March 13, 1942

DETROIT

7

JEWISH CHRONICLE and the Legal Chronicle

WE ARE ONE IN
Bnai Brith Builds Loyalty to Jewish Heritage Through Youth Seders
SPITE OF ALL

S

Detroit Scholar Notes
Rise and Decline
of Castes

a

By NOAH E. ARONSTAM, M. D.

h

Editor's Note: The author
this article, Dr. Noah E.
Aronstam, has gained recog-
nition not only in the medical
field but also as a writer of
note, as a linguist, as poet
and novelist. He celebrated
his 70th birthday on Feb. 18.

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ter to eradicate this regrettable
feature and abolish that irra-
tional and unnatural phase of
class and caste distinction from
Jewdom? It assuredly does not
tend to enhance our status to
the outside world; the reverse is
the case. It merely serves to in-
tensify the contempt wherewith
we are held universally.
There are no classes and
castes in Jewry; the Jewish peo-
ple is a nation that historically
disavows such social divisions,
and history has proven how bit-
terly and deeply the Jews have
regretted an attempt at class
formation. Such an attitude must
be decried and regarded as an
act of mimicry and apishness.
There are no distinctions in Is-
rael, for Israel is "a people of
priests—a holy people".

Theoretically there exists no
nobility in Jewry, for the entire
nation fundamentally constitutes
Athena Girls' Club
it "people of priests," and as
such there can be no division—
A meeting of the Athena Girls
at least historically speaking—
Club was held at the home of
into castes and classes. Yet,
Mrs. Betty Bleiweiss on Thurs-
practically, caste and class dis-
day, Feb. 26. Charles Pecher, in-
tinction is unfortunately greatly
structor in citizenship for the
in vogue among our co-religion-
City of Detroit, spoke and dis-
ists. This does not by any means
cussed the many questions rela-
imply sectarianism; merely
tive to preparing for citizenship,
classes and castes, pure and sim-
and the instruction and coopera-
ple in the strictest sense of their
tion given by the schools of the
meaning. In extenuation it may
City of Detroit for those desir-
be remarked that it is not en-
ing same. This was followed by
tirely the fault of the Jewish
a social hour and refreshments.
people. During the long and tire-
The next meeting will be on
some diaspora that drove them
Thursday evening, March 26, at
from one land to another with
the home of Mrs. Esther Burn-
ever renewing changes in en-
stein, 2306 Webb Ave.
vironment and ever arising exig-
State Dept. Shows Funds Raised
encies, they have adapted them-
selves to the latter, and have
by J.D.C. and Hadassah
simultaneously adopted the pe-
WASHINGTON
(JPS) — The
culiarities, and to a certain ex-
two largest Jewish agencies re-
tent at least, the customs and
quired by the nature of their
habits of every nation where-
activities to report their receipts
with destiny has peradventure
to the State Department are the
brought them in contact.
Top left: Some of the tons of annually sponsored by the Bnai of Hillel at Passover functions; Joint Distribution Committee and
The first knowledge of the ex-
Brith Hillel Foundations for below: an AZA group holds its Hadassah, Women's Zionist Or-
istence of castes the Jews have Passover foods being contributed
it is indicated in a
this
year,
as
always,
by
the
450
thousands
of Jewish students who
annual
group seder
as part pro-
of ganization,
derived from the Egyptians, in
AZA
year-round
religious
report issued by the State De-
chapters
of
Aleph
Zadik
Aleph
whose country they sojourned. to needy Jewish families through- cannot go home for Passover; gram. The Hillel Foundations and partment for the period from
Forcibly, we might say, they out the country through local center: this year Jewish soldiers Aleph Zadik Aleph are part of September, 1939 through No-
became conscious of it, and Jewish welfare agencies; top from Army camps near Hillel the national Bnai Brith Wider vember, 1941.
eventually it became a rooted right: One of the many seders units are again to be the guests Scope Youth Service Program.
In that time the Joint Dis-
conception amongst them; for we
tribution Committee raised for
know that traditionally the tribe
relief purposes in belligerent
of Levi was recognized as the inteerity. To the Essenes be- that we hear such terms as Ger- cial and abnormal separateness, countries $4,852,681 and spent
supe•ior and aristocratic one in longed those who renounced man, Polish, Galician, Russian and thus giving other people an for administration $5155,082,
Israel. It was considered as an worldly goods and were expecting and Rumanian Jews; and for opportunity to accuse us of clan- while Hadassah raised $1,644,-
lite tribe. In those turbulent the Kingdom of Heaven and the reasons that seem unfathomable. nishness and lack of unity in our 839, with $83,927 for adminis-
elite
and troublesome times there was
some. arrogate unt• themselves ranks, would it not be far bet- tration.
sonic ground, some justification was
advent
of the
Messiah. Zealots,
There all the superiority of the race,
another
faction—the
anothe
for it. That tribe was really
for reasons that are not exactly
the intellectual representative of who were the sworn enemies of definite and clear to the ordinary
the Jews in Egypt in the pre- Rome, and always incited the observer after duly scrutinizing
Tough as a
exodic epoch. In that tribe there populace to uprisings and re- their relative value. Aside from
hellion.
centered all the spiritual gifts
spiritual
aristocracy,
that
must
Top Sergeant
The Termination of Castes
and accomplishments of the race.
be merely regarded as a form
But whether it was solely self- As time passed on and the of appreciation of the individual,
are these automobile wheel
locks that fit practically
constituted cannot be ascertained Jews were forced into the ad- and which is not peculiar to the
every make of car. One
with precision at the present joining countries of Asia and Jewish people alone, there also
key fits ell four locks and
juncture. Yet suffice it to recall Europe; when Christianity began insinuated itself a distressingly
