THE JEWISH NEWS (USPS 275-5201 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 Postmaster: Send address changes to The Jewish News, 17515 W. Nine Mile, Suite 865, Southfield, Mich. 48075 Second-Class Postage Paid at Southfield, Michigan and Additional Mailing Offices. Subscription $15 a year. PHILIP SLOMOVITZ Editor and Publisher ALAN HITSKY News Editor CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ Business Manager HEIDI PRESS Associate News Editor DREW LIEBERWITZ Advertising Manager Sabbath Scriptural Selections This Sabbath, the 30th day of Sivan, 5740, is the first day of Rosh Hodesh Tammuz, and the following scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues: Pentateuchal portion, Numbers 16:1-18:32, 28:9-15. Prophetical portion, Isaiah 66:1-24, I Samuel 20:18-42. Sunday, second day, Rosh Hodesh Tammuz, Numbers 28:9-15. Candle lighting, Friday, June 13, 8:50 p.m. VOL. LXXVII, No. 15 Page Four Friday, June 13, 1980 THE 'PRESSURE THREATS' Swivel chair philosophers and political analysts are pursuing an analytical course in the process of speculating on the aftermath of the approaching Presidential election. Con- stant reference is made to the American policies vis-a-vis Israel and almost without exception there is repetition of an augury that there will be a lull in commitments to Israel in the coming five months. But commencing with mid- November — so goes the warning — Jimmy Carter, if re-elected, will be tough. They say, these prognosticators, that is when "pressure" will commence. It is almost like saying: If the President is re-elected he'll "take care of Israel." Some go so far as to say he'll "react" to the Jews. The assumption nestling in these specula- tions is that the Jewish vote"_— now it is taken for granted — will be rebukable to the President, especially after the shocking March 1 experience at the UN Security Council. In the course of juggling with these theories, the speculative analysts overlook one impor- tant fact. Jews, like other citizens, do not always vote for or against a party or its platforms. The party platforms do not mean anything much anyway. Yet there are the social and economic conditions that also play their roles in choosing a President, and in judging the candidates the voter is concerned with the economic conditions, with attitudes towards educational and cultural needs, with the problems of the elderly; and there is never the foretelling whether a race issue might become a factor in choosing a President. Of major concern, however, to those con- cerned with Israel's plight — and the term "plight" is used understandably — are those affected by threats, present and future. Is there a real danger of pressures to be so serious, after the November election, as to cause genuine concerns over Israel's security? Realism should teach the electorate, the vot- ers of all faiths and races, that the very em- phasis now being given the Middle East prob- lemg, the predictions of political dangers in preparation for Israel, almost obviate the fears themselves. The fact is that the very discussions about them indicate that the pressures already exist, that dangers are not in the making but in the continuity. Editorials in many newspapers which seek emphasis on Israeli obligations are packed full of pressures. They keep pointing accusatory fingers at Israel, implying that there is only one villain, the Israeli ,who wants settlements and would not grant equality and the right of au- tonomy to the Arabs. What could better as a mandate to any President to resort to to pressure than such a pol- lution of sentiments which fail to take into ac- count a total refusal by Arabs to welcome Israel as a neighbor? Only the. demands made upon Israel seem to count. The "enemy" has a free road to attack and threaten. Only Israel is por- trayed as the intransigent. Doesn't this prepare the road for any adminis- tration to be tough on Israel? Therefore, the defender of Israel does not wait for a new administration, or for the lame duck if he remains in power to be "tough." The obligation for those seeking justice is clear. There must be a demand for an American policy that will not be repeated in blunders like that of March 1. There must be an American policy of fair play, and that must be instituted, if it does not exist, NOW. Else all candidates will be under suspicion. All candidates, those who will run and the also-rans who are now off the ballots, committed themselves to defense of Israel. Let there be a formulation of policies that will obviate fears and suspicions. Let there be an avoidance of betrayals of trust. Else it will be the good name of America that will be stained in the process. INTOLERABLE TERRORISM Israel had reason to be proud of having avoided resort to the type of barbarism which had motivated her enemies' resort to bes- tialities. Now an element in Israel that approves of what had occurred in Hebron two weeks ago is responsible for having sullied a noble record. Acts of terror call for punishment. 