Chaim Shapiro Dr. Leo Deutschlander
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THE JEWISH QBSERVER in this issue ... LETTERS AND RESPONSES.................................................... 3 THE ELEMENTS OF "BITACHON," Gershon Taschman ........ 8 WIFE, MOTHER ... AND REBBE ....................................... IO THIRTY YEARS AGO: PROBLEMS OF POST-LIBERATION, Nathan Baruch with Yaakov Feitman .................... ............ .. 12 DR. LEO DEUTSCHLANDER, FATHER OF THE BAIS Y AAKOV MOVEMENT. Chaim Shapiro 14 SECOND LOOKS AT THE JEWISH SCENE EVOLVING THEORIES, J. David Bleich......................... 19 THE JEWISH OBSERVER is published NORMALIZATION AND THE BRIDGE....................... 22 monthly, except July and August, by the Agudath Israel of Amercia, 5 Beekman St., New York, N. Y. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, continued ............. .................. .. 24 10038. Second class postage paid at New York, N. Y. Subscription: $6.50 per year; Two years, $11.00; INDEX TO VOLUME X, NUMBERS l-10 Three years $15.00; outside of the United States $7.50 per year. 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D Enclose gift card O Enclosed: $ ....... JUNE, 1975 VOL. XI, No. l D Bill m., $ ....................... Typography by Compo-Scribe at ArtScroll Studios, Ltd. r Letters & Responses The article "Never Again! - Who Can Say It?" featured in the May Jewish Observer generated an unusually large volume of mail - much of it favorable, a sizeable portion critical. Letters of special interest, with comment where war- ranted, have been selected for the readers' interest. Congress's will to oppose the Presi resultant burning of Jews with the The Irresponsibility of dent and the Secretary of State .... following: Reb Aharon Kotler, HNever Again" How long can we rely on that? when asked how he could humble himself to secularists in his hatzalah A spiritual approach would focus efforts, responded: "/ch volt zich To the Editor: on the combined zechusim (merits) mishtatei' ach givven farn Poyps tzu of more than two million Jews and I was moved by your "Never rateven di noggle fun a Yiddishin Again" article, especially by the in of Eretz Yisroel. But did not the six Kindt (l would prostrate myself dictment of today's Never Againers million have their own combined before the Pope to save the finger for inciting innocent people to rash zechusim, too? Does the JDL mean nail of a Jewish child)." This type of acts. to rely on the tzaddikim who difference between Gedolei perished in World War II to protect Grossly irresponsible, in my view, HaTorah, who have devoted their us today? How ironic for those who is the JDL's constant harping that lives to self-discipline and subjuga defy today's Torah leadership, who "It" can happen here - in America, tion to the Divine will, and other cast aspersions on ihe leaders of the while maintaining that the only safe leaders, who have usurped the place for Jews today is in Israel. I last generation, to bank on their merit! In any case, a situation of authority of daas Torah, arises in should hope that there are enough cloudy borderline issues, where "on mortal danger is defined by ordinary credible arguments for a/iya without ly a hairsbreadth separates Gehen resorting to inspiring panic and in terms of cause and effect, not by guessing at G-d's conduct of affairs. nah from Gan Eden." On which side venting a security tack. of the hairsbreadth does JDL place By such terms, Israel is indeed a itself - on total subjugation to daas By what criteria is Israel safer for place of danger. Jews than is the United States? In Torah. or on total reliance on its In sum, the argument they ad sheer rational terms, Jews in Israel own interpretation of priorities? vance - their prophetic "it could are even more threatened than were One more sad footnote - an happen here" - as opposed to what the Jews of Germany in the 30's. older friend of mine told me that he could imminently (G-d forbid) hap The Germans embarked on war, remembers how in Russia of 1917 pen there, has nothing to do with facing either . victory or an irre the Jewish Communist youth Torah and is too ludicrous to re deemable defeat. In Israel's unique marched the streets to the slogan of quire rebuttal. It is, however, as situation the Arabs never really - yes - to the slogan of "never stated before, an eye opener to their lose, and need win only once (G-d again." brand of Ahavas