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October 22, 1920 - Image 3

Resource type:
Text
Publication:
The Detroit Jewish Chronicle, 1920-10-22

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America frwish Periodical Carter

CLIFTON AVENUI - CINCINNATI 20, OHIO

PAGE THRE4

PIEDLTROgiLWISH ORM ICLE

- —

THE STATUS OF THE JEW

MUSIC NOTES

By Hermann Hoexter.

After listening to Mr. Gabrilo-

witsch's band of one hundred men
the reorganized and reanimated De-

troit Symphony Orchestra, in re-

4.

hearsal for their first concert, one
can most truthfully and consistently
write that here is one of the fittest
musical organizations in the world
today. The ensemble, which boasted
its virtuosi in the different choirs last
season, has been so strengthened and
enriched, that for sheer beauty and
loveliness of tone, it is doubtful if
any of the other American orchestras
can approach the quality which these
Detroiters already possess. The vio-
lins are altogether brilliant, produc-
ing a ravishing tone which can storm
ear w2o, 05 the conductor wishes, with
ntensity
ty and surldeness, that
intensi
speaks volumes for the individual
artistry of the players of this section
of the orchestra. The violas too,
have never been heard to better ad-
vantage; while the cellos have ac-
quired a solidity, an appealing, in-
gratiating timbre, that is a source of
constant delight. The horn quartet,
the finest in the country, remains as
it was last season, with Mr. Janacek:
as leader. The entire superb brass
section has boen further endowed
artistically by bringing on Mr. Heim.
solo trumpet, Mr. Valliant, oboe, and
Mr. Fayer, flute; exceptional artists
and skilled performers, welsome addi-
tions to this distinguished ensemble.

The orchestra as a whole follows
admirably every subtle demand of Mr.
Gabrilowitsch. There is the usual
imposing sonority, the many exquisite
and colorful gradations to the most
refined and delicate pianissimo. As
the season progresses, and as the men
become better acquainted with the
aims and the modus operandi of Mr.
Gabrilowitsch, still finer results in
shading and naunce may be expected.
further incisiveness in attack will have
been developed, and the precision with
which his beat is followed will have
attained a flexibility that will make
the leading of this trained body of
men and musicians the goal of many
of the foreign conductors who are to
visit the states this winter.
Hearing Brahms' beautiful first
symphony, one is immediately im-
pressed by the clarity of Mr. Gabrilo-
witsch's reading and his poetical in-
terpretation: his careful analysis of
the music, and the masterly manner
in which he develops and spins theme
after theme through the dazzling web
of Brahms' rather heavy orchestral
polyphony. There is no exaggeration
of either the melodic or rythmic
lines, no seeking after the bizarre or
the unusual. The music is treated
confidently, lovingly, with a complete
understanding of its meaning. its
message; its vitality unimpaired. its
beauty kept constantly in the fore-
gronnd. The remarkable horn solo
preceding the march movement at the
end of the symphony, gave the or-
chestra an opportunity to reveal the
golden glow of the subdued strings,
and provided one of the convincing
proofs that these men will provide the

By S. Spurgeon Medhurat, F.T.S. (Peking, China.)

After having fur more than eight-
een centuries been the football of the
nations, the butt of criticisms, a fo-
cus of envy, and a victim for the club
of malice the world has made a tardy
and partial compensation to a people
it could neither assimilate nor crush.
The homeless Jew is once more a
landed proprietor. Amid the start-
ling plethora of amazing events dur-
ing the last years none is of greater
significance. It should prove a fasc-
inating field for romance. The debt
the world owes the Jew

has yet to
be totalled.
But although a Chris-
tian minister, I do not include
Christianity as one of the items in the
account.
I mention this lest, wri-
ting as a Christian in a Jewish mag-
azine, my silence should be misunder-
stood. Undoubtedly, Christianity
owes much to Jewish history, Jew-
ish philosophy, Jewish mysticism,
but there is nothing in the process
of science, nothing in modern psycho-
logy, which makes it essential that
Christianity should have descended
through Judaism. Had Jesus been
horn a Hindu, a Confucianist, or a
Burmese priest, the authority which
centers around his personality would
have been the same. His teaching
would have remained ten-altered, al-
though of course Christian theology
would have asquited an entirely dif-
ferent hue. Aside then from all re-
ligious controversy there are five im-
portant truths which the Hebrew na-
tion has taught the world, and which
the world could have received in no
other way than by means of the pe-
culiar history and national charac-
teristics of the Hebrew race.

