The Phoenix Jewish news., 1951-12-21
THE WORLD OVER


supported by the facts. The popu-
lace in the country from Jerusa-
lem north to Jericho was not dis
turbed by the fighting, nor were
the Arabs and Christians resident
in the congested areas within the
quadrangle now annexed by Jor-
dan. 1t must also be pointed out
that many of the Moslem so-called
refugees were homeless nomadic
wanderers in the first place. Poor
non-refugee Arabs, such as those
in GAIA, have claimed refugee sta
tus in order to qualify for Amer
ican aid"
Just as Carlson came to the
Middle East an objective reporter,
sympathetic with the downtrodden
Arabs though hostile toward the
aims and methods of their greedy,
hate-ridden leader, he came away
from Israel partial also to the
people of the new democracy. For
the dominant, overall impression
| gained was that a spirit of self
lessness was present everywhere,
the personal concern of one human
being for another.
"The Jew, / felt, was here reach
ing an inner peace and security,
which came from living in a land
that had banished the Jewish ster-
eotypes so often identified with
him elsewhere; he was as good or
as bad as his neighbor. In con-
trast to life of prejudice and per-
secution, in Israel he was human
being accepted by his fellow human
beings on terms Of equality"
WHAT'S IN TT FOR HIM? {.
Jerome Weidman should never
have written that article for "To-
days Woman"
"Should Jew Celebrate Christ
mas 2" was his subject, and his af-
firmative answer to that question
is what the article is all about.
He believes that Jews should
celebrate Christmas because it is
non-sectarian, and because it gives
us an experience of good will and
kindness so needed in this troubled
world. Furthermore, it teaches.
the concept of giving, which for
every Jew is a much-needed re-
ligious principle.
Please, Mr.. Weidman!
One might forgive mans writ
ing 81 Can Get 1t for You Whole
sale" and "What's In 1t for Me 2"
two novels in which the utterly
distasteful main character was
labeled a Jew. One might forgive
writer's cashing in on this pres
ent best-selling opportunity.
But how can one forgive his ir-
responsible suggestion that Juda-
ism teaches nothing of good will
or love for ones fellow men, that
a person who practices our religion
has had no experience of giving? :?
If he hasn't read of Hillel, the
author of the Golden Rule, or of
Akiba, or of the generations of
sanity rabbis who taught our
people of peace and brotherly love
if he never learned any more
about Judaism than what it took to
CrGdC0 Ills CdIICdLuAO Va q ~" a.
Harry Bogen-had he not better be
cautious about speaking out as a
Jew to the Christian world?
AS for his statement that
Christmas is non-sectrian, one
must assume that he has never
seen the pictures his children draw
or heard the songs they sing in
their classrooms during the month
before Christmas. One must as
sumo that he has not seen or heard
of the enacting of the nativity
scene in the public schools.
If this is non-sectarianism, some
ones been tampering with my die
tionary! -,
Mr.. Weidman's well-paid article
| may not be of Notwithstanding sig
| nificance; but, in view of the cir;
cumstances, we think he would
much better have enjoyed both his
| ignorance and his Christmas cele-
bration in private.