Newspaper Page Text
237-1132
Editor:
In the article “Mama-loshen,
Yiddish has a word for it!”,
which appeared in the
September 9th edition of The
Southern Israelite, there waa
definitely a Yiddish proverb
which need not have been put in
thia article. The proverb I am
referring to is “A meshumen t*
nit keyn Yid un nit keyn goy. A
convert is neither Jew nor Gen
tile." This may be considered a'
very unique saying to the person
who wrote the article. It is a very
downgrading and disagreeable
proverb to me and others who
also find themselves in this so-
called no-man’s land. I am sure
there were other sayings which
were much more tasteful to have
inserted, especially with the
High Holidays approaching.
This is a time to welcome in
the New Year and a time of joy
over tne Holidays tor ntyseu.
You see, I am ‘‘neither Jew nor
Gentile,” I am • •convert.” I
prefer to think of myself not as
you would categorise me — "a
convert" — hut as a person who
has found happiness and fulfill
ment intellectually, emotionally,
and spiritually in my newly
accepted religion — Judaism.
When I chose Judaism, I was
warned that neither the Jewish
community nor the Gentile com
munity would accept me as a
Jew. There would be a no-man’s
land in which I, and others like
myself, would be forced to
wander. This “unique” proverb
has succeeded in reminding me
of these old fears which I
thought and still think are un
true.
Jews have always professed
aiwayu uccij in uie iruni lines u>
help with any needs causes and
disasters acmes the world, never
questioning first whether the
cause or disaster concerned peo
ple of a different religion. If
Jews have been so open to others
to give at themselves, why do
they close the doors on those
who wish to enter and be one of
their group.
This proverb was not “a
pleasure” nor “a delight" for me.
This proverb is a saying which
needs to be forgotten and not
remembered.
Marge D. Shapiro
(Ed. Note; We agree. Oar in
clusion of the proverb teas cer
tainly not meant as an expres
sion of oar own belief bat waa in
tended, as an indication of the
conservative viewpoint held by
many Yiddishkeits in earlier
times.)
Well-known correspondent supports MDA
Editor:
It is almost beyond belief that
the emblem of Israel’s chief
humanitarian organisation, the
Hagen David Adorn, is not
recognised by the International
Red Cross and that the League
of Red Cross Societies has not
welcomed the Magen David
Adorn into its fold.
' As a war correspondent I have
reported for the press, radio and
television all four of the Arab-
Israeli conflicts. In 1948, 1956,
and 1967 and 1978 I saw the no
ble work of the llagen David
Adorn, and in between wars I
have seen its ambulances and its
medical personnel serving
Christians, Jews and Moslems
alike during national emergen
cies and on these sad occasions
when terrorists were causing
death and anguish.
I can vouch for the fact that
the Magen David Adorn complies
faithfully with all the provisions
of the various Geneva Conven
tions concerning prisonerwof-
war and in all other ways lives
up to the high standards set by
the International Red Cross. I
have never heard any responsi
ble person deny this. Therefore,
by what tortured logic can
anyone argue.against the right
of the Magen David Adorn to be
recognised and to operate under
its own emblem, the rad Star of
David, just as the first aid socie
ty of Iran operates under its own
emblem, a red lion brandishing a
sword, or Turkey’s first aid
society operates under a red
crescent?
For some years, while serving
as a foreign correspondent in
Europe, I lived in a small village
on the outskirts of Geneva,
Switzerland, and there became
well acquainted with members
of the Dun ant family. It was
Henri Dunant, a great
humanitarian, who was respon
sible for the founding of the
International Red Cross. (In
cidentally, he was a mod friend
of Theodor Herxl ana an ardent
supporter of Zionism.) If Henri
Dunant were alive today I am
sure he would be sad if not bitter
over the rejection of Israel’s
Magen David Adorn.
As a devoted friend of Israel
' and a long time supporter of file
Magen David Adorn, I urge Jews
and non-Jews alike who share
those interests with me to do
everything possible during the
nest few weeks to-help win a
favorable vote on Israel’s
recognition by the Interactional
Red Cross when it holds its 23rd
International Conference in
Bucharest starting October 15th.
If we fail, it will be another four
years before our chance for
favorable action will come again.
Additional information and
material can be secured from
Rabbi Rubin R. Dobin, Inter
national Chairman, OPERA
TION RECOGNITION, Inter
national Headquarters, 124
Richmond Place, Lawrence, New
York 11559, U.S.A.
Shalom! •
Robert
Anti-Semites are "paranoid*
Editor.
I read Stuart Lewengrub’s ar
ticle “Anti-Semitism and
Soybeans” with interest Mr.
Lewengrub perceptively points
out the fact that people who are
anti-Semitic and spend a good
deal of their time ruminating
about Jewish people can be
described as paranoid.
Defining anti-Semitic
paranoia in a phenomenological
way caa be helpful to Jewish
people. We tend to deal with
anti-Semites ae if they were
reasonable and logical people. Of
course their logic is of a rigid,
defensive nature. Much of the
anti-Semitic paranoid’s energy
is consumed with rationalising
his stance towards his “exter
nalized enemy.”
In Afeta Kampf, Hitler
demonstrates ia a rather in
coherent fashion that he did in
deed respect power, terror and
form.
The Israelis have taken an ap
propriate posture towards the
anti-Semitic paranoid. Many
people who “don’t like Jews” tell
you that they respect the
Israelis.
Lewie H. lApeima, M.D.
Psychiatry
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