Thursday, January 5, 114$
DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE
Page 4
Detroit Jewish Chronicle
Job for the Year
Published by the Jewish Chronicle Publishing Co., Inc.
WOodward 1-1040
2827 Cadillac Tower, Detroit 26, Michigan
SUBSCRIPTION:
$3.00 Per Year, Single Copies, 10c; Foreign, $5.00 Per Year
Entered as Second-class matter March 3, 1916, at the Post Office at
Detroit, Mich., under the Act of March 3, 1879.
SEYMOUR TILCHIN
Publisher
Thursday, Jan. 5, 1950
EMILY SOMLYO
Business Manager
Teveth 16, 5710
On The Threshold
As we enter the second half of the 20th century, there are
some questions on our mind and, we suppose, on the minds of
all good Jews:
Have the last 50 years seen any progress, and what will be
the future of Judaism?
It is hard to answer the first question. Fifty years ago,
Jews from Russia and Poland were streaming towards America
to escape persecution and extermination. Fifteen years ago, Jews
from Central and Western Europe fled for their lives to escape
Hitler.
Fifty years ago, the idea of a Jewish homeland was a pipe
dream, considered funny by some and dangerous by others.
Thirty-three years ago, the Balfour Declaration laid the founda-
tions for the return of Jews to Palestine, and only two years ago
Israel became a nation recognized by the great powers of the
world.
Fifty years ago, indifference and even hatred towards
Judaism were typical Jewish attitudes. However, under the
pressure of the manifold needs, in this country and abroad, we
have organized Jewish life, and sometimes overorganized it.
Our feelings, our sense of responsibility have changed. In
contrast to the attitude taken 50 years ago, we now know that
we cannot shirk the duty of doing our share in the reconstruction
of Jewish life.
What we need in the next 50 years is more responsibility,
more unity, more individual participation in Jewish affairs.
Our future will be interwoven with the development of the
Jewish state. The pattern of relationships between Israel and
Jews outside Israel still remains to be worked out. This will be
more than a financial problem. It will be a problem of cultural
interchange.
The last 50 years saw the beginnings of a new Jewish
thinking; the next 50 years will have to prove that Judaism is
fit to survive the atomic age.
The Rains Caine
The rainy season has come to Israel with torrential down-
pours. In a subtropical country such as Israel, this is the season
the farmer is looking forward to. He needs the rain to soak his
fields which for months have suffered from the dry and excessive
heat of the summer.
Anyone who has visited Israel during the rainy season will
testify that the mud puddles are no laughing matter. The whole
ground is just transformed into a lake. It is impossible to walk
on unpaved roads. To cross a field, one needs high rubber boots.
Hardest hit during the first heavy rains in Israel are the
newcomers. They do not live in comfortable apartment houses,
and not in Kibutzim as yet. They have to put up, for the time
being, with leaky tents. This is all right as long as the weather
is dry.
But now they are driven from what they call home. The
winds have blown the roofs away, and the rain has made them
sink knee-deep in the mud.
Of the 100,000 new immigrants in Israel, almost half of
them have had to be evacuated and transferred to army barracks
and other makeshift shelters.
This story, we hope, will not be lost on American Jews
when it comes to supporting the reconstruction of Israel. Small
as these difficulties may seem, they have to be overcome, and it
can be done only with the financial aid of American Jews.
We must not let them down. We must help them and give
them courage to see this thing through ... through the rain, the
mud and the homelessness. The pioneers will continue to strug-
gle if they see that they do not stand alone.
Universal Law
When in 1905 Albert Einstein published his specific theory
of relativity, only a handful of far-sighted scholars understood
what he was talking about and what the theory meant for
science and mankind.
Only after the atomic bomb had been exploded for the
first time, did the public understand the terrific impact of EM-
stein's theory on our whole outlook of life.
When a few days ago, the American Association for the
- Advancement of Science released the startling news that, after
more than 40 years of work, Einstein now believed that he had
found the formula for his generalized theory of relativity it was
headline news.