Yisroel. forbid). When they lose there is very JERRY GARBER little to stop them from trying again While it would appear to be un Liberty, New York and again. In addition, Hitler's hor just to compare the JDL with ri b I e designs depended on secular leaders of the past or pre overwhelming all the European sent, nationalism with its own kind A Plea For United Orthodoxy countries where Jews were living. of promise of ultimate Jewish sur - Including the JDL The Allied powers were perforce vival seems to permeate its thinking fighting to defeat the Germans. and influence its decision making - Which country is willing to fight to even in areas of life and death. To To the Editor: defeat the Arabs today" Who, fully appreciate the differences Perhaps Rabbi Meir Kahane will besides the US, even cares if Israel between the secular leadership and a have his own reply to your article survives? And as for the U.S., Torah one, contrast Stephen Wise's "Never Again," but permit me a few Israel's security depends on burning of Hitler in effigy and its thoughts. The Jewish Observer/Summer /975 3 The article is, without a scintilla Again!" can and does mean that You have subjectively interpreted of a doubt, a feat of superb literary these poseurs will be forced to ac the "militant" vow to be an implicit virtuosity. More than that, how count for all they do, and they will indictment of a supposedly passive ever, it expresses a Torah-immersed be measured by the yardstick of European Jewry, coupled with a viewpoint replete with fact and prin Torah principles. jingoistic call for total self-reliance. ciple, and it is overwhelming in its As one who has in my own time In the Jewish struggle for physical total impact. If only I could have shouted "Never Again" with the and spiritual survival, un read the article with my mind alone rest of them (does there truly exist questionably we must say: Torah, and not with my heart also! For, any Jew today for whom these two first and foremost! But that does not you see, I was compelled to read words do not strike home?), let me exclude defensive military prepara through my tears. tell you what the phrase means. tions or the assertion of physical Having stated the above, I must prowess and political clout. On the It was not a godless pronounce say that I think Rabbi Wolpin mis contrary, Torah demands it. Our ment of absolute certitude or self understands Rabbi Kahane's inten prayer to Hashem is revealing of the reliance, but rather a vow~prayer, tions and his targets in his (R. Jewish attitude towards life. We say, whose determination is contingent Kahane's) use of the words "Never "Lo amus ki echye va'asaper ma'asei upon and intertwined with a silently Again!." I am not a partisan of the kaw" (with Hashem's permission, "I mouthed "im yirtze Hashem." Ac Jewish Defense League, but I am shall not die; rather I shall live and tivist Jews are not heretics who feel not its opponent either. One should relate the wondrous deeds of that boisterous chants will stave off try to be objective, and therfore, I G-d.") We ask G-d to keep us alive anti-Semitism: hut I submit that would say that I am its sympathetic because it is a mitzva (literally) to such chants ____.:_ and demonstrations, critic. The J.D.L. is a legitimate live. It is therefore a sin not to strug petition drives and related actions group within the Jewish kehilla, ex gle to survive, not to do all we can - are indeed precisely the sort of pressing mainly ideas and emotions within our own power to stay alive. hishtadlus you favorably alluded to. full of love for the Torah. Many of NEVER AGAIN must Jews rely on A rally is as much an affirmation of its actions and words may be con leaders who do not accept the prin our sense of pikuach nefesh as is sidered futile and/or infantile and/ ciple that LIFE BEGINS WITH morning tefil/a a part of our devo or wrong, but the "Never Again!" TORAH! And for the organizations tion to the will of G-d. One comple slogan they use and the thrust of that call themselves Orthodox and ments the other: Heither precludes their activity is directed against the accept this principle (be they the other. same Jewish Establishment Agudah, Young Israel, Union of And so when the religious youth (Reform: secular: anti-Torah Orthodox Congregations, Rab of Israel today proclaim "not once groups) that Rabbi Wolpin exposed binical Council of America, inch," and when the religious youth in his article.