[ 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 DREW LIEBERWITZ Advertising Manager Associate News Editor Sabbath Scriptural Selections This Sabbath, the 14th day of TC117217111Z, 5740, the following-scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues: Pentateuchal portion, Numbers 22:2-25:9. Prophetical portion, Mica!? 5:6-6:8. • Tuesday, Fast of 17th of Tammuz Pentateuchal portion, Exodux 32:11-14, 34:1-10. Prophetical portion, (afternoon only) Isaiah 55:6-56:8. Candlelighting, Friday, June 27, 8:54 p.m. VOL. LXXVII, No. 17 Page Four Friday, June 27, 1980 THE INTERNATIONAL SHAMS An international scene filled with venom is developing massive hatred directed at Is- rael. The United Nations, its General Assembly as well as the Seciirity Council, are media for attacks that threaten the very existence of Is- rael. The former is powerless to act, the latter is stymied in its ganging up on Israel because Is- rael has one friend there — the United States. It is fortunate for Israel that the veto operates in the Security Council. But the combined forces of Israel's an- tagonists, especially those motivated by the craving for more oil from Arab refineries, are attempting to do the job of harming the Jewish state. How can they best achieve it? By making Menahem Begin the scapegoat and calling him names. But the Israel prime minister does not quiver in the face of calamitous threats. He speaks out, as he did as follows on the latest UN Security Council resolution: "Security Council Resolution 471, which the council 'adopted with the abstention of the United States, is one of the seasonal assaults on truth, morality, integrity — and on the Security Council itself. That institution did not convene, did not deliberate nor did it ever adopt a resolu- tion of condemnation after the atrocities at Munich, Athens, Rome, Brussels, Khartoum, Zurich, Lydda, Avivim, Maalot, The Coastal Road, Nahariya, Misgav Am, Hebron. The Security Council was in no way needed for the condemnation of the horrible crimes per- petrated on Monday, June 2, 1980, in towns in Judea and Samaria, or to ensure a most inten- sive investigation and the bringing to justice of the perpetrators of those crimes once they are- discovered and apprehended as prescribed by law. This was done 72 hours earlier by the authorized spokesmen of the state of Isarel. But `the opportunity' was seized upon to demand of Israel that it withdraw, contrary to Resolution 242 and the Camp David Agreements to the lines of June 4, 1967, and that it consent to the re-partition of Jerusalem, Israel's capital. It is our duty to make clear, simply that Israel will never do so." Prime Minister Begin was equally emphatic in branding the European Economic Commu- nity's embracing of the PLO as another Munich document. How else is one to judge such endorsements of the aims to annihilate Israel? How can Jewish pacifists, in their devotion to a cause for peace, overlook the realism of the Begin approach to the tragic events that affect Israel and her people? , John P. Roche summarized the situation properly,- in a recent commentary, when he pointed to the viciousness with which an unfor- tunate maiming of Arab mayors was treated as an 'Israel government crime, Israel having con- demned such terrorist acts two days before the UN SecUrity Council even touched upon the issue. That's how the international community treats matters involving Israel. Great issues that could lead to peace are ignored, minor occurrences that can be used for condemnation of Israel are inflated. Fortunately, when the ,challenge is properly treated, Israel's friends come to her rescue. Con-. trary to judgments that there is an erosion of support for Israel, the U.S. Senate voted 85 to 7 to continue defeating a damaging amendment by retiring Sen. Adlai Stevenson, Jr. It is the friendship that is recorded in such actions which offers cause for gratitude for the friendship which Israel enjoys with the United States. It is the continuation of such a coopera- tive partnership that all friends of Israel must continue to strive for. DIPLOMATIC BLINI3NES S A king who has always been in danger from his own co-religionists and whose only protec- tion was the Israeli neighbor against whom he emits hatred came to the United States. In a sense he abused his host and has gotten away with 100 tanks which could be weapons in threats to Israel. , What is happening to the diplomatic common sense which has often practiced caution when requests for arms meant increased menacing of , Israel, but now evidences submission to de- mands from Israel's antagonists? While Israel seeks peace and beckons to the Jordanian king to join in talks for an accord on the Middle East, the king comes here with re- newed threats. Why wouldn't he arrogate unto himself the power to