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THE JEWISH CHRONICLE

6

THE JEW AND HIS STORY

By RABBI CHARLES J. FREUND, Grand Rapids, Mich.

A

S some time ago I stood at the
foot of the Obelisk in Central
Park in New York, thoughts
concerning the Jew and his destiny
were brought forth. "Cleopatra's
Needle" calls to mind the civilization
of Egypt and what accompanied it.
Contemplating it one cannot help but
think of some of the people who con-
tributed a part to Egypt's glory and
greatness. Among these were the
Hebrews, the people from whom
sprung prophets and inspired geniuses
whose influence the world yet feels,
and to whom it acknowledges itself as
being heavily indebted. The present
day representative of the Hebrew
people is the Jew,—rightly designated
"the Miracle Man of History." The
world is interested in his story. It is
therefore the duty of the Jew to pre-
sent his case and his cause before the
world. To do this properly the Jew
must possess himself of the facts con-
cerning his aspirations and achieve-
ments.
We must not gloze the fact that the
world,—trying to be fair,—has quite
a distorted notion about the Jew. It
needs to be enlightened concerning
him. The Jew himself must first be in
possession of the facts. With these as
his foundation he is ready to make a
good showing—worthy then to be the
bearer of his proud title and glorious
.heritage. .
A Work of Enlightenment.
The Jew's story can be recounted
in several ways. Subjectively the Jew
may tell his own story. But better
than any recountal would be the ef-
fort on the part of the Jew to live and
exemplify those things which make
him worthy of his proud title and
glorious heritage. Objectively the
world may learn to place a proper ap-
praisal upon the Jew, his work and
worth. The Jewish Encyclopedia,
published under the aegis of a Chris-
tian publishing house, was a long time
in making its appearance to enlighten
the world about the Jew. Magnificent,
—it stands forth a monument to
unheard-of tolerance, — making us
wish that more of its type could see
the light of day. The Haggadah beau-
tifully states how on one occasion a
traveler was walking along the road,
gradually growing weaker and weaker
from lack of food and drink. At last
in the distance he espied a tree. Ar-
riving at its side he.refreshed himself
of the spring that passed by and of
the fruit that was on the tree. About
to take his departure, the traveler thus
addressed the tree: "Wherewith shall
I bless thee? That thy fruit may be
luscious? It is so already. That thy
shade be agreeable? It is so already.
That a spring may flow by thee? A
spring is here already. But "may all
that spring from thee be like unto
thee." Likewise would we express
the wish that as a result of the pro-
duction of the Jewish Encyclopedia
its promoters should be amply re-
warded and, like the monument of tol-
eration, other works fair to the Jew
in the recountal of his story might
see the light of day.
But this is too good a wish to find
realization in the very near future.
For the world gets very easily and
readily a distorted notion about the
Jew. It is when the Jew is the vic-

tim of higher :1nti-Semitism—with its
subconscious prejudice, insinuating
innuendo—that the Jew has most to
fear. Jewry's foes who fight out in
the open are easy to meet. But these
so-called Higher Anti-Semites do un-
told damage to the Jew, and of neces-
sity the Jew must be on guard to coun-
teract their baneful influences.
And then again the Jew is the vic-
tim of as malicious misrepresentation
as that to which he was subjected in
the past. It is almost incredible that
in times of supposed enlightenment

whose people in the distant past ven-
tured on the sea and dared its perils?
We look in vain for Phoenecia unless
we see her living over in those na-
tions that today are fighting for com-
mercial supremacy of the world.
Where are Assyria and Babylon
which took Israel and Judea into
exile? We read their story in cunei-
form inscription—the deciphered re-
minder that they once were important
factors in world politics. Where is
Greece, whose people led by valiant
conquerors placed the then known

He is in the world because of the
ideals that he treasured and which he
tried to put into practice.
We may be told that "the Jew
should have vanished from the scene.
of earthly activity already two thou-
sand years ago, for in all this period
of time he 'has not given one original
idea to the world.' " Granting that to
be true, his previous achievement en-
titles him to recognition for services
rendered. Added to this,—which is
an indisputable fact,—the Jew has
revitalized and made real the ideas
that were of real merit and which are
invaluable to the world.
What is the Jew? He is "the heir
of yesterday," and of many glorious
yesterdays, trying to serve the world
to the best of his ability. When the
world would have an example of &)-
mestic purity, of chastity, of personal
service, of reverence for old age, of
proper and becoming respect for pa-
rents, it need not go to the past. In
the living present arc to be found
those who exemplify in everyday life
the virtues that commend themselves
for emulation. The Jew who is true
to the fulfillment of his mission is fit-
ted for hastening the dawn of the
better day—the Millennium—if to his
guidance the world will turn.

