A merican Pal ish Periodical Cotter
CLIFTON AVENUE - CINCINNATI 20, 01110
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DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE and The Legal Chronicle
Friday , June 7, 1946
199[91FERD 'BOX
The Voice of the
Man in the Street
Page Five
MAN CIF THE
"Music has been the governing factor of my whole life, particu-
larly Hebrew music," said Julius Chajes, who has been selected by
the Chronicle to be accorded honor as the Man of the Week. "I
have always wanted to create a new kind of music.
LIKES EDITORIAL...
Time: Sunday afternoon.
Dear Editor:
Let me commend you on the very appropriate editorial on the
Place: Congregation Shaarey 7.(•-
front page of your last issue on the Golden Jubilee.
"There is a renaissance in Jewish music now with a complete
It Is very expressive of present day sentiment interwoven with dek, Chicago at Lawton.
school of musical artists. This school consists of two branches. The
Detroit's progress and history.
Question: Do you believe there first is the modern style coming out of Palestine and influenced by
I agree very much with the hope you express for the use of our
oriental music. It is an expression of the life in Palestine with all its
will be another world war?
Yours of mankind.
t industrial ability to the ultimate betterment
gaiety and the hope of the pioneers.
(Photos by Eric Bennett)
truly
"The second is the traditional style using liturgical chanting as
MIRIAM G. SLOBIN.
IRVING ZEFF, 1861 °skillet) it basis following the school of Ernest Bloch who is recognized to-
day as the greatest Jewish composer alive and one of the world's
Dear Editor:
Blvd.
In behalf of the Ladies Auxiliary of Congregation Beth Shmuel,
Yes. In twenty to twenty-five greatest.
take this opportunity to extend our sincere thanks and gratitude
years there will be another world
"I use both styles," he continued, "depending on what I happen
for your help to make our Fourth Donor Luncheon a success.
to he writing."
ti
Articles appearing in your paper, prior to our affair, were a con- war. The line-
h.
,
willI be
stant reminder and inspiration to our friends and followers, whic'i up
Chajes was born in Lwow, in Poland, where he lived until the
something like r
ive greatly appreciate.
age of ten.
this. China,
Thanking you again for all your past favors, we are,
Russia, Germa-
1101'1100D UNHAPPY
Respectfully yours,
ny, a complete-
LADIES AUXILIARY OF CONGREGATION
"My boyhood was very unhappy," he said sadly. "My life during
ly rebuilt Ger-
BETH SHMUEL
the ages of seven, eight and nine was lived in constant terror of po-
m a n y, by the
MRS. B. BABCOCK, President
groms. I never suffered physically myself but I had terrible expe-
way, and pos-
riences. I remember once looking across the yard and seeing hun-
sibly Japan will
CONDEMNS O'BRIEN
be on one side.
dreds of Jews burned alive.
Dear Editor:
This is a copy of a letter sent by the United Progressive Demo- The U. S. and
"I can still hear in my dreams the shrieks of the dying and
cratic Club to Congressman George D. O'Brien. The letter is self. all the Ameri-
the- sharp explosion of the machine guns mowing down the ones
by
cas
and
all
the
explanatory. The thirteenth Congressional District represented
who tried to escape from the burning buildings. That memory will
O'Brien extends from the river north to the end of Detroit and from rest of Europe will ,re on the
be with me all my life and it has made me very' Jewish con-
Hastings west to Lawton. The population consists largely of minority other side.
cions."
I
sincerely
hope
I
.am
a
false
groups and in particular contains large centers of Jewish population
Chajes started his musical career at the age of seven when his
prophet and that nothing like
The letter follows.
May 23, 1946
my prophecy will ever come true. mother, a concert pianist, taught him to play. At nine, he was al-
But the outlook is very bad from ready composing music. Before he was ten, he was a musical pro-
Hon. George D. O'Brien, Member of Congress,
my point of view and in the light digy', giving public concerts.
House Office Building, Washington, D. C.
of present circumstances, I don't
From Lwow, he went to Vienna, where he finished high school
Dear Sir:
At a special meeting of the Board of Governors last night, we see any way to prevent what will and attended the University of Vienna. He gave concerts and sm.-
discussed your vote to continue the Fascist Rankin "UN-American" probably be the greatest catastro- ceeded in winning a prize at the first international competition for
Committee. The unanimous feeling of the members was that by your phe ever visited on mankind.
pianists in Vienna.
inexcusable action you are no longer entitled to the support and con-
FEELS IIITLERISM
MIRIAM SCHWARTZ, 1496 W'.
fidence of the people who elected you to Congress. You are advised
therefore that your candidacy for re-election to the Congress of the Euclid.
