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29th Year of Service to Our State and Nation
Detroit Jewish Chronicle
and The Legal Chronicle
DETROIT, MICHIGAN, FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 1944
VOL. 46, NO. 2
Anti-Semitism in New York
Traced to Indoctrination
I
William B. Herlands Finds Christian Front
And Mobilizers Propaganda Responsible
9.
NEW YORK ( WNS). -- Wil-
liam B. Herlands, Commissioner
of Investigation, reporting on his
investigation of anti - American
and anti-Semitic acts of vandal-
ism and violence in New York
City, disclosed this week in a
170-page report to Mayor La-
Guardia that these acts were not
the result of any conspiracy or
organization, that there was no
group directing or planning them
but that they were largely the
spawn of propaganda and indoc-
trination chiefly emanating from
such organizations as the Chris-
tian Front and Christian Mobi-
lizers.
Mr. Herland's report, docu-
mented with graphs and photo-
stats, cited 31 acts of violence
between September, 1942, and
March, 1943, involving 54 indi-
viduals. Seventy other cases of
violence reported here since
March, 1943, are still under in-
vestigation.
The report, focusing its atten-
tion chiefly on the identity and
characteristics of the offenders
rather than on the nature of the
offenses, disclosed that while the
age of the offenders ran from
9 to 21 years, they averaged 17 1 /
years and were largely juvenile ,
and adolescents. Six of the of-
fenders were girls between the
ages of 11 and 15, and 33 were
school truants. Mr. Herland's re-
port also disclosed that the aver-
age young vandal was emotion-
ally unstable and easily suscep-
tible to the influence and sug-
gestions of adults.
Referring to the role of the
police in the situation, Mr. Her-
lands said that the tendency
among the police has been to
regard these incidents "as boy-
ish pranks, ordinary mischiev-
ousness, and neighborhood hood-
lumism," adding that as a con-
sequence there had been sonic
instances of a lack of vigorous
and prompt action by the police.
Acts Reflect Anti-Semitism
Declaring that the acts of dep-
redation "are not accidental or
fortuitous,' but that they reflect-
ed "anti-American and anti-
Semitic propaganda and indoc-
trination" carried on by "street-
corner orators, by family indoc-
trination, through remarks heard
at school from classmates, by
pamphlets and leaflets, by in-
spired rumors, etc.", Mr. Her-
lands said :
"Vandalism and violence are
not the root of the problem ;
they are only symptoms. They
are a sign of undemocratic, Ull-
American thinking. The vandals
and offenders have been inspired
by the same kind of anti-Ameri-
can and anti-Semitic propagatida
used by the Nazis as part of
their technique of 'divide and
conquer'. Such propaganda orig-
inated in Germany and was
adopted by such domestic organi-
zations as the Christian Front
and the Christian Mobilizers,
among others.
"One of the objectives of such
propaganda was to plant the
seeds of racial and religious hate.
The commission of certain acts
of vandalism and violence cited
Soprano Solo To Be
Sung by Emma Shever
The program for the 19th an .
nual halevy concert which is to
be presented next Sunday in the
Scottish Rite Cathedral of Ma-
sonic Temple promises to be one
See NEW YORK—Page 12
American Council for Judaism
Opposes British White Paper
Beyond Abrogation of White Paper Is Need
For Basic Solution, Declares Rosenwald
PHILADELPHIA (WNS). -- A
declara don by the American
Council for Judaism opposing
t he provisions of the British
White Paper on Palestine that
stop immigration of Jews and
restrict their purchase of land
was made public this week by
Lessing J. Rosenwald, president
of the Council, from its national
headquarters in this city. At the
same time the Council reaffirmed
its opposition to Zionist national-
ism and issued a call to American
Jew s to "organize in strength,
out of deep concern for op-
pressed Jews everywhere, behind
non-nationalistic program to
Concert of Jewish
Song and Dance
At Center Jan. 23
Kurt Peiser to be
Federation Guest
Speaker on Jan. 26
Benjamin Zemach and
Sarah Gorby Artists
To Discuss JDC Work
In North Africa
The joint cultural committee
of the Jewish Community Cen-
ter and the Jewish Community
Council is bringing the famous
contralto, Miss Sarah Gorby, and
the widely-known interpreter of
the Jewish (lance, Benjamin
Zemach, in an original program
of the Jewish song and dance on
Sunday evening, Jan. 23, at the
Community Center auditorium,
Woodward and Holbrook.