(1) The Jew has always been a
practical illustration of the strength
derivable from resisting external in-
fluence. During the Babylonian cap-
tivity and during the Dispersion, and
since then during the Christian era,
the Jewish nation successfully repell-
ed all threatening alien influence. Al-

sensation of the
wherever they appear on tour.
Josef Hofmann's "The Haunted
-
Castle," is a highly effective contribu
tion to orchestral music in the mod-
ern idiom; strongly flavored with the
acrid harmonies of Strauss and De-
bussy; individual in its treatment of
the contrasting themes and their set-
ting in the various choirs of the or-
chestra. It was brilliantly, energeti-
cally played. with wonderful tonal
nuances in the quieter, lyrical sec-
. lions. A composition to test the vir-
tuosity of the most seasoned players.

though mingled among all races of
mankind the Jew has never lost his
individual soul, and today he is re-
turning to Palestine because through-
out the centuries, and in spite of
every adverse circumstance he has
preserved his soul poise. The Jews,
while not the only people who have
preserved this treasure, are the only
people who have kept it safe in the
midst of environments which from
every point of view were absolutely
damning. Their self preservation,
with their extraordinary history as
a background makes the Jew an un-
paralleled illustration of the immor-
tality of the individual.
(2) The Jews have always been
the pioneers of liberty. From the
exodus out of Egypt to the present
time the Hebrew has never been an
oppressor, although, in the course of
Jewish individuals, as in the case of
that prophet priest Jeremiah, who
lived in the days of Josiah, the last
period of the Kingdom of Judah, have
suffered for their temerity when
speaking out of the irrestible im-
pulse of a spiritual vision, but, speak-
ing generally, since their national
settlement of a great economic prob-
lem by the dispossession of the
Canaanites from the "promised land"
in accordance with what was believ-
ed to be a divine command the Jew
has always upheld the banner of lib-
erty. It was the subject of the
triumphant anthems of the prophets
in the halcyon days of the nation's
prosperity, it has been the inextin-
guishable hidden fire in every subse-
quent period of obliteration. This
consciousness of spiritual freedom
has always prevented the Jew from
accepting a position of inferiority. It
is doubtful if the Jewish Genius has
ever, as has again and again happen-
ed elsewhere, succumbed to the in-
hibitory influences of the life of a
bird in the cage. The history of the
Jew proves that ambition and hdpe,

if pure and sincere, are unconquer-
able, and • that those who possess
these never suffer degradation.
(3) The Jews are a living example
of the value of a religious authority.
The secret of the political victory of
the Hebrew in Palestine is his con-
tinued and unshaken faith in the
promises of his sc riptures. Religion
has often failed because its devotees
have thought weakness, have thought
failure, have thought loss, but rely-
ing on the inspired utterances of his
prophets, the mouth-piece of the
Almighty, the Jew has never thought
himself into a position of final sub-
mergence in the ocean of humanity,
the Holy Land permanently alienat-
ed from this forgotten race. Few
have had their faith tested as the
faith of the Jew has been tested,
but the Jew has never lost sight of
the divine intervention to which he
owes his origin, and consequently
has always anticipated an ultimate
divine triumph over all enemies. Be-
cause "the law, the prophets, and the
writings" gave assurance of final vic-
tory, victory was the national des-
tiny. No other race has furnished
such a monumental testimony to the
might of a firm religious belief based
on accepted authority which did not
interfere with the growth of individ-
uality.
(4) The Jews have given the
world an unexampled lesson of the
power of will. Palestine has not only
been held tip before every Jewish boy
and girl as the national ultima Mule
but the nation has always willed that
the land of their forefathers should
he returned to them. This magnifi-
cent forecasting of events has been
for the Jew more than a hope, it has
been a spiritual fact only awaiting
material realization.
He has bent
all his energies toward its accom-
Ile has willed it steadily
plishment.
through centuries of disappointment.
For this he has acquired wealth. For
this he has spent riches. He has
been asking, asking, asking through
the centuries, not with the lips, but
with that consecrated psychic force
known as Will, and therefore he has
now drawn to himself what seemed

