DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE
Page 4
One Good Heave by All
Detroit Jewish Chronicle
Published by the Jewish Chronicle Publishing Co., Inc.
WOodward 1-1040
2827 Cadillac Tower, Detroit 26, Michigan
SUBSCRIPTION:
$3.60 Per Year, Single Copies, 10e; 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.
Thursday, January 19, 1950
Jewish Books
in Review
"REFORM JUDAISM. ES-
SAYS BY HEBREW UNION
COLLEGE ALUMNI." (He-
brew Union College Press,
EMILY SOMLYO
Cincinnati.)
SEYMOUR TILCIIIN
Business Manager
Reform Judaism is still in the
Publisher
defining stage. It has not yet
Shebat 1, 5710
found its final form. The present
Thursday, Jan. 19, 1950
volume presents an excellent
synopsis of the thinking of to-
day's leaders in the Reform.
One of the most fascinating
Israel has announced its intention to build four new cities
topics discussed in the volume is
in different parts of the country. It is contemplated that each of
the relationship between Reform
them shall nave an initial housing capacity of approximately
and Zionism. Detroit's Rabbi
Leon Fram discusses the subject
30,000.
Two officials of the Ilistadrut's building cooperative are at
from the Zionist viewpoint.
the present time touring the United States to raise funds for
He makes it clear that the
this important project.
"denial of Jewish nationhood was
The project is of great interest to Israel. This is the first time
a fundamental principle ( • Re-
since Tel Aviv was built that Israel has focused its attention
form Judaism." The reasons, he
on urban development. So far, rural projects have been high on
points out, are psychological ones.
the priority list.
Liberation from the ghetto seem-
There can be no doubt that agricultural settlement will re-
ed to exclude the acceptance of
main one of the foremost tasks to be achieved in Israel. Too
the theory of a Jewish nation.
much soil remains to be reclaimed, too much desert to be turned
Rabbi Fram also emphasizes
into fertile land that. Israel can forget about the creation of a
rightly that the anti-Zionist at-
strong and healthy farm population.
titude of the Reform in America
The whole philosophy of Zionism, as a matter of fact, re-
was a habit rather than a nesces-
volves about the idea that it is the return to the soil which
sity. This attitude "introduced
alone can restore the Jewish people to a normal existence.
into the heart and mind of the
However, modern civilization cannot do without a minimum
Reform Jew a self-conseiotiness,
of urban development. Where industry is to be set up, large
a feeling of guilt about Jewish
masses of workers, merchants and many other trades must nec-
peoplehood for which there was
essarily concentrate.
no basis in the actual life of the
Israel's new project was designed with a view toward in-
American Jew."
dustrial development. The new state will not be viable unless
Today, however, the Reform
it can manufacture and export goods which are needed on the
has made its peace with Zionism.
markets of the Near East. The newcomers give Israel an excel-
and with the disappearance of
lent start because they are primarily craftsmen and experienced
this "incubus of negation," Rabbi
merchants, while agriculture is alien to the majority of them.
Frani concludes. "Reform Juda-
Their help and advice will be invaluable and profitable.
ism faces a promising future."
That Israel is considered a good risk, is proved by the fact
The viewpoint of the non-
be
Jewish
in
other
ways
than
that American industrialists are investing their money there.
By ALFRED SEGAL
Zionist is Oven by Rabbi David
A few weeks ago, Ford announced it would establish a plant at
Y FRIEND JACK came to me signing checks or attending cam- H. Wice of Philadelphia who says
Haifa, and only a week ago it was reported that Henry Kaiser
with an idea that he wanted paign dinners or being on cam- that religion was our only reason
had decided to set up an industrial plant in Tel Aviv, with an
me to give to the Jewish commu- paign committees. It's about for survival, that the acceptance
investment of approximately $1,000,000.
nity through the Jewish press. time we got a break."
of the nationalistic dogma would
It is to be expected that the trend toward a stronger indus-
"It'll go like wildfire," Jack said.