'When Is- rael's armed forces sought to destroy enemy camps whence stemmed the terrorism that took the lives of children and aged people, it was a natural act of warfare. To resort to bomb- planting in one's own midst, even if directed at enemies who preach hatred for Israel and Jews, took on the form of inciting to a reign of terror that is difficult to terminate. Until the tragic occurrence, apparently in- cited by fanatics, Israelis debated with the enemy mayprs, sought their cooperation in granting self-rule to the Arabs, gave them citi- zenship privileges when these were acceptable. It is to the credit of the Israeli authorities that they did not, would not, encourage the type of retaliation that maims Arab officials and trans- forms the legless into even more violent advo- cates of destruction for the Jewish state. Jewish public opinion, like th a . t in Israel, was outraged. There is cause for comfort in the knowledge that what had occurred is not official policy because it could be Jewish policy. It was not the way of fighting for the right to live. There will remain an adherence to the truly ethical Jewish codes that brand terrorism as intolerable. PUBLIC OPINION It is evident from Andrei Gromyko's reply to intercession in support of Raoul Wallenberg that the USSR adheres to a policy of ignoring world public opinion demanding the release from prison of the great war hero whose labors rescued many thousands of Jews from Nazi camps. This is how public opinion is not only ignored but is also damned. Therefore the worldwide actions demanding succor for the heroic Raoul Wallenberg must- continue unhindered. Israel, Festivals, Humanities Covered in 3 Rabbis' Books Sermon is defined in the Random House Dictionary as "a dis- course for the purpose of religious instruction or exhortation, espe- cially one based on a text of Scripture . . . Any serious speech or exhortation, especially on a moral issue as in personal conduct or patriotic duty . ." This provides a generalized explanation for ministers of all faiths. The Jewish sermon almost always has the additional historic value with the rabbi as a person who does research and links past with present, emphasizing the legacies and dealing with the lessons that affect congregations in an era of changing values. Rabbis often publish their sermons. Their congregations fre- quently encourage the spiritual leaders to collect their best pulpit addresses, and to incorporate them into books. Three such works have been issued simultaneously by Ktay. They provide evidence of the universality of interest pursued by rabbis, of the vast variety of themes which mark the Sabbath and holiday discourses and the all-embracing interests with appeals primarily for the Jewish congregants and with many appeals for adherents to all faiths. The three just-published collections of sermons and essays by rabbis emphasize these appeals to public interests. "A Piece of My Mind," by Rabbi Stanley M. Wagner of the Denver Beth Hamidrash Hagadol, includes letters, epistles and mis- sives, study guides for ruminations and rabbinic reflections. Of special interest in these collected sermons and addresses and the additional personal expressions, is the foreword by Philip Klutznick, currently the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. Klutznick utilizes his commendation of Dr. Wagner to refer to Denver as "a substantial Jewish community which influences the surrounding small pocket of Jews who are an important contributing force to our strength today and form hopes for tomorrow in the American Jewish community." Ordained by Yeshiva University, Dr. Wagner holds five other degrees from his alma mater, including a doctorate in history. The Gift of Life" by Dr. Samuel Chiel contains sermons on how to deal with campus problems as well as home problems and com- ments on books that have attracted wide interest. Especially noteworthy is his essay on the Adolf Eichmann trial and the Nazi's defense on the ground that he followed orders. Entitl , "I Followed Orders," Dr. Chiel emphasizes that "our tradition insi that society will only survive if there are enough of its citizens whc refuse to abdicate their minds and their consciences, who will be a' to disobey orders which are destructive of human life, regardless _ their source; who will recognize that above all human authority there is a God in the world who demands justice, dignity and compassion for each one of his children." Dr. Chiel was ordained by Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. "From Heart to Heart" is the collection of sermons and essays by Dr. Hillel E. Silverman, who also was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary, having also graduated from Yale and Hebrew University. Dr. Silverman gives emphasis to the Jewish festivals, to Israel and her accumulating problems, to history and traditions. The synagogues and the people who comprise communities re- ceive special consideration in Dr. Silverman's analyses of eras and events, of those who influence life and the Jewish aspects in human experience.