6
THE JEWISH CHRONICLE
THE JEWISH CHRONICLE
The Rabbi's Term of Office
Simultaneously ‘with the celebration of the seventy-fifth mini\ er-
sarY
of its founding. Congregation Ileth Ahaba of Richmond, \'a.,
General Manager
-
ANTON KAUFMAN
marked in festive manner the completion of twenty-five years of serv-
ice on the part of its honored and beloved rabbi, Dr. Fdward N.
Michigan's Only Jewish Publication.
Calisch. The homage that was paid 111c good rabbi on that occasion
Editor
was well deserved, for there are few workers in the vineyard of Israel
SAMUEL J. RHODES,
who have more loyally and more devotedly given themselves to the
$1.50 per year
Subscription in Advance
work of Judaism and humanity than he.
ilut the occasion is significant not only in relation to Dr. Calisch
Offices 701 Penobscot Bldg.
and his congregation, but also because it points to the outstanding
Telephone Cadillac 2588.
fact that the length of service of the minister in the Jewish pulpit is
The Jewish Chronicle invites correspondence on subjects of inter- very much greater than that' of the minister of any other denomina-
est to the Jewish people, but disclaims responsibility for an indorse- tion. Indeed, in litany of the largest and most influential congrega-
ment of views expressed by the writers.
tions in this land, it has become customary, after a period of service
on his part, to elect the minister for life. The congregations in which
All correspondence and society notes to insure publication must
rabbis have served continuously for two and three decades are by no
be sent in so as to reach this office Wednesday morning of each week.
means exceptional. All this augurs a kindly understanding between
Entered as second-class matter March 3, 1916, at the Post (nee at Detroit, Nlich., tinder the Act of
the J e wish minister and his people, and it gives the lie to the oft-
March 3, 1879
repeated assertion that the spirit of congregational.bossism, so called,
is more rampant among the Jews than elsewhere. As a matter of
FRIDAY, JUNE 9, 1916.
fact, the rabbi is, as a rule, on terms of friendly intimacy with his
people. l'nlike so many of the non-Jewish clergy, lie does not stand
aloof from his members, as though he were made of different flesh
and blood than they. It is indeed the fact that the successful rabbi
\\ sill s incere regret must American Jews h a ve read th e impas- enters into every phase of the life of his people that gives hint what
sioned address delivered by NIr. Jacob II. Schiff last Sunday b e fore influence he exerts over them. It is a mistake to believe, as some
the kehillah of New York, in NV11 1 . C11 he declared 11 . 1111tiCil heart-broken du, that friendly and fairly intimate intercourse between the minister
over the vindication heaped upon him by some of the Yiddish press.
and his people robs the former of his dignity and makes for the con-
The incident of last Sunday marks a crisis which was 1)1)0101 ii i tempt which familiarity brings. The Jew brushes aside alIV possible
nd distiurtinil between laymen and priest. Indeed, the rabbi is not the
come. Dyer since NI r. Schiff came out openly against Zionism, a
more particularly since lie voiced his opposition to the proposed Jew- snccessor of the priest, but of the prophet. Ile is the preacher and
ish Congress, he had been singled out by certain Yiddish newspapers the teacher, and not the r e presentative of Gal on earth.
of New York, the allies of Zionism and the Congress, and made the
It speaks well both for the character of the Jewish minister and
object of their calumny and abuse. The recent attack upon him is
for the calibre oi our Jewish congregations that the length of service
in the rabbinate is far greater than in the ministry of any other de-
merely the culminating point.
The editors of this paper have never taken any stand upon the nomination. Through long service the Rabbi learns to know his
question of Zionism or the Jewish Congress, because it has been the people thoroughly, and knowing . them he can the more efficiently
policy of the Jewish Chronicle—a policy which it hopes to continue— minister to their needs in times of jov and sorrow and in all the crisis
to represent the widest possible Jewish interests, and not merely the
of life,
interests of any one party of Jews. \\'c will not, therefore, HMV
express ourselves either for or against Zionism or the' Congress move-
ment. nut we will say—and both Zionists and non-Zionists should
The news conies to us that in Kansas City, Mo., there has been
support our stand—that the attack upon \l r. Schiff cannot be justified.
organized a Jewish Political Club, the purpose of which is to control
If Mr. Schiff is opposed to Zionism, then it is because he sincerely
the Jewish vote, so that by voting as a body, J ew s o f K a nsas City
believes that the welfare of the Jewish people will not be advanced
will be better able to make demands and exact promises in their be-
by Zionism. And if this is the conviction of Mr. Schiff, then in hon-
half
from candidates for ()nice.
esty to himself and to us, he had to voice it.
