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THE JEWISH NEWS
THE JEWISH NEWS
OUR OWN SECOND FRONT
Published every Friday by the Jewish News Publishing Co.,
Inc., 2114 Penobscot Bldg., Detroit. Mich. Telephone RAndolph 7956.
Subscription rates, $3 a year, foreign, $4 a year.
Member of Independent Jewish Press Service, Jewish Tele-
graphic Agency, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate, Religious News
Service, Palcor News Agency, Bressler Cartoon Service, Wide
World Photo Service.
MAURICE H. SCHWARTZ and PHILIP SLOMOVITZ, Publishers
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Maurice Aronsson
Philip Slomovitz
Fred M. Butzel
Isidore Sob eloff
Theodore Levin
Abraham Srere
Maurice H. Schwartz
Henry Wineman
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ, Editor
On this Sabbath, the eighteenth day of Ab, 5702, the following
Scriptural selections will be read: Pentateuchal portion, Deut.
7:12-11:25; Prophetical portion, Is. 49:14-51:3.
VOL. 1—NO. 19
JULY 31, 1942
A Semblance of Unity
The great rally held in Madison Square Garden in
New York last week to condemn Nazi atrocities was sig-
nificant because it succeeded in attaining a semblance of
unity in American Jewry. Not only was the meeting
sponsored by the American Jewish Congress, Bnai Brith
and the Jewish Labor Committee, but it had the blessings
of the Synagogue Council of America, the American Emer-
gency Committee for Zionist Affairs and numerous other
national organizations, and the American Jewish Commit-
tee joined the sponsors by means of an encouraging letter
from its president, Maurice Wertheim.
It is welcome news to know that a significant meeting
of this kind was devoid of inner friction and that the lead-
ers of these outstanding movements were able to get
together on a common platform in defense of Jewish
rights. It should serve as a pattern for future action.
Conditions are too tragic for us to permit dissention to
destroy our inner amity. Furthermore, division in our
ranks lends comfort to our enemies. For the sake of our
own self-respect, we must avoid friction and we must act
concertedly whenever possible. The disunity we can afford
in time of peace becomes destructive in time of war.
The G. L. K. Smith Issue
Gerald L. K. Smith, Republican candidate for U. S.
Senator from Michigan, is potentially more dangerous than
his former chief, the late Huey Long, William B. Huie
warns in an article in American Mercury. Mr. Huie
charges that Jews have helped finance Smith's activities
and that on the basis of some letters from Jewish organi-
zations and individuals Smith now denies that he is an
anti-Semite.
The issue should be made clear at this time, in view
of the responsibility that rests upon Republicans to defeat
Smith for the Senatorial nomination, because of the
prominence and strength of his chief opponent, Judge
Homer B. Ferguson of the Wayne County Circuit Court.
When Smith first made Detroit his headquarters, he at-
tacked anti-Semites, told a number of Jews privately that
he was ready to fight Father Coughlin, appeared before
Jewish groups and secured from them commendations for
his denouncement of those who resort to racial and re-
ligious prejudice. Had these groups searched Smith's
record they would have been more cautious and would
have refrained from writing to him, thus giving hiril an
opportunity to disclaim charges of prejudice in his ranks.
But Gerald L. K. Smith's claims are now completely
vitiated by the inclusion of his periodical, "The Cross and
the Flag," among the groups, individuals and publications
indicted by our Government as vehicles for subversive
activities. Mr. Smith's periodical is classed with the Na-
tional Workers League and should be watched carefully
for whatever damage it may cause. Furthermore, it now
appears to be a fact that the Coughlin following has swung
over to Smith. We are confident that the Republican vot-
ers will know hoW to deal with him at the September
primaries.
No Restraint on Spiritual Forces
Fears entertained by some people that the war will
bring an end to conventions and to other public gatherings
that were part of normal activities among Americans have
been dispelled by an inspiring letter sent by President
Roosevelt to Dr. W. A. Shullenberger, president of the
International Convention of the Disciples of Christ, con-
vening this week in Grand Rapids, Mich. The President
wrote :
"Nothing but the prior demands of the war on our
Jesources should intervene to curtail or interrupt this
marshalling of the spiritual forces of the nation."
It is good to hear such words of encouragement • in
the present trying days and to read the President's appeal
for the revival of religion and religious values. It is a call
that indicates the need for retention of our morale and
the continuation of normal activities, for the sake of mak-
ing the war effort more effective through the planning
Of a clear-thinking community.
Of course, some gatherings are superfluous. But there
is no reason why unnecessary assemblies should be con-
vened even in normal times. Conclaves that are valid to
formal existence should not be curtailed, and the Presi-
dent's statement is an encouragement for the continuation
of all such efforts which serve to strengthen our spiritual
values.
