2 Friday, December 22, 1918 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Purely Commentary In the Process of Remembering Incidents of Mass Resistance to Tyranny, the Great Tragedy of York, the Most Cruelly Anti-Semitic in British History, Must Not Be Forgotten By Philip Slomovitz A Repetitive Masada Incident Now Atoned for in York, Where 150 Jews Were Suicides Rather Than Submit to Torture There is no disputing the fact that suicide is preferable to torture and slavery, as the Jewish martyrs preferred on the mount of Masada. There was another such incident, in York, England, where, in 1190, 150 Jews ended their lives rather than submit to torture. There were brief references to the tribute to the martyrs in what was described as the most brutal occurrence in British history. The deranged cultists' mass murder-suicide in Guyana revived interest in Masada. Why didn't the story give its due attention to the York Massacre? Brief items were published referring to the erection of a monument in tribute tothe victims of the horrible outburst of anti-Semitism nearly 800 years ago. Let the story be told in as much completeness as possible. In its issue of Oct. 31, 1978, the London Times carried this story by Philip Howard: Nearly eight centuries after the most savage act of persecution of Jews in English history, the victims are to be officially commemorated. Though it is no consolation to their shades, it puts the record straight. On the night of Friday, March 16, 1190, about 150 Jews and Jewesses of York, having taken refuge from a. ravening mob in the royal castle, chose to die at each other's hands rather than renounce their faith. This afternoon a commemorative tablet for them is being unveiled by the Chief Rabbi and the Archbishop of York at Clifford's Tower, the site of the ancient heroism, mass suicide, and massacre. It has been erected in cooperation with the Ancient Monuments Division of the Department of the Environment with money subscribed through the Jewish Historical Society of England. A Hebrew quotation from Isaiah inscribed on the tablet means "they ascribe glory to the Lord and his praise in the isles." In medieval Hebrew usage the name for England was "the Island"; and this verse is quoted in one of the contemporary Hebrew elegies on the tragedy. Until the coronation of Richard the Lion-Heart the Jews settled in London and the main provincial towns of England had been spared the atrocities already suffered by their compatriots on the mainland of Europe. But Richard's depar- ture for the Holy Land stirred up ugly crusading fervor. A series of anti-Jewish riots broke out and attempted to exterminate the urban Jewries by arson. The only possible sanctuary for the Jews was in the local royal castle. The catas- trophe at Clifford's Tower at York was partly the consequence of the collapse of In Spirit of Fairness — The Israel Position Once again — it happens so often! — Israel is portrayed as the villain. The scapegoat becomes the offender and malefactor in the latest developments involving the failure in attaining Dec. 17, 1978, as the target date for peace between Israel and Egypt. With the negations implanted on the Camp David de- cisions, on the treaty which was assumed to be a fact after the historic meetings that followed Camp David at Blair House, there have developed attitudes involving President Jimmy Carter, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israel Prime Minister Menahem Begin out of which have emerged compliments and accusations; praise for Sadat, innuendo for Begin, with President Carter the judge who has cast both praise and blame on the two leaders in the search for peace. In fairness to Israel, portrayed as the "culprit," it is important that the Israeli position should be judged fairly. Therefore both the Israel and American Jewish positions in the matter should be viewed with respect. At the outset, it is vital that the Israeli communique should not be ignored. Menahem Begin and his cabinet issued this communique about the latest developments: 1. The government of Israel is prepared to sign without delay the draft peace treaty between Egypt and Israel, including the annexes as formulated on Nov. 11, 1978, with the approval of the United States Government. Full responsibility for the fact that the peace treaty has not been signed rests entirely with the Egyptian government. 2. During this week we have received through the Secretary of State of the United States new demands from Egypt, namely: A. Making the exchange of ambassadors condi- tional upon the implementation of the autonomy, at least in the Gaza district. B. A basic change in Article IV of the peace treaty with the intent to bring about a review of the security arrangements in Sinai after five years. C. An addition of an interpretive note for Article VI, which negates its contents. D. Inclusion of a date, called target date, for the implementation of the autonomy in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza district. 3. These demands are inconsistent with the Camp David framework or are not included in it and change substantially provisions of the aforementioned peace treaty. Therefore, they are unacceptable to Israel and rejected by it. A. The government of Israel rejects the attitude and interpretation of the U.S. government with re- gard to the Egyptian proposal. 5. The letter concerning the autonomy arrange- ment can be clarified and reformulated. A measure of partisanship is in evidence in the Ameri- can role in the peace negotiations. Praise for Sadat, rebukes by innuendo for Begin do not create good will. The double standard practiced by American leadership does not con- tribute to good will. . confidence between Jews and the royal constable. But at York there was also, a conspiracy by nobles determined to liquidate their debts to Jews by force. This explains their concern (recorded in the chronicles) to destroy the contents of the arca, in which deeds of indebtedness were kept. Richard Malebisse, member of a prominent Yorkshire baronial family which gave its name to the village of Acaster Malbis, four miles south of York, was up to his ears in debt to the Jews, and was the leader of the plot. Contemporary witnesses, both Jewish and Christian, saw the massacre as a unique and terrible tragedy. William of Newburgh wrote: "Many of our men were horrified at the madness of the dead and pitied the survivors. But the leaders of the conspiracy were moved by no pity. The execrable cruelty of those butchers is without excuse." Roger of Howden wrote that, as the mob was about to break in with scaling- ladders, a Jewish expert in the law rose up and said: "0 men of Israel, listen to my counsel. It is better that we should kill each other by our own hands than that we should fall into the hands of the enemies of