Page Iwo
JEWISH WESTERN BULLETIN
Fridoy, August 10, 1956
^Editorial topics
does Israel siciii4 the Suez Ciinal dispute?
AMID all the flammg political passions and glar- Middle East crisis is the fierce competition for coning headlines aroused over Egypt's nationaliza- trol of the natural resources in that part of the world, tion of the Suez Canal very few commentators have and the increasing efforts of the Arab states to have been forthright enough to place Israel's position in greater control over their own oil and other natural the proper perspective in relation to the new crisis, wealth.
One man \yho has done so in a forthright manner is Elmore Philpott, MP. Writing in his Vancouver Sun column, (August 6) Mr. Philpott stated:
**The weakness of the yVestem ppwens in Remanding an unr^tricfed thoroughfare throng die canal springs from the fact that they themselves for seven years turneii a blind eye to a fit^^t Egyptian breach of the ex^&ig convention.
^ ^Ever smce the lisraeU-Arali war of 1948, l^ypt has refused to permit Isiraers ships to pass through
, file canal. Even more than fliat, Egypt has refused to permit the ships of any nation to pass throngjh Ota canal if they were carrying cargoes consigned to IsraeL /
"This was a gross breftch of .international law, and a direct breach of the international conveni-- tion wliich tiieoreticaUy governs ail traffic through the canaL Yet neither the United States, Britain, Fiance, nor any oflier Western countiy, ever did anything effective to persuade l|gypt to end this lawless embargo.
*'So it is ratiier laoghable t6 contrast the difference in the Western attitude now. At the first threat fliat Egypt might do to British, French and American shipping what she has actnally done for seven years to Israeli shipping,' the Western gov. • emments talk candidly of idtimatums, or even war, to end such an affront.
**It is quite clear that it all depends on whose ox is gored.**
Another commentator, J. V. McGeachy of the Financial Post, expressed a rather biased view, to say the least, in a CBC talk on the Suez situation last Sunday night. He had the temerity to declare that the underlying cause of the entu-e Middle East crisis was the establishment of Israel, which he said was a mistake from the beginning. He tried to de-
. The Arab-Israel dispute, as large as it looms at times, is actually a reflectipn of this greater issue. The Arab refugees are inflamed with the cry tibat Israel has taken their. homes and properQr, anc General Nasser and the Arab Leagu^ moguls stiU villify Israel as an "imperialist agent'
In Western circles President Nasger of Egypt is certainly. the niost popular villain ibf the dayi' In Israel's books and in the minds of the Jewisii |)eo|)le he has been a villain a lot longer. Nasser lias per-, petrated a number of JffiUer-like acts. It is difficult to believe his proniis^ to impjpove tiie^ lot o^ his people when he spends aU cpi^ arms and even mortgages th<s'^^ fdf that
piupose. ^ ''
Insofar as the Suez is concerned however realistic observers recognize t|iat eyen t^^ alization of the canal \^ai%ijb^a^f ^ itself does not justify any warlike steps against him. Eg^t was to acquire ownership ol me canal in 1968 a^ way, and as Elmore IPhilpoft pointed out th^ holders are likely to get a better deal by selling out today than they mi^t 12 years later.
Thie main thing is to, fsiat)lish'the righ| to free use of the waterway to the sh^^ of alj'cqun-tries in the world is indiyiMble. '||iis is sl^pposed to be the purf)^e of the 24-^^^ ?9i^^ce xin the Suez which opens in London on ^^A^ We cer-
tainly hope this -con^erencS succe^ that Is-
rael's rights in the Suez may be ^stabUsbed^ with those of all other nations. ,
The London conference shbuld really be another test of the ability of the world powers to settle international disputes in a peaceful nianner.
If an international agreement for ihk free use of the Suez by all countries including Israel is achieved.
then we.wpuld still be left with the woiry that IsTasser _ may use the Suez revenues td strengthen himself
fend himself agamst the charge of anti-Semitism by militarily and thus constitute a greater threat against
A» „«Koi;«„«ui^ ------ . , Israel. We pnly wish it were possible to write into
an international agreement and assure the fulfillment of a stipulation that Suez revenues may only
JDG
study of Tunisian Jewry
NEW Leavitt,
YORK
Moses A. Vice-Ghaur-Distributioii
Executive 'man of the Joint Committee, has announced a grant of $2,000 for a historical study of the Tunisian Jewish community, to the Ben-Zyi Institute for Reseaitch on ^Middle Eastern Jewish Communities. The Institute, named for Israel President Itzhak Beh-Zvi, is located
in Jerusalem^
Working on the project will be 29-year, old Robert Attal of Tunis, already recognized as an authoritij^ on the hfetbiTir of Tii^ ':Jfe^s.''^^ Attal, with his wil^W childv will brought tc Israel next month. He will cany on his research b9th at die Institute and the iteWew' Univei^i^ in Jerusalem.
