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DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE

Detroit Jewish Chronicle

A New Flag and a New Home

Published by the Jewish Chronicle Publishing Co., Inc.
WOodward 1-1090
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 TILCIIIN
Publisher

Thursday, June 15, 1950

Thursday, June 15, 1950

Jewish Books
in Review

By GERHARDT NEUMANN
THE RACIAL THINKING OF
RICHARD WAGNER, by Leon
Stein (Philosophical Library, New
York.)

GERHARDT NEUMANN
Editor

Sivan 30, 5710

There is nothing new about
Dr.
Wagner's anti - Semitism.
Stein, director of the graduate
There Is Still Time to Give
division of the De Paul Univer-
The Allied Jewish Campaign in Detroit is drawing to a
sity School of Music in Chicago,
close, but there is still time to give . . . if you have not done
has done an excellent job in
so already.
compiling everything that refers
In recent weeks, we have read quite a number of alarming
to Wagner's hate theories. How-
reports and editorials trying to spread the idea that the drive
ever, it seems that he is going
is falling desperately short of its goal and implying that, if no
out of his way when he tries to
last-minute increase in gifts are forthcoming, a major catas-
prove the fallacies of these
theories or even tries 'to prove
trophe will occur.
that ''distinctive cultural traits
In fact, there is no reason for alarm. Considering the eco-
which with Jews may be identi-
nomic situation as a whole, Detroit's Jews have done very well
fied are not biological or innate,
and have earned the compliment that even under difficult
not bound up with inherited or
circumstances they have kept up the spirit of charity and social
)
hereditary qualities."
responsibility.
The problem of Wagner is
Possibly the record number of pledges given in 1948 may
undoubtedly still very timely
not be reached this year. The drive may not even attain the
Annalies Schaefer, 14-year-old DP, puts the finishing touches on
since
his influence on the Ger-
sum collected last year. But there are explanations for this
a flag she sewed for a Flag Day celebration by newcomers in
man mind continues to make it-
slackening.
New York City. She was brought to the United States by the
self felt. To our mind, Wagner
Strikes, buying preferences, buying slumps and other eco-
United Service for New Americans.
expresses best that which is
nomic factors are clearly reflected in the reports of the various
worst in the German character.
divisions of the Allied Jewish Campaign. While certain divisions
Wagner's thinking coincided
were able to hold their own or even surpass their 1949 total
with Nazi thinking because he
others dropped because their specifit type of business did not
transposed all values into the
do so well as in the past.
pagan world of Wotan and Sieg-
These are factors that have to be taken into consideration.
fried. His attempts to turn the
Those who know how much is at stake in this campaign have
clock back appealed to Hitler.
given generously and from their hearts.
make the drive the complete success it should be, those
and his warped ideas led in a
By ALFRED SEGAL
who ave not yet responded to the call of "Zedakah" will have
ANSHE
GIBORIM
much
like
a
saint.
"Saints
are
straight line to the infamous
1'
TEMPLE
to evise their attitude, while those who have given should re-
needed
a
rabbi.
In
case
a
dime
a
dozen,"
said
Mr.
Hum-
laws
of Nuernberg.
A
ex mine their resources in light of the great need.
Here are a few highlights of
you've never heard of Anshe phrey Glutz, president of the
As Vice-President Alben W. Barkley, who so generously
Giborium, it should be said that congregation. "What we really Wagner's thoughts about Jewish
volunteered his time, said during his recent visit here, giving
musicians:
Anshe Giborim means Big Men need is a go-getter."
to the Allied Jewish Campaign is not mere charity but an invest-
For
a
long
time
Rabbi
B
had
"Since the Jew has not really
or, as they say, Big Shots. Tem-
ment in the future. If a Christian can take such an optimistic
ple Anshe Giborim is situated been aware that he just didn't 'suffered,' since he has not truly
view of the Jewish cause, how can Jews fail to back it up?
belong there., He didn't know felt the tribulations and pain of
almost anywhere,.
I don't know how Anshe bridge and one time when he the 'folk,' his works will not pro-
tried a few strokes at the golf ject any passion, and must of
Voting in the Primaries
Giborim happen-
club all he hit was the earth. necessity lack depth. His fast
ed to lose their