exclude proselytes from the ranks
Jack had the idea that during
try will continue with the growth of the new state and with
"No idea so big has been offered
of Judaism. and that our destiny
one year's rest from drives, Jews
increasing stabilization of the political situation.
to Jewish life in 30 years."
is not limited by any specific
might rediscover the true element
It also must be kept in mind that the culture of any country
Jack asked me: "What has been of being Jewish: Jewish religion, territory.—G. N. • •
has its strongest backing in the metropolitan areas where there
•
the biggest motivating idea in that is.
are enough people able and willing to support orchestras, thea-
LETTERS
TO MY SON, by
Jewish life in the United States?"
tres, operas, museums and universities.
"Jack," I said, "you have some- Dagobert D. Runes (Philo-
Although it cannot be denied that Israel's culture has always
Well, Jack, I replied, maybe the thing there." I had just been
sophical Library, New York).
been intimately connected with the settlements and that the
biggest motivating force in Jew- reading something along the same
This series of letters from a
cultural exchange was extremely useful, the fact remains that
ish life has been anti-Semitism. line in a book by Rabbi Julius
Haven't a lot of Jews been made Feibelman of New Orleans. Its father to his son reminds one of
the great cultural institutions were exclusively urban creations
Polonius' advice to Laertes. They
to feel Jewish by anti-Semites?
and could not have survived in a purely rural environment.
title: "A Social and Economic
are by words and pithy maxims
It is also from this point of view that we may expect sur-
That may be it, Jack said, but Study of the New Orleans Jew-
to guide one's life. However, they
prising developments if the project of the four cities materializes.
then, on the other hand, it may be ish Community." It was printed
something else again. His idea in 1941 but what Rabbi Feibel- represent a system of moral and
was that "drives" were the big- man was saying then about the ethical philosophy which appeals
more to the heart than to logic.
gest motivating idea in Jewish dominance of Jewish social serv-
At times the attempt to speak
life.
ices over Jewish religion is true
The rejection by Israel of the revised plans for the inter-
with the voice of the prophets
now—not
only
in
New
Orleans
"Drives, drives, drives," he
nationalization of Jerusalem was a logical step. Nothing else
of old becomes a bit cloying to
said with complaining accents. but in most other Jewish com-
was to be expected of any self-respecting government.
the palate.
munities.
"There
has
been
practically
noth-
The new plan submitted by Roger Garreau, president of
But the greatest assumption in
ing
else
In
Jewish
life.
Does
any-
Rabbi Feibelman said: "The the work is that anyone young
the UN Tiusteeship Council, which will meet very shortly in
ody
ever
approach
you
about
body
dominant
influence
in the
Jew- or old can come to live by the
Geneva to continue its deliberations on the Jerusalem issue, was
ish community
has now
changed
reviving Jewish religion? No,
an improvement over the old plan but retained its objectionable
you're approached only to sign wisdom of another rather than
from the religicus to the social. discover for himself his raison
features.
checks for drives."
This is a general characteristic d'etre.
The improvement was that the new plan would limit UN
• • •
throughout the nation today, with
supervision to an area comprising parts of the old and new
The work,, nevertheless, con-
I HAD TO ADMIT that in the the possible exception of the tains many fine examples of a
city of Jerusalem, instead of putting all of Jerusalem under UN
past
30
years
nobody
has
been
to
Catholic
group."
sensitive conscience which ab-
control.
• • •
see me about a revival of Jewish
One of its objectionable features is the proposal of a special
hors the senseless brutality of
religion. The Jewish activities of
currency for Jerusalem and other limitations.
HE DIDN'T THINK that sign- man to man and some excellent
a few have consisted largely of ing checks for Jewish social ser- passages which read like parts
The fact that the body entrusted with the preparations for
answering the doorbell and ad- vices was enough to keep Jews of the Old Testament.-11. C.
the implementation of the UN decision found it necessary to
mitting a solicitor for the latest feeling warmly Jewish .....The
submit a revised formula is significant in itself.
drive.
