A merica Awisk Periodiad Carter

5

DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE and The Legal Chronicle

February 23, 1940

Purely Commentary

New York and Jewish Leadership

iting in the Jewish Morning Journal, B. Shel-
vin ,akes an effort to belittle the claims of Dr.

so l, ,,,„ a Goldman, president of the Zionist Organ-
of America, that New York City has
izati
ca p: il«l Jewish leadership in disproportionate
nu mi.ers. Mr. Shelvin makes the claim that New
York did not seek such leadership but that it
natui idly came to the metropolis because of the
size f its population. He is of the opinion that
i ca io , isy plays a part in the claims for a share
in I ,Idership on the part of Jewish communities
outside New York. Also, he excuses New York's
rdliness in contributing to important funds
on .. , 0 ground that the size of the city makes
closr contact among neighbors difficult, whereas
in smaller communities Jews know one another
and have an idea of the wealth of their neigh-
bors. lie adds another argument—that New York
Jews are better informed than those in smaller
communities and therefore better qualified for
leadership.
M r. Shelvin, who unquestionably expresses the
viewpoint of Jcws who dominate over certain
movements in Jewish life, is wrong on all counts.
His argument lacks understanding when he at-
tempts to elevate the genius of New York Jewry's
lead& rs above the ability of men and women in
the rest of the country. It is even poor taste to
dabble in such reasoning.
Ignoring for the present the problems of fund-
raising, which has been a difficult task in New
York City under the most favorable conditions,
the other points in Mr. Shelvin's article deserve
consideration for the sake of the need of strength-
ening. Jewish leadership. The truth is that the
establishment of central offices of leading move-
ments in New York City, due to its size and the
centrality of the Jewish population, created a
priority precedent for that city. As a result, a
dominant group has taken hold of the reins of
such movements and it is difficult for them to
let go gracefully. An examination of delegations
at Zionist and other conventions will at once
expose the existing secret. They are always the
same faces. It is a group that has mounted the
saddle and has refused to dismount. True, many
of these men have rendered yeoman service. But
by their domination they have prevented others
from contributing in service within their abilities.
It is amusing to read a statement that New
York Jews are better informed and therefore
better equipped for leadership. Since when is
there a monopoly on knowledge of Jewish af-
fairs? Are the cables and radios limited to the
Jews of New York? It may interest Mr. Shelvin,
and his friends, to know that Zionists throughout
the land have been deeply disappointed for a
good many years in New York's leadership and
especially in the patronizing attitude they have
adopted. Mr. Shelvin is charitable. He grants the
Jews of America the right to be active as leaders
in regional branches of various movements, but
the chief "plums" he sets aside for the heirs to
the throne.
True, some of the New York leaders may be
better informed about the inner political machin-
ations. But these do not make for justified direc-
tion of Jewish affairs. An excellent example of
the manner in which disproportionate representa-
tion has been carried out in the ranks of the
Zionist Organization of America is the following:
There are four members of the national adminis-
trative committee from Michigan which has a
membership of 993, whereas New York, with a
membership of only eight time that number, has
122 members on the administrative committee, or
30 times Michigan's representation. What better
argument is needed to prove that there ought to
be reorganization?
1)1.. Solomon Goldman should be given encour-
agement in his campaign for reorganization. Let
the country at large take over the reins of the
movement. It will surely help to stimulate the
metropolis to action and to liberal giving in pro-
portion to its size.
•

Life Goes On!

A brief editorial note in the New York Times
a few days ago, under the intriguing title of
"Order Reigns Again", provided effective answer
to those who may continue to believe, very fool-
ishly of course, that any people can disappear
over night simply because a brute chooses to pin
him down under a tyrannical heel. The New York

Timm: wrote:

•

CLIFTON AMUR - CINCINNATI 20, OHIO

German dispatches have assured an attentive
world that order prevails in Prague, or that
al: is quiet in Prague. After more than a hun-
dr(•d years it is a revival of the famous
st..tement, "Order reigns in Warsaw." The
words were used to describe the kind of
order that prevailed in Warsaw in 1831 when
ti, e Russian armies, after nearly a year of
fic:htin g , entered the capital of revolutionary
Poland and proceeded to exact the full price.
The kind of order that reigned in Warsaw
under the armie s of Alexander I of Russia,
the order that reigns in Prague under the
I hie Guards of Heisrich Himmler, is the kind
ro order that gives the definite answer to
th e autocrats and the dictators. It does not
last. The autocrats, their dynasties and their
p, ■ lice systems are with the dust, but the Peo -
ple s upon whom they impose their "order'',
with the knout and the rifle, continue to live.