In 1933, Chajes began to feel the pressure of Hitlerism in Vienna
U. S. will be actively opposed. You are further advised that your life
No. But we have to watch and a year later, he went to Palestine, where he became the head
things very carefully. For in- of the piano department at the Tel Aviv Conservatory.
membership in this organization has been revoked.
stance, Great
UNITED PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATIC CLUB
For the first time in his life, he enjoyed freedom. For the first
Britain c o u l d
Samuel Panzer, President
s tart another time in his life, he felt neither fear nor shame at being Jewish.
Arthur L. Robbins, Chair., Board of Governors
war very easily
(EDITOR'S NOTE: The Detroit Jewish Chronicle does not enter into
"It was a wonderful feeling," said Chajes with a smile. "It
if s h e follows
the field of politics and hence does not endorse candidates. However,
inspired me to start .ts new Palestinian style of music. Some of
out
her
gener-
we feel it is well known that the work of the Rankin committee has
my songs became a 'part of the folk song of Palestine and are
a I practice o f
been a stench in the nostrils of all decent-minded, liberal Americans.
now in the repertoire of every
anti - Semitism
Since Jewish people are inclined to be progressive and liberal, and
concert art ist who deals with
in the Palestine
since Rankin himself is a notorious anti-Semite as well as being un-
Jewish music.
situation.
American on other grounds, we feel it is important for Jewish voters
"I have always been a student
None
of
t
h
e
of the Bible and I felt that Pales-
to be aware( thatoa Congressman from their district supports the kind
nations
want
tine was so near to me that it con-
of bigotry that Rankin stands for. When they go to the polls, all
war and they
nected the past and the present. I
Americans who have a thought for the fine traditions of their country
all realize i t s
felt that the 2,000 years of Jewish
should be aware of this Congressman's support and should act ac-
dangers. I think the United Na-
absence from the land was short
cordingly.
tions organization will help a
and unimportant. As I walked
great deal to prevent another war.
through the city, I felt that every
house in Palestine was open to me.
It was the kind of feeling I had
R U T 11 RABINOWITZ, 3'2 3 4
never had before."
By LEON SAUNDERS
Webb.
For two years he stayed in Pal-
No. At least I hope not. I think
estine and then in 1937, he came to
the world has learned its lesson
PAUL N'ERLA1NE
America, to New York. There he
JULIUS CIIAJES
Fifty years ago a remarkable personality and a great poet ended and that every-
continued • to give concerts and
one
can
under-
his existence. The important events, the terrific problems with which
played in a coast-to-coast radio hookup. He also worked as professor
the world is preoccupied today leaves little time and less interest in stand that the
of musical composition at the New York College of Music.
the anniversary of the death of a man like Paul Verlaine. He did not next war means
belong to the pleiad of stars, like Victor Hugo or Malarme, whoss practically the
('OMES TO CENTER
names were known throughout the world, but to the world of "dis- end of civiliza-
cernment," where exclusive. intimate hooks like "Jadis et Naguere," tion.
In 1910, he was brought to the Jewish Community Center in De-
The hope of
"Dedications," "Liturgies Intimes," were gems to be treasured. In seta.
troit, where he is now still working. In 1942, he was appointed mu.
lion to the world, to everyday life, he was a "true poet" in the ac- the world and
sic director of Temple Beth El, where he stayed until 1945.
cepted sense of the word. The French expression, "Je m'en fiche" tI particularly n f
"There is a great deal of musical talent in this city," he en-
don't give a hoot) was his label. He, the "terrible Verlaine, the mourn- peace in t h e
thused. "We teach many youngsters and give them a chalice to
ful Socrates, the dirty Diogenes," as Jules Renard called him, really world rests in
perform in actual concerts. My wife, 31arguerite Kozenn, a con-
cared very little for the opinion of his contemporaries. His verses, his U.N. We have
cert singer, works with me. We organized the Detroit Friends of
inevitable glass of absinthe were all that he cared for. To the average to make this
Opera, whose chairman is Fred M. Butzel, and I am the musical
person, he was a mystery, like Sapho or Lucretius. The author of work. I don't know enough about
director."
"Romances sans Paroles," "Poems Saturniens" was all wrapped up in details to know what to suggest.
However, the framework of U.N.
Chajes is chairman and one of the founders of Hashofar, society
the music of words. in moods and nuances.
is the kind that can be made to for the advancement of Jewish music. He is also the Jewish CO.
At 15 years of age he delivers himself of such a marvel:*
work if the nations will get be- chairman of the musical committee for the Round Table of Catlin-
Une ache affaiblic
Verse par le champs
hind it.
lies, Jews and Protestants. For a year, he taught at the Detroit In-
La melancolie .
stitute of Musical Art affiliated with the University of Detroit.
