The Canadian English-Jewish Weekly
VOL XXXI
MONTREAL,
3, 1948
No. 10
New Isaiah Scroll Is One Of Greatest Finds In History
\
Details of the dramatic Biblical discoveries recently brought to light in war-torn Palestine when four Hebrew mamiacripta estimated to be more than 2,000 years old were found in a cave near the northern end of the Dead Sea, have been disclosed at Durham, North Carolina.
One of those who participated in the discovery and identification of the scrolls was Dr. William H. Brownlee of the Department of Religion at Duke University. He recently returned to the campus from the Holy Land, where he studied at the American School of Oriental Research in Jerusalem.
New interpretation may be thrown on the Old Testament by the discovery of the complete scroll of the prophet Isaiah, including all sixty-sue chapters of the book with only a few small portions missing, reports the New York Times.
The Isaiah scroll is dated by Dr. William P. Stinespring, Professor of Old Testament at Duke University, as early Maccabean or second century B. C. According to Dr. Stinespring, there was no Isaiah manuscript older than JLOOO A. D. before this discovery, with the exception of a few tablets and fragments.
Bible scolarg assert that the Book of Isaiah, like all of the Bible, came down to posterity is the result of many copying by scribes who would make additional scrolls as the old scrolls wore out. Small errors in punctuation, and different shadings in meanings from the original crept into the writings as they were handed down through the centuries.
Last winter, Bedouins engaged IB fhnuggling goods between Trans-Jordan and Palestine hid out in a care near the Dpad Sea, Far back 'the cave the/ discovered pottery scrolls wrapped evidently
scrolls. These scrolls have now been put away for safe keeping by the monks in a secret repository somewhere in the Near East.
Dr. Brownlee says it is believed that the scrolls were left in the cave by a monastic group, probably living in the wilderness of Ju-dea as refugees from persecution by the religious majority and priests in Jerusalem the first or second century before the birth of Christ.
The scrolls not only include the Book of Isaiah but the written views of this ancient order and a commentary on Habbakkuk, which Dr. Brownlee was first to translate and identify. These scrolls are particularly valuable, according to Dr. Brownlee, because they have words with new meanings rarely used in the Bible.
"We will also learn more about pronunciation of ancient Hebrew as a result of the discovery," says Dr. Brownlee. He adds that Hebrew originally had no vowels, but only written consonants. Since these scrolls have an unusually large number of vowels, there will be new keys to pronunciation.
_ ___ - some
Bethlehem, the Bedouins l their find over to Syrian 4n Jerataktn who belonged monastic order of one of the oldest Christian church branches.
Aa the Jewish^Arab war spread, and the situation became increasingly dangerous in Jerusalem, the monks decided to have the mysterious parchments studied and identified at the American School of Oriental Research. At that time there were only two scholars present, Dr. John C. Trevor of Pasadena, CaHf., director of English Bible for the International Council of Religious Education, and Dr. Brownlee. All others were either on their way to America or absent on an expedition into Iraq.
The Americans, who were startled by what they recognized to be one of the most important Biblical discoveries in history, quickly obtained permission from the Syrian Monks to photograph all of the
Ask Many Not To Back Irgniiist
An appeal was directed to several hundred Americans serving on the reception committee for the visit of Menachem Beigin, former commander-in-chief of Irgun Zvai Leumi, to withdraw their support "as publicly as it was pledged."
Three nationally prominent clergymen, sounding the appeal in an open letter, charged that the Irgun, an underground organization In Palestine, wa* "a terroristic band vbeae acts; lave horrified su-^drtev^j.of 7'"-*,'ism and have-' been rtpVofated by the authorities of Israel."
Their letter cited a series of acts "of calculated terrorism" and stated that Mr. Beigin and his followers "assert their intention of flouting the United Nations by conquering not only all of Palestine but Transjordan and other Arab territories as well."
"You owe it to yourself and to your fellow citizens to investigate the true record of Mr. Beigin and his Irgun�end, having investigated, to withdraw your support as publicly as it was pledged," the letter concluded.
It was signed by the Rev. Dr. Henry Sloane Coffin, of Lakeville, Conn., former president of Union Theological Seminary and former moderator of the Presbyterian Church in the United States; Father John La Farge, of New York, well-known Catholic editor; and Rabbi Morris Lazaron, of Bal-(Continued on P&g* Thru)
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Egypt Harshly ZIONIST FACTION, INCLUDING FOUR
Attacks Israel PAST PRESIDENTS OF Z.O.A.,
In Onited Nations SUPPORTS DEMAND TO REVISE U.P.A.
