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WIEVETROITIEWISit
Published Weekly by The Jewish Chronicle Publishing Co.,
Inc.
.President
Secretary and Treasurer
JOSEPH J. CUMMINS
JACOB H. SCHAKNE
Entered a. Second-elm.. matter March 1, Ma at the Postolfice at Detroit.
Mich., under the Act of March 3. 1`, 79.
General Offices and Publication Building
525 Woodward Avenue
Telephone: Cadillac 1040
Cable Address: Chronicle
London Office:
14 Stratford Place, London, W. I, England.
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Subscription, in Advance
To Insure publication. all rorrespondence and news matter must reach this
°nice by Tue.day evening of each week. When mailing notate
kindly one one side of the paper only.
4
The Detroit Jewish Chronicle Invites correspondence on subject. of Interest to
the Jewish people, but disclaim. rerponsibility for an indorsement of the •lews
expressed by the writer..
Ellul 27, 5687
September 23, 1927
Sill & Son—An Advertisement.
What happens in Detroit when some green-eyed,
narrow-minded anti-Semite builds an apartment build-
ing and hangs out the polite little sign :
GENTILES ONLY.
What happens when the some intolerant owner
offers an advertisement to the daily papers with the
same lovely sentiment neatly inscribed in a conspicu-
ous place in his ad?
The answer to the first question is: The polite little
sign continues to adorn the exclusive door of the apart-
ment building and the Jewish apartment-seeker who
inadvertently strays into that building is obliged to
sneak out again as unobtrusively as he can, or pretend
he was looking for Mr. Van De Peyster Cabot.
The answer to the second question is: The adver-
tisement gets no further than the advertising manager's
desk before the objectionable line is deleted.
But suppose the advertisement does not reach the
advertising manager's desk? Suppose Mr. Advertiser
manages to sneak it in over or under the heads of the
responsible persons of the department and it actually
makes its appearance on the streets?
The answer to that question was provided last week.
As an answer it has the virtue of simplicity, directness
and brevity.
An advertisement announcing the opening of the
Moon Apartments at 910 Seward (no charge for this
little ad, Mr. Sill) appeared in one of the Detroit dailies.
The advertisement was signed by H. C. Sill and Son,
presumably the owners of the building. A line in the
ad offered the prospective tenant the assurance that
this apartment house was for "GENTILES ONLY."
The paper had been on the streets only an hour or
two when a local citizen, happening to see the objec-
tionable line, made it his business to telephone a man
of considerable authority on that newspaper and call
his attention to the matter. The result was that in the
next edition of that paper the ad appeared—minus the
clinching argument.
This trifling episode is related here only to point the
moral that "Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom"
—and, incidentally, also of tolerance. The public-
spirited citizen who made it his business to nip the
,te l, growth of this vicious precedent in the bud may have
seen a Jew, but, then again, he might just as well have
been just a plain American citizen with some old-fash-
ioned notions of American liberty. For that matter he
might have been a real old-fashioned Christian with
ideas about brotherly love that he picked up in the
recorded sayings of a certain Jew.
At any rate he has done the whole community of
Detroit a distinct service. He and the newspaper man
who "killed" the objectionable "copy" deserve more
than this anonymous mention. Jew and Gentile owe
them both a debt of gratitude. As for Mr. Sill and the
Silson Apartments we can only hope that this free
advertisement will not embarrass them with the numer-
ous applications that usually mark the returns from
Chronicle advertising.
Ic
the democratic nature of its proceedings. The °posi-
tion forces were treated with fairness. Discussion was
not restricted. As Robert Marwill pointed out in last
week's Chronicle, "things were brought out that never
before found utterance. It was a general airing of
views and it did much good."
The fifteenth Zionist congress at Basle will be
remembered not only as a triumph for the superb
statesmanship of Dr. Weizmann but also as the triumph
of democracy and fairness in the councils of the world
Zionist movement.
41;
.0.9.0
sk90.0
PAS.
Government in America is still government by rep-
resentation, but it is not government by religious repre-
sentation.
Congratulations, Chicago.