to be the inaccessible. The world in the Buddhist philosophy, Ameri-
owes much to the Jew for this dram- cans have been the champions of
atic demonstration of the magnetic liberty, the history of all races has
power of the Will, and as the world always been a more or less success-
has suffered in the past because of ful struggle against external influ-
its wholesale suppressions of the Jew, ences, but it has been the Jew's spec-
so now it will benefit as in their own , ial privilege to preserve his ideals
and the Hebrews are able to nurse and refuse to disintegrate amid the
into full efflorescence their mighty most powerful of disintigrating in-
spiritual qualities. The greater cala- influences.
mity that could now happen woulu
be for the Jews to neglect in their
prosperity the graces they have cul-
tivated in their adversity.
(5) The Jewish people have given
LONDON.—"The Voice of Jeru-
the world the clearest example of the
theocratic ideal. The national epic salem" a new volume from the pen
commences with the call of Abra- of Israel Zangwill has made its ap-
ham, it is continued in the deliver- pearance in Hebrew. The volume
ance from Egypt, it is established in was published in Jersualem and ac-
the divine legislation of that most cording to a report from that city,
unique of men—Moses, From the is the first book to be granted the
body of laws he left behind him the privilege of copyright under the new
student is led to infer that the holy Palestine regulations.
sovereign of the nation is God, the
Being unable to carry out their pro-
Supreme Intelligence—obedience to gram with regard to the establish-
whom ensures perfect harmony; that ment of Hebrew schools owing to a
no political theories are safe which restricted budget, the Zionist Organi-
ignore the social, moral and religious zation in Jerusalem has decided for
nature of man; that the family is a the time being to expend one thou-
divine institution based on mono- sand pounds monthly upon the in-
gamy; and finally that love is the struction in Hebrew of new arrivals
fundamental principle of all right-
The history of the
eous law."
I srael'es, alone among the histories
of humanity harmonizes the theo-
cratic ideal With the practice of
brotherhood. Scattered promiscuous-
ly among all people the Jew has
never foresworn allegiance to his in-
NEW YORK.—Felix H. Warburg,
visible Divine Ruler, and so stands
Chairman of the Joint Distribution
for the ideal political economy.
Committee, who has just returned
This theme might of course have from Europe, denied the statement at-
been expanded in several other direc-
tributed to him that he was opposed
tions, but I have purposely limited
to continued Jewish immigration into
myself to instances tri which the
the United States. Mr. \Varburg's
claim of the Jew to be the spiritual
leader of mankind is indisputable. statement follows:
"This is a malicious slander, simply
Some of the qualities I have attrib-
uted to the Hebrews may he found ridiculous to belive that I sought to
among other peoples but minus the influence Jewish leaders or other peo-
necessary ntise en scene, and hence ple of influence to stop Jewish immi-
lacking in dramatic force. The gration into the United States. I
theocratic ideal is found in the litera- should consider it little short of
ture of India, the British peoples criminal if such were done at this
have never lost their grip on them- most critical period when Jews suffer
selves, the power of will is embedded so much."

ZANGWILL'S BOOK HAS
PALESTINE COPYRIGHT.

DENIES OPPOSITION
CHARGE TO JEWISH
IMMIGRATION TO U. S.

A PLEA.

"Our people from all lands are
coaling to build • borne of their own
in Palestine.
"They are coming at the rate of
1,000 a week.
"They must have food, and they
want work to earn it.
"If you have pledged your con-
tribution to the Palestine Restora-
tion Fund, pay it now.
"Every dollar supplies work and
bread.
"Every dollar adds a brick to the
foundation of the Jewish Homeland.
"Contributions are received by
Fred M. Butsel, Chairman, 1012
Union Trust Bldg."

