Americo lewisli Periodical a
DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE
Page 4
A Negro Studies the Jews
Detroit Jewish Chronicle
Published by the Jewish Chronicle Publishing Co., Inc.
WOodward 1-1040
2827 Cadillac Tower, Detroit 26, Michigan
SUBSCRIPTION:
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Thursday, August 3, 1950
By HAROLD S. COHEN
GERIIARDT NEUMANN
Editor
Ab 20, 5710
Restoration of Our Equilibrium
A Guest Editorial
By BORIS M. JOFFE,
Executive Director, Jewish Community Council
•■
ti
As each annual campaign conies to an end, and the magnifi-
cent demonstrations of Jewish compassion are again and again
evident in the form of millions of dollars voluntarily donated
to a score of Jewish overseas and domestic causes — an inevi-
table question arises: How to maintain the pace when needs
are not decreasing?
Many explanations have been offered for both the remark-
ably successful campaigns and for the campaigns which fall
short of their goal. As to the former, the combination of Hitler's
horrors in their naked and revolting ugliness and excellent
business conditions in the United States accounted for an un-
precedented amount of giving.
As to the latter, business conditions have been blamed,
plus the fatigue of givers, plus the wearing off of the impact of
even the most shocking of Nazi deeds or of even the most heroic
of the Haganah experiences in Israel.
Practically every Jewish periodical of note, practically
every convention of major Jewish organizations — in_ one way
or another — assays the issue either in terms of "philanthropy
vs. the development of American Jewish life historically rooted
and culturally inherited'' or in more undiplomatic terms "will
our fund-raising apparatus and techniques become the princi-
pal if not the sole form and substance of Jewish life in
America"?
A most heterogeneous combination of philosophies is ar-
rayed on the side of those who are concerned with the apathy
which is apparently on the increase among American Jewry.
Such apathy is the cause of smaller pledges, smaller collections,
poor attendance at meetings, insufficient participation in com-
munal and cultural activities, escapes into canasta, golf, pinochle
or television — depending on the economic status of the
escapee.
What causes this apathy? Can a society emotionally squeezed
dry by the most noble, honest and stark appeals — year in and
year out — refill itself automatically at a spiritual "filling sta-
tion," and travel again full speed ahead to assist Israel, Jews
everywhere, and our own communal institutions?
Be it Bnai Brith, be it American Jewish Congress, or Jewish
Labor Committee, or American Jewish Committee, or the Gen-
eral or Labor Zionists — all of these segments of organized
Jewish life in America are questioning the "whither are thou
going?" of American Jewry.
Similarly, "The Reconstructionist," "Congress Weekly,"
"Commentary," "Jewish Frontier," among the national maga-
zines; "Forward," "The Day" and "Yiddisher Kemfer" — the
major periodicals through which Jewish public opinion ex-
presses itself in print in Yiddish; and the Anglo-Jewish news-,
papers contain numerous articles discussing the impact of this
concentration on fund-raising upon the domestic structure of
the American Jewish community, and on the community's
over-all future.
There is no use shying away from the problem. It is here.
It is as omnipresent as air.
Is American Jewry being spiritually depleted in the pro-
cess of campaigns to the detriment of oampaigns themselves?
Is the goose that lays the golden egg undernourished? Is it
spiritually starving?
Maurice Samuel in his new book "The Gentleman
and the Jew" revives the old — and the ever new — maxim:
good things can stand in the way of better.'Samuel connects
this abstract maxim with our most immediate performance.
He writes that "since 1914 general relief funds and Zionist
funds have hammered on the conscience (not the intelligence)
of American Jewry . . . By their nature they are incapable of
turning that awakened consciousness to creative ends. It is a
consciousness without much, in a Jewish way, to be conscious
of . . . Our first need is to become creative . The will to be,
and to be Jewish, can manifest itself only in a Jewry which
has found itself, which has forms of its own making for the
expression of the permanent Jewish values; also it must be-
lieve in its own future in order to create . .."
The concentration on fund-raising, as absolutely necessary
as fund-raising is today — is not a creative action, as Maurice
Samuel defines it. More than that, supremacy of fund-raising
in the long run operates against itself. It dries up the spiritual
springs which furnish the main incentive for giving.
