Newspaper Page Text
The Southern Isrp-** 8 ?.'
A Weekly Newspaper for Southern Jewry — Estal j0
VOL. XXXI
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, FRIDAY, JULY 6, 1956
NO. 26
PUTTING TWO AND TWO TOGETHER
Meaning of Sharett Ouster
by Rinna Grossman
The newspaperman from
abroad banged his fist on the
cafe table.
“Look,” he said irritably, “when
a Prime Minister gets rid of his
Foreign Minister after years and
years of the closest association
—this makes a crisis, anywhere.
Even here. So stop telling me that
this is no crisis. It has to be
one.”
As a matter of fact, it was
hard for the man in the street
to explain to the newspaperman
from abroad that while Moshe
Sharett’s ouster from the Ben
Gurion Cabinet was something
which deeply concerned all of
Israel, to say nothing of the
world outside, it was, in point
of fact, somewhat substantially
short of being a crisis. Everyone
talked about it, of course. Some
gloomed and fumed. Others ap
plauded and predicted. But no
one felt that it was in any way
a move of critical importance.
And lots of the stories which in
dicated that a personal rift be
tween B. G. and Sharett had
brought about Sharett’s enforced
resignation from the cabinet. As
though after forty odd years of
working together for the estab
lishment and protection of the
Jewish State either of them
could have permitted himself
more than annoyance over the
difference in personality and
background.
Other commentators explained
publicly that Israel’s entire policy
would change now towards radi
cal action, in the direction of ex
tremism, away from common
sense. In the rush to make these
public explanations, the press
seemed to have overlooked B. G.’s
statement that basic policy would
not alter at all, and the fact that
Israel was a functioning democ
racy, its loading political party
one which contained within its
ranks both B. G. and Sharett and
which would continue to contain
them both.
Penna. Schools Drop
Questions on Race
And Religion
PHILADELPHIA, (JTA) —
Pennsylvania colleges, universi
ties and professional schools are
asking fewer questions about
applicants’ religion race and na
tionality, it was established in a
triennial survey conducted by
the Philadelphia Jewish Com
munity Relations Council.
The number of schools asking
no discriminatory questions in
creased from 27 in 1950 and 40
in 1953 to 59 this year, the JCRC
revealed. The number of schools
which asked only the question
about race has finally reached
zero, while the number asking
for the religion of the applicants
was 15 — all denominational
schools. The number of schools
asking all three of the discrim
inatory questions had dropped
from 23 six years ago to nine
this year, the JCRC survey found.
Rumania Now Has
Rabbinical Seminary
STOCKHOLM, (JTA) — A
rabbinical seminary has been es
tablished in Arad, Rumania, Dr.
A. Rosen, Chief Rabbi of Ru
mania, declared here at a recep
tion given in his honor by the
Jewish community of Stockholm.
The school has 35 students, Rabbi
Rosen said.
Earlier, Rabbi Rosen attended
a meeting of the Federation of
Scandinavian Rabbis and met
with Drs. Wilhelm, Melchior and
Aronzon, Chief Rabbi of Sweden.
Denmark and Norway, respective
ly. Dr. Rosen is in Sweden re
turning a visit paid to Bucha
rest earlier this year by Rabbi
Wilhelm.
Besides, Sharett had not van
ished. Israel’s Number Two
Statesman, his position was not
essentially altered. In many ways,
it was strengthened. He would
become, almost inevitably, the
leader of those groups within
the Labor Party who believe in
the more temperate phrase, the
more slowly considered action.
Once there was no one to take
B. G.’s place. Sharett had his
hands full with the Foreign Min
istry and matters of foreign pol
icy. Now, he was free to offer
the nation an alternative, in terms
of approach and personality, to
Ben Gurion — and this in itself
was good for Israel. Bolder and
stiffer policies in the offing?
Quite possibly. Perhaps inevitab
ly, but Sharett was not being
punished for the seeming failure
of a policy based on implicit trust
in the West, particularly in
America. He would still be
around — and there was a fail
ure, it was not his, and all of
Israel knew this.
Washington had failed, to keep
promises, to make hard commit
ments, to reassure. Anywhere
else perhaps, the Foreign Min
ister would be blamed. But not
this time, and not in Israel. B. G.
and Sharett just didn’t function
the same way. There were too
many arguments about method
and timing — and too little time
left for these luxuries. •
The newspaperman from abroad
still didn’t quite get it. It must
be a crisis, he said again, and
sounded confused and angry
when no one would accede. There
were plenty of crises in Israel.