Michigan is the first state of the union to pass a law which
Afterward Mrs. Zilch said: "He music is merely restless, and his
rabbi. It may
enables observant Jews to exercise their voting right in the
looks and talks like a saint but slow music indolent and slug-
be
that
the
wives
primaries (which fall on Rosh Hashana this year) without going
is that what we need here?"
gish."
of the congrega-
to the polls and violating the religious law.
And in true Hitler fashion,
The wife of the vice-president
tion didn't like
It should be understood clearly that this new law is, of
said: "What a difference between Wagner concludes:
the rabbi's wife
course, no "Jewish" law. The amendment adopted by the state
Rabbi A and B! Rabbi A left
"But think ye, that one thing
and made her
legislature gives anyone, who for some religious reason feels
me so warm last week!"
only can redeem you from the
• • •
life miserable.
unable to go through the ordinary voting procedure, the right to
burden of your curse: the re-
Or maybe they
vote by absentee ballot.
THAT, FINALLY, also was the demption of Ahasuerus — an-
felt
embarrassed
In the next few month, the Jewish Community Council and
verdict of the trustees of Temple nihiliation."
by the rabbi's
the rabbinic organizations will undertake extensive campaigns to
Anshe Giborim at the end of the
It is only with disgust that we
Segal
sermon against
year. It was said that saintly can think of Wagner. To this re..
acquaint \ lic,litgan Jews with the importance and the provisions
the slums which offended all the Rabbi B was too much like a viewer his music is poison.
of the new law.
real estate interests. The An- shnook, a shlemiel, that is. But
• • •
The signing of the law by Gov. Mennen G. Williams give us
she Giborim said a rabbi should Rabbi A! There was a dynamo
an opportunity to congratulate the Jewish Community Council of
ELIAKUM ZUNSER — POET
stick to-,Judaism. Or maybe they for you! Rabbi A was chosen OF HIS PEOPLE by Sol Liptzin
Detroit on its far-sighted policy. Through its timely action it
were Sgainst a rabbi using so as spiritual leader of Anshe (Behrman House Inc., New
made it possible for observant Jews to exercise a privilege which
much Hebrew in his prayers.
otherwise they would have to forego.
Giborim.
York).
So Anshe Giborim was in
It is to be expected that only a relatively small number of
Rabbi A lasted with Anshe
As a result of the recent
need of a rabbi and took steps. Giborim just a year, the term
Michigan Jews will make use of the absentee ballot. We wish,
The board of trustees decided of his contract. Bf-ille end of slaughter in Europe and the
however, that it were otherwise. Here is an excellent oppor-
that the way to find a new one the year it was said among the establishment of the State of
tunity for Michigan Jews to show solidarity and unity of
was by an oratorical contest. Anshe Giborim: "You can never Israel, there has begun a mild
purpose.
(That had been the way of many tell by looks and by speeches." revival in this country of inter-
Rosh Hashana is an important holiday for orthodox and
a reform congregation in ge -afch Others said: He was like a fire- est in the Jewish past and in
reform Jews alike. Here is a chance for observant Jews
of a rabbi, in the past.)
cracker. What you got after the Jewish culture.
to display their religious devotion and their patriotism by
An important figure in the
Every applicant would be in- fire-cracker is through with its
exercising their privilege to vote through the absentee ballot.
awakening
of eastern Jewry to
vited
to
come
on
and
give
Anshe
boom
is
a
fizzle."
The procedure is simple enough.
Giborim a trial sermon. The one
This story is written on ac- the cultural status of the rest of
A notice to some eager politicians is in order: No matter
who, in the opinion of Anshe count of a plan to make an end the world was Eliakum Zunser,
how small or large the absentee ballot vote is, it will be useless
Giborim, delivered the best ser- of the vulgarity of picking re- the bard of his generation.
as a measure of the voting strength of the Jewish "bloc." There
Sol Liptzin has certainly per-
mon would get tire job. If they form rabbis by oratorical con-
is no such political entity.
could have a rabbi giving a trial tests. It is called the placement formed an important task by re-
sermon each week for a year, plan and is proposed jointly by calling in this biography, the life
Anshe Giborim would have their the Union of American Hebrew and works of a man who so near-
Israel's Traffic Problem
