A mericam ,fewisli Period cal Cotter

May

DETROIT JEWISH

3, 1940

P urely Commentary

Drop in German, Rise in Hebrew

Here are sonic interesting statistics which have
considerable bearing upon the reaction to Nazism
ing
in this c ountry:
the sixth consecutive years, or ever
For
since the rise of Adolf Hitler, the study of
German has dropped in the New York City

ystem. Today the enrollment in Ger-
school s
50 per cent less than it was in 1934.
man i s
Figures for the foreign language depart-
the city schools were made public
ment of
Dr. Theodore Huebener, assistant director.
by
of March 15, there were 146,199 boys and
As
languages. A year ago
g i r l s taking foreign
umber was 150,527. Greek grew from
the n
46 to 58 stts.
While German steadily lost, and now has
only 11,517 enrolled students (compared with
22,550 in 1934), Spanish, Italian and Hebrew
were the big gainers. French, as usual, led in
popularity, Latin is just about holding its
o wn with 20,190 students.

Those who remember the similar reactions to
the study of German during World War I will
recognize in these figures a resentment against
bigotry and persecutions. It is unfortunate, of
course, that a language as rich in literary values
as German should suffer for the sins of the peo-
ple speaking it. But it is natural that this should
be the result. On the other hand, the increase in
the study of Hebrew and the popularity of
French indicate that Jews are becoming more
interested in Jewish values and that Americans
generally arc leaning towards the libertarian
aiedia.
•

Moshe Smilansky Exposes Land Edict

5

CHRONICLE and the Legal Chronicle

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

soon be produced-a set of book ends with Jew-

isli symbols.

