Jews Around the World Greet 5729, the New Year, with Prayers for Peace

Jews throughout the globe gathered tonight in synagogues to greet the New Year of 5729 and to express in communal prayer their wishes for world peace, for Israel’s security, and for just resolution of the many problems confronting society locally, nationally and internationally.

The first Rosh Hashanah service anywhere in the world took place in Guam for Jewish Air Force men and sailors based there. As the sun set hour by hour in succeeding time zones, other High Holy Day services were scheduled for Jewish servicemen, according to Rabbi Selwyn D. Ruslander, chairman of the Jewish Welfare Board’s Commission on Jewish Chaplaincy. Rosh Hashanah will continue through sundown on Tuesday, Sept. 24. Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, will begin at sundown on Tuesday, Oct. 1, and will end at sunset on Wednesday, Oct. 2.

The JWB supplied Torah Scrolls, prayer books, prayer shawls, skull caps, ram’s horns, kosher foods, Jewish calendars and inspirational literature for the Holy Days throughout the world and at all installations and Veterans Administration hospitals in the United States. The same items have been sent to Peace Corps personnel.

The Jewish blind throughout the U.S., Canada, Israel and other countries participated in religious services fully integrated with sighted members of their congregations. This had been made possible through braille editions of special prayer books for Rosh Hashanah provided free of charge by the Jewish Braille Institute of America.

Many thousands of Jews in hospitals, homes for the aged, child care residences and community centers throughout the United States also took part in services. In Metropolitan New York, arrangements were made by the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies for patients to attend services in its many affiliated institutions.

ESHKOL URGES JEWS TO COME TO ISRAEL; SHAZAR CITES PROGRESS, DIFFICULTIES

In Israel, Prime Minister Levi Eshkol, in a message, urged members of the young generation all over the world to come to Israel to “savor its atmosphere and become acquainted with its people.” He recalled that in 5728 Israel marked its 20th anniversary and said the year was a “good” one with “solid gains in a number of fields.” He expressed hope that Jews in the Soviet Union will be allowed to play a part in Israel’s renaissance. President Zalman Shazar cited progress during the past year, national difficulties, and declared that Israel has “withstood attack after attack not only in battle but in the world political arena.” He expressed hope that “antagonists of many years” will “become good neighbors, perhaps even allies.” At least 1,000,000 of Israel’s 2,500,000 Jews planned to spend the High Holy Days away from their homes, with Jerusalem the most favored place where an estimated 300,000 Jews planned to stay for visits to the Western Wall for services. Orthodox Jewish settlers in Hebron were given permission to hold High Holy Days services at the Tomb of the Patriarchs in the West Bank town by Defense Minister Moshe Dayan, despite complaints by Moslem leaders. Gen. Dayan said that Jews had been barred from entering the Moslem mosque over the tomb on Moslem holidays even during the hours normally set aside for Jewish visitors. He said the Moslems should similarly respect Jewish holy days. The Moslem leaders had refused to allow High Holy Day services to be held at the tomb though the request had referred to hours when the mosque is usually closed.

In London, World Jewish Congress president Dr. Nahum Goldmann said in a message that during the past year new dangers have arisen to challenge the “right of Jews in Eastern Europe to live as Jews,” and called upon world Jewry to make “strenuous efforts to secure” their “right to maintain their identity and develop their own life.” The Central Council of Jews in Germany, in Duesseldorf, said it prayed that West German democracy will be strengthened in the coming year, noting that the radical right in West Germany is a cause of concern for supporters of democracy.