Fands for JDCs coltniral and religious programs, as weD <qs other aspects of its asd^stance. to needy J^ews overseas, are provided by flie United Jewish Appeal. Mr. Leavitt indicated that Mr. Attal will bring with him to Israel his library of rare and unique manuscripts. The library includes Hebrew, Yiddish and Arabic manuscripts and
books. The total collection numbers 791 original documents. In addition, Mr. Attal was able to photograph and photostat a cpnsiclerable number of other items. All bf^i^e documents are to be placed iii the library of the Ben-Zvi Institute.
Mr. Attal has previously been the recipient of JDC assistance for Im yvork, Mr. Leavitt noted. In Tunis, JDC provided Mr. Attal with a monthly allowance to assist him in his re-/ search oh the relilgious situation of Tunisian Jewry, on their synago^es and even in the preparation of detail maps of the zones of Jewish settler ment m the area.
Mr. Leavitt pointed out diat the history of North A|ribin Jewi^r'hid o&6n largely negiect&l until Mt.'Attal appeared on the scene: With the changing circumstances currently facing Jews in North Africa, he. said, the contemplated research is more uh-I»rtant than ever ^t^^
In Israel the Attajs
receive
houJsing froin ihie JfewSh ^ency. »|rs. Attal, who is a teacher, expects to continue her profession, famuy will eventually' become israeli cilu^ns.
SHOLEM ASCH DPNUiS iPiii CLAIMING HE
LONDdN (WJA) — Whils 'the strongest gale of the cen-ury" was reported over London
the unbelievable assertion-that many Jews also thought the creation of the Jewish state was a mistake.
In spite of Mr. McGeachy however the' Suez shemozzel demonstrates that the basic cause of the
be used for peaceful purposes and not for armaments.
EditorV view
A/T. Arnold
Are ni0vie$ liiiftM
WHOSE problem deserves the greater consideration—the problem of the Indians who dislike being stereotyped as "redskin villians" in the movies, or the problem of the movie-makers who have trouble finding willing villians? This question comes to mind after reading the editorial entitled: "Villains "are Hard to Find," in the August 2, edition of the Vancouver Herald.
From the title the first thought is that this editorial was written ^ith proverbial tongue in cheek. But
for
s^
asr"pictures in our heads .. . (which) are typical of the ease with which most of us generalize about national or ethnic groups, usually without even stopping to think where such 'information' comes from, and whether it represents the truth, the ^hoj^ 'or anything like the truth .. .
"Few people realize how much the existence of stereotypes may color our relatioiis with other people, even to the extent of seeing them differently as a result. What we see is determined in part by what
even if this were so, I find myself taking serious we expect to see . . ." Klineberg explains.
exception to its argument on reading it through.
Comparing the Indians to bankers, who are said to be another frequent choice of movie script-writers for villainous roles, is nothing short of ludicrous. Who is it that suffers from social and economic disabilities, the Indian, or the banker?
An Indian school teacher has stated that "millions of youngsters in North America are indoctrinated by these pictures to hate their fellow citizens of Indian background." The editorial writer rears up in
When it comes to the charge of maintaining unfair racial stereo^pes I am afrafd thp movies are often guilty. Depicting bad bankers Will hot make people lose their faith in banks or bankers, but the repeated showing of bad Indians will help to streiigfli-en the bias barrier against this unfortiinate minority group. 1 1
It has been stated that our Natrve Indians must regain personal pride in themselves and their traditions as one of the pre-requisites towards their in-
righteous indignation at the suggestion "that a long tegration as equal citizens. Surely we can help them
tradition should be scrapped because of the fear that youth is in danger Qf bpiOg 'indoctrinated*."
By what logic can anyone defend the inglorious tradition of depicting the Indian as the more-often-than-not villain of the Western movie.
"Citizen" a publication of the Department of Citizenship and Immigration, issued in Ottawa, reisently reprinted an article on racial stereotypes from the
in this by seeking to wipe out the picture of the "wild" Indian of the frontier days. Who once may have been, but today is gone forever.
The Editorial writer advises the Indians that after all they are in -good company in sharing movie villain roles with bankers.
Bankers naturally want to keep their mortgage on finance. But we cannot exipect Indians to be happy
Unesco Courier'' by the well known sociologist, m the company of bankers if the only mortgage they Otto Klineberg. The writer explains such stereotypes get is one on prejudice.