U. OF M. HILLEL TO OBSERVE
ITS BAR MITZVAH ON MAY 19

Irving Zeiger Named Assistant Director; Jerome Meck-

Mr. Meites deserves commendation for sponsor-
lenburger of Detroit Named President
the creation of these art objects. But the best
way of showing appreciation is, of course, by
Thirteen years of IIillel Found- cil, Jerome Mecklenburger, '11,
encouraging the sale of these art objects and by
Il i, the Hniver- of Detroit, was named president
creating a market for them. Two things' are thus ation's existence
accomplished: the bringing of Jewish symbolic sity of Michigan will be cele- for the coming year; Theodore
art works into the Jewish home and the assist- heated at a Bar Mitzvah banquet • Leibovitz ' '10, of Detroit, vice
ante given at the same time to their creators, to be held May 19, at the Michi- p resident, and Jean Tenofsky, 41,
gun Union in Ann Arbor.
the, vish refugees.
Principal speaker of the eve- of Goshen, Ind., secretary.
It is well to take into account the approaching
Mecklenburger is president of
gift-giving period on the occasion of Shevuoth. fling will he Rabbi Lemi Feuer
of
the
Collingwood
Avenue
Tent-
the
new Hillel cabinet, which
The "Torah Tablets," ''The' Old Folks" and the
artistic book ends will make beautiful presents pie of Toledo, O. Awards for out- sponsors interrelation of Jewish
to confirmants and to consecrants. Mr. Meites and standing Hillel work among un- sororities and fraternities on
his staff of workers should be given the encour- ions and seniors will be made, campus, and has participated in
they are each year at the the Reform Service at the Found-
agement they deserve by the widespread use of as
spring banquet. ation. Leibovitz has held the po-
these artistic figures for personal use and as
Re-
The annual service award will sition of chairman of the Re-
tokens to friends.
also
be
presented
at
this
time
to
ligious
Committee.
Jean
Tenofsky
•
the organized group which has was e:hairmanof the Publicity
A Movement for Zionist Reform
cooperated best with Mlle!. This Committee during the past year.
Columnist Ben Mordecai of the Boston Jew- cup has been won for the past Council membership elections,
ish Advocate has launched a crusade for house- two years by Alpha Epsilon Phi. at which 220 members voted, put
IN inner of the Wiled scholar- the following students on the
cleaning in the Zionist Organization of America.
Throwing his support squarely to Dr. Solomon ship and appointee to the Hillel board: James Frankel, of '41, of
Goldman, national Z. 0. A. president, whose re- hostessship '1%11 I also be announced. Chicago, Ill; Martin Dworkis, '40,
organization plan is a matter of dispute at this Jerseys will he presented to lead- Of Brooklyn, N. Y.; Jean Tenef-
time, Ben Mordecai analyzes the existing situation ing athletes who have competed sky, '41, of Goshen, Ind.; Shirley
in the Foundation Intramural Touhus, '-12, of Chicago, Ill.;
in the following statement!
sports program. Helen Bittker, '42, of Rochester,
is t lie rank and file of members of the
1111 ■
to t he
President Alexander G r a n t N . Y.; Ben-Zion Gottlib, '40, of
Zionist Organization of A ineririt so indifferent
t int;
Ruthven will be a guest of honor Flint, Mich.; Marcia Wilk, '41, of
great battle Dr. SI■loision 601111111111 1111% 1110'0
up for a Nei, Deal in American 'sin'? It seem,
and will deliver a short address. Detroit, Mich.; Laura Katzenel,
Mitt Ow masses are colonic( ely uninformed regarding
of
of Newark, New Jersey; Bet-
Zeiger Named Assistant
Dr. Goldman , . plaid his int en( ions, or t lie forces in
111111
Grant,
'43, of Oil City, Pa.;
which are olast meting him. Only here
Zionism
Irving Zeiger, '41, of Cleveland, tY
Of t he bureau-
.
I here in t he illalish press do tools
O., has been appointed assistant Herbert London, '43, of Cleve-
cratic Zionist machine hurl ins rel ict at him, im-
to the director of the Hillel land Ilgts., 0.; and Sidney Stein-
pugn his character and integrity and sling mud in a
i 0 , 1000 reminiscent of old Tammany polities.
Foundation for 1910-1941. He will hart, '41, of Buffalo, N. Y.
m submitted it Re-
'some mont lis ago Dr. Goldman
ided
bP
replace Ronald Freedman of Wau- The list continues with: Theo-
organizat ion Plan which may con. enient
oiling
w
ill,
the
coonlinat
ion
(f
s,
that
into two so ion
kegan, Ill., who is accepting a dote Leibovitz, '41, of Detroit;
of Zionist tali% ity among - he miaow( Zionist part ies
fellowship in sociology at the Jerome Mecklenburger, '41, of
and organizations in t his count ry, perhaps along I Ile
Detroit; Shirley Silver, '42, of
IOW, of a colt rid Zionist Federation, and I hat dealing
University of Chicago.
wit internal reorganizat ion of the Z. 0,
At recent elections of the Uni- Chicago; and William Simon, '41,
There ha. been fit le genuine disagreement w it It
t he plan to promote t he coonlinat ion, inasmuch as
versity of Michigan Hillel Coun- of Springville, N. Y.

"British Land Edict for Palestine Exposed" is
the title of a pamphlet issued by the Jewish
National Fund of America. The by-line on this
pamphlet, carrying the name of Moshe Smilan-
s ky, gives this brochure great significance. Mr.
Smilansky, now on a visit in this country, made
Palestine his home for 50 years. With Joshua
Chankin he stands out as one of the great au-
thorities on land problems in Eretz Israel. With
Chankin he ranks among the men best informed
on Arab-Jewish problems.
In the J. N. F. pamphlet Mr. Smilansky ana-
lyzes the latest land restrictions and shows that
in spite of the drastic laws incorporated in Mal-
colm McDonald's cruel White Paper, an area of
1,500,000 dunams-equal to all the land now
possessed by Jews in Palestine-is still available
to Jewish purchasers without any restrictions
whatever. Mr. Smilansky shows that 300,000
Jews can be settled on such a tract of land, and
he indicates that an equal number can conic in
to build an industrial life in the Homeland when
a sufficient amount of land is redeemed for
agricultural purposes.
Mr. Smilansky's resume of the land situation
is of great significance. Supplemented with facts
and figures to show the validity of Zionist claims
that Palestine can be the Jewish National Home,
and pointing out that Arab-Jewish friendship is
not a myth, unless German money foments dis-
turbances as it did in the past four years, this
fascinating Palestine Jewish leader renders a serv-
ice with his expose. In a sense it is a serious
rebuke to the British for their constant betrayals
of sacred trusts to Jews.

