2—THE BULLETIN—Thursday, October 9, 1975
Anti-'Zionism' on campus
THERE WAS A TIME, a few short years ago, when it became apparent to the community at large that the Political Science faculty of the newly established Simon Eraser university had become a hotbed of radicalism, particularly of the extreme leftist variety. By comparison, the staff and students of the University of British Columbia seemed at that time a veritable cradle of purity and democratic innocence.
But times have changed and now it appears that S.F.U. can no longer claim a monopoly on persons who have a bent for spouting "anti-imperialist," anti-Zionist and Communist propaganda.
What brought to light the new conditions at U.B.C. recently, was the pending visit to the campus of the well-known Israel leader. General Moshe Dayan. (This column is being written a day before Dayan's scheduled lecture). Some of the reactions ignited by this event, particularly within the college community, ought to be the subject of further study.
DURING THE PAST few months, prior
to Dayan's lecture, Jewish members of that the overwhelming majority of Jews
the committee in charge of preparations had noticed a certain reluctance, even a degree of apathy, not only from student representatives, but also from staff.
It was difficult to pinpoint: delays, difficult conditions, a diametric turnabout on the question of location. Above all, there seemed to be an attitude of indifference about the prospect of a campus lecture by this famous personality.
But then, as plans were finalized and the date drew near, the apparent unconcern changed to outright antagonism.
At first, the student newspaper published an article criticising the proposed visit mainly on monetary grounds: Dayan's fee was excessive; the cost of security could be better spent; the admission price for students (50i!) was too high.
Then last Friday, with the printing of the final edition of the student paper prior to the Dayan visit, came the coup de grace. The paper featured the opinions on Israel and Zionism of two persons, a member of the faculty and a graduate student. The first, the professor, was quoted on the front page as saying: "The only difference between Zionism in Palestine and Nazism in Germany is the number of people involved." (Such analogies can be traced back to Russian speeches at the U.N. during the Six-Day War.)
THE SPEAKER, a sociologist, was apparently addressing a group of 150 students and since the report makes no further mention of Nazi Germany, we are not aware what he may have said to substantiate his shocking statement.
We do not know, for instance, whether or not he said anything at all about, or whether he himself even comprehends the nature of the Nazi destruction of European Jewry, the concentration camps, the gas chambers, the crematoria.
As a sociology professor surely he has studied the Holocaust and mustpossess even a superficial awareness of the Nazis' planned policy of a 'final solution' to make the world 'Judenrein.'
And surely he must realize how preposterous such a statement sounds when within the State of Israel there now reside over 300,000 Arabs who are full-fledged citizens of that country and that never has a Jewish leader — not even the hawkish Moshe Dayan — ever advocated reducing the civil rights of this Arab minority, much less exterminating them.
HE MUST ALSO KNOW that even the Arabs who live in the territories captured by Israel during the 1967 Six-Day war
in the world consider themselves Zionists or Zionist sympathizers; and to attack "Zionists," in the manner in which the Russians, Arabs and Maoists are doing, is in effect to attack the overwhelming majority of Jews in the world. The truth is that Zionism is the national liberation movement of the Jewish people.
Thus, in the light of siich facts, how should one assess the Professor's statement that "Zionism is not equivalent with Judaism?"
IT IS POSSIBLE to invalidate statement after statement in this front-page report in the Ubyssey in question, by means of substantial facts, not fiction.
Furthermore, the reporter makes no mention of anyone in the audience being any more knowledgeable or accurate than the professor who gave the talk, because there is not a word said about anyone dissenting or correcting any of his misstatements.
The second article is by a math grad student who wrote at great length in the same Ubyssey edition. His article can likewise be rebutted statement for statement, and likewise with fact not fiction. Among his misinformation is his reference to Britain as having aided Jewish immigration to Palestine between 1920 and 1947. In fact, Britain did the opposite: It issued a series of White Papers which explicitly restricted Jewish immigration; and British warships were actively used after 1945 to prohibit the landing of homeless Jewish refugees in Palestine.
Moreover, the Mapist-line is unmistakable in the language of both men. For example, the former said: "Israel has become, through its own expansion, a pawn for American imperialism." While the latter wrote: ". . . When U.S. imperialism replaced British imperialism as the dominant power in the world, the Israeli Zionists began to act as agents of U.S. imperialism."
The foregoing serve only as representative illustrations of the kind of distortions which the Ubyseey published on the eve of General Dayan's visit. The reasons can only have been to create a provocative, anti-Dayan, anti-Israel climate on campus. (Mention must be made however, that the Ubyssey gave the opportunity for a reply by Hillel and the C.I.C.)
What is more, the entire episode leads one to question both the quality and the nature of the learning experience such men are providing and receiving in the lecture hall itself. And it is not academic freedom that we have misgivings about, but academic competence.
