Newspaper Page Text
The Southern Israelite
The Weekly Newspaper For Southern Jewry
Our 54th Year
VOL. LIV
Atlanta, Georgia, Friday, May 12, 197S
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Happy birthday Israeli
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“Those who have had an
opportunity to see and feel the
heartbeat and the spirit of all that is
bound up in the word ‘Israel’.'.. There
are in it the voices of the old prophets,
the mournings and ancient
sorrowings of thousands in countless
corners of the world from the time of
Cyrus, and of Titus. There are in it the
tears and agonies of the millions who
suffered and died under Hitler. To
create it bricks were made without
straw and men and women made it a
dream worth dying for. I cannot help
but believe they will ~ frflffftar it
something worth living for.”
—Ralph McGill, "Israel Revisited’’
■5V
Begin looks back
Let us rejoice.
Thirty years ago, 1,878 years
after the destruction of the Second
Temple, after the Roman
conquerors had proclaimed
“Judaea Vanquished," our people
lived to see the renewal of our
independence in the Land of Israel
and there to unfurl the flag of our
freedom among the independent
nations. It is a unique event in the
annals of mankind.
In the intervening centuries,
between the fall and rise of free
Israel, the Jewish people were
scattered, humiliated, deported;
they wandered from one country
to another, deprived of liberty and
human dignity, violently attacked
and permanently persecuted.
Ultimately, in Europe, millions of
our people—men, women and
children —were physically
annihilated.
Such was the indescribable price
we paid for the exile from the land
of our forefathers. But then, with
the last vestige of our national and
human strength, after having lost
one-third of our people, our
generation rose in revolt against
homelessness and helplessness in a
heroic fight of the few against the
many.
With great sacrifice we won the
day and regained an independent
country. Thus it was that, 30 years
ago, on the fourth of lyar, a great
light dawned on our people—free
Israel came into being.
The history of these past 30
years is also unique. Our State was
attacked time and again. We had
to fight many battles in order to
maintain our independence. At the
very same time there was a
magnificent process of building up
the country, of turning desert land
into green pasture, of ingathering
the exiles of our people from the
four corners of the world, of the
most creative work in every sphere
of life.
Jerusalem has been reunited,
our victorious army strengthened.
Our wonderful young generation,
serene and devoted, is the pride of
our hearts.
It is true that, for the last 30
years, we have not enjoyed a single
day of peace. Last year, in the wake
of ceaseless previous efforts, we
embarked on the road of direct
negotiations to establish peace
between ourselves and our
neighbors. Despite all the
difficulties, we believe that this
noble goal will be reached. We
shall not cease in our effort to
achieve the peace and the security
for which we yearn.
We owe a special debt and
concern for a remnant of the
Jewish people in Europe, our
brethren in the Soviet Union.
Their return to Judaism, their
plight and fight for the return to
the Land of Israel is, historically,
the second greatest event of our
time after the renewal of our
independence. We must stand by
them and wage an incessant
campaign for their inalienable
right to reach the historic
homeland of the Jewish people.
On this great anniversary, we
bow our heads in humility and love
as we remember our fallen heroes
of the Haganah, Palmach, lrgun,
Lehi, Mahal and the soldiers of the
Israel Defense Forces. It is their
self-sacrifice which brought us out
from bondage and regained for us
the dignity of independence They
will be engraved in the hearts of
our people for ever and ever,
The Jewish people in the Land
of Israel and all over the world,
together with men and women of
goodwill in every nation, rejoice
this day as we celebrate the
triumph of the spirit over matter,
of right over w i*nng. of justice over
iniquity. Israel’s rebirth is. indeed,
a victory of humanity.
Chan Sameah.
— Mrnachcm Begin
Atlanta celebrates
Israel’s
anniversary
Fri. Eve & Sat.
May 12 & 13
Area Synagogues observance of
Israel Independence Day. Rabbis
will offer prayers and sermons
appropriate to the occasion.
Sun. May 14
10 A.M. to 5 P.M.
A.J.C.C.
PASSPORT TO ISRAEL—For
entire family—An all-day festival
sponsored by the Jewish Community
Center, featuring an Israeli
supermarket, Dizengoff Street
(Israeli Cafe), Artists Colony,
Exhibits. Play area for children.
Children of Jewish schools in a
musical and dramatic presentation.
Sun., May 14
7:30 P.M.
Ahavath Achim
Synagogue
A SALUTE TO ISRAEL —
Refreshments. Reception, Entertain
ment, featuring a foremost Israeli
and international artist and singing
sensation Zmira Chen; featuring
choirs of the Hebrew Academy and
the Epstein School; Greetings from
Israel Consul General, Joel Arnon;
Israeli Dancing led by Hillel’s Dance
Group. Sponsored by Atlanta Jewish
Welfare Federation and all Jewish
organizations.