(A dawn enfeebled pours over the fields of melancholy)
MEYE It ZEFF, IN'yandotte
Le vent dans la plaine
He is on the hoard of the Detroit Musicians League and also on
Mich.
the board of the Music Committee of Detroit Social Agencies Next
Suspend son haleine
Maybe. If England doesn't Sunday, he. will conduct a chorus of 3,000 voices of all ereeds and
The wind in the field suspends its breath
Verlaine was born in the epoch when symbolism began to spread change her attitude on foreign nationalities at Briggs Stadium which will mark the closing affair
policy a n d if
its wings. Member of the Parnasean Circle, among which were Ca-
of the Automotive Golden Jubilee.
the United
tulle, Mendes, Francois Coppe, Sully Prudhome, he was credited with
States doesn't
IN CHARGE OF PIANO
the invention of blank verses which he himself denied. A poet who
stop letting
eared little for world events, he got mixed up during the Commune
In
the
Center,
he
is in charge of the piano department and of
England lead
with some revolutionaries and was compelled to leave France. In Ens.
the orchestra. He arranges the Center concerts. Since his marriags,
her
around
h
y
landhe wrote "Art Poetique," "Languer" and "Luxures" in which his
t h e nose, then he has not had time to do much in the way of hobbies but nt one
vigor and a finesse of nuances, now tragic, now burlesque and cynical,
V . I .
w a r is certain time. he was a champion ping pong player and won many awards.
are mixed. In no other volumes does he give it better impression
in less than one He was in the habit of entering and winning in chess tournaments
the complexity and the profound dualism of his nature.
m ore genera- and plays an expert game of bridge.
As if nature were not satisfied with the "complexity of this na-
tion.
He writes articles for papers, and magazines on music and on
ture," he fell under the strange influence of Arthur Rimbaud. Hi'.
CAP
Our own fo- general cultural subjects. He speaks Polish, German, Italian. French
•;'''
biography does not disclose the nature of this relation. unless one
reign policy i s Russian, Czech, Hebrew and Yiddish as well as English.
presume from the fact that Verlaine inadvertently shot Rimbaud and
almost com-
was sent to jail for two years.
f
On the wall of his office, he keeps a large map of the United
pletely muddled. England's policy
He then turned to religion and wrote "Sagesse." a collection o
reli
is definitely geared toward her States dotted with red pins showing where he has played- in his mu-
religious poems. which are ranked among the highest poems on
Rion. His only attachment was to his mother. When she died, his last own preservation and that of her sical tours. This year, he performed in twenty different cities, play
ins; three times in New York's Town Hall.
link and tie with the world of "respectability" or society were broken ruling class.
off. He spent his time in cafes where, sustained and inspired by his
One of his relaxations is to go almost every Sunday to the home
A little while ago, Churchill urg-
ed that America should take a of Fred Butzel, where he plays the piano with Butzel accompanying
beloved absinthe. he wrote his poems.
Officially he belongs to the Symbolists. But no one could put s positive stand against Russia him on another piano.
label. on Verlaine. His poetry is a mixture of worship of God and of Now the situation has changed.
Chajcs has just completed his own Friday evening service which
Was not rich in ideas, he was only a master of words. Bevin is saying that England
sensuality. He
will be given its world premier in Temple Emanuel of New York.
and out of words he created music.
But must take a stand where she can Two of the prayers are dedicated to the memories of Judge Harry
Alas, his fame and glory came at the time of his decadence.
act as arbitrator between Russia B. Keidan and Isaac Shetzer, two outstanding Jewish citizens of Do.
even in this state his songs of "fin de siecle," of the mivture of fra- and America. We were the ones
troit. He is now working on a Hebrew opera.
grance and "argot" touched on the sublime in the world of words
who were leading the show. Now
"I feel," he concluded, "that there is a strong need for organ-
turned to music by the magic of his great talent.
we've
been
maneuvered
int9
a
He was not born to fight for humanity like Victor Hugo. He was
be izations in Detroit to work for the advancement of Jewish culture
fo
where we seem
not a great thinker. He was a musician whose instrument was poetry. position
held back from a war with Hits- in this city. Our youngsters ought to have more of an opportunity
And the world of art has a place for all kinds of expressions of this sia only by England's cleverness. to benefit from music and art. The organizations which raise funds
Unless we are very careful, Eng- should turn some of them in this direction so our youngsters can
as long as it is art.
(•The blank translation by the reviewer
land Will lead us Into a war of profit from it. I hope that the immediate future will see a lot more
of this than there has been In the past."
Hebrew, English and Jewish books available at the Zion Book Store, disaster with Russia.
.
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