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XXXIII
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 1958
NO. 1
Soviet Urged To Redress
Wrongs Against Jews
NEW YORK, (JTA) — The So
viet Government was called upon
this week ‘to redress the wrongs
committed against the Jews of
the Soviet Union over a period of
several decades, and particularly
since 1948.” The appeal was made
in a statement adopted at a con
ference of the Farband-Labor Zi
onist Order which v’as attended
by more than 400 delegates.
“Since the Soviet Union has
failed, even as other governments
intent on similar purpose has fail
ed, to enforce the assimilation of
Soviet Jews, and since the Soviet
Government does not permit them
cultural sovereignty, and counten
ances discrimination, the only al
ternative for Soviet Jews is re
settlement in Israel,” the state
ment said. “A persuasive demon
stration of the sincerity of the
Soviet Government’s profession of
concern for an era of co-existence,
would be the redress of the
wrongs committed against Soviet
Jews, who have been particularly
victimized since the launching of
the Cold War, and permission for
them to proceed to Israel. Our
call is ancient and traditional —
“Let my people go.”
Reviewing the situation of Is
rael in the world today, the con
ference also urged the free world
to “provide moral, political and
material support” for Israel to
counteract renewed Arab and So
viet activities against the Jewish
State. Soviet propaganda continues
to "deluge the Arab countries
with the most virulent incitement
against the State of Israel,” the
statement adopted by the dele
gates noted. It also drew attention
to the fact that Soviet arms are
still pouring into the area. The
principal speakers at the confer
ence included Meyer L. Brown,
president, and Louis Segal, gen
eral secretary of the Farband.
Ben Gurion Attempting to Form
New Cabinet in Israel Crisis
JERUSALEM — David Ben
Gurion Thursday was attempting
to form a new coalition cabinet
which would permit greater free
dom in foreign affairs.
His coalition government top
pled earlier this week on a crisis
precipitated by the Achdut Avoda
and its left-wing partner, Mapam,
turned down the Premier’s de
mands for a freer hand in foreign
policy, protection against viola
tion of Cabinet secrecy and guar
anteed tighter discipline among
the member parties in the gov
ernment coalition.
Ben Gurion’s resignation was
officially handed in on Wednes
day and Thursday. President Zwi
called leaders of all the parties
for conferences prior to asking
that the new cabinet be formed.
It was a foregone conclusion
that Ben Gurion would have the
U. S. Educator Criticizes Ben Gurion’s
Stand on Post - Biblical Hebrew
LOUISVILLE, Ky., (JTA, —Is
rael Prime Minister David Ben
Gurion was criticized here this
week for his emphasis on the
role of the Bible in Judaism with
little regard for post-Biblical He
brew sources. The criticism was
voiced at a public lecture de
livered here by Dr. Abraharh
Katsh, chairman of the Depart
ment of Hebrew Culture and Ed
ucation at New York University.
“Such an approach is almost
tantamount to Karaism,” Prof.
Katsh said. “Actually the Jew
can understand his Scripture only
in the light of the post-Biblical
commentators and philosophers,”
he insisted.
The New York educator also
criticized American Zionists for
not being ‘alert” to the cultural
opportunities presented by the
creation of Israel. “Had they been
alert,” he said, “they might have
undertaken an intensive campaign
to stress the importance of the
Hebrew language, which, rooted
in our very being, was and is the
primary link between Israel and
world Jewry.
“In Europe,” Dr. Katsh pointed
out, “it is customary for people
to speak three or four languages;
why not encourage every Jew in
America to regard Hebrew as a
spiritual sine qua non. The He
brew language served as a cord
of unity and as a bond of com
mon identity during the long and
dark periods of the Diaspora. To
day it has taken on a new lease
on life and has become the medi
um of expression and thought of
the most heterogeneous communi
ty in the world; the study of the
Hebrew language here many con
tribute to making American Jew
ry not only a consumer but also
a creator of Hebrew cultural
values.
“We must proceed to introduce
courses in Hebrew and on Israel
in our public high schools, col
leges, and universities on a large
scale,” he continued. “Not only
the Jew but the non-Jew, too,
must become aware of the fact
that Hebrew is no longer a dead
language, essential only for an un
derstanding of the Bible in the
original, but a living tongue, the
language of a living, pulsating
people.”
