A merica,' lavish Period& Gamer

CUflON VINCI - CINCINNATI 20, OHIO

October I, 1943

DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE and The Legal Chronicle

• • •

SILENCE IS CONSENT • • •

By ELMER BERGER
Director, American Council for Judaism

5

is, it would seem, a leg
perhaps inadvertently in an... ad- to Jewish life is not too small a
area for disagreement, if
such dress at the recent American Jew- matter and we protest against
disagreement is not willf ul and ish
Editor's Note: The following trilicle written by Rabbi EI
Conference. He used these men who have worked themselves
Burger,
e
executive director of the American Council for capricious, but born of con
a hysteria
viction
words.
"Whatever else we demand into
ism such
that they
are led of to national-
say that
Jaism, may be considered highly controversial. Consequently and considered deliberati
on. If of the world. of tomorrow—equal- that for which a world is at war
we shall be happy to give an equal amount of space to those
such disagreement does not
ity of rights, protection of minori-
who may differ with Rabbi Berger and want to answer him
is not sufficient for the Jew. And
our
chances of meeting adeq uately ties , punis
Not in a great many years
hment Jewish.
of criminals—is
It is the some of us believe that the Jews
roles in the past, we are not a the immediate and urgent prob- not specifically
has Jewry needed so desperately
of Europe would ask no more
unified Jewry. We have come from loots for which some IMMED IATE applicati on of the elementary prin. themselves than "the application
the self-searching and critical
solutions
are
possible,
the
ciples
of
democracy
to
the
Jewish
n,
in
many different places. We have
of the elementary principles of
the area beyond such pro blems, people. There is one specific de- democracy"
self-analysis which are the heart
to their lives. And be-
and core of this Holy Day season. been here varying lengths of time. involving speculation abou t the mand we have to make today, be- lieving these things, we believe,
American Jewry has lived through The utter freedom for our people shape of things to come, honest cause Hitler has simplified the
that we have a right, even an
a year of unriValled strife and that has prevailed here has not men should certainly be ac corded Jewish problem . . . and this is too,
obligation to speak.
contention. It faces a future in coerced us into any uniform pat- the right to differing esti mates. the demand to end the anamolous
For it is time that American
Moreover, in this area, b eyond position of the Jewish people and Jews
which it will be called upon to
realized what is at stake in
join with the great Jewries of the tern as other great Jewries of the urgencies and emergencies , we to allow us to live as a normal
this controversy. There is no ques-
past to play the leading role in past were frequently coerced by should be able to disagree with people. " Would we, we ask Mr. tion
of the salvation of Jewish
Goldman, be abnormal if we were
an era of Jewish history of in- authoritarian systems under which mutual respect and regard
demands of the Confer-
c.tabNloe
to
have
the
elementary
principles
life.
The
decent
peace
and
no
respe
definite duration in time. No other they were compelled to live. In
of democracy applied to our lives? ence, for Palestine, were made
Jewry of the world is either pre- the defensive activities of relief world will emerge front men
will not tolerate opinions who And if some of us answer in the upon the insistence that Israel be
pared or qualified to lead in the
other
re-constituted as a nation; that
uncertain days ahead. Enormous and anti-defamation, in the years than their own and who st ek
to negative, have we no right to say Jews can be considered a national-
problems . face us in a year that of the downward spiral, we unite d spawn a world from the see (I s o f "For our fellow-Jews we ask onl
political group in th
the post-war
may produce victory in the war at a level below our natural dif uniformity in thought and a coon.this: Equality of rights and obli- y world.
But
in
American
Jewr
with their fellow-nation-
in Europe. And beyond victory lie ferences. We did not and we can
, WC : gations
I s :
Have we no right to speak out
- have not been able to disagi ce in
still greater problems involving
For Mr. Goldman has joined the against this demand for an un-
the restoration to life and decency not eliminate those differences gentlemanly fashion. During the
e.
certain future? Need we jeopar-
of that continent's harassed and But now, with humble gratitud e past year we have witnesse (1 an issue. What is at stake in the cline
the Jews of Palestine for
driven Jews.
ionalist-non-nationalist d'ff •
we have a right to hope that th appalling scene. Men whos e anx-
once
is
simply
the
*uestion
of
this
demand
by INSISTING upon
iety
for
the
welfare
of
Je
downward
spiral
has
ended.
There
That we of American Jewry
-war
the conflict between Jewish na-
is whether or not in the
should face these Herculean tasks, is still an immediate urgency of beyond question; who have ws
war
gri
tionalism and Arab nationalism?
ourselves less well prepared than rescuing whatever number of Jews of service and thought and e vaetn . wor ld Jews shall say that they Need
we run the risk of dual
we thought, is not surprising. We may be rescued from Europe. But ivity among rabbis and of effort want preferential treatment, above
have and beyond that for which other allegiance, great or small as that
have not been accustomed to the together with all men, Jews to- and leadership and subs tance
men are fighting this war. risk may be, for this insensate
responsibilities of leadership. They (lay see the first, pale streaks of among laymen—such men
Some of us believe that the ap- partisanship for an unproven the-
