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February 20, 1920 - Image 4

Resource type:
Text
Publication:
The Detroit Jewish Chronicle, 1920-02-20

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THE DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE

'PAGE FOUR

THE DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE

' MICHIGAN'S JEWISH HOME PUBLICATION

Published Weekly by The Jewish Chronicle Publishing Co.. Inc.

JOSEPH J. CUMMINS
NATHAN J. GOULD -

-

.

.
President
Secretary-Treasurer

Entered as second-class matter March 3, 1916, at the Postoffice at Detroit,
Mich., under the Act of March 3, 1879.

Offices, 1334 Book Building

Telephone Cherry 3381

$3 00 per year

Subscription, fn Advaneo

To insure publication, all correspondence and news matter must reach
this office by Tuesday evening of each week.

RABBI LEO M. FRANKLIN

Editorial Contributor

The Jewish Chronicle invites correspondence on subjects of interest to
the Jewish people, but disclaims responsibility for an indorse:nent of the
views expressed by the writers.

Friday, February 20, 1920

Adar 1, 5680

A Jew's Portraiture of Jesus

It

is very interesting from the psychological standpoint that the new
statue of Jesus just unveiled at the Leicester Galleries in London by the
well-known sculptor—Jacob Epstein—has called forth a storm of bitter crit-
icism. From the artistic standpoint, the statue is conceded to be a master-
piece. Differing widely from the traditional representations of the Christian
Saviour, it portrays bins as rather slight in figure but with a face of massive
strength, as distinguished from the more or less weakly countenance com-
monly associated with artistic presentations of him.
But the protest against Epstein's presentation as reported in the English
press, centers about the fact that the statue emphasizes the humanity of
Jesus rather than His divinity. This is interesting above all else because it
indicates the psychological impossibility on the part of the Jew, of visualiz-
ing in marble or bronze or on the canvas, a conception of deity that is ut-
terly at variance with all his traditional teachings. The Jew simply cannot
read himself into a frame, of mind which will permit him to conceive of
Jesus other than in issunan.forin—an ideal man, if one will, a man of warns
humanity, a man gifted even with some of the qualities that we associate
with the great prophets of all times, a man in whom the noblest qualities
that distinguish men of spiritual genius stand out, but for all that, a man
and not a God. We imagine that if the sculptor were pressed for a tnoti-
. vating principle back of his statue, he would explain it its some such way.
Indeed, lie is quoted as saying "It is ,my Christ. The head is not a
racial head. It is neither Jewish nor European. All great Italian Christs
had something of humanity in them, something universal; that's what I am
aiming at—to picture Christ first of all as a man."
Thus the Jewishness within the soul of the artist manifests itself. And
this is entirely legitimate. So long as the statue is not intended for exhibi-
tion in a public place where it will give offense to those whose religious
sensibilities would he mounded by it, like, for instance, Sargent's picture of
"The Synagog" in the Boston Public Library, there can be no just criticism
of it. Sargent was entirely justified in painting his picture as he concei.ved
his subject. The only criticism that has been launched against it has to do
with its being hung in a public institution supported by public funds, to
which people °Vail religious creeds subscribe. Moreover, Epstein's concep-
tion of Jesus 11 that. whitit is groWing into popularity among many people
even within the Christian church. Unless all signs fail, it will in the not too
distant future, be the practically universal conception.

Feeding the Children of Germany.