Dr. Katsh said that “Mr. Ben
Gurion’s remarks unfortunately
did not evidence great concern
for the sentiments of American
Jews, most of whom will regard
his demands as impossible. Hal-
utziyut of the type the Prime Min
ister demands could be fostered
only under the compulsive con
ditions prevailing in Eastern
Europe. As far as America is
concerned, it must be entirely of
a voluntary nature. American
Jews can ouly be drawn — not
driven — to Israel."
first bid to create a new cabinet.
While the left-wing groups
were holding last minute consul
tations, the Premier was attempt
ing to convince the Progressive
Party leadership to join him in
a “small coalition” without the
Mapam and Achdut Avoda. The
centrists, practically the only
group in the Cabinet to support
the Premier’s demands for tight
ening of policy and security con
trol in the Cabinet, have consist
ently shied away from participa
tion in a coalition which will only
command a slm one-vote majority
in the Knesset.
The religious parties in the gov
ernment — Mizrachi-Poale Miz-
rachi — opposed the “adminis
trative punishment” provisions of
the Premier’s program for recon
stitution of the present coalition.
Mr. Ben Gurion is slated to confer
tonight with other religious par
ties—Agudah and Poale Agudah
—who are in the opposition, to
join the coalition if the leftists
are ousted.
Even as the possibility grows
that Mr. Ben Gurion will submit
his Cabinet’s resignation to Par
liament tomorrow, observers here
believe that either he must obtain
entrance of the centrist General
Zionists into the Cabinet or dis
solve Parliament and schedule
national elections 18 months be
fore Parliament’s term is over.
Dr. Peretz Bernstein, General Zi
onist leader, declared this week
end that his party would not join
the Ben Gurion government even
if the Mapam and Achdut Avoda
were eased out.
Another General Zionist leader,
Deputy Speaker of the Knesset
Israel Rokach, advocated a bi
cameral legislature in Israel to
Jews in Bolivia Enjoy Equa
Rights; Fear No Assimilation
NEW YORK, (JTA)—Although
there are only 4,000 Jews in Bo
livia they do not fear assimila
tion because there is a strong Jew
ish cultural life in the country
and almost no intermarriage,
Rabbi G. Friedlander, chief rabbi
of Bolivia, who is now on a visit
to the United States, declared here
this week.
Rabbi Friedlander said that be
fore World War II there were only
30 Jewish families in Bolivia. Most
of the 4,000 Jews now residing
there were admitted as refugees
from Nazi Europe. About two-
thirds of them are Jews from Po
land and one-third came from
Germany.
About 3,000 of the Jews live in
La Paz, the rabbi reported. They
are chiefly engaged in trade and
in industry. The economic situa
tion leaves no room for com
plaints. Nor can the Jews of Bo
livia complain about the rights
Atlanta Institute of Jewish Studies
To Open Winter Term At AJCC
The winter term of the Atlanta
Institute of Jewish Studies will
begin on January 8, it was an
nounced this week by the Atlanta
Bureau of Jewish Education ac
cording to Lewis Cenker, presi
dent.
These classes offer “an unusual
opportunity for adults in our
community to increase their
knowledge of Jewish life,” Mr.
Cenker added.
Ten classes will be held every
Wednesday for ten consecutive
weeks at the Atlanta Jewish
Community Center. The registra
tion is $3.50 for the term. The
first hour classes are from 8:10
to 9 p.m., the second from 9:05 to
10 p.m., followed by a social hour.
The beginners, intermediate and
advanced Hebrew classes will con
tinue for two-hour sessions. These
classes are taught by Rabbi Joseph
Cohen, Irving Fried and Joseph
Margolis.
The ten new courses are:
First Hour—“Adjustments in
Family Life,” Stanley Bass;
“Psychiatry and Religion,” Rabbi
Sydney K. Mossman; “The Wis
dom Books of the Bibl§,” Rabbi
Emanuel Feldman, Dr. Charles
Wahl and Samuel H. Rosenberg,
“The Jewish Writer in a Non-
Jewish World,” David Slavitt.
