Newspaper Page Text
*'•*« Powr
Friday, January 24, 1964
Comnients ..
“TRUCKLING TO ARAB BIGOTRY”
Jewish leaders, in protesting the USIA “inci
dent” to Secretary of State Rusk, have character
ized it with a truth both woeful and mettlesome.
It is their sharp, penetrating charge that
if our officials hadn’t permitted a climate of
excess sensitivity to Arab reaction to grow up
and develop here—“truckling to Arab bigotry”
is the vigorous indictment—a Mr Allen Carter,
representing the U.S. Information Agency, would
hardly have felt called upon to voice his jaundiced
view concerning the depiction of Jews or Jewish
subjects in a USIA film. In their letter to the
Secretary of State . . . the Jewish leaders note
with pain that our government’s toleration of
Arab anti-Jewish propaganda in this country has
created in the minds of officials of technical agen
cies the impression “that U.S. policy requires that
the irritation of Arab sensibilities be avoided—even
at the cost of obscuring one of our nation’s glories:
the living together of people of different faiths.”
It is a coincidence of remarkable subtlety that
these same American agencies . . . fail so devastat-
ingly to indicate sensitivity to the spirit and func
tion of democracy in Israel, and that country’s
earnest and meaningful friendship for the United
States. Long overdue indeed is an action by the
U.S. Government which would put the Arab
rulers on notice that “we will not passively con
tinue to tolerate their peddling of prejudice in our
land.” Their blacklist and boycotts and virulpnt
anti-Jewish propaganda are breaches of interna
tional hospitality, as the Jewish leaders assert—
and they merit “vigorous rebuke and official con
demnation . .
ARTHUR WEYNE, American Examiner
THE ARAB SUMMIT AND
ISRAEL REACTION
Israel does not really expect the Arabs to ac
cept the tapping of the Sea of Galilee silently. To
do so would be to lose that most precious Mid-
eastem possession—-face. Total war is not the
only conceivable Arab reaction. Other possibili
ties include: 1. An intensive political campaign
designed to cause so much uproar that the great
powers would fear a war and pressure littje Israel
into poetponing or abandoning the project. 2. A
series of incidents on the Syrian frontier, where
the Arabs in the hills dominate the Israelis in the
valleys, to mesh with the political campaign. 3
Sabotage of the pipes, tunnels, canals and pump
ing stations of a project stretching for 75 miles
across largely open country. 4 The deliberate di
version of the Jordan River headwaters which
rise in Arab lands and feed the Galilee Lake. Yet
none of these alternatives is a thoroughly satisfac
tory solution for the Arabs. Division of the Jor
dan’s headwaters is a difficult, mostly and lengthy
affair of no economic value to the Arabs. The re
sults of a political campaign are iffy at best. Sabo
tage against a country with a crack intelligence
service is neither easy nor free of risk. Border
incidents, the Arabs know, cbuld lead to heavy
Israeli retaliation . . . Israel is determined to turn
on the taps of the National Water Carrier some
time this year and will go to war if necessary to
protect the project . . . Two vital questions remain:
What will the Arabs do? What will the U.S. do
if trouble comes? . . .
A. Rosenfold, N.Y. Herald Tribune from Jerusalem
PAPAL POLICY
It would be an exaggeration to say that the
problem of Jerusalem alone has prevented the
Vatican from extending diplomatic recognition to
Israel through all these years. There is an obvious
reluctance, almost an admission of a 2,000-year
failure, if the Church gives official recognition to
the rebirth of the very nation which brought forth
Christ and then rejected him. When the founder
of the Zionist movement, Dr Theodor Herzl, was
received in audience by Pope Pius X in 1904 and
asked him for ideological support, the Pope said:
“We are unable to favor this movement. The
ground of Jerusalem, if it were not always sacred,
has been sanctified by the life of Jesus Christ As
the head of the Church. I cannot answer you other
wise. The Jews have not recognized our Lord, there
fore we cannot recognize the Jewish people . . .”
Indications of a thaw came with the election of
the late Pope John XXIII. Le^s than a year after
his election he appointed for the first time a per
sonal representative in Israel
EPHRAIM LAIIAV, Hadassah Magazine
Jewish calendar
• PlIRIM
♦Thursday, Feb. 27, 1964
•PASSOVER
Saturday, March 28, 1964
(first day
Sunday, March 29, 1964
(second day)
•8HAVUOT
Sunday, May 17, 1964
(first day)
Monday, May 18, 1964
(second day)
TUI SOUTHERN ISRAELITE
THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE
and THE SUNCOAST JEWISH NEWS
Published weekly by Southern Newspaper Enterprises, 396 Co art
land 8L, N E„ Atlanta 3, Georgia. TR. 6-8249, TR. 6-8240. Second
elaaa postage paid at Atlanta, Ga. Yearly subscription five dollars.
