Distinguished Portrait
EDMOND DE ROTHSCHILD, By
Isaac Naiditch — Washington,
D. C. Zionist Organization of
America. Price $1.75.
focusing point of Edmond de
Rothschild's drawing room and
study.
Amid heavy solid tomes, how-
ever meritorious, it is a relief
and a joy to come up a brief
book that brims with life. Mr..
Isaac Naiditch, veteran Zionist
and one of the founders of the
Keren Hayesod, probably fell
quite naively upon the delightful
form into which he cast this book.
But it happens that from 1919
to the death of "Baron," Mr.
Naiditch turned himself, as it
were, into the Baron's Boswell.
He recorded the living words
concerning Palestine and the
Zionist issue and cause uttered
over many years by Edmond de
Rothschild. The result is a por-
trait of the utmost pointedness,
distinction and charm — a book
that tells us more and tells that
more better than a long and hea-
vily documented record would
have done.
Mr. Naiditch's great point is
that, within the limitations of his
age and station, Edmond de
Rothschild always was a Zionist
and not a mere philanthropist.
Despite his great age he followed
the intellectual curve of his time,
assumed the Honorary Presiden-
cy of the Jewish Agency in 1929
and finally wrote that open let-
ter of fiery protest to the Lon-
don Times which marked the cul-
mination of his career not as a
philanthropic pro-Palestinian but
as a Zionist and co-founder of
the Jewish State to be.
But that is the virtue of art,
however simple, as contrasted
with research, however earnest,
Mr. Naiditch has admirably en-
abled us to see and feel the
character and very lineaments of
a man of the rarest goodness and
the clearest vision, a man of ex-
traordinary beauty of character
and of steady devotion to the
highest ideals and purposes with-
in his sphere. Of how many men
in all history can as much be
said?
Mr. Naiditch has achieved a
beautiful culmination of his Zion-
ist career through the composi-
tion of this small book and the
Zionist Organization of America
has done wisely and well to pub-
lish it.
The translation by Mr. M. Z.
Frank is worthy of all praise and
even more to be commended is
the translator's wise and acute
preface on the Rothschild family
and the contrast between its
true character and its mystic
reputation in the world.
LUDWIG LEWISOHN.
Meeting With Herz!
Nor was Baron Edmond uncon-
scious of that fact. In a fascinat-
ing conversation with Mr. Nai-
ditch, he narrated the story of
his meeting with Herzl, his not at
all unintelligent objections to
what seemed to him the danger
of Herzl's immediate techniques
and ending with admirable re-
mark: "But history has shown
that Herzl was right and not I."
It is curious how, almost with-
out a descriptive word, there
shine through the conversations
recorded by Mr. Naiditch the
precise atmosphere of the Paris
of those years between the two
wars, the Rothschild interiors,
the coming and going of people,
the aloofness of the Baron's fam
ily from his ideals and endeavors,
the gradual intensification - of
Zionist thought and work, as
these could be watched from the
Depict. Character
A Private Speaks
(Pvt. Joe Fried was city editor
of the Atlantic City Daily World
before he became a private early
in June, At 18, Fried was already
a seasoned newspaperman with a
boardwalk column and a number
of front page beats under his
belt. Now, a private, he still finds
typewriters irresistable.)
Thousands of Jewish servicemen
heretofore total strangers to the
customs and doctrines of Judaism
will likely don the "yamelka" on
occasions long after they abandon
their GI hat, thanks to the tre-
mendous effort of the chaplains.
In a chat with Chaplain Morde.
formedcai Waxman, attached to
the Second Service Command, Ft.
Dix, N. J., and other equally well
informed sources, it is estimated
that as high as 75 percent of
Jewish youth in the Army total
totally lack religious background
and culture. Many enter a syn-
agogue for the first time during
their lives at camp. A sidur and
shule are something new and
strange.
By inserting a note of Jewish
concern and understanding in the
0
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ROSH HASHONAH
GREETINGS
NEW YEAR GREETINGS . . .
