Jewish Post, Indianapolis, Marion County, 31 March 1972 — Page 21

Friday, March 37, 1972

THE JEWISH POST AND OPINION

RUSSIAN OFFICIALS HEAR JEWISH TRIO

VANCOUVER, B.C. (P-O) — A committee of three from this city’s Jewish community met secretly with members of a Soviet delegation in Vancouver last Saturday as part of a Canadian tour. They hailed it as a *‘historic meeting” at which they were able to put their views before Soviet officials for the first time — even though the Russians rejected the complaints. LES HAROWITZ, chairman of the Vancouver Soviet Jewry Action Committee, said the meeting was arranged through the federal government and took place in the Hotel Vancouver. He said the Soviet delegation included Alexander B. Cakovsky, member of the foreign relations commission of the Council of Nationalities, Ivan B. Sidorovitch, of the transport and communications commission, and Michael A. Stelmakh, of the foreign relations commission. The Jewish delegation comprised Harowitz, Lou Hilford and Nat Bent of the action committee. HAROWITZ SAID the committee was to have read a

prepared brief, but at the last moment the Soviet officials changed the ground rules and insisted on an informal discussion with no presentation of briefs. • Harowitz said he raised the matters outlined in the brief, which called for easier emigration for Jews wishing to leave Russia; and end to harassment of Soviet Jews; release of Jewish political prisoners and an end to religious discrimination and an-ti-Semitism. Asked how the Russians reacted to the complaints, Harowitz said: “I CANT SAY I was encouraged by any sort of progress. Their attitude was sort of to shrug their shoulders and say* that none of this exists. 4 ‘But the important thing is that we did open a dialogue.” Harowitz said the Russians were not responsive to a proposal for keeping lines of communication open so that the Vancouver committee could pass on reports of discrimination and harassment to be checked out.

Jesus 7 Virgin Birth No Longer Acceptable Christian Thought Seeks A Way To Jewish Sources

China May Get Jets From Israel LONDON — The 13 Boeing 707 jet passenger planes being reconditioned by Israel Aircratt Industries may yet serve China’s new route from Peking to the United States. The gigantic Israel company bougnt the planes from TWA for $5.5 million and is reconditioning them. When they were put on the market, one of the interested companies was the Rumanian national airline, Tarom. The rumor is that Tarom is considering the purchase not for her own use, but for China’s.

Israel Planes Seen As Mistake JERUSALEM — What was heralded as a great Israel achievement — making planes for the world’s mai l „ — has brought another disa^o.ntment as both the Commodore Jet and the Arava give all signs of being heavy financial disasters. Even the Knesset got involved when its Finance Committee limited the manufacture of the Arava to only 10 planes. The State Comptroller, noting that 05 million Israel pounds have been invested in developing the Arava, stated that the company doesn’t have a single sale, ana development of the plane is two years behind schedule.

“But they said they would be • prepared to meet us again on

request,” he said.

NEW TWIST Students Exported JERUSALEM — To “save them from spiritual and moral destruction,” the young sons of North African families are being sent to France to study at yeshivas by the Neturei Karta. This was reported in The Jerusalem Post, which said funds for the project were being raised by the wife of the Neturei Karta leader Rabbi Amram Blau.

CHICAGO — “Christians should place Jesus squarely into the mainstream of the Jewish prophetic tradition. Let them honor Jewish holy days, take a leaf from Judaism's lack of dogma, and study the postbibhcal history of the Jewish people.” This was the view expounded in one of the principal articles in the March 22 issue of ‘The Christian Century,” leading Protestant magazine. THE WRITER IS Dean William Ferm, of Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, Mass., who quotes to the same eciect a statement by Krister Stendahl, oean of Harvard Divinity School. “Cnristian theology needs a new departure. And it is equally clear tnat we cannot find it on our own, but only by the help of our Jewish colleagues . . . We need to ask, in spite of it ail, whether they are willing to let us become again part of their family, a peculiar part to be sure, but even so, relatives who believe themselves to be a peculiar kind of Jew. Something went wrong in the beginning. I say ‘went wrong’ for I am not convinced that what happened in the severing of the relations between Judaism and Christianity was the good and positive will of God. Is it not possible for us to recognize that we parted ways not according to but against the will of God?” THE OUTSPOKEN author is also highly critical of the virgin birth concept. “The doctrine of the virgin birth was an abortive attempt to prevent the sperm of impurity from entering the womb of innocence. Now.we can say out loud that Jesus was conceived Jin sin’ like the rest of us. There is no more reason to accept the tale of Jesus’ miracuxous birth tnan to accept