The Southern Israelite invitea literary contributions and correspond
ence bnt is not to be considered as sharing the views expressed b*
writers. DEADLINE is 5 PJH., FRIDAY, bat material received earlier
will have a much better chance of publication.
Adolph Rosenberg, Editor and Publisher
Gustav Oppenheimer, Kathleen Nease, Jeanne Loeb
Gertrude Burnham
Georgia Press Association
i AT I Oil A l LDIiOrllAi
Jewish
Telegraphic
Agency
7 Arts Features
World Press
Youth in Action
It is heartening to see Jewish youth intent upon develop
ing means for intensifying their Judaism.
Such a movement is the United Synagogue Youth move
ment, the arm of the young people of the Conservative move
ment. This vigorous organization has made itself felt for
several years in Atlanta, Columbus, Macon and other centers
where their synagogue is affiliated with the Conservative
denomination of Judaism.
Recently congregations in Chattanooga and Savannah
affiliated with the nationally United Synagogue movement
and this weekend a delegation of youth from this neighbor
ing Tennessee communjjty will visit Atlanta to see how the
U.S.Y. operates. They' will have an excellent example to
observe. Congratulations to these fine Jewish youth—both
in Atlanta and in Chattanooga.
Trees for Tu Bishvat, January 29
Planting in the
By EPHRAIM SHEDLETZKY
(Jerusalem)
When the first trees were
planted in Israel the basic mo
tive was purely aesthetic. People
simply wanted to have a more
beautiful country. The grey and
naked hill slopes of the interior
and the sand dunes along the
coast inspired uneasiness and
fear. The tree was the her
ald of returning life, cap
turing the human eye with its
greenery. In those early years,
nobody cared much about the
material gain the young saplings
would Ijring in future years. Only
later, when the young trees began
to mature, did the planters begin
to calculate the profit that could
accrue from the forests. Today,
we already have a fairly exact
knowledge of all the benefits that
are derived from woods. Trees.
Trees are useful in preventing
soil erosion, and have already
brought a complete change to en
tire regions which have previous
ly been wastelands.
During recent years the direct
economic value of forests has be
come apparent as they have begun
to deliver ever-growing quant
ities of timber for industry. Yet
another aspect of the forests has
become prominent of late—their
use for recreation and tourism.
The majority of Israel’s popula
tion lives in towns and cities.
Over one third of all inhabitants
of the State is concentrated in
Tel Aviv and its surroundings,
and over one half is in the nar
row Coastal Plains, between the
urban areas of Haifa in the North
and Tel Aviv in the South. Like
almost every urban population,
these city dwellers of Israel are
removed from nature, from wild
life, fields and forests. Most of
them prefer to take their vaca
tions at the sea-shore, and only a
few kikow how to relax in the
green quiet of woodlands. In
order to enable the people of all
parts of the country to find rec
reation in the shade of forests,
the Jewish National Fund has em
barked upon a new project to lay
out special sites for this purpose
in those of its forests which are
more or less mature. On these
sites picnic lots and necessary in
stallations for camping are being
provided.
One leaves his car to go deeper
into the forests. There are sign
posts directing the visitor to a
number of. picnic spots hidden
between rocks and trees. There
JFK Peace Forest
are twelve of those snug
corners” in each of which small
grodlps or families enjoy their
privacy. In addition, there are
three larger sites for scouts, youth
movements, kibbutz groups, etc.
No detail has been overlooked,
and each “comer” has its' in
dividual character adapted to the
local topography. Ail are pro
vided with the necessary facilities
— a water-tap hidden in the
stones, fireplaces to heat tea or
cook lunch (firewood is prepared
in nearby piles, but no one is
permitted to cut branches off
trees); there are tables and
bencHes made of the local tim
ber o\ of rock, arrangements for
waste disposal, etc.
Similar recreation forest sites
are being set up in other parts of
the country. In the large forests
in Western Galilee, on Mount Gil-
boa, in the Menashe Hills, on
Mount Carmel and in the Sou
thern Coastal Plain. All these
will doubtless attract growing
numbers of people who wish to
forget for a while the nerve-
racking tensions of city life.
