y, September 19, 1980 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS iurely Commentary Israel's Historic Right to Jerusalem• Defies the Many Critical Approaches . . . Tribute to A Saintly Christian Defender of Israel . . . The Many Predominating Negatives By Philip Slomovitz Yom Kippur: The Message of Totality in Humanism Yom Kippur's message to mankind is a source of pride in Jewish tradition. The holiest day on the Jewish calendar is an acclaim of the totality of the humanism in the highest levels of mankind's experience. In an explanatory note about Yom Kippur, Dr. Irving Greenberg, who heads the National Jewish Conference Center, offers a definition of the supreme humanism of this holy day: Yom HaKippurim is liberation day. In the jubilee year, the sounding of the shofar at day's end "proclaimed liberty throughout the land for all its inhabitants" (Leviticus 25:10). Slaves went free and land was restored to its original owners, the families of Israel. Similarly, every year the Day of Atonement brings freedom — from the crushing isolation of guilt. "For on this day, He atones for you, to purify you; you will be purified from all your sins, before God" (Leviticus 16:30). Yom Kippur does more than lift the burden of evil. Forgiveness alone The Facts About Jerusalem's Status as Israel's Legitimate Capital: Criticism and Reality Jerusalem as an issue in American and world affairs, the near-unanimous world alliance against Israel on the subject, the hesitancy of the United States to act in fullest accord with Israel, these and many other factors combine to keep the issue alive and to make it one of the most serious affecting the peace in the Middle East. Therefore, all that can be gathered to define Israel's role must be presented to the media, to the Jewish commu- nity, to the world. Arnold Forster, general counsel of the Anti- Defamation League of Bnai Brith, is critical of Israel. He states his criticisms in a letter published in the New York Times. But he also presents the basic facts defining Israel's just right to calling the Holy City its capital. His letter: Now that the Egyptian-Israeli peace talks are once again resuming, it is worthwhile to examine what caused the most recent interruption. Prime Minister Begin sometimes takes actions regarded as unnecessary, controversial and ir- ritating. It was upsetting to many people and counterproductive for him to allow a bill to reach the floor of Israel's Parliament that declares that all Jerusalem, is, as a matter of law, the capital of Israel; it has been so in fact since 1967. And for Mr. Begin now to announce the long-planned removal of his offices from West to East Jerusalem seems to be thumbing his nose at the world. The world reacted in the expected fashion — angry, critical, vengeful. But who is to blame for the present conflict over Jerusalem? For a very long time, the Arabs have waged an intensive international campaign challenging Is- raeli sovereignty over Jerusalem. An array of UN resolutions have been spread on the record, thanks to the pro-Arab clique that controls the UN, admonishing Israel for trespassing on what Israel regards as its own most sacred city. Typically, last March the Security Council adopted a resolution requiring the dismantling of Israeli settlements, including Jerusalem. And the Arab League met just before the present donnyb- rook and threatened to crush Israel unless it sur- rendered the Holy City and the West Bank. Unfor- tunately, our own government long ago joined this Arab effort with respect to Jerusalem. At Camp David two years ago, President Carter told Mr. Begin that the U.S. did not recognize Is- rael's claim to East Jerusalem. A month later, then Assistant Secretary of State Harold Saun- ders violated Camp David accords in assuring East Jerusalem residents of partid.pation in the proposed West Bank autonomy plan. This was followed by countless U.S. announcements and symbolic actions to show again and again its re- jection of Israel's 13-year de facto governance of the eastern side of its Eternal City. When, as a result, Israel defiantly proclaimed all Jerusalem its capital, the Security Council immediately adopted a resolution ordering em- bassies out of the city. Secretary of State Muskie bitterly condemned the resolution — but refused to vote against it. Crown Prince Fand followed with an invitation to all Arab nations to join Saudi Arabia in a holy war to sweep Israel out of Jerusalem. President Sadat was compelled to go along with all this in his effort to break Egypt out of its isolation. And the world took up the cry, blaming Mr. Begin for again throwing roadblocks in the path of peace. The simple truth is that Mr. Begin's "provoca- tions" are Arab masks for their never-changing, basic purpose: the elimination of Israel. During the 18 years that Jordan occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank, the Arabs never- theless wanted the Jewish state driven into the sea. In the 32 years before the Knesset declared all . would leave the individual still alienated. This is a day of atonement. Atonement means restoration to the wholeness of community and roots. It means a new reconciliation and a new unification — of impulse and values, of individual and community, of the human and God. Anything that might relate to divisiveness among people is rejected in a time when those especially related to the holy period are expected to atone for shortcomings. Simultaneously, if there is to be atonement, all who have a function in the universe are obligated to atone. In the highest principles of ethical living, atonement is not a limitation to'a singe day. Sinning calls for atoning and atoning could therefore also be a daily duty. On Yom Kippur, however, the good that is in the human being acclaims superiority over the evil which so often affects the mind of man. Therefore this holy day reigns supremely in the conscience of the human who rises to the highest levels aimed at making mankind supreme in the civilized spheres. Jerusalem de jure its capital, the Arabs refused to recognize Israel's right to any part of the city. Long before Mr. Begin's announced removal of his office to East Jerusalem, the Arabs demanded all of Israel, including Jerusalem, for themselves. Obviously, then, the so-called obstructionist tactics of the Israeli Prime Minister are only Arab excuses, not the real reasons, for continuing the