were thrust upon us suddenly by dawn and victory appearing into been villified, excommunic
ated, plication of democratic principles
the collapse of the rest of the the blackness that was yesterday's persecuted. The mere expre ssion
See SILENCE—Page 8
world. We did not mature into a enervating retreats, We may, if of a conviction becomes "trea
position of leadership. It was we are cautious, hope. It may be and what is supposed to be • I de-
as -
thrust upon us by events of long yet, or not so long, before liberative and democratic sem
world-wide proportions, many of the dawn flushes full in the hea- bly of Jews, indulges in an orgasm
BEST WISHES FOR A HAPPY NEW YEAR
which were beyond the perimeters ven of our hopes. But its promise of bitterness that includes an im-
of our lives. The impact has is there and we, with other men , plicit attack upon freedom of the
stunned us. Unlike the smaller cvnot resist a thought now and press, because a . group of free
communities of Jews which were then as to what shapes and pat- citizens of a free nation see fit to
have a word to say about the
called upon to play such leading terns that dawri o will reveal.
1651 E. GRAND BOULEVARD
It is in their estimates of what destiny of Jewish life in this
viii be found in man's world, so speculative era beyond victory in
01 :8:1 **** 47 :WHX19.4:1-1;H:HX:rixtogl
Ong entombed in darkness and this war. The official "Confer-
tyranny, that Jews disagree now. ence Record" on Thursday, Sept.
There is still no disagreement 2, said, almost gleefully, "All
Le Shone Tovo Tikosevit
about the need for rescue of Jews those in attendance were so thor-
from the last, desperate brutali- oughly wrought up and so anxious
PLaza 3500
d FIERCEST KIND
ties of a disintegrating tyranny. to hear T l i E
0
There is no disagreement among OF DEN NCIATION that they
Jews about the need for relief would hay. listened to a few more
and support of refugees here, or powerful addresses against the
elsewhere. There is no dissent in willful and obscure recalcitrants
Jewish life from sorrow and grief . . . And here an incident oc-
at the naked tragedy of their co- curred which showed that the high
SINCEREST GREETINGS FOR THE NEW YEAR
religionists in Europe. There is no authority of the chairman can
departure in Jewish life from sometimes be overcome. The pre-
the feeling of helplessness and siding officer may be all-powerful
frustration at our inability to but when a delegate can grab
save those Jews—or any men of (sic) a microphone and hold onto
free and valiant spirits still im- it against all objections, he man-
prisoned in Hitler's European ages to pour out whatever he has
2747 HUMBOLDT
fortress. These are immediacies on his heart." It may be open to
WAYNE COUNTY TREASURER
and urgencies. There is not a Jew question whether such a body, so
LA. 1411
anywhere in America who would conducting itself, was qualified to
not agree to any workable plan pronounce the destiny of a free
that would alleviate any of these and dignified Jewish life!
Extends his best wishes to the entire
problems.
But it is to be noted that even
It is when we proceed beyond at that Conference, disagreement
tH:H>triattituaiatte.H;H:ti:ua-0.00-0004 these urgencies and immediacies in Jewish thought today revolves
.Jewish community.
that we begin to disagree. This about the issue of Palestine's
character in the post-war world.
The difference is not unbridgeable
in consideration of immediate ac-
BEST WISHES FOR A HAPPY NEW YEAR
tions that may be realized NOW.
Even the maximal demands of the
Zionists (10 not contemplate any
IN SENDING YOU OUR
immediate establishment of a Jew-
ish state, though the fervency
BEST WISHES FOR A
with which some of them speak
has led some misguided souls to
believe that their words are the
magic wands shaping the destinies
"'RUG
0 le I.'S
of men. When one of the most
prominent of the nationalistic
school completed one of his most
There IS ONE In Your Neighborhood
eloquently worded and orated de-
mands for the establishment of
such a state, one poor, humble
We also wish to announce that
Jewish woman in the spectators'
gallery at this Conference asked,
we will take advantage of the
half hopefully, half timidly, "Does
Le Shono Tovo Tikosevu
Holiday
season to be
that mean that we get Palestine
NOW?"
A Happy New Year
But the Palestinean issue will
not be settled "now." It belongs
to the problems which are only
CURTAINS — PANELS — BED SPREADS
now becoming perceptible in shape
LINENS
in the greying skies of nearing
victory. Disagreement upon the
issue should not alone be re-
spected, but—expected. For the
9030 TWELFTH STREET
settlement of the issue is involved
in a controversy that is almost
Open 9.6 P.M.
Mon. and Sat. to 9 P.M.
as old as Jewish history itself.
Nothing will be injured in the
way of solutions that may be
This is being done to provide our employ-
possible for immediate and urgent
problems. The cry of unity now
ees with a much needed vacation and rest.
upon the nationalist issue has no
We
will re-open
justification if men believe that
the contours of the post-war
world should be- shaped in free
discussion and from honest con-
victions of reputable men.
• Extends Best Wishes for a Happy, Prosperous
American .Jewry has been con-
and Victorious New Year to all Jewry.
fused. It has been led to believe
that it must not oppose demands
for the establishment of a Jewish
state in Palestine because such a
show of disunity will leave the
Jew homeless, unrequited as a
TYler 5.8400
9000 LINWOOD
people at the end of this war.
This is not so. Mr. Nahum Gold-
TYler 4-9775
man revealed what is-at stake

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•

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•

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HAPPY and PROSPEROUS
NEW YEAR

CLOSED

FOR

2

-WEEKS,

SUNDAY, OCT. I oth

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