The constant threat of war, in
creased almost every week; the
influx of immigrants; the worry
about the Jews of North Africa
who might not be able to emigrate
after all; the water situation;
money; weapons. But this poli
tical shift which made all the
headlines everywhere wasn’t what
Israel considered a crisis. Not a
real one, at all.
See Tougher Israel Policy
Outcome of Cabinet Changes
JERUSALEM, (JTA — West
ern observers, reviewing the dra
matic outcome of the Govern
ment crisis here this week pre
dicted that a toughening up of
Israel’s attitude towards the Arab
States could be expected follow
ing the departure of Moshe Shar
ett from the Israel Foreign Min
istry. There was general agree
ment, however, that the Cabinet
shakeup would not result in any
major policy changes and that
Government actions will largely
be formulated under moderating
influences.
Premier David Ben Gurion, ad
dressing the Knesset in the de
bate precipated by the Sharett
resignation pledged his govern
ment to a policy of peace and to
observance of the armistice agree
ments as far as they are observed
by their Arab signatories. He
strongly reiterated his opposition
to a “preventive war” which he
characterized as “sheer madness”
but he made it clear that Israel
would fight to repel any Arab
aggression. He left no doubt that
Israel would not permit persist
ent border violations to go un
challenged.
The premier’s reference to the
Security Council and his charge
that, its surrender to verbal ter
rorization by the Arabs had im
paired its moral status indicated
to many observers that Israel, in
future, would look less to the
United Nations and more to its
own potential. Tt was considered
significant that the premier scold
ed Secretary General Dag Ham-
marskjold for failing to make
clear in the report on his Mid
dle East mission Israel’s declared
intention to observe the letter
and spirit of the armistice agree
ments only so long as the other
side equally observed them.
While Premier Ben Gurion won
handily in the three Knesset
votes which followed the debate
precipitated by the Sharret resig
nation, the votes were not con
strued as appoval of any major
policy change.
Speakers for the parties in the
coalition, including a leading
Mapai spokesman stressed that
resignation was not over a clash
on policy but a protest against
the failure of the Western Powers
to recognize Sharett’s policy of
moderation and to support it by
providing Israel with defensive
arms. A Mizrachi Labor spokes
man called the resignation” an
open, vigorous protest by a peace-
loving statesman who felt be
trayed by the Great Powers.”
The Christian Science Monitor,
in an editorial this week in which
it saw a continuation of moder
ating forces at work on shaping
of Israel policy, forecast, how
ever, “stepped-up border defense
against Arab guerrillas and push
ing ahead with Israeli work on
the Jordan River power project
despite Arab opposition.”
It added that the cabinet
change ‘‘may mean also less re
gard for international opinion
and greater reliance on on-the-
V. S. Rabbis Address
Soviet Worshippers
NEW YORK, June 25, (JTA)—
A group of six Soviet rabbis,
headed by Moscow’s Chief Rabbi
Solomon Schliffer, welcomed the
delegation of the Rabbinical
Council of America upon its ar
rival in Moscow last week-end
to study Jewish religious life
there, it was reported here.
The American rabbis conducted
Sabbath services in the Moscow
synagogue, which was crowded
with worshippers, and delivered
sermons in Yiddish assuring the
Russian Jews that the Jews of
the United State are ready to
give them any help necessary for
their religious needs.
BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE UN—by David Horowitz
“The Irish Miracle
UNITED NATIONS, (AJP) — The news of
Councilor Robert Briscoe’s election as the Lord
Mayor of Dublin — the first Jew to hold this post
—quickly penetrated the marble and glass walls
of this international center and spread through
its corridors and chambers. Everyone, from the
elevator girls to the delegates, found a certain
sense of pleasure in discussing “the Irish Miracle.”
Indeed, the election of a Jew — and not just an
assimilationist who divorces himself spiritually
and politically from his people, but an observant
one leaning towards orthodoxy and who had been
great man, a humanitarian who has the public
interest at heart at all times.”
Mr. Conway, who first revealed to your cor
respondent that the Irish Ambassador in London,
Frederick H. Boland, had been chosen as Dublin’s
first chief representative to head the Irish delega
tion to the UN, indicated that Mr. Briscoe, who
is a member of De Valera’s opposition party in
the present coalition Government, “stands as good
a chance as anyone of being appointed a delegate
to the UN.” In Ireland, he said, coalition means
coalition. All parties are working for the common
instrumental in instituting kashruth laws through- ^good.
out Ireland — in an almost totally Catholic coun
try was of particular interest hers at the UN, our
new “World Order” triving to seek methods for
brotherhood and human rights — the very aim
and purpose of the Charter.