Jew Is World's Creditor.

Not only his life, but the spiritual

RABBI CHARLES J. FREUND

men should ever tolerate such charges
as are contained in the Blood Accusa-
tion as seen in the Beilis case three
years ago, and the poisoned well
charges reaffirmed during the course
of the present World War. Yet—sad
to admit—such foul tales about the
Jew are not only put into circulation
but they meet with many, credulous
enough, to accept them as possible.

Prosecuting Notions Dead.
In spite of all the misrepresenta-
tion and mistreatment, the Jew has
continued an important factor in the
world's work. It is pertinent to ask,
"Is the Jew a Superman?" Has he
survived because of material superior-
ity and physical strength? Were such
the case and the cause of his survival,
where are the nations of antiquity,
nations strong and powerful, which at
separate periods ruled the destiny of
the world? Where are Egypt, Phoe-
necia, Babylon and Assyria, Greece,
Rome? Egypt,--her mummified re-
mains reposing in art museums, her
pyramids and obelisks are the present
day reminders of a civilization that
flourished on the banks of the Nile.
Phoenecia — where is that nation

world under their sway ? Greece lives
over in the philosophy and art which
are important for men's welfare. And
where is Rome, which ruled the world
from her seven hills? Rome is seen
in her military highways, left as a re-
minder of her, and the influence on
the jurisprudence of the Occidental
world. And all of these nations live
much in memory. Their living repre-
sentatives are the world who are be-
holden to them for whatever they
contributed to the benefit of Human-
ity.
Ideals of Judea Immortal.
But where is Judea—small, insig-
nificant Judea, whose existence ceased
about two thousand years ago? The
answer is not difficult to give. Judea
lives over again in the Jew. Judea is
here, there and everywhere, where the
thoughts first pronounced on Judean
soil are revitalized. For "when the
Temple was destroyed the Messiah
was born." The Jew became the
world's Messiah. And with appoint-
ment to such responsible trust, the
world needing him and his ministra-
tion, he has succeeded even in the
face of much hostility and opposition
to keep on doing his needed work.

treasures which the Jew has inher-
ited, he is glad to share with the rest
of the world. From the moral stand-
point he is the world's creditor. Force
is lent to the words of one who in
praise of the Jew has said, "From the
Jewish people came those granite
tables of Sinai that are the founda-
tion stones of civilization ; from them
came our grandest religious teachers;
from them came that splendid brother-
hood of Hebrew prophets that crown
Old Testament dispensation." The
Jew as the present day representative
of his forebears is the world's aristo-
crat by merit. What he needs above
all else is a self-respecting attitude to
merit the continued approbation of the
world.
The Jew can only make real the
treasures in his possession by a worthy
life. As the Temple was about to be
destroyed,—so legend has it,—the
High Priest stood upon the Temple
mount holding in his hands the keys
wherewith the Temple was opened.
As he saw the legions of Titus rush
up the hill of the Lord and feeling
certain that the Temple would be de-
stroyed, he took the golden keys
wherewith the Temple was opened
and held them tip into the clouds. A
hand stretched forth and grasped
them. These golden keys are in the
hands of the Jew. He is of the
Chosen People for service only. As
the "Ewige Jude," the undying . Jew,
he goes about the world doing as Kos-
suth once said, "If I had to chose
which of the forces of nature I might
be, do you know what I would choose?
It would be the dew, which falls si-
lently, unnoticed, frequently trampled
upon, the source of much blessing and
refreshing the forces of life." The
story of the Jew is the verification of
such choice. Weaponed with the
things which count, the Jew will win
his fight and gain the deserved admi-
ration of the world.

