September 19, 1941

A

DETROIT jf.WISH CHRONICLE and the Legal Chronicle

Happy and Prosperous New Year to

A Year in the Life of American Jewry

Bird's-Eye View of Events and Trends

By JACOB FISHMAN

EDITOR'S NOTE—In broad strokes, the distinguished newspaper
editor and news analyst review the year 5701 in the history
of Jewish life in America. Probing beneath the surface, he
summarizes the situations and the personalities which stand
out in the 12-month period.

There are three primary ap-
proaches to an interpretation of
a year's events in the history of
the Jewish community : one is
concerned with the internal con-
structive life of that community
expressed in terms of cultural,
religious, communal growth. An-
other is related to the internal
problems of mutual adjustment
within the community of diverse
points of view and personalities.
The third involves the relation
of • the Jewish community in
America to its non-Jewish neigh-
bors. There are overlappings in
the three fields—but generally
speaking, they cover the broad-
est phases of the situation.
Internally, Jewish life in
America has been dominated by
events abroad. This was inevi-
table, considering that 10,000,-
000 Jews, constituting the phys-
ical and cultural center of Jew-
ish life, were involved. The de-
struction of Poland, the conquest
of new territory by the Nazis
during the past year, including
the Balkans and Greece, as well

as the invasion of Russia, over-
shadowed a n y developments
within the American-Jewish com-
munity itself. All .plans and pros-
pects seemed to be linked, as
indeed they are, to the outcome
of the struggle in which mankind
is today engaged. Where there
is a mood of hopefulness that
Hitler will ultimately be de-
stroyed, positive, constructive
Programs are possible. Where
there is an atmosphere of anx-
iety or futility, , -there is a con-
sequent loss of moral energy
and physical ambition, with con-
sequent effect upon the Jewish
enterprise involved.

I.

If I were asked to describe a
few, of the more important
events of the year in terms of
which American-Jewish history
could be understood and anal-
yzed I should cite the following:
(1) The effectuation of the
Selective Service plan and the
induction into the army of thou-
sands of young American Jews,
with the resultant effects upon

Best Wishes for a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

Black's Tire 8 Battery Service

GOODYEAR TIRES and BATTERIES

644-46 E. Michigan

Phone 5088

JACKSON, MICH.

Best Wishes for a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

REGENT CAFE

JACKSON'S LEADING RESTAURANT

COMPLETELY AIR CONDITIONED

"APPROVED"

215 OTSEGO, opposite Post Office

JACKSON, MICH.

Phone 9455

SEASON'S GREETINGS AND BEST WISHES TO ALL

PATIENCE - MONTGOMERY.
FUNERAL HOME, INC.

A Home of Service — Day - Ambulance - Night

406 FIRST ST.

JACKSON, MICH.

PHONE 4133

ROSH HASHONAH GREETINGS TO ALL

AMPCO TWIST DRILL CO.

Manufact seers of

High Speed Twist Drills and Reamers

811 BELDEN

PHONE 8188

JACKSON, MICH.

1

the Jewish community in terms
of home and communal prob-
lems;
(2) The diminution of con-
crete evidences of anti-Semitism,
bound up with the campaign
against subversive activities;
(3) The effect upon families
here and on refugees abroad of
a chain of rulings by the State
Department which culminated in
the decision to issue visas only
in 'Wahsington and thos6 'only
to prospective immigrants who

Best Wishes for a

HAPPY NEW YEAR

from

JOHN O. GILBERT
CHOCOLATE CO.

Jackson, Mich.

17

All . . .

Jackson, Wichigan

creation of inter-racial and inter-
religious hatred one of the chief
weapons of the sabotage of the
national defense effort. Several
years ago it was reported that
800 organizations were in. exist-
ence with the sole purpose of
spreading anti-Semitism in Amer-
ica. Since all or most of these
are mushroom or fly-by-night or-
ganizations, it is not possible to
have an accurate count of their
number today. But that they
have been decimated during that
period is evident to any observer
of the American scene.
Although Social Justice is still
sold on street corners it has lost
its influence in public opinion.
Also, Father Coughlin was not
heard on the air during the past
year.
Influence of Columnists
Hypersensitivity is not always
lacking among Jews, so that it
is possible to magnify beyond
reality individual incidents that
may arise. After the early part
of the year General Hugh John-
son, who has been guilty of
many instances of indiscreet 'ref-
erences to Jews—to characterize
it only in the most modest way,
did not return too frequently to
criticism of the Jews. He had
intimated prior to the campaign
and expressly stated during the
election period that Jews were

JACOB FISHMAN

Season's Greetings and Best Wishes

could prove they we, e leaving
no relatives behind in Nazi Eur-
ope;
(4) The adoption by New
York, and subsequently by other
communities and States, of the
release-time program for relig-
ious education of children on
school time;
(5) The organization of the
Jewish section of the British
War Relief Society;
(6) The dissolution and re-
constitution of the United Jew-
ish Appeal;
(7) The withdrawal of the
American Jewish Congress from
the General Jewish Council and
the resultant effect upon the
morale of the Jewish community
as a whole;
(8) The fundamental clash
on the proposal of the 'Council
of Federations and Welfare
Funds to estabilsh a National
Budgeting Committee.

