A merica Apish PerlaSeal Carter
CLIFTON ATOMS • CINCINNATI 20, OHIO
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ANTI-SEMITES IN
NO TIME FOR JOKES!
POLAND ASK JEWS
A Humorist Gets Serious About the Jews
BE DISFRANCHISED
By EDDIE CANTOR
Additional Thousands Face
Economic Ruin Under
Schechita Law
EDITOR'S NOTE: We Present herewith the full teat of an address
delivered by America's most famous entertainer at the annual
luncheon of the New York Chapter of Hadassah.
(Copyright, 1916, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate)
This is somewhat of a different women at every meal in my
RAILWAYS ESTABLISH
occasion for me. Somebody said home."
JEWISH GHETTO CARS to me when I came into this room: It would be an easy matter to
"Jim Crow" Methods Now
Instituted by Anti-
Semitic Poland
WARSAW.— (WNS) — Can-
cellation of the citizenship rights
of the Polish Jews, the expropria-
tion of their property and its dis-
tribution among needy Poles are
among the demands made by the
National Radical Party (Naras),
the anti-Semitic extremists, in
leaflets widely distributed in all
sections of Warsaw. The Naras,
who have no legal standing as a
political party, have, by these de-
mands, embraced the entire Nazi
program so far as the Jews are
concerned.
Emil Sommerstein, Jew i s h
member of the Sejm, has laid be-
fore Minister of Interior Racki-
wicz a detailed memorandum re-
garding the anti-Jewish disturb-
ances and the boycott agitation
against Jewish merchants. Susman
Mendelsohn of Prytyk, who was
seriously injured in the recent
pogrom in that town, died of his
injuries in the Warsaw Jewish
Hospital. His death brings the
number of Jewish fatalities in the
Przytyk pogrom to three.
Thousands More Face Ruin
Meanwhile the now slaughter-
ing bill remained only one step
from becoming the law of the
land when it was approved by the
Senate and sent to President Mos-
kicki for his signature. The meas-
ure, which becomes effective Jan-
uary 1, 1937, permits Jews to
continue the practice of schechita
but limits the amount of cattle
and poultry ,,slaughtered accord-
ing to the exact needs of the Jew-
ish population. Final passage of
the law will deprive some 20,000
Jews of their livelihood because
it means the elimination of Jews
from the meat industry.
Several thousands additional
Jews face economic ruin through
the new law which gives the min-
istry of agriculture complete con-
trol over the dairy industry. Jews
engaged in the milk trade fear
discrimination resulting from the
sweeping powers given to the min-
istry of agriculture by the new
measure.
"Ghetto cars" for Jews, pat-
terned after the "Jim Crow cars"
for Negroes in the Southern
states of the United States, have
been established by the Polish
railway authorities as a means of
safeguarding Jewish passengers
from periodic assaults by anti-
Semites. Instead of providing
protection for Jewish passengers
in the regular cars, the Polish
railroads, which are government-
owned, have set aside special cars
designated for Jewish passengers,
thus playing into the hands of the
anti-Semites.
Jewish circles are greatly
wrought over the fact that Rabbi
Triestman and leaders of the
Przytyk Jewish community were
coerced into signing a statement
attributing partial responsibility
for the recent Przytyk pogrom
to Jews. The statement signed by
the Przytyk Jewish leaders admit,'
that the trouble began when a
(PLEASE TURN TO LAST PAGE)
"Aren't you afraid to lunch here stand here at this time and make
you laugh. If you came here
surrounded by all these women?" thinking you were going to have
And I said: "I'm surrounded by a great deal of fun out of Eddie
Cantor, you are in for a disap-
pointment. With what we have
facing us right now and in the
very near future, it would be a
sacrilege to tell you jokes that
you can hear on the radio every
Sunday night anyway.
