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JEWISH NEWS IUSPS 275 520)
Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with the issue of July 20, 1951
Member American Association of English-Jewish Newspapers, Michigan Press Association, National Editorial Association
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing Co., 17515 W. Nine Mile, Suite 865, Southfield, Mich. 48075
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CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
Business Manager
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher
ALAN HITSKY
News Editor
HEIDI PRESS
Associate News Editor
DREW LIEBERWITZ
Advertising Manager
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the 20th day of Adar, 5740, the following scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Exodus 30:11-34:35. Numbers 19:1-22. Prophetical portion, Ezekiel 36:16-38.
Candle lighting, Friday, March 7, 6:11 p.m.
VOL. LXXVII, No. 1
Page Four
Friday, March 7, 1980
HEBRON: HISTORIC TRUTHS
Hebron was the capital of the ancient Jewish contrary, it encourages the continuation of
state when King David was the ruler. Under normal day to day life. There can be no doubt
Solomon, Jerusalem became the capital of that the right of Jews to play a part in the future
Judea. The role of Hebron remained historic as every-day life of Hebron is a just reflection of the
Jerusalem's neighbor and in the last century as city's past as a center of religious tolerance and
harmony.
the center for Jewish learning.
"Following the Six-Day War of 1967 and an
During the 1929 riots instigated by the Grand
enforced
absence of 19 years, Jews returned to
Mufti, there was a massacre and yeshiva stu-
Hebron. At first they were permitted by the
dents were massacred by Arabs.
Now the movement instituted by the pious for military government to resettle only the an-
the creation of a revived Jewish community in cient site of Kiryat Arba, close by Hebron.
Hebron has become a means of renewed con- Jewish property within Hebron itself was not
demnations of Israel, the United States, the immediately claimed and remained empty. This
Carter Administration, taking, the lead in the property included five houses abandoned in
attacks on Israeli policies. A N.Y. Times edito- 1929 and until 1967 administered by the Jorda-
rial was among the most critical and is viewed nian custodian of absentee property. In 1967 the
Israeli military government acceeded to control
as a shocking treatment of Israel. ,
Despite these attacks, and perhaps because of of the property.
The current desire to return to Hebron re-
them, it is necessary that the historic facts
about Hebron and the position on the issue of lates to three of these homes, all of which. are
the Israel government should be known. Here is uninhabited and may be put to use without any
disruption of the Arab -population. One of the
an official declaration on the subject:
The government affirms that, in accordance houses had been leased to UNRWA by the Jor-
with its basic policy guidelines, as approved by danians and, although this organization did not
the Knesset, there is no reason why Jews should make full use of the property, its status under
not live in Hebron, or at any other location in local law remains that of a protected tenant. In
the Land of Israel. The sites and timing of habi- conformity with international law, Israel will
tation will be determined by the government. respect this status.
The current negotiations among the gov-
The government will act with a view to
ernments of Israel, Egypt and the United States
strengthening Kiryat Arba.
"The Jewish community of Hebron is a vivid on the issue of autonomy and the establishment
example of the continuity of Jewish habitation of a self-governing authority for the Palestinian
in the Land of Israel. Apart from the short Arabs of Judea and Samaria are part of an ongo-
periods following the expulsion of the Romans ing process aimed at the settlement of all issues
and the Crusaders, Jews lived continuously in arising from the wars which the Arab states
the city for many centuries until the massacre of have waged against Israel. Their success cannot
the community in 1929 at the hands of an Arab be ensured by a unilateral imposition on one of
the parties of the forfeiture of all its rights prior
mob.
"Since the Days of the Patriarchs Hebron has to agreement and without any sign of conces-
been a city of refuge and understanding among sions by the other parties to the negotiations.
the different faiths who shared its holy sites. The future of Hebron must be sought in the
Only in the 20th Century did rising Arab in- lessons of its past -- a city whose origins go back
to the common founder of all three monotheistic
tolerance put an end to this tradition.
"In 1948, any possibility of further habitation faiths, Abraham.
"Israel believes that any kind of future ar-
was temporarily brought to an end with the
conquest of Judea and its subsequent annexa- rangement in Judea and Samaria can and must
tion in 1950 to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jor- equally involve Jews and Arabs living together
dan. The entire region of Judea and Samaria side by side in peaceful coexistence."
While the Hebron matter could well be judged
then became "Judenrein" and any Jewish
as
part of the entire settlement issue, it now
presence was forbidden. Jewish property was
taken over by local Arabs, and some was placed assumes an especially vital role in the disputes.
under the guardianship of the Jordanian custo- Perhaps it can lead to a settlement of the set-
tlements problems. There is no doubt that ex-
dian of absentee property.
