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Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with the issue of July 20, 1951

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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 11th day of Sivan, 5741, the following scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Numbers 8:1-12:16. Prophetical portion, Zechariah 2:14-4:7.

Candle lighting, Friday, June 12, 8:50 p.m.

Page Four

VOL. LXXIX, No. 15

W

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Friday, June 12, 1981

GERMANY TESTED

Post-Hitler Germany continues to be under-
scrutiny as to the sincerity of - atonement for
history's most massive crime, the murder by the
Nazis of more than Eleven Million victims of the
bestialities of an era of horror, included among
them the Six Million Jews.
Chancellor Helmut Schmidt of West Ger-
many stands accused of giving credibility to the
terrorists whose aim is Israel's destruction.
There were some who attempted to castigate
Israel Prime _Minister Menahem Begin for his
condemnation of the West German leader's
encouragement of the PLO. But the Begin ac-
cusations remain credible, judged by this brief
note in the current issues of the Near East Re-
port:
A. leadership delegation of the Conference of
Presidents of Major American Jewish Organ-
izations had a sharp exchange of views on May
22 with German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt.
They report that he evinced greaty sympathy
for the Palestinian Arabs, understanding of the
PLO, and appreciation for what he regards as
the moderating role of Saudi Arabia. He also
appeared to be oblivious to the threat to Israel's

security that would be posed by a Palestinian
state, ignorant of the PLO vow to destroy Israel,
and unaware of the Saudi call for a Jihad
against Israel.
The Jewish leaders expressed anger and in-
dignation at what they felt were Schmidt's
`warped judgments, misplaced sympathies and
distorted vision of the Middle East."'
This is a confirmation of the Begin judgment
of Schmidt. On the basis of this experience of
American Jewish leaders with the German
chancellor, Begin may have been all-too-mild in
categorizing Schmidt as having retained the
Nazi venom.
How else can Jews judge a responsible Ger-
man who fails to retain a sense of guilt by refus-
ing to give strength to the refuge that had been
built for the sufferers from the crimes of his
compatriots?
The entire German people has a responsibil-
ity towards fortifying the homeland redeemed
for the victims of Nazism. It is pitiful that
rebukes to Schmidt should be limited to Israeli
spokesmen. They should come from Bonn,
Munich and Berlin.

TRENDS OF ANTI-SEMITISM

Current polls conducted to establish the ex-
tent of anti-Semitism in this country point to a
decline in prejudice, in reports submitted to the
Atherican Jewiti Committee, which is pursu-
ing social studies analyzing the position of U.S.
Jewry in the 75th anniversary year of the AJ-

Committee.

A poll conducted for the AJCommittee by
Yankelovich, Skelly and White, the important
public opinion researchers, stated that while
the percentage of those holding anti-Semitic
views has declined from 19 to 9 percent from
1974 to 1981, there should be caution in dealing
with the figures. The basic result of the research
is a diminution of hatred, yet it is evident that it
still exists in some measure and there is a
suggestion that there be a "guaranteeing" prin-
ciple to avoid undue emphasis on many of the
developing anti-Semitic acts. '
An experience in London, England, where
there has been a rash of anti-Semitic acts, may
be applicable to the American occurrences. In
the instance of an attempt to burn down the
Simon Marks Jewish Primary School in North
London, Martin Savitt, vice president of the
Board of Deputies of British Jews, said the at-
tack was the act of teenagers acting on their
own rather than being prompted by organized
extremist groups.
This was an interesting resort to a caution, an
approach often in evidence wherever there are
acts of violence, destruction of property and a
variety of elements of vandalism. Is it an ac-
ceptable approach to realities?
Caution is commendable, but over-optimism
could be harmful in dealing with the existing
conditions in the world. In relation to the results
of the study made public by the American
Jewish committee, one of the committee's
active attorneys, Samuel Rabinov, made this
comment:

"My own sense is, anti-Semitism is out there.
You don't want to feed the paranoia, but don't
belittle it where it is manifest. - There are a lot of
Gentiles who don't hate us but are not overly
fond of us. It is not anti-Semitism but it is not
anti-anti-Semitism. If push comes to shove,
maybe we can't rely on them to be overly sup-
portive."
The Rabinov comment is realism. It is appli-
cable everywhere. Based on news from many
areas, there is a glut of anti-Semitism in
France, England and Italy. and it cannot be
played down. This is true of the United States.
While there is a decline in overt acts of prej-
udice, the need for caution is compelling. There
need be no diminution of faith in non-Jewish
support of the anti-anti-Semitic. These are the
people with a sense -of justice who will not be
silent.
In the totality of judging the issue, it can be
stated that conditions seldom change. Neither
does the need for vigilance.

