taft A — The Conadion Jewish Neurt, Friday, July 8rii, 1966
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POLITICAL UPHEAVAL IN ISRAEL
HERUT SANS BEGIN
The Canadian Jewish News reported exclusively last week about both the crisis within Herut, Israel's largest opposition party, and the fact that Mena-chem Begin, its leader, had defeated in a final vote the large opposition at the party's national convention. Yet Mr. Begin, the legendary commander of the underground Irgun Zvai Leumi which drove out the British from Palestine, resigned the chairmanship of the party. He felt that because Herut had not won in the parliamentary election and because there is an opposition to his political leadership he should step down.
Of course, Mr. Begin may be convinc-sd to return as head of Herut. For it is inconceivable at the moment that this opposition party would grow without his dynamic leadership.
It must be realized that the crisis within Herut is nothing new. Herut was founded in 1948 when the Irgun Zvai Leumi was incorporated into the Israeli
MIZRACHI AND THE LEFT
army and its leaders became political figures. Right at the beginnmg there was friction between the former Revisionists, some of whom had only halfheartedly supported the Underground and had opposed Begin, Merlin, Ben EUezer. Meridor and Hillel Kook when they founded Herut. The old Revisionists were defeated at the polls and did not elect even one member of parliament while Herut entered the Knesset as an important faction. Then the Revisionists joined Herut.
However, the convulsions resulting from the union of the Zionist Revisionists and the Irgun men never really ceased. The breach became more pronounced at the convention of Herut held last week in Ramat Gan.
Begin still may return to the leadership of a party which will be purged of the traditional "Zionist" elements which now are courted by Eshkol and Mapai.
"Kick-off" Moisan in Le Canard Enchoine, Paris
One view of General de Gaulle implementing his plans for NATO. O.T.A.N. are the French initials for the organiza-Non.
the livelj arts
# BY 0. COHN
• You're a Big Boy Now, starring Toronto-bom Peter Kastner, is being filmed now on the streets of New York, thanks to the disposal of red tape by Mayor Lindsay. Part of the filming took place in the New York Public Library where the board at first had much trepidation. However, the film people could not have been more respectful of their surroundings if they had been working at St. Patrick's Cathedral nearby. Those involved had been well indoctrinated before shooting inside the library began.
A memorandum had been circulated that warned, among other things, that
"wandering around the interior of the building, except to go to the rest rooms, would not be permitted." that "smoking is absolutely forbidden."
The movie company even went to the trouble of renting 600 yards of books from a local bookstore. A property man said that one volume apparently had come from a public library in Connecticut. Other players besides Peter include Geral-dine Paige, Rip Tom, Julie Harris, Elizabeth Hartman and Karen Black, Peter's present girlfriend.
The chase in the library was particularly arduous for Miss Paige who plays Kastner's mother and whose
THE JEWISH CHAPTER AFTER SIX imOHTHS
CANADA'S ZIONIST CRISIS
In a statement adopted on May 22nd by several Zionist political parties operating here, when they decided to establish the so-called Confederation to combat the old, established Zionist Organization of Canada, it was declared, i.e.: "... The aims of the Zionist Federation will be ... to strengthen Jewish cultural and spiritual life in Canada, with particular emphasis on education and youth activities. Towards these aims the Federation will launch a series of dynamic programs across Canada..." Is it not strange to read this statement signed both by the leaders of the Religious Zionist' Organization, Mizrachi, and the Friends of Pioneering Israel, the unlimited company of Israel's extreme left, Marxist Mapam Party, active here?
So far as we know, supporting Mapam means supporting kibbutzim and settlements in Israel where there are no synagogues whatsoever of any denomination.
The late Labor Zionist leader, Chaim Greenberg, once published a poignant story describing the expulsion of a Sefer Torah from a leftist Israeli kibbutz.