jihad against Israel. Yet it is true that when Mr. Begin - reacts to Arab actions deliberately de- signed to challenge his government's positions, he creates the desired grist for Arab propaganda mills. In short, Mr. Begin can be faulted for providing Israel's enemies with spurious pretexts for their unending struggle against his country. But he cannot be blamed for their basic attitude toward the Jewish state or their efforts to destroy it. Let us recognize the difference. One thing is certain. Israel is united on the subject of Jerusalem as her capital. Yet the issue now is becoming a matter of such grave concern that defending Jerusalem as Israel's capital becomes a Jewish battle cry in Israel's be- half. It will undoubtedly be a matter of concern in the debates by candidates for President. It is important that the facts should not be ignored and the Forster statement therefore is valuable in defining the issue. The Late Rev. Douglas Young, A Christian Defender of Israel Whose Courage Is Unforgettable One of Israel's most eminent supporters and defenders passed away in Jerusalem last month. His memory must not be forgotten. His services remain unforgettable. The Rev. G. Douglas Young found "the roots of his life in the Bible," a Jerusalem radio commentator said in tribute to him. The commentator's recogni- tion of his services con- tinued: He was a Christian who believed that the Bible con- , tained promises to God's ancient people which were being fulfil- led in this generation." As founder. of the In- stitute of Holy Land Studies on Jerusalem's Mount Zion, who de- voted himself to "Bridges for Peace," as one of his books was ti- REV. YOUNG tied, he labored towards encouraging Christian awareness and concern for Israel. On Dec. 24, 1969, he stated in an article defining his views on the subject of Christian-Jewish relations and sup- port for israel: As a Christian I testify to the joys, privileges and freedom in Israel for me, my institution, my stu- dents and faculty, the other Christian people, churches and institutions in this dynamically ex- citing part of the world, where at long last once again, Jewish energy, creativity, and "follow- through" are makirig the wastes a garden, the desert to blossom, the crooked places straight. I thrill to see so many of my own faith coming on pilgrimmage to see and experience for themselves all that is taking place here. I could only wish that the pilgrim could find the way to stay a little longer to let the real Israel seep into his consci- ousness and expel the hate, the myths, the false reporting that seems to be getting through the mass media in other parts of the world, both in the secular and in the church press .. . That is why the pilgrim should come and stay a while, to see what really is taking place here — what God and people are doing together .. . He was never silent when it was necessary to come to Israel's aid. Therefore, his memory is being blessed as one of the true Hasidei umot ha-aolam, the truly -righteous among the peoples of the world. The Predominating Negatives That Add to Anti-Israelism Would Newsweek have published an article as damag- ing to Jewry and Israel if "Is It Good for Jews?" in its current issue had been authored by a non-Jew? The editors might have thought twice before giving a platform to the negativism of Joseph Eger, music director of the Symphony for the United Nations. He- must have absorbed the UN hatred in the vehe- mence with which he condemned Menahem Begin when he declared, outright, in answer to the question "Is Menahem Begin good for the Jews?" he replies: "The answer must be No." He doesn't explain. He merely compares him to his father who sat shiva when his sister intermarried. What the uninspired musician deals with is the elementary set of complaints against Israel by the Arabs and the PLO. He suggests negotiations with the latter, supports a Palestinian state and 'assumes a defensive role and becomes an adviser for submission which he calls a matter that is good for Israel because it is good for the world. There is something amazingly depressing about the notoriety given to such an article. It does not study the facts. It assumes that Begin is the evil spirit to be rejected. It fails to recognize the qualities that compel a wish for protection, and the ridiculing of the hope for security, as if the insecurity were exaggerated. This links this type of advocacy of appeasement with the destructive in the negotiating processes. The communications media are not helpful when they give a platform to such one-sided propaganda. The Camp David accord is constantly being harmed by negativism, and support for it vanishes with like comments by Eger. There is a prejudice in anti-Israelism that grows when a headline like the one in the Detroit Free Press reads "Israel Lures Egypt . . Corrupts the facts. That's how Israel's difficulties grow, and an an- tagonism from a Jew doesn't help a bit. Turkish Jews Beginning to Feel Islamic Pressure NEW YORK — The Jewish population of Tur- key has decreased by nearly 50 percent since 1965 and, according to an article in the New York Times, the population figure may be even lower since the Tur- kish census no longer men- tions religion. There are approximately 25,000 Jews now living in Turkey, according to the re- port by Times correspon- dent Marvin Howe. Jews and Moslems are leaving the country because of in- creasing political violence according to a leading lay figure among the Jews of Is- tanbul. Although Jewish lead- ers generally emphasize that there has been no tradition of anti- Semitism either in Otto- man times or in modern Turkey, some do express concern over the growing zeal of Islamic militants. "The principal reason for concern is not any direct threat to the community but rather the fact that Turkey lies in the Middle East of 1980, which continues to feel the impact of the Ayatollah Khomeini and his Islamic revolution," Turkish Chief Rabbi David Aseo said In recent weeks, sevei___ developments have dis- turbed Turkish Jews: a bomb explosion in front of the grand rabbinate in Is- tanbul, which caused minor damage but no casualties; a raid in which Moslerr student theological threatened and insulte women bathers on an islai where wealthy Turki Jews swim;,p.nd a virul anti-Zionist declaration Necmettin Erbakan, leader of the main Islamic party, who v Turkey to break rely with Israel.