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THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE
Friday,
May
21, 1M5
THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE
Published weekly by Southern Newspaper Enterprises, MO CourtUoo
St., N.E., Atlanta Georgia, 90903. TR CS249, TE. 3-M40. Second <U»-
posUge paid at Atlanta, Ga. Yearly subscription Ore dollars. The Southern
Israelite la rites literary contributions and correspondence but is not to be
considered as sharing the slews expressed by writers. DEADLINE ii
3 P.M., FRIDAY, bat material received earlier will have a much better
chance of publication.
Lag B’omer
By DR. H. RABINOWICZ
(Seven Arts Feature)
Jewish
Telegraphic
Agency
Georgia Press Association
NATIONAL EDITORIAL
World Press
1 as § )C 8 ,i 5 n
7 Arts Features
Adolph Rosenberg, Editor and Publisher
Kathleen Nease, Jeanne Loeb, Joseph Redlich
Vida Goldgar, Harry Rose, Betty Meyer
Thanks, Thanks, Thanks ...
This week brings a double simcha for The Southern
Israelite.
The publication celebrates its fortieth anniversary with
a public function at which scores of our readers—new and
old have indicated intentions of attending. Cognizant of the
good wishes we bear from them over surviving the rough
times of the past, the response is a heartening experience
This week too the American Jewish Press Association
of which The Southern Israelite is a founding member, is
holding its twenty-second annual convention in Atlanta and
it is an honor for The Southern Israelite to host fellow news
papermen in the English-Jewish world.
Numerically the number of weekly Jewish papers is all
too few, but the influence of this group in helping shape
Jewish public opinion is significant.
We humbly repeat a “Sheheyanu” over achieving the
four decade mark and our deep thanks to the AJP mem
bers who have traveled to Georgia for their convention.
Elect William Wexler
The one American Jewish organization whose presidential
elections are free and open—there are no nominating com
mittees and all the nominations are from the floor—will
soon be electing a successor to Label Katz.
At its convention later this month in Israel, the delegates
will probably be faced with two names—at least at this writ
ing these are the only two announced candidates.
One is Judge David Coleman of Los Angeles. The other
is William Wexler of Savannah, Ga.
In a tradition the P-0 set when it recommended the elec
tion of Philip Klutznick, and then six years later of Label
Katz, we believe that William Wexler deserves to be named
the next president of the B’nai B’rith.
Without seeking to cast any reflection on the work for
B’nai B’rith and ability of Judge Coleman, we feel that if
there is one consistency in at least the last two elections
(there is one every six years, since a president may only be
reelected for a second three-year term) it has been that this
largest Jewish organization in the world has always chosen
a man who has come up from the ranks.
If Philip Klutznick is the top American Jewish leader
today, it was not so when he was chosen to succeed the late
Frank Goldman. If Label Katz has followed well the path
set by Philip Klutznick, it was because the B’nai B’rith made
him, not the reverse.
The record of William Wexler then clearly indicates that
B’nai B’rith could not be in more competent hands for he
has lived B’nai B’rith and knows it inside out, not only as
a worker, but also as a working leader.
No one knows what the delegates to the B’nai B’rith con
vention will do. Theirs is the democratic province to select
the man who will lead their organization for the next three
years. It was difficult to succeed Alfred M. Cohen. It was
difficult to succeed Henry Monsky. It was difficult to suc
ceed Philip Klutznick and it will not be easy to succeed Label
Katz. We have faith that the good common sense of the dele
gates will cast the mantle on the man who has shown by
his tireless effort for B’nai B’rith that what is probably the
toughest job in the U.S. Jewish community will be in hands
that have had first-hand experience in all phases of B nai
B’rith work from the Institutes of Judaism to membership
drives, from the district presidency to officer of the inter
national organization.
—National Jewish Post and Opinion—Indianapolis
‘Despise not any man and carp
not any thing; for there is no
man that has not his hour and
there is not a thing that has not its
place.” So says the Mishna, and
the saying comes to jpiind when
thinking of Lag B’Omer.