I have known of the work that
Four New Names Added to Hadas.sah has been doing a good
many years, and let me confess
the Home's Board of
that I was interested in it super-
Directors
ficially, more to my sorrow. A
month ago I had the occasion to
At the 28th annual meeting of meet two of the most important
the Jewish Old Folks' Home, the Christians in the world. One of
men is the greatest friend
following new members were these
the Jews have had in this cen-
unanimously elected to its board tury—James G. McDonald, and
of directors: Charles Dricker, when I heard what Mr. McDonald
had to say about Germany and
the Jewish youth of Germany,
and when I heard what Westbrook
Pegler had to say, I realize that
I belong right here with Hadassah
and the work you are doing for
Youth Aliyah.
LOOK OUT!
It is not a difficult matter to
frighten you. Every actor should
be able to do that. But I want
to tell you of some of the facts
that perhaps you do not know and
should know. In the last 48 hours
I have been in touch with a gen-
tleman who tells me that when
the Olympic Games are over in
Germany you will see a pogrom
that will make Russia and Poland
look like Sunday School picnics.
That is going to happen. And I
ask you—what are you going to
do about it. The older Jews in
Germany have no chance. They
must die. You cannot save them
no matter how you try. But if
JACOB LEVIN
you have a love for your own
Harry Hyman, H. C. Broder and children, you must save the Jew-
Joseph Bernstein.
ish youth of Germany.
Here we are, all of us gathered
At the monthly meeting of the
board of directors held March 15, at the ballroom of the Waldorf-
officers of the home were unani- Astoria in New York City, and
mously re-elected for the ensuing you feel pretty safe. There were
year as follows; Jacob Levin, presi- many Jewish men and women
dent; Louis Dann, 1st vice-prem- gathered 10 years ago in Ger-
den, DavirOpP01fittirn;'2nd vice- many in - ballrooms 'WM felt just
president; Max Lieberman, treas- as safe as you do now—and I say
urer; Moses Weiswasser, super- to you, look out!
intendent, and E. Korman, finan- WE DARE NOT FAIL!
cial and recording secretary.
The message I give to you I
The complete list of the board want you to take home to your
of directors follows:
husbands. They are too busy
Sidney J. Allen, Maurice Aron- making money to know what is
soon, Joseph Bernstein, Maxwell going on. You women know
L. Black, Nathan Brenner, H. C. about it. So I say, take home
Broder, Ben Cohen, David J. this message. If your husband be-
Cohen, Louis Dann, Anthony lieves in insurance, tell him that
Deutsch, Charles Dricker, Marvin if we fail those on the other aide,
Gingold, N. Goldman, Harry S. God knows what is going to hap.
Grant, Rabbi A. M. Hershman, pen here. This is insurance.
Harry Hyman, Abe Keidan, Judge Anything that you do for the
Harry B. Keidan, Myron A. Keys, Jews on the other side is insur-
Dr. D. Kliger, Jacob Levin, Henry ance for you here in America.
Levitt, Mrs. J. H. Levitt, Moses They are waiting for us, those
Levitt, Max Lieberman, R. Loe- anti-Semitic groups' here and all
wenberg, Gus Newman, David over the world, to see whether or
Oppenheim, Herman Radner, not we fail there. And we dare
Louis Robinson, I. Rosenthal, Eli not fail! I have never felt it
Sachse, Wm. Sandler, Nate S. until the last two and a half
Shapero, Max Schneider, Morris years here. I have had organ-
Schneider, Morris Steinberg, Abe izations threaten me, threaten my
Srere, George M. Stutz, Moses family, call up the people for
Weiswasser. Representatives of whom I work—and frankly, I tell
the Women's Auxiliary of the you I am a little bit frightened.
home on the board of directors I am not going to atop. They are
are: Mrs. Rose Ferar, Mrs. J. H. threatening me for only one rea-
Goldberg, Mrs. H. Wine,
OLD FOLKS' HOME
RE-ELECTS J. LEVIN
PARENTS APPROVE
DEMONSTRATIONS
An Open Letter to Dr. Stephen S. Wise in Which Jacob
de Haas Charges That American Jewish Lead-
Talk Is No Remedy
ership is Bungling Polish Situation
By JACOB DE HAAS
Pleased With Work of He-
brew Schools; First Grad.