•
' Legend of "Dispossessed Arabs"

Mr. Smilansky disproves the legend of the
"dispossessed Arabs." He shows how their num-
bers have increased as rapidly as that of the
Jews, because of the prosperity brought to the
land by our pioneers. Ile points out that even
with the increased population the surface has
not been scratched and there are untold oppor-
tunities for expansion and greater development.
He quotes the following figures to show the great
agricultural upswing in the years between 1922
and 1938:

Cereals: In 1922, 170,000 ton; in 1938,
280,000 ton.
Olives, granes and various fruits: In 1922,
30,000 ton; in 1938, 90,000 ton.
Vegetables, In 1922, 34,000 ton; in 1938,
220,000 ton.
Tobacco: In 1922, 341,800 kilo; in 1938, 2,-
504.200 kilo.
Citrus: In 1922, 830,000 cases; in 1938,
15,000,000 cases.

CLIFTON AVENUE - CINCINNATI 20, OHIO

somet ling of t his sort bas long since beam urged,
cr not er, request ed by the Zionist Congresses. Bait
he hiller 1510 of Dr. thalthinin's plan, seeking II/
Is SIIIIIIII-1111 ill t lie Zionist Organizat ion
promote
of America, and wrest cont rol of it from t he hand-
ful of men w ho hoc e clutched it fur he past 20
year., is meet ing w it the t igorons of objec-
t ion. read 'I he New Palest ine, official Z. 0. A.
hink that t lie entire Rcorganizat ion
organ, oat %%011111
Plain has been amnia ed, and t but only a minor mai-
ler of internal business remains to be cleared up.
This minimizing- of a and internal problem should
ille a n d it S
Deese to indicate w here The New Palest
editors, t he Edgar Bergen and Charlie Iclart
act, stand, and also gist some idea of the problems
tr. Goldman has to antifraud.
10111 Itpposit ivu hick I
There is going to be at contention of t he Z. O. .%.
at
t
lie
end
of Jane. and 16011e lint. are
in Pittsburgh
already being draw au for t finishing out of these issues.
It would be w ell that the masses of Zionists, 011i Side
represent
New Vorla City, t he delegat es IN 110

Ili

them, should be informed of t he actual state of affairs,
and t he genuine nerd for reform..
tto the surface it appears t hat t lie Z. (1. A. is a
democnit icallx sansei' ed lam!), responsible to its 'in-
land com oil w here t he masses become art iodate.
t he present set dip!
la el 10111:
111• are informed hat t here are today 52,000 mem-
bers t he Z. O. A.. of II hom about 1200 are in
Xlainhat tam Yet t he Atliminist rat e Commit tee, which
lot e Zi ,,,, adratirs, consist s of a
has I lie ilecisit e
membership of some 2 111, of w Idyll 63 represent 311111-
Members. Worse y et, Greater
111011111'S 1111111 . l':11111
he
0,1001 members, has 122 on
orla, w it
N ew
w it It t he
Administ rat he COMMittee. Cont rust t
t
lie
remaining
11,000
111(1 odd members represent
t he country • 1 'miller it should be kept
in t he rest
are held
all meetings of t he committee he
in mind t
actual
East, 11111% ill ell I% el
int he
t
lie
count
ry.
representation from of her part s
• members of t lie
we
learn,
how
et
er,
t
hat
s
X%
e sub% rations Iron I lie Z. 0.
organization who
in its polities,
a personal interest
0101 thus 1111%e
committee
which is supposed 10
try
I be
sere
e begin to see he glim me ri g of a
employ them,
"root rot" and t he reason for it Add t he sons, broth-
er., uncles Mid a fen friends, who likewise sera e,
as the result of an unprecedented nepotism, perhaps
legal in form. though not in ethics, and we see that
it mere t lairt y or fort) people are in a no.it ion to
control, ton.oint el), I lie affairs of t he Zionist Organ-

Ensure Their Chances of Success

Children of early school age, or even younger.
reach their late 'teens and early twenties almost
before one knows it. Then comes the day when
a college or higher technical education is neces-
sary. Why not make sure now that funds for
their education will be ready when needed?
I will be glad to show you how it can be done
in a simple practical manner.

