American Jewish Periodical Ceh

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DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE

Detroit Jewish Chronicle

Published Weekly by the Jewish Chronicle Publishing Co., Inc.
WOodward 1-1040
900 Lawyers' Building, Detroit 26, Michigan
. .
SUBSCRIPTION
$3.00 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

SEYMOUR TILCIIIN
Publisher
GERHARDT NEUMANN
NORMAN KOLIN
Editor
Advertising Manager
I Adar 10, 5711
Friday, February 16, 1951

Brotherhood-a State of Mind

Brotherhood Week this year comes at a time when nothing
seems to be further from the mind and the mood of the world
than fraternal love and good will. War fears are shaking our
world to its foundations; nations rise against nations, and the
threat of atomic destruction hangs heavily over us.
Although we are skeptical of brotherhood protestations,
we do not think that such institutions as Brotherhood Week
are completely useless. The very fact that people—at least
once a year—come together to talk about it and try to under-
stand each other is an encouraging and worthwhile effort.
The yearning for unity and understanding can be traced
far back into Jewish history. Brotherly love is commanded as
a universal principle in Leviticus 19:18—"Thou shalt love thy
neighbor as thyself." The preceding verse also states it in the
negative: "Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart."
That these commandments are not meant exclusively for
members of the Jewish faith is borne out by verse 34 of the
same chapter: "But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall
be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him
as thyself."
We could go on quoting from the Bible and the Talmud.
However, we would not add anything new to what is already
known. It is not the willingness of the Jews to be on friendly
terms with their neighbors that is questioned—it is the emo-
tional block that seems to prevent the majority group from
being friendly with minorities of different origin and beliefs.
The question with which we are faced is: 'what can be done
to establish normal relations between majority and minority
groups?
By coincidence our readers will find a book review on
this same page which refers to the attitude of an Israeli author.
Peretz Bernstein takes the view that groups act under psycho-
logical compulsions and that hatred is just the other side of
love.
According to this theory, there is no point in fighting anti-
Semitism because hatred is not controlled by reason but is an
outlet of emotions.
However, the situation is not quite as dark as it seems.
Self-interest alone should bring the conflicting groups together'
and cause them to overcome their inimical feeling. It appears
obvious to us, as members of a minority group, that so much
more could be accomplished through cooperation than the con-
stant grind of fighting each other for no other reason than
being different.
The appeal to reason so far has had little effect. Our
experience has been that social groups do not always see their
self-interest and give priority to their hostile feelings rather
than explore the possibilities of working together.
It is here where our chance lies. Through a long process
of education we will have to convince the majority groups
that diversity can be a blessing if it is taken in a spirit of
human understanding. No two individuals on this earth, no
two leaves or stones are alike—how could human beings be?
The prophet Malachi admonished his contemporaries:
"Have we not all one father? Hath not one God created us?
Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother,
by profaning the covenant of our fathers?" (2:10).
It is not any easy task to eradicate the prejudices of
centuries, and there is no guarantee that it can be done at
all. But the complexities of modern life make it imperative
that at least nothing be left untried to bring the various groups
together on the common ground of American ideals and world
peace efforts.
In the last analysis, brotherhood is a state of mind which
can flourish only in the proper spiritual climate. It is our task
as Jews to produce this climate.