uation April 22
(CopeOI"t, 115), Seven Arta Feature Syndicate I
Dear Friend:
A year ago we met at a meeting
of the Z. 0, A. Executive Commit-
tee, where you first made love to
the Peale Zion, and I, to the sur-
prise of critics, ventured the even-
toned forecast that the great pro-
gram then being deliberated upon
as the instructions of delegates to
the Lucerne Congress, would be
rendered meaningless and inept by
the march of events. When I saw
you today surrounded by our aco-
lytes at the typical mass-meeting-
conference of the American Jewish
Congress, at the Hotel Edison, I
was wondering whether you or
any of your colleagues recalled the
brave and ponderous strings of
words in which all of you indulged
less than a year ago. I wondered,
for there was so much of baffle-
ment and the unexpected, to the
orators, in what I heard from
Zionist lips, that the cruelty of
grotesque peered the painful pur-
pose of the meeting. Watching Dr.
Margoshes, I recalled his explana-
tion some two years ago on the
strident character of the anti-
German agitation; "We most
dramatize the news." His aid has
proved unneceiwary, the facts have
long since outrun the frenetic' of
any rewrite man.
Nearly three years have elapsed
since you and your associates set
out to fight Hitler. Less than a
month ago you were telling the
German Jews that they stand up
and fight for their right*. Poor
devils, they have no rights. All
your comings and goings to Wash-
ington, like the journeys of the
American Jewish Committee. and
the delegations of other organiza-
tion', produced zero. Hitler has
Per Year, $3.00; Per Copy, 10 Cents
DETROIT, MICHIGAN, FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 1936
VOL. XXXVII No 45
won. On the very day that I read
your advice to the Jews in Ger-
many I noticed that the Hilts Ver-
ein had started a dozen emigration
offices, and that it was expected
that the emigration to South
America would this year equal
that which proceeded to Palestine
last year.
Look at the Facts
The chapter of German Jewish
existence is closing. The futility
of American Jewish leadership of
every stripe has pranced the world
stage for three years. In the early
dawn—I know you are an early
riser—has this futility and im-
potence never struck you? Has the
consequence of its public expose
never registered on your sensitive
and impressionable mind?
I do not intend this as a rhe-
torical question. I know you as a
Zionist since 1999. I have wit-
nessed some of the storms and
stresses of your ardent tempera-
ment. Do your emotions override
all the facts of life? I ask because,
facing another phase of the great
Jewish deluge today, the misery
and sufferings of the Jews in Po-
land, the same wheezy machinery
was set in motion, the same frayed
sentiments were torn into thinner
shreds, and the same type of tur-
gid resolution, indictment and de-
cision to appeal to ambassadors
and Washington indulged in. I
know it was not intended, the
sense of dull pain was evident in
speakers and audience, but there
was some plain bladder-whacking .
I would not even mention It, ex-
cept that that too had in it the
element of tragedy.
Do you expect to 'thieve any-
( PLUS1 TORN TO /ACM a'
The demonstration lessons in
the various classes of the United
Hebrew Schools which began in
the middle of the month of Adar
will be continued until the latter
part of the month of Nissan. These
lessons give the parents and their
friends a complete picture of the
work done at the schools. The lea-
non is divided into two parts: the
regular work in language, history,
Chumosh, reading, etc., and a dem-
onstration of the special work in
the study of the holiday.
Much time is being devoted in
all classes to the study of the his-
tory of Passover, the manner in
which it is being celebrated, the
whys and wherefores of the vari-
ous symbols and ceremonies, the
proper reading and interpretation
of the Hagadah and the singing of
the Hagadah songs.
The parents who have thus far
attended the demonstration les-
sons have been unstinting in their
praise for the work of the schools
and have asked for a repetition of
such lessons from time to time. It
is felt by the management of the
schools that such projects may be
repeated before each major holi-
day. Many of the parents stated
that while they knew that their
children were doing good work at
the schools and that the children
attended the schools with eager-
ness and enthusiasm. they did not
know the extent of the work cov-
ered by the children in one semes-
ter. They were very mach im-
pressed both by the knowledre dis-
played by the children and by the
holiday atmosphere with which the
rooms were nerrneated.