our law." Not surprisingly the York horror reverberated around Europe. Two dirges on the tragedy survive. Joseph of Chartres wrote: "Fie upon thee, 0 king of the (English) Isles. On thy skirts is blood, the souls of innocent men." No other incident in medieval Jewish history excited such a stream of comment from both contemporary Christians and Jews. Today's ceremony cannot undo the ancient calamity. It can only record it. But at least Christians and Jews, government and other officials are unifying to honor the very brave men, women and children who died in a black incident on the English record. A score of books has been published about Masada and the courage of 960 Jews who took their own lives rather than suffer torture or slavery. Many elegies have been written about the York outrage. This is another chapter in Jewish history that merits complete coverage. It should serve as the title for many a doctoral essay. What a pity that insaned cultists, about whom millions of words are not being pub- lished in the American press, should serve as an inspirer of interest in the mass suicide for dignity and rejection of torture in 1190! This is a story not to be forgotten. Let it be recorded as an important chapter in the story of the Jewish martyrology. No wonder, therefore, that a unanimous outcry was inspired by the latest Carter attitude. Joining in criticism of the latest American position are heads of major Jewish movements: Theodore Mann, chairman, Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations; How- ard N. Squadron, president, American Jewish Congress; Albert D. Chernin, executive vice president, National Jewish Community Relations Advisory Council; Rabbi Alexander M. Schindler, president, Union of American He- brew Congregations; Rabbi Sol I. Teplitz, president, Synagogue Council of America; Maxwell E. Greenberg, national chairman, Anti-Defamation League of Bnai Brith; Ivan J. Novick, president, Zionist Organization of America; Dr. Joseph Sternstein, president, American Zionist Feder- ation; and many others. It is the voice of American Jewry that takes issue with a failure to attain evenness in dealing with Israel and Egypt. This is a situation demanding speedy correction, and it is hoped that it will come soon. Communal Good Wishes to a Great Hazzan Cantor Jacob Barkin's leadership in Hazzanut is one of the markedly notable achievements in American congre- gational as well as in communal ranks. A recognized authority on the music of the synagogue, a musicologist whose knowledge places him in top ranks of Jewish scholarship, he has earned the admiration of his colleagues, the appreciation of the tens of thousands who had the privilege of his guidance in synagogue worship and the equally large number who enjoyed his concerts. He is a great hazzan and his departure from this com- munity leaves a void difficult to fill. He carries with him to his new home in Florida, as he retires from his post as Shaarey Zedek cantor, deep affection from an appreciative community. Hanuka in Israel Has a Special Flavor By SHMUEL HIMELSTEIN raeli parliament, the Knes- set, adjourns at candle- World Zionist Organization lighting time to the Knesset JERUSALEM — Living restaurant so that all the in Jerusalem means know- parliamentarians and their ing that Hanuka is here. It aides might do the candle- means driving down the lighting together, and then road at night and having join in a communal singing the children compete to see_ of the traditional Hanuka two can count more song "Ma'oz Tzur." Hanuka candlesticks—and Hanuka in Israel knowing in advance that on means that all public the short trip from one sub- buildings and many of urb to the next, a distance of the stores erect their own less than two miles, the candelabra for Hanuka, children's tally will go into and conscientiously keep the hundreds. the tally each night. It Living in Jerusalem and means that on top of the in Israel means watching ultra-modern Knesset the candle-lighting on tele- building a huge Hanuka vision each night of Hanuka menora (or "Hanukiah" from a different place in the as it is called in Israel) is country. On the first night, kept lit nightly during the for example, we got a live festival, to commemorate telecast from Ben-Gurion an event that happened Airport where a young boy over 2,000 years ago. who had just arrived from Candles are lit nightly on Russia lit the candles. His top of Massada, that last re- father had taught him He- treat against the Roman brew. We also were treated forces. On Massada, how- to candle-lighting by the ever, the candelabrum is Hadassah Medical Center unique. To commemorate and even by an American the forces of the Jewish (or rather former American) people who have fought for basketball player of the freedom throughout the European cup holders, Mac- years, metal soldiers' hel- cabi Tel Aviv. mets are used, each contain- Living in Jerusalem ing its own separate flame. means hearing that the Is- Hanuka is the festival of the miracle of the oil. Whereas the Maccabees found only enough oil for one day for the holy menora in the Temple, we are told that a miracle occured and the oil lasted for eight days. As a result of the miracle of the oil, Israel becomes a die- ter's nightmare during the Hanuka season. Whereas the Jews who hail from Europe have gen- erally celebrated with potato "latkes" or pancakes, the Jews from Oriental lands have normally been accustomed to eating doughnuts, and especially jelly doughnuts to celeb- rate. Whereas 11 months of the year one cannot-find a doughnut for love, money, or dunking, during the month of Hanuka there isn't a store that doesn't sell them. Of course, Hanuka is also the time for all the little gamblers to come to the fore, with their "svivonim" or Hanuka tops. Unfortunately for our children, who brought all their "svivonim" with them from the United States, these were all doomed to instant obsolescence in the While Israel. "svivonim" sold in the Diaspora all contain the Hebrew letters Noon, Gimmel, Hay, Shin, re- presenting the Hebrew sentence "Nes Gadol Haya Sham" (a great miracle happened there — in Israel), all the local ones have the letter Pe as the final letter, to repre- sent "Nes Gadol Haya Po" (a great miracle hap- pened here). In Israel school vacations follow the Hebrew calendar. That means that students throughout Israel are off for a full week at Hanuka, not at Christmas, unless the holidays coincide as they do this year. Only in Israel is this the time of the year that every radio announcer, every TV commentator and every newscast begins with the wish to us, and to all of Is- rael: "Hag Sameakh," that we may all have a joyful holiday. Living in Israel, where the story of Hanuka was enacted 2,000 years ago, gives special meaning and emphasis to the celebration of freedom.