PAGE FOURTEEN
THE DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE
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THE PERIODS OF
AMERICAN
JEWISH HISTORY
Material
ALF a century or more ago,
historians treated their field of
knowledge as though it were
subdivided into well-marked
and distinct divisions of time. Ar-
bitrary dates, referring to important
events in the history of mankind,
such, for example, as the fall of Con-
stantinople to the Turks or the dis•
covery of America by Christopher
Columbus, were selected to set off one
period from another. Thus, general
history was subdivided into its an-
cient, medieval and modern periods,
0 and each of these was quite different
from the others.
Within recent years scholars and
students of history have conic to
'recognize a different principle. His-
tory dealing as it does with the steady
land undiminished life of man, it is
quite unfair and altogether impossi-
ble to subdivide it into well-defined
periods of development. The periods
overlap and none of them is to be
sharply and definitely differentiated
from the others.
Yet, for purposes of convenient
treatment, the older method of the
division of history into periods is not
without its uses. It offers a writer
a welcome opportunity to concen-
trate his attention on certain distinct
phases of his subject. For, while the
one period is not to be sundered from
all the others, nevertheless in it cer-
tain characteristic features predom-
inate. These give it a certain form
and content.
Applying the foregoing observa-
tions and conclusions to- the field of
American Jewish history, we find that
this may not be sharply subdivided
into its Spanish, German and Polish
periods. The Spanish. German and
Polish periods were those which older
writers set tip to mark the limits of
their subject within distinct times.
True, in the earliest times the Span-
ish and Portuguese Jews predominat-
ed among the Jews of this country.
Later on, and especially around the
middle of the nineteenth century, the
Jews of German origin assumed the
hegemony here of their co-religion-
ists. In the latest, the modern period
of American Jewish history, the su-
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Workmanship
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These are three cardinal principles interwoven into
Friedenberg's line of Living Room Furniture.
The price puts them within the reach of the multi-
tude.
"Quality Without Extravagance"
EDENB ER
ns
r
Makes Satisfied Customers
O
FURNITURE HOUSE
913 Hastings St.
Melrose 5509
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prernacy has passed to the Polish,
and this truth is borne in upon us plete the cycle of American Jewish
and Russian, and East European
Jews. But we shall find that these when we find the representatives of life on all sides. The Jews of East-
one section of the House of Israel ern European origin have markedly
periods overlap one with and into the
deepened our culture and have con-
among the followers of the other.
other, and only convenience of treat-
Still, we repeat, for the sake of tributed great and lasting benefits to
ment invests this method of division
convenience of treatment, it is proper every phase of American Jewish life.
with a certain sanction.
for us to divide American Jewish Here, in the city of New York, we
We referred above to the overlap- history into three distinct periods, now have the greatest Jewish com-
ping of one period into the other. A
bearing the foregoing features in munity in all the lands and the years
word or two of explanation is requi- mind. The first is the Spanish period, of the Diaspora and the student of
site. Among the earliest Spanish and the second the German, the third and Jewish life finds lucre all the various
Portuguese Jews of this hemisphere last the Russian. All these different representatives of all the Jew ries ever
an occasional German Jew was to be Jews have contributed worthy and known to history. Pursuing our tra-
found. Concrete instances are to lasting memorials to the upbuilding ditional lines of activity the last few
hand. The first Jewish settlers at of Israel's name and prestige in this decades have enabled the Jews of the
New Amsterdam, now New York, country.
United States to weld themselves to-
reached the locality in the autumn of
During the Spanish period we saw gether into a complete and organized
1554. One of them was Asser Levy the beginnings of congregational life community, with none of the features
von Swellem, so called because of laid here. At one time, towards the of a healthy and appropriate com-
his having been born at Schwelm, in end of thedIploeenth century, the munal and congregational lige neg-
Westphalia, Germany; the others only existi
synagogy s 0
were the lected.
were all Spanish and Portuguese'
Such, then, are the earmarks of
c congregates of New-
Jews by origin and descent. Similar pelit, New York, Philadelp
. Rich- the three periods of American Jew ish
conditions obtained with the period mond, Charleston and Savannah. As historical development. There is an
when the German Jews here wielded a result of the existence of a well- orderly progression, an interesting,
their supremacy; occasionally we ordered congregational life, com- steady development front the earliest
meet with Jews of East European munal institutions and activities took times to the present day. No means
origin among the predominant Ger- root and representatives of our com- exist, and none should exist, whereby
mans. Again, concrete instances re- munities bore their due part in the one of these periods is to be set oil
inforce our argument. Ilayn Salomon, general work of the land. The early and sundered from the others. One
the patriot financier of the American Jews took a proud and patriotic in- naturally and logically dovetails into
Revolution, arrived in this country in terest in the development of this new the other. Yet, from the predom-
1772, his birthplace in Poland justi- country and participated in an im- inant characteristics evinced in each
fying its in regarding hint as a true portant manner in the commercial of the three periods, the historian
Polish Jew among the then predom- and general affairs of their homes.
is able to treat them by and large
inantly Sephardic community. And
The German period beheld a note- as has been indicated and, besides,
throughout the eighteenth century, worthy and important increase in our is enabled to refer back to their well-
the Sephardic community was mate- congregational and communal facili- defined origins certain prominent and
rially recruited by German Jews, and ties and, at the same time, in the re- useful features of American Jewish
the Sephardic synagogues beheld the lations of Jews to the other inhabi- life. Such, in fine, represents the
latter zealous upholders of their tants of this land. With the growth usefulness of treating history by
ritual and worship.
