10 Friday, September 30, 1983
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Church Bias Seen in Mideast Resolutions
By REV. FRANKLIN
LITTELL
National Institute
on the Holocaust
PHILADELPHIA —
Rabbi Howard Singer, di-
rector of interreligious rela-
tions for the Anti-
Defamation League, has de-
cided to call a spade a spade.
It would be a pity if he were
allowed to stand alone, even
though he speaks as a con-
cerned Jew. For it is basi-
cally the integrity of the
Christian ecumenical
movement that is called
into question by the be-
havior of the World Council
of Churches' assembly in
Vancouver.
This writer, as a Christ-
ian clergyman, concurs
whole-heartedly in Rabbi
Singer's criticism of the di-
rection in which the WCC is
sliding.
Rabbi - Singer has a right
to speak out, for the recent
assembly adopted resolu-
tions which, if im-
plemented, jeopardize the
future of the Jewish people.
The resolutions propose
policies that threaten the
security of the state of Is-
rael. Worse than that, they
reek of the anti-Semitism
which is endemic in the
triumphalist and bureauc-
ratic centers of Christen-
dom. .'
Worst of all, they indi-
cate the degree to which
strategically placed offi-
cials are promoting, in
the name of the Christian
churches, a political line
that is markedly con-
gruent with Communist
and terrorist apologetics.
To a Christian who has
long defended the ecumeni-
cal movement of the
churches against the un-
substantiated charges of the
Radical Right, and who can
still remember when the
WCC under its great execu-
tive, Dr. W. A. Visser't
Hooft, was a clear pilot light
against totalitarianism, the
present alignment of the
WCC is painful.
It is a terribly painful
thing for one to have to con-
clude that the present lead-
ership in Geneva, encour-
aged by some American
bureaucrats like Dr. Wil-
liam Thompson of the Un-
ited Presbyterian Church,
is wide open to the influence
of anti-Christian forces and
deaf to the concerns of
Christians who do not share
their pipe dream.
Those who stand up for
liberty and self-
government, who feel obli-
gated to defend the interests
of free peoples and legiti-
mate governments against
the aggressions of despots
and dictators, receive little
hearing in the inner circles
of the WCC. With its pre-
sent institutional composi-
tion, with a bull-headed
leadership that simply ig-
nores the lessons of the
Church Struggle and the
Holocaust, the WCC is well
on the way to undoing de-
cades of sacrificial work by
men and women who hoped
for church reunion and a re-
conciliation between Chris-
tians and Jews.
Rabbi Singer con-
cluded his criticism of the
Vancouver resolutions, if
newspaper reports can
be trusted, with the
statement that the World
Council of Churches "is
turning out to be ideolog-
ically and politically mis-
chievous and is not to be
taken seriously as a
moral authority." Well
said!
The objectionable resolu-
tions are too lengthy and
convoluted to be dealt with
in full in this column. But a
few representative state-
ments will document the ex-
tent to which they serve in-
. terests hostile to America
and Israel and blind to the
joint concerns of Christians
and Jews throughout the
world:
• The Vancouver resolu-
tions deal critically with the
Israeli police action in
Lebanon, and blame Israel
for, among other things, "a
large number of Palesti-
nians are under detention
in the prisons of the West
Bank and in camps in Leba-
non." No details are given
as to who are detained or
why, nor as to what "a large
number" may be — except
as a propaganda slogan.
• Regret' is expressed that
"the consensus among the
Arab nations appears to
have been lost." What con-
sensus? When was there
such a consensus on any
subject, except for declara-
tions of war and other ex- against Israel! The "repres-
pressed intentions to de- sive actions" are typical of
every military government
stroy Israel?
• Regret is expressed . in the world.
As a matter of plain fact,
that "external and inter-
nal pressures have administration in the areas
caused serious rifts under Israeli military gov-
within the Palestinian ernment since the aggres-
movement." Additional sors' defeats in 1967 and
references make clear 1973 is considerably more
that "the Palestinian humane than, for example,
movement" means the the American, British and
French occupations of
PLO.