Egypt threatened publicly to walk out of the United Nations if Israel were admitted to membership in the world organisation. In the middle of a legalistic debate on membership qualifications Adly Andraos Bey jolted the adhoc Political Committee with a fierce attack on the Jewish state and on the United States for backing Israel's admission to the United Nations.
The Egyptian delegate said the entrance of Israel would "disrupt whatever was left of United Nations harmony and cooperation." He followed his warning with this statement:
"In certain clubs, certain homes and even certain seashores of the United States Jews are not accepted very willingly. Yet it is the United States which in a few days will come forward perhaps and present us with this new membership.
"When these things happen in a club there is only one way out of it�those members who do not like being neighbors of the incoming gentlemen walk out That is the only solution which will be left to us."
The harshness of the Egyptian's attack startled most of the delegates in the committee. Some were inclined to discount the walkout threat, pointing out that only recently Egypt had been elected to the Security Council. They recalled too that at the first special session on Palestine all the Arab states had marched out after the partition resolution had been adopted but had not left the United Nations.
But there were some who saw
an indication of things to const in
the Egyptian speech,
th� New? York TOae*.
(Continued en Pays
Says Jews Of Palestine
A further split among American Jews over the administration of the United Palestine Appeal became evident with the announcement that the executive committee of the Committee for Progressive Zionism has formally indorsed the program of the Committee of Contributors, which is seeking reorganization of the U. P.A. Included in the Committee for Progressive Zionism are Judge �xmis E. Levinthal, Louis Lipsky, Robert Szold, and Stephen S. Wise, all former presidents of the Zionist Organization of America.
The executive committee of the Committee for Progressive Zionism called on the United Palestine Appeal to grant equal representation to Jewish communities throughout America with that of existing Zionist organizations.
The demand was announced by Charles J. Rosenbloom of Pittsburgh, chairman of the executive committee, who is also national co-chairman of the Appeal. He said that the Progressive Zionism group had endorsed the stand of the Committee of Contributors and Workers. The committee and the appeal have differed on various policies.
The program of the Committee of Contributors and Workers, the announcement said, was supported st a special meeting attended by the former presidents. A resolution adopted cited demand for increased resources for Israel and declared that every Zionist "is forced to the realization that every segment of American Jewry, irrespective of past identifications, must be integrated into the work for the support of Israel"
The resolution endorsed the committee's demands "to grant equal on to the Jewish, com-
Meir Grossman, chairman of the World Zionist-Revisionist Organization, aaid in New York that he was convinced that the majority of Jews in Palestine supported his group's stand for a Jewish state which would include "all of historic Palestine," including Trans-Jordan. Mr. Grossman, formerly of New York, and a member of the Jewish Agency World Executive, told a press conference at the Hotel Commodore, following his arrival from the Holy Land a few days ago:
"The Jewish people need all of historic Palestine if they are to build a viable state and solve the Jewish problem once and for all time. Half measures will never do and will not help.
"The present provisional government of Israel may attempt to accept a half-hearted compromise, but Israel's powerful popular army will not easily agree to surrender its advantages won at such price."
He explained, however, that if the provisional government does come to terms with the United Nations and the neighboring Arab states on boundaries for Israel, excluding Trans-Jordan, the agreement would be recognised by any government that is voted into power at the forthcoming Israeli elections on January 26. The Revisionists, however, he added, would continue to work by peaceful and legal means for the inclusion of Trans-Jordan within the State of Israel.
"Jerusalem is a 100 per cent Jewish city," he said, "and will not be surrendered to international control, in my opinion, unless force is used. Nor will the Negeb Desert be given up. We will not trade territory for recognition."
Mr. Grossman said that one of the aims of his Revisionist party is to obtain an exchange of populations, with Arabs in Israel going to Arab countries and the 700,-000 Jews in Arab territory coming into Israel.
"Of course/this would be a purely voluntary process," he added. "Only those individuals would be moved who desired to make the change, and the operation would be under strict supervision of the countries involved.
Another aim of the party, he said, was the organization of a Federation of Middle Eastern states, to include Israel snd Arab countries,
"The State of Israel is not pre-psred to serve any world power ar become its tool," Mr. Grossman em-
fO�**�Mil 0* Pmj*
the reeponslkrUty.for ' of the lft�A with the seriating Zionist organ-the transmission of all thus raised in the United States directly to the beneficiary agencies in Israel, by whom these fjnds shall be used and disbursed." The resolution ended as follows:
"As members of the ZOA we call upon the ZOA administration to abandon any further controversy in the matter and to arrive at an early understanding and amicable agreement with the Committee of Contributors so as not to Imperil success of the 1949 United f\. 'h Appeal."