in our numbers here, we intensified periods. These accredited historical
Towards the middle of the nine- our participation in the general methods may be correctly applied to
teenth century, at a time when the American development at the same the view of American Jewish history,
influx of German and Austrian Jews time that we deepened our usefulness with a satisfactory reaction not only
into this country was literally enor- in and for our own community. Dur- upon the theme itself but also upon
mousRussian Jews began to come ing this period the lines of American the minds of its students.
here in numbers. A substantial group Jewish activity ran in the charitable
of them organized at New York in and theological grooves. Then, for
the early 'fifties of the nineteenth the first time there grew up on this
century the first Russian-American soil a distinct and well-marked form
Jewish congregation. Again, almost of religious development, known as
in our day, when the vast majority Reform Judaism, which had its origin
of Jewish immigrants to these shores in what had been accomplished on
hails from the lands situated in the this head in Germany. Philanthropic-
NEW YORK—The two hundredth
East of Europe, fairly large num-, ally, too, American Jews attained to anniversay of the birth of the Gaon,
hers of Levantine Jews are arriving a wider outlook. They even began Rabbi Elijah Wilna, takes place on
here. The co-religionists front Tur- to lay the keel of the good ship, or- Passover of this year.
key in. Europe and Asia and front the ganization, on nationwide lines for
The Faculty of the Jewish Theo-
isles of the Eastern Mediterranean the benefit of the Jewry of the en- logical Seminary of America have
and its offshoot, the Aegean, are re- tire world. Naturally, they main- decided to celebrate this event by
garded as Sephardic Jews. Whether tained their reputation for abiding by holding a public meeting at the Sem-
they are such in fact or only by law and for disinterested patriotism, inary building on Sunday, April 11,
adoption, the circumstance remains and made notable contributions to at 8:30 Li. in.
that among the many Polish, Rus- general endeavors for the good of the
On this occasion Doctor Louis
sian and Roumanian Jews are to be country.
Ginsberg, l'rofessor of Talmud, will
discovered these descendants of the
Finally, with the modern period we deliver a lecture on the Gaon, and
first Sephardim. Thus the cycle of have reached a point in our develop- Doctor Alexander Marx, the Librar-
Jewry in the Diaspora is here com- ment where the number of Jews in ian of the Seminary, will prepare an
plete once more, All Jews are the United States has become suf- exhibition of the works of the Gaon,
brethren, regardless of their origins, ficiently large to enable us to con-and works relating to him
•
N. Y. Seminary Celebrates
200th Anniversary of Birth
of Gaon, Rabbi Elijah Wilna
NO FURNITURE STORE SELLS AT COST
It's Not Reasonable—Not Logical
GOOD FURNITURE IS SCARCE--- Man y ' ■ R?:1 1 HIGH PRICES
The Middleman must make his profit. How are you going to beat it?—that's
where we come in. Unusual and unnatural market conditions have inspired us to
enter into the Manufacturing and Selling of Overstuffed Parlor Furniture Direct to
the Consumer at Real-Honest-Factory Prices.
GUARANTEED SAVING 25% TO 50% UNDER RETAIL PRICE
Milk Would Be Cheap a
30c Per Quart
Milk today is the cheapest food we have. It would be
cheap at 30 cents per quart. A quart of milk is equal in food
value to three-quarters of a pound of the best steak you can •
buy. YOU know what such steak costs.
It is true that milk costs more today than it did a few
years ago (is there anything that doesn't?) and Into r.re a
few of the reasons:
Mohairs
Davenports
Velours
Davenports
formerly $405.00,
now
formerly $275.00,
now
$285.00
$215.00
Chair or
Rocker
Chair or
Rocker
formerly $265.00,
now
formerly $195.00,
now
$175.00
$135.00
Tapestries
Davenports, formerly $215.00, now
Dec.
1911
*L.
Bran, per ton $24.90
Cottonseed meal, ton ...:11.30
Corn, per bushel
.111
Oats, per bushel
.41
Hay, per ton
10.10
Labor, with hoard
30.10
Labor, without board
40 10
Dee.
1919
$45.50
SO.S11
1.20
.6•
17.40
55.65
72.00
It is impossible to produce and distribute milk as cheaply
as when the costs of everything were lower. Hut the price of
milk has not begun to increase as much as has everything else,
including all other foods.
Cook with Rosebud milk. Cook vegetables in Rosebud
whole milk and you will gain 50% of food value. Cook cereals
in skim milk and you -411 have practically the equivalent of
meat.
Give the children plenty of pure, wholesome Rosebud
Milk to drink. Give them bread-and-milk. Milk helps keep
those cheeks rosy, those eyes bright and laughing— by mak-
ing good blood and a healthy digestion with proper nod rish-
ment
Rosebud
Perfectly
Pasteurized
Melrose „..,
$160.00
$105.00
Chair or Rocker, formerly $145.00, now
Milk
Special Designs in Pattern or Structure
Made to Your Order at No Additional Cost
Reupholstering and
Remodeling Dept.
is always ready to render the same prompt service and sat-
isfaction upon which the foundation of our reputation has
been laid. A call brings our representative to your door
with complete line of samples and such suggestions as will
be of interest and benefit to you.
SLIP-COVER DEPARTMENT
Announces the arrival of its Spring Line of Slip-Cover Material—an elaborate as-
sortment of Cretonnes, Linens and Damasks in various grades and exclusive patterns
and designs.
For the Home or Automobile
For the Theater, Club or Hotel
Reliable Upholstering Co.
84 JEFFERSON AVENUE, CORNER WAYNE
Call Cadillac 1449
RELIABILITY IS OUR MOTTO
Call Cadillac 1449