PURELY COMMENTARY

Redeemed With Justice

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with the backing of every major
power, voted to partition the
British mandate of Palestine in-
to Israeli and Palestinian states.
If the Arabs had accepted that,
there would today be a separate
Palestinian state 40 years old;
Gaza and its people would be
part of it.
But the Arab states fell upon
Israel and in utter fury tried to
kill the old dream and new reali-
ty of the Jewish State. They seiz-
ed and divided what was to have
been the Palestinian state.
Egypt took the Gaza strip,
Jordan, now admired in the
West, seized the West Bank. It
also captured most of
Jerusalem, defiled Jewish holy
places, banned Jews and

destroyed hopes of interna-
tionalization of the Holy City.
Israel lived within mortar
range of the Egyptians, the Jor-
danians and the Syrians, who
had snatched heights overlook-
ing Israel; the mortars were
fired. For 20 years, the territory
that was to have been a Palesti-
nian state under the U.N. plan
was used by the P.L.O. for at-
tacks against Israel, with the ap-
proval and support of the Arab
occupiers.
Then, in 1967, Israel stunned
the Arabs and the rest of the
world by trouncing Arab ar-
mies. She threw the Jordanians
out of the West Bank and
Jerusalem, the Egyptians out of
Gaza and the Syrians out of the
Golan Heights.

Israel found herself in con-
trol of territory that had been il-
legally occupied by the Arab
states. Israelis were determined
to push back their borders so
that they would never again live
looking down Arab gun barrels.
Thus began the era of Israeli oc-
cupation, creating a safer state
in the short run but also stoking
the hatred — and danger — now
being acted out on the dry soil
of Gaza, and spreading.
What difference does it
make, so many years later? For
one thing it cleanses the mind
and perhaps the soul to com-
bine sorrow and criticism of
Israel with recognition of
historic reality.
History is a loaf, not slices of
bread. Unless yesterday is

understood, the anguish of to-
day is distorted and the peace
possible some tomorrow put off
indefinitely, perhaps forever.
Peace, which in the end must
mean recognition of Israeli
security and Palestinian reality,
is possible.
For those who would panic this is an
admonition that fear does not con-
tribute to peace aims.
For the White House and the State
Department, this essay should en-
courage more scrutiny of facts before
penning a bitter criticism of Israel.
For the Diaspora, for Jews
everywhere, this should serve as a
reminder of the message of the Prophet
Isaiah: "Tzion b'mishpot tipode — Zion
shall be redeemed with justice!'
lb Israel it should be a message that
Jews will not panic.

Supreme Court

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ed from Feisal the historic letter
of Feb. 3, 1919, stating that the
Arab delegation regarded the
Zionist proposal as "moderate
and prope l ' that they "will wish
the Jews a most hearty welcome
home," and that the "two
movements complete one
another" and "neither can be a
real success without the other?'
In 1921 Frankfurter
withdrew from formal participa-
tion in the Zionist movement,
when the Brandeis-Mack-Szold
group seceded over issues of
organization and fiscal
autonomy for American
Zionism. Thereafter, never-
theless, he maintained his active
interest in the upbuilding of the
Jewish national home in
Palestine, and in 1931, disturbed
by the tendency of Britain to
shirk its responsibility as the
mandatory power, he published
a notable and much-cited
critical article in Foreign Affairs
(9[1931], 409-34), entitled "The
Palestine Situation Restated."
Despite the break with the for-
mal Zionist organization, his
relations with Weizmann re-
mained cordial.
It is sad to mention that during the
Nazi era it took a long time to convince
Frankfurter of the reality of the ex-
isting horrors. He must have been
under the influence of the reactions vis-
a-vis Germans during the World War
when there was talk about "atrocity
stories!' He learned the truth too late.
Shortly before his death, he express-
ed the desire that the Kaddish be
recited at his funeral service. This was
the most convincing proof that he did
inherit some recollections about his
Jewish heritage. His deepest interests
was the Weizmann Institute of Science
in Rehovot, Israel.
The most dedicated Jewishly were
Arthur J. Goldberg and Louis D.
Brandeis.

