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PAGE 4 THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE December 24, 1982
The Southern Israelite
The WeeWy Nvwipapar For SoMtwm Jewry
Since 1925
Vida Goldgar
Editor and Publisher
Bambi Jo Eaton
Feature Editor
Luna Levy
Assistant Editor
Louis O. Hertz
Business Manager
Leonard Goldstein Eschol A. Harrell
Advertising Director Production Manager
Published every Friday by The Southern Israelite, Inc.
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Mailing Address: P O Bo* 77388, Atlanta, Georgia 30357
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Vida Goldgar
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What it is, is...
The news that Lebanon and Israel have made major progress
and are on the verge of beginning formal talks is welcome indeed.
As is often the case, now people are falling all over themselves
claiming credit. Our information is that while the American
representatives were shuttling back and forth—achieving little but
making headlines—behind the scenes, senior Lebanese and Israeli
officials were getting down to tachlis, which made the question of
where the talks would be held meaningless. What some called
another example of Israel's intransigence made an effective delay
while the principles of an agreement could be worked out.
This all goes to show that in the complex world of
diplomacy and politics things are not always what they seem.
Puzzling
At press time, Jordan’s King Hussein, visiting Washington,
has outlined seven conditions he says must be met before he will
take part in Mideast peace negotiations.
What reaction there will be to these demands remains to be
seen. However, there is one thing that puzzles us. High on the list
of demands is a freeze on Israeli settlements on the West Bank.
Before 1967, there were no settlements. The area was under
Jordanian control—but did Jordan make peace? You know the
answer to that.
Pure and simple. King Hussein has no mandate from the Arab
nations, much as he might want to strengthen President Reagan’s
peace proposals. Nor does he have the boldness and courage of a
Sadat. Still, he will dangle possibilities before the United States
like a carrot, while we consider whether or not to sell his country
more sophisticated arms.
Let’s not be fooled.
Dedication
In I860, Atlanta’s few Jewish families organized
the Elebrew Benevolent Society, reorganized two
years later by 30 families as the Hebrew Benevolent
Congregation. The War Between
the States and its subsequent
economic disaster put things on
hold for the fledgling group, and in
1867 Atlanta's first Jewish
congregation reorganized once
more. With Torahs borrowed!
Irom Savannah and Augusta, they|
dedicated a rented hall as
temporary place of worship
There were more temporary meeting places—
then, in 1877, its own synagogue—a Moorish-style
building at Garnett and Forsyth Streets, was
dedicated. Twenty-five years later, the burgeoning
congregation moved once again—this time to Pryor
Street, the congregation’s home for the next 30 years.
For over 50 years, the congregation has occupied
the imposing classical building on Peachtree Street
designed by the late Philip T. Shutze. Because of its
significance to the religious, architectural and
social/humanitarian history of the United States, the
Temple was recently listed in the National Register of
Historic Places.
Still, 50 years can take its toll on any building and a
major preservation and restoration campaign was
undertaken.
Last Friday evening, with a crowd of almost High
Holy Day size on hand, the Temple was rededicated.
Appropriately, it was the last night of Hanukaand the
bima was graced by an impressive menorah. It was to
eight families who had spearheaded the campaign that
the honor of lighting the menorah was given. Rabbi
Alvin Sugarman emphasized, however, that they
were, in fact, representing every person in the Temple
family. The Shamash was lighted first, representing
service to others; then, one by one the candles
symbolic of freedom, truth, Jewish survival, justice,
mercy, peace, knowledge and, lastly, the victory of
light over darkness.
It was a beautiful ceremony touching the hearts
of everyone. Most moving was the moment when the
massive crystal chandelier was darkened, then, one by
one, all the lights. Only the flickering candlelight and
the Ner Tamid—the Eternal Light brought from the
original temple on Garnett Street—cast shadows on
the solemn congregation at prayer.
That, afterall, is the inscription from Isaiah carved
in Hebrew over the entrance of the Temple—“My
house shall be called a house of prayer for all people.”
The Hebrew Benevolent Congregation—the
Temple—has endured reorganization, relocation,
bombing and rebuilding, but throughout it has been
“a house of prayer.’
Perspective
Justice delayed/denied
by Stanley M. Lefco
The fact sheet sent by the
Department of Justice stated that
the Office of Special Investigations
was established in 1979 “to
investigate and take legal action
against Nazi war criminals in the
United States.” Its budget is $2.3
million, which supports 20
attorneys, six criminal investigators,
six professional historians, and a
staff of translators, researchers,
paralegal assistants and
secretaries. Allan A. Ryan Jr., 37,
a University of Missouri I^aw
School graduate, is the director.
The threshold question is why
this office was not established until
1979. In response to Ryan’s offer in
his letter—“please feel free to call
ly'lrw JtfljlotflCS 1f>
me with questions you may
have”—we posed the question. He
has yet to respond.
Writing in The Jewish Veteran,
Charles R. Allen Jr., a former
senior editor of The Nation and a
contributing editor of The
Churchman, asserted that as early
as 1947 the presence in the United
States of more than one actual
mass murderer was carefully
documented. He also noted that in
the mid-1950s such journalists as
Walter Winchell and Drew
Pearson had discovered
documents establishing close
relationships between Nazi war
criminals and U.S. government
agencies. There were calls for
congressional investigations at the
time, but nothing happened.
In 1963, Allen, who has gained a
reputation as an authority on Nazi
war criminals, issued a volume'
entitled, “Nazi War Criminals
Among Us.” It documented 16 war
criminals, including admissions by
four that they had worked with the
Department of State, the Army,
the FBI and CIA. Again, there
were calls for congressional
hearings, and again nothing
happened.
Between 1974 and 1978
congressional hearings were held
under the guidance of Reps.
Joshua Eilberg (D-Pa.) and
Elizabeth Holtzman (D-N.Y.). In
1979, they left the Congress, and
the hearings were discontinued.
In 1980, ABC News did a special
on the Nazi war criminals who had
entered the United States, but
apparently little came from this
program. The issue surfaced again
this year on the CBS television
program, “60 Minutes." A former
Department of Justice prosecutor.
John Loftus, charged that various
U.S. intelligence agencies had used
Nazi war criminals. He claimed
that more than 300 Byelorussian
Nazis had been smuggled into the
United States by a secret unit of the
State Department. Although some
of his claims and his general
credibility have been challenged,
it is unquestioned that Nazi war
criminals reside in the U.S.
Why were they let in? Why has
action against them been so long in
coming? At this time all the
answers are not known. It is
known, however, that the
government sponsored a program
known as Project Paperclip,
administered by the Joint Chiefs of
Staff, under which over 900
German scientists were brought to
the U.S. One of these was Maj. Gen.
Walter P. Schreiber, who in 1951
worked for the United States Air
Force. When it was learned that he
participated in experiments on
concentration camp inmates, he
was discharged, but relocated with
government assistance.
What is being done today?
According to the OSI, 22 cases are
in litigation and over 200 others
are under active investigation.
Another 200 have been closed
without legal action for lack of
evidence. New investigations are
reportedly being opened every
month.
The OSI sent a data sheet of its
cases. The legal actions that have
been taken may be as fascinating, if
not more so, than the study of how
these Nazis managed to enter the
country. The stories of the wheel of
justice are amazing, startling,
frustrating and depressing. Over
the next several weeks we’ll review
what has and has not happened.