University Daily Kansan Thursday, Dec. 15, 1955
This Christmas Season Finds HolyLand Divided
JERUSALEM—(U.P.)—Another Christmas season finds the Holy Land still divided and living under an uneasy armistice, as it has been for five years.
For seven years, the young state of Israel has clung to its beachhead, hemed in by Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. A large area of erstwhile Mandate Palestine fell to the Hashemite kingdom of Jordan, including Bethlehem and the "old city" of Jerusalem.
But despite the tension and distrust marking the Arab borders, Christmas has sufficiently overcome ill-feeling to secure the safe passage of pilgrims from Israel to Bethlehem in Jordan.
At dawn on Christmas Eve, whole families of Christian Arabs will begin crossing the frontier separating the "new city" of Jerusalem, in Israel, from the "old city" in Jordan. This is one of the only two occasions in the year when pilgrims may cross into Jordan and return by the same route. The other is Easter. Normally, the Jordan government permits one-way traffic only.
Open 36 Hours
On Christmas, the frontier post stays open for 36 hours, with a strong supplement of officials to check the identity of pilgrims and inspect their baggage. Several thousand Arabs, mostly Greek Catholic with a sprinkling of Maronite, Protestant and Latin Catholic, will travel from all over Israel to make the annual crossing.
On the other side of the checkpost, shouting delirious welcome, will be their relatives. Arab families resemble small tribes and many Israel Arabs have a horde of cousins over the border.
When the 36-hour reunion is over, the pilgrims will go home to Nazaroth and Jafa, laden with coffee, rice and various Oriental sweets hard to buy in Israel. Those with relatives in Jordan are spared the trouble of hunting for accommodation. Hotels and homes with rooms to let enjoy golden prosperity over the festival—in sharp contrast to the normal stagnation prevailing in the "old city" and Bethlehem—and are booked up for weeks before Christmas.
Art Museum Shows 2 Films
Two films, "Berlin Masterpieces" and "A Future for the Past," will be shown at 7:30 and 9 p.m. today in the Museum of Art lecture hall.
"Berlin Masterpieces" deals with world famous master paintings stored in salt mines during World War II by Hitler. Shortly after the war they were recovered and brought to America for exhibition. Subsequently they were returned to their original owners.
"A Future for the Past" features Sheldon Keck, restorer at the Boston Museum. Mr. Keck displays the work required to preserve great masterpieces from slow deterioration.
The museum will be kept open for visitors during both showings.
Both Israel and Jordan authorities examine applications to cross the lines and reject anyone suspect on grounds of security.
The only pilgrims to approach Bethlehem along the road traditionally used by the Three Wise Men will be diplomatic and United Nations personnel, for most of this road lies in Jordan territory and is normally barred by a stretch of mine-fringed no-man's land.
Yellowknife, in Canada's District of Mackenzie, is a booming gold mining town in the midst of one of the world's largest remaining empty quarters. Its 3,300 inhabitants are surrounded by 1,250,000 square miles settled by only 13,300 people.
German Nativity Play A Success
A capacity crowd saw the presentation of the birth of Christ by the German Club in Fraser Theater last night.
An old German Nativity play told the story of the Nativity from the appearance of Gabriel before Mary, through the time when Mary and Joseph sought shelter in Bethlehem, to when the shepherds came to worship the new born babe.
The performance of the 36 member cast was directed by Dr. Gerard Fisch, instructor of German, and assisted by S. Morgan Sherwood, Liberty, Mo., graduate student. Good performances were given by Joyce Elliott, Independence, Mo., freshman, who played Mary, and Gary Porter, Columbus junior, who played an innkeeper.
The cast was assisted by four choirs, a 44 member German choir, directed by Don Farrar, Kansas City, Mo., sophomore; a 16 member Russian choir, directed by S. F. Anderson, instructor of German; an 8 member Swedish choir, directed by P. M. Mitchell, associate professor of German, and a children's choir, composed of children in the German classes from the Lawrence Elementary schools, directed by Ine P. Kreye.
The set and costumes were designed by Milton Howarth, instructor of speech.
-CHRISTMAS SUGGESTION-
"PASTOR AT RIVER BEND," an inspiring new novel by Clark Duncan, a Lawrence writer, and author of LIGHT ON A HILL and SUNNYRIDGE. Like Dickens' Christmas Carol, it sort of goes along with the season.
Keelers Book Store $1.25
"A Merry Christmas to all—and to all, FINE FEASTING." That's our wish for everyone—and we say it with valuewinners for Christmas dinners. Here you will find the best of everything in Christmas foods—the best of quality . . . the best of variety . . . the best of values to help you set a brighter feast at a lighter cost. Come in today and save all along your list of holiday food needs. Jimmy & Rusty.
Pure ALL Vegetable 3 lb. Spry can 69c
Green Giant-Fresh Corn-off the Cob 2 12 oz. cans 25c Niblet's Corn
Gerber's Strained Baby Food 12 cans 89c
Heinz Famous Tomato 14 oz. Ketchup btl. 19c
Good Value Enriched 2 Ibs. 33c Margarine
First Cut Fresh Lean Pork Chops lb. 29c
Fresh Dressed Cut-up Ib. 39c Fryers
Firm Golden Ripe 2 Ibs. 29c Bananas
Snow Crop Fresh Frozen 4
Strawberries 10 oz.
pkgs.
Rusty's and Cole's will be Closed Sunday and Monday Dec. 25th & 26th and Sunday and Monday Jan. 1st & 2nd.
RUSTY'S
Food Center 23rd & LOUISIANA Low Prices Everyday
Open Evenings and Sundays
COLE'S Food Center
2nd and LINCOLN
Everyday Low Prices