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 1988

Goldberg commenced his Jewish
devotions as a youth and he continues
as an activist. He began early as an
identified supporter with a measure of
leadership in the Histadrut and in
Labor Zionist ranks. Upon his retire-
ment from the Supreme Court he
assumed important roles in major
Jewish movements and he continues in
such capacities.
Goldberg also is a student of Jewish
history and of Scriptures. His lectures
showed deep scholarship. His addresses
at meetings of the Jewish Publication
Society showed devoted cultural
attainments.
Goldberg was a mighty force in
liberal and labor involvements. The En-
cyclopedia Judaica has this note in rela-
tion to his numerous activities, during
the last war:
"During World War II he was ap-
pointed head of the labor division of the
U.S. Office of Strategic Services (OSS),
for which he helped to establish in-
tricate clandestine operations with
anti-Fascist trade union leaders behind
Nazi lines!"
He resigned from the Supreme
Court at President Johnson's behest to
become the U.S. ambassador to the
United Nations. His biographical
sketch in Encyclopedia Judaica states:
The high point of his U.N.
career came during the Arab-
Israel war of 1967, when
throughout the six days of
fighting he repeatedly and suc-
cessfully argued the American
position calling for a cease-fire
without previous Israel
withdrawal. He thereby earned
the enmity of the Arab nations,
who accused him of influencing
American foreign policy on
behalf of Jewish interests.
Goldberg was also said to have
had a major hand in the draf-
ting of the November 1967
Security Council resolution
which served as a basis for the
Jarring Mission to the Middle
East.

The encyclopedic biography also in- compassionate and commanding — . tall,
cludes this important item about spare, ascetic, with deep set, dark,
Goldberg: "In 1965 he resigned from his penetrating eyes. Many who saw him
position (in the UN) reportedly thought of Lincoln. President Franklin
dissatisfied with President Johnson's Roosevelt spoke of him as 'Isaiah'."
Brandeis was named to the
`hawkish' policies in Vietnam and his
Supreme Court by President Woodrow
own inability to moderate them."
That's when he began his law prac- Wilson. The conservatives hated the
tice in New York. He then became presi- idea because of the nominee's
dent of the American Jewish Commit- Jewishness and his extreme legal
tee (1968-1969) and chairman of the liberalism. It took four months of
Jewish Theological Seminary's Board of Senatorial debate to confirm the
nomination.
Overseers (1963-1969).
The Louis D. Brandeis Supreme
There is an important summary of
Court involvement will always be the his distinguished career in the En-
inerasable in American and Jewish cyclopedia Judaica, and a portion of it,
dealing with his Jewish and Zionist
history.
It should be noted that Brandeis record, states:
Brandeis' involvement in
was married to Alice Goldmark in 1891,
Jewish affairs began only a few
the daughter of a noted Viennese scien-
tist. Alice's brother-in-law, Dr. Felix
years before his appointment to
the Court. He had never
Adler, founder of the Ethical Culture
disavowed the faith of his
Society. Therefore, it was a Jewish wed-
fathers, and had contributed to
ding. It is worth noting here that Felix
Jewish philanthropies, but his
Adler was a defector from the rabbinate
in his founding of the Ethical Culture
concerns had been overwhelm-
ingly secular.
Society. In an article about Adler and
his society, Rabbi Abraham M. Her-
In 1911, he reeounted, his in-
terest in Judaism was stirred by
shman many years ago wrote a special
two experiences. One was his
article for me, for the old Detroit Jewish
Chronicle in which he disputed both as
service as mediator in the New
York garment worker's strike, in
being non-Jewish in character.
an industry dominated on both
Louis Dembitz Brandeis establishes
sides by Jews of humble origin
a record for indelible legal services, for
in Eastern Europe.
humanism as well as his Jewish and
Brandeis' rise to leadership
Zionist interests. His Zionist affiliations
in the movement was rapid.
are enhanced, although he personally
When war broke out in 1914 and
came to the movement in his 40s.
certain leaders of the World
The Encyclopedia Judaica Brandeis
Zionist Organization moved to
story states that formal religious train-
America, Brandeis consented to
ing "was eschewed." The encyclopedia
serve as chairman of the Provi-
states: "Louis especially admired an
sional Committee for General
uncle, Lewis Dembitz, a scholarly
Zionist Affairs. He supported
lawyer and author in Louisville, Ky.,
the convening of an American
sometimes known as 'the Jewish
Jewish Congress representing
scholar of the South; who was to
all important Jewish groups in
become a follower of Theodor Herzl and
the country to give the widest
an active Zionist. In honor of his uncle
support to Jewish interests at
Louis (Brandeis) changed his middle
the peace conference. He
name from David to Dembitz."
thereby brought himself into
Here is another reference to
conflict with eminent non-
Brandeis worth referring to: "In ap-
Zionists in the United States. His
pearance Brandeis was a figure at once