PURELY COMMENTARY
Armenia-Ararat
Continued from Page 2
ed in agriculture and han-
dicrafts. They attained great pro-
sperity under the rule of the
"princes of the exile." About the
year 300, Christianity had
already made its way into
Armenia. The Armenian his-
torian Faustus of Byzantium, in
the 4th century, describes the in-
vasion of the Persians at the time
of Emperor Sapor II, and states
that they carried away over
90,000 Jewish families, about
400,000 individuals. Although
this number is certainly an exag-
geration, it does indicate that
Armenia had an extensive
Jewish population.
The Talmud makes mention
of a Jacob of Armenia and of an
academy at Nisibis, which might
be the Nisibis in Armenia. The
wine of Etchmiadzin (the
modern religious center of the
Armenians) is also mentioned.
Since 1915, Armenia has been a fre-
quent topic recalling the genocide it suf-
fered from the massive pogroms in
Turkey. The charge of deliberate
Turkish genocide is now being
acknowledged in the announcement
from Ankara that the Turkish govern-
ment will reopen the archival about
murders of a million and a half Arme-
nians. The occurrences in 1915-1916 are
described in a cable report from Ankara
by Clyde Haberman in the New York
Times. The record of the occurrences 74
years ago includes the role of the U.S.
government and the actions instituted
under the direction of the then Am-
bassador to Turkey Henry Morgenthau
Sr. Historical records will be accounted
for in the appended stories of Armenian
experiences.
Morgenthau
Continued from Page 2
Armenians. Turkish authorities say
their case will be proved in the 50
million documents which will be made
available to scholars in May of this year.
The report to the Times by Clyde
Haberman contains the following asser-
tions by Turkish authorities,. appended
to a background of the genocidal
charges against Turkey:
"Historians will see that
most of the prejudices used by
Armenians all over the world
against Turkey are unrealistic
and misplaced." Defense
Minister Erean Vuralhan said in
an interview.
One difficulty that could
arise is finding a sufficient
number of experts who are
neutral and also qualified to
evaluate the many military and
government orders, cables,
reports and other papers.
The Turkish langauge has
greatly changed Over the last six
decades, and not many scholars
today are able to read it in the
Arabic script that was abandon-
ed in favor of Roman letters,
part of a burst of modernizing
changes imposed during the
1920's by the republic's founder,
Kemal Ataturk.
In addition, questions are
likely to arise about whether the
Turks have turned over all per-
tinent material. "I don't suppose
they'd be opening them up if
there was anything they ex-
pected to find that would embar-
rass them," a Western diplomat
said.
The forthcoming studies will in-
dicate whether there will be absolution.
The recorded accumulated events
are more than episodes. They are
historic experiences that have serious
concern for mankind. One cannot study
the genocide agonies without taking in-
to the consideration the Armenian.
There is an historic relationship of
Jews with Arinenians and the added
chapter to this interesting study is the
Armenian friendship with the State of
Israel. This became apparent in the ap-
pended recollection of Armenian
representatives' activities in the
Detroit Jewish community which in-
cluded advocacy of support for the Israel
Bond movement and Jewish support for
the Armenian Museum in Jerusalem.
The complete story is filled with
fascination in friendships and
historiography in the approaching
studies of revealed archives.
American records deal with the historic
experiences during the decades of
murderous horrors and the relation-
ships of the European nations toward
the Turkish regime. An entire century
of European conflicts, with the slowness
of approaches toward some measures of
humanism, are in the American record.
The historic events that incurred the
repetative indictment of the in-
humanities leading to massacres and
increasing cruelties are accounted for
in the American records, extensively
documented by the State Department.
Now it is announced officially that Ot-
toman archives on the Armenian
tragedies will be opened for worldwide
concern. A report cabled several weeks
ago to the New York Times by its Armenians
Ankara correspondent Clyde Haber- And Jewish
man asserted that "after 74 years and
countless recriminations, Turkey plans Connection
to reopen the archival records of one of
erusalem Mayor Teddy Kollek
the more grisly episodes of this century,
faces serious obstacles when he
the mass deaths of Armenians at the
assumes another term in the of-
hands of the Ottoman Turks durign fice he elevated to great dignity.
World War I."