It has long been the unchallenged boast of the Jew that no one
Zionists should recognize this fact. They should treat Mr. Schiff
ever could count upon his vote. The N'Ole Of the alien of other peo-
as all real men treat their opponents—fair-mindedly and with respect.
ples is a political unit upon which, prior to election day, the - bosses"
They should receive his words as all real men will receive the. frank
can rely with no small degree of certainty. rint th e v ote of the jew is
declaration of an opponent--fair-mindedly and with respect. And if
indefinite, uncontrollable, uncertain in politics. It is the "N" of the
Zionists will heap upon those Jews who disagree with them the in-
y
sonic
d
b
election
problem. The reason has long since been discovered. The
t
e
bj
ec
een
su
as
b
sults and indignities to which Mr, Schiff h
for himself,
JCW N'OtCS ;IS all individual. Ile insists upon thinking-
of the advocates of Zionism, if they \vill twist and misrepresent the
and stoutly refuses to accept the dictates of others concerning - the
statements of non-Zionists as Mr. Schiff's statements have' been
management of his government. So appreciative has the Jewish im-
twisted and misrepresented, then Zionists in America \yin forfeit the
migrant been of his newly found political freedom and so zealously
respect of American Jewry.
Ifut we refuse to believe that the statements of the Yiddish prc ,, ,, would he guard it against injury or destruction that the manner in
are expressions of the sentiments of .\merican Zionists. \\e k n o w which he casts his vote he leaves to no one but himself. It is sacred
hint, and is controlled hv !milling but his own conscience and his
that the great bulk of American Zionists are too fair-minded, and are
Issued Every Friday by the Jewish Chronicle Publishing Company.
The Attack upon Jacob H. Schiff
The Mess of Pottage
conscious of the position and achievements of r. Schiff too well to
even tolerate, much less be guilty of, such abominable co nduct t owa rd s
the man who stay be regarded from many standpoints as the greatest
Jew in America. We believe that the utterances of the Yiddish
newspapers are the usual rabid, irresponsible rantings of yellow jour-
nalism. And we will treat them with the scorn and contempt which
they deserve.
\Ve want Mr. Schiff to know these things. We want \Ir. Schiff
to know that the sentiments of the Jews of America are not reflected
in the editorial columns of the " \Varheit" and similar publications.
\\'c want Mr. Schiff to know that the Jew's of America, whether
Zionists, non-Zionists or anti-Zionists, feel with him in the recent
unpleasant affair; and that through it all he stands Hitt the splendid
gentleman. the loyal Jew, the real man, that by his words and works
he has always proved himself to be.
( lainev
The recent and untimely death of Judge Nlattliew
e
troit.
Iris
mourned by no, one more deeply than by the Jews of I )
attitude towards all who appeared before him has always been one of
a fair and impartial Justice. Since that is what the Jew alone de-
mands, he was indeed a friend of the Jew,
brain,
The Kansas City Political Club of Jews is a double menace. It
is a menace to Jews and to .\incricanism. temporary gain
rat advantage the club of Kansas ('its' Would stake of the Jewish
citizen a puppet and tool, and undermine the very foundation of
American government. The Kansas City Club is doomed to failure.
Jews will not yield that freedom for which these many centuries they
have longed, and thirsted, and suffered. The Jew will not sell his
birthright for a mess of pottage. S. S.
The marriage is announced in a neighboring city of a yoinignian
\ve
\\ jilt a decidedly Jewish name and a Semitic cast of countenance, if
are to judge by liis published photograph, \dm claims to be the son
of a converted rabbi, to a voting woman, formerly president of the
Young \Vontan's Christian Association of that city. The father Of
the young woman is a noted philanthropist and is said to have given
fifty thousand dollars to the new building of the Y. \\'. C. A. and
additional sums to help buy the necessary real estate. These con-
verted Jews do "make capital" out of their conversion in more Nvays
than one. Now, don't they?