The holy capital Jerusalem, the
thriving port Haifa, cosmopolitan
Tel Aviv, all give precedence on
Lag B’omer to the little townlet
, of Meron, in Upper Galilee, two
miles from Safad. For one whole
day all Israel turns towards
Meron. Oblivious of its proximity
to the frontiers and the innumer
able border incidents, men and
women, Ashkenazim and Sephar
dim, Chassiddim and Mithnag-
dim, Sabras and Yemenites, con
verge on the white-domed tomb
of Rabbi Simeon bar Yochai and
his son Eliezer. Psalms are re
cited, passages from the Zohar
are quoted. All eyes are directed
to the elevated pillar on which
there stands a large stone basin
full of olive oil. Kerchiefs of oil
and pieces of embroidered cloth
are giVerv by devout pilgrims and
immersed in the oil. At the stroke
of twelve the hadlakah (bonfire)
is lit as a signal that the celebra
tions have begun. *
The pilgrims dance as they
pray and pray as they dance;
fired by religious ecstasy, hith-
lahabut, not riotous revelry, a
spirit of awe, not lighthearted
gaiety. Like a magnet, this holy
place attracts the mystic, the
pious, the poor, the sick, and the
anxious. Few tourists can forego
the temptation of seeing the
sight. Spectators become partici
pants. The rabbi and the stu
dent, the old and the young, all
share a moving experience. The
material world gives way to the
strange world of the Cabbala. As
the flames mount higher and
higher the words of the song are
heard. “Bar Yochai, Bar Yochai,
How goodly your portion in the
world to come, Bar Yochai, Bar
Yochai, Happy One, anointed
with the oil of joy. Blessed by
the mouth of God, Blessed from
the Day of Creation.”
The pilgrimage to Meron is an
old-established tradition. Rabbi
Isaac ben Solomon Luria (1534-
1572) observed it. His disciple,
Rabbi Chayyim Vital (1543-
1620), wrote: “In these last eight
years my teacher, his wife and
family all go there and stay for
three days.”
Not all the rabbis were en
thusiastic about the pilgrimage.
Among the critics were Rabbi
Moses Schreiber, the Chatam
Sofer (1763-1839), and Rabbi
Joseph Saul Nathanson (1808-
1875). The hadlakah was regard
ed as a waster of money. Being
of Mithnagdic tradition, they felt
that a celebration on a Yahrzeit
was both unseemly and irrever
ent.
Lag B’Omer is rich in histor
ical associations. The Talmud
records that Rabbi Akiba “had
twelve thousand pairs of disciples
from Gabbatha (Dan) to Anti-
patris (northwest of Jerusalem),
and all of them died at the same
time.” Rabbinical authorities in
form us that the plague ceased on
the 18th day of Iyar (Lag
B'Omer). According to tradition,
it was on that day that manna,
the miraculous food which sus
tained the Israelites for a period
of forty years, descended for the
very first time. Hence, Tahanun
(supplication) is not recited in
the synagogues. Marriages are
solemnized, and in the words of
Rabbi Moses Isserles, the Rema
(1525-1^72), “It is a well-estab
lished custom to have a haircut
on Lag B’Omer, and we do allow
a little festivity on this day.”
A happy interlude is not out
of place in the cheerless Omer
period with its sombre memories
for our people. It recalls the he
roic revolt of Bar Kochba. Des
pite the warrior’s physical prow
ess, and Rabbi Akiba’s whole
hearted support, Julius Severus
brutally crushed the rising. Hall
a million Jews perished. Bar
Kochba (“Son of a Star”) be
came Bar Kozeba (“Son of
Lies”), and all that remains for
posterity are a few coins inscrib
ed “Year Two of tjje Freedom
of Israel.”
The Omer days also marked
the worst massacres of the First
Crusade of 1096, which practical
ly destroyed many of the Jewish
communities of the Rhineland.
The life of Rabbi Simeon bar
Yochai lighted the gloom and
the despair. As a leading Tanna
and disciple of Rabbi Akiba, he
made a distinct contribution to
the development of both the Hal-
acha and the Hagada. In the
Mishna alone tie is mentioned on
more than 325 occasions. He felt
a passionate love for Eretz Yis-
rael. His patriotism was matched
by his implacable hatred of
Rome. He could see nothing good
in the Roman rule. “All that they
made they made for themselves,
they built market places to set
harlots in them; baths to rejuv
enate themselves; bridges to levy
tolls for them.” He longed fer
vently for the collapse of the
Roman Empire. “If you see a
Persian (Parthian) horse tied in
Diplomatic Ties—
(Continued from page 1)
satisfactory solution” of the out
standing issues between the two
countries as a preliminary to the
agreement on the diplomatic ex
change.
In Bonn, Dr. Eugen Gersten-
mair, president of the Bundestag,
the lower house of Parliament,
expressed “pleasure” over the
announcement. He told a press
conference that he would “not
have dared predict this a year
ago." He added that “the main
point is that a solution has been
found to the question of wea
pons” but did not elaborate on
what the solution was.
Karl Guenther van Hase, the
Government press spokesman,
told newsmen that Erhard had
written to the Governments of
the 13 member countries of the
Arab League, explaining why
Bonn had recognized Israel and
asking for their understanding.
