American ffewislt Periodical
Friday, November 3, 1950
DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE
Puge 4
Detroit Jewish Chronicle
--------
Published Weekly by the Jewish Chronicle Publishing Co., Inc.
WOodward I nc.
2827 Cadillac Tower, Detroit 26, Michigan
SUBSCRIPTION:
$3.00 Per Year, Single Copies, 10c; Foreign, 55.00 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 TIECHIN
Publisher
GERHARDT NEUMANN
NORMAN KOLIN
Editor
Advertising Manager
Heshvan 23, 5711
Friday, November 3, 1950
Jewish Books Seek Readers
Pirandello, in his famous play, has six characters search
for an author, but our Jewish authors are looking these days for
persons who will read their books. Some of them are look s a
for them quite desperately, because they, too, have
living.
It is our hope that Jewish Book Month starting Nov. 3 will
be able to give those authors at least some comfort, raise their
sales and revive their faith in their mission.
Those of our readers who read the Chronicle's editorial
page wil have noticed in recent weeks that a surprisingly high
number of Jewish novels or other books of Jewish interest
have been reviewed in our book column. Some of them were
that
found wanting, others excellent. But the interesting fact is that
they are being accepted by non-Jewish publishers and
therefore some interest in those subjects must exist.
And yet, the Jewish authors feel the pinch much more than
other writers. They feel that they are left out, that the Jewish
community does not pay enough attention to them or does not
keep pace with their thinking.
It is hard to tell whether the authors are 100 per cent right.
They are speaking from their own vantage point. It is quite
possible that more people than they think are reading their
books and discussing them in private circles. In fact, we know
of a number of groups in Detroit which have been discussing
books regularly and show a lively interest in the thought de-
veloping process of our time.
Our rabbis, too, of ten use new books as a text for their
sermons and thus acquaint a not inconsiderable number of peo-
ple with the ideas being discussed at this time.
However, on the other side of the ledger, it cannot be
denied that our Jewish public is reluctant to apply itself fully
to the strenuous task of intellectual discussion. The American
environment has left its mark on the "people of the book."
Every Jew should understand that he has a stake in the
development of Jewish life, and that this development can be the
a
healthy and desirable one only when he is willing to accept
burden of helping others think through the problems that are
crying for a solution.
Many of these new books, however, are not concerned with
Author Eyes
2 Milleniums
of Jew-Hatred
Jewish Book Month
By HAROLD S. COVEN
THE FOOT OF PRIDE by
Malcolm Ilay (Beacon Press,
Boston, 352 pp., $3.75).
Malcom Hay's new book is
00-Ka5hall
thy con
ioTi§T book
cases and
thy: pleasure_- nooYs
gafilerig7TA7, 717,
subtitled "The Pressure of Chris-
tendom on the People of Israel
for 1900 Years." That, judging
by the contents of the book, is
,4 1115eUt+
the understatement of the year.
ZWALNIZEPX.XXS1V•JVPA4 11b
For what the author is dealing
with is more than mere pressure,
it is the story of two milleniums
of fierce persecution in the name
of religion.
With all his skill as a historian,
Hay, a Catholic, has assembled
the bare facts of the outstanding
blot on the reputation of Chris-
tianity throughout its history.
Added to this is Hay's well-
known talent for irony which
drives the barb of the injustice
cone the Jews even deeper int.)
the flesh.
Even a bare recital of the facts
is enough to eventually turn the
stomach of the reader, no matter
how familiar he is with the
bloody history of anti-Semitisth.
If anything saves the reader's
nerves it is the fact that the
recent horror in Europe has
numbed him against furl her
shock.
Hay begins his narrative with
a review of the preaching of
St. John Chrysostom, the great-
est anti-Semite the 'early church
produced. He also traces the
anti-Semitism of St. John, the
author of the fourth gospel, and
shows how he rewrote the earlier
gospels to incorporate his feel-
ings toward the Jews.
If there is any point on which
one might take exception with
and
not
sacrifices;
and
knowledge
By ALFRED SEGAL
Hay, it is over the question of
of God, not holocausts."
