insuring the con-
tinuity of the Jewish people and its inspiring heritage. -
Finally, it is a matter of the highest priority for the American Jewish
community to extend to the teacher in the Jewish school the training oppor-
tunity and the status worthy of the central role which the teacher fills in
helping to shape the Jewish future. -
The principles laid forth here can serve as guidelines for action as well as study. In the
process of Israel's striving for a peaceful Middle East where all the nations involved can
live in harmony, there have been misrepresentations and abuses. The great Zionist ideal
has been misrepresented and misinterpreted. There is need for a renewal of respect for
the seekers of justice for the Jew and for those aspiring towards freedom and security in
Eretz Yisrael.
The principles enunciated in the just-quoted statement call for efforts to reach an
understanding of the values proferred by Zionism via world Jewish efforts and Israel.
May the New Year see fulfillment...of these aspirations.
* * *
The Duty to Youth and to their Heritage
This urgent message would be valueless- without an addendum.
There is the major duty to the youth, to the community and to the legacies which must
be perpetuated in the best interests of a vibrant Jewry.
These are historic times. All eyes were temporarily on Camp David. NoW they are on
Israel and world Jewry as well as on Israel's neighbors.
Will the indentifications of Diaspora and Israel, of youth with its elders and the
spiritual and cultural wealth offered to the generations be treated with the respect due an
historic record?
There is need fpr knowledge to inspire understanding of Jewish needs, and to achieve it .
the pledges of priorities for Jewish educational needs must be fully honored.
The Zionist leadership pursues the task of encouraging Zionist and Israeli studies.
These need expanding. There is an urgency in assuring standards on the highest level in
making our schools the centrality of Jewish life.
The Jewish obligations are not limited to the philanthropic. It is the spiritual-cultural--
that spells survival. The negations have been too evident to permit any form of neglect.
Even in communities where the schools are thriving there is the need for retention of
prior interest in them and in their curricula, in the teachers and in the students.
The Zionist-Israel appeal also must be applied to the learning processes of Diaspora
Jewry. Fulfillment of these needs in the year now commencing and the years ahead will
provide the guarantee urgently needed for progressive communal planning.
Echoes of American Human Rights Principles 75 Years After Kishinev Pogrom
(Copyright 1978, JTA, Inc.)
Kishinev is a term reminiscent of terror
and brutality. The name of the Bessara-
bian city is a reminder of one of the most
in human bestialities perpetrated against'
Jews.
On the 75th anniversary of the
brutalities of Kishinev there also are re-
minders of the historic role that was played
by America and Americans in the protests
against the Czarist-encouraged pogroms
now echoing with human-rights declara-
tions against the Communist-oriented dis-
criminations against Jews and dissidents
in Russia. -
Kishinev is now a merememory, steeped
in tragedy, denoting the destruction of
generations of life and achievements of
many Russian Jewish communities. At the
time of the Czar-inspired Kishinev mas-
sacre there were 80,000 Jews in that city's
population of some 115,000. The present
record of their existence there is a sham-
bles of a synagogue, the last of the perhaps
25 or more of 75 years ago. The knowledge
was provided seven years ago when the
Kremlin instigated a trial similar to the
one recently conducted against Jews in
Moscow, on charges similar to the current.
The American protests then, in 1903,
equate with the nationwide protests now
when Jews who are denied visas to emig-
rate to Israel and dissidents who will not
knuckle down to Communist bias dare to
speak their rnifi'ds against tyranny.
It was as a result of the tragedies in Rus-
sia, primarily after the inhumanities in
Kishinev, that the American Jewish
Committee was founded. That's when
Jacob H. Schiff, Cyrus Sulzberger, Julius
Rosenwald, Louis Marshall and many of
their associates came forth with a voice so
strong that mankind was aroused.
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tion Society issued a full-length volume,
fund that was established for Romanian
"The Voice of America on Kishinev," in
Jews. Yet there were some who felt that
not enough was done for them. Jacob H.
which were recorded the hundreds of pro-
test meetings, the many scores of sermons
Schiff had written to him to express indig-
in churches, the innumerable editorials in
nation and on May 30, 1903, Hay wrote to
newspapers throughout the ; land.
