THE JEWISH NEWS („sp.5.0,
Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with the issue of July 20, 1951
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PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher
ALAN HITSKY
News Editor
-Some of my best'
friends are Jews/
CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
Business Manager
HEIDI PRESS
Associate News Editor
DREW LIEBERWITZ
Advertising Manager
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the third day of Shevat, 5744, the following scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Exodus 10:1-13:16.
Prophetical portion, Jeremiah 46•13-28.
Candlelighting, Friday, Jan. 6, 5 p.m.
VOL. LXXXIV, No. 19
Page Four
Friday, January 6, 1984
KNOWLEDGE: PRAYER, DUTY
Ammi b. Nathan, an Amora of the Third occasion in many quarters to learn that so few
Century, uttered important admonitions:
were aware even of a tragic occurrence that was
The prayer for knowledge is first among shamefully recorded as the most anti-Semitic in
the Benedictions . . . No mercy for him who is
American Jewish history. Often even the horror
without knowledge."
of the Holocaust is not fully understood, and the
These are applicable to an interesting
Children of the Holocaust have expressed con-
comment by Henry Taub, president of the cern and are doing their utmost not to have the
American Jewish Joint Distribution Commit-
barbarities forgotten.
tee, who, on the occasion of the inauguration of
What Taub referred to could be multiplied a
the 70th anniversary of the great movement he
thousand-fold. Often, young Jews appear puz-
now leads, said:
zled when they learn that the infamous
Most young American Jews know about forgeries sensationalized as the Protocols of the
the JDC, but only vaguely. The older generation Elders of Zion are still being circulated in coun-
was more intimately involved than us. Before
tries where anti-Semitism is rampant, and they
1939, when the United Jewish Appeal was are unaware of the source of the great fake and
created by the JDC and the United Palestine how it was exposed as such. There are some who
(Israel) Appeal, for joint fund raising, they were
are not even aware that there was the Blood
our troops in the field raising funds and mobiliz-
Libel as means of maligning Jews and that at
ing community support. During the war years,
least one was even perpetrated as a falsehood
they collected millions of tons of food and clo- charged against Jews in this country.
thing to send to the survivors of the Holocaust in
The head of the JDC rendered a service by
the Displaced Person Camps when these
calling attention to a lack of knowledge about
supplies were virtually unobtainable in Europe.
the movement that retains its historic values in
"The generations which have matured seven decades of services to Jewry and to hu-
since those hectic years have not been as inti-
manity. He has thus triggered a vaster chal-
mately involved with JDC. Yet we want to bring lenge — to the duty in Jewish ranks to enforce
to them the drama and scope of our work aiding
the necessity of making knowledge of history
needy, oppressed and endangered Jews over-
and traditional legacies a major obligation for
seas."
the generations.
Taub's observations merit most serious at-
In a most enlightening story of the atti-
tention on a much wider scale. The president of tudes of youth and the status of the family in
the JDC could go far afield in his designation of
Jewry at this time, Reform Rabbi Jack D. Spiro,
a minimal understanding of Jewish experi-
in the Philosophical Library volume, To Learn
ences. They apply to the roots as well as the
and to Teach," warns that illiteracy is the most
branches. They have been called into considera-
menacing danger to Jewish existence. He pre-
tion when, on numerous occasions, it had been
sents a message not to be ignored.
indicated that young collegiates are less in-
Even in the political, as well as the social
formed about the Holy Scriptures than their
problems, and in the tests that come from world
Christian fellow students. •
There is a great need for knowledge, and problems, there is a need for a thorough knowl-
while the duty to attain it has been emphasized, edge of Jewish history as a guide to strength for
in communal planning and in fund raising, it is
overcoming whatever dangers may be facing
yet to be ascertained whether the results have Jewry. The test of time is valuable, and with it
been positive and effective.
comes the demand for an understanding of con-
The current sense of disappointment over
frontations and acceptance of duties to over-
the failure, by the Georgia Commission of Par-
come them with dignity. The approach is always
dons, to cleanse the name of Leo Frank was
through the knowledgeability that is dutiful.