HE QUESTION IS: What
like the prophet modern anti-Semitism. He seems
Jesus
was
should a Jew think of Jesus? Isaiah who centuries before Jesus to feel that Hitler's concept of
It is brought up by a letter from spoke similarly, "inveighed," Dr. anti - Semitism is a direct con-
sequence of the Christian atti-
j
Columnist's Salvation
Troubles Local Reader
T
a lady on Clairmount avenue, De- Glueck says, "against exaggerated
troit, who, as I guess is a convert and senseless ritual and cried out tude on the subject.
To a great extent this is cor-
from Judaism to Christianity. She in the name of God to the people:
rect, but he does not note the
writes me about
'Cleanse and purify yourselves. injection of the racial concept
the matter of
Remove your wicked deeds from into Nazism. The Jew has al-
saving the souls
mine eyes. Cease to do evil, learn ways been hated for his religion
of Jews, includ-
to do good. Practice justice. Hold by "true" Christians, but theo-
ing my own,
in check the oppressor. Secure retically at least, if he adopted
through Jesus.
the right to the fatherless. Plead the "true" faith there could be
She had read
the cause of the widow.'
no reason to continue hating
what I had writ-
"None of these men was afraid him.
ten to a Chris-
With Nazis religion is of sec-
of consequences, nor was Jesus,"
tian lady of Bal-
Dr. Glueck tells us.—"In the same ondary importance, race is the
timore who like-
prophetic tradition Jesus contin- real factor. The whole develop-
wise was anxious
ued to preach and interpret the ment from Gobineau and Cham-
about my soul Segal
and had asked why don't Jews Torah. Few of his generation were berlain on is overlooked by the
take up Jesus and get themselves more familiar with its basic prin- author.
Always the Jews have had the
saved. I told her that the Jewish ciples and enduring significance
idea of salvation is one that em- than this young rabbi. He an- choice of escaping persecution by
swered the lawyer's question as conversion, and no doubt many
braces the whole world.
did avail themselves of the "easy
The experiment of the absentee ballot in the primaries of
But the Detroit lady admon- to how eternal life might be in-
last September was an encouraging experience in citizenship.
out."
ishes: "The hope of reaching herited by making him recall two way
Today the anti-Semite gives
More than 10,000 Jews responded to the call of the Jewish
Biblical
passages,
the
one
from
heaven without a Savior is a
the Jew 24 hours to get out of
Community Council—a much higher number than ever antici-
false one." She commends Jews Deuteronomy, 'Thou shalt love this world. He has no choice, he
the Lord thy God with all thy
pated.
for
caring
more
about
saving
the
Now the elections on Nov. 7 are beckoning. We feel that
world and making heaven here, heart, and with all thy soul and must fight back or die.
It is no doubt true that hatred
citizens should not really have to be urged to go to the polls.
but she says that, first of all, "it with all thy might' and the other, of the Jew is still primarily
The right to cast a vote is a privilege which in this world of
'Thou
shalt
love
thy
neighbor
...
is the individual himself whose
propagated by Christian relig-
ours is noticeably shrinking. Fewer and fewer people enjoy
soul must be saved" and the way as thyself.'"
•
this privilege as totalitarian ideologies prefer to dictate to the
ious teachings. Deicide (Christ-
for a Jew to be saved is "by ac-
killer) is still the first thing the
voter the opinion they want him to express.
I
HAVE
NO
PURPOSE
to
un-
ceptance of the One who will
The American citizen has an unbelievable complacency
dermine the faith of the Detroit Christian child learns about the
some day save the world."
about his right to vote free from compulsion. He takes it for
lady who believes that Jesus in a Jew, but the fact remains that
She
has
brought
to
Christianity
granted as he takes the Constitution for granted. Unfortunately,
the professional rabble rouser
the Jewish teaching on which special way is the son of God and does not stop with religion, his
such things cannot be taken for granted. Privileges that are
himself
a
God.
For
myself
I
pre-
Jesus himself was nurtured. She
not exercised intelligently by all may become special privileges
solution is genocide.
should know Leviticus where fer to think of him as one of the
He wants to destroy the whole
great among all the children of
for the few who care.