Schiff: "I feel precisely as you do in regard
John Hay was a great Chritian who to it, but you are free to express your feel-
ings and I am not."
served as secretary of state under Presi-
It was in this exchange of letters that
dents William McKinley and Theodore
Roosevelt — the great scholar who had
there was evidenced the state of affairs ef-
fected by diplomacy and the caution that
studied Hebrew — then gained a perma-
nent -place in American history as chief often prevents action. A statement had
interpreter of our foreign policy under two
been prepared by Bn'ai Brith for presenta-
administrations.
tion to the Russian Czar protesting the
Hay firstrecorded his name in defense of Kishinev pogrom. John Hay then said:
Jews who were 'oppressed in Romania: "The fact that no civilized government has
yet taken action would bid us to proceed
Then came the Kishinev outrages. Once
with caution."
again he played a historic role in defense
In this statement, we have black-on-
of oppressed Jews.
white proof of recurring eternal caution
The Russian and Romanian questions
which often militates against prevention of
first came to the fore during the administ-
repetitive crimes against humanity — the
ration of President Rutherford B. Hayes.
accursed genocide that is so abhorrent to
John Hay then was acting secretary of
humanity.
state. Oh Oct. 22, 1880, he wrote a note
President Roosevelt did receive an or-
regarding "the expulsion of American citi-
ganized Bnai Brith delegation that pro-
zens from Russian 'cities on no other
tested against the Kishinev pogroms, and
ground than profession of the Hebrew
he told them: "In any way by which benefi-
faith." He continued the role of champion
cial action may be taken, it will be taken to
of religious freedom and on Aug. 11, 1902,
show the sincerity of the historic American
he stated that the United States "is con-
position."
strained to protest against the treatment
to which the Jews of Romania are sub-
But all that ensued,
was, a . pptitipn
.
jected, not alone because it has unim-
which czari:-;in rejected and the Rusian
peachable grounds to remonstrate against
ambassador to the United States, Count
the resultant injury to itself, but in the - Cassini, pouring venom in czarist lan-
name of humanity." Then it was as secret-
guage upon JeWry, thus adding insult to
ary of state that he registered a protest
injury.
against the violation by Romania of the
He did not succeed in securing assur-
Berlin Treaty of 1878 under which Jews
ances from Russia that there would be bet-
were to be accorded protection by Romania.
ter protection for Russian Jews, but he had
interceded, and President Roosevelt, in
John Hay, humanitarian, had earlier
concert with him, expressed horror over
expressed his personal feelings when he
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Is that experience being repeated today
in the Communist language of rejecting
Jewish protests against. indignities? -
The Kishinev agitation against the Jews
started with the murder on Feb. 1, 1903, of
a wealthy young Russian, Michael
Ribalenko. His body was found Feb. 22,
1903, and it developed that he was killed
by a relative who hoped to acquire his for-
tune. But the agitation against the Jews
was pushed with vigor by the notorious
Khrushchevan anti-Semitic newspapers.
The rumor was spread that Jews had used
the murdered man's blood ffor Passover.
The hoary blood libel instigated the April
1903 pogrom that lasted for three days.
The Kishinev outrage affected 2,750
Jewish families, of whom 2.528 reported
damages amounting to 2,332,890 rubles —7
about $1,190,000 in American money at_
the rate of exchange of those years. The
dead numbered 47, while 92 were severely
wounded and 345 were less seriously
wounded .
The protest petitions were signed
some of the nation's most prominent c
zens, including former President Grover
Cleveland.. The voice of America spoke
loudly againSt the discriminations, but the
Russian Czar was too powerful to be
swayed from Khrushchevan's murderous
instigations.
was= itke :Kishinev pogrom' moire' than
any other incident that inspired mass mig-
ration of Russian Jews to the United
States, some to other countries, an impres-
sive number to Palestine. Then Zionism -
became recognized as the great libertarian
movement in the ranks of men and women
who became the leaders in the establish-
ment of new colonies in Eretz Yisrael.
The present experienc,e is akin to that of
1903: Russian Jews are clamoring for exit
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