challenge his American friend? Why shouldn't he threaten that if he doesn't get American tanks he'll apply for them to Russia? That's how blackmail operates, when Saudi Arabia can get the planes it asks for, even if they can menace the very existence of Israel in a matter of minutes in a planned attack. Diplomacy is becoming an oily word. With . blackmail, when the need for oil dominates the actions of world powers, there is much submis- sion. Coming from Americans who are yielding to blackmail, what hope is there for an im7 mediate approach to fair play from this great land of the free and the brave? BRODHEAD'S WARNING Serious damage to truth and common decency appears to be plotted for consideration in anti- Israel resolutions planned for proposal at the United Nations Mid-Decade Conference on Women to be held in Copenhagen. Congressman William Brodhead's protest addressed to Secretary of State Edmund Muskie strikes at the root of the impending dangers. It is fortunate that a responsible member of Congress joins in calling attention to the preju- dicial sentiments and the American Jewish community's actions will, hopefully, receive cooperation from non-Jews as well in coun- teracting bigotry planned for global action. Kaniel's `Judaism' Portrays Art as Vital Factor for Jewry Art serves well as emphasis on the importance of religious as- pects in life. In the Jewish sphere, art does even more. It introduces historical values and therefore adds to the study of many eras in Jewish history. It helps in the glorification of the home. Art is defi- nitely a major cultural factor, especially for Jews. • "Judaism" by Michael Kaniel (Sterling Publishing Co.), pub- lished as part of the Sterling series on The Art of World Religions," beautifully illustrates the development of Jewish art as it reflects on Jewish customs. Kaniel, who is the editor of Jewish Art Magazine and is an authority on art, commences his discussion of the subject by introducl ing the generally accepted view that the Second Commandment "ex- pressly excluded any kind of art of sculpture among the Jews." In Els lengthy analysis of the disputations on the subject, he refutes the rejection of art and points out that as long as there is no submission to idolatry, art is glorified in Jewish tradition, and states: "4udaism even requires a special benediction to be pronounced upon beholding beauty — when seeing handsome people, a beautiful tree or animal, the first blossoms of spring etc. So importantls this aesthetic concept that it is considered the first of the seven rabbinic ordinances which are added to the 613 mitzvot, the biblically- ordained commands which are binding upon the Jew. Aesthetics thus became a vital consideration expressed in the appellation hiddur mitzva, the embellishment or the beautification of the command. The significance of art in the life of the Jew is dramatically emphasised by the stipulation that one is obliged to spend up to one-third more than the normal cost in the purchase of ceremonial objects in order to fulfill the mitzva in a proper aesthetic manner . . ." "We see, - then, that there is no fundamental tension between Judaism and art. Micsconceptions about Jewish hostility to art origi- nated either from a basic misunderstanding of the Second Com- mandment or from a disregard of its main meaning which clearly links the prohibition against artistic creation with idol worship. They may also have originated from ignorance of talmudic and other Jewish traditional interpretations of the prohibition, together with a lack of awareness of material evidence which indiCates a rich f tion of Jewish creative activity. The biblical restraints were cessful in inhibiting, to some extent, free artistic creativity a Jews, lest it lead to direct or indirect worship of the creation of h hands; and the biblical tenets guided the development of Jewish a an ethical direction. However, Judaism does not oppose visual or representational art, which was found even in ancient Jewish houses of worship. Artistic activity was encouraged, provided that it did not lead to idolatry or impair the unsullied belief in a non-corporeal Creator. The artistic embellishment of Jewish ceremonial art was especially encouraged." With 32 pages of color photographs and 100 photos in black and white, "Judaism" emphasises all aspects of Jewish art and traces it from the earliest times. Examining architecture of early synagogues, it contains the reproductions dearly paintings, of Byzantine art, the Dura Europa Synagogue. Masterpieces of ceremonial art, artifacts used in Jewish homes, kidush cups, Torah covers, holiday and Sabbath art objects and illuminated manuscripts of medieval times, Hanuka lamps and other objects are on display to indicate the great values of art as significant factors in Jewish life.