To Tell the Truth:
What Is the REAL Jewish History? By MAX I. DIMONT For all too long Jewish history has been buried under an accumulation of schmaltz and ©l-ol-ol—that is, platitudes and lamentations. Christians have distorted the Jewish past with so many pious frauds, and Jews have smothered it with so much pious mythology, that it has become difficult today for laymen as well as scholars to perceive its real grandeur. During the Middle Ages, it became fashionable in church circles to downgrade Jewish history in order to ennoble the Christian view of things. Thus Jewish history was reduced by the C h r i s t i a n s to a minor, meaningless footnote. In ghetto circles it became fashionable to count dead Jews, in order to enhance Jewish suffering. Thus Jewish history was induced by the Jews to a meaningless, boring dirge. With the period of the Ger. man enlightment, in the nineteenth century, so-called scientific Judaism was born. A more apt, phrase would be "public relations" Judaism. In their eagerness to portray the Jews to the Christians as nice, tolerant, taxpaying citizens, most of these reform Jewish scholars . b e g a n to suppress anything they thought was unfavorable .to the Jews. In their hands, the
Jew emerged as a nice schnook, are shedding apologetics, let- deaths In all of England from this— and the two subsequent—* pushed by naughty Christians ting facts fall where they may. all enemy aircraft, incendiary wars, that the Romans were to the slaughterbench of his- As the myths of Jewish history bombs, explosive bombs, buzz- forced to use their full military are cleared away, the real Jew- bombs, and rockets. weight to insure final victory. tory. Jewish" casualties in its four The Romans knew that if they Jt Is only in the twentieth ish history is revealed in a new year war with Borne exceeded were to falter, if the Jetos were century that'-Jewish scholars light. have begun to discard the sterOur first myth concerns the 600,000. Yet, in spite of these to win, the entire Roman world eotypes of Church fathers, ghet- fall of Jerusalem in the war losses, to the amazement of the would be aflame with the spirit to scholars, and German-Jew- with Rome in 70 A.D. Here is a other nations and the great dis- of revolt. The Romans were quite right ish historians. battle that cries out for a Jew- comfiture of the Romans, the ' Jews dared challenge R o m e in the estimate of the situation. Modern scholars—both Jews ish Churchill. and Christians—are re-examinChurchill's ri n g i n g rhetoric twice more—almost winning, The frontiers of Rome, which had been continually expanding Jewish 'history with new, has Immortalized the stand of too. objective, critical eyes. Jewish England against Germany. Yet The pagans in the Roman ing until their war with the scholars especially are arming when we peek under his Victor- Empire watched with incredul- Jews, began contracting after themselves with general world ian prose curtain, we find that ity as th6 Jews singlehandedly the fall of Jerusalem. What have we Jews done with history, religious and secular, after six years of war there fought the Roman Goliath. The Today these Jewish scholars were no more t h a n 50,000 Jews came so close to winning this most heroic episode in our history? We have buried it in a meaningless footnote. T h e Jews blandly slough off the fall of Jerusalem as a punishment for imagined sins. The Christians portray the fall of Jerusalem as an event come true according to Gospel prophecy, as a punishment for not recognizing Jesus. Instead of indulging in Jewish lamentations or perpetuating Christian post-mortem prophies, why not assess what happened in history with the aid of modern historical insights. Jewish' nationalism challenged Rome's totalitarianism. A Serving Council BliMs, new Jewish creed—Christianity—assaulted Rome's p a g a n Des Moinesr Lincoln, Omaha mind. As Rome petered out, Jewish inspired ideologies took Vol. U—No. 35 OMAHA,'NEB.. FBI., MAY 12, 1972 (Continued on page 5.) ,
THE JEWISH PRESS
Federation Board Members, Committee Chairmen Named Omaha—E. Robert Newman tee, Mrs. Lucille Zelinsky; and Stanley Slosburg have chairman. Esther K. Newman been appointed to the Execu- Camp Committee, Robert Newtive Committee of the Omaha man, chairman; Mrs, Marshall,. -Jewish -Federation. Announce- Bernstein,* co-chairman. Jewment of the appointments was ish Community Center, Charles made by C. M. Newman, pres- Monasee chairman. Dr. Philip Sbcr Home, Alvin Abramson, ident, at a meeting of the Exchairman, Donald Nogg, co-/ ecutive Committee last week. chairman. Both will serve three year Community Relations Comterms on the board. mittee, R i c h a r d Fellman, Mr. Newman also announced chairman; Mrs. Milton Waldthe following appointments of baum, co-chairman J e w i s h committee chairmen and co- Press Committee, Harlan Nodchairmen: dle, chairman; Mrs. Ramon Bureau of Jewish Education,' Somberg, co-chairman, Jewish Mrs. Morley Zipursky, chair- Cultural Committee, S t e v e n men. Family Service Commit- Riekes, chairman.