The harshest reaction of war is its brutalizing effect upon the human
soul. Before its ravages, every high and holy instinct seems to die out
within the breasts of otherwise tender-hearted men and women, and the
hate which it engenders drives out love and affection and the orilimscsy in-
stincts of humanity. This was emphasized to us this west 'oy a representa-
live of the Society of Friends (Quakers) to w110:-...u.t. Hoover and the gov-
ernment have entrusted the difficult taJ.- sA raising funds with which to pro-
cure food for the uncounted t 1,,,...munds of little children in Germany "who
k now ”r I A, - 'r ri t,),. nand from their left" and who are threatened with
death from starvation.
Said this man: "What makes our task difficult is the fact that red-
blooded Americans have to he persnaded that it is neither a lack of loyalty
to our country nor yet a sacrifice of self-respect to contribute to saving the
lives of these little helpless children who arc slowly but surely dying from
hunger:"
What a tragedy it is that war, with all its other cruelties, should so
harden the hearts of men and women that they should be dull to the try of
pain cif little innocent children. We make an earnest appeal to our people
to respond liberally to the call of the state committee that is being organized
under the auspices of the Society of Friends to gather funds for the relief
of these starving German children. God knows that they were innocent of
all the horrors which were brought upon the world during the years of
terror through which we.have so recently passed. At least, let the hatred
which has become so deep rooted in so many hearts toward the nation
against whose tyranny and autocracy the war was a protest, not extend to
these poor little ones who have been brought into the world amid conditions
of the greatest sadness that humanity has ever known. Let us give them a
chance to live and to become useful citizens of that republic which under
the chastening oLsadioing - we dare hope will be created out of the ruins of
an autocratic Germany.

The Term "Christian"

"MONDAY, APRIL FIFTH. the Christian voters of Detroit will have an
opportunity to assist ill answering their prayers in behalf of the moral welfare
of our city. We should have a 105% vole from the CHRISTIAN MEN AND
WOMEN on the proposal to reorganise our City Criminal Courts. To get even
approximately that, we must have your co-operation."

The above paragraph is an excerpt from a letter addressed by the De-
troit Citizens' League to the ministers of Detroit, rabbis of course included.
The words capitalized in our reprint are similarly capitalized in the original
letter. The inconsistency of sending such a note to the rabbis of Detroit
must be apparent to any one possessing even a modicum of good judgment.
And yet until their attention had been called to this inconsistency, it did not
even remotely dawn upon those responsible for sending out this letter. It
may be said unequivocally that hack of this letter there was no conscious
anti-Semitic prejudice nor any desire to exalt the citizenship of the average
Christian over that of the average Jew. The wording of the letter is simply
the result of that thoughtless use of the word "Christian" into which man)
people slip without quite realizing its properly limited connotation.
Christian spelled with a capital " C" and used as an adjective, correctly
refers to one who believes in the doctrine of the deity of Jesus. Such defi-
nition naturally dbilletrek the Jew. Now what the gentleman who wrote the
letter from which we quote our opening paragraph meant when he spoke of
Christian voters, was voters who are good Americans; who are loyal to the
best interests of our city and our country; who arc high minded men and
women; who are enlightened and intelligent as to the political issues involved
in the coming election, etc. But why did he not say that? Simply because
he slipped into the C0171111011 error of identifying as Christian, every virtue
that distinguishes men and women of proper ideals. Truth to tell, we have
become rather tired of hearing eternally about Christian love, and Christian
mercy, and Christian justice, and Christian brotherhood, when as a matter
of fact, these virtues fortunately now become humanitarian. were taught to
the Christian world by the Jews in whose religious and ethical system they
had been basic virtues for centuries before Christianity had taken its place
upon the stage of history.
The loose use of the term "Christian" has a rather unfortunate psycho-
logical effect. Those who receive a letter such as the one upon which this
editorial is based, are led to believe that good citizenship is confined to
members of the Christian churches and, by that token, their misty notion
that Jews and other non-Christians are incapable of good citizenship becomes
quite clear to their minds. In the light of this fact, isn't it time that men
who wish to serve the larger cause of citizenship and American patriotism
should be careful and discriminating in the use of terms descriptive of groups
and classes? American fair play demands that they should be.

A Minister Resigns.

Under more or less glaring headlines in all the local papers, announce-
ment was made this week of the resignation from the pulpit after ten years
of loyal and efficient service, of the minister of what is undoubtedly the
wealthiest Protestant purists in Detroit or its suburbs. The reason given by
the pastor for his resignation is that the salary attached to the position,
while adequate to furnish a living, leaves no residue whatsoever for the time
when he shall he incapacitated to serve and he therefore sees nothing before
him but life in some eleemosynary institution in his declining years.
His statement is perfectly frank and straightforward and an indication of
a high type of manhood. Ile calls attention to the fact that living in one of
the wealthiest and most exclusive suburbs in this country and amid people
who can afford to be more than lavish in their personal expenditures, he him-
self has had to set up a standard of living for which even a fairly generous
salary is totally inadequate. For this reason, he finds it necessary to retire
from the pulpit and to go into business life which promises better financial
returns. That he has not lost his ideals is indicated by the fact that he in-
tends, so far as possible, to serve among the poor during the hours that he
may be released from his business activities.