only your key will open it.
to our minds that the great law- to dominate the bodies and souls, obnoxious and thwarting caste
Defend your precious tires
giver sprung from this tribe. the conscience and convictions distinction that can do nothing
now.—See-
When the Exodus abolished ser- of men, and forced the individ- else but make the gap still wider
HUGO SOLOMON
vility from the ranks of the Jews, der penalty of death and for- and irreconciliable. Why certain
the Lock Doctor
after the extinction of the last feiture, caste distinction came to of our co-religionists boast of
trace of it in the death of the an abrupt termination. And hap- superiority and attempt to desig-
70 E. WARREN
old generation, and when they pily this was a wholesome ter- nate themselves a class sui gen-
Holt y of &It e-In
tipace,
had ultimately found a perms- mination. If any at all existed, eris or so called "Arbiters Judai-
Cell COlumbie 1895
nent abode in the land of Ca- it clustered around the few corum" is a thing that cannot be
for any lock job
naan, this idea of superiority or learned men that made their in- very easily divined. It has been
nobility in the nation was sup- fluence felt throughout Moorish suggested that perhaps their mi-
pressed; at least it lost its primi- and Catholic Spain. A merited nority is responsible for such an
tive character, and blended it- and intrinsically sound aristoc- attitude. Others have contended
self intimately with the national racy then entered Jewish life, that they are actually superior
Dress Up Your Youngsters For Spring ...
consciousness that spurned an in- the only justifiable aristocracy, mentally and intellectually. Other
dividual or tribal supremacy or the n obility of spirit and intel- sources try to credit them with
Buy early and be assured of a complete selection in Coats,
nobility per se, and in time this lect.
hereditary refinement. Yet these
Toward
the
medieval
centuries,
Suits, Dresses, Skirts, Sweaters, Blouses, etc. Due to war
pernicious conception became ob-
various explanations seem rather
when the Jews were thrown into • inexplicable in themselves. Why
solete.
conditions we can't promise re-orders.
utter subjugation, class distinc- certain of our brethren should
The Inception of Castes
Later, however, after the de- tion seemed to have entirely retrace into themselves like tor-
• GORGEOUS PLAIDS
struction of the first and second ceased, to reappear again at the toises into their shells is rather
• 100% WOOL SHET-
temple, when Israel was scat- time of the so-called emancipa- incomprehensible. And instead of
LANDS
tered and dispersed throughout tion during the Mendelssohnian remedying or correcting this
• PASTEL CHECKS
• COVERT CLOTHS
the habitable globe, this dor- era. At that period and after, Jewish social anomaly, we un-
mant tendency was rejuvenated, great mercantile concerns, head- consciously endeavor to strength-
• FINE TWILLS
thanks partly to the ever chang- ed and managed by Jews, made en it by assuming it to be so,
ing conditions and partly also their appearance, and gradually, ipso facto, an unalterable and un-
Sizes
to the influence of Christianity. in the course of time, "a mon ; deniable fact, and by granting it
Rome and Greece furnished the eyed or wealth aristocracy' unhesitatingly and thoughtlessly
I t
1.3:
3-61
/2; 7 14
initiative to class distinction, and sprang into existence. Yet, after significances. We are laboring un-
der
an
erroneous
conception,
un-
the Jewish people were not loath all, the spiritual and intellectual
to imitate it. This period marks held sway over the Jew, for the der a pernicious conception,
the inception of castes in Jewry. educated and cultured were al- when we silently allow such ab-
Imperceptibly it gave rise to the ways respected and held in high surdities as distinctions and di-
establishment of certain political esteem. It is only within our visions amidst us, a supremacy
factions, and we thus gradually immediate present that "caste that is utterly impossible from
Well - tailored Raglan, in
witness the advent of the Phari- divisions" manifested themselves an historical point of view, a
Wool Tweeds, Camel
sees, Sadducees and Assidaeans among us in a morbid and ex- discrimination that only tends to
Cloths,
Shades, Covert
or Essenes, who not merely con- ceedingly unnatural manner, dis- tear the feeble bonds asunder. It
Doubled
and
Single
ip
stituted sects, but in reality sig- tinctions neither justifiable from is indeed deplorable that ,we per-
Sizes
Models.
Breasted
mit
such
ill-usages
to
strike
root
nified political divisions, and the basis of intellectual or high
1-4; 3.6; 7-10.
""4
finally assumed the aspect of a spiritual endowment, but sane- in Jewry. That arrogation of as-
domains
of
hu-
growing tendency towards caste tioned by certain geographical cendancy in all
formation. To the Sadducees be- factors on one hand and afflu- man endeavor by certain co-reli-
longed the wealthy class, those ence and wealth on the other. To gionists, the unmerited aloofness
who stood at the helm of the be more terse, there developed they ostentatiously display, the
government and generally in- amid our ranks an unusual de- snobbishness wherewith they re
dined to Hellenism, favoring its parture towards the formation :)f gard those whom chance has
culture and institutions. To the classes and strata, based solely compelled to hail from other
LADIES' AND CHILDREN'S APPAREL
Pharisees belonged the middle upon the erstwhile nativity of a countries and territories — all
TYler 6-7161
9019.9021 Twelfth Street
classes, a sort of bourgeoisie, the .Jew, supplemented by other fac- these become annoying, to say
real patriots, who scorned con- tors, such as birth, financial the least, if not dangerous to
tamination with the evil influ- standing, social strata, connec- the body Judaic.
ences of Rome, attempting to re- tions, etc.
A Phase to Be Abolisted
The Danget of It
pel them, and thus arduously en-
In lieu of showing such artifi-
It is among American Jews
deavoring to preserve national

-

$195
uup

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