By now we are aware of the fact that such discoveries will
in time radically change the social and economic picture of man-
'kind. Thus we respond more quickly, although there is no one
yet who can explain Einstein's new formula or say whether it
is valid.
However, we have a special reason for discussing this sub-
ject. If the new theory can be proved, it will not only mean that
the basic force of cosmic existence, gravity, can be explained
satisfactorily, but also will have far-reaching effects on our
philosophical thinking.
A mathematical explanation of gravity will exclude arbi-
trariness and blind force from the real of nature. It will mean
that the universe runs in an orderly fashion, under a universal
law which would be both physical and moral.
It is from this viewpoint that theology will be interested
in the new theory. Although it would not offer any proof of the
existence of God, it would yet come pretty close to the concept
monotheists religions, and certainly would not be in con-
of the
flict with the teachings of Judaism.
Old Days
Relived in
Chronicle
By HAROLD S. COVEN
S THE SECOND hall of a
most hectic century begins,
it may be of interest to turn
back the clock to the etir;y days
at the beginning of its phenom-
enal growth.
Among the most interesting
records of the Detroit's Jewish
community are the first editions
of the Jewish Chronicle.
assetSt
t
The Chronicle published its
first issue Friday, March 3, 1916,
from its offices at 701 Penobscot
building. Samuel J. Rhodes was
editor and Anton Kaufman was
manager.
• • •
THE FIRST ISSUE, an eight-
page tabloid, carried a poem en-
titled "True Jewish Faith" cov-
ering half the front page. The
author's name was not given.
Congregation news listed few
activities, Temple Beth El to hear
a sermon by Dr. Leo M. Frank-
lin; Shaarey Zedek to her a ser-
mon by Rabbi A. M. Hershman
on an unannounced topic; and
Mogen Abraham's news told of
an "eloquent and impressive ser-
mon" by David Gitin.
• • •
THE MOST STRIKING dem-
onstration of the March of Time
is a little article in the third is-
sue of the Chronicle.
At the bottom of the editorial
page we find the following stare-
To make it short, the answer meat:
By ALFRED SEGAL
"The representatives of that
the question is this: The dif-
THE OTHER DAY I heard a to
ference between orthodox, con- great and ancient race (the Jews)
question: What's the differ-
ence between an orthodox Jew, servative and reform is that the in our own state in every com-
reformer? orthodox parks his car three munity illustrate these racial at-
a conservative and a
blocks from schul on Shabbos, tributes (self reliance, industry)
The question
the conservative one block, while and are counted aniong the best
was bandied
the reformer would rather park citizenship of Mississippi."
around this way
(signed) Gor. Bulb&
in front of the temple if room
and t h a t; no-
• • •
can be found. You see, it's a
body seemed to
AN ORGANIZATION that was
mere matter of a couple of blocks.
be able to say
founded in 1912, had by 1916
So, it seems, Rabbi Solomon grown to the stage where its work
exactly what the
Goldman
of
Chicago
is
a
bit
late
difference w a s
caught the eye of the Chronicle's
in proposing religiously to legal- editor.
until the one
ize
hiding
to
schul
on
the
Sab-
who had asked
Accordingly, the seventh issue
bath. Joking aside, it is already of the paper carried a long arti-
the question
..fitlegally pretty well established by cle on the purpose and work of
came up with an
the practice of many Jews, or- Hadassah. The national president
answer rather
thodox, conservative and reform. at the time was Miss Ili nrietta
Segal
s at is factory, it
• • •
seemed to me.
Szold.
• • •
Let's begin with Mr. A, who
RABBI GOLDMAN brought it
IN THE JUNE 9TII ISSUE
is an orthodox Jew. He goes all up in a recent sermon which
to schul on some Saturdays. The has had wide circulation. It was there appears on the front page
hour comes to start for schul. part of an 13-point program for the picture of a young ion with
He enters his car. As he drives reformation of Jewish religious a sensitive face and deep-set
along, his mind is beset by a practice. brooding eyes.
Over the picture is the single
parking problem and the ghosts
His program seemed to suggest
of his pious ancestors press upon that conservatism may be going line, 'The First Jewish Supreme
him.
over to reform all the way. Our Court Justice."