To Mapam, "Jewish cultural and spiritual life" is a Jewish society without any vestige of religion — Reform, Conservative or Orthodox; it is pure, undiluted Marxist atheism. The only point of contention between Mapam and the Communist parties is the demand that the official Communists recognize their kind of Zionism.
On the other hand, the Mizrachi Movement always prided itself for having given the Jewish state its religious, traditional image — the synagogue, the yeshiva, the Torah of Israel — without which there is no Jewish people.
Is it possible to think for one moment that here in Canada — just to be able to exert pressure upon the United Israd Appeal, just to grab a bigger slice from Israeli funds — Mizrachi would unite with an anti-reUgious group? There-is a theory that religious parties in IsragI are but a camouflage for pol-
itical and financial interests. Recently a new movement has been launched there opposing the politics of some religious groups.
What Mizrachi in Canada has achieved for "Jewish cultural and spiritual" interests by uniting with the leftist Mapam and Ahdut Avoda, openly anti-religious groups, results in making ridiculous the very concept of a religious Jewish movement.
Mapam leaders in Israel have claimed that the Mizrachi Movement is not a religious movement but a clericalist organization. It is not religion but clerical ism, according to the Marxist classic theory.
These manoeuvres of various Zionist parties in Canada and the different political battles paid for by the charity-dollar once more confirm our position that poGtical parties in Israel have no business imposing their conflicts upon us in the Diaspora. These political parties — all of them — ought to be eliminated from the budgets of our commimity fimds.
For what culture, what Jewish education can be expected from a combined Mizrachi-Mapam effort?
En passant, one point stands out when we discuss the new opportimistic somersault of Canada's Mizrachi leadership: the Mizrachi Women's Organization, like its General Zionist counterpart, Hadassah, limits its energies to mobilizing support for worthy institutions; it does not jump along. Mizrachi Women, mothers of the children in our yeshivot and day schools, definitely would not promote a Mapam yeshiva.
In summary, those who love to indulge in the luxury of meetings and politics a la Israel or pre-war Poland should support these political parties from theu: own pockets. Certainly their financing from pubhc funds is an unheard of outrage which stems from contempt for the intelligence of the average Jew.
By Tullia Zevi
ROME -- Six months have elapsed since the end of the Ecumenical Council. Documents of historical and theological importance were promulgated, committing to the world's 500 million Catholics their observance.
The transition from theory to practice, however, does not occur automatically. There must be interpretation and consultation before there is implementation. Among the documents requiring all three is the de-declaration on relations with non-Christians and particularly the chapter dedicated to the Church's attitude towards the Jews.
As far as the "Jewish chapter" is concerned t h e Church's "two souls"—one upholding faithfulness to tradition, the other stressing! the need for bringing matters up to date, are symbolically incarnated in two personalities. Cardinal Augustine Bea, the head of the Vatican Secretariat for the Promotion of Christian Unity, who prepared the text, and Bishop Luigi Carii, who was one of the most vociferous spokesmen for the Conservative group at the Council.
Both men have recently felt the urge to restate their views on how the "Jewish chapter" should be interpreted.
"The Church and the Jewish People" is the title of a 160-page volume by Cardinal Bea, recently published by the Brescia publishing firm of Morcelliana.
In the book, Cardinal Bea puts forward a condensed version of those he used when he addressed the Ecumenical Council last year So, in this sense, the volume is not "news". However, the spirit and intention, permeating the book, are»of interest. It is intended as a projection of the "Jewish chapter" towards the future, a manua for Catholics on how to in
IH THE USSR
Jews In The Parliament
Although the same number of Jews — five — were elected to both chambers of the [Supreme Soviet of the U.S.S.R. in the elections held this month, their percentage fell. This is because the Chamber Of Nationalities was enlarged by about 70 deputies.
