Newspaper Page Text
P»fl« F*ur
THE SOUTHERN ISRAEUTE
Friday, June 30, 1972
THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE
Published weekly by Southern Newspaper Enterprises, 390 Court-
land St., N. E., Atlanta, Georgia 30303, 876-8249, 876-8240. Second
class postage paid at Atlanta, Georgia. Yearly subscription, 310.00.
The Southern Israelite invites literary contributions and corres
pondence but is not considered as sharing the views expressed by
writers. Deadline Ls 5 p. m. Friday, but material received earlier
wtll have a much better chance of publication.
Adolph Rosenberg, Editor and Publisher
Kathleen Nease, Vida Goldgar, Edward M. Kahn, Kathy Wood
Gertrude Burnham, Alva Englehard
MEMBER
NeNpA
PER
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Georgia Press Assn.
Seven Arts Features
World Union Press
A Strike-in 2; Example
GUEST EDITORIAL
If an Israeli walking along the Lebanese border should
expectorate on the Arab side of the line, the United Nations
Security Council, within 24 hours, would be in feverish
session studying charges of germ warfare against the Jewish
State.
But should 26 people die in an airport slaughter, the
bloody culmination of almost a decade of ceaseless lawless
ness directed against innocent air passengers throughout the
world, the UN Security Council can dawdle as can no other
organization.
Airline pilots throughout the world threatened and did,
indeed, strike in protest against piracy and against the pro
tectors of that piracy. Their leaders had approached Kurt
Waldheim, Secretary-General of the United Nations,
and demanded the Security Council meet and take de
cisive action. “Maybe we’ll meet next Monday or Tuesday,”
Waldheim told the men who bear the brunt of the terror in
their every day jobs.
It was as if Waldheim was shrugging his shoulders—and
he really was. He knew that there is no real disposition for
stem action against aerial hijacking in the Security Council.
It’s simply a matter of fact that the Arabs and their allies
don’t want to condemn all air terrorism—they want to draw
the line between hijacking for extortion and hijacking for
so-called “political” reasons.
It’s part of the same mentality which accepts assassi
nation as a political fact of life. But murder remains murder
whether it be political or personal, and hijacking remains
hijacking whether political or personal. There is simply no
moral distinction—an immoral difference, yes, but no moral
distinction. ^
So we see it again. A United Nations slow to' act when
action is really needed. But then again, Israel isn’t the topic
for debate. If she were, the world’s most stacked jury would
have delivered a guilty verdict even before the proceedings
opened.
B’Nai B’rith Messenger (Los Angeles)
A Career Ends
We simply can’t remember nor can we envision a House
of Representatives without an Emanuel Celler, dean of all
the Congress and a 50-year veteran at the age of 84.
The chairman of the powerful judiciary committee was
defeated by 31-year-old Mrs. Elizabeth Holtzman in the
recent New York primary. He has been retired, not
because the voters didn’t like him, but because they simply
felt it was time for a change.
America—and American Jewry, in particular — owes Mr.
Celler a deep debt of gratitude for his service.
B’Nai B’rith Messenger (Los Angeles)
... Platform
Continued from page 1
tonal integrity of all states in
the region, guaranteed by the
Jewish Calendar
♦TISHA B’AV
July 20
Thursday
•ROSH HASHANA
Sept. 9, 10
Saturday, Sunday
•YOM KIPPIIR
Sept. 18, Monday
♦SUKKOT
Sept. 23, 24
Saturday, Sunday
•HOSHANA RARBA
Sept. 29
Friday
•SHEMINI ATZERET
Sept 30
Saturday
•SIMHAT TORAH
Oct. 1,
Sunday
•MANUKA
Dec. 1 - 8
Friday - Friday
•HOLIDAY BEGINS
SUNDOWN
PREVIOUS DAY
United Nations. Her paper made
no reference to Security Coun
cil resolution 242 of Nov. 22,
1967 which is generally accepted
by all parties as the framework
for a future Mideast peace set
tlement. Nor did it refer to any
of the Israeli or American view
points regarding settlement of
the refugee problem or any
other factor in the Midle East.
Her charge that her oppon
ents were trying to woo the
Jewish vote was made when she
was asked pointedly why she
does not oppose the resolution
of the National Black Political
Convention in Gary, Ind. on
March 12, that, in effect, called
for the dismantling of Israel.
Mrs. Chisholm said, “The cre
ation of the State of Israel in
Palestine was meant to be a
form of ultimate moral redress
by the West for the atrocities
committed against Jews
throughout their long history.”
But, she went on, "in the midst
of rejoicing at the creation of a
national homeland for the Jews,
the world overlooked the hard
ship and misery created for the
Palestinians.”
BETWEEN YOU AND ME
By BORIS SMOLAR
GRADUATION REFLECTIONS
Jews who are pessimistic about the future of
Judaism in this country should have attended the
graduation exercises of the schools of higher
Jewish learning. There are quite a number of
them in New York, but also in Philadelphia,
Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston, Baltimore and other
cities. They are being attended by thousands of
young men and women who receive degrees upon
their graduation.
I was attracted primarily by the graduation
exercises of the Yeshiva University in New York
-—the oldest and largest Jewish university with
a broad range of undergraduate, graduate and
professional schools and curricula leading to
bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. It was
fascinating to witness about 950 graduate students
receiving their diplomas in a festive atmosphere.
What attracted me most were the 239 girls
among the graduates. They were students of the
Stern College and of the Teachers Institute for
Women — two sections for women students inter
ested in the field of Jewish education. There were
also girl students among the graduates of the
university’s other schools, like the school of
humanities and social sciences and the college of
medicine. But those aspiring to ehgage in teach
ing and in social work interested me most.