The whole question of remuneration for professional services is one
that at the present moment is attracting wide attention everywhere. The
underpay of teachers is a notorious fact. As a result of it, the teaching pro-
fession is losing some of its finest representatives to the detriment of the
school system throughout the country. Next to the teacher, the preacher
has been traditionally the victim of underpay. In the smallest parishes
where the people themselves are usually poor, the preacher as a rule shares
their poverty and is willing to lire upon the barest pittance supplemented
now and then by the contributions of donation parties. His lot is surely
tragic-enough but scarcely less so is that of the average minister of the
wealthy and aflluent parish. Just because he serves people of large means, it
is necessary for him himself to set up a standard of living which will not
make him the pathetic object that was the old time minister who stood out
in pitiful contrast to the people whom he served.
It may he fairly said that the virility of the pulpit has been to no small
extent undermined by the very fact that in so many instances the preacher
has been a pauper as compared with his constituents. To the credit of the
Jews, be it said, that this has been less true among us than among others.
As a rule, even the smaller congregations have found it their duty and their
privilege to give to their rabbis a sufficient remuneration to permit them to
lit e in a fair degree of comfort, even though without extravagance. Yet
even among us, since the cost of living has gone sky high, the problem of
the pay of the rabbi has become a pressing one, with the result that more
than one man is ho has been a power for good in the Jewish ministry, has
found it necessary to leave the profession for the business life. And in this,
there is involved a loss to Judaism as a whole. Every time that a loyal, earn-
est and zealous preacher is compelled to leave the pulpit for other work, the
cause of Israel loses a sponsor. Let it be hoped that the necessity for good
men leaving the pulpit in all denominations will soon disappear. Without
leaders, the church and the synagog will surely lose their influence upon
the people.