I Happy New Year a
To Our Friends
daily routine of these men, the and well-prepared program. It becomes a second home. Boys who
Army chaplain is paving the road consists of Hebrew and English several weeks ago had never
for a post-war increase in the prayers, the reading or portions of dreamed they themselves would he
rituals of Judaism. Through the the Torah, on shabbos, and the in a house of worship now think
medium of discussion and study granting of "alleahs." Feature of it strange not to attend, Oldi za _
groups and weekend services, Jew- each service is a complete and tion to God has made itself felt.
ish youth is recapturing in many concise explanation of meanings
Turning to a lighter side of re-
cases a bit of the lessons they of the particular passage of the ligious service life, the boys tell
learne while attending "chadar" I Torah read at the service.
this one: Several GI's, now well
at the ripe old ages of nine or
Explaining the meaning of the learned in the principals of Ju-
10.
Torah passage, the chaplain in daism walked down a road to the
And it appears more than likely reality exchanges his commission chapel for "arev shabbos" se•v-
that the prayers, songs and stories for the role of a story teller. It's ices. The discussion turned t,
learned in the white little chapel interesting and at one such serv- girls, a popular subject among
on "arev shabbos" and at Oneg ice attended by this writer some men in uniform and the soldiers
Shabbos gatherings will not be time ago, it would not be an ex- discussed the virtues of various
forgotten after the war.
aggeration to report that one female acquaintances. Finally one
Chaplain Waxman, who prior might have heard a pin drop (to GI turned to a little khak'-clad
to his enlistment served as rabbi quote a coined phrase) when youth and inquired as to his af-
of the North Park Synagogue in Chaplain Waxman paused in his fections. He smiled and replied,
Chicago, explained that in the story for a few brief seconds. "your girl friens may have beauti-
case of youths recently inducted Were one to pause a moment and ful features, fellows, but I like
into the service, it is the purpose observe the faces of the GI's, Ruth—the girl who attends shule
of the spiritual leaders to afford some veterans of the bloody but every Friday at the post chapel."
the religious instruction and victorious campaigns of North , "Why,?" asked the "chava-
equipment to carry them success- Africa, Italy, Europe and the Pa- rin" . . . "Fellows," beamed the
fully through their Army careers. cific, a noticeable resemblance to little Jew, "boy can she 'dawn'!"
Once the men become accustomed the kids in the fourth or fifth
►
*
to attending services he suggests grade listening to a teacher tell-
Thus it appears that in addi-
continued contact with youth. Get- ing of heroes of yorn, would be tion to preparing men for the
ting to know each servicemen apparent.
defense of their homes the Army
along a more personal line, an-
The services are at a close, the and the armed forces of the na-
swering his questions pertaining boys file out. Awaiting them in tion in general, is providing basic
to the fundamentals of Judaism the lobbies of the chapel are ex- training for a future religious
and explaining the necessity of pertly prepared religious litera- life . . . the chapel plays the dual
upholding Jewish ideals, keeps ture eminating from the offices of role of the chadar. And we sol-
Army chaplains well occupied,
the Jewish Welfare Board. The diers are the talmidem.
Finding Judaism in the Army servicemen stock up on these ar-
is something more, however, than ticles, too. Of interest was the
attending one morning service. case of a soldier, who having sur-
The bulk of Jewish servicemen, vived several years of Army life
Rosh Hashonah Greetings
as mentioned heretofore are un- and seen service abroad, ex-
familiar with Jewish religious cus- hibited and quite proudly at that,
toms. They've eaten "giffilta fish" a JWB prayer book given him by
WILLIAM ELSON
on Friday night and perhaps a chaplain when Uncle Sam first
NATIONAL
"knadlach" during Passach but beckoned.
other than connecting the holiday
BAKING
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It is estimated that at least
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Jewish
service-
unable to explain the background
men wear a "Mazzuah" attached
of the event or its true meaning. to their dog-tags." The good luck
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A Friday night or Saturday charm in most cases is obtained
morning service in the chapel is
7706 W. McNichols
the GI on his first visit to the
much like a school lesson to many by
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youths. Despite reports to the chapel.
TO. 7.9317
Slowly the newly acquired "yid-
contrary, the services are rather
dishkite"
takes
hold.
The
chapel
along a conservative religious line
rather than reform. There is no
organ playing, or passing of the 6
hat but rather a concentrated
ROSH HASHONAH GREETINGS!
SINCERE
11111101112111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111113
El
M
Friday, September 7, 1945
DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE and The Legal Chronicle
Page Fourteen
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