HARRY MMELSTEIN

1512 Union Guardian Building

Telephone -

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al II,
. 01111 , k
subsen feat t o 11011, s0 that Ile 104
t% e lam e
the maw ement.
t he 11110theil11 dictator of
hail.s liven cancerous on I he bank) of
a .et-up
American Zionism for too long. This is but one phase
of t he internal reorganital ion la hich Dr. lioldnian
hopes to amide% e. Arad MOO , . the Zionist. Of .%torricit
are imbeciles, or silly sent imentalist s, they are going
to make liemselt is heard alt the next convent' , and
once and for all break I he burealieracy w !deli el111 -

GET IN TOUCH WITH

Jack Al kon

sitter, itself too holy to be oil icize.d

It is clear that Ben Mordecai is still young
and that he does not know that there have been
reform movements in Zionism before; that there
were similar calls for house-cleaning ( Zionist
abuse of office-holding is not as extensive as
people would imagine; nor are Zionist salaries
Facts and figures speak louder than words. The as high as those in other movements) ; that in-
variably the so-called old-guard returned to power
multiple facts contained in the J. N. F. brochure
carry with them an impressive argument against because it happens to be the most willing to work
deeply tooted ideologically in Zion-
all the charges of propagandists-British, Arab and the most
.
s devotion.
alike; for the Nazis
have played i
a
and
G
Germ
Nevertheless, we are as one with Ben Mor-
leading role in disrupting, friendly relations, and
the British failed to discurage those who inspired decai in a desire to see improvements in the Z. 0.
A . , to have the personnel strengthened and the
disturbances and murders.
Jewish effort has been responsible for economic weak spots cleared, Dr. Goldman was elected on a
progress, for elevating the standard of living of pledge to strengthen the organization. It is un-
fair to charge him with having started his clean-
the Arabs, for an increase in the population, for
the enrichment of the lands surrounding Pales- up work too late. Ile spoke of it and undoubtedly
planned it for some time. It is possible that
tine. Jews and Arabs can and will live peace-
v together-if only the British administration even his plan is faulty ; but it is at least an ef-
fully
fort at improvement and he should be given all
will cease disrupting amity.
the support that Zionists can muster.
•
This column has long ago promised support to
Bring Jewish Art into
Jewish
Homes
f the
Chicago
Jewish Dr. Goldman. It is good to have Ben Mordecai
e ditor o
H. L. M e itcs,
Chronicle,
who also holds the important post as an associate in the movement to support Dr,
of superintendent of the Bureau of Water of Goldman's
program.
But it is
more than a question of support for
the Department of Public Works of Chicago, has one's leader. It is a matter of eliminating once
set
out to ancestral
introduce
into by
Jewish
homes the
the manu-
spirit and for all time the lethargy that exists in Jewish
of their
faith
sponsoring
facturing of Jewish art objects. Refugees from national movements. We must build a thinking
Germany who had experience in the making of and an acting constituency. The movement suffers a
sacrifice s its rights to
impressive clay objects depicting Jewish char- when the constituencya nti permits
em to d o a ll
staff of paid k
asters and symbol s a re making these articles, and the.
thinking for them-the raising of budgetary
mr. Meites has undertaken to distribute them
requirements being the price for complacency
without profit.
Two sets of such art objects have already been which disposes of the need for action based on
and
thought.
produ ce d_ a "Torah Tablet" and a pair of "Old conviction
There is
danger
of an overdose of self-satis-
Folk
s " a patriarchal man and a pious woman.
faction lulling Zionists to sleep. Dr. Goldman asks
Both.'
great interest wherever
hav
e attra cted
eY sets
were
displayed
and there is promise of a for action against such a mental drug.. Ile should
they
large demand for them. In addition, Mr. Meites be given the required support in carrying his
now informs us, another set of art objects will program into effect.

Randolph 0446

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