THE TRAGEDY OF
A JEWISH FAMILY

- mem
SAYS=

Lemberg.—Joseph Adler was a
leader in the Jewish Cominimity Iu
the little town of Zatorce, in Eastern
Galicia. Ilis wealth and position, and
his personal integrity and high stand-
ing made him an important figure iti
the community. 1Iis wife, Pert, was
also known and esteemed for her ben-
efactions and her work in behalf of Out of the dark, gleam stars in the
skies;
the unfortunate, whether Jews or
Out of the night's gloom, tip-toes
Gentiles. The couple had three chil-
the morn;
dren: two daughters and a son who
was in the last year of his course at Out of the silence, such songs arise,
That tenderest thoughts, undreamt,
the Gymnasium.
are born.
At the outbreak of the war, Galicia
was overrun by the Russians. Every-
Out
of
the cold sod, bursts the red
where the latter started their occupa-
rose,
tion by persecuting the Jews; the
Or the sparkling gems, that hold
Community; or perhaps the Russians
the Sun
would enter a synagog, and selecting
For a million eons. Their gleaner
a few of the worshippers at random.
disclose
order that they be hanged immedi-
The wondrous thing that the years
ately. In the case of Joseph Adler,
have done.
the mats was not sentenced to death
Out of the darkness of Ismail woe,
outright, but was accused of being an
Many a good deed shatters the
Austroplsile. In other words, he—an
gloom.
Austrian—was accused of the crimes
Out of our ignorance we yet may
of patriotism and loyalty to his own
know
country. The accused man was
Of many truths close hid in the
brought before the Russian com-
tomb.
According to the daily press, a prothinent 11lethodist minister of this mandant. After being beaten and
city, speaking to his ministerial brethren the other day, deplored the fact mistreated until his body was a mass An endless chain of these contrasts
that during the past year a number of churches in this city and suburbs of wounds, he became so ill that the
give
had not saved a single soul. We could not refrain from wondering a bit physicians held out no hope for his
All the reasons for which Hope sur-
what lie had in mind when he used this phrase, hackneyed and well worn as recovery. By paying a ransom of sev-
vives—
it is. Did Ile mean that the churches referred to had not enrolled under eral thousand rubles, his family se- All the meaning whereby Faith can
their banner any new recruits? Did he mean that they had not baptized cured Adler's release, and he was
live
any infants or adults during the period stated? Did he mean that with all brought home in a critical condition.
To shape our dreams and adorn our
their missionary activities, with all their revival meetings, with all their more
A few weeks passed and the politi-
lives.
or less attractive schemes to lure the unchurched into the church, they had cal situation changed. The Russians
met with absolutely no success? Did he mean perhaps that no heathen or were forced to evacuate the region
O this is the age of youth; the
atheist or agnostic had under the inspiration of the message of these and the Austrians took possession of
period in the world's eeolution•
churches, found God and faith? Did he mean perhaps that no Jews, doomed the toys'''. Unbelievable as it may
ary process when deeds of valor
as they must be to damnation, according to the preachment of the evangelical seem, Joseph Adler was accused by and impetuousness overweigh the
conference presently in session in this city, had been lifted out of the pit of the Austrians of having had a hand conservative function:lig of age and
a yawning hell, and brought to the feet of the cross?
in the dissemination of Russian prop- experience.
We are really a bit eager to know just what is meant in this connection aganda, and again he found himself
by the saving of a soul. \\'e have heard of late of so many souls said to be ill prison. There his little remaining
This is the day when "things are
lost, but who have turned out to lie angels of mercy, ministering to the suf- strength crumbled utterly. His re-
done," not talked about and studied,
fering and the bereaved, that we fear the term is a bit vague and indefinite. lease was ordered by the physicians.
But undoubtedly, the preacher who used the term so glibly has an exact con- and after depositing a heavy bond, not maturely reasoned, but bombas-
tically carried out to the martial blare
uption of his own meaning. Perhaps some day he will be good enough to this was brought about. But it was
of trumpets and the roll of drums.
make it clear to an eager public.
too lat e to save him—a few days
• • •
afterwards he died. While the widow
Foundationless enterprises are far
and children, prostrate in their grief,
too common; their crumbling ruins
were mourning at the newly-made
lie scattered at every turn.
grave, an official messenger from the
• • •
military court came to inform them
The Cobra, "Competition," fascin-
that the charges against the accused
ates and hurries many a mats into its
had been dismissed as unfounded.
Again the military status changed. destructiv e clutches—lures him into
hereit
After a new and successful attack by its coils, an illogical creature.
