Newspaper Page Text
Fading Jewish (Community
Sends Its Scrolls to Israel
LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (JTA)
—The decline of the once-flour
ishing Jewish community of
Leavenworth has prompted two
of the few remaining Jews there
to turn over three Sifrei Torah
to Israeli authorities for needy
synagogues in Israel.
Leavenworth is the site of the
there. The Jewish personnel at
first synagogue in Kansas, erected
in 1864. Mount Zion Cemetery is
the oldest burial ground in Kan
sas, containing tombstones dating
back to 1857. In recent years, the
town has become one almost
without Jews, most of the Jewish
families having moved to other
cities and few new ones settling
Fort Leavenworth come and go.
For these reasons, Meyer Gar-
finkel and Joe Kram became
concerned over the eventual fate
of the three Torahs in the Ark
of their largely-unused Leaven
worth synagogue. They conferred
with Rabbi Maurice D. Solomon
of Kehillath Israel Synagogue in
Kansas City, who suggested that
the Scrolls be sent to Israel. The
Scrolls were properly packed and
shipped to Israel Consul Haim
Zonar in New York, who ar
ranged for transhipment to the
Israel Ministry for Religious Af
fairs for distribution.
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The Southern Israelite
A Weekly Newspaper for Southern Jewry — Established 1925
Vol. XL ATLANTA, GEORGIA, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1965 NO. 43
Pope to Promulgate Decree
On Jews to Bind All Catholics
HIAS Help Cuban Jews Come
To L). S. Under New Program
ROME (JTA)—The promulga
tion by Pope Paul VI of the dec
laration on Jews endorsed recent
ly by the Ecumenical Council —
declaring that the Jews as a peo
ple cannot be blamed for the
Crucifixion of Jesus and deplor
ing anti-Semitism — is expected
before the end of this month,
making the declaration a Church
decree binding on all the world’s
Roman Catholics.
Reaction to the declaration,
which was accepted by a final
vote of 1,763 to 250, ranged from
enthusiastic praise to disappoint
ment over the fact that the word
deicide” was deleted from the
regard to anti-Semitism. The vote
text and the word “condemns”
was replaced by “deplores” with
to leave out the word “deicide”
in absolving the Jewish people
from the blame for the Crucifix
ion was 1,821 to 245. The vote
"deploring” anti-Semitism was
1,905 to 199.
Bishop Francis P. Leipzig,
chairman of the American Bish
ops Commission for Catholic-
Jewish Affairs, declared that
work will be started in the
United States within three months
to carry out the program of fos
tering better relation between
American Catholics and Jews, as
set forth in the declaration ap
proved at the Ecumenical Coun
cil.
The American bishops, he said,
are determined that “all manifes
tations of anti-Semitism—like all
hatred, all persecutions, all dis
criminations of whatever kind-
must disappear from the face of
the earth.” He emphasized that
both Catholics and Jews should
equally “engage themselves” to
carry out the approach to col
laboration between the two
faiths.
The American prelate met crit
icisms of the final draft by
stating that he expected the dec
laration to “usher in a new era
of friendship and cooperation
with our Jewish brethren for the
benefit of all men,” despite “a
few minor imperfections.”
“The amendments carry less
weight than the entire document,”
he declared. “What counts is the
overall text and spirit, and this
expresses kindship, reverence and
determination, as well as a cons
ciousness of the common heritage
of the Church and the Jews.”
He was asked which aspect of
the declaration — that regarding
the desirability of a continuing
Christian-Jewish “dialogue,” or
that stating the Church’s oppos
ition to anti-Semitism — seemed
more important. He and other
U. S. prelates agre d that the two
were interrelated because the re
moval of anti-Semitsm was a
condition of the “dialogue,” and
the “dialogue” would help re
move the prejudices that germ
inate anti-Semitism. It was also
stressed that the declaration
should be considered as the be
ginning of a fruitful development.
NEW YORK (JTA)— Jewish
leaders all over the world hailed
the declaration adopted by the
Ecumenical Council exonerating
the Jewish people from the Cru
cifixion charge and deploring an
ti-Semitism. However, certain
reservations were noted in the
Jewish statements. Their general
attitude was that the Jewish peo
ple will judge the importance of
the declaration primarily by the
seriousness with which it will be
implemented.