.1. 1'e Jewish people provides the best proof to

this argument. In every age efforts have been
made to exterminate us. In the course of history,
our members have been reduced. But the people
does not die. The people insists: "Lo Omuth Ki
Echyeh"—"I shall not die but live."
It takes courage to live under the difficulties
created . by existing conditions. But want and
oppression, instead of arousing a desire to die,
more often than not inspire the will to live and
a spirit of defiant courage. We have examples of
courage during the three years of terrorism in
Palestine. At the funeral service for the five
young men who were murdered by Arabs from

By PHILIP SLOMOV1TZ

SHULAMITH SCHWARTZ, ISADORE
EPSTEIN TO ADDRESS AUDIENCES
IN DETROIT FOR NATIONAL FUND

ambush at Kiriat Anavim, near Jerusalem, about
two years ago, the father of one of the murdered
Shulamith Schwartz, who re-
boys uttered the following declaration at the
graveside:
cently arrived in this country as
a special emissary of the Jewish
National Fund in Jerusalem, will
"My son, Moses! You never lived for your-
address a series of meetings ar-
self but for your parents and people. You
ranged by the Detroit Council of
left your studies and career and went into
the Jewish National Fund, begin-
training for Palestine, suffering until you
ning March 11.
reached the land of your hopes, but never
Shulamith Schwartz is a for-
forgetting your parents, and not resting till
mer president of the Junior Ha-
you brought us together here. It is a heavy
dassah for the United States. She
pric e that we pay for the right to live here,
and I have paid it with your life, my only

son. But thousands of your comrades, includ-
in g those you have trained, will avenge your
blood, not with a bloody vengeance, but by
building up the land."

For a bereaved father to speak so courageously
is in itself an act of heroism. It is the type of
faith and courage which helps a nation to sur-
vive. It is similar bravery which will lead to
the reconstruction of the Czechs and the Poles
and the Finns as free and independent peoples,
and to the ultimate triumph of the people Israel.

•
The Shaarey Zedek Library

The Shaarey Zedek Library took on a new
appearance last week by the construction of new
shelves which will provide for placement of addi-
tional 1,500 books. The alterations were done
unceremoniously. Nevertheless, they deserve city-
wide attention.
Although a part of Congregation Shaarey
Zedek, this library has assumed the character of
a community institution. It is used by children
and adults, members and non-members of the
synagogue, and all Jews in the city are welcome
to make use of its facilities.
Furthermore, the reading room of the library
has become an important institution. Newspapers
and periodicals from all parts of the world,
including the most important Hebrew newspapers
of Palestine, are regularly made available to
interested readers. Also, the library is not limited
to English books, and the Yiddish and Hebrew
classics form as important a part of the library
as the books that are printed in the language of
our land.
There is not a book of importance which is
not secured by this library as soon as it appears,
in order that the collection may be kept com-
plete.
Members of Shaarey Zedek, and others who
make use of this library's facilities, owe it to
this institution to encourage it in every possible
way. It would be wise for some Detroit Jews
to assist the library's board with contributions.
and endowments to the library would make splen-
did memorials, or can serve as tributes to the
living. There are few other better ways of aiding
cultural efforts in our city.
•

Isadore Epstein to Speak Here
Feb. 26 and 27

SHULAMITH SCHWARTZ

is chairman of the advisory com-
mittee of Meier Shfeya Colony
in Palestine, the Children's Vil-
lage.
Known as a distinguished writer
and lecturer, Miss Schwartz will
make her first appearance in this
community since her arrival in
the United States.
A native of Brooklyn, N. Y., she
graduated from Barnard College
in 1929. She was elected as a
member of Phi Beta Kappa, and

Take Reservations
for J. N. F. Affair

Rabbi Adler to Address Pep
Rally Tuesday

The Ladies' Auxiliary of the
Jewish National Fund will hold
its third pep rally for the ninth
annual donor luncheon on Tues-
day, Feb. 27, at 2 p. m., at the
Fort Wayne Hotel, Temple at Cass.

One of the Darkest Pages in History

Your Commentator is continuing with the read-
lag of the advance proof of Patsy Ziemer's "Two
Thousand and Ten Days of Hitler," which Har-
pe•'s will publish on arch 21. This 12-year-old
girl has written a powerful story. One of the
most touching chapters is entitled "That Was
Cruel." It describes the youngster's experiences
during the horrible pogrom of November, 1938. It
is a vivid story, and only hearts that have turned
to stone will fail to be moved by it.
Patsy describes the reactions of the students
in the American School which was conducted by
her father in Berlin. Among other things she
relates the following about two of the children
in the school:

"Little Rolf and Fred were twins. They
were six years old. Their father used to be a
very important Jewish lawyer. Their mother
-4ai not Jewish at all. All the kids talked in
whispers about the horrible things that were
happening, and Fred and Rolf heard it, I
guess, because right in the middle of a class
Rolf said to Fred, 'Now I know where daddy
is. Hitler has taken him. Mother said he was
on a trip, but I don't think that is true. Hitler
took o...r daddy!'
"It was terrible. They both cried and cried.
Mother and the other teachers had a hard
time to quiet them because they loved their
daddy very much, and they thought they
would never see him again. We could not
blame them, for being unhappy, I mean, and
crying.
"I think you would do the same."

