Jewish Post, Indianapolis, Marion County, 1 September 1967 — Page 13

Friday, September 1, 1967

RABBI IS OUTRAGED BY HOTEL ON ANCIENT CEMETERY

Editor, POST and OPINION: The recent UN resolutions concerning the decision of Israel to annex the eastern part of Jerusalem and the expressions of concern in Catholic and Eastern Orthodox circles over the holy places has focused world attention on this issue. It is impossible to visit Israel and the occupied West Bank areas of Bethlehem, Hebron and Shechem without being aware of the peculiar importance of the holy places to the area. One aspect of the question has been all but ignored in the news media. Since the Jordanian occupation of the West Bank after the 1948 war, Jewish holy places have been systematically dese-

crated and razed by the Jordanians. Not one of the many synagogues which once stood in the Old City remains. Cemeteries have been desecrated. Israel’s protests to the UN on this issue have been ignored. Apparently, the destruction of sites sacred to Judaism were of no consequence to the rest of the world. No view of the Old City of Jerusalem can compare with that available from the Mount of Olives. From its top the observer looks down at the gold dome of the Mosque of Omar and the silver dome of the Mosque of Aksa. The Mount rises to a height of 2650 feet. The beauty of the site was undoubtedly the reason why Intercontinental Ho-

Freedom of the Press All letters to the editor should be addressed to The Jewish Post and Opinion. 611 North Park Ave., Indianapolis, Ind., 46204. The letters should be typed and should be concise. Anonymous letters will not be printed. No letters will be returned. Short letters get preference.

Exchange Of Views On Services Asked

Editor, POST and OPINION: Your paper should publish from time to time views and suggestions from rabbis, cantors and teachers which would tell us about their work in ministering to their congregations. In my congregation, Beth Abraham, I have asked members to compose prayers of tlieir own. The gentleman or lady would approach the bimah at Friday night services and deliver his or her own prayer.

At the Oneg Sabbath we discuss this tefillah, which consists, according to our teachers, of •'Devwareem Hayotzeem Meen Halev” of words coming from the heart alone. As time goes by, we intend to print these prayers, in addition to Hebrew prayers which we hope some of the learned members will write. RABBI MENDEL LEWK0W1TZ Congregation Beth Abraham Zanesville, O.

Jews Just As Bad

Charge Answered JERUSALEM — A charge of the pot calling the kettle black by the leading Catholic hierarchy official in Israel was promptly answered by a spokesman for Israel’s Ministry for Religious Affairs.

The dispute arose when a let-ter-writer to The Jerusalem Post suggested that Christian dignitaries be invited to witness the “destruction of synagogues in the Old City.” Archbishop G. Hakim replied tn the same publication, asserting “Our churches (were) desecrated so many times and destroyed after the sunender of Arab villages where these churches were located.” “It is true,” the archbishop stated, that the Holy Sepulchre and Via Dolorosa Chapels w'ere preserved "and for that we are thankful to the Israel Forces. But what about the St. Anne magnificent Crusader Church? The Ministry of Religious Affairs has files of our complaints . . .” For the Ministry for Religious Affairs, M.A. Druek responded that most of the churches mentioned in the archbishop’s letter were damaged in the war of 1948, that the Government of Israel had expressed its regrets and compensation was paid. As to the St. Anne Church, Pruck said it was "well known" that soldiers of the Arab Legion had taken up position in that area and that the Israel Defense Forces "could not allow the Legion to exploit holy places for military activity.” “There is no comparison be-

tween the reascr.s for the damages to the churches mentioned ... to the systematic and organized destruction of 57 synagogues in the Old City and of the old Jewish cemetery on the Mount of Olives,” Druck said. Archbishop Hakim is currently on a visit to the United States and while there will speak at a dinner of Histadrut supporters in Boston where funds will be raised for the Archbishop Cushing Hospital, to be erected in Israel. The Archbishop Hakim has maintained friendly but correct relations with Israel. Most of his followers are Arab Christians. ». : i • it. , * * i Courts Resume Normal Practice JERUSALEM — The judicial branch of government has virtually returned to normal, local sources said this week, with appointment of an attorney general for the West Bank. Named to the post was Shafik Assul of East Jerusalem. Meanwhile, (he acting president of the Court of Appeals, with offices in Ramallah, and four other judges w r ere expected to resume their pasts as the hight est court in the West Bank this week.

tels, the wholly owned subsidiary of Pan American Airways, chose to build the Jerusalem Intercontinental on that spot. There were other advantages to building the Jerusalem Intercontinental on the Mount of Olives. There was every assurance that Pan American Airways would have a completely Judenrein Hotel. Several years ago Pan American instituted “Operation Chug” in connection with the Robert F. Warner Associates as part of their efforts to discourage patronage by Jews at some of their Caribbean resorts. Nevertheless, one wonders why a great American corporation would knowingly and willingly build its hotel over Jewish graves

DOGS From Israel LOS ANGELES — Under the heading “Special Pets for Special People,” Israeli dogs are being advertised for sale here. An ad in The Heritage, local Jewish weekly, promoted the sale of Canaan dogs from Israel. They were characterized as special pets for special people.

LIGHTHOUSE AT TIRAN A powerful, automatic lighthouse has been constructed by Israel to make possible nighttime navigation through the Straits of Tiran.

in the midst of a totally desecrated Jewish cemetery. The site of the Intercontinental has no beauty for Jews. It can only fill Jews with a deep and an abiding sense of rage. As one looks down the Mount of Olives, one beholds thousands upon thousands of desecrated Jewish graves with the main access road constructed right through the cemetery. One wonders what ghoulish macabre needs were met by placing a Judenrein hotel right in the midst of a Jewish cemetery. One wonders whether the sight of the desecrated Jewish graves may have added to the attractiveness of the place for the great American corporation and its clientele.

JERUSALEM — The hotel was built just outside the ancient Jewish cemetery on Mt. Olives, but the road to w’hich was constructed directly over the close-set graves has asked permission to install a kosher kitchen. It is the Intercontinental Hotel, managed by a subsidiary of Pan American Airways. The hotel, among the finest in the near east, will be opened for the first time since the outbreak of hostilities on Sept. 1. Dr. Ze’ev Vilnai, veteran Palestinologist, told The Jerusalem Post that he is certain “that the

I was also sadly aware as I beheld this terrible spot, of tlie fact that il. was on the same mount that Pope Paul and the Patriarch Athenagoras had their historic meeting several years act in this fashion. It is almost ago in Jerusalem. One expects defeated Arabs to unbelievable that a major American corporation should invest millions of dollars in such a place. In a world where it is possible to take TWA and stay at the Hilton, one wonders how any Jew can travel Pan American and stay at the intercontinental. RABBI RICHARD RUBENSTE1N Jerusalem , f ’ T ‘.. “

hotel compound itself is not biuh upon the cemetery. In fact” he added, "groups of devout Jew* used to come to this very place to pray.” . As for the road to the hostelry, he confirmed that it was buill directly through the cemetery,, without moving the graves The suggestion has been made that the road be closed and an alteiv nate one built. Patronize Our Advertisers

What Kosher Kitchen

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Hotel Not On Cemetery, But Road To It Is

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