On Monday, Aug. 29, Chicago Jewry dedicated and
officially opened the new million-dollar home Of the
Jewish People's institute on Douglas boulevard and
St. Louis avenue.
The building, in addition to the departments usually
found in such institutions, has a large roof garden, a
fully equipped playhouse and a reference library
mf Judaica and social sciences, consisting of 12.000
volumes.
We take upon ourselves to speak for Detroit Jewry
in congratulating Chicago Jewry on this great accom-
plishment. It is a monument to the fine spirit of co-op-
eration that pervades its community and to the gen-
erosity of its men of means.
Dr. Wise Resigns.
When Dr. Stephen S. Wise resigned from the polit-
ical committee at the Basle congress recently there
were many who began to see visions of a serious split
in the ranks of the administration Zionists.
Their prophecies of doom, however, were not well-
founded. Those who are familiar with Dr. Wise's
brilliant and useful career were not the least bit
alarmed. They knew that the formal resignation was
only one weapon of Dr. Wise's formidable arsenal of
persuasion—a sort of dagger with which he is often
wont to cut the "Gordian knot."
Dr. \Vise resigned from the political committee
because he disagreed with the administration on the
subject of political action. It was a form of protest.
Returning to New York he gave out an interview in
which he explained his point of view and the reasons
for his move.
1 an as strong a Zionist as I have ever been, and I
have been a Zionist since the foundation of the movement.
I am not battling the organization or its leadership.
However, in the interests of the movement I stand guard
against tendencies incompatible with the democratic nature
of Zionism.
All this I say in deep appreciation of what Great
Britain has done during the last 10 years and what she
will continue to do in the future.
The economic and political problems Of Palestine will
be solved within the framework of the Zionist organiza-
tion. What is not our problem is the decent support of
the Zionist movement by self-respecting Jews who are
pledged by honor under the Balfour agreement.
American Zionists are seeking, certainly should seek,
to do two things. First, through consolidation and ruth-
less retrenchment to achieve • more effective handling of
Zionist business in all departments of the organization.
Secondly, the problem of bringing about the fulfillment 1.f
the terms of the Balfour agreement.
This plain statement should allay the fears felt in
some quarters that Dr. Wise had undergone a change
of heart in his attitude towards Zionism. He has not
resigned from the movement any more than William
Jennings Bryan seceded from the Union when he
resigned from President Wilson's cabinet.
:4=444
An Unfortunate Love Results In Crime
Constantinople News Letter.
ci S EPH'='
Si I want to extend to all the readers of Random
Thoughts a wish for a worthwhile New Year. My family
of readers has increased and some day I plan to take
over a corner of Texas 1111.1 hold a reunion and an open
forum. It will be a heap of fun to listen to the remarks
that the critics have to make. And what a heckling there
will be, my brethren! But all of them have helped mak-
ing, life worth while for me and I want to thank the hun-
dreds of correspondents from all over the world who have
written to me during the past year. Many of them I
feel that I know, though I have never seen them. And
I do hope they won't forget me the coming year.
I ea e conceive of nothing more un-American than to
make a man's religion, in any sense or degree, a test of his
fitness to occupy any position in the gift of the people.
W °1"
'is.
Another year. Doesn't take long for 12 months to
pass. And the older we get the faster the months move
along. Imagination, of course, but then imaginative
things are frequently quite real. It's been rather a busy
year for most of us. New friends and enemies have been
made and we carried over quite a few from the years
previous. But then, we need a few enemies to keep us
awake. Too much friendship is enervating.
A Catholic For President.
On the surface there seems to be some misunder-
standing, or at least some difference of opinion, con-
cerning the role that the American delegation played
at the fifteenth Zionist congress.
Commenting on the results of the Basle congress.
A. J. Koffman remarked in last week's issue of The
Chronicle, "It is encouraging to note the prominent
part the American delegates played at Basle and they
are to be congratulated for refusing to play the role
of the 'rich uncle' only."