Dr. Nahum Goldmann, presi
dent of the World Jewish Con-
gess, said that the Ecumenical
Council’s declaration “does away
with the centuries-old accusation
which was the basis of many per
secutions and cruel injustices
committed by the Catholich
Church against the Jewish peo
ple.” However, he added that “at
the same time it is to be re
gretted that the original draft
approved by an overwhelming
majority of the Council last year
was seriously weakened, espec
ially in the passage concerning
anti-Semitism.” He said that to
“deplore” anti-Semitism after
the Nazi period was certainly in
adequate.
Morris B. Abram, president of
the American Jewish Committee,
said that adoption by the Vatican
Council of the declaration on the
Jews was “an act of justice long
overdue,” but he expressed keen
regret over some of its assertions
on the ground that they might
“give rise to misunderstandings.”
Mr. Abram stated the hope that
the declaration — especially its
repudiation of the “invidious”
charge of the collective guilt of
the Jews for the death of Jesus,
and its rejection of anti-Semitism
—would afford “new opportun
ities for improved interreligious
understanding and cooperation
throughout the world.”
The ultimate significance of the
declaration, Mr. Abraham stress
ed, would depend on “the manner
and vigor with which the affirm
ative principles embodied in this
declaration will be carried out.”
In that connection, he said that
the Amercian Jewish Committee
had been heartened to learn of
the creation recently of a special
Commission on Catholic-Jewish
Relations by the American hier
archy.
Dr. Joachim Prinz, president of
the American Jewish Congress,
greeted the Council’s action on
the Jews as a manifestation of
“good-will” whose intimate im
portance will be tested in the
way Catholic parishes carry it
out in day-to-day practice. He
noted the Ecumenical Council’s
“repudiation of Jewish respon
sibility for the death of Jesus”
and its rejection of anti-Semitsm
as incompatible with Catholic
teachings. He voiced disappoint
ment, however, that the declara
tion was not as “clear and forth
right as might have been expect
ed.”
Conference of Jewish
Organizations Hopes for
Practical Effects
Dr. William Wexler, president
of B’nai B’rith. speaking as co
chairman of the World Confer
ence of Jewish Organizations,
expressed “appreciation of the
evident good will and sincere
feeling for human freedom”
which impelled so many leaders
of the Catholic Church “to strive
for a public repudiation by their
Church of the movements which
seek to distort Catholic teachings
and to expliot these distortions
in the service of anti-Semitism.”
However, he said, “the true sig
nificance of the Ecumenical
Council's statement will be de
termined by the practical effects
it has on those to whom it is
addressed.”
The National Conference of
Christians and Jews praised the
declaration of the Ecumenical
Continued on page 4
Dear “Everyone,”
If time permitted, I would
write to each of you personally
but since my hours are now so
crowded with the chores of get
ting adapted to our new sur
roundings such a thing becomes
difficult. In light of that, please
accept this “open letter” as a
missle directed specifically to
you!
This first month has flown by
at a rapid pace and as I now sit
in the lovely apartment we were
fortunately able to sub-let from
a couple now in England for the
UJA, I can barely believe that
all that has already taken place
could have been achieved in
such a small space of time.
The delightful voyage on the
“Shalom” is now only a fond
memory, nearly crowded out of
mind by all the events which
have taken place since we first
set foot on Israel’s shore just
four weeks ago. To begin with,
the impact of the change in the
terrain since I was last here al
most eight years ago, defies
description. The road between
Tel Aviv and Haifa that once
appeared barren and rocky with
only slightest tings of green
supplied by the tiny trees planted
through JNF now seemed lush
by comparison. So it was be
tween Tel Aviv and Jerusalem
as well. Green, green trees—no
longer little saplings—but big
trees, lined the highway and rose
up into the hills. All around me
were signs of building, of expan
sion and what were once small
moshavim dotting the route be
tween Tel Aviv and Jerusalem
now bloomed into cities—spread
ing one into the other so that it
NE1W YORK (JTA) — Murray
I. Gurfein, president to United
Hias Service, said that the agency
is “making every effort to im
plement the Government’s pro
gram of assisting Cuban refugees
to come to the United States.” “In
accordance with our Govern
ment’s policy to give first priority
to family reunion and to political
prisoners who may be released
by the Cuban Government, he
said, “we have already submitted
to the Cuban Refugee Center, in
Miami, the names of all parents
of unaccompanied Cuban Jewish
children and separated spouses.”
