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P*B« Two
TMC SOVTHWN l«R®F’ITE
Friday, Feb. 9, 1973
THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE
Published weekly by Southern Newspaper Enterprises, 390 Court-
land St., N. E„ Atlanta, Georgia 30303, Phones 876-8249, 876-8240.
Second class postage paid at Atlanta, Georgia. Yearly subscription,
310.50. The Southern Israelite invites literary contributions and cor
respondence but is not considered as sharing the views expressed
by writers. Deadline is 5 pan. Friday, but material received earlier
will have a much better chance of publication.
Adolph Rosenberg, Editor and Publisher
Vida Gotdgar, Assistant Editor
Kathleen Nease, Edward M. Kahn, Kathy Wood
f Gertrude Burnham, Alva Englehard
Oft
MEMBER
>A/i
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PER
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Georgia Press Assn.
Seven Arts Features
World Union Press
Association - Founded 1885
GUEST EDITORIAL
Rabin’s Record
We can’t permit Yitzhak Rabin, Israel’s Ambassador to
the United States the past four years, to depart these shores
without a few comments concerning his unique contribu
tions to the very tough assignment he had.
Never was there an Ambassador to Washington who
spoke in a more direct manner, who approached major
problems like a Sherman tank, who was always down-to-
earth and simply disdained the pretty phrase-making and
political maneuvering that are the customary tools of the
trade.
“You always knew exactly where you stood with him,”
said one high U.S. official.
When the Washington Post once suggested editorially
that Rabin be recalled because he had expressed preference
for an American presidential candidate, the Post labeled
Rabin as “an undiplomatic diplomat.”
Rabin would probably be quick to agree with that
label.
But during his four-year tenure, the alliance between
Israel and the U.S. reached its strongest bond and Israel
received more American military and economic aid than
in the previous 20 years of Israel’s history.
He never sought popularity but functioned in his Am
bassadorship! as he functioned as Israel’s Chief of Staff—
plotting the operation and then executing it.
He leaves his post in Washington as triumphantly as he
left the' battlefield in Israel’s Six-Day War.
—SAN FRANCISCO JEWISH BULLETIN
GUEST EDITORIAL
Responsibility Rests With Parents
To the surprise of hardly anyone, a Detroit Jewish edu
cator’s study reveals that the responsibility for drop-outs
following Bar and Bas Mitzva is primarily that of the Jew
ish parents. The situation has been noted with dismay
throughout the Jewish world, the director general of the
Jewish Agency having recently pointed out that less than
eight per cent of Jewish youth receive any Jewish educa
tion beyond the elmentary level.
There may be an encouraging turning point in sight'
however. The Detroit survey shows that while the number
of Jewish students being educated is declining, more than
ever liefore are continuing their Jewish education beyond
the favorite 13- year terminal point. The growing enroll
ment in the new high school program of our local Central
Agency for Jewish education could be a sign of the times,
and if this represents another example of the battle of the
generations it at least has a positive side.
—JEWISH FLORIDIAN
Jewish History
10 YEARS AGO: 1962
“COBLENZ—Nazi SS troops used whips to drive children of
330 German Jews away from their parents in the Minsk ghetto
before murdering the children, a district judge of Minsk during
the German occupation testified in the trial of 12 Nazis charged
with murdering more than 35,000 Jews there during World War
11“
Dr. Nahum Goldmann regretted West German slowness in
concluding compensation pacts.
Ex-SS officer Wilhelm Doering got 6 years’ hard labor in
Bonn for helping kill 667 Jews in Russia.
Dr. Emanuel Gamoran, influential 36-year director of Reform
Judaism’s Commission on Jewish Education, died in New York
it 67.
Dr. Mordecai M. Kaplan, president of the Rabbinical Assembly,
scored as “unjust, unwise and dangerous" the action by some'
Federations in reducing aid to Jewish schools and centers and
“even attempting, under the pressure of certain subscribers, to
release themselves entirely from the responsibility for the com
munal aspects of Jewish education.”
New Hungarian Premier Julius Goemboes retracted his anti-
Semitic statements . .
BETWEEN YOU AND ME
By BORIS SMOLAR
Editor-in-Chief. Emeritus. JTA
WASHINGTON REFLECTIONS
In the Inaugural Book—beautifully produced
in Washington by the Inaugural Committee for
guests who were invited to attend the ceremonies
marking the swearing-in of President Nixon and
Vice President Agnew for second terms in office
-—there are many excellent colorful photos re
flecting high moments in Nixon’s record They
are accompanied by high points from Nixon’s
public utterances, intended to show his attitude
toward various fundamental problems.
Drawing a good deal of attention in this book
for posterity is a full-page portrait-like photo in
colQr of Israel’s Prime Minister Golda Meir. She
is flanked by President and Mrs. Nixon. All three
are in formal attire. All three seem to be in a
very happy mood. An atmosphere of sincere
friendship radiates from their smiling faces.
This is the only photo in the Inaugural Book
showing a Premier of a foreign country in the
company of the Nixons at the White House. The
selection of this photo for inclusion was interp
reted by some of the guests at the inaugural func
tions as a most vivid form of expression of Nixon’s
friendly feelings toward Israel.
* * *
SENTIMENTAL MOMENTS
At the inauguration ceremonies I was told—
by one who is not a politician but is in a position
to know—of an intimate talk between President
Nixon and President Shazar of Israel during the
latter’s visit in the Capitol last month, following
the funeral of the late President Truman.