Dry Bones
(Reprinted courtesy ienualem Pact)
are probably living under the most benevolent military rule in the annals of history. Thus these Arabs do not wear yellow badges; their shops are not "off limits" to anyone; they are not employed as slave laborers but receive the same union scale of pay as do Jewish workers; Israel jurists do not promulgate laws against them; Israelis do not establish Arab ghettos, concentration camps and crematoria. Israel permits them to carry on trade freely with Jordan and even allows residents of the administered territories to continue to serve as elected representatives in the Jordanian parliament in Amman.
The professor's knowledge of Zionism and Judaism also is faulty when he says that the two are not "specifically related." He does not know that Zionism is part of the core of Judaism; the love of Zion and the return to Zion are basic elements of Judaism present in the daily prayers of all Jews who pray, and this concept can be traced back to Israel's earliest prophets and not to Herzl in the 19th century.
In addition, there is very good evidence
A mAB \s
75 ?e>PC6:
OF THose
AWO ALL OF
To A^k-.
for the word
This week's Editor's View-was written prior to publication of a subsequent Ubyssey in which Dr. Cappon states in a letter to the Editor that his statement equating Nazism with Zionism was not his own but was a quotation of the views of historian Dr. Arnold Toyn-bee. — The Editor
WARNS AGAINST NY. HAS
NEW YORK-New York City Human Rights Commissioner Eleanor Holmes Norton warned New York City employers not to discriminate against Jews under pressure from the Arab boycott.
— DEATHS 1975 —
NORMAN LERMAN October 1
FANNY EHRMAN October 4
ANNA KLEIN October 5
As another Bullttin community ur-Vict fiaturo, Doatlit will bt pub. Ilihod wotkly a* thay art rtflc-torad.—THE PUBLISHER.
Endorsed Appeals
Israel Bond
Drive ... Aug. 15 - Nov. 15 Can. Friends of Hebrevi'
Univ. :.....Oct. 15 • Nov. 15
Social Calendar
J.C.C. Family Film
Festival...............
T.T. Annual Mtg.
...Oct. Oct.
8
________„____________ 9
BBYO Mr. and Mn. Wine
& Cheese..................Oct 12
Chai Dinner ____...........Oct. 15
Hadassah WIZO Pub. Aff.
Seminar _______.......Oct. 18-20
Bonds Man of Year
Dinner---------------------Oct. 19
S.T. Adult Education Oct. 20 JCF&C Bd. of Directors
Meeting.......Oct. 22
Talmud Torah Bmn. Oct. 22 J.C.C. Family film
Festival_____________________Oct. 22
Soviet Violinists________Oct. 23
S.T. Adult Education . Oct. 27 Golden Age Dinner ...Oct. 27 J.C.C. Family film Festival .................Oct. 29
Endonatiom ai* puUMiad •■ • Bullttin cammunlty sarvlca. fmn or emitttant can b* cerracttd only by Jawiih Community Fund ft Cowf. cil, Pli. 2«1*Slffl.—THE PUBLISHEK.
ffemeifffcer The Sahhalh
Sabbath begins, Light candles Friday, October 10, 6:13 Sedre Noach, Genesis Sabbath ends, Havdalah October 11,7:13
Friday, October 17. 5:59 Sedre Lech Lecha, Genesis Sabbath ends, Havdalah October 18, 6:59
All holiday* ba«ln tha praetdino tva dt sundown.
JEWISH CALENDAR
(LUACH) 1975 5736 ■ 1975
Rosh Chodesh
Kislev___________
Channka......____
Nov. 5 ..Nov. 29
Asarah B'Tevet..........Dec. 14
1976
Tu B'Shevat______......-Jan. 17
Fast of Esther___________Mar. 15
Purim............................Mar. 16
THE SmSH WiSfiRN BUllitm
Sinca 1930 tha only waakly pubUca-tion icrving tha Jawry of tha Pacific Northwast
Thursday, Oct 9, 1975
Publiihad waakly avary Thursday at 3215 Haothor Stiatt, Voncouvtr, Briliih Columbio VSZ 3K4
SAiM KAPLAN Editor and Publishtr
RON TREEDMAN Advtrtising Manager
BOB MARKIN Aesisfant Editor
DEADLINE: THURSDAY at 4:00 p.m.
LEADING JEWISH WEEKLY IN WESTERN CANADA
Bullefin Office: 879-6575
Bulletin Copy Dapot baslda Jawlsh Community Cantra front door claar<i td at daodlina.
Subscriptions: $1S.OO par yaor; $17.50 par year in U.S. and other countries. BMsiness -hours: i:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except Soturdoys, iaw-ish and Legal Holidays. Second Class Mail registration number 1314.
In the event of a typographical error advertising goods at less than the proper price, the Jewish Western Bulletin will furnish letters to the advertiser stating the correct price, but goods may not be sold at the price printed and the difference chorged to the newspoper.