The Nobel Prize in Literature for the Shtetl Mysticist

Today a Laureate, Tomorrow a Yiddish Writer Again'

By BEN GALLOB

ISAAC B. SINGER

NEW YORK (JTA) — Isaac Bashevis Singer was awarded the 1978
Nobel Prize for Literature last Thursday, the first Yiddish writer to win
this award. The announcement was made in Stockholm. Singer accepted
the $165,000 award modeStly. He rejected questions as to which of his
many novels and short stories were his favorites, declaring that readers,
might have favorites but that he did not.
Born in Radzymin, Poland, near Warsaw, 74 years ago, he came to the
United States in 1935, -convinced that his world was about to go up in
flames, as it did four years later. His first writing in the U.S. was for the
Jewish Daily Forward, now the only Yiddish-language daily in this coun-
try, where his stories continue to appear before they are published
elsewhere.
Outside the world of a circle of Yiddish-reading followers, Singer wrote

Fair Play for
Magen David Adorn
in American
Red Cross
Attitudes

I B. Singer

in obscurity until Saul Bellow translated into English Singer's "Gimpel
the Fool" in 1952. Subsequent translations of his voluminous writings
quickly brought him world fame. His writings have since been translated
into dozens of languages, including Japanese. His writings are best sellers
in Japan.
Son of a rabbi, Singer was a student in a rabbinical seminary in
Warsaw for seven years. He began his literary career as a journalist
for Hebrew and Yiddish publications in Poland. Fundamentally,
Singer describes in his stories the lost world of East European
Jewry. He wrote his first story during his first year of residence in
the United States, "Satan in Goray," published in the Forward. Set
in the 19th Century, the book describes the ravages of the Cossacks
and the mass murders of Jews in Russia.
(Continued on Page 13)

THE JEWISH NEWS

A Weekly Review

Commentary, Page 2

...•'

SUKKOT
GreetinOs

to Jewish
Communities
Everywhere

of Jewish Events

VOL. LXXIV, No. 6 17515 W. Nine Mile, Suite 865, Southfield, Mich. 48075 424-8833 $12.00 Per Year: Thi s Issue 30c Oct 13, 1978

ptimism, P atience'
Mark Peace Conferees

Commencement of peace negotiations in Washington on Thursday was marked
by mixed emotions and sentiments.
An encouraging note came from Cairo, Egyptians believing that an accord can be
reached in a matter of two or three weeks.
From Jerusalem, there were reports of matching confidence but with an air of
caution, urging patience in the anticipation of a friendly agreement between Israel
and Egypt. Caution and patience are the mottoes signaled from Jerusalem to the
people of Israel and their friends.
M the United Nations on Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan
expressed the hope that the negotiations between Israel and Egypt will be
successful. He said that Israel desires that the peace process will expand to
include Syria and Jordan.
In a major foreign policy address to the 33rd session of the General Assembly,
Dayan declared that Jerusaleni "is the one . and only eternal capital of Israel," and
said that the Israeli settlements in Judea, Samaria, and the Gaza Strip "are there
as of right."
"We have not and we shall never have any other capital city, whether or not
others recognize it as such," Dayan said. Noting that Jerusalem is a holy place for
Judaism, Christianity and Islam, he said that the connection of that city for the
Jewish people "is not just religious, but derives from the totality of Jewish national
interest. Jerusalem is the heart and soul of the Jewish people."
He said that Israel wants to live as an equal with the Arab inhabitants of the
West Bank and Gaza. "We want to live with them, not to replace them, but at the
same time we do not regard ourselves as foreigners in these areas. It is inconceiva-
ble to us that Jews should be prohibited from settling and living in Judea and
Samaria which are the heart of our homeland."
The Israeli foreign
minister devoted a large
part of his speech to the
Camp David accords,
He hailed President
Carter's part in helping
Israel and Egypt reach
the agreements and said
that if a peace treaty is
(See story, Page 5)
signed between the two

United Jewish Appeal
Regional Conference
Meeting in Southfield

Boucharian Jew in Jeru-
salem at Succoth

(Photo Dr. Schwarz)

eft ■ I? Tam ;in ti-et
+
(1 drp 5nn)
(Psalms 118, 6)

The Lord is on r iy side; I will not
fear; what can man do unto me?

nytim

Inn,

13'1,7i71
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.

(Continued on Page 6)

x Nordau Tribune of the Zionist Ideal Maxa Nordau: Her
Father's Biographer

By MAXA NORD U

DR.. MAX NORDAU

Fifty years have elapsed since Max Nordau's deat . This is the time to remember the man
who for so long has been put aside in the annals of Zionism, of philosophy, of literature,
except for some occasional light thrown on his wo rk. It may be the usual fate of famous men
that a shadow spreads over them and that th ey suddenly emerge into the spotlight of
actuality when a new generation wishes to be in formed and those who knew him have not all
disappeared.
In his day, Max Nordau was one of the be t known and most representative figures-of his
century. As a writer, a philosopher, a sociol ogist, he fought against all evils. His works were
influential in the whole world. He was a r nowned physician, a great scholar in all realms of
knowledge. When he met Herzl, he. supp rted him at once. It is certainly due to the power of
his voice and pen that the prophet H rzl was listened to .
of them could see the
realization of their dream, but it is pr bably the destiny of great men that they change the
world without being allowed to con mplate its new face.
ontinued on Page 56)

r.

Max Nordau was the philosopher of
the Zionist movement. He was the
chief interpreter of the Jewish libera-
tion movement and was the first to join
Dr. Theodor Herzl in establishing the
modern political Zionist movement
which triumphed in the rebirth of the
state of Israel.
His biography, serialization of
which commences in this issue, was
written by his da tighter, the eminent
artist- Maxa Nordau.
Maxa Nordau is a painter and lec-
MAXA NORDAU
(Continued on Page 56)

,