WITHOUT RANCOR
The triumph of Jesse Jackson in Damascus
will surely be a subject for comment and
analysis for a long time to come. It already has a
political significance. It may have an effect on
the Middle East situation. It invites applause
because Lt. Robert Goodman is now a free man.
Others previously failed in similar missions.
Ramsey Clark could not succeed with the Ira-
nians. Abie Nathan had minimal support in his
attempts as an Israeli to arouse a desire for
peace in the Middle East. Others similarly
failed.
The Rev. Jackson's glorious triumph may
have implications in treatment of the entire
Middle East situation by the peoples in that
embattled area, by the world community in-
volved in it, and by the moral forces in mankind.
What is to be hoped for and to be aimed at is that
- all efforts will be for honorable peace and that in
the mainstream of activities will be the recogni-
tion of an obligation to eliminate rancor from all
approaches to decency and morality.
Application of the Jackson mission to the
overall Middle East situation, with its effects on
Arab-Israeli relations, should, hopefully, be
treated cautiously, with a responsible aim to
prevent increased conflicts. This must be
viewed in all seriousness as an after effect to the
dramatic occurrence.
Without rancor, there can be peace, in the
Middle East and elsewhere. The Reverend
Jackson acquired a measure of recognition in
his direct, personal approaches to the chieftains
in the Arab world. Hopefully, all the means to
be used for the attainment of peace will be in the
moral spirit that rejects rancor and seeks to end
animosities.
.111=.
451,.--'1111=woo ■
Common Goals of Communities
Psalmist's Unity Credo
Defined in JPS Volume
by Philip Bernstein
Achievement of the major aim in Jewish philanthropic and social
service aims, that of laboring together for the common goal of pro.,
ing for communal needs, is effectively defined in "To Dwell in Unity
(Jewish Publication Society). Philip Bernstein, who for 24 years held -
the high post of executive vice president of the Council of Jewish
Federations and Welfare Funds, is the highly-qualified chronicler of
the events that led to the formation of this movement and the results
attained.
In his review of this volume (The
Jewish News, Dec. 9), the eminent
JTA columnist Boris Smolar fully
traces the steps that led to the CJF
results and to the notable benefits
provided in that program of activities.
Bernstein's account of the im-
mensity of a national program that
unified activities in behalf of the aged
while solidifying support for Israel,
the story of encouragement to educa-
tional duties while striving for the
highest philanthropic purposes, gains
significance in the ultimate: the ac-
cord that is the unity needed to fulfill
the declaration _in Psalm 133 about
dwelling together in unity.
:,
For the Detroit Jewish commu-
nity, there is an especially interesting
PHILIP BERNSTEIN
set of angles in Bernstein's historical
record. He draws upon the earliest his-
torical records with which the Council
of Federations began and the refer-
ence to Harry Lurie will remind De-
troiters of his services here before as-
suming the national role of the federa-
tions' executive director.
There is a review of studies of Is-
rael's activities in behalf of the CJF.
This is where an important name also
figures, with reference to the pioneer-
ing role in that field of social services
by the late Harold Silver who for three
decades headed the Detroit Jewish So-
cial Service Bureau. Silver was called
to Israel to continue the studies as con-
sultant to the Welfare Ministry.
ISIDORE SOBELOFF
Recently, studies of fund raising
were conducted in behalf of CJF in Israel by William Avrunin, a
former Detroit Federation executive vice president.
Special attention is given to the views on federation aims and
social service policies, with emphasis on leadership, expressed by the
former Detroit Federation executive Isidore Sobeloff. His quoted
statements here are like a guide for volunteerism.
Thus, an important national study assumes an interesting local
significance, the Philip Bernstein history emerging as a major study
in philanthropic services and volunteer leadership.