The restoration of our society's equilibrium is in order.
The tending of our cultural vineyards, coupled with the unre-
strained growth of our democratic communal organization are
bound to bring about the self awareness by American Jewry
that it is the largest single group of Jews living in a democratic
country, free to grow, free to express itself, free to help Israel.
With such freedoms American Jewry and its reinforce-
ments, the younger generation, are bound to appreciate volun-
tarily assumed obligations, measured in contributions not only
of dollars from those who can afford, but also of community
time, participation and intelligence.
What is thwarting this development? Speaking only as a
peripheral fund-raiser it appears to the writer that there is not
sufficient trust in democracy's ability "to deliver."
There is fear, even on the part of those who question the
philosophy of present-day fund-raising whether this is the time
to rock the boat. The lesson of World War II should have taught
us that intelligent democratic participation, aware of what it
is fighting for produces results of far greater weight than the
leadership of the elite — however capable the leaders or the
Jewish Groups'
"Candidness" -
Startles Writer
One of the great phenomena
of our time is the apparent
abysmal ignorance of the leaders
of the important Jewish organ-
izations in America.
We were not aware of these
leaders' lack of knowledge about
their own groups until we began
to participate in numerous press
conferences.
A typical press conference in
the Jewish community runs about
like this:
Q) What does your group stand
for?
A) Well, ahh, Our policy
board has not met yet, so 1 can't
answer that. But I will gladly
send you a press release on the
subject after the meeting in_ De-
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, Aug. 3, 1950
cember.
Miss J. Ida Jiggets of New York, shows a copy of her book to Prof. E. George
Payne, Dean Emeritus of New York University, at New York International
Airport, shortly before they took off for Israel aboard an EL AL, Israel
National Airlines plane bound for the Holy Land. Dean Payne will conduct
classes at the Beryl Katznelson Summer School in Israel. Miss Jiggete, author
of a work "Religion, Diet, and Health of the Jews," ( Bloch Publishing Co.),
and first Negress to ha v e written ■ successful book on a Jewish Theme, will
work on her thesis for Doctor of Sociology while In Israel. The two scholars
were among the throng of over 300 students who took off for Israel on
EL AL, Israel National Airlines Bights.
Exclusive Report Given
on Heavenly Discourse
Q) What part did your organ-
ization play in the New Jersey
riots last month?
A) Ahh, let's not rake up old
scandals. We played no part in
the affair. We didn't realize what
it was all about. Ahh, It was all
a mistake,
Q) What was the result of the
recent conference in Boston on
the future role of your group?
A) I am not at liberty to di-
vulge that information. You
should address inquiries to the
secretary.
Q) May I have an advance
copy of your speech for tonight.?
A) I haven't got any unfor-
tunately. Why don't you come to
the affair? We are meeting at 3
a.m. at Moshe's barn on M-27
near Kalamazoo.
Q) Do you feel that there Is
an immediate danger of war in
the Middle East?
A) No comment. I am only the
president of the organization and
such 'matters are handled by the
executive-secretary. lie's in Ye-
posed a kin of merger of the two
By ALFRED SEGAL
HEAR IT reliably reported that congregations, and not exactly a
merger either but a rathei decent
up in Paradise, in the special
congregation of the rabbis, there way of getting along like breth- hupitz now, but should be back
has been quite a deal of excited ren.
One Friday evening Rabbi Raab in March.
discussion lately. It has to do
Q) What are your personal
with a matter that has occurred conducts services of the Sabbath views On FEPC?
for the Reform branch in his
on the earth.
A) Ahh, well, you see, I am
Some of the fundamentalists temple. The organ peals, the for Israel, against sin and I firm-
choir sings and services are read
in the American way
said No, a rabbi should never give
from the Reform Union Prayer ly believe
in to time or
of life.
Book.
Q) Will there be a press table
change or the
The next Friday, Rabbi Raab at your meeting and can I get
ideas of people;
serves the Conservatives from press passes?
since rabbis are
the same altar.