Jews make up less than 0.3 per cent of the 1,517 deputies, while the Jewish population in the Soviet Union "amounts to 1.1 per cent or more. Thus, the Jews are heavily under-represented in the Siiprenie Soviet. ^
The following Jews Were elected:
To the Union Chamber: Binyamin Dymshyts, Deputy Prime Minister, elected for the Khabarovsk Tovm District;- and Yuli Borisoviph Kharitdn, acaderiiician, lor the Gorki District. I / V
To the Chamber of Nationalities: Rafael ChamcK
vich Khersonsky, a moulder in a factory, for a Birobid-jan district; Ilya Grigorie-vich Ehrenburg, the writer, for the Birsky District of the
Bashkirian Autonomous Republic; Alexander Borisovich Chakovslqr, writer, secretary of the executive of the Writers' Union, for the Torbeer District of the Mordovian Autonomous. Republic.
There are no changes in the Union Chamber. Both Dyinshytz and Khariton have represented their present constituencies since 1962. . It is noteworthy that the Jewish deputies to the Chamber of Nationalities, except for Birobidjiri were elected in non-Russian iand non-Slav areas whose nationalities (of Turkish origin); lack "Jew-conscious-ness".SBoth Ehrenburg and Chakoy^ky appear there as Russian writers, in a capacity, not unlike that of other
prominent Russians sent from Moscow to stand for election in provinces. Thus, the Soviet authorities have the best of both worlds: while Ehrenburg and Cha kovsky stood for. election as Russians, they can be,now presented by Sowet propaganda in the West as Jewish members of the Supreme Soviet.
Khersonsky, the only Jewish member among the five people elected for Birobid-jan, replaces Rebecca Vish-chinkina, who was the only Jewess among-^hei-. colleague. . ^
Also 'missing frojm the ChambeProf Nationalities is another' Jew-Army/Generail Jacob GrigOrievich Kreizer, commander of^ the Soviet Far East Military Area. General Kreizer was transferred from his post in April, 1964, 6nd he was not chosen to stand again.
General Kreizer, who was frequently referred to by Khruschev to deny the exis' tence of Soviet discrimination against the Jews, had strong support among the anti-liberal Soviet generals.
The man choseii to fill Kreizer's place, although from another consistuency, is a good example of a Jew placed in his present position by a ^chauvinistic and antisemitic part of the Soviet establishment. Mr. Cha-kovsky is one of the leading members of the anti-liberal wing of the Writers' Union in Moscow, which, counts many antisemites among its members, and is One of the few Jews in this group. ^
This can be taken as evidence that even Soviet antisemites are sensitive to the charge of: being antisettiitic, and put a Jew of their oWn ilk to "prove'<,;Otherwise.
■v.
terpret it correctly and, last but not least, an answer to the arguments used by the opponents of the chapter, particularly by Bishop Carli, whose writings are frequently quoted, but who is not named.
Cardinal Bea writes that Jewish sources have staged that the effect of the document will largely depend on the extent to which it is understood, assimilated and applied.
"If this is true for all documents published by the Council, it is even more true for this document, because of long centuries of tense relations, hostility and difficulties between Christians and Jews," he says.
"It is not addressed to specialists, but to cultured people in general, because on them above all depends the practical application of j the Declaration."
He is aware that the book "will encounter some difficulties with members of the Jewish people." But "this book was not written directly for them but for Christians." He "begs our Jewish brothers to have confidence that the book will deal with the issue according to truth, justice and charity."
What Cardinal Bea rightly expects the Jew;, to reject is that, while he dismisses the accusations of "collective guilt" and of "deicide," he maintains the Christian concept of the "perversitv" and of the "evil spirit" of those Jews who refuse to recognize Jesus as the Messiah. What makes this even more objectionable is that he lays emphasis on its being part of Christian doctrine and urges the Jews to learn to accept it, together with the Christian hope that they will eventually "at a time known only to God," embrace Christianity.
A large portion of the es say is dedicated to the "Christian roots" o fantise-mitism, stemming from the accusations of "deicide". An outline of "Israel's position in front of God" follows.