However, even before the formal
announcem e n t, several Arab
countries retaliated by breaking
off relations with West Germany.
Iraq was the first to do so, fol
lowed by Syria and Saudi Arabia.
Most of the member countries of
the Arab League were expected
to do likewise.
Palestine (i.e. Parthian invasion),
tiien hope lor the arrival of the
Messiah.”
To escape certain death at the
hands of the Romans he and his
son hid in a cave for thirteen
years, living on dates and the
fruit of carob trees. The scholar,
saint and hero became the sub
ject of many legends. Twice a
day he was visited by the Proph
et Elijah. He performed miracles,
healed the sick, and many great
and important works were attri
buted to him.
In the thirteenth century the
Spanish Cabbalist, Moses ben
Shem-Tob de Leon (1250-1305),
ascribed the authorship of the
Zohar to Rabbi Simeon bar
Yochai. Apart from the Bible
and the Talmud no other book
has influenced the thoughts of
Jews as has this great mystical
commentary on the Pentateuch,
the Bible of the Cabbala. The
Chassidic Rabbi Pinehas of Kor-
etz (d. 1791) used to thank God
because he had not been born
while the Zohar was still un
known. “The Zohar,” he would
say, “helped me to remain a
Jew.”
Rabbi Simeon is described by
the Zohar as “The Holy Lamb”
(Buzina Kadisha). He is com
pared to a tree “which reaches
both worlds.” He is called “a
contact between the upper and
the lower worlds,” “a mill that
grinds the manna for mankind
to gather every day.” Death came
to him on Lag B’Omer while he
was revealing to his disciples the
profound doctrines of the Zohar.
And “all that day a pillar of fire
burnt around Rabbi Simeon bar
Yochai, and when the pillar of
fire departed they saw a holy
light. They heard a voice say
ing: ‘Come and take part in the
celebration of Rabbi Simeon bar
Yochai. May peace be upon
him’.”
Faithfully successive genera
tions have carried out this com
mand.
Convention-
Continued from page 1
vice chairman of the Georgia
State Democratic Committee.
The visiting newspapermen are
to spend Sabbath evening in
homes of members of Beth El
and Shearith Israel Congrega
tions. Later at these two Syna
gogues, special services saluting
the Jewish Press are to be held.
Also on the agenda for the
visitors are tours of the city for
wives of the newspapermen and
a group visit to Stone Mountain
as guests of the State of Geor
gia.
Delegates remaining in Atlanta
for Sunday will begin a busy
schedule at the Federal Prison
where one of them will speak be
fore the Jewish congregatiori.
later the newspapermen will be
taken to Calloway Gardens and
Warm Springs for a quick trip.
Among the out-of-town visitors
in Atlanta for the special tribute
to The Southern Israelite and the
Jewish Press are Dr. and Mrs.
Pierce Annes. Dr. Annes is spir
itual leader of Sherah Israel con
gregation in Macon. He and his
wife are making a special trip to
Atlanta to be present at the con
vention and anniversary celebra
tion.
WASHINGTON (JTA)— The
Soviet Union, through its embas
sy in Washington, made known
that a strong protest has been
made to the United States Gov
ernment against “attempts to in
terfere in the domestic affairs of
the USSR” by State Department
endorsement of Sen. Ribicoff’s
resolution condemning Soviet
anti-Semitism. The protest was
made orally at the State Depart
ment by Alexander I. Zinchuk,
Counselor of the Russian Embas
sy. He called on Richard H. Davis,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of
State for European Affairs.
Mr. Zinchuk indicated to Mr
Davis that the Soviet Govern
ment resented what it considered
unfounded allegations involving
the Jewish situation in Russia
and felt that the State Depart
ment violated diplomatic protocol
by seeking to intervene in domes
tic Russian issues pertaining to
Soviet citizens. He contended
that the State Department had
no more right to urge passage of
a resolution telling Russia what
cultural facilities to provide to
Jews than the Soviet Foreign
Ministry would have in interven
ing directly in the American Ne
gro question in Alabama.
LONDON (JTA)—The Govern
ment of Tunisia recalled its en
voy to Egypt after his residence
was fired by a mob in the spread
ing conflict in the Arab world
over Tunisian President Habib
Bourguiba’s proj>osals that the
Arab states recognize and negoti-
tiate peace with Israel.
Holdstein Has Mitzvah
Dr. and Mrs. Marvin C. Gold
stein cordially invite frends and
relatves to attend the Bas Mitz
vah of ther daughter, Aleta, on
Friday, May 28, 8:15 p. m., at the
Ahavath Aohim Synagogue. Ar.
Oneg Shabbat honoring Aleta
will follow the Services.