“I know,” President Nixon was said to have
told President Shazar, “that this time you did
not come to the United States to pay a visit
to me, but to participate in the funeral of Presi
dent Truman, as an expression of the deep mourn
ing of Israel. I know how much Truman was loved
in Israel. My hope is that I, too, will earn such
love.”
This, my knowledgeable friend told me, was
not a mere casual remark It was a remark imply
ing a promise of continued friendship. Made after
the Presidential elections—when Nixon was no
longer in need of winning Jewish votes—this in
timate statement sounded like a pledge in private
that Israel can expect from Nixon during the next
four years the same friendly interest he has
shown during his first four years in the White
House
And the forthcoming four years may be very
decisive for Israel.
• • •
ANTICIPATED EVENTS
Two important events for Jews are anticipated
during Nixon’s second term; they may come
sooner than some Jewish leaders think. One is
increased American interest in bringing the Arab
countries and Israel to peace talks; the other is
a clarity in the American stand on the treatment
of Jews in the Soviet Union.
The first may involve American pressure on
Israel to be more “flexible”; the second will def
initely involve White House pressure on Congress
to postpone dealing with the “Jackson Amend
ment” relating to trading with the Soviet Union.
The Jackson Amendment—and an identical one
submitted in the House by Rep. Charles Vanik,
Democrat of Ohio—were supported by 76 Sena
tors and 134 Representatives The amendment pro
vides that the most favored nation status and
credit facilities given to friendly nations should
be denied to the Soviet Union for violating emi
gration rights by imposing heavy taxes on Jews
seeking to leave the country. It failed to pass
before Congress adjourned last year, but Sen
ator Jackson and the sponsors of his amendment
plan to re-submit it to the current Congress.
President Nixon, in his eagerness to increase
American trade with Moscow, is not happy about
the Jackson Amendment. He prefers to reach trade
accord with the Soviet government without the
complications which the passing of the amend
ment may create.
Jewish groups in this country are not against
increased trade with the Soviet Union. They are
only opposed to giving Moscow the special privi
leges granted to friendly nations, as long as the
Soviet government harrasses Jews who wish to
migrate. President Nixon, although sympathizing
with the Jewish sentiments, does not want the
Jackson Amendment to stand in way of expand
ing trade with Russia. Hence, he does not want
to see the amendment passed soon.
PRESSURE POSSIBILITIES:
On the possibility of American pressure for
Arab-Israel peace negotiations after the war is
ended in Vietnam, much will be heard this year
when Leonid Brezhnev, the top Soviet leader,
arrives in the United States on a state visit. The
question of achieving peace in the Middle East
will in all likelihood figure in Brezhnev’s talks
with Nixon. Moscow’s view is known to be that
the United States and the Soviet Union can joint
ly solve the Arab-Israel conflict — the United
States by pressuring Israel, and the Soviet Union
by using pressure on certain Arab countries.
Copyright 1973, JTA
Jewish Calendar
•PURIM
March 18
Sunday
♦PASSOVER
April 17
Tuesday
(first day)
April 24
Tuesday
(last day)
•ISRAEL
INDEPENDENCE DAY
May 7
Monday
•LAG B’OMER
May 20
Sunday
•SHAVUOT
June 6-7
Wed. - Thurs.
♦HOLIDAY BEGINS
SUNDOWN PREVIOUS DAY
No Criticism of Israel
Intended, Graham Says
WASHINGTON (JTA)— The
Rev. Dr. Billy Graham, the
Protestant evangelist who is a
close friend and spiritual ad
visor of President Nixon, says
that he intended no criticism
of Israel when he said in a re
cent newspaper intervew that
500 civilians were killed in Is
raeli air raids on Syria. The
claim, originally made by the
Damascus government, has been
branded a “lie” by Israel.
Dr. Graham said at the White
House, after he participated in
the inaugural Worship service,
that “What I meant was that all
wars are bad. Innocents get
killed wherever they take place
—• in Biafra, the Sudan, any
where” He expressed surprise
that his remarks to New York
Times reporter Edward B.
Fiske were interpreted as crit
ical of Israel.
Dr. Graham, who was asked
by Fiske of his feelings toward
the U.S. saturation bombing of
the Hanoi-Haiphong area dur
ing Christmas week, said: ‘Tf I
understand correctly from North
Vietnam they had 300 or so
civilian casualties, which is
about one-half of what the
Syrians say they had last week
from Israeli bombs. It’s all
over the world, this business
of civilians being killed.”
The Workmen’s Circle state
ment, issued by Harold Ostroff,
president, and William Stem,
executive secretary, ealied Dr.
Graham’s juxtapo s i t i o n of
Hanoi’s and Damascus’ civilian
casualties claims “a gratuitous
act of hostility and incitement
aganst a country (Israel) which
has a desire to live in peace
with its neighbors” but “is
forced to defend itself against
its people and its communities.”
The statement continued. “It
is time that the Rev. Graham
and those who may share his
distorted view in comparing
Syrian casualties already re
pudiated by Israel with those
claimed by North Vietnam were
brought into focus with events
as they are.
“For all of Dr. Graham’s
pious attacks on violence both
at home and abroad, Syrian ter
ror against the children of Is
rael and their elders, never
seem to evoke his concern.”
Dr. Graham is understood here
to be on cordial terms with Is
raeli leaders.
Pope Quotes Hesehel
In an address to pilgrims at
his weekly general audience in
the Vatican, Pope Paul quoted
the late Rabbi Abraham Joshua
Hesehel. The pontiff, who rarely
quotes non-Christian writings,
stated: “Before we have moved
to seek for God, God has eome
in search for us.” The quotation
was from Rabbi Heschel’s book,
“God In Search of Man.”