THE JEWISH NEWS (LSPS 275-5201 Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with the issue of July 20, 1951 Copyright © The Jewish 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 $18 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 sixth day of Av, 5743, the following scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues: Pentateuchal portion, Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22. Prophetical portion, Isaiah 1:1-27. Tuesday, 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 Monday night), Jeremiah 8:13-9:23, Isaiah 55:6-56:8. • •■■ A' 50v ti ^01-15e14\‘ , Candlelighting, Friday, July 15, 8:47 p.m. VOL. LXXXIII, No. 20 Page Four Friday, July 15, 1983 'PULLOUT' AND 'NO PEACE' Israel's pivotal emplacement in one of the most dangerous-to-life areas in the world is growing in the immensity of heartbreaking dis- tress for Israel. A situation that keeps adding to the concerns of Israel's friends and of Jewish communities everywhere, the agony is over the delays in resolving the horrifying and pressing conditions which keep an Israeli army on a foreign soil that is strewn with dynamite. Whatever demands are expressed in Israel for a speedy withdrawl from Lebanon, a prayer- ful hope that is shared by Jews everywhere, withdrawal keeps facing handicaps resulting from numerous developments. There is the matter involving a major aim that has become a • global concern — that of providing for and assuring an eventual sovereignty for Lebanon and prevention of con- tinuing Christian-Moslem warfare that is far more costly in lives that the entire military operation by Israel in Lebanon. Withdrawal of Israel's army could create such a lack of protec- tion for the Lebanese government that all the efforts at restoring that government's right to exist and to function properly would be de- stroyed. It is no wonder, therefore, that Israel also is willing to have a UNIFIL force intro- duced on a larger scale to provide prevention of fratricide in Lebanon. This is the chief concern of the United States, with the resultant Penta- gon wish for retention of Israeli forces in Leba- non on a protective basis. The major problem is that of the Syrian determination to remain in Lebanon and the support Syrians receive on that basis from the Soviet Union. The concern Over Russia thus emerges as a major factor in a continuing war- threatening situation that has resulted in hopelessneSs for the lastest mission to the Mid- dle East of Secretary of State George Shultz. A nasty situation has grown worse, and it is increasingly evident that Syria will not be de- terred from a claim that Lebanon is part of her territory. The control Syria now exercises over the PLO, the demotion of Arafat from PLO lead- ership and the assumption of it by Syrian President Hafez al Assad, and the increasing Russian influence there add to the problems that have become more the concern of the U.S. than of Israel. But Israel remains the chief suf- ferer in a horrifying situation, and this is cause for a worrisome state of affairs that embraces the entire Jewish people, together with their friends and those concerned over the safety of the Lebanese and their government. While Russia keeps pouring in military and diplomatic support for the Syrians, with the in- tention of keeping the Syrian army in Lebanon, the threat to Israel is a primary factor in an ignoble situation. It is Syria that now flaunts the threat of "No Peace" as a Middle East collec- tive slogan. _Syrian Information Minister Is- kander, in Ar-Rai Al Am on Dec. 18, 1982, is- sued this warning: "Syria is still the only Arab state that adheres to the resolutions of the Khartoum Con- ference of 1967, which decreed: 'No Peace, No Recognition and No Negotiations with Israel.' Syria will always adhere to these resolutions." This is a mere fragment of Syrian threats, which include rejection of the Camp David Ac- cords between Israel and Egypt as well as UN Resolution 242 which recognizes basic Israel territorial rights. It is under such conditions that Israel struggles at this time. It is these sufferings and spreading Jewish worries that add to the appe- als for speedy Israeli withdrawals from Leba- non. These are the very threats which indicate how difficult it is to assure the hoped-for speed. The leader of the Israel opposition party, Shimon Peres, expressed the spreading hopes for an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon in a New York Times Op-Ed feature article last week. There was the compulsion to wonder whether such hopeful prognostications, which are now shared by all who are interested in the peace of Israel and the entire world, had its place in an American newspaper at a time when it needed confirmation in Israel proper. The world at large must discuss the problem, but the solution must be found within Israel. Where American interests are concerned the issue must not be