The PLO is a terrorist post-war Germany. Of the
movement which has, when Russian occupation, which
it has attained power, as in still continues in East Ger-
its fiefdoms after the divi- many and other East Euro-
sion of Lebanon in 1975- pean territories, nothing
1976, instituted a criminal needs to be added to com-
mon knowledge.
government.
In sum, the resolutions
• The resolutions call for
"the withdrawal of Israeli released in the name of the
troops from all territories World Council of Churches
occupied in 1967." This is are bad politics. Worse than
lifted bodily from PLO and that, parading under
Communist political prog- "Christian" auspices they
rams, and runs contrary to are a public scandal.
American, Israeli and other
Free World pronounce- Ruth Scharg
Ruth Scharg, who served
ments. Was Israel secure
from attack, was peace sec- in the registrar's office at
ure in the Middle East, be- Marygrove College for 12
fore the Arab League years, died Sept. 22 at age
65.
launched the 1967 war?
A native Detroiter, Mrs.
• It is argued that "the in-
terests of the world at large Scharg retired two years
are best represented ago. She was a member of
through the United Na- the Cong. Bnai David Sis-
tions, and the U.S.A. and terhood, Hadassah and was
the USSR have a special re- a volunteer in the gift shop
sponsibility in this matter." at Providence Hospital.
She leaves two sons,
The fact is that the UN
Assembly is a fertile Henry M. and Donald H.;
source of political three brothers, Joseph
obscenities when it Plotnick, David Plotnick of
comes to Jewish survival. Inglewood, Calif., and Dr.
The fact is that the Com- Harold Plotnick; a sister,
munists and their fellow- Mrs. Carl (Esther)
travelers have been using Horowitz; and one grand-
every channel since the son.
IDF action in Lebanon
set Russian expansion Samuel Laski
Samuel Laski, a self-
back, to reclaim • a Rus-
sian initiative in the area. employed heating contrac-
• The churches are urged tor, died Sept. 28 at age 59.
Born in Poland, Mr. Laski
to intervene on behalf of
"the indigenous Muslim was the president of S and M
and Christian communities Heating for the past 20
suffering from the repres- years. He was a member of
Effort to Cover
sive actions ofthe occupying Bnai Brith, Cong. Bnai
power in East Jerusalem Moshe.
Up Barbie-U.S.
He leaves his wife, Eva;
and other occupied ter-
Link Reported
two sons, Jeffrey and Dr.
ritories."
It is slated that "Arab Frank; a daughter, Mrs.
NEW YORK (JTA) —
The recent report issued by Muslims and Christians Allan (Janise) Klaiman;
the Justice Department on continue to experience seri- and a brother, Mendel. Ser-
Klaus Barbie and American ous difficulties and are often vices 9 a.m. Sunday at Ira
complicity in the activities prevented from visiting the Kaufman Chapel.
of the Nazi war criminal Holy City." As a charge
was hindered by "false against Israel, this is a Bernard Moorin
starts" and politically moti- bare-faced lie. Some Mus-
Bernard Moorin, owner of
vated attempts to "water lims are prevented from vis- Moorin's Restaurant and
down" the results, accord- iting the Holy City, but by Supply Co., died Sept. 22 at
ing to author and Nazi in- Arab governments that age 59.
vestigator Charles Allen, have declarations of war out
Born in San Antonio,
Jr.
Tex., Mr. Moorin was a
Egypt
AWACS
Allen, in a report for the
member of Disabled Ameri-
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
WASHINGTON — can Veterans, Jewish War
(JTA), charged that Allan Grumman Corp. has con- Veterans and 45th Timber-
Ryan, who headed the Jus- firmed an Aviation Week wolves.
tice Department's Office of and Space Technology
He leaves /his wife, Jac-
Special Investigations magazine report that Egypt queline; two sons, Richard
(OSI), encountered numer- will purchase two E-2C of Howell and Sidney; two
ous efforts to suppress in- Hawkeye early warning sisters, Mrs. Sidney (Ruth)
formation concerning the aircraft and plans to purch- Fine and Mrs. James
involvement of U.S. intelli- ase an additional two Haw- (Betty) Farrell of Houston,
gence agencies with Barbie. keyes.
Tex.
I. Murray Jacobs, SZ and
National Men's Clubs Head
I. Murray Jacobs, founder
and owner of the Triad Con-
tainer Co., died Sept. 24 at
age 69.
