Sunday, Sept. 23, 2007 | 7:28 a.m.
This weekend, Jews the world over ended the High Holy Days , which conclude with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.
On October 5, 1973 , my father, Hank Greenspun, wrote a column with a message of peace that followed Israel's existential Yom Kippur war. Its message has as much meaning today, as our country faces new challenges from men of ill will as it did in those more hopeful days following victory over the Arab armies.
That column follows with our best wishes to people of goodwill everywhere for a world that knows happiness, health and peace.
By Hank Greenspun
"Newspapers ordinarily do not report the future but deal with the present and the past. But on this start of the Jewish New Year the moving finger, which often acts in mysterious ways, has written a future of great promise.
"During the Jewish High Holy Days the ram's horn sounds in all the synagogues of the world. It is a call to judgment.
"The blowing of the horn is in the nature of an alarm to alert the worshippers that the time for self-judgment is at hand and can't be put off any longer.
"It is also a call to repentance for those who would enslave the world. The history of the Jewish people for longevity and indestructibility is the sign that their enemies will fall. And the enemy of this people has always been war for these are a people of peace.
"For the first time since the creation of the new Israel in 1948, tensions have eased in the Middle East, commonly regarded by military experts as a potential site of armed confrontation that could heighten world tensions and even bring war.
"Also for the first time in a decade American boys are not firing their guns in anger at the enemy, hidden in the green and deadly jungles of Southeast Asia.
"As the principal advocates of peace between all individuals and all nations, the world's Jews regard the current calm as the answer to their prayers and they turn to their own religious tasks with lighter hearts.
"It is the holiest day of the year for a people who have had their beginnings in Jerusalem, the Holy City for most of the religions presently practiced on this earth.
"So as the Jews, at the beginning of the year 5734 according to the Hebrew calendar, gather at worship to take moral inventory of the year past, make atonement for it and pledge to do better in the year ahead, they can look forward to the promise of it being the best of recent years.
"In their hearts, they will also pray for others who inhabit the earth to do better, to abandon the making of war and to join with them in search of lasting peace.
"Despite the current calm, the people of Israel are not complacent because no one knows better than they how quickly the walls of tyranny go up and how slowly the forces against tyranny gather.
"And no walls stood stronger than the ramparts of Jericho atop which the warriors of the king stood and laughed (as they watched) seven priests bearing seven trumpets of ram's horns march and blow upon these trumpets. And it seemed to the mighty warriors of Jericho that the armed men of Israel were weak and could be no threat to the might and majesty of mighty Jericho. It was more like an army of the dead because no sound but the blowing of the ram's horns were heard. But on the seventh day at a command from Joshua a great shout went up and the mighty fell flat. And the people of Israel went up into the city and they took it.
"History has ordained it. When the people shout in unison and every man walks straight before him, the walls of tyranny will come tumbling down.
"The lesson that history teaches is that when walls of hate and oppression rise, the forces of good must act with lightning speed.
"The stylish word in international circles these days is 'd etente' with the rulers in the Kremlin seeking trade and cultural ties with many nations of the Western world formerly high on the Soviet 'enemy' lists.
"After the initial rush, however, the wiser leaders of the West have adopted a 'slow down' policy because of Russian acts of repression against intellectuals, writers, scientists and professional men who still live behind a wall of tyranny.
"Hitler's actions against the Jews exposed him as the ultimate beast and contributed to the strong military alliance which defeated him.
"The plight of the intellectuals, many of the Jews in Russia, again warns the world of a totalitarian presence which must be approached with caution.
"It is no secret that the seeming conversion of Russian leaders to more democratic and freedom-loving ways is a sham, because while they pay lip service to closer ties with the free nations, they continue to practice ruthless suppression of dissent at home.
"The leaders in the Kremlin have not learned the lessons of history , which shouts the warning that those who would enslave others eventually are themselves destroyed.
"Hebrew scripture, through the story of the creation of Adam, teaches the supreme value of every living soul, irrespective of race or religion. Once a person knows that all men are descended from a common ancestor it is not possible for him to claim that he is of superior stock. This is the basis of freedom and democracy.
"Israel has no threat from the forces around her borders. She is militarily, physically and spiritually secure.
"The other people of the earth must recognize that when the forces of good shout in unison and every man walks straight before him the walls of tyranny will come tumbling down.
"As Joshua commanded the people of Israel to shout in unison, so must the free nations of the world heed the admonition.
"Then and only then will the traditional greeting of the Jews of the world be realized. It sums up their culture, religion and philosophy.
"Shalom. It means peace."
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