6-Mile Real Cualeatie•
The graduation exercises of the
euesse TURN TO PAO! I)
Ludwig Lewisohn Selects
10 Greatest Living Jews
The ten greatest living Jews,
the first four of whom rank
as geniuses of the first order,
have been named by Dr. Lud-
wig Lewisohn, distinguished au-
thor and leader of Jewish
thought in America, as the fol-
lowing: Albert Einstein, physi-
cist; Sigmund Freud, psycholo-
gist; Henri Bergson, philoso.
pher; Martin Huber, religious
philosopher; Chaim Weizmann,
chemist and Zionist leader;
Bernard Zondek, gynecologist;
Shalom Aech, Yiddish author;
Stephen S. Wise, religious
leader; Louis D. Brandeis, jus-
tice of the U. S. Supreme
Court; and Arnold Schoen-
berg, composer.
ELECTION APRIL 9
AT SHAAREY ZEDEK
Annual Meeting to Hear Re-
ports; Topics of Pass-
over Sermons
Congregation Shaarey Zedek
will hold election of officers at
the 'annual meeting to be held
on Thursday evening, April 9, in
the social hall of the synagogue.
Reports will be submitted at
this meeting by the president,
Isaac Shetzer; the treasurer, Mor-
ris Blumberg; the secretary, Ar-
thur S. Purdy, and the chairmen
of the standing committees as
well as the presidents of all aux-
iliary organizations.
Passover Services
Large congregations are ex-
pected to attend Passover services
beginning with Monday evening,
April 6.
Rabbi A. M. Ilershman an-
nounces that the topics of his ser-
mons for the first two days of
Passover will be as follows:
Tuesday, April 7, "Four Types
of Jews;" Wednesday, April 8,
"The Passover Hope." Rabbi
Hershman will deliver his sermons
at 10:45 o'clock on Tuesday and
Wednesday mornings, April 7 and
8, and on Monday and Tuesday
mornings, April 13 and 14.
Passover services will commence
at 6:45 evenings and at 8:45
mornings.
Memorial services ,wiil..be in-
ducted at."10:30 o'clock on Tues-
day morning, April 14.
Choir to Assiit Sonenklar
Under the direction of Cantor
Jacob H. Sonenklar, the veteran
Shaarey Zedek men's quartet will
again perform during the Pass-
over holidays.
The first tenor is Harry Cohen.
The first bass is Joseph Cantor,
The second bass is Morris Shat-
zen, and for the second tenor's
(PLEASE TURN TO LAST PAUL,
Discuss 'What Camp'
at Meeting Sunday
Boyd L Walker and Lary Becker
to Address Recreation and
Education Committee
"What Camp?" will be the
question discussed at the meeting
of the Recreation and Education
Committee of the Detroit Serv-
ice Group on Sunday afternoon,
April 5, at 3:30 o'clock, at the
Jewish Community Center, Wood-
ward at Holbrook, in the general
lounge.
"Pointers on Choosing • Sum-
mer Camp" will be given by Boyd
I. Walker, Metropolitan Boys
Work secretary of the Y.M.C.A.
Mr. Walker serves as acting di-
rector of the famous Camp Nisso-
kone at Lake Van Etten, and has
organized a course in camping at
the University of Michigan
A discussion of "The Jewish
Program in a Summer Camp" will
be led by Levy M. Becker, educa-
tional director of the Jewish Com-
munity Center.
NEW ANTI-SEMITIC 1Wineman Is Selected as Chairman
MOVEMENT CAUSES Of Pre-Campaign Efforts for Allied
WORRY IN AUSTRIA;
Concern Among Jews
Clericals Start Drive
for Restrictions
1,31
_
_
_
MAY INVOKE MINORITY
TREATY ON AGITATION
Clarence H. Enggass, Maurice
J. Caplan, Nate Shapero, Israel
.
rumeinocn,
, Maurice
aurice ronsson,
a
Harry Grant, J. H. Ehrlich
Julian Krolik, Joseph Welt his Associate Chairmen
Anti-Jewish Attack Led by
Jesuit and by Vienna's
Vice-Mayor
PETOSKEY-BURLINGAME SITE DECIDED ON AS
LOCATION FOR BUILDING FOR HOME FOR AGED
VIENNA (WNS) — Invocation
of the minority clauses guaran-
teed by the League of Nations
is being seriously considered by
Jewish leaders in Vienna as a
means of dealing with the elk-
hilly-inspired anti-Semitic agita-
tion that is causing serious con-
cern to the Jewish population.