M. H. Zackheim, on the other hand, expressed the
view that "the American delegation carried every point
it introduced," that "it was the real power because 60
per cent of the income comes from America. For this
reason the congress had to listen carefully to American
opinion."
Apparently these two statements represent a slight
difference of opinion. If the American delegates really
"refused" to play the role of the "rich uncle," how does
it happen that they managed to carry every point they
introduced? Was the American delegation the real
power simply because 60 per cent of the income comes
from America?
This apparent contradiction resolves itself into
something like a harmony of viewpoint when we reflect
that, after all, the points raised by the American dele-
gation were not wholly out of sympathy with the pre-
vailing opinion of the European delegations. Also that
the American delegation submitted at the outset of the
congress to a very drastic cut in its voting power—sub-
mitted without any very strenuous or concerted protest.
What was left of the voting strength of the Amer-
ican delegation still represented a formidable bloc but
at no time did it harden into a "solid" bloc. Voting on
most of the important issues of the congress was along
the lines of principle and conviction rather than along
geographical lines no far as the American delegation
was concerned. The European delegations did not al-
ways deserve the same high compliment.
In essence Mr. Zackheim and Mr. Koffman are not
in disagreement. When the American delegation sub-
mitted to a cut in its voting power it "refused to play
the rich uncle." as Mr. Koffman pointed out. And the
American delegation carried every point it introduced
because, although it laid no special emphasis on the
point, the fact remained that 60 per cent of the income
of the Zionist movement does come from America. It
was not necessary' for the American delegates to labor
the point. The congress was well aware of it.
On the whole, the Basle congress was notable for
g.c 9.c
olf,445.
Considerable attention has been focused on an
article appearing in the first issue of "Plain Talk," a
magazine devoted to tolerance, written by our good
fellow citizen, the Rev. Harold Lynn Hough.
Dr. Hough, who is a Methodist, advocates the elec-
tion of a Catholic for President.
Doutbless Dr. Hough is taking a courageous and
out-spoken stand when he goes so far as to declare that
"when a Protestant refuses to vote for a Catholic whose
character and abilities he admits and with whose poli-
cies he agrees, and makes that refusal simply because
the candidate is a Catholic, that Protestant is not
worthy of the name or of the privilege of American
citizenship."
But he begins to over-prove his point when he in-
sists that "there ought to be an occasional Catholic
President."
Until quite recently, when the Ku Klux Klan in-
vaded the domain of politics, the Jews of America never
voted as Jews but always as citizens of the United
States. Now, with the decline of the klan power in
politics, they have returned to their former practice.
There is no such thing as a Jewish vote anywhere 10
the United States. If political power is a matter of rep-
resentation by religion the Jews of America should be
entitled to at least one President every twenty-fifth
term or about once every hundred years. But American
Jewry has never regarded public office in the light of
representation by religion.
As at matter of fact, Jews have not sought public
office in America very much—certainly not in excess
of their relative numbers. There are sections in the
large cities where the election of a Jew as a Jew would
be a simple matter. But history has shown that Jews
are not disposed to carry their religious or racial sym-
pathies to the polls with them in this country. Even
the old-line political bosses know that they can never
brag about controlling the "Jewish vote." There isn't
any.
hence Dr. Bough's argument for a Catholic Presi-
dent on the assumption that the Catholics are entitled
to a President now and then, will not meet with the
approval of Jewry. His views on the subject are, in
other respects, sound and sane—as where he declares
that a Catholic President would not attempt to Cathol-
icize America or where he points out that there is no
danger of a reactionary administration under a Cath-
olic President. But he is over-selling his attitude when
he says that there "ought to be an occasional Catholic
President, because "there will always be plenty of Prot-
estant Preitideflti,"
T)r. Leo M. Franklin was expressing what we think
is the prevailing point of view of American Jewry when
he said, in an interview published in the daily press:
No Disagreement.
iyiykVt5rMtAtvtVb;iyIYte*nTi?....
Wxackiziyigazrltimbld=11tlygrazistrkt.%W: Zviyiyiyiykll,5*:iyf
What has been the most important event in Jewry
during the past I'1. months? I don't know, but I think
that Ford's retraction NIP/ one of the most important.