Pete's ..
Radiator Shop

Anti-Semitism

In the fall of 1940 anti-Semi-
tism was projected as a public
issue in connection with the
Presidential campaign: The usual
attacks upon Jews active in the
New Deal and upon President
Roosevelt for his disregard of
racial origins in selecting ap
pointees were noticeable in the
campaign literature. Wendell
Wilkie, Republican nominee, em-
phatically rejected at the very
beginning of his campaign any
association with anti-Semites or
any support from them. This
record of liberalism in relation
to American political and civic
life he has strengthened in the
ensuing year.
In the campaign, men who had
anti-Semitism even as an indirect
plank . in their programs were 1.6-
jected at the polls. An asso-
ciate of Father Coughlin run-
ning in Michigan was decisively
repudiated. Joe McWilliams,
who has received a great deal of
public attention because of his
Yorkville harangues, was also
easily disposed of by the voters.
Congressman Thorkelson of Mon-
tana, who was the first to use
the Congressional Record as an
almost daily bible of anti-Jewish
diatribes, was returned to private
life by the electorate.
Anti-Semitism as the bulwark
of numerous organized societies
of intolerance has steadily lost
ground, at least for the time
being. The causes are varied.
Primarily, however, the chief one
is the recognition by the Amer-
ican people that anti-Semitism
is merely - another device which
imperils the country by dividing
its inhabitants.
Launched as it is upon a pro-
gram for the destruction of Hit-
ler and Hitlerism, the American
government took - various steps to
curtail and _extinguish all sub-
versive activities, among which
anti-Semitism has always taken
a leading place. Thus, the Fed-
eral Bureau of Investigation has
performed an outstanding serv-
ice in its discovery of those
gropps which have made the

PETE DENICK
Radiators—Rebuilt, Repaired

700 N. Park
Phone +675
Jackson, Mich.

for the President because they
were in favor of war. Subse-
quently he retracted. these obser-
vations.

The influence of the columnists
who reach millions of readers
cannot be minimized. West-
brook Pegler's interpretation of
the American scene has included
some programmatic statements
which give alarm to all who have
a certain conception of the mean-
ing of democracy. One of the
Pegler campaigns during the
year was his series of columns
advocating second-class citizen-
ship for the foreign born or for
the barring from citizenship of
any except those born on Amer-
ican soil. The normal conception
of America as a melting pot of
races and religious out of which

See FISHMAN—Page 18

Rosh Hashonah Greetings

Chapel Electric
Service Co.

R. R. ALDERDYCE
Commercial and Industrial
Contracting
Motor Rewinding—Service

111 DAMON
Phone 2-7104
Jackson, Mich.

Happy New Year to All !

Lakeside Dairy Co.

HENRY STERNKOPF

2014 Tyson
Dial 4244
Jackson, Mich.

Rosh Hashonah Greetings to Our Jewish Friends

MODERN LAUNDRY CO.

Most Up-to-Date Laundry in Jackson

We Specialize in

FINE CURTAIN WORK--COMPLETE FAMILY SERVICE
1701 WOODBRIDGE
PHONE 8196
JACKSON, MICH.

ROSH HASHONAH GREETINGS TO ALL!

Prestler Roofing 8 Shingle Co.

"Jackson's Oldest Roofers—Established 1908"

PHONE 2-2344

JACKSON, MICH.

902 E. MICHIGAN

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

SEARS ROEBUCK and CO.

Everything for the Family, Home and Car

287 West Michigan

Jackson, Mich.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

Schafer's Odorless Dry Cleaning

WORKING FOR A STANDARD—NOT A PRICE .

225 SOUTH MECHANIC
■ JACKSON, MICH.

DIAL 4174

ROSH HASHONAH GREETINGS TO ALL!

REYNOLDS SPRING CO.

MANUFACTURERS

Water and Bridge Sts.

JACKSON, MICH.

Phone 2-8161

