1967 Editorial: ‘A Chapter in Jewish History’ | Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle

1967 Editorial: ‘A Chapter in Jewish History’

The Six Day War was June 5-10, 1967. This June 9, 1967 editorial appeared on the front page of the Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle.

These are the days when Jews all over the world are filled with pride. A sense of exhilaration is being felt by all of us. But the fears that two and a half million Israelis would be overwhelmed by their eighty million hostile neighbors cannot easily be allayed ― even the military successes of the Israeli forces are shadowed by death and destruction. Havoc is being wrought upon the crops, upon the land, upon the people.

The Six Day War was June 5-10, 1967, making the June 9 Chronicle a historic edition. This editorial appeared on the front page.

 

We must remember that the Israeli army is primarily a citizen army. Those people who were the farmers, the shopkeepers, the teachers, the industrial workers are mobilized. They cannot be called upon to continue to be responsible for the immigrants who require social, medical, financial and rehabilitative services. There has been a pattern: Israel bore two-thirds of the burden for all humanitarian programs and the rest of the world Jewry one-third. Now there is a new pattern: We must assume the total responsibility for such services.

The response of the Milwaukee community is writing a chapter in the history of our city which has no parallel. But the chapter in Jewish history being written in the Middle East also has no parallel. The courage and heroism of the twentieth century Jew fighting against tanks and bombs and planes dwarfs even the uprising of the Maccabees against the tyranny of Antiochus, for which we celebrate the festival of Chanukah. What has happened this past week will be told from generation to generation. It will stand for all time as a sign of the eternal and indomitable spirit of the Jewish people.

Money is required and must continue to pour forth to the Israel Emergency Fund. We can give that ― the Israelis are giving much more.