Open appeals for the exclusion of
Detroit Chemist Named
National Leader of the
Friends of New Germany
BUFFALO, N. Y.—(WNS)
—Fritz Kuhn, Detroit chemist,
was re-elected national presi-
dent of the Friends of the
New Germany at a national
convention held here behind
closed doors. Neither press nor
public were admitted to the
convention and none of the
convention's happenings leaked
out.
,
Ground to be Broken and Work Started on New Structure at Spe-
cial Ceremonies to be Held on Sunday, April 19; Conference
of Jewish Organizations Starts Work for the Drive
Preparations for the Allied Jewish Campaign, which will be
conducted from May 12 to 22 for a goal of $323,550, gained mo-
mentum this week with the acceptance by Henry Wineman of the
pre-campaign organization.
Mr. Wineman will be assisted by five pre-campaign teams
which will be directed by the following associate chairmen:
Team 1, Clarence H. Enggass and Maurice J. Caplan; Team 2, Nate S. Sha-
pero and Israel Himelhoch; Team 3, Maurice Aronsson and Harry S. Grant; Team 4,
Joseph H. Ehrlich; Team 5, Julian H. Krolik and Joseph M. Welt.
Irving W. Blumberg has been selected to act as secretary of the pre-campaign
divisions.
Mr. Wineman's acceptance of this important post
otnhee campaign pt elnatec e i se hp!m
of
posi-
Heads Pre-Campaign Organization
For $323,550 Allied Drive's Quota
Jews from Austrian cultural, po-
litical, economic and professional
life have been voiced by Josef
Kresse, vice-mayor of Vienna;
Father George Michlmair, an in-
fluential Jesuit priest; Leopold
Kunschak, head of the Catholic
trade unions and other prominent
figures close to the government.
The financial difficulties of . the
huge Phoenix Insurance Company
are being blamed on the Jews be-
cause M. Berliner, chairman of
(PLEASE TURN TO PAGE I)
SECRETARY ROPER
ATTACKS BIGOTRY
Lauds 'Humanitarian -Work
of National Jewish
Hospital
WASHINGTON, D. C.—Racial
and religious discrimination can
find no place in our national life,
Daniel C. Roper, Secretary of
Commerce, told an audience of
500 people at the Mayflower Hotel
here Sunday night. Speaking at
the banquet honoring the officers
and trustees of the National Jew-
ish Hospital at Denver, here for
the 36th annual meeting of the
institution, Secretary Roper stated
that it was the ability of Amer-
ican citizens to reach beyond ra-
cial and religious lines for the
common good that had been the
foundation of the growth and
progress of the United States.
Urging an ever-increasing rec-
ognition by society of its respon-
sibility for those who do not have
Series of Services Planned as Part of the Program: Con-
gregational Seder April 7; Young People's
Service on April 12
meat of Reform Judaism in this
country. Among its rabbis have
been outstanding personali-
ties, including Liebman Adler,
Henry Zirndorf, Kaufman Kohler,
and Louis Grossman, none of
whom, unfortunately, survives.
Temple Beth El has been a pio-
neer in many movements that have
influenced the congregational life
of America. It was the first con-
gregation anywhere to introduce
the unassigned pew, which was re-
garded as a first step in the dem-
ocratization of the synagogue; a
plan which, bitterly opposed at the
beginning, has now been adopted
by more than 250 congregations In
every part of the land. Recently
it has taken a second step in this
direction In the Institution of the
so-called Detroit Temple Group
Plan. It is a plan which encour-
ages a greater participation on the
part of the members of the con-
gregation than had heretofore been
possible. This plan, too, is being
watched by congregations every-
where, and because of its great
success in Detroit, is likely to be
adopted by many congregations.