Aware that this "real sit uatibn of the Jewish people ... in front of God" is not precisely one which Jews themselves would readily accept. Cardinal Bea warns that' "for love of truth we shall iBve to say with frank ness things which to a superficial observer might soimd like contempt of the Jewish )eople, while they are actual-y nothing of the sort... It is an issue on which our Jewish brothers are very seii-sitive.
"What is left to the Jewish people," he states, "and no one can deprive them of this, is the honOur of the redemption was prepared. The fact also remains that the past, in which the work of the Church was founded on this~people and on members ^f this people . . .Finally, there remains the assurance giVen us by God himself that their lack of faith is only temporary, until the mass of Gentiles will have entered the Kitigdom of God, and thus all Israel shall be
■saved.".-'. \
Meanwhile, until that day comes, the Cairdinal outlines
lish and develop in a constructive way" the relations between Christians and Jews.
First, with the promulgation of the Council declaration, "the Church pledges the hundreds of millions of her children throughout the world to condemn with words and deeds any manifestation of antisemitism. And this is no small thing."
Moreover, "the collaboration between Christians and Jews in Biblical and theological studies will be of jreat importance . . . Their purpose, unlike what happens in political encounters, wilj obviously not be that of elaborating compromises."
To appreciate Cardinal Bea's approach to Christian-Jewish relations, it will be necessary to report briefly the most recent utterances of Monsignor Luigi Carli Bishop of Segni.
A 45-page essay published in "Palestra del Clero", a ma gazine issued for and by the Italian clergy, does not rea' Iv say anything different from what Bishop Carli has repeatedly written in the past and stated at the sessions of the Ecumenical Council.
Its publication, however presents an interesting aspect: qualified observers are interpreting it as a challenge by a certain sector of the Church's hierarchy, an effort to prove that the Jewish chapter does not prevent members of the clergy from continuing to debate the issue, to express contrasting views, and to uphold con cepts such as "collective guilt" and "deicide", which the declaration is supposed to eradicate from Catholic thinking.
Observers point out that, unless Bishop Carli encounters some objections from his superiors, he cannot but encourage a centuries - old mentality which Jews and progressive Christians had hoped was dwindling as the "spirit of the Council" grad ually permeated the entire Church.
Although claiming to reject antisemitism, the entire essay is a theological dissertation permeated; at least in the eyes of a Jewish reader, with an anti-Jewish spirit.
The core of Bishop Carli's reasoning is that Judaism is condemned by God because whoever, knowing Jesus, consciously and freely follows Judaism, cannot but be subject to condemnation. However, God still loves the Jews, but only as he "loves the sinners he wants to save."
scientific debate," he states. "To ask oneself, as 1 have done, if Judaism is cursed by God, is not only a legitimate question, but also a well-asked one."
"Israel," the official weekly publication of the Union of Italian Jewish communities, comments on Bishop Carli's essay:
"The persistence of preachings like those of Bishop Carli is a demonstration that the watering down of the "Jewish chapter" during the last phase of the Council did not serve to reduce to silence the violent anti-Jewishness of a certain part of the Church hier-achy, but may well be encouraging it."
previous film roles have won her several Oscar nominations. "I'm so slow", she panted to a companion, "I'm going to be in the sequel."
• Trading with Israel and even making propaganda on her behalf is no bar to doing business with the Arab states, if they find it in their own interest.
This point was made in New York when a dkector of the American International picture corporation, Samuel Z. Arkoff, said his company planned to start shooting a film in Egypt in September in which the Egyptian government would be a co-producer. , Arkoff's company produced. Trunk to Cairo, a film based on the adventures of Mordecai Luk, "the man in the trunk." It also produced, Sands of Beersheba, a film based on the Israeli-Arab war with a strong Israeli propaganda line.
• Shelley Berman, who has written his own comedy routines, has penned a script for the Laredo horse opera. Title: A Ballet in the Hand is Worth Two in the Knish.