This is one of many episodes related in the
book which should serve to arouse public opinion
against bestiality. Furthermore, Patsy's father,
who was also a newspaperman in Germany, adds
much valuable information within brackets in ex-
planation of some of the incidents related by his
yo'ing daughter and in relating his own experi-
ences in savage Nazi-Ruled Germany.
Patsy's book is certain to be a best-seller. It
should be in the hands of all lovers of liberty as
a further weapon against tyranny and cruelty.
•

Jewish Heroes and Heroism

Periodicals arriving from Europe give evi-
dence of participation by Jews in every branch
of war service in behalf of France and England.
The London Jewish Chronicle reports numerous
sacrifices, as well as important incidents to show
the loyalty of Jewish subjects in democratic coun-
tries.
it is interesting to note that the two sons of
Dr. Chaim Weizmann, head of the world Zionist
movement, are enlisted in the British forces. The
younger, Michael. is already on active service in
the Royal Air Force. The, older son, Benjamin,
expects to be called for active service as a
member of the Officers' Reserve.
Dr. Weizmann himself has been engaged in
chemical research work and has made important
contributions to the British war cause.
Thus Jews always live and act out of loyalty
to the lands in which they are citizens.

received special honors in Eng-
lish. She is now completing a doc-
tor's dissertation in Columbia Uni-
versity on the subject of the
Biblical Influence on Shakespeare's
Style. She left for Palestine five
years ago where she made her
home and worked with the pion-
eers in the country. While living
in the country, she was also a
teacher, translator and journal-
ist. She is the daughter of the
distinguished American - Hebrew
poet, Dr. A. S. Schwartz, and the
granddaughter of Zvi Hirsch Mas-
liansky, the most distinguished
veteran Zionist orator in the Uni-
ted States. She is married to Dr.
Noach Nardi, Palestine educator.
Miss Schwartz will remain in
Detroit for 10 days. Arrangements
have been completed to address
various meetings during this per-
iod. For further information re-
garding the meetings, please con-
sult the future issues of The
Chronicle.

Isadore Epstein, former na-
tional president of the HaPoel
HaMizrachi in America, and for
the past three years Secretary of
Jewish National Fund Office in
Jerusalem, will visit Detroit on
Feb. 26 and 27. He will address
a series of Mizrachi meetings in
the interests of the Jewish Na-
tional Fund, and will consult with
local JNF leaders.
Mr. Epstein is a brilliant speak-
er, and his present message to
our community is vital to an un-
derstanding of what the Yishub
in Palestine faces during the corn-
ing months and what it needs.
Mr. Epstein is now head of the
youth department of the National
Fund in America.

man, Mrs. Philip J. Cutler, Tyler
4-4350; to luncheon secretary,
Mrs. Morris Snyder, Tyler 4-1039;
or to any of the following divis-
ion chairmen: Mrs. Harry Buch-
man, Tyler 6-8420; Mrs. Samuel
Heyman, Davison 0954; Mrs.
Harry Kraft, Hogarth 8822; Mrs.
Philip S l o m o v it z, University
1-6972. For ways and means call
Mrs .William Mandel, Ty. 7-4644,
Subscriptions for The Detroit
Jewish Chronicle are being taken
by Mrs. Louis R. Lightstone,
Townsend 5-0908. For darling
inscriptions call Mrs. S. M. Per-
lis, Townsend 7-3129. For memor-
iam inscriptions call Mrs. Max
Hayman, Tyler 6-6266. For rum-
mage call Mrs. S. Bagdade, Town-
send 7-2199 or her co-chairman,
Mrs. William Hordes, Townsend
8-1957.
Reservations for the luncheon
may also be made by calling
the co-chairman of the commit-
tee, Mrs. Harry B. Davis, North-
lawn 5062.
Mrs. Julius M. Neiman is pres-
ident of the auxiliary. The re-
cording secretary is Mrs. Isadore
Goodman.

Ira Hirschmann, sales and ad-
vertising director of Blooming-
dale's New York Department
store, is the organizer of the New
Friends of Music concerts that
delight Gothamites on Sunday
nights.

UPHOLSTERING

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MRS. ISADORE GOODMAN

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A fine program has been arranged
for the afternoon.
Rabbi Morris Adler will be the
guest speaker. The Habonim
group will present a puppet
show.
At the second pep rally of the
Ladies' Auxiliary of the Jewish
National Fund, reports of the
various chairmen showed favor-
able progress of their committees
for the donor luncheon which will
take place Wednesday, March 20.
This is the major fund-raising
project of the Auxiliary. Those
wishing to attend should send in
reservations to the general chair-

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