Lincoln Tif erefh Israel Bids Farewell to Rabbi Waldman .
Lincoln—At the annual meeting of Congregation Tifereth Israel in Lincoln held on May 7, the Congregation presented a set of silver candlabra to Rabbi Morton and Rosalie Waldman as a gift in appreciation of the years of their service to the Jewish Community of Lincoln. Rabbi Waldman together with his family will be leaving Lincoln this summer having been Rabbi of Tifereth Israel for the past five years. President pf the congregation, Gerald S. Grant, noted the many contributions made by Rabbi Waldman during his association with the Lincoln Synagogue. "Rabbi Waldman has been a fully dedicated Jew to Ws Synagogue and to his Jewish community," said Mr. Grant. "His strong unwavering c o m m i t ment to Judaism has been an inspiration to many of us. I know that it has had a marked affect on my life and the lives
Bob Feinberg Receives Hebrew University Honor Omaha—Robert Mv Feinberg was invested "as an .Honorary Fellow" of Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the first Omahan to receive the honor in the 46-year history of the university. The Fellowship certificate was presented to Mr. Feinberg by Bernard Cherrick, executive vice-president of Hebrew University, More than 200 people witnessed the presentation at a dinner Wednesday'at the Omaha Hilton Hotel. Mr. Cherrick referred to Mrj Feinberg as "symbolic of the kind of men who respond to a challenge." Ho noted that Mr. Feinberg gave generously to many causes, both at home and in Israel. "But Bob Feinberg is more than a philanthropist," said Cherrick. "He is a Zionist as well; with a positive understanding of Jewish history and Jewish destiny. He has identified himself with the needs of Israel, and through his efforts has focused the attention of many on the needs and contributions of Hebrew University." • Mr. Cherrick noted that this week the Jewish calendar records the fifth anniversary of the conclusion of the 6 Day War) "Five years after the war Israel stands strong, firm and determined to overcome the economic, political and military problems she faces," he said. "We have been forced to stand alone, and we are able to hold our own.. The unification of Jerusalem 5 years ago is the symbol and reality of what we stand for." Cherrick explained the pre-academic program of Hebrew University as "a special program to prepare students from disadvantaged backgrounds for university study. "In Israel,"
Robert Feinberg and Bernard Cherrick, vicepresident of Hebrew U. ho said, "we do not lower the standards to accommodate the disadvantaged. We try to raise the level of the students to meet the standards." An endowment fund in Mr. Feinberg's honor has been established at Hebrew Unj- s versity to aid with the pre-academic program. According to Mr. Cherrick, 1,000 students are j involved in the program this year, and the' projection is for 2,000 students in the program { within the next two years.
JDL Urges Mass Aliyah; Zionist Leader Opposed
New York (JTA>T-"Aliyah is can save America's Jews from a need for these Jews to go to. Israel, we'll dump them there,". no longer a luxury for the a "violent holocaust." •'. he said. "We're not going to1 American Jew—it is necessiRabbi Kahane said he hopes ed by their high ranking as a ty" Rabbi Melr Kahane, nation- that Return will register hun- stand.for any red tape." The JDL hopes to establish, USY Chapter. al chairman of the Jewish De- dreds of thousands of potential settlements- in what Kahana Also at the annual meeting, fense League, said this week. olim and will establish contact calls the "liberated" areas— the following new officers Citing "the series of crises in with private investors willing especially the West Bank—in were elected: President, Geri of to provide jobs and inexpensive order to make sure that these ald S. Grant; Vice president, oXrSs S & 5 E U housing foVtheolim in Israel. areas remain Jewish. "The •Bernard Wishnow; (Treasurer, Ing46 a readiness to explode .His plan.Jie said,|is to pre- Jews have problems in both ! "Everett Evncn'; Seb'tfe'tbry, agafrist the favorite scapegoat i sent/the tfewislij Agencyi and •America and Israel," R a b b i 1 bi Waldman's inspiration to tho Sheldon Kushncr and 'Trititeo,' —the Jew," RabbllKahana said ' the Israel g^yerhment with' the Kahane, said, "and aliyah is the' youth of lue Synagogue attest-. Charles, Sherman. I»11:,;,;;., i: that Only, mass aliyah to Israel s i names, ot the ,QUm.'i {'#, jthefe's, -Vfln^weK to all of, theip.!' -..-.' »v!, •HI •.vt Rabbi Morton Waldman
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