•

Allied Campaign to Start

Strange as it may seem, the Detroit Allied Jewish Cam-
paign of 1951 will have its unofficial start next Sunday in
Miami.
The Jewish Welfare Federation is anxious to begin the
campaign as early as possible. With the Israeli bond drive
slated to open in May, there is not much time to lose. The
national inaugural conference of the United Jewish Appeal
to be held in Miami on Sunday will give leading members of
the Detroit Jewish community a chance to demonstrate their
faith in the cause.
It is an imposing list of names: Abe Kasle, campaign
chairman, and Louis Berry and Joe Holtzman, pre-campaign
chairmen, will be there to' whip up enthusiasm for the cam-
paign. Mr. and Mrs. Henry Wineman will come from Palm
Beach, despite Mr. Wineman's recent illness. Mrs. John C. Hopp,
chairman of the women's phase of the campaign, also will be
on hand.
Others who will take part in the Miami event are Louis
Tabashnik, Max J. Kogan, Nathan R. Epstein, Sol Sloan, Morris
W. Zack, Nate S. Shapero, Sidney Allen, Harvey Goldman,
Daniel A. Laven, Louis Robinson, Ben L. Silberstein, Morris
L. Fruman, William Gershenson, Louis and Sam Hamburger,
Max Osnos, David Goldberg, Harry, Adolph and Joseph Slatkin,
and Fred F. Simmons.
It is expected that this array of large contributors and
untiring workers will give the campaign a send-off which will
inspire other contributors to increase their efforts and prove to
American Jewry that the Detroit community is aware of its
responsibilities in the great undertaking of building the Jewish
state and in saving the lives of thousands of Jews who now
smart under the whip of Arab or Communist dictators.
We hope it will be generally understood that this is one
of those now-or-never campaigns, on the success of which
depends the fate and future of the unfortunate victims of the
aftermath of the war, If we leave them in their hour of need,
who else will care for them?
Indications are, however, that this is fully understood and
that the spirit or sacrifice is now more alive than ever before.