For the rank and file within this international
organization, the Dublin action meant something.
It was proof that brotherhood could work and
little Ireland, one of the 16 new members to be
admitted to the UN last year, has set a wonderful
example, they felt.
Councilor Briscoe himself, who had spent some
time with your correspondent discussing world
Jewish affajrs during his last visit to America,
testified to this truth the moment he took over
his new office. Said he; “It is a significant gesture
that in Catholic Ireland it is possible to elect to
this important office a man of a different faith,
particularly my own, which proves to the
world that in a free Catholic Ireland there would
be no intolerance.”
John M. Conway, Ireland’s Consul General in
New York and who has been representing his
country at the UN since she was admitted, ex
pressed the greatest satisfaction over Briscoe’s
election. “Everyone is happy about it,” Mr. Con
way told this writer with enthusiasm. “He is a
Besides being an observant Jew, always battling
for Torah-truths, Robert Briscoe is an ardent
Zionist. And it may be of interest to note that,
like so many of the Irish, Briscoe had sympathized
with Menachem Belgin’s Irgun and had even as
sociated himself with that group during the crit
ical days before Israel attained statehood.
This writer, who has been corresponding with
the Irish-Jewish patriot these past years, dis
covered that Bob Briscoe is also a scholar of note.
He has a deep knowledge of the Bible and He-
braica in general. What he has accomplished for
Irish Jewry no rabbi or group of rabbis could
ever do. In this lies his greatness as a Jew and
a citizen of a grand little land whose sovereign
symbol is the Harp of David.
The case of Robert Briscoe proves one thing:
the world respects one who honors his own basic
faith proudly upholding its principles before the
public eye. This can serve as a lesson to many a
wandering child of Israel here and abroad.
Sixty-one years of age, Robert Briscoe married
his childhood sweetheart, Lilian Isaacs. |They
have seven children, four boys and three girls.
The fact that the Irish and Israeli flags fly next
to each other here at the UN now becomes more
meaningful and significant!
spot action.”
The change in the Israel Gov
ernment, the paper said, faced
Western capitals with a two
pronged problem: “how to help
these moderate elements by pro
ving that Israel is not being
abandoned by its friends, and (2)
how at the same time to avoid
helping Moscow to win friends
and influence among the Arabs.”
Six Arrested For
Desecrating Cemetery
PITTSBURGH, (JTA) — Six
youths aged 20 to 25 have been
arrested here in connection with
acts of vandalism committed in
the Homestead Hebrew Cemetery
refcently. Damage was estimated
at $20,000. The arrested men de
nied there had beeh any anti-
Semitic intent in their vandalism
and said the episode had followed
a bout of heavy drinking.
Columnist Sokolsky
Scores Political
‘Ethnic Divisions?
NEW YORK, (JTA) — Sharp
criticism of national political or
ganizations for setting up spec
ial divisions to deal with various
“ethnic groups” was voiced here
this week by Hearst columnist
George Sokolsky. The columnist
commented on the fact that he
had received a circular “which
indicates that the Republican Na
tional Committee has an ’ethnic
division.’ ” He said that he won
dered “if the Democrats have one
too.”
Mr. Sokolsky wrote, “The eth
ic business marks the new ef-
ficience in politics, the national
committees having accepted all
new devices of intellectual cor
ruption and grain-washing, as
for instant telling a Negro that
he is a disconted person long
before he has discovered it for
himself and asking him to vote
not as an American but as a
discontented person. Similarly,
the various experts and consult
ants on Jewish problems try to
make Jewish citizens believe that
they are not Americans or that
other Americans believe that they
are not Americans so that they
must hook up with politicians
through ethnic divisions and get
some special benefits.
“Most Jews dislike the attitude,
and the same holds true for the
50 or more ethnic divisions that
compose the American race of
man. It would be sound to have
a slogan such as ‘An American
is an American.’
Center Leaves
Religious Education
To Synagogues
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J., (JTA)
—The Jewish Community Center
will discontinue its Sunday
School religious training for ele
mentary youth after maintaining
the school for 35 years, it was an
nounced this week. Efforts will
be made to enroll the 165 pupils
of the school in the schools main
tained by the Atlantic City syna
gogues and temples.
Discontinuation of the school
was proposed by the Board of
Rabbis which has announced that
the pupils from the center school
will be admitted to the syna
gogue schools without payment of
fee for the first year.
Israel C. Ginsburg, president
of the Center, said that “the re
ligious training of Jewish children
should be confined to our syna
gogue and temple religious
schools.” He said there was a
“universal trend” toward broad
ening the base of religious edu
cation beyond the Sunday schools.