ISRAEL'S CONTRASTS WITHIN 15 MOLES
Safed in historical Galilee is Israel's highest city, almost 3,000 feet above sea level. So great is the geographical
fifteen miels away, is more than 650 feet below sea level. Safed with adjacent Mount Canaan are favorite
summer resorts, while Tiberias is a renowned winter resort, reports the Israel Government Tourist Office.
ISRAEL DUBBED
MID=EAST RIVIERA
American travel experts, who recently completed a survey on Israel's tourist potential called Israel's excel-
lent beaches along her 100-mile-long Mediterranean coastline "The Mid-East Rivieia." Israel's vacation areas stretch from Biblical Ascalon, in the south, to modern beaches in the north which were known in ancient times as Phoenicia. Excellent climate with "no rain" guaranteed for nine months,
first-class hotels and facilities and
lundreds of Jewish m^h and wo men went to ^hear Jewish delegates to the International P.E.N I!ongress speak on the subject o: The Waiter and the Reader'. The " inpQ|iuin was held mi^er the auspices 6t the World Jewish Congress British Section and the Association of Jewish J[6urnalists aii(i ^ttos in Bntain^^^^^^^' " ' Sholem. Asch, the noted Jewish author, slashed out at those who were spreading rumors that he had been baptised and reaffirmed his clos^ as.: sociation with the Jewish people. *My books are written for the masses," he told his audience. While he had spent much of his Ufe writing, he hiad also had to fight for recognition as a writer for three quarters of his life.
Today, Mr. Asch said, his works had been translated into twenty-eight languages. When he was twenty-three, however, and had published •God of Vengeance' in 1905, J. L. Perez, the greatest Yiddish poet, had advised him to biirnit. In 1916, Abe Cahan, the editor of tiie New York Yiddish *Daily Forward', broke off serialisation of his 'Kiddush Hashem' half-way and-stoppqd his f^es at the rate, of 30 dollars a week. When he wrote the 'Nazarene' in 1939,. Chaim Weizmann again suggested. that the manuscript be burned. Today, Asch said, his writings were in^ Hebrew textbooks of Israel's schools and iq the Yiddish-English textbooks of American Jewish schools.
«I KEEP TO TjSE VISION^
"I keep to the vision which God Almighty has shown me. I write because I like it and because.! feel I have something to say to the peojple. There are two kinds of writers: diose who want to be writers, and those who are writers and have the courage to fight When I get to heaven and am asked what I have done with my
moderate rates assure memorable vacation.
the visitor a
KING SOLOMONS EMBLEM
TO QUEEN OF SHEBA ON VIEW IN JERUSALEM, ISRAEL
Tourists to Israel can see the Lion of Judah carved on the lintel of the gate leading to the Abyssinian Church in Jerusalem. According to tradition, King Solbmon gave the emblem of the Lion of Judah as a gift to the Queen of Sheba on her visit to Jerusalem^ The Abyssinians believe thatthe Queen of Sheba was Queen of Abyssinia.
reply: I have
Heaven",
life. Is
mission given b me |>y Sciibieia i^ch conclude' '
Melech Rayitcb, ttie well-known Israel Yid^h 'w^ not enou^ to make an authon With-out faith and tru|h, no author's ^ork could survive. Independent w^ of the foremost prerequisites o| the writer, and it was necessary to widi-stand./'pressure groups who want to impose their views upon the author", even in couhtries were censorship did not exist.
Tombstone
in memory of the lote
Rothsteiii
SUNDAY, AUGUST 19 11:30 a.m.
Scharo Tzedeck Cemetery
Cors leJsyd synagogue at 11:00. a.m.
Rabbi Chi B. Ginsberg Rabbi Bernard Goldenberg and Cantor Dovid Reznik will officiate
!f yau enlay fhe 'Byltefln'
Recommend It To Your Friends $1.50 for SIX MONTHS tc» new subscribers.
THE JEWISH WESTERN BULLETIN
Published Weekly Every Friday ot 2675 Oak Street, Voncquver 9, B.C.
ABRAHAM J. ARNOLD Publisher and Editor
BERTHA ARNOLD Adveirtiiing ond Circulation
Official Organ of the Jewish Corhmdnity Council ' of Vancouver
DR. J. V. WHITE, President; MORRIS SALTZMAN PubficoHoQ Chairmon; LOUlS ZIMMERMAN, / ■ ExecHtive^ Director.
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FRIDAY, AUG. 10, 1956 Candie-lighHng Time Sabboth Eve, Aug. 10, 8:19 : Sabbath Eve.', Aug. 17, 8:07