CAMP DAVID AFFIRMED
Diplomacy is seldom predictable. It is like
prophecy: hope affected by wishful thinking.
Therefore the heartening element in a meet-
ing like that of Menahem Begin with Anwar
Sadat last week. There are no guarantees that
all will always be well with the negotiations
resulting from Camp David decisions. But the
expressions of friendship between the Israel and
Egyptian leaders, their agreement of no war"
as the situation is affected by the Syrian crisis,
provide great comfort in a period filled with
tensions.
In a sense, much of what happened at Camp
David was affirmed at the Sharm el Sheikh
meeting. This is to be applauded and the two
nations' leaders commended.

Distributed by Norton

Frankel's 'Israel Observed'
Reviews Issues, Personalities

William Frankel, former editor of the London Jewish Chronicle,
now editorial adviser to the London Times, aims at objectivity in his
analysis of the Israeli situations in his "Israel Observed: An Anatomy
of the State" (Thames and Hudson, London, distributed in the U.S. by
W.W. Norton). He affirms his devotion to Israel "and his labors in
behalf of the state, and supplements an aim to be critical while
reviewing existing conditions and pointing to the difficult as well as
the attainable.
In his introduction, Frankel makes this observation: "I have
always thought that the Israelis' attitude toward their country is
similar to that of parents towards their children; they themselves are
free to be highly critical but they bridle when criticism comes from
others."
Analytically, relating to the practical problems affecting Israel,
Frankel is positive in all respects. Exemplary is the manner in which
he tackles the religious issue, the Orthodox domination, the Conser-
vative and Reform
struggles for a measure of recognition. Thus, he
. _
comments: •
"Both - non-conformist movements claim encouraging prospects
for growth, although the actual performance of the Conservatives in
congregation development is the more impressive. But they face the
same difficulties in a country where Judaism has long been synonym-
ous with orthodoxy and for those residents the choice has long been all
or nothing.
"But Reform and the Conservatives in Israel set themselves
similar aims: to reach out to Israelis with a growing interest in their
Jewish identity and to persuade public opinion, the government and
the important non-governmental institutions to support them as
legitimate expressions of Judaism. Success would produce valuable
material aid as well as the removal of their disabilities, but they have
a long way to go, for the acceptance of Jewish religious pluralism in
Israel is not yet within sight." -
The reader will be intrigued by Frankel's judgments of the Israeli
leaders. Menahem Begin emerges in an interesting light. He makes
these interesting observations:
"He is exaggeratedly loyal to his friends, while at the same time
not sparing them the unpleasant experience of his blistering tongue
when he is irritated. In his loyalty to the Irgun, he often succumb- ' -
the temptation to rewrite history by expanding its roles in the c_
tion of Israel at the expense of Ben-Gurion and the Hagana."
Because of the current political conflict, it is worth noting Fran-
kel's impressions of Shimon Peres' impatience, which is described as
one of his weaknesses. He poses a question: "Some of his closest
associates wonder whether he is tough enough for the top job. Has he
the steel, the readiness to go for the jugular vein, or is he essentially
too nice a man to act with the necessary ruthlessness of an effective
leader?"
Of course, there is much in the Frankel study about Israel's
military forces and their leaders, the power struggle and the dedica-
tion to country.
• Of special interest in this connection is the resume of the intelli-
gence forces in the army and their brilliant chiefs.
The personalities depicted, the architects of the state, as well as
the issues, are expressively and effectively outlined in Frankel's
"Israel Observed." The volume is an excellent guideline for students
of the state's affairs, its historical background, the problems con-
fronted and the challenges met.

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