And I include Mr. Ford in my New Year's greetings. I
d«n't know whether he has been friendly with the Jews
long enough to fool comfortable about accepting New
Year's greetings, but I shall offer them nevertheless. Sev-
eral persons have quizzically inquired what I shall it
for something to write about now that Mr. Ford is de-
voting all his time to his new car. I admit that he was
a great help to 1110. But I still have the klan and Dr.
Straton and the Jewish-Christian missionaries, and the
Zionists and Sig Saxe, and the Kiwanians to talk about.
Then, too, there will be plenty of my friends kept out
of hotels and clogs to make up a few paragTaphs. All
in all, I expet to lied enough to put my pen to.
Now I am going to start right out asking for informa-
tion. The other day I received a request from Cali-
fornia for the name of some outstanding Jewish liberal
who is available for a course of lectures on the coast.
Its strange that sue seem to have so few Jewish laymen
who are on the lecture platform. I have at on more lec-
ture committees than most nien and every time a course
of lectures is planned, we run into a snag when we want
to include some outstanding Jewish speaker. And Jewish
women are at a premium! I wish readers would send
me in the names of some men and women that they per-
sonally know are good platform speakers and available
for such work. The rabbis I know; I an interested in
laymen. One night I went through "Who's Who" in
American Jewry from the beginning to the end, des-
perate s t coolie so pick out the names of those who might
be suitable, but I gave up in despair early in the morning.
By MAZ LIACH AL CHALIL.
CONSTANTINOPLE, Taney,
(Delayed J. T. AL—A tragedy
which occurred last month
and which, in the usual course
of events would not have stir-
red public opinion to it greater
extent than that of any similar as-
sassination common in the annals
of criminology, has thrown con-
sternation among the Jewish com-
munities of Turkey, as not only has
a Jewish girl still in her teens been
crutally murdered by a Turkish
officer 30 years her senior, and her
younger sister badly injured by the
same individual, but also 10 Jews,
many of them respectable mer-
chants, have been remanded in cus-
tody. Nine of them an unused
of trying to stop all transportation
during the funeral, to have resisted
the policy and to have shouted:
"We want justice."
The tenth, a young soldier of the
name of Avram, who has just been
incarcerated for a period of three
months, is accused of a graver
charge, that of wounding a Turk-
ish passerby, using to that effect
arms entrusted to him by the mili-
tary authorities in order, so the
accusation says, to defend his
country. Needless to say that all
accused deny the charges brought
against them, many of them stat-
ing that they were not even present
at the funeral.
The
accusations
formulated
against
the arrested even have
given way to a number of attacks
by the Turkish press who seized
the opportunity to let out all kinds
of lti abuse against the Jewish popu-
Well, I note that Mr. Levine, after circling about do-
ing some fancy conversational looping, has decided to
postpone his return trip indefinitely. This will relieve
the nation of an embarrassing moment.
The papers tell us that "Jimmy" Rothschild is to
stand as liberal candidate for parliament, thus resuming
the Rothschild representation, which was broken in 1923.
The first Rothschild to be elected was Baron Lionel, in
1 a59. James de Rothschild, who two years ago 1 unfor-
tunately con fused with another Rothschild of unsavory
reputation, is an ardent Zionist and one of the most
popular men in English society. He served in the war,
both with the French and British armies, emerging with
it Distnguished Conduct Medal and the rank of major in
the Royal Fusiliers. Here's luck to you, Major "Jimmy!"
•
•
In commenting on Andre Maurois' "Life of Disraeli,"
the French journal Nouvelle Revue Francaise has this
interesting bit to contribute. I never tire of reading of
Disraeli, he Was such a fascinating figure:
This voluptuary, this writer courting success
with cold ambition, this proud pretender to popu-
larity, this Jew ill whom Oriental pompousness
survived, charmed old conservative. Englaid. His
only thought was to avenge some of the youthful
humiliations he suffered in his lively contests fur
the highest office in the country. A combination
of the paladin and the dandy, he was insupport-
able and charming when young, supportable but
deceitful when old. Since he never battled for
any particular cause, but only to satisfy his own
caprice and to exercise his power, his tardy suc-
cess did not hold s11 much in store fur hini as he
had anticipated. Favored minister of a senti-
mental and reasonable queen, he resembled all 0111
plumed pheasant featherless in a gilded cage. .