Born in Detroit, Mr.
Jacobs founded his company
in 1955. He was an attorney
and was graduated from
Wayne State University's
law school in 1936. Mr.
Jacobs also was a real estate
investor.
He was the past president
of the National Federation
of Jewish Men's Clubs, a
past president of the Great
Lakes Region of the
NFJMC, a past president of
the men's club of Cong.
Shaarey Zedek, a member of
the board of Shaarey Zedek
and chairman of its cultural
commission, and a member
of the board of overseers of
the Jewish Theological
Seminary.
Mr. Jacobs was a
member of Probus Club,
a member of Hadassah
Associates and a 32nd
degree Mason.
He leaVes his wife, Sonia;
a son, Richard; two
daughters, Mrs. Edward
(Marlene) Herman of Edi-
Norman Goldman
Norman Goldman, owner
and operator of the Tunnel
Parking Garage in
downtown Windsor, died
Sept. 25 at age 77.
Born in Poland, Mr.
Goldman immigrated to To-
ronto in 1911. He estab-
lished a shoe store in Lon-
don, Ont., - but moved to
Windsor in 1930, when he
went to work for the Stan-
dard Bakery, now Adler's
Bakery.
He ran the parking gar-
age for 27 years, prior to his
retirement.
Mr. Goldman is survived
by his wife, Jean; a son, Ar-
nold of Windsor; two
daughters, Mrs. Louis
(Shirley) Shanbon of
•Windsor and Mrs. Jerry
(Geraldine) Margolis of
Birmingham; a brother,
Milfred of Toronto, Ont.;
two sisters, Mrs. Toby
Green and Mrs. Sally
Goldkind; nine grandchil-
dren and one great-grand-
child.
Samuel Roth
Samuel I. Roth, an ac-
countant for Ford Motor
Co., died Sept. 27 at age 58.
A native Detroiter, Mr.
Roth was a member of the
Jewish War Veterans and
Bnai Brith.
He leaves his wife, Mar-
cella; a son, Marc of
Evanston, Ill.; a daughter,
Irene of Redondo Beach,
Calif.; his parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Jack (Beatrice) Roth; a
brother, Sidney of
Westwood, Calif.; and two
grandsons.
"Over 65 years of traditional service in the Jewish community with dignity and understanding,"
HEBREW MEMORIAL CHAPEL
- I. MURRAY JACOBS
son, N.J., Mrs. Richard
(Connie) Pierce; his mother,
Mrs. Morris (Hannah)
Jacobs; a sister, Mrs. Syd-
ney (Dorothy) Goodman of
Lansing; and five grand-
Children.
Albert Cutler
Albert Cutler, a super-
visor for the former Federal
Department Stores for 30
years, died Sept. 23 at age
72.
Born in Romania, Mr. Cu-
tler was a member of the
Harry B. Keidan Lodge of
Bnai Brith and Perfection
Lodge of the Masons.
He leaves his wife,
Esther; a son, Dr. Robert M.;
a daughter, Mrs. Robert
(Judith) Simmons; a
brother, Leon; and four
grandchildren.
•
The Family
of the Late
IRVING DAVID
FLEISHMAN
Announces the un-
veiling of a monument
in his memory 1:30 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 9, at
Workmen's Circle
Cemetery, Ostrovtzer
Section. Rabbi Steinger
will officiate. Relatives
and friends are asked to
attend.
The Family
of the Late
ROSE
KONIKOF
Announces the un-
veiling of a monument
in her memory 11 a.m.
Sunday, Oct. 9, at
Machpelah Cemetery.
Rabbi Gruskin will of-
ficiate. Relatives and
friends are asked to at-
tend.
The Family
of the Late
SOL
STEINBRUCK
Announces the un-
veiling of a monument
in his memory 12 noon
Sunday, Oct. 9, at Adat
Shalom Memorial Park.
Rabbi Yolkut will of-
ficiate. Relatives and
friends are asked to at-
tend.
543-1622
SERVING ALL CEMETERIES
26640 GREENFIELD ROAD
OAK PARK, MICHIGAN 48237
Alan H. Dorfman
Funeral Director & Mgr.