LETTER FROM BROTHER
TELLS OF ATROCITIES

A well known Flint merchant has re-
ceived a letter dated Sept. 17 from kis
brother in Suvalk, Poland, which re-
lates the atrocities that are being per-

petrated upon the Jews In that coun-
try. The letter tells of the Polish

militia coming Into the town of Suvalk
and looting the Jewish places of busi-

ness and their homes. Stores were
depleted of their stocks.
Some of the Jews, the letter states,
burled their few belongings In the
ground and only those saved a portion

of their provisions. The city was left
In the hands of the Lithuaniane.
Many Jewish storekeepers were se-
verely beaten by the bandits, although
they offered no resistance.

STRIKE AGAINST FAMINE.

LODZ (via Warsaw).—A strike in
protest against the famine that now
prevails in the city has broken out in
Lodz. No newspapers are published,
stores are closed and hundreds of
people pass the streets clamoring for

bread.

ereara-muanmeMNIIII ■

STUPENDOUS SAVINGS
ON FINEST FURNITURE
IN OUR EXPANSION SALE

Wagner's concert arrangement of
the famous "Valkyries Ride" is one
of those compositions which musicians
say "plays itself." Melodramatic mu-
sic of the first order, it went spinning
along with a verve and a dash that
left nothing to be desired, and once
again revealed the astonishing techni-
cal dexterity of this glorious hand.
Were no other musical fare to he
provided for Detroiters this coming
season, the concerts of their sym-
phony orchestra would suffice to pro-
vide a menu so rich and so varied.
uperlatively
so temptingly and s
served, that none of the musical hun-
r
gry thousands would have .cause wer
foe
complaint that their appetites
not satisfied, their hunger appeased

To the retiring manager of the De-
troit Symphony Orchestra the com-
munity owes a debt of gratttude. Mr.
Harry Cyphers has made possible the
present unrivalled personnelle and
position of the Detroit Symphony Or-
chestra, and he is responsible for Mr.
Gabrilowitsch's presense in this city.
lie has begun and outlined a great
civic institution, whose perinanancy
and growth rests entirely in the hands
,
of the people. They owe it to id
Mr. Gab-
for his vision, and to
his
svitsch for the great art colter
presence makes of Detroit, to see to
it that the orchestra shall ever he a
, that which is
perpetual monument to
finest, truest. greatest in the expre -
sion of all that makes music pre-emt
pe.
l
nentiv the art of tine whole peo
rk
Mr. Cyphers goes New Yo to
undertake the direction of the tour
of Sig. Toseanini's Italian Orchestra.
We wish him Godspeed and every

success.

VOTE TO DETERMINE
FATE OF KOL NIDRE IN
YOM KIPPER RITUAL

BERLIN —The Jews of this city
e
who desire to retain Kul Nidre i% th d
Yom Kippur services as performe
in the Berlin synagogues, will be able
to decide the question by a referen-

dum vote.
Some years ago the Berlin Jewish
Kehillah decided to abolish Kol Nidre
from the Jewish hitual in all official
Berlin congregations. This was done
because it was the contention of the
Anti-Semites that Jewish oaths were
M no value since the Kol Nidre prayer
makes all oaths and undertaking null
and void. But at the recent elections
to the Berlin Kehillah a number of
Zionists and Conservatives were re-
turned who now introduced the reso-
ution calling for a referendum vote
in the Berlin synagogues whether or
not the Kol Nidre prayer is to be
retained in the several congregations.
Dr. Heinrich Loewe, a Zionist mem-
ber of the Kehillah's Board of Di-
rectors moved the adoption of the
above resolution and showed in of
address the historical importance his
was
Kol Nidre. The resolution
and the principal of self-
adopted
determination will now decide
whether or not the several Jewish
tiynagogues of Bin are or are not
tts favor of Kol Nidre. •

Men and Women: This sale is different from similar sales in many
ways, principally among which is the fact that it is inspired by the growth
of our business, and not by any so-called "dull period."

In the event we offer the finest products of such leading makers as
Berkey & Gay, Karpen Bros., Sligh, Luce and Widdicomb.

All of these lines are reduced, the savings ranging from 25% to 50%.

Standard Plan terms apply on all sale purchases, giving you 30 weeks
to pay, with no interest charges or investigation fees.

l

"

-Caen C o

Amencas Finest Furniture "

Corner of Hastings and High Streets

Open Even;

Fourteenth Avenue Cars Pass the Door

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