THE JEWISH NEWS (uses 275 - 520 Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with the issue of July 20, 1951 Copyright © The Jill ■ rish News Publishing Co. Member of American Association of English-Jewish Newspapers, National Editorial Association and National Newspaper Association and its Capital Club. 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 fourth day of Au, 5742, the following scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues: Pentateuchal portion, Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22. Prophetical portion, Isaiah 1:1-27. Thursday, Fast of the Ninth of Av Pentateuchal portion, morning, Deuteronomy 4:25-40. Afternoon, Exodus 32:11-14, 34:1-10. Prophetical portion (Lamentations is read Wednesday night), Jeremiah 8:13-9:23, Isaiah 55:6-56:8. Candlelighting, Friday, July 23, 8:42 p.m. VOL. LXXXI, No. 21 Page Four Friday, July 23, 1982 DEMOCRACY TESTED Civilized society is presently being provided with material for a textbook on democratic pro- cesses. In the midst of harrowing experiences, in an atmosphere of warfare, the right of people to assert themselves, to adhere to the right to dif- fer, to challenge their own government, is on public display. This is the current occurrence in Tel Aviv, where demonstrators are protesting, the war; in San Francisco, where students from Israel are similarly declaring their opposition to their government's "invasion" of Lebanon, and front- ing them is the son of the Israel ambassador to the United States who is meanwhile upholding his government's justified position in the battle to uproot the forces seeking Israel's annihila- tion. In the media, several distortions received the support of a few Jews with names that at- tained prominence in literature and, to the deep regret of their confreres, gave comfort to Israel's enemies. That's how it works in pursuance of democra- tic aspirations. It is the action that serves as a challenge to uniformity. It is the high goal of mankind in search for truth and justice, there- fore allowing — indeed, encouraging — differe- ing views in order that the spirit of freedom should not be abused. Out of the turmoil must develop the spirit that is so vital to human existence — a continu- ing aspiration for peace and a determination to strive for its attainment. Because this has been and remains the basic idealism of a people con- stantly pursuing peace, an ideal for life, there will always be the counter query of the need for two to make a pact, of the sheer fantasy of ex- pecting the aspiration of one party to a conflict searching for an accord that is rejected by the antagonist. This is truly the continuing problem never to be ignored. There can be all the manifestations for peace that can possibly be mobilized, and they become futile and fruitless as long as there is only one party to such a search for amity. This is the tragic fact that confronts the ges- ticulators for peace, the demonstrators in Tel Aviv, the shoutings in American cities, the ad- vertisements in American newspapers which have, in tragic measure, helped to fan hatred while distorting facts. It is on the latter point that there is need for greater elaboration. Regrettable exaggerations may be the fault of all parties to the conflict. But those which smear Israelis as toturers, now being properly disputed, are ascribable to so many who have been misled, to the radicalized who bend backwards in preachments, that the spreading of malice prior to ascertainment of facts is a deplorable contribution to hatreds. All elements, Israel a -, d her friends, the Un- ited States and those wC also are antagonistic to Israel, are attaching to what is termed the Palestinian issue a priority for tackling the Middle East issues. It is on this score, too, that distortions create misfortunes, that a matter that could and should be properly resolved is dragged through the mud rather than offered the light of truth and sincerity. A redeeming factor is the submission to the reality. that Palestinians are not to be confused with PLOism. Even on its own, however, what is called Palestinianism is not treated with re- spect. Israel's plan for autonomy for the areas that are Judea and Samaria, and the appeal for Arabs in that area to be harmonious and to assist in planning neighborliness, is a compul- sive need. Had there been cooperation from Jor- dan, whose king is silent in the wake of so much trouble in Lebanon, the problem could be solved because Jordan is already the desired Palestine, in view of the enormity of Arabs who settled there after leaving their homes in what is now Israel. The new U.S. Secretary of State, George Shultz, has given emphasis to the Palestinian issue. As the man now in power, the hope is that he will be so influential with Saudi Arabia, where the firm he was associated with had an important constructive role, an