A) I'll have to ask the chair-
of the stuff of
These
These proceedings are what has
of arrangements. Say, Jack,
eter-nity, and
been exciting the heavenly con- (sotto voce) are there any ag-
what are people?
gregation of the million rabbis rangernents for the press for to-
They are just
. . . "K. K. Rabbonim," Rabbi night? Well I'm sorry Mr. —,
men of the earth,
Gadaliah went on to say, "my but you know how it is, last-
you might say,
resolution calls for blessings on minute rush and all that. Why
men of the mo-
this rabbi of Cedar Rapids who don't you just come down and
ment. People are
has gathered diverse Jews around ask for Morris Kallike, he'll fix
Segal
in a d e for the
a point of unity and caused them you up. Any more questions.
functioning of rabbis.
Q) That's all. Thanks for the
, Then a certain rabbi Gadaliah to see they can live together even
in one house and with one voice. information.
aroseand gave out a heresy .
A) It has been a pleasure.
"On the contrary," he said, "rabbis He is a rabbi after my own heart;
are made for people, not people he knows that rabbis are for peo- Whew, am I glad that noodnick Is
ple, not people for rabbis. And gone!
for rabbis."
Think we were exaggerating,
"And, besides," Rabbi Gadaliah I move you that when his time
said, "this rabbi of Cedar Rapids comes after 120 years he be ad- sit in on one yourself some time.
More seriously, this problem
deserves our special commenda- mitted into our holy congrega-
of lack of information is one
tion as one who makes no dif- tion."
4, • 41
which does affect the entire Jew.
ference between tittle,.and tattle
AT THIS THERE was loud ish community. That community
and attempts to compose the re-
ligious conflict between Jews. Oh, moaning all over the synagogue is largely dependent upon the
my brethren, too many of us on high whose length and breadth Anglo-Jewish press for informa-
make a vested interest of the al- reach far into inter-stellar space. tion on what is going on in Jew-
The moaning voices were say- ish affairs locally, nationally and
leged differences. This is a rabbi
internationally.
who knows that rabbis are made ing:
What they are largely receiv-
This Gadaliah proposed a Re-
for people. Members of K. K.
Rabbonim, I offer you a resolu- former to live among us for- ig is pap. Each organization
maintains a tight censorship over
ever!"
tion .. ."
*
"He profanes our holy eon- its internal problems and its re-
lationships to other groups. The
HIS REFERENCE was to young gregation."
tries to make tittle and Israeli government is hardly bet-
Rabbi David Raab of Cedar Rap-
ter. It releases to the press
ids. A graduate of the Reform tattle one."
"If tittle is the same at tattle (thence to the public) only those
Hebrew Union College, he is
aware that Reform Jews are not there can be no place for rabbis facts that in its opinion the pub-
lic should know.
alone deserving the ministrations who know all the differences."
The result is apparent. No one
K. K. Rabbonim refused to ad-
of a Reform rabbi. A Reform
rabbi speaks to the One God (as mit the Cedar Rapids rabbi to its except the heads of large organ-
izutions that are in the know, is
is specifically stated in our Shim fold after 120 years.
But the angels who had over- really aware of the situation in
Yisroel) and what disqualifies him
from speaking to the same God heard the whole thing had their Israel. It is not surprising there-
for•the Conservatives and for the own ideas about the matter. It is' fore that American Jews are ac-
their function to listen to the cused of lack of knowledge and
Orthodox, for that matter?
What's his special license that voices of rabbis every Sabbath interest in Israeli affairs.
They say "truth crushed to
says he can speak up only for and to carry their words to the
earth will rise." So it will, but
Most High.
Reform Jews?
They came singing into the often too late to mean anything
Now in Cedar Rapids a couple
of rabbis had been speaking to synagogue of K. K. Rabbonim: as propagandists are fully aware.
It is high time for Jewish or-
God for the local Jewry—one "Let us thank God for one,rabb,
(Rabbi Raab) in the Reform who knows how to speak to God ganizations and Israel to take
Temple Judah and the other in with one voice for Israel in his the American public into their
the Conservative Beth Jacob varieties." Thus they sang as confidence. For only in the light
Synagogue, recently Orthodox. they came dancing in and they of public discussion can we be
led.
When the Conservative Rabbi took hold of the rabbis and made assured of Intelligent decisions
of
This is the environment needed for the revitalization
and continued public interest.
went elsewhere, Rabbi Raab pro- them dance along.
Jewish life, of campaigns, and of creativity.
I
-