The members of the UN recognize that the vote was taken
imagination of the public has
"Or," Jack said, "being put neither caught fire nor blazed in-
without proper regard for political realities. Certain countries *
Jewishly,on the spot at some din- to a shared vision. Members of
which had a special interest in setting up an international re-
gime in Jerusalem practically railroaded the UN member
ner meeting held in connection boards and workers on drives re-
with a drive. "At the appropriate spond to hyperstimulation of
nations into a .decision which nobody liked and which was
time the toastmaster gets up and dinner enthusiasm."
impossible to enforce.
"One hundred thousand dollars
looks around and puts the finger
When the Trusteeship Council meets, there will be a lot of
In that time in New Orleans,
on this person and that and asks Rabbi Feibelman said, the presi- will be one of the first gifts which
bartering going on behind the scenes. Compromises will be found
each what he is going to give. dent of the Jewish Federation of will be made to the fund which
and discarded, but the basic solution will not be reached, for the
Finally he gets around to me. lie New Orleans "had no affiliation will be raised, probably in 1926,
simple reason that the Council is bound by the decision of the
asks what's Jack going to give? I with religious or other communal for the erection of a Jewish hos-
UN General Assembly, and the Assembly alone can revoke it.
blush Jewishly before the whole phases of Jewish life. The pres- pital in Detroit, according to
It is, however, obvious from the unrest within the Trustee-
crowd. That's Jewish activity in ident of the central relief com- Morris D. Waldman, managing
ship Council that some kind of action is impending.
director of the United Jewish
these times."
It would be only logical if the final report of the Trustee-
mittee of the Jewish Federation
ship Council would compel the General Assembly to reverse its
"But what can we do about it, was "unaffiliated with the reli- Charities .. .
"The $100,000 was promised as
Jack?"
gious community, although he
stand.
a memorial to a departed ela-
If negotiations between Israel and Transjordan keep pro-
Jack came at once to the point, participated in cultural branches
tire of the donor, whose identity
gressing the way the reports seem to indicate, the UN will be
"I am proposing a sabbatical year of Jewish activity. (Rabbi Fei-
is being withheld."
faced with the necessity of synchronizing its views with the reali-
for all the Jews in the United belman said, though, that these
• • •
were rare cases.)
ties of Near Eastern policies.
States.
"The Fresh Air Society, which
An agreement between Israel and Abdullah, even before
"Since the year 1914 they have • Jack was persistent toward the sponsors the North End Com-
the Trusteeship Council assembles, is a definite possibility. It
been driven at by drives. The idea of a one year's rest from munity Clinic and a summer
would save the UN the unwelcome task of itblicity admitting
drives began with the first World drives . . . "Yes, give 'em all a camp for Jewish children, is
War and have been at 'em ever year's chance to discover why visioning the transformation of
it was wrong.
But it is far less important who was right or wrong than to
they are Jews." he said.
its clinic into a health center
restore justice and give Israel the opportunity to live in peace
"But, Jafk, just what do you
"But, Jack, suppose, during which will serve the health needs
and freedom, fur which it has fought so hard.
mean by a sabbatical year for all that year they don't learn a of the section in which it is
The world will have to learn to trust Israel. No doubt, the
thing."
Jews?"
located, according to Mrs. Eleanor
issue ot the holy places has been blown up beyond all propor-
• • •
"Well,'' he replied, "it's worth Jones Ford, new director of the
tions, and it is really a matter of power politics which some
"I MEAN ONE YEAR of rest trying, anyway. liblAts_they clinic."
nations would like to play in the Near East. It is to be hoped
ch rn e
•
that the United States will make its influence felt and contin
18279 LIVERNOIS. near Cirit'sew-
I
VI. 3-7600
to fight the UN decision, as it recent] annou
A Tale of Four Cities
Religion Is Driven Out
As Drives Fill Vacuum
M
Jerusaluni Fight Continues
25 Years Ago,
This Was News