Jesus
learned
that
one
should
We hope that all Jews of voting age will look at the situa-
race. It is this development that
God
whose
ways
I
should
follow;
love one's neighbor as one's self.
tion carefully. They should remember the hundreds of thou-
the entire world, Jew and Gen-
She should know the Jewish just as I should follow the ways tile alike, must surely under-
sands of Jews in Communist-dominated countries in Europe or
of
other
prophets.
prophet who said that all the
in the Moslem countries where there is no such thing as liberty
It is much easier for a poor, stand. Six million people died to
good of man is in being just and
or free voting. We owe it to them to prove to the world that
weak
human being to try to be make this lesson clear.
merciful and walking humbly
To an American the • most
Jews can live as Jews and free men in a free society.
like
Jesus,
the great and good
with God. She should know the
Considered from this angle, the question of voting becomes
man, than to stretch himself try- shocking part of the book deals
Jewish
prophet
who
asked:
"Have
one of self-assertion and pride as well as one of our imperish-
with the indifference of the
we not all one Father? Hath not ing to be like Jesus the God.
State Department to the fate of
able belief in man's freedom and dignity.
For
to
try
to
be
Mee
a
God
is
one God created us? Why, then,
We know that the Jewish community of Detroit will live
European Jewry.
for
poor,
limited
mankind
the
do ye deal despitefully one with
up to its democratic responsibilities and affirm its adherence to
Hay writes, "The British For-
same as reaching for a star to grab
one other?"
the principles of democracy whose roots lie deep in Jewish
hold of it. Maybe because the eign Office and the American
• • •
God of State Department knew how the
tradition.
LET THE DETROIT lady not Christian world made a
Jesus
it
has,
even
after
2,000 Jews could be saved. They knew
be troubled on account of my
years,
not
yet
caught
up
with the Germans . . . were willing
a
soul. I myself accept Jesus as
him.
Jesus
the
man
never
has to sell Jewish lives for allied
noble gentleman who is not alien
money. But the Allies would not
been
brought
down
to
the
earth
Many Jews in Detroit would like to have this question
to me. He is one of the multitude
pay the price • . . two to 10
to
walk
among
men
and
show
answered. For many years Detroit Jews have been trying to
of Jews who, in accordance with
dollars for a life."
them
the
way.
build a Jewish hospital but never succeeded in raising enough
the Jewish law and the prophets,
The Jewish community needs
I
hope
the
Detroit
lady
doesn't
money to fulfill the dream.
have hoped to make a better think I am trying to convert her to be reminded of its inepitude
Another chance is given the community now that the
world out of this.
back to Judaism, if that's where in aiding the doomed millions
Greater Detroit Hospital Fund drive which includes the Jewish
He was like the prophet Hosea,
and the Christian community, if
Hospital Association enters its final phase of fund-raising. Will
says Dr. Nelson Glueck, president she came from. Let her remain it only cared, needs to be re-
the
best
of
Christians
since
the campaign again fall short of its goal?
of the Hebrew Union College.
minded of its active or passive
It is up to each individual Jew to answer this question.
Hosea was the one who, long be- every really good Christian is encouragement of mass murder.
s
Detroit is desperately short of hospital space. If we fail in thi
fore Jesus said it, declared in the badly needed in the Christian Foot of Pride does just that.
Jewish hospital for
drive critical shortages may deprive us of a
name of God: "Love do I desire world.
future but do look back to the past. They describe life in
eastern Europe, emigration to America, the joys and sorrows of
the early years of adjustment and the changes through which
Jews have gone over these years.
The past now appears to our authors a closed chapter in
our history. The world of their fathers and grandfathers now
becomes a world of nostalgic reminiscences, and at the same
time our Jewish heritage undergoes a re-evaluation, All Jews,
whether they are first or second generation Americans, should
find something interesting and familiar in these novels.
A third class of books deals with Israel, and it goes without
saying that now more than ever Jews are eager to acquaint
themselves with the situation in the Jewish state.
Jewish Book Month, we hope, will cause Detroit Jews to
review their attitude toward Jewish authors and maybe even go
out and buy a book.
the
Let's Get Out the Vote!
Will We Have a Jewish Hospital?
many more years.
1