weekly religion practicaly for Congregations, the Central Con- ly personified in his life and ex-
In "Report on Israel," a book recently reviewed in the
nothing during that year, except ference of American Rabbis and pressed in his works the spirit
Jewish Chronicle, Irwin Shaw, the author, writes caustically
for the railroad and hotel bills the Hebrew Union College— of the generation of the second
about the chaotic traffic conditions on Israel's roads. The
half of the 19th century—the
they would have to pay.
Jewish Institute of Religion.
problem is not new. Driving in Israel has never seemed to
• • •
same generation that supplied so
Rabbi
Roland
B.
Gittelsohn,
inspire confidence in bus and car passengers, and arriving safely
RABBI A WAS ONE who if chairman of the Joint Placement 'many immigrants to the United
at one's destination is a minor miracle.
he hadn't turned outo to be a Commission, says: "Some of the States.
We see from the Israeli press that the problem has become
Zunser's early life reads like
rabbi could just as well have finest, most capable and con-
so urgent that the parliament found it necessary to discuss it.
a tale of horrors. He and his
secrated
men
in
the
Libefal
been
an
A-1
salesman.
He
could
The Minister of Communications had brought in an amend-
have sold refrigerators to the rabbinate are not even consider- family suffered under the re-
ment to the traffic ordinance, providing for more severe penal-
Eskimos, as the old gag goes. ed for prominent positions be- action of Nicholas I all the evils
ties for persons infringing regulations. The debate was hot and
The
way he poured it out in his cause theyare quiet, modest men a malevolent government could
everyone agreed that the state of traffic was deplorable.
trial sermon had all the Anshe who have not caught the public contrive although they pale by
Dr. Warhaftig, a member of the Hapoel Hamizrachi, de-
eye. A placement bureau would comparison with the Nazi terror.
Giborim in a spell.
manded that something be done to prevent the impression that
In this black night of eastern
Rabbi
A
stayed
over
through
have complete information on
discrimination was practiced in favor of more respected offend-
Sunday, played golf with Mr. all rabis . . . to give a total Europe, a few isolated figures be-
ers who were let off with light penalties and suggested that in
Zilch, had dinner with the con- picture of the man being con- gan to evolve the beginnings of
certain instances drivers' licenses be suspended for a year.
gregation's leading widget manu. sidered—not just his eloquence a new cultural era. Experiment -
All speakers called for a more severe punishment of careless
facturer, in the evening joined and prominence."
ing with the use of Yiddish, a
drivers who were responsible for many tragedies.
To
establish
the
placement
group
at
canasta.
Everybody's
a
language frowned upon by serious
Among the suggestions offered were the erection of more
verdict was that he was per- bureau will require thesapproval authors previously as fit only for
traffic islands and a'comprehensive pavement program. Others
of reform congregations and they women, they borrowed a little
sonality-plus.
demanded a more careful training of drivers.
should give it.
Next
week
Rabbi
B
arrived
for
from western European Ira&
It was also brought out that among the worst offenders
his trial sermon. Rabbi B was a
Lions but used, the loan only to
were military personnel.
meek man in the pattern of
WATCH OUTPUT
interpret the problems and views
Israel's main problem is the narrowness of its roads. It
Moses. He abhorred the idea of
JERUSALEM— (ISI) — Dutch of their own environment to the
probably will take years before the roads are wide enough for
going into the contest but there Jewish investors are about to people.
modern traffic. And since in such a pioneering country everyone
was no other way of escaping set up a factory for the manu-
Zunser lead the way in the field
hurry,
there
is
bound
to
be
careless
driving
and
speeding.
a
is in
the Anshe Giborim he had been facture of watches. This will be of music and 'poetry which NO
Although there is no comparison between the traffic jam in
the first of its kind in Israel. Most combined into songs that quickly
serving.
Detroit and in Tel Aviv, Detroit drivers can sympathize with the
In his own congregation the of the watches will be produced passed into authentic folk songs.
difficulties of their fellow drivers over there. And so can the
WC.
complaint was that he was too for export.
pedestrians.
•

Reform Rabbis Offer
Plan for Wise Choice