* Meanwhile Herman L. Weisman, acting national chairman of the appeal, declared that negotiations with the committee had been under way "to resolve the controversy which has arisen in our movement," adding:
MIt can serve no constructive purpose to further aggravate the situation during the period of these negotiations. The present rift harms no one except the tens of thousands of Jewish refugees who look to our help in aiding them toward r�?::t:l�lion and re-
Ex-Head Of Irgii Greeted Warmly
Menachem Beigin stepped from a plane at La Guardia Field in New York and was nearly mobbed by a crowd of over-enthusiastic welcomers. About 600 men and women, including bearded patriarchs and aged women, crashed through a thin police line and pressed against the former Irgun Zvai Leumi leader, who now heads the Herouth (Freedom) party in Israel. He is slight and about thirty-five years of age.
Police and detectives sought fruitlessly to maintain a semblance of order as the crowd swirled around and through them attempting to reach Mr. Beigin. For a half hour, between the field at which he alighted from an American Airlines plane from Washington and a parking lot opposite a waiting room, Mr. Beigin received the plaudits of the crowd.
Finally, police managed to sandwich him into an automobile of the forty-car motorcade that came out from Manhattan to greet him ami mushed him to his hotel, the Chatham, Vanderbilt Avenue and Forty-eighth Street
There he managed to catch his breath and tell reporters:
That he's here to tell tha American people of the aims of his party and not to solicit funds.
That he wev* to Washington after arriving bare Monday "to
habitation in Israel.
"These men would be of greater service to the Jewish people if they devoted their efforts to healing the breach rather than broadening it by lending their names to a dissident faction."
The appeal recently granted one-third representation to Jewish communities on its governing bodies.
Herman L. Weisman, acting national chairman of the United Palestine Appeal, announced that $236,496,000 would be required by the appeal's agencies in Israel for a comprehensive program of repatriating and rehabilitating the large number of immigrants who will enter the country in the fiscal year ending October, 1949.
Terming the sum a "minimal figure," Mr. Weisman asserted that the major part of the money would have to be raised by Jews in this country. He said the budgetary estimates were on the basis of 120,000 newcomers to Israel in the fiscal year. The largest single item on the budget is $99,160,000 to cover the cost of immigration, initial care and housing of refugees.
Mr. Weisman said that of the total immigration expenditures, at least $10,500,000 was earmarked for rescue, relief and training of refugees in Europe and the Middle Eastern countries.
"In accordance with agreements to be worked out under the 1949 United Jewish Appeal," Mr. Weisman, said, "the Joint Distribution Committee would probably continue to assume transportation costs as part of its program."
Both the United Palestine Appeal and the Distribution Committee are major beneficiaries of the United Jewish ftpjnej *^"�pf ign.
Approximate &0M&9will have to be mnqpjsjt for the care of newcomers, including
maintenance, special assist*
ance and rehabilitation, Mr. Weisman said. He added that construction of housing for the immigrants called for an allocation by appeal agencies in Israel of $48,000,000 toward the total cost of more than $70,000,000.
In his budgetary report, Mr. Weisman called attention to a special youth immigration project for which Appeal agencies are to expend $10,200,00. This sum will cover the cost of maintaining and equipping 20,000 youngsters "who are orphans and have no means of support."
An item of $11,916,000 is allotted for an agricultural program for the establishment of new settlements, the development of those already in existence, expansion of Negeb water pipelines and repair of war damages.
The provisional budget of the Jewish National Fund, land-purchasing agency in Palestine, calls for the purchase of 300,000 acres at a cost of $77,280,000, Mr. Weisman reported. He said that the appeal's agencies would have to spend $15,000,000 in war-ravaged Jerusalem for the settlement of newcomers, special housing projects and the development of agriculture near the city.
Another $33,150,000, he said, "is allocated for promotion of trade and industry in Jerusalem, repairs of war damages throughout Israel, exclusive of Jerusalem, grants for educational and cultural purposes, previous allocations which could not be met out of last year's budget, and $600,000 for general administrative costs."
The announcement said that the Jewish Agency for Palestine, Palestine Foundation Jewish National Fvmd the over-all proffi vof fond* raised in *ss United Palesttne beneficiary agency of SB nati wide United Jewish Appeal
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