Although Disraeli methodically and eagerly tried
to become assimilated, he did not sacrifice all his
hereditary virtues."
Whoever writes of Disraeli writes of him as a Jew.
All the holy water could not wash assay the Jew in Dis-
rued' and posterity judges him as an Oriental masquerad.
—
ing as a Nordic.
We complain that we build our synagogues and tem-
ples fur the high holidays. But then the disposition to
remain away from religious Service is not peculiarly
Jewish. Even our Christian neighbors fill the air with
lamentations over the fact that they cannot compete
with worldly activities on Sunday. And it seems that
Easter Sunday, from the standpoint of overflow attend-
ance, is comparable to our New Year and Yom Kippur
services. It's true that hcre and there a minister or a
rabbi, endowed with a gift ad' eloquence, attracts large
congregations the year round. But generally speaking,
the gaps in the pews are conspicuous. However, let us
be thankful that the .14.WS 110 manage to crowd their
houses of worship two air three times a year. Many of
them probably feel that they can obtain sufficient spir-
itual nourishment in those few days to sustain them the
remainder of the year. Seriously viewing the question
from a very calm and impartial standpoint, I think that
the Jews attend services in as large numbers and with
as much consistency as any other group. It would be
almost too much too hope for that they should maintain
the standard of holy day attendance.
•-• ■ ••••---
When lawyers become angry with each other in the
trial 14 a case, that's just play-acting; indignation made
to order, so to speak. Rut in the present instance the
controversy rsgire: s• in Louis Marshall on the one
side and Ma/. tv - ,con. on tat- other, it's an entirely different
story. Mr. Marshall is indignant that Mr. Steuer should
attack the work done by the Joint Distribution Commit-
tee in its European relief, and going se far as to suggest
that much of the money was never received by the ben,
ticiaries and of the amount that was actually distributed
the results were not so satisfactory.
•vees•-e--
discovered over a lifetime of service in the
Jewish press that in every national or international Jew-
ish work, there is politics, personal projects, private axes
to grind, jealousies and so on. Naturally, whatever is
done will not please everybody. But of this I am quite
convinced, that no far as European Jewish affairs are
concerned. the average American Jew is just as qualified
to express an opinion es a Hottentot. Intrigues there
are, but when it comes to our understanding them we are
as innocent as babes. Behind all this criticism of the
Joint Distribution Committee's activities undoubtedly
there are politics /11111 disappointed ambitions. One group
wants money for Palestine, others want it for Russia.
One wants it for Poland and the other something else.
This group wants to do one thing with the money and
another group wants to do something else. There is a
struggle for power to see which can control the golden
stream that is being pumped out of the pockets of Ameri-
can Jews into the European buckets.
I have
I haven't any doubt but that in the confusion and
chaos of European life a great deal of money sent from
this side for relief went astray. But where it went or
how it went will be just as easy to discover as cher:
money goes in a political campaign in Pennsylvania. Mr.
Steuer demands an accounting. In the meantime I think
it does no harm and may be beneficial in the end to have
criticism of the way things are sometimes done on the
other aide. We are always afraid that if something is
Well, there is
said it will hurt the raising of money.
something more important than that-- the truth. And I
say let Us have It
1P84444' 10'
Yacouli Kadri firs, a deputy at
the national assembly, writes in the
"Milliet" that "the Jews who have
been persecuted all over- the world
for centuries past have found a
refuge in Turkey where there is
no anti-Semitism." He adds, how-
ever, that As no anti-Semitism
exists, the Jews of Turkey should
not by their behavior try to create
it similar question."