He pointed out that United Hias
Service was in daily contact with
die United States State Depart
ment, the Department of Health,
Education and Welfare, and the
Immigration and Naturalization
Service with regard to the Cuban
refugee situation. He urged Cuban
—THE EDITOR
ble. Now, when it comes to that
language, I have only two com-
becomes a bit difficult to say
where one actually ends and the
other begins. The thought that
recurs again and again is that
Israel has an untold potential
and that should peace with the
Arab world take place, the role
that Israel can play as a bridge
between Africa and Asia in com
merce and enlightenment would
spell success and security for this
small land. Peace and water, the
two major problems from with
out, once resolved, would re
store Israel to such a brilliance
that it fairly takes my breath
away to even think of! But I
have promised myself that I will
merely report on events as I see
them—not project ahead, so that
you could draw your own con
clusions. After all, does one little
month equip me to play the ex-
pert’’ Nonsense! !
As you may know, Ed (the
bigger half of the Reisman clan)
has been on a bit of a “leave”
from Atlanta and has been doing
work in vascular and chest sur
gery, as well as surgical research.
Our trip here dovetailed beauti
fully into Ed’s needs and since
he was invited to continue his
work here for a while at Tel
Hashomer Hospital, a part of the
new Tel Aviv Medical School,
we were delighted to be able to
blend Ed’s work with our desire
to spend an extended visit to
Israel. Almost a dream come true
to be able to synthesis two ful
filling experiences at one time!
Knowing that we will be here
for a few months, we are tack
ling the delightful chore of learn
ing as much Hebrew as is possi-
refugees, who wish to bring their
relatives here, to complete an
application supplied by the
United Hias Service, or its local
cooperating agency.
He estimated approximately
2,500 Jews are still in Cuba, out
of an original Jewish community
which numbered more than 10,-
000 prior to the advent of Castro,
United Hias Service, he said, has
assisted in the resettlement of
close to 4,300 Cuban Jewish ref
ugees who have been relocated in
88 communities in 29 states in
the United States, the District of
Columbia and Puerto Rico. In
cluded in this figure are 400 un
accompanied Jewish children, 340
of whom have already been re
united with their parents in this
country, become of age, married,
or joined the United States
Army.
ments to make. (1) It is "shvair
to zine a Yid,” (2) Only a- Jew
could have thought of such a
language! But what a joy to
finally begin to understand a
good deal of what you hear—
and what an occasion for cele
brating when I finally negotiat
ed the tricky business of doing
my grocery shopping in Hebrew.
Of course, none of this jumps
into ones head. Oh no! It means
hours of study, of reading, of
working with a patient teacher—
of thrusting yourself into situa
tions where only Hebrew is un
derstood. It becomes quite a
challenge and at first I felt quite
helpless and totally ignorant. My
self-idealized image of being in
control of ones vocabulary sud
denly vanished over night. After
I pulled myself out of the first
stage of self-pity, I rolled up my
sleeves and got to work. After
Continued on page 5
New Immigration
Law Will Increase
Jewish Entry To U.S.
ROME — (JTA) — The ad
dition of new categories of non
quota immigrants to come to the
United States in the next three
years from countries other than
the Middle East and Communist
lands will increase Jewish entry
into the U.S.A. by 20 to 25 per
cent, James P. Rice, of New York,
executive director of United Hias
Service, reported here today
He spoke at a seminar for
representatives of Jewish, Prot
estant and Catholic organizations
who discussed the effects of the
new American immigration law
which, by 1968, will abolish en
tirely the old national origins
quota system. Mr. Rich was co-
chairman of the seminar. Jewish
organizations represented Includ
ed, in addition to United Hias, the
United Jewish Appeal, Joint
Distribution Committee, ORT
and OSE in Italy The principal
speaker was James Hines, counsel
of the US. State Depatment’s
visa division.
LETTER FROM LILA ... .
. . . Lila Reisman, that is, who is spending a few enchanting months
in the land for which she has worked inspiringly for many, many
years. She served several terms as president of the Southeastern
Region of Hadassah and her husband was a leader for years in the
Atlanta Zionist District. Dr. Edward Reisman too was prominent in
development of the Atlanta Hebrew Academy and a member of The
Southern Israelite Advisory Board. This letter reveals Lila’s excite
ment and dynamism about the Jewish State, qualities she was able
to share previously as well as a leader in its behalf of Israel and
many another Jewish movement.