Second Hour—“Jewish Music,”
by Dr. Joseph Glazer; “Clinic for
Club Leaders,” Maurice Gold,
“The Prayer Book,” Rabbi Alex
Kaminetsky; “Spain, East Europe,
The United States,” Morris Mitz-
ner; “The Book of Psalms,” Jo
seph Shuchatowitz.
Registration can be made by
calling the office of the Atlanta
Bureau of Jewish Education, JA.
5-4825, or in person the opening
night at the Center.
which they enjoy. There is no
anti-Semitism in Bolivia, he re
ported.
Jewish cultural life in Bolivia,
Rabbi Friedlander said, was de
veloping normally. There is a Jew
ish theatre in La Paz, a Jewish
center “Circulo Israelita”, eight
synagogues and a Jewish all-day
school which is attended by 400
children. The school enjoys gov
ernment support and its graduates
are accepted into the La Paz Col
lege.
Rabbi Friedlander, who is also
the director of the Jewish school,
revealed that about 30 percent of
the pupils in the school are child
ren from non-Jewish farrtilies.
Some of them come from the
homes of high government offi
cials and leading Bolivian person
alities. These children study He
brew, Jewish history and other
Jewish subjects and master them
as well as do the Jewish children.
The school has a staff of 36 teach
ers, of whom six are Jews. The
Jewish teachers are assigned to
teaching Jewish subjects.
“All in all we can say that 80
percent of all the Jewish children
in Bolivia receive a systematic
Jewish education,” Rabbi Fried
lander stated. “The remainder are
also not estranged from Jewish
education, but receive it through
private teachers. We are certain
that our children will grow up to
be good Bolivians and good Jews
at the same time.”
“filter, strain and restrain” leg
islation enacted by Parliament. He
urged replacement of the present
proportional representation sys
tem from party lists with single
member constituency representa
tion. He asserted this would bring
closer contact between constituen
cies and the deputies who repre
sent them in Parliament.
Japanese Royalty
Seek to Learn
About Judaism
NEW YORK, (JTA) — Mem
bers of the royal family of Japan,
including the brother of the Em
peror, have expressed a desire
to learn more about Liberal Ju
daism, it was revealed here this
week-end by Dr. Maurice N. Ei-
sendrath, president of the Union
of American Hebrew Congrega
tions.
The rabbi, who is departing on
a five-month global trip, said he
will visit with Liberal Jewish
communities throughout the Far
and Near East and South Africa.
He toop particular note of the in
terest in Liberal Judaism among
the several hundred Jews of Ja
pan.
"Even more exciting is the pro
found interest the Japanese them
selves have shown for Judaism,”
he added. “Many of our rabbis
have already met with groups
who are searching for a new re
ligion. Large numbers of Japan
ese have lost faith in Shintoism
since the last war. The spiritual
searching even includes members
of the royal family.”
KASSEL, Germany, (JTA) —
An official Israel team has com
pleted more than two years’ work
taking 21,000,000 photographs of
documents concerning Nazi con
centration camps. The vast photo
graphic library which has been
built up on microfilm by the Is
rael team contains the record of
all traceable deaths which occur
red in German concentration
camps. The commission received
full help from the West German
authorities.
Emory President
To Address Gate
City Lodge Jan. 12
Dr. S. Walter Martin, the new
president of Emory University,
will be the guest speaker at the
dinner meeting of Gate City Lodge
at 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 12, at the
Mayfair Club.
Any member of the Atlanta
Jewish community is welcome to
attend and hear Dr. Martin, who
will highlight current needs in
the field of education, according
to William Frey, lodge president.
Dr. Martin is a native of Georg
ia and holds high academic de
grees from Furman University,
University of Georgia, and Uni
versity of North Carolina. He has
had a wide and varied career
as an educator, starting as a high
school instructor at Palatka in
1832 and joined the University of
Georgia faculty in 1935. He is
the author of two books, “Flori
da’s Flagler,” as well as many
articles on history and education
for academic journals.
Reservations for the dinner can
be made with Sidney Parks at
Jackson 3-2965.