the wonderful legends of the Buddha’s birth. Further, while some of the miracles ascribed to Jesus may have been manifestations of physical and psychical powers of a kind available to every sensitive person, the notion of the injection of the supernatural into the natural order is no longer palatable. The doctrine of the Second Coming might be helpful to some believers as promising a future day of justice and human dignity, but for most Christians it no longer has any truth value. Even the Resurrection needs to be radically reinterpreted.” At another point, Dr. Ferm challenges the uniqueness of Jesus. ‘ Jesus nettoci* laugut nor instituted anything that represented a radical break from his past.”

Dr. Ferm in no way seek* to detract from Jesus, but does indicate that there are others of his same stature, and he mentions among them, Martin Luther King and Martin Buber, as also Gandhi. He does, however, suggest that “we should be willing to face the possibility that for some individuals the historical Jesus must be eliminated entirely. I suggested above ti»at a Buber or a Martin Luther King might be an alternative model for our day. I mean this seriously. For my own part, I shall continue to revere Jesus as my number one superstar . . . but if Jesus was fully human, then consistency should force us to admit that the historical Jesus is no more essential to Christianity than tne Buddha to Buddhism.”

Matzoh Prices Hit New High

By JEAN HERSCHAFT NEW YOiiK <P-0) — Jewish housewives paid a strapping 20 per cent more for their matzohs this year over last, a survey by The Post and Opinion snowed. FOR A five-pound package of Manischewitz, Horowitz and Margareten or Streits the price this year was $2.49 as against $1.99 last year. The increase was even greater when the purchase was made at other than a supermarket. Gimbel’s price was $2.83. The smart Jewish housekeeper, however, had an out. Israeli matzohs, the same five-pound package, went for only $1.79. Gordon Levine, of Jeifrdn

Food Distributors, the largest Israel matzoh distributor in Lie Lmted States, said that ail the matzoh he could bring in was quickly sold out, evidently because of the price differentiaL HE TOLD this reporter that all Kosher good product lines with the exception of Adler’s, marked up their product across tne board by five per cent in January. He said Adler’s increase was to follow suit next week. A comparison with matzoh prices five years ago showed tne five-pound package retailing at $1.69. Coffee for Passover which sold for 99 cents iiva years ago, was up to $1.45 to $1.60 in the city’s supcrmai *eia uns year.

He 7 s Arnold Jacob Wolf RABBI YIELDS PULPIT TO ENTER HILLEL WORK

HIGHLAND PARK, ILL. — (P-O) — A rabbi considered one of the most successful in building a congregation after his own image has decided to leave the pulpit for the challenge at a Hillel Foundation. Rabbi Arnold Jacob Wolf, of Sole! Congregation here, has announced that he is leaving this summer for the Yale Hillel Foundation. President Arthur W. Segil told The P-O of the sadness on the part of the congregation, which has probably been the most radical of any in the midwest if not in the United States, but

explained that there was general realization of what Rabbi Wolf has given to Sold, and that the time has come in his life when he wishes to engage in another form of Jewish service. He said we accept his decision with a sense of hurt and deepest regret. When Rabbi Wolf came to the congregation 14 years ago its membership was under 1D0, and there was no temple structure. Membership today is 500. The most recent incident involving a considerable turmoil in the congregation was when the Chicago 7, who were in-

dicted as the result of the 1968 and go with joy to a jewisb Democratic national convention, community that eschews any r^ln the P eT iS6S ^ 3 fUnd SUch divisiveness - 1 ** ^RabtJwolfin his message to rabbi , t0 the traditional and his congregation announcing his humanist, to freaked-out and decision said that “it is surely scholarly Jews, to a congregaclear that American Jews have tion of more kinds than the done less and done more poorly Reform in which you and I for their college young than for grew up. Now I can have a anyone else supported by their kosher home, and share my great agencies of communal ideas with people who disagree

weal. He also made a confession of sorts: “I am not sure I am a Reform Jew any longer. I find

with them in more ways than you ever have. I can pray every day and not ride on the Sabbath and try to write some more and try to figure out what is next

denominatioialism repugnant tc do.’

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