glossed over and must have free and frank discussion. It is in Israel and in that na- tion's political spheres that revolutionary steps must be taken and solutions found for an end to a condition that keeps 25,000 of Israel's youth in a vise on foreign soil. There is much more to be said about the peace aims for Israel, especially in relation -to bitterness evidenced in some ranks from which critical attacks on the ruling Israel government - become primary factors in peace-seeking. Criti- cism is a necessity and American Jewish shar- ing in it is commendable. In the process there must be an avoidance of washing linen in a fashion that keeps soiling rather than cleansing the garments. The solutions are not too near at hand and it .is difficult to believe that the approaching Reagan-Begin meetings will generate the speed needed to ease the minds of the concerned everywhere. Hopefully, there will soon be an end to saber-rattling and war-threatening and a reduction in the menacing status of an im- periled Lebanon and an endangered Israel. Tragically, the Arab states with concerns about peace in their midst have not been helpful in contributing toward solutions. Sadly, much that is debatable, in American and Jewish ranks and in the media, has not been construc- tive. The aspiration remains for common sense to begin to dominate in a troubled world. • h T Legends, Ethics, Traditions Glorify New 'Kosher Comics' . Comic books entertain. They are also the means of informing, educating, keeping history alive. This is the aim already being achieved by "Mendy and the Golem, The World's Only Kosher Comic Book," as the role is claimed. Mendy and the Golem are the media for presenting the contents which includes legends, ethical Jewish themes, traditional guidelines as well as facts about current Jewish experiences and quizzes relating to religious regulations, synagogue and home obser- vances, holidays and related themes. Five comics a year are produced by Mendy Enterprises, 450 Seventh Ave., New York. Sholem the Golem is a chief character who guides the reader in the course of many adventures. Exemplary in most recent issues are: There is competition with a Gypsy rock band, a rescue expedition freeing a relative from cattle rustlers, transforming Sholem the Golem into a robot. Then there are the many mitzvot that are defined in their tradi- tional observances. In every "Mendy" issue there\ are explanatory sections dealing with the Commandments and with the basic Jewish ways of life. The most recent "kosher comic" devotes the basic lesson to the Fifth Commandment "Honor thy father and thy mother . . ." Mendy consid- ers the future. How will he be treated by his own children as they grow up? He applies it to himself and the result is a reverence of dedicated adherence to the important Commandment. In the narrative, Men- dy's sister, Rivkie, also emerges an observer of the ethical rule of respecting not only the parents but all relatives and the elders. It should be noted, in welcoming the Mendy kosher comics, that the very idea of comics was first introduced by a prominent Windsor personality. Jake Geller created the first comics, published the pioneering creations, struggled and lost the opportunity for fame and wealth when economic obstacles that arose in 1934 caused the col- lapse of his visionary ideal. Almost overnight, however, the brilliant idea was picked up by successors and the comic became a household theme. (The -Jake Geller story about his pioneering in comics is fully related in "Why Windsor," the collection of historical essays by Alan Abrams.) Now the kosher comic book makes many appeals to the inspired young reader, and the contents are so commendably assembled that the wise parent will share them with the youth: there is information in these booklets for readers of all ages. Torah tales are chosen to relate to the basic theme. Sprinkled with Hasidic narratives, the stories combine the wisdom of the ages as they emanate from traditional dedications. The special issue under review lists the Ten Commandments, and the regular comic portion titled, "Did You Know?" deals here with the "Honor thy father and thy mother" ideal. These are the suggested regulations: "The reward for honoring your parents is long life! Our sages say that when a person honors his or her parents, it's like honoring Hashem! There's no limit to Wiling this mitzva . . . We can never do enough to them! "Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai said that Hashem wants you to honor your parents more than he wants you to honor him! The Torah teaches us not only to honor our parents, but to fear and respect them, too .. . In fact, the great sage Maimonides (Rambam) said that if you don't respect your parents, your children won't respect you!" Puzzles test the skills of the readers and the multicolored illus- trations provide the fascination that relates to comic books.