The charming contralto, Miss
Sarah Gorby, appearing for the
first time in Detroit, lends her
rich voice to the interpretation
of the spiritual values of the
Jewish folk song, which she pre-
sents with authority and an aura
of poignancy and joy, pathos
and humor. She has traveled ex
tensively throughout Europe and
Asia to gather the material frotc,
which she weaves her magic
songs.
Mr. Zemach makes his offering
with the authority of his years
at the Moscow Habima Theater
and his thorough training in the
various recognized methods of
the dance.
Both artists will appear sepa
rately and jointly in a varied
program of the Jewish song and
(lane:. A small admission price of
25c is charged as the sponsors
of the affair, which is the third
in a series of seven, aim to give
the wide Jewish public of our
city the opportunity to enjoy
See CONCERT—Page 12
"Di Tzvei Brider," An Oratorio by
Noted Composer Jacob Schaefes
By EUGENE FRANZBLAU
Editor's Note : The following is a description of the Oratorio to be
sung by the Halevy Singing Society at their concert, Sunday,
Jan. 16, at the Scottish Rite Cathedral of the Masonic Temple.
The great Jewish writer. J. L.
Peretz (1851-1915) wrote a dra-
matic poem called "By Dem
Fremden Chu per Kiehl" ("Over
Another's Wedding Gown" ) .
The scene is in Warsaw, in a
dressmaking shop. A wedding
gown is being made for a young
and beautiful bride. The floor-
lady urges the seamstresses not
to waste time, to do their work
more diligently. "Tile bride is
the daughter of the rich." she
explains. "and the material is
rare and costly." The girls sing
while they work—songs of la-
mentation and longing. They be-
wail their lot for making wed-
idng gowns for others while they
themselves may never wear any,
because they are low-born and
have no dowry. The scene ends
with one of the seamstresses tell-
ing a story she had heard from
her grandmother long ago.
"Across the sea there once
Halevy to Present
"Di Tzvei Brider"
At Concert Jan. 16
10c Single Copy; $3.00 Per Yee*
stool a small rickety shack . . ."
In this work Peretz deals with
a fundamental social theme in
a very beautiful, poetic Manner.
Jacob Schaefer, the composer
(1888-1836), was attracted to
the problem in this poem when
he heard it read at a Jewish
gathering. It haunted him for
for sonic time. He felt that here
he found the poem he WAS look-
ing for, for his musical compo-
sition he was about to work on.
He finally decided on it and set
it to music, to the most descrip-
tive music which enhanced im-
measurably the value and beauty
of the poem. The music begins
in a narrative style by the basses,
painting the background against
which the story is to develop.
"Once upon a time, there
were two brothers who lived in
at small rickety shack. poor but
See ORATORIO—Page 12
NATHAN BENNISH
of the most brilliant ever given
by that choral group. The fea-
ture of the concert, which will
be directed by Dan Frohman,
will be the complete rendition of
"Di Tzvei Brider," the melodious
oratorio by Jacob Schaefer, to
whose music is heard the words
of the famous poem of the same
name by Isaac L. Peretz. For
this work, the Halevy will have
the assistance of a special con-
cert orchestra of symphony mu-
sicians. Nathan Bennish is the
Halevy librarian.
The soprano solo in "Di Tzvci
Brider" will be sung by Emma
Shever who is pausing in her
home city between out-of-town
engagements to take part in the
Halevy concert. Miss Shover has
made recent appearances in To-
ronto. Montreal and Cleveland,
and is soon to sing in New
York's Town Hall. Of her To-
ronto concert, the Telegram of
that city said, "She is master of
many moods and her platform
poise is queenly in the most gra-
cious sense". The Montreal Ga-
zette said, "Miss Shever has a
See HALEVY—Page 12
Women's League
Sabbath Observ-
ance Rally Jan. 19
The Jewish Welfare Federa-
tion of Detroit has arranged a
special meeting. for Wednesday
evening, Jan. 26, at 8:30 o'clock,
at the Jewish Community Center.
deal with the total Jewish prob-
lem.;
"Beyond the abrogation of the
White Paper," the statement de-
clares, "lies the need for a basic
solution. That solution, we be-
lieve, can come only when there
is world-wide recognition of the
rights of Jews to full equality. It
can come in Palestine only when
the pretentions to Jewish State-
hood are abandoned and we seek
instead freedom of migration op-
portunity based on incontestable
rights and not on special privi-
lege."