Underneath is the simple
They are shouting at him: Mr. C could tell Dr. Goldman
"You, our son, riding an Shabbos, that he, a reformer, grew up Jew- name, Louis D. Brandeis.
There is no more said about
and where are you going to park ishly on the reforms Dr. Gold-
man now proposes. Dr. Goldman him on the page, but inside the
your car?"
tak-
Mr. A compromises with his certainly would be a welcomed Paper is a brief story of the
ing of the oath Of office.
temple.
rabbi
in
Mr.
C's
He
drives
around
and
ancestors.
Brandeis' response to the charge
Dr. Goldman proposed that
around and finds a place to park
three blocks from the schul. lie Jews consider not binding any of duty by the chief justice is
walks the rest of the way to the religious practice that "goes coun- worthy of quotation:
'I, Louis D. Brandeis. do sol-
Anshe Giborim Synagogue in . ter to the refinement of the
adminis-
age"; that works "great hard- emnly swear that I will
Sabbatical rectitude.
respect to per-
• • •
ship on those living in ... mech- ter justice without
son dad do equal right to the
THEN THERE IS MR. B. He anized big cities that sprawl over poor and to the rich."
is a conservative. He is the mid- large areas of land; that is 'void
• •
dle, you might say; that is, his of all meaning and symbolic
ANTI-SEMITISM was wide
religious life is in between ortho- value"; that has been "univer- spread in Europe during the first
doxy and reform. His house is sally disregarded by those who World War, but little appears on
kosher but not exactly either. are and strive to he an integral the local scene except for a cause
Mr. B gives in to his wife who part of modern life."
celebre in the "village" of High-
He would keep Jewish relig- land Park.
says the children like sirloin for
dinner once in a while. Anyway ious practices that "are rich in
An elderly citizen of Highland
Mr. B himself is fond of sirloin. historical association"; that ac- Park, Lazarus Shapero. was ar-
Mr. B parks a block away from centuate "our people's struggle rested without cause on 0‘ 0 Oc-
the conservative Anshe Tovim for freedom"; that are "safe- casions and when he returned to
Synagogue and walks the rest guards against superstition, idol- the police headquarters a few
of the way, his forefathers ap- atrous practices and the misrep- days later to complain he was
proving. lie is sure he hears resentation of monotheism"; that tossed into jail and beaten by
them saying, "Well, that boy is are "purifying and ennobling"; several officers.
that "ease the torment of the
all right, after all."
When his youthful lawyer.
•
mind"; that are aesthetically James I. Ellman, now a promi-
• •
NOW WE COME TO MR. C stimulating"; that "are deeply nent Detroit attorney, attempted
on his occasional way to temple imbedded in the consciousness of to protest, he was beaten and
on the Sabbath. Ile is a reformer. large numbers of our people"; thrown out of the building.
The case was widely discussed
He has jahrzeit—a' time when he that "constitute linkages to Jew-
feels sentimentally that he should ish communities the world over." and Ellman received a number
Well, all this (though it comes of threatening letters, warning
be in schul on the Sabbath. He
hops into his car and, unlike Mr. from a conservative rabbi) really him to drop the charges he had
A and B, he hears no ancestral is reform Judaism which lately brought before the village coun-
admonitions. In the reform prac- has been picking up some of the cil.
After several postponements,
tice it never has been a sin to more lovely garments of Jewish
ride on the Sabbath and Mr. C religious tradition. It had drop- the council found the chief of
is conscious of no religious in- ped them Icing ago in its youthful police innocent on the grounds
hibitions as he drives along to- eagerness for liberation. Maybe that not enough evidence had
the twain—reform and conserv- been produced to prove guilt.
ward Beth Israel Temple.
Have we made progress! Per-
He parks in front of the temple, atism—can meet somewhere in
unless a fireplug stands there to between. They haven't far to go haps the last half of the century
toward each other.
will tell.
say No to him.
A
•
Jews' Differences
Marked by Blocks