May I ask, even if the charges
were proved, does the fact of hav-
ing cried out, "We want justice,"
constitute a crime such as to em-
body
an anti-Semitic feeling
against the whole Jewish commu-
nity? The judgment which will
probably be passed very shortly
will show as to what extent
t he accused are found guilty
and whether certain individual
acts, even if they have taken
place, justify the outburst in
the press against a community
whirls does everything possible to
abide by the law and feels toward
its country not as It minority frac-
tion but as strongly as the best aind
most faithful of its citizens.
The drama which has been in-
strumental in creating, this unfor-
tunately sensational question is the
outs on','.1 of the •enamoration of a
man, 50 years old, once wealthy,
for a young Jewish girl who had
alone all in her lamer to dissuade
him from giving way to sentiments
which she could not reciprocate.
The victim, Miss Elsa Niegn, not
yet 20 years old, was employed as
a typist by the National Insurance
company of Turkey. Fatherless,
she started to work very young and
with her younger sister, Regina,
who also found employment lately,
she was the only support of her
younger
wi d ow ed mother
111111
brother. Last year, Elsa obtained a
short holiday and went with her
family to Ilalki (Princes' Islands)
where she intended to spend her
leave and have a deserved rest. She
was not at Ilalki long, when Osman
Bey, son of Rabb Pasha, a former
governor in Mesopotamia during
the old regime, noticed her and fell
in love with her. Ills age, his dif-
ferent faith, his grown-up daugh-
ter, were nothing to himt lie fol-
lowed the girl's steps day and night
and her prayers to be left alone and
her pointing out all the differences
existing between the two of them,
were of no avail. The mother, in
despair, had to shorten their stay
rat I t l o aIki
,,n and they secretly returned
was not of long duration, as one
lay, on leaving the office, %In no-
04..
deed that the man was waiting for
her. She hurried home more fright.
ned than ever, as not only (lid the
stjs
man follow her and repeat his dec-
sr
larations but he started to threaten
her. The girl, in fear of her life,
told her employers of the persecu-
tion of which she was the object on
is
the part of this man who, no slat•
ler
what measures were taken
against hint, remained unchanged.
Oneevening last winter, Miss
Nieto Was getting ready to leave
her dice when, looking out of the
1.,.;
window, she noticed Osman Bey
and three others waiting outside
si,v
The manager of the company tele-
phoned for the police and the quar-
tette was arrested. It was found
:sr:
out, afterwards, that Miss Nieg,o
was to be kidnapped that night and
j
the said individuals were seutenest
to two months' imprisonment each.
_,),
About two months ago Miss
?V
Niego became engaged to a young
t's(7r
.lowish man, one of her office col-
leagues. The two were a well-
ti
matched couple and everyone was
1
of the opinion that they Lad a long
and happy life before them. Osituai
liey, having in the meantime been
IV!'
liberated from prison, learne I
about the engagement, and became
more importunate than e v e r,
threatening the girl that if he could
not have tier, no one else would.
g,
Several fights ensued between the
7-
two rivals, with the result that Os-
man Bey promised to leave( the girl
alone. However, we have seen the
way he kept his promise. On the
it(
day before the fatal tragedy, the
girl obtained a fortnight's leave.
On the next evening, having
spent all day at home, Elsa told
her sister Regina that she wished
to go out for a walk. The two sis-
ters left the house about g o'clock.
On returning home about an hour
later, and while they were but 100
yards from the house where their
mother was awaiting thorn, the
younger sister heard someone run-
ning after them and upon turning
around, saw Osman Bey, holding a
knife ill his hand, making after
them as fast as the drink he had
previously had allowed him to do.
to (In her return to town, the girl
had seen no more of the man for
it short time and she thought her-
self free. Iler quietness, however,
WS
Regina shouted to her sister to run
home, but the latter was overcome
by fright and fell. Osman Bey,
seeing his victim on the ground,
practically unconscious, bent over
her, and with the knife which he
had that day bought specially for
the purpose, cut her throat from
ear to ear and plunged his weapon
in the girl's chest and stomach eight
times. Regina, on seeing her sister
murdered, started struggling with
the murderer, who also stabbed her
twice in the thigh, and it is only
through sheer luck that she did
not meet with the tragic end that
had been her sister's fate. And all
this in the sight of the mother who.
rendered speechless by the wild
scene, practically became insane.