SIR OLIVER LODGE PAYS
Oa,
the Russians, the inhabitants of Za- of every other impulse but the
TRIBUTE TO EINSTEIN'S
torce were. romped ...2 to heave the sistable desire to "get there."
',swat its great haste. The Adler fam-
THEORY OF RELATIVITY
Instead of "eyes on the other fel-
ily fled to the home of Mrs. Adler's
It is all settled. The „citizens of father, Lazar Hirsh Amaraut, in Lem- low," genuine success follows a criti-
(Continued From Page 1.)
Detroit need no lox
De perplexed burg. Its Zatorce, the Russians cal analysis of self and the greatest
and worried. concerning the advisa-
possible development of one's own in-
opinion of astronomers, justified Ein- bilit:j of adopting Mayor Couzens' robbed and destroyed all the Jewish
homes, and the formerly affluent herent potentialities.
stein. It was a draxwati.:
street car plan. A fierce struggle be- household of the Adlers was reduced
"W...t.sat cs, the meaning of this tri-
tween the supporters and opponents to absolute poverty.
umph? Is the death knell of ether
of this plan took place at last Sun-
Together, the mother, the son, the
sounded? Is a fourth•or even a fift h
day's meeting of the Philomathic De- two daughters and the aged grand-
dimension necessary to explain this
bating Club.
father lived in Lemburg in abject
warp or curvature in space? Is ether
Tickets for the "Zimro" concert to
Morris Baron and Paul Goldstein, need—and so the later years of the
bounded or unlimited? According to
Einstein, there is a third alternative. speaking in support of the plan, dwelt war passed. Then came the armis- be given on March 7 at the Arena
Gardens
is meeting with a fast sale
If space has a curvature, not onls.a extensively on the advantages of tice, bringing with it many changes,
ray of light but a straight line will be municipal ownership in general and among others the passing of Lem- due to the prominence of the Jewish
deflected, and you find yourself re- Mayor Couzens' plan in particular, burg into the hands of the Ukraini- Sextette that is to make its appear-
turning whence you came. You have while Isidore Tatman and 1.co Kali- ans. Later the Poles began to besiege ance here and the worthiness tel the
ompleted the circuit without knowing man of the negative offered a barrage the city with all the apparatus of cause, the proceeds to go for the
building of a Temple of Art in the
it, although you thought that you of arguments against the question, twentieth century warfare.
citing the resulting competition, dan-
went in a straight line.
A bomb striking the house in which projected Jewish State of Palestine.
The "Ziniro" has met with a tre-
"We are now reasoning out of our ger of political influences, the ex- the Adler family was living instantly
depth," remarked Sir Oliver, and his pense, etc. The decision of the mem- killed the mother. Rosa, the elder mendous success throughout its trav-
els
in this country. :Musical critics
audience laughed with him. "But if bers was 11 to 5 in favor of the nega- daughter, lost her reason at this mis-
it is not clear to us, we are in the tive team. Mr. Pittman, who is a fortune, and threw herself out of a had nothing but words of admiration
sante predicament as most mathema- probationary member, made a splen- window. In an attempt to save her, for them. When these Jewish mu-
did showing and was selected the Jacob, the brother, leaned too far out sicians first appeared in Chicago last
ticians.
"It is possible that this disturbance best speaker of the debate. The critic and fell on the pavement beside her. September, at the convention of the
in ether called light also has weight, of the evening was Reuben Levine.
Rosa died, and Jacob was taken to the Zionist Organization. the Jewish com-
munity in the Windy City literally
but it is also probable that this dis-
The program at next Sunday even- hospital with both his legs broken.
turbance in the ether of space will ing's meeting, February 22, is "Re- The grandfather, who saw his daugh- went wild over them. The older 'nett
explain the electron as the unit from solved, That a Commission Be ter die so tragically, and his grandson and women wino attended the concert
which matter is made. Einstein Formed to Regulate Food Prices." suffering, was stricken with heart jumped to their feet after the comple-
showing light deflected by gravity
tion of every number and demanded
The participants will be Messrs. failure and died next day.
gives us a hint, but how that will lie Philip ()lender and Charles Terris on
Only two members of the family an encore after another.
worked out, 1 cannot say, for we the affirmative and Jacob Mandel and now survived—the son who lay in the
l'he Palestine Enseamble's appear-
hospital, and the younger daughter ance in Detroit is a treat for Detroit
have now reached the boundary of I Reuben Kaltman on the negative.
knowledge."
Regina. The latter visited Jacob every Jewry in that this group is the only
Louis Weiss, one of the most active day in the hospital and brought him one of its kind in the world today. It
Sir Oliver began his discourse on
