Pagfe 2
JEWISH WESTERN BULLETIN
Friday, June 26, 1959
Travel Diary
Israel contrasts stir imaginotion
By A. J. ARNOLD
I.RECALL that the title of an editorial which I wrote earlier this year in relation to support for Israel was "Imagination and not Emergency". In Israel I found many things to stir the Imagination and to affect one's thinking, concerning the Jewish state. I also found numerous reasons for seeking to abandon the emergency psychology, which has been the basis of our relationship with Israel for the past decade or more.
One's imagination must be affected by the tremendous contrasts which one finds in the country. It is well known that Israel is very small in terms of territory, but very big in terms of history. Israel's natural resources are really very limited by comparison with many of the other countries of the world. But what it lacks in material resources it makes up in human resourcefulness.
While travelling through the Galil we crossed the Jordan river which looms so large in history and politics, but is actually very small in size by comparison with many of the rivers which we know in Canada. Nevertheless, here is where Israeli resourcefulness has proven specially adept in making use of the waters of the Jordan, both for irrigation and electric power. In spite of its limitations in size, the Jordan River may well become as important in Israel's future development plans as it has been in the past turbulent history .of the area. OLD CITY CLOSE ENOUGH TO TOUCH
The contrasts which one finds in Jerusalem are particularly striking. In the company of delegates to the B'nai B'rith convention, I sat on the terrace of the King David Hotel while a member of the party pointed out some of the historic sites lying just out of bounds in the old city, but seeming almost close enough to touch. The visitor who is conscious of the historic and sacred role of the old city cannot but feel some regrets at find-
ing it out of bounds. But after taking a good look at the rapidly growing new city of Jerusalem, one sees that the developments are beginning to physically overshadow the old town; and one soon begins to feel that the fulfilment of the future potential of the new city may well overshadow the greatest glories of the old city.
From a distance one views Mount Scopus, the site of the first Hebrew U. Campus and Hadassah Medical Hospital. Without underestimating the past significance of these wonderful institutions and the folly which makes it necessary for them to lie in disuse, I must say the Scopus site looks more like a small rolling hill than a mountain. THE NEW CAMPUS
Moreover, the new Hebrew University campus at Givat Ram, which is already in operation and the newly rising Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical School and Hospital in the hills outside the city are beginning to show evidence, not only of the heights of architectural beauty but of the tremendous positive achievements for human welfare, which will be wrought within their expansive edifices.
The University is already serving as the headquarters, not only for a growing student body, but for many of Israel's leading scholars and scientists. Yigael Yadin, the famed ex-commander of the Israeli army makes the University the headquarters base for his archaeological explorations. Oiie of the University's displays features some of the relics from the Biblical city of Hazar which Yadin recently uncovered.
The president of Israel, Yitzhak Ben Zvi comes to the Hebrew University every Friday to personally direct students in oriental Jewish studies and research.
THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS
The prize exhibit on display at the Hebrew University is of course the Dead Sea Scrolls. The Scrolls jvere
shown to me by Hebrew U. public re- economic aid to needy students.
lations officer Max Rosenfeld, a bearded former Torontonian. I was told that the original Hebrew in which the scrolls are written is very close to modem Hebrew as it is spoken today. Much of the Scrolls are in fragmentary condition, with holes and gaps resulting from centuries of wear and tear while they were hidden from human eyes.
It proved to be quite a revelation to be told that some of the missing sections, were being filled out with a reasonable degree of accuracy through the usie of IBM calculating machines.
HEBREW U BUILDINGS
I visited the main lecture hall of the Hebrew University which compares very favorably with, some of the big meeting halls of the United Nations Buildings in New York where I stopped earlier. Among the other buildings I visited was the newly opened Law Faculty, a Canadian-sponsored institution, and Canada Hall, the first completed building on the new campus, and a project of Canadian Hadassah. Canada Hall is now being used for courses in Botany and in first-year agricultural science.
The Hebrew University proved to be a real beehive of activity, not only with students at lectures,, and going to and from classes, but with tourists and visitors inspecting the campus at all hours of the day. The visitors come, not only from many parts of the world, but from many'parts of Israel itself. Groups of Israeli children are brought on visits to become familiar with the University where many of them will study. While was touring the campus I met a group of young Sabras from Kibbutz Naan, near Rehovoth, who had come on a tijml (expedition) to visit the University.
In spite of the beautiful and inspiring quarters in which the Hebrew University students now go on with their studies, they are not dissuaded from facing up to more prosaic problems. Economic needs must be met and many students work in the day time and study at night for this reason. The lights of the University burn brightly until a very late hour.
Moreover, just before my arrival in Jerusalem, the student body had gone on strike for a few days against increased tuition fees. They returned to their studies only after receiving personal assurance from Prime Minister David Ben Gurion that steps will be taken to extend the program of
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Editorial topic
ANOTHER memorable trip in Jerusalem was made to the site of the tremendous Hebrew University - Hadassah " Medical School and Hospital which is now being built. Completion of the buildings is set for late 1960.
This trip was made in the company of Lucien Harris, Hadassah public relations officer and Anita Engle, Canadian who lives with her husband and family in Jerusalem and is a well-known writer and author. Her new book, "The Neeli Spies" was recently published in England and her column, A Mother in Israel is syndicated in a number of Jewish publications in United States and Canada. Although she has lived in Israel a long time, ^Anita Engle still seems to possess the quality, not of a tourist, but rather of an eager explorer, always sure of making wonderful new discoveries about the country, its history and its people.