The right of Jews to return to their property tremism has been damaging, that the Gush
in Hebron, and indeed in the entire region of Emunim forces and their supporters, in Israel
Judea and Samaria, is based on the following and in this country, have blundered as much as
they could possibly have prospered.
considerations:
Yet there are the realistic angles, the facts
"This area was an integral portion of the one-
time British Mandate over Palestine in which that justify the right of Jews to settle where
Jews had full rights of settlement, and, until they can peacefully establish a link with the
1947 owned considerable tracts of property. The past.
The Israel government statement demands
entire area of Palestine was designated as a
national home for the Jewish people and the serious consideration of its position. The atti-
illegal annexation of Judea and Samaria by the tude of Menahem Begin has been debatable. It
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan cannot negate has certainly been disputable. The factual,
nevertheless, cannot be relegated to an oblivion
that right.
"International law does not prevent persons at a time when disputes over Jewish rights to
wishing to return to their property to do so, nor links with the past are labeled a part of a
does it prevent the settlement of government claimed intransigence. The issue calls for ra-
land or property which does not involve the dis- tional, fairly judged approaches. An official
placement of an existing population. On the government statement cannot be ignored.
`Myths and Facts 1980'
Refutes Lies About Israel
"Myths and Facts" has become the most vital collection of data
refuting the Arab and anti-Semitic lies and providing data for the
protection of the state of Israel.
Collected and edited by the staff of Near East Report, the weekly
periodical of the America Israel Public Affairs Committee, which
serves as a guideline for all who seek the truth about the Middle East,
the volume is an annual product of highly-qualified researchers into
the state of affairs in the Middle East.
"Myths and Facts 1980" brings the record up to date. It includes
the basic facts about the latest occurrences, touches extensively on
the Israel-Egyptian peace accord, traces the crises in the countries
surrounding Israel.
It deals with the refugee problem and answers the misleading
statements that are current about Jerusalem and toile settlements.
Members of Congress, the White House, the State Department
and many related agencies look to the America Israel Public Affairs
Committee, AIPAC, the Near East Report and the annual containing
"Myths and Facts" as aids for clarification of the many issues that
often confuse thinking about the Middle East, Arabs, Israel and the
Jewish communities' interests in Israel's security. It is vital that the
facts provided by authorities on the subject should not be ignored.
"Myths and Facts 1980" provides the necessary information on the
most vital issues relating to U.S. foreign affairs vis-a-vis Israel.
Therefore it is urgent that Jews as individuals and communities and
non-Jews concerned with the issues should have the scrutinizing
volume as a guide to thinking and actions.
Alan M. Tigay edited the newest of the "Myths and Facts" vol-
umes and the AIPAC staff who assisted him included Aaron Rosen-
baum, former Detroiter, and Morris J. Amitay, Ira Forman, Lori S.
Bierman, Amy Levinson, Marla Lerner, Fran Woolf, Minette Perler
and Lisa C. Schneider.
' The bulk of the writing for the present volume was shared by
Leonard J. Davis.
It should be noted that since these volumes began to appear, more
than 700,000 copies have been sold. This is a good indication of the
existence of a concerned constituency that wishes to refute lies and to
assist in spreading the truth.
The very beginning of the "Myths and Facts" is a chapter, "T,
Right to Exist." This points to the root of the matter related to the
AIPAC and Near East Report product. It should be advocated as
widely as possible, in all areas, Jewish and non-Jewish, as a must in
guiding the community away from submission to untruths abo -- '
Jews and Israel.
Luzzatto
Traditionalist
Samuel David Luzzatto (1800-1865), one of the most noted tradi-
tionalists and Hebraic scholars, is the subject of an important biog-
raphical study by Rabbi Morris B. Margolies of Kansas City.
Published under the title "Samuel David Luzzatto — Tradi-
tionalist Scholar" (Ktav), this biography provides a profile of the
great scholar and also links with it the cultural factors of 19th Cen-
tury Jewish cultural achievements. Because the scholarship of that
era was inspired by Rabbi Luzzatto, the biography by Rabbi Mar-
golies assumes special significance.
Rabbi Morgolies shows how the inspiration of the Luzzatto crea-
tive works in literature, in poetry, as a leader in the science of
Judaism Movement, gave inspiration to such noted scholars as Ab-
raham Geiger, Leopold Zunz, Meir Halevi Letteris and others.