God's Children All

Friday, February 16, 1951

Israeli Writer
Eyes Roots of
Anti-Semitism

By GERIIARDT NEUMANN
JEW-HATE AS A SOCIOLO-
GICAL PROBLEM by Peretz
Bernstein (Philosophical Library,
New York, 300 pp., $3.75).
What is anti-Semitism? Why
do people hate? Why is it so
difficult to establish understand-
ing between groups of different
origins or creed? Such questions
have been on the minds of Jews
for many centuries, and their
answers have varied with the
mood of their time.
Thus, for instance, at the turn
of the 18th century, with "en-
lightenment" in full swing and
emancipation just around the
corner, anti-Semitism was con-
sidered an outgrowth of lack of
information and understanding.
It would disappear, it was be-
lieved, with reason seizing full
power over man's mind.
In 1923, when Bernstein wrote
his book, shortly after the war,
the optimism of the 19th century
was gone. His generation looked
at things more matter-of-factly.
•
Bernstein followed the trends of
444
German sociology which sought
to explain group phenomena by
exploring the psychological back-
ground of group attitudes.
The result of Bernstein's study
—which today is just as timely
as 18 years ago—is that anti-
Semitism is not a phenomenon
which stands alone but that it
must be seen as part of normal
Jewish
leaders
disagree,
how-
TELLER
By J. L.
ever, in defining these phenom- inter-group relatinships.
(From the Christian Science
Groups have their distinct
ena of Soviet behavior toward
Monitor)
Jews. Some charge that the So- likes and dislikes. Their love is
FOR THE FIRST time in Soviet viet authorities have embarked directed toward the insider, their
history, persons of Jewish on an outright anti-Semitic pol- hate is aimed at the outsider.
faith are apparently in physical icy, tacitly encouraging every Groups of different character
danger from anti-Semitic vio- form of persecution against per- are considered as "inferior"
groups. These are basic facts.
lence.
sons of the Jewish faith.
Any ''explanation" of anti-
According to reports from in-
• • •
Semitism is simply the rational-
side the Soviet Union and reach-
OTHERS ARE somewhat less
ing Jewish leaders in both Israel drastic in their appraisal. One ization of group feelings.
According to Bernstein, groups
and the United States, anti- Jewish leader, sharing the sec-
Semitic outbreaks have assumed ond view, asserted this week in (like individuals) have their joys
the size of minor riots in some of an open letter to the Soviet Am- and pains. Their suffering is
the smaller towns in the Ukraine. bassador to the- United States transformed into hostile feelings,
Even more disturbing, there that, while the individual Jew which are projected upon other
have been assaults on individual still may be physically secure in persons. The belief in the guilt
Jews in such large cities as Mos- Russia, the Soviet Union is ap- of another group can arise with-
cow, with its 300,000 Jews, and parently determined on spiritual out any real cause. The pent-up
hostile feelings need to be re-
Odessa, with its 100,000 Jews.
genocide of the Jewish group."
leased, and since they can hardly
Soviet officials are reported re-
The genocide charge has been be projected upon one's own
liably to have shown indiffer-
ence to the complaints of the leveled by Hayim Greenberg in group, they are directed toward
Jewish victims and to have taken an "open letter" article in Der a weaker group.
Bernstein's essay comes to the
no steps to curb the mounting Yiddisher Kemfer, official organ
frequency of these incidents, not- of the Labor Zionist Organiza- conclusion that the existence or
withstanding the formal ban on tion of America, of which he is non-existence of anti-Semitism
is completely beyond our control.
anti-Semitism in the Soviet Con- editor.
Asserting that he was writing The good or bad behaviour of
stitution.
Benjamin West, writing in Is- only in his own name, as "an Jews has nothing to do with the
rael's best-informed newspaper, American Jew with Russian feelings of the majority. Group
Davar, says there is no reason to background," and not in the enmity . creates its objects.
"Under favorable conditions,"
doubt the authenticity of reports name of any organization, Green-
that Jews have been deported berg listed the following evi- the author says, "The Jew may
from Russian frontier areas. dence of spiritual genocide far a time be able to conceal
himself from the expressions of
Since, however, figures on these against Soviet Jewry:
deportations are not available,
There is not a single Yiddish anti-Semitism; but he can never
reports of mass deportations may publication left in the Soviet please his enemies, and his will
Union (the former Israel Am- to conform will only bring him
be exaggerated.
There also have been new bassador to Russia, Mordecai the reproach of characterless-
roundups of Zionists and since Namid, said there was a Yiddish ness."
It is even hopeless to argue
Zionism has been illegal in the publication in Biro Bidjan.)
against anti-Semitic accusations,
• • •
Soviet Union for more than three
decades, the arrested men are not
GREENBERG NOTES that the Bernstein writes, "for they are
youngsters.
Yiddish theater has received no not the causes of anti-Semitism,
• • •
mention recently in the columns but only its pretexts."
He does not say that we should
THEY ARE JUDGED to be of the Soviet press. He asks,
mainly veterans of penal servi- furthermore, what has happened stop fighting hatred; "but we
tude, who were released after 10 to the Jewish schools in Russia, should not do so without being
to 20 years at hard labor in and notes that these questions aware of the ultimate pointless-
Siberia, but were rearrested have been addressed many times ness of such a defensive.
"A Jewish nation," he writes,
when the Moscow radio and the in the past to the Soviet ambas-
newspaper Pravada began their sadors in various countries, but "which lives in close settlement
attacks, just about a year ago, on no answer has been received to within its own country will prob-
"Ben Gurion's Marshall Plari date.
ably be exposed to the hostility
government."
The American Jewish Commit- of the surrounding nations, and
Israeli residents have received tee has prepared a memorandum live in alternating states of war
letters from their kin in the So- on the persecution of religious and peace. But the enmity be-
viet Union advising that they no
tween the Jews and their neigh-
longer wished to receive corre- Jews in Russia.
bors will then be no more than
According to this memorandum a normal enmity between one
spondence from overseas. The
Kremlin had encouraged corre- and testimony from other sour- nation and the other, and not
spondence with overseas relatives ces, the few synagogues func- that one-sided and accursed hat-
during the war years and imme- tioning in Moscow are administ- red which has haunted the frag-
diately following the Soviet dele- ered by persons of dubious rab- ments of a tortured people
gation's support of the United binical status and by sextons through 20 centuries and over the
Nation's Palestine partition reso- that are party agents. Instruc- whole of the inhabited world."
lution, under which the state of tion in Hebrew is given clan-
Bernstein's thesis is a logical
destinely because use of the result of Zionist teachings. The
Israel came into being.
Israel newspapers report also language is illegal.
author, an old Zionist, is presi-
The amazing thing is that these dent of the General Zionist Or-
that Jewish lay representatives
and rabbis are no longer to be clandestine schools, where in- ganization in Israel. His theory
seen at official Soviet functions, struction is largely from memory may be a little bit on the radical
although it is government prac- rather than books, which are un- side and difficult to reconcile
tice to invite representatives of available, have produced some with Galut conditions, but it is
all ethnic groups residing in the brilliant Talmudic scholars, ac- certainly worth exploring at
Soviet Union,. and to encourage cording to wartime orthodox greater length. It seems time
all clergy, both Christian and Jewish refugees from Poland that we abandon wishful think-
Moslem, to attend in clerical who have come out of Russia ing and learn the facts of We.
since the end of the war.. .
garb.

`tr'

Anti-Semitic Pressure
Is Mounting in Russia