Congressional Seder
On Tuesday evening. April 7,
the members of Temple Beth El
(rLasse TURN TO LAIR FAGS)
aged.
Myron Keys presided at last
Sunday's conference which was
addresse, by Kurt Peiser, execu-
tive director of the Allied Jewish
Campaign and of the Federation.
Lauding the efforts of the Com-
mittee of 21, the captains and
workers representing the confer-
ence of Jewish,Organizations, Mr.
Peiser pointed to the manner in
which efforts for the Allied Jew-
ish Campaign have cemented good
will between the various elements
in the community and have led
to greater unity than has ever
(PLEASE TITAN TO LA re Panel
Deadline Is Advanced
For Next Two Weeks
On account of the Passover
Festival, the deadline for all
copy to be submitted for pub-
lication in our issue of Friday,
April 10, has been advanced
to Monday morning, April 6,
at 9 o'clock. All copy received
after that hour will be re-
tained for publication in the
following week's issue.
A similar deadline will be
in force for the issue of
April 17.
tions in the drive, which is to be
conducted under the general
chairmanship of Fred M. Butzel.
At present chairman of the board
of governors of the Jewish Wel-
fare Federation, Mr. Winemaa
has nerved as chairman of Allied
Jewish Campaigns and as preel-
dent of the Federation. He holds
many important national posi-
tions, including membership on
the executive committees of the
Jewish Agency for Palestine, the
Joint Distribution Committee and
the American Jewish Committee.
Old Folks' Home Site
An important decision which
served to stimulate activity on the
part of many organizations in be-
half of the drive was made last
week when it was announced that
the 4%-acre site on Petoskey near
Burlingame Ayes., has definitely
been selected as the location for
the building to be erected this
year for the Jewish Old Folks'
Home.
At a meeting of the Confer-
ence of Jewish Organizations,
held Sunday morning at the
Jewish Community Center, it
was stated that ground for the
new building will be broken on
April 19. Plans will be an-
nounced next week regarding
appropriate ceremonies which
will mark the occasion for the
commencement of work on the
new building and the begin-
ning of the realization of a
community need for an ade-
quate structure to care for the
Jewish
( PLEASE TURN TO PAWN )
85th Anniversary of Temple Beth El
To Be Celebrated April 24, 25 and 26
Beginning April 24 and conti-
nuing through Sunday, April 26,
Congregation Beth El will cele-
brate the 85th year of its exist-
ence. Actually this celebration
should have taken place last Nov-
ember, but for various reasons it
was postponed.
The program contemplates a
series of three services, one on
Sabbath Eve, April 24, when the
anniversary sermon will be
preached by Dr. Leo M. Franklin
who has served the congregation
as its rabbi for considerably more
than a third of its entire history.
On Sabbath morning, an approp-
riate children's service will be held
and on Sunday morning Rabbi
Leon Fram will preach the ser-
mon. Rabbis from other cities in
the atate will also be asked to par-
ticipate in the service. On Sunday
evening, April 28, there will be
held a congregational banquet at
which Rabbi Louis Wolaey, one of
the leaders in the Reform move-
ment In America, will be the prin-
cipal speaker,
Consnannity Significance
The occasion is one not only of
significance to the members of
Congregation Beth El, but as well
to the tarter Jewish cemmunity of
the city. Temple Beth El has played
an important part in the develop-
Jewish Drive to Be Held May 12-22
HENRY WINEMAN
WILL PLAN POLISH
RELIEF ON SUNDAY THE WORLD'S WINDOW
Z. Tygel, National Federa-
tion Secretary, Will
Speak
A conference to plan action
here for the relief of oppressed
and economically suffering Jews
in Poland will be held at the 11'nel
Moshe, Dexter and Lawrence, at
2 p. m. this Sunday.