• The star and director of Tchaikovsky, the Soviet-American motion picture co-production about the life of the great 19th Century composer, have been announced by executive producer Dimitri Tiomkin following conferences with Jack L. Warner, president of Warner Bros.
Playing the title role of Peter Ilyich Tschaikovsky will be Innokenti Smoktu-novsky, star of the widely praised Russian, Hamlet, and a Meritorious Artist of the Soviet Union; director will be Michael Romm whose distinguished position in the Soviet cinema is compared to that of Eisenstein.
The picture will be filmed entirely in Russia beginning in October and will include the worid-famed Bolshoi Ballet and the Moscow Symphony Orchestra.
ways and mcaiir'-to eJiJab-/| open
Bishop Carli declares that the term "deicide" applied to Jews is "theologically faultless, the only apt one," and that the same applies to collective: responsibility for (the Crucifixion of; Jesus. He disagrees with Cairdinal Bea's thesis that the responsibility should be reistricted to a number of Jerusaleiri Jews. Bishop Carii attributes the "incredulity and unfaithfulness" to the entire people of Israel. '
Since the Ecumenical Council did lot pronounce onthese issues, "they remain ^ " [ation and
SEMtON FOR THE WEEK
COMPLETING THE TASK
"And the Lord said unto Moses; get thee
up to this Mount of Aborim and see the land
which I have given to the children of Israel.
And when thou hast seen it thou shalt be
gathered unto thy people".
^ (Num. XXVII. 12.13)
A wealth of pathos is contained in these two verses. Throughout his life Moses had striven to guide and teach his people. He had nursed them through their notional childhood, had borne the pain of their growth and development, had given them their lows and laid the foundations for their notional religious life, hod even allocated to the tribes the territory they were to possess.
Now he is warned that he is to die in the wilderness and to be denied the privilege of enjoying his life's work. All that is permitted to him is the distant sight of the Land of Promise but he would never enter it.
Yet in spite of the painful verdict passed on him, he manfully continued with his lobours. He appointed his successor and trained him for his arduous task. He continued to teach his people, urging upon them the need for constant loyalty to their heritage and awareness of the destiny which owoited them.
As one thinks of Moses in this tragic setting, one recalls to mind other great figures in history who shared o similar experience, albeit in different spheres of octivity.
Roshi, the master commentator, possessed a comprehensive plan for o complete commentary of the Talmud, yet he died with his pen in his hand and it fell to his pupil and son-in-law to finish the task. Herzl, the architect of the Jewish State, was denied the fulfftment of his dream. He too sow the land from afar off but was preverited from enjoying the fruits of his labours and his self-sacrifice.
These three personalities represent to a large measure the scope of human concern and their own experiences reveal the vicissitudes to which one is exposed in the spheres of religious, cultural and notional endeavour. All three left their work uncompleted when deoth colled o holt to their labours, but each could rely on successors .to assume the task and bring it to fruition.
As one ponders on the implications of these experiences, one readily recalls to mind the truth of Rqbbi Torfon's wise and profound observation: "It is not thy duty to complete the work, but neither art thou free to desist from it". This is particularly applicable to the three speres of activity just referred to. One just cannot expect to see the completion of one's religious labours; all that can be hoped for is that by One's endeavours a worthy example may be set which others will follow and which will contribute to the enrichment of life.
One cannot master the whole cultural field nor can one claim the whole world to be one's province; but by personal struggle and application a small fraction may be added to the sum total of human wisdom. '
Nor con any man hope;for^lTe'fulfilment of no-; tionof dreams and the esrablishm^nt oKon incomparable order of societyi^lie can only ^wori<: and pray for the ultimate success/jn^the fulness of tirne.
In life, we,havetijjrealise that all tqp soon we may be called upon to toy down our ^topls'and leave our work for others to complete. Yet. while the breath of life Is still within us, we^must carry on ai;)d give our best, making our own personal cbntribiitioh to the welfare of" the community - and the society in which we live. - ■•' , ■
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