others in the Arab areas he may have befriended, will benefit from his influence to work in harmony in all efforts to abandon saber-rattling and to talk peace with the Israelis. This must remain the dominating duty in what is assured will be a continuing American-Israel friendship. Democracy is being tested in the current crit- ical period in Middle East history. In the process there is the search for its application to sincere efforts for peace. These must be rooted in truth and in an adherence to justice stemming from realism. It is from proper testing of these chal- lenges that peace may gain a proper road for attainment. RALLY FOR TRUTH While it is commonplace to say that "in unity there is strength," there is much more to the solidarity rally arranged for Aug. 1 by the mobilized Metropolitan Detroit Jewish com- munity than mere demonstration. The planned gathering will, hopefully, enroll a representa- tive gathering of non-Jews as well — all in thd interest of peace and of affirming the realities in the current Lebanese crisis which has been pol- luted with exaggerations and misrepresenta- tions. What is needed is the emphasis on facts and the repudiation of fabrications. The Lebanese Americans, including a very representative group from this community, have already de- clared their attitudes for the cleansing of Leba- non from PLO and Syrian terrorism. The purpose of a rally such as this, which must enroll many thousands of supporters, is to strive for the dignity of an honorable tackling of an issue which involves the role of the United States. It calls for a peace based on justice and truth, and in support of it there must be the unity that strives for an end of terrorism. Biography of Elie Wiesel by an Admiring Interviewer Elie Wiesel has been accorded much recognition for his evalua- tive works defining the Holocaust and mobilizing forces to remember the tragedy and not to forget it. His is recognized as the Voice of the Holocaust, as the historian of the era of the mass murders. His 17 published books, his scores of essays, his many public addresses, have established him as the inspired interpreter who keeps awakening the conscience of the generations to the horrors perpet- rated under Nazism. A native of the Transylvanian village of SighA, he suffered in concentration camps; upon being liberated he went to France; he began writing about his experiences, the first of his works in French and subsequently in the English; the translation became famous under the title "Night" and was a beginning for a career pursued soon afterward in this country. His story is told in "Elie Wiesel: Witness for Life" (Ktav) and the author represents an echo to the calls for remembrance by Wiesel. She is Ellen Norman Stern. She was 11 years old when she accompanied her parents to this country from Berlin and thus escaped the horror. The memory of the genesis of the tragedy led her to the books, the lectures, the admiration for Elie Wiesel. She met with him, inter- viewed him, told the dramatic story in this book. Her deeply-moving story is much more than a biography. It is a tribute to an eminent personality who epitomizes the experiences of a generaiton of suffering and despair and raises above it in faith and in dedication to a duty to remember the past, to sanctify the self- confidence in an unconquerable Jewish spirit. This is a volume about Wiesel the Hasid, the inspirer of the masses, the teacher of faith who himself continues to study. Mrs. Stern relates how Wiesel con- tinues his studies to this day with Prof. Saul Lieberman. She states: "He is conscious that his time on earth, time granted him by virtue of his survival, is a gift which must be utilized to the fullest." The world gathering of Jewish Holocaust survivors in Jerusalem last year, of which he was honorary chair- man, was to him a dream come true. It was something never to be forgotten, "never to be repeated." The biography describes him as worshiping daily with fellow sur- vivors, in a treatment of equality, simplicity, mutual respect and realization of the gratitude for survi- val. ELIE WIE SE L Mrs. Stern provides a collective review of the Wiesel books, and in every aspect she indicates the dep of feeling with which the eminent author described the experiences* the past which keep influencing his devotions, his Hasidism, his lifetime dedication to an ideal that motivates the feelings of Holocaust survivors. There is something deeply moving about the manner in which the Stern-Wiesel interview concluded. He said to his biographer-to-be: "Make this book your own. Tell your story the way you feel it." She did just that. She has injected into the biography deep feel- ing. The result is a good book for those who admire Wiesel, for readers desiring the interpretive about his novels. The Stern book is a de- served tribute to the admired personality.