what lies between the atom and what and well-liked members of the club, what food she could obtain. Each day is the only group of Jews who have
fills empty space. 'We become tendered Isis resignation on account Jacob looked forward to his sister's banded themselves together for the
aware of space," he said, "by muscu- of his leaving to enter the University coming.
purpose of advancing Jewish art, and
lar exertion free." On the other hand, of Chicago. He was placed on the
One day, an anti-Jewish pogrom have made the great sacrifice of giv-
we become aware of matter by an honorary membership roll of the or- broke out in Lemburg—and as Re- ing up everything that is in store for
obstruction which requires muscular ganization.
gina was on her way to the hospital them as a possibility of acquiring
effort to move.
she was attacked and womsded. And fame and to work to the end of build-
"To our senses," he admitted,
her brother, on his sick bed, waited ing a Temple of Art in Palestine.
"space is empty, yet I like to think
Tickets are for sale at Grinnell's.
for her and waited. • • •
of the ether of space as a substance
And so, of this once prosperous and
which fills it without a gap, and ether
happy and benevolent family, two in-
is to be found everywhere if it exists
valids are all that remain.
at all. Newton realized the need of
Prague.—At a congress of the Ger-
Tragic as the story is, it is perhaps
an ether and called it by that name." nsan National l'arty in Czecho-Slova-
not a unique one. Who knows how
kia, the secretary of this organization, many other Jewish families there may
Munich.—"Danielbund" is the name
w hich includes almost all the Ger-
be of whose fate this tragedy may of a Jewish vegetarian organization
mans in this country, Mr. Rosenberg serve as a symbol?
which has been founded here and has
spoke, touching also upon the rela-
already opened branches in all parts
tions between the Germans and Jews.
of the country.
Mr. Rosenberg declared that while
The organization of a separate
the Germans in Czecho-Slovakia want
Jewish vegetarian society was due to
to continue to work with the Jews as
(Continued From Page 1.)
the general agitation against Jews
their allies, they do not, however,
which is prevalent in the country, and
Add, further, if all this lie insuffi- wish to recognize the Jews in their
particularly to the anti-Semitism dis-
cient, a nimble-toed, tuneful chorus ow-n German organizations, or as Ger-
MARBURG, GERMANY.—A Jew-,played in the already existing Ger-
of 40 who flit on and off in true mans. To justify this attitude, Sec-
ish
student,
in
the
local
University.
man
vegetarian league. Recently the
musical comedy fashion to lend zest retary Rosenberg said that his organ-
to the melodies and display a bit of ization suffered from the disadvantage named Lemmer, who felt that he official organ of this league has been
could no longer endure the insults of printing editorials calumniating the
colorful costuming.
of having to bear the responsibility Professor Traeger, who is said to Jews.
Those comprising the chorus arc: for all those Jews who call themselves
have used his position in the faculty
The "Danielbund"has declared in
Misses Edith Albert, Sylvia Albert, Germans, without at the same time
Eva Alkon, Rose Babcock, Gertrude being sure of their loyalty. In other for anti-Jewish agitation, protested to its platform that the object of this
the
authorities,
and
as
a
result
was
new
organization is to work for the
Borenstein, Mildred Brickman, Shir-
words, the Germans of this country expelled from his classes. The Preis- physical and moral uplift of the Jews.
ley Brickinan, Helen Esser, Lillian
want nothing to do with the so-called siatt Minister of Education, Ilaenisch, It wishes also to assist in the founda-
Freedman, Betty Friedman, 'Libbie Assimilationist Jews, but wish to co-
Goldsmith, Yenta Goldsmith, Henriet- operate only with the National Jews. however, has refused to approve this Lion of co-operative Jewish farming
decision. colonies.
ta Hertzberg, Rae Horowitz, Betty
Lind, Mildred Lind, Belle Silverman,
Ethel Silverman, Esther Steinberg,
Nina Weinberg.
.Messrs: David Feerer, Manford
Feerer, William Goldstein, Nathan
Goldstone, Milton Gordon, Benjamin
Koploy, Edwin Oppenheim, Harold
Oppenheim, Royal Oppenheitn, David
Shiffman.

OPTIMISM.

Saving Souls.

S

• • •

PHILOMATHIC
DEBATING CLUB

"Zimro" Concert Promises
to Be Big Event of Season

Germans and German Jews
in Czecho-Slovakia Unite

STAGE OF ORCHESTRA
HALL SET FOR PER-
FORMANCE SUNDAY

Adopt Legal Measures Against
Anti-Semitic Agitators

BERLIN—Attorney-General Weis-
man of Prussia has issued a circular
to all district attorneys directing
them to collect all material and evi-
dence concerning anti-Semitic agita-
tors in the country, and to submit
descriptions and details of persons re-
sponsible for such propaganda. In
the circular, the Attorney-General
writes that legal measures must be
adopted against persons conducting
such criminal agitation.

Jews of Munich Form
Vegetarian League

Jewish Student Expelled
for Protesting Against
Professor's Anti-Semitism

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