One of the most inspiring and
significant projects ever under
taken by the Jewish National
Fund is the newly launched
“John F. Kennedy Feace Forest”
in Israel. On the hallowed ground
where Bar Kochba waged his last
gallant battle for Judea’s free
dom two thousand years ago, the
John F. Kennedy Peace Forest
will rise within the green con
fines of the America-Israel Free
dom Forest, planted by the Jew
ish National Fund and dedicated
to peace and the bonds of friend
ship that link the two nations.
For the Jews of America, no tri
bute of our martyred President
could be more fitting and en
during than this living symbol of.
his greatness as a champion of
peace throughout the world.
It was Levi Eshkol, Prime Min
ister of Israel, who, after the
death of the President, declared
that the Kennedy Peace Forest
would serve “as a notable tribute
to the memory of a great Amer
ican and a world statesman.”
When in a few years the Ken
nedy Peace Forest will rise on
the Judean Hillsides millions of
visitors from all over the globe
will make their way to the mon
ument at the heart of a growing
and enveloping forest of ever- .
greens, to commune with the
spirit and memory of a gallant
leader and a friend of Israel.
Talmudic Treasures
COLLECTED AND TRANSLATED BY
JACOB L FRIEND
A Rabbi of the Talmud saw a man give
a silver coin to a beggar publicly. He said to
''him: Better had you given him nothing rath
er than give and put him to shame.
A proverb says (in “Shir ha-Shirim Rab-
bah”): The door which is not opened for
charity will be opened to the physician.
If the funds in the Community Chest are
low, the relief of the women takes prece
dence over the relief of the men.
If you see a man donating much to charity,
he assured that his wealth is increasing.
A gift to a poor man must be privately,
with no one else present. If a needy man
refuses to accept charity, aid must be given
him in, the form of'a loan, and no attempt
should be made to collect it.
Greater is he that lends (without interest)
than he that gives, and greater still is he
that lends, and with the loan, helps the poor
man to help himself. This is known in He
brew as “Gmiluth Hasodim," the highest
form of charity.
One form of “strange worship” or idola-
tory, is practiced by those who build syna
gogues or academies, placing therein Scrolls
of the Torah with crowns to adorn them, but
whose motive is not service to God but the
attainment of public applause and public
fame and cheap publicity.
He who gives nothing to Jacob will give
later much to Esau (Midrash).
It is hard to understand Israel: He is ask
ed to give to the Golden Calf and he gives.
He is asked to contribute to the Tabernacle
and he also gives.
When are good deeds bad? Yes, when one
gives charity to a man in public or to a wom
an in secret. He who prolongs his stay at
table prolongs his-life; perhaps a poor man
will come and he will give him some food
There are three chief attractions: the
attraction of a womayt for her husband; the
attraction of a city for its residents, and the
attraction of an article purchased by its buy
er
Close thine eyes against beholding a
charming woman, lest you be caught in her
net.
Four things cause a man to age prema
turely: fright, anger, children and an evil-
natured wife.
All men of anger are fools.
Grow not' angry, and you shall not sin:
grow not drunk, and ye shall not offend.
How shall a man know whom to bring
near, or whom to keep far from himself?
When a man becomes angry, his true chac-
ter is made manifest.
There is a phrase in Hebrew “Zaar Ba’ale
Hayyim” which means pity towards living
creatures, known as “Prevention of cruelty
to animals.” It may be of interest to readers
to learn that by Jewish Law, the Jew is com
manded to feed his household animals be
fore he sits down to his own meal.
No man may buy a beast, an animal or
a bird until he has provided food for it.
People say: “throw no stone into the well
from which thou drinkest
A man should remember the place from
which he has derived a benefit.
If thy neighbor invite thee to a dinner of
lentils, reply with an invitation to a dinner
of meat. Why? Because thy neighbor was the
first to invite thee.
If thou hast harmed thy neighbor a little,
let it be in thine eyes as if thou had harmed
him much; if thou hast done much for thine
neighbor consider it as little; if thy neighbor
has done for thee a little good, regard it as
considerable.
If a gentile blesses thee, respond “Amen.”
Whosoever blesseth thee, respond “Thou al
so.”
When thou earnest to ask for a favor, con
verse at first regarding other matters; be not
abrupt with thy request.
Three men are beloved by God: He who
does not become angry; he who does not be
come drunken; and he who does not stand
upon his dignity.
God loves the pure of heart.
What is the prime virtue? To be pure in
the eyes of God and men.
Just as an artisan is proud of work well
performed, so does God take pride in the man
of worthy conduct.
Why was Hadassah called Esther? (In the
Book of Esther), Because the nations declared
her to be as beautiful as a star. (Called her
Venus corresponding to Ist’har in Persian).
While the dust is yet on thy feet, sell what
thou hast brought to market. (Wait not for
speculative high prices).