"United Jerusalem and Mayor Kollek"
Turkish officials are quoted, main- is the title of the Jan. 6, 1989, Purely
taining that the accusations are exag- Commentary describing his proposals
gerations, that there was no calculated for a united city, all elements
plan of extermination, and they put the cooperating and benefiting from a
number of dead at 300,000 and that as highly humanized society.
many Turkish Moslems were killed by
What a blessing for mankind if he
j
40
FRIDAY, MARCH 3; 1989
Bishop Ajamian
could succeed in his admirable com-
mitments. It is good at least to
remember his devotion to good
humanism and excellent diplomacy. His
tasks in that regard had a Detroit com-
munal involvement when he encourag-
ed sponsorship here of an Israel invest-
ment project at a meeting in 1970 ad-
dressed by Bishop Shahe Ajamian,
chancellor of the Jerusalem Armenian
Patriarchate. Earlier, Kollek encourag-
ed Jewish support of the Armenian
Museum in Jerusalem:
These are recollections and impor-
tant facts of marvelous significance in
Armenian Jewish relations.
That important occurrence resulted
from a message from Mayor Kollek to
the then manager of Israel Bonds in
Detroit, Louis Levitan. The . Kollek
message was frank in reference to the
anti-Israel pressures that exist in Arab
ranks. As he wrote to Levitan:
As you know, Bishop Shahe
Ajamian will be coming to
Detroit for Israel Bonds. I was
pleased to have been able to
help persuade him to undertake
this assignment even though it
was not especially convenient
for him.
It takes quite a bit of courage
for him to make this trip. There
are still many Armenians in
Arab countries who may be put
under great pressure because of
it. I do hope you will show him
due appreciation for what he is
doing.
You will, I am sure, find him
an extremely intelligent person
and will enjoy his company.
The event was held on Dec. 15,
1970. It was a truly noteworthy occa-
sion for Armenian-Jewish cooperation.
The function took palce at Temple
Emanu-El. Mrs. Samuel Hamburger
presided. The co-chairmen of the
organizing committee were Emma
Schaver and Norman Allan. The late
Louis Levitan delivered an address
outlining the Israel Bonds activities.
The address at that meeting by Arch-
bishop Shahe Ajamian retains
memorable recollections about a period
of amity and interfaith good will. My
report of that meeting, from The Jewish
News of Dec. 18, 1970, states:
Bishop Ajamian made a
strong appeal in support of the
efforts to encourage tourism in
Israel and gave hearty endorse-
ment to the activities of the
Israel administration under the
guidance of Mayor Teddy
Kollek, indicating the pro-
gressive steps that had been
taken since Jerusalem's
reunification by the Israel
government .. .
Bishop Ajamian, who also
addressed a luncheon meeting
for Israel Bond workers at noon
Tuesday at the B'nai David,
spoke of the "warm friendship"
between Jews and Armenians.
He paid tribute to the Israeli
military forces for having made
sacrifices in man-power to
assure preservation of the Holy
Places when the Old City of
Jerusalem was regained on
June 7, 1967. -
The city is holy to all of us,
he said, quoting the orders of
Gen. Chaim Herzog, who be-
came the military governor of
Jerusalem after its capture, who
ordered "no harm to the city
that is holy to all."
"Thus," the bishop said,
"Israel guaranteed freedom of
worship for all, to help
Jerusalem become the spiritual
center of the world."
What a remarkable story and what
an unusual demonstration for amity
and friendly relations between the two
nations, Israel and the Armenians.
Armenians! If we could only have a
repetition and emphasis of it! At least,
we are reminded of the desirable.
Then there was the additional mark
of cooperation which included the two
local communities, Jewish and
Armenian.
Recogition by Israel of the impor-
tant Museum in Jerusalem was ex-
plained in a letter from Mayor Kollek
on Sept. 9, 1969, to the then executive
vice president of the Jewish Welfare
Federation of Detroit, William Avrunin.
Bishop Ajamian knows a
good many Armenian people in
the United States. He believes
that if there was a way of
reaching some of the Armenians
in the U.S. he would be able to
obtain substantial funds for the
needs of his community, and of
course by the same token ad-
vance the Welfare of Jerusalem.
The emphasis given to this project
included the effort to encourage tourism
to Israel, with the Armenian museum
and its displays as objectives during the
visits to Jerusalem. The Jewish News
story regarding the success of the cam-
paign for support of the Armenian pro-
jects issued by Mayor Kollek included
this brief excerpt in the June 27, 1969,
issue.
A Detroit Jewish committee par-
ticipated in this project under the
leadership of Irwin Jay Deutch and his
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Deutch.
That's how the Armenians and
Jews cooperated less than 20 years ago.
The Deutches and the Armenian leader
Mardigian then set forth the aspiration
for an interfaith commitment in this
country as wel as Israel.