The murderer would have been
lynched, had it not been for the
police, who tuck him away from
the infuriated crowd which at-
tacked him with stools, chairs,
sticks and anything that was lit
hand. The scene was indescribable
and when taken to the police sta-
tion. badly injured. the murderer
could do nothing but lick the girl's
Mood which had stained his clothes.
and shout "I have loved you."
The man has now been placed
under medical observation, as it is
thought that he is insane, while a
young girl for whom a bright fu-
ture was foreseen lies under earth,
a victim of the cruel act of a Sel-
fish murderer who has already
ruined the lives of two other women
as well as his own children. This
diabolical being may escape pun-
ishment through a plea of insanity.
Osman Bey, who was educated in
England. was first married to an
English girl who, after a short pe-
riod of cohabitation, put an end to
her married association by divorc-
ing hint according to English law.
Iris second wife, a very young
Turkish girl who had brought hint
wealth and thought of making hint
happy, died a few years ago in de-
spair. as Osman Bey not only dissi-
pated her fortune in debauchery,
but also made her life unbearable.
C
Jewish Holidays in
The Small Towns
By MIRIAM ZITAH
The entire question of the oh
servance of special Jewish holiday
and customs is primarily one o
importance to the inhabitant of a
small town only. Those who have
spent all their lives in a large,
cosmopolitan city like New York
can have no adequate conception
of the numberless difficulties,
slight in themselves but cumula-
tive in their effect, which are en-
countered by a small group of
Jews living in a considerably
larger gentile community. New
York is CO vast and magnificently
inclusive that any element of the
population can live accordingly to
its lights with a reasonable degr_se
of comfort. In New York a Jew's
Jewishness is limited to a large
extent only by his own desires. In
those sections of the city chiefly
inhabited by Jews he can express
his attachment for his religious,
national or linguistic habits with-
out arousing comment. In a Jew-
ish neighborhood the children stay
away from school on Passover as
naturally as they absent them-
selves on Christmas. Nothing oc-
curs to make the Jewish child feel
conspicuous or alien by such ac-
tion. So perfectly can the illusion
of "belonging" be maintained that
not until the boy from the east
side discovers that he is not eli-
gible for an otherwise suitable po-
sition because the advertisement
bean the warning "Christian
firm," or that he cannot be admit-
ted to the university of his choice
despite his scholarship, does he
realize fully that he is r. figure in
a century-long struggle of resent-
.C.ACX,ACiSkTi. .C.
!rents and animosities. Of course,
the little "dago" may have called
his play-mate "sheeny," but the
battle was all equal one. For the
most part the Jewish youth of a
city like New York have had no
opportunity to develop it morbid
self-consciousness. They have the
strength of numbers.
In a small town the situation is
quite different. There it become,
immediately apparent that the in-
dividual must determine on a con-
sistent course of action. Either he
is to to his utmost to assimilate
and become an organic part of the
community, or he is to attempt to
maintain him traditions and his
identity with as much affectionate
zeal as his neighbors display to-
wards customs endeared to them
by generations of usage. There
can be no dignified middle course.
The simple, direct eyes of the
community do not understand the
evasions of the "free-thinker," or
"Christian Scientist." A new ar-
rival is instantly and plainly la-
belled, no matter how faint and
vague his sense of racial solidarity
had formerly been.
What goes unnoticed in New
York becomes an acute problem.
Shall the only little Jewish girl in
the class stay home from school on
a Jewish holiday? Shall she buy
ornaments for the Christmas tree
which the rest of the class is dec-
orating for the annual Christmas
party? Shall the Jewish merchant
keep his store open on Saturday'
and Yam Kippur whereas he closes
them on every gentile holiday of
the year? These are question
which present little difficulty in
New York. They can be consid
erect AS matters of individual pref-
erence anti decided as such. In the
small town a more delicate adjust-
ment is necessary. Much more is
at .take than the formal orthodox
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