Here they were standing in their caps and
gowns, happy with their achievement in receiving
a higher Jewish education and to be able to impart
it to thousands of Jewish youngsters. They will
go out into the field to strengthen Jewish feel
ings and Jewish knowledge in the younger gen
eration.
SPIRIT OF JUDAISM
The spirit of Judaism also was strongly felt
among the hundreds of young men of Yeshiva
University’s graduate class. The “glat kosher”
cafe-houses in the neighborhood of the university
were full of them after the graduation ceremony.
They were sitting in their “yarmulkes,” chatting
over refreshments and sharing impressions.
This demonstrative spirit of Jewish belonging
and of dedication to Jewish traditions was dis
played not only by students of Judaic subjects,
but also by those who graduate into the fields of
science and medicine. There were among them
many who previously obtained their Bachelor of
Arts or Bachelor of Science degrees at Harvard,
Columbia, Yale, Cornell and other universities of
great repute.
Considering that the Yeshiva University is but
one of the Jewish institutions of higher learning
granting scholarly degrees, and taking also into
account the number of students graduating each
year from other institutions, one must come to
the conclusion that the outlook for Judaism in this
country is not as dark as some try to picture it.
Cadres and cadres of Jewishly-trained young
people with academic knowledge are being added
each year with every graduation ceremony. Out
of their ranks grows the so-called Jewish Civi’
Service system, providing well-trained and
highly-qualified personnel for Jewish organiza
tions and institutions, for Jewish social work, for
Jewish educational activities, for the various
needs of the ever-growing organized Jewish com
munal life in the country.
THE NEGATIVE ASPECT
There is, however, also a negative aspect
noticeable in some of the institutions of higher
Jewish learning. One hears too often the com
plaint that these institutions, in spite of the fact
that their objective is to spread Jewish culture,
are displaying an attitude of disregard toward
men who create Jewish culture.
Take, for instance, their policy of granting
each year honorary degrees. Only during the
recent years—and in some cases under pressure-
have some of these institutions begun to include
Yiddish ar.d Hebrew authors in the list of their
recipients of honorary degrees. Politicians —
even non-Jews —■ and big money-givers are the
foremost recipients, for some reason or another.
Yeshiva University is among the main sinners
in this respect. At its graduation ceremony this
year the university bestowed an award on Samuel
I,. Haber who distinguished himself as the execu
tive vice-chairman of the Joint Distribution Com
mittee and conferred honorary doctorates on peo
ple like Rabbi Herschel Schachter, Dr. Milton
Konvitz and Professor Yuval Ne’eman. This is to
he saluted. It also conferred honorary degrees on
a number of politicians. At the same time Jewish
men of the pen were completely ignored.
It reminds me of the time when I intervened,
a few years ago — through one of the top men
at the Yeshiva University — asking that the
university include in its list of honorary degree
recipients also Harry Rogoff, the editor of the
Jewish Daily Forward, the largest Jewish news
paper in the world which has played and is still
playing a tremendous role in American Jewish
life. Rogoff — it may be interesting for many
to know —- was one of the first students of the
Yizhak Elchanan Yeshiva which has grown to
become the Yeshiva University. Records show
that he was also the best student.
It stands to reason that the Yeshiva University
could have only benefited by honoring one of its
first and best students who had reached the
height of becoming an outstanding editor, molder
of public opinion, author of a number of books
including books on American history — and
who was considered “the Jewish Walter Ldppman”
in the world of journalism.
Rogoff was not aware of my intervention. He
did not need any honorary degree; he had
received his scholarly degree many years ago
when he graduated from the City College of New
York, where he excelled in the study of logic. He
died last year, and the Yeshiva University missed
the opportunity to give him recognition as the
best man in the Jewish press — a matter which
reflects negatively on its otherwise very fine
record.
Send in News
Did, you ever pick up the paper and say “Not
much in the paper this week”? If you have, ask your
self this, “Did I send in the item about the guests
we had, or the vacation we took, or the new baby
our daughter had, or about Uncle Joe breaking his
leg, or ... or ... or ” etc.
Did you ever wonder why your neighbor’s va
cation trip was reported and yours wasn’t mentioned?
Chances are it was because your neighbor took the
time and trouble to jot down a few words to let us
know the news.
Please send in your news. We appreciate it,
and so do our readers.
—EXCHANGE
'liberation front and b/^K
...Views
Continued from page 1
itical parties, therefore, can
commit themselves to- the prop
osition that this agreement, to
which the Soviet Union is signa
tory, is a factor in every bilat
eral commitment made by the
US with the Soviet Union. This
is not to say that Jews alone
are affected by this principle
of human rights. All peoples
are included.
American Jews would ap
plaud the parties for declaring
racism anywhere repugnant to
the US and making that part
of the Aiperican creed. If it is
immoral for the Soviet Union
to suppress human freedoms,
then it is also immoral for
white governments in Africa to
do it
The outlawing of racism and
bigotry, whether practiced in
the style of Rhodesia or Syria
or by an American domestic
group is fundamentally anathe
ma to Jewish thought. This has
been clearly shown in the fre
quent appeals by Jewish leaders
\to the Senate for ratification
by our government of the
United Nations Genocide Con
vention. A plank endorsing the
ratification also would be wel
comed.
Another matter that the Jew
ish community would expect in
both platforms is a demand on
the American government to
call on the world’s nations to
adopt stern measures to com
bat skyjacking and terrorism at
international airports The lines
for Congressional support to the
President have already been set
down in the resolutions present
ed by members of both parties
in both houses, notably by Sens.
Ribicoff and Percy and Rep.
Badillo, in the wake of the mas
sacre May 30 at Israel’s Lydda
Airport.