I gathered this impression of Anita as we drove along the new Henrietta Szold Road to the Hospital, and Lucien Harris pointed out to us some of the historic sites, such as Ein Kerem, the birthplace of John the Baptist; Mount Castel in the distance, which played such a strategic part in the Israel War of Liberation and Bet Safafa, a village cut in two by the Israel-Jordan border, with Jews living on one side and Arabs on the other.
BIGGEST IN THE MIDDLE EAST
The new Medical School and Hospital will be the biggest building in the Middle East when it is completed and i
outstanding medical centres in the eastern hemisphere. Such are the plans being developed for this magnificent institution, that inquiries are already coming in from different parts of the world about the possibilities of doing post-graduate medical studies at this great new hospital and health centre.
At present the Hadassah hospital is being operated out of six different centres in Jerusalem, in the^same way as the Hebrew University was conducted in temporary quarters before the new campus was developed to the point of occupancy.
While in Jerusalem, I also took the opportunity to visit a cross-section of other institutions, including a Pioneer Women's nursery and kindergarten, the WIZO Jerusalem Babies Home and the B'nai B'rith Children's Home for maladjusted children. AH of these institutions fulfill vital and essential needs.
PIONEER WOMEN'S KINDERGARTEN AND NURSERV For example, the Pioneer Women's Kindergarten and Day Nursery which I visited in the Katamon district provide needed care and attention for the children of working mothers. But the needs they fulfill are even more extensive than this would indiciate, since most of these children come from the homes of oriental immigrants.
(My guide to the Pioneer Women's institutions was Mrs. Rachel Lustig, a Sabra who speaks eight languages.)
In the kindergarten for four to six year olds the children come for only it is expected to become one of the I half a day, but during that time they
Canadian Jewr^f prepares for its bi-cenlenary
IN a few days Canadians will celebrate the 92nd anniversary of Confederation and it is once again timely to draw attention to those events in Canadiian history and current affairs which seem most significant on this occasion.
On this Confederation Day Queen Elizabeth II is in the midst of a coast-to-coast tour of our country emphasizing Canada's historic association with Britain and our continued but changing relationships within the C6mmonwealth of Nations.
It is appropriate to recall at this time too that the history of the Jewish community in Canada goes back to the beginning of the British association with this country. At a matter of fact 1959 marks the 200th anniversary of that association and simultaneously, the bi-centenary of the Jewish community in Canada.
Plans are now being made nationally<.i>y Canadian Jewish Congress for special bi-centenary observances. The main events will be centered around the national convention of Congress, taking place in Montreal at the end of October.
At this time a year ago, we on the Bulletin were in the midst of compledng the souvenir historical edition published in honor of the B.C. Centenary and the centenary of the Jews in British Columbia. Later this year we hope to be able to publish a special edition of the Bulletin devoted to the bi-centenaty of the Jews in Canada.
One observation that we might make about the bi-centenary is that the date of 1759 is only significant as the founding date of the Jewish community. The actual observances, however, should pay jarticular attention to the manner in which the Canadian Jewish community has grown and developed over two centuries and to the are fed two meals and given essen- varied contribution made by Jewish Canadians towards the development
of the country.
It is interesting that the first Jewish settlers did arrive as officers of the British Army which brought New France into the British Empire; This was largely due to the fact that non-Catholics were not permitted to settle in the country while it was under French rule. Had this prohibition not prevailed it is highly likely that there would have been Jewish settlers even among the French colonists because some French Jews did have important economic interests in France's New World colonies.
What is even more significant, however, is the part played by lewish settlers in the development of the country from a colony to an independent nation after 1759.
After Canada's bi-national character was esfablished in the early* years of British rule, one of the first documents granting equal rights to other minorities was the special enactment of the Quebec legislature in 1832 which has become known as the Magna Charfa for Canadian Jews.
Since that time Jewish Canadians have played a vigorous role in the movement towards full independence for Canada, as well as in the struggle for equal rights for all minoritie.;; in our country.
tial pre-school training. The cost per child is 20 pounds per month and where possible the parents pay up to five pounds per month ■ towards the upkeep. The children are also given garden training and generally introduced to ordinary amenities such as are often completely unknown in the countries where their families came from.
In the nursery which takes infants from two to four for an all-day period, the children learn for the first time what it means to sleep in a bed alone, since at home they almost invariably sleep together with four or five brothers or sisters. They come from home dirty, but at the nursery they are taught the essentials of good hygiene and they go home clean every day. This particular nursery has 54 children on its rolls, with a long lineup of mothers waiting to have their children enrolled. '
Incidentally, not far from this particular day nursery, there was a Kupat Cholim clinic. Almost everywhere we went in Israel, whether in Jerusalem, in Safad, in Beersheba or elsewhere, we noticed these Kupat Cholim clinics, which are sponsored by the Hista-drut to provide for the immediate health needs of the surrounding population.
THE WIZO HOME
On visiting the WIZO Babies and Children's Home in Jerusalem, an institution sponsored by the British WIZO, we found that it was looking after a lesser number of orphans and social cases and a greater number of young patients recovering from rheu-
matic fever and from orthopaedic conditions.
At the WIZO home in Beth Haker-em, we met some of the youngsters who had recently undergone the first
series of successful open heart operations ever conducted in Israel. They were now recuperating and getting ready for the day when they would (Gintinued on page seven)
THE JEWISH WESTERN BULLETIN
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CANDLE-LIGHTING TIME
(courtesy Congresattoa Schsra Tzedeck) Sabbath Eve., June 26, 9:03 July 3, 9:02 (Daylight Time)