Z. Tygel, national secretary of
the Federation of Polish Jews in
America, will be the guest speak-
er at this conference which will
be presided over by Harry Wein-
berg, president of the Detroit
branch of the Polish Federation.
A report will be submitted by
the committee ',elected at the con-
ference three weeks ago to plan
relief action. Mr. Tygel will also
be guest of a selected group of
leaders at dinner at Lachar's this
Saturday night.
• • •
POLISH LEGATION DEFENDS
ACTION IN SCHECHITA BILL
NEW YORK. — Assurances
that the Polish Government's at-
titude toward the Slaughter of
Animals Bill now being considered
by the Polish Sejm is that it can
be passed only if the constitu-
tional rights of the Jewish and
other religious minorities are
fully safeguarded, are given in
• letter from Wladyslaw Sokolow-
ski, Polish charge d'Affaires in
Washington, to Dr. Cyrus Adler,
president of the American Jewish
Committee.
The letter of the charge d'af-
faires is a reply to the protest
against the bill pent by Dr. Adler
in behalf of the American Jewish
Committee to the Polish ambas-
sador in Washington. In his let-
ter to the Ambassador, Dr. Adler
pointed out that the legislative
( proposal Involved the observance
(PLEASE TURN TO Loft PAOS)
By LUDWIG LEWISOHN
Thl• column Is copyright by the Seven Art. Feature Syndicate. Re-
production In .101. or in part etrictly forbidden. Aar Infringement ea
this copyright will be preeecuteel.
"PASSQVERTIME"
In the Talmudic tractate of
Pesachim (Fol. 8b) the following
paragraph Le to be read. "In Jer-
usalem there are no fruits as ex-
cellent as those on the shore of
Kinereth in order that the Pil-
grims might not say: 'had we
come only to eat the excellent
fruits, it would have sufficed us.'
For had this been so the pilgrim-
age would not have been under-
taken for its own sake. Similarly
in Jerusalem there are no hot
spring like those of Tiberias In
order that the pilgrims might not
gay: 'had we come only to bathe
in the hot springs, it would have
sufficed us.' For had this been
so the pilgrimage would not have
been undertaken for its own
sake."
The Germans used to say espe-
cially during the war that it was
of the essence of their national
character to do a thing for its
own sake. They were bitter even
then against the Jewish people
for what they called the Jewish
avidity for ZIrock, that is, for
utilitarian purposefulness, for an
arid practicality. Like all ■nti-
Semitic accusations this one Is as
topsy-turvy as life in "Alice in
Wonderland." Of nearly every
anti-Semitic accusation the con-
trary is true. We are accused of
avarice and are prodigel; we are
accused of hanging together and
are disgusting and disastrous
wranglers and brawlers; we are
accused of hard practicality and
are so moon-struck with Individ -
ual theorizing and cliquish party
tenacities that we cannot make
political compromises even when
it is necessary to save our very
lives u witness the secession of
the Revisionists and the anti-Pal-
estine innuendos within American
factions.
But this ideological factional-
ism, though it is three-fourths
atiffneckedness and the self-as-
sertiveness of wounded natures,
is one-fourth an empirical distor-
tion of the divinely high principle
enunciated in the above Gemara
of Pesachim. The pilgrimage must
be undertaken for its own sake.
The command Is unconditioned.
The act must be utterly pure.
Purpose must be by-product; util-
ity must be by-product even as
in art or in any other high human
activity success and effectiveness
must be by-products and perfec-
tion must be the only aim.
This paradox of the moral life,
which Is the Tery core and center
of all life has, of course, been
enunciated by the high spirits of
every civilization. It has been
enunciated by no one oftener
and more impressively than by
our saint. and sages. Over and
over again we hear concerning
the absolute command and the
utter purity of kevama, of inten-
tion, with wh;...h the command is
to be embraced and obeyed.
hun-
every ttars
airetearataafthearvehum-
libera-
tion; in every age Israel has hun-
gered
gered and thirsted after its own
specific liberation. after its set-
ting free from Mizrairn, eternal
symbol of the house of bondage.
And there were times when the
(PLWASt TURN TO LAST P.505)