In regard to the discriminatory
provisions of the White Paper,
the statement declares : "We of
the American Council for Juda-
ism record our unqualified oppo-
sition to those provisions. In be-
half of the substantial section
of American Jews whose views
on Jewish problems coincide witi,
ours, we petition our Govern-
ment to use its best offices to
prevail upon the British Govern-
ment not to proceed with so
prejudicial and unjost a policy."
Opposition is based on "this fun-
damental fact : that proposals
which exvlude Jews, as Jews,
from right of entry and re-
strict Jews, as Jews, from the
acquisition of land, do violence
to the fundamental concept of
democratic equality and thus to
the very purposes and ideals to
wihch the United Nations are
pledged.
"The American Council for Ju-
daism is dedicated to the view
that Jews, a , religious conunu-
nity, shall have, as of right and
not on sufferance, full equality
all over the world. As stated in
our Declaration of Principles,
'For our fellow Jews we ask only
this : equality of rights and ob-
ligations with their fellow na-
tionals.' This means equality in
See OPPOSES—Page 12
NOTICE
All copy must be in not
later than Wednesday, •
KURT PEISER
Woodward at Holbrook, for a
discussion of the work of the
Joint Distribution Committee in
North Africa, it has been an-
nounced by Abraham Sre re.
president. The guest speaker on
p. m. It must be written
on one side of paper only
and where possible should
be typewritten.
See PEISER—PAGE 12
Excerpts from Eulogy of Jacob Levin
At the Jewish Home for the Aged
Plans are completed for a
mass rally of tile Women's
League for Sabbath Observance
will take place Wednesday,
Jan. 19, at 1 o'clock, at the
By RABBI MAX J. WOHLGELERNTER
Mai Moshe Synagogue, Dexter
and Lawrence. A complimentary Words have lost their mean- trees ; One institution in the old
dessert luncheon will be served ing, and it is seldom that our Yishuv in Palestine ; the Miz-
to members and guests at 1 p.m. characterizations of the deceased rachi rehabilitation fund for the
and the meeting will follow at are unqualifiedly true. But of transplantation of .Jewish chil-
him who lies before u s, s iogu- d•en from Europe into the Home-
2 p. m.
rs. Esther Etk in Mossman lardy honored by this service in land; V and Ha ha tzala h, the res-
will give a book review of a new the very home which he labored cue fund for Torah scholars and
and exciting book. Mrs. Moss- diligently for :about 40 years to religious leaders of the war -
man. who is past president of develop. within the synagogue torn
torn Jewish communities; and
Detroit Junior Hadassah. has a whose traditional forms he zeal- the Home for the Aged, United
wide reputation as a dynamic ously defended, we can say, Hebrew Schools, Yeshivoth Beth
speaker. A dramatic presentation the words of the Pentateuch, Yehudah and Chachmev Lublin
entitled "Kindling the Sabbath "Jacob Levin was a perfect in Our city. These gifts repre-
Lights" will be enacted by mem- man ; his life was wholesome and sent some of the interests of
harmonious." This great outpour- our departed friend in his com-
hers of the organization.
Detroit has witnessed a wide ing of men and women in all munal endeavor.
return to Sabbath observance in walks of Detroit .Jewish lif e i s
Providence decreed that the
tile movement of Jewish bakery a deserved tribute to a character last months of Mr. Levin's life
and grocery stores closing on the as spotless and clean as the tart , he spent in the institution which
Sabbath. In the past two months Mr. Levin was in personal ap- he founded, and where he served
t 5 grocers in Jewish neighbor- pearance.
as president from its inception
Only a' few days ago Jacob to the very day of his death. He
hoods have closed, in addition to
20 bakers. Women arc urged to Levin asked on to help him in was no figurehead in caring for
implement this return to the the distribution of several hun- the comforts of those who, un-
Sabbath by doing their shopping dred dollars which his children like himself, depended upon the
before Shabbos. All women are presented him with on the occa- community for the creation of a
urged to attend this large mass sion of his 83rd birthday. In- proper home in their old age. He
meeting and to hear the report eluded in these gifts were th" was as solicitous about adminis-
of the great progress which has following causes : Yaar Revel of
See LEVIN—Page 12
the Jewish National Fund, 104
been made.
which