The Talmud on the Blackouts
Stories that used to be told to ehildren to emphasize
the wisdom of the Talmud as a teacher of faith and in-
spirer of courage are now applicable to the status of the
country at large. Here is an excellent example:
The Army's slogan, "If in Doubt, Put It Out," in the
case of lights burning during blackouts, caused Dr. Michael
Higger to quote a famous story in an article in the Syna-
gogue Light of Brooklyn. The tale, taken from the Baby-
lonian Talmud, relates the following experience of Rabbi
Akiba, the famous scholar who lived during the period
of Roman persecutions of the Jews:
"Once, upon being unable to find any sleeping accommoda-
tions in a certain city, R. Akiba was compelled to pass the night
outside its walls. Without a murmur he resigned himself to this
hardship; and even when a lion devoured his ass, and a cat
killed the cock whose crowing was to herald the dawn to him,
and the wind extinguished his candle, the only remark which
R. Akiba made was, "This likewise must be for a good purpose!"
"When morning dawned, R. Akiba learned how true his
words were. A band of robbers had fallen upon the city and
carried its inhabitants into captivity, but he had escaped because
his abiding place had not been noticed in the darkness, and
neither beast nor fowl had betrayed him."
Dr. Higger was moved to write this article as a result
of the controversy in Jewish ranks in New York over the
lighting and extinguishing of the Sabbath lights during
blackouts. He quotes from the Mishnah, Sabbath 29B, as
follows:
"If one extinguishes the lamp because he is afraid of heath-
ens, robbers, or an evil spirit, or for the sake of a sick person,
that he should sleep, he is not culpable for desecrating the
Sabbath. If because he would spare the lamp, the oil, or the
wick, he is culpable.
"Consequently, if there is an alarm which might signify an
actual air raid, not only is it permissible to extinguish all lights,
but it is even one's duty to do so. Failure to put out the lights
might cause the lass of many lives."
It has definitely been established that rules governing
the Sabbath and holydays may be broken when the safety
of the community is involved. Jewish tradition permits the
breaking of the Sabbath when it becomes necessary to
fight fires on the day of rest, and Jewish warriors have
been permitted to join in battle on Saturdays in order to
defend themselves and their communities. Furthermore,
there have been lenient interpretations of dietary laws
to make the lot of the Jewish soldiers easier.
Jewish laws and traditions are not tyrannical. This
is made clear in Dr. Higger's interpretations, of what are
generally known as restrictions. The faithful will not be
unfaithful when they join the community at large in
fighting the enemy.
Bigotry's Ugliness
From time to time, bigots show their ugly heads in
public places.
Reports come to us from several sources that a res-
taurant in the northwest section of the city has made
it a practice to humiliate Jews who happen to come there
by ignoring their presence and letting thera wait while all
others are served. In the instances reported to us, the
Jewish guests left the restaurant without having been
served.
This is happening in free America, in the twentieth
century, during a critical fight with corrupt foreign ideolo-
gies for the perpetuation of justice among all men !
- As these charges are being investigated, o'ne outstand-
ing fact is in evidence. Those who discriminate are prac-
ticing Nazi methods in this country, and they should be
exposed. The label NAZI belongs on the store fronts of
such businesses, so that the public at large may know
who the importers of bigotry are in this land of freedom.
Such bigotry must be exposed in all its ugliness. Per-
haps the light of day will help cleanse our community
from the destructive elements who perpetuate hatred.
Friday, jay 31, 194
American Rabbis
War-Time Tasks
By RABBI SAMUEL BELKIN
Dean of Rabbinical Departme
of Yeshiva College, New York
The Jewish religion is not
pacifist religion. The spiritu
leaders in Israel were alway
willing to fight for the preserva
tion of human dignity and free
dom.
This thought is brought horn
to us in the Mishnah which, ela
borating on a biblical passag
states that when we had ou
own commonwealth there was
priest whose official title w.
"Anointed for Battle. ' Next t
the High Priest he was the high
est dignitary in the priesthoo
and upon him fell the responsi
bility of delivering the followin
message in time of war: "Le
not your heart be faint, fear no
nor tremble neither be ye of
frighted. Let not your heart b
faint at the neighing of th
horses and the flashing of th
swords ; fear not at the clashin
of shields and the rushing of th
tramping shoes; nor tremble a
the sound of the shouting, for th
Lord is He that goeth with yo
They come In the strength o
the blood and ye come in th
strength of the Almighty."
The message and task of th
ancient priest in time of war
still paramount for the rabbi
today. It is the duty of the sta
to plan and conduct the war an
it is equally the duty of the spi
itual leader to make people co
scious of the fact that the spit.'
tual values and universal justic
will be the final victors ov
brute force and the flashing
swords.
In no war as in the present
was there such demarcation o
ideologies. Our enemies openl
proclaim that they put their tr
in their physical strength, whit
the democracies have emphasiz
their faith in the freedom, dig
pity, and spiritual values of m
kind as well as in the sovereig
ty of the Creator. We are n
witnessing the eternal struggl
between matter and spirit, ip
the task of the American rabb
whether in the armed forces
in civil life, like the priest
old, is to be Anointed for Batt1
(Copyright, J.T.A.. 1942)
-
Jews in Unifor
By BEN SAMUELS
POETIC SERVICEMAN
Your columnist dipped into
Congressional Record and
found, of all things, a poem tha
had made its way into th
solemn pages! The Hon. Ha
Sauthoff, of Wisconsin, was a
dressing the House of Represent
atives.
"Mr. Speaker," he said, "Linde
leave to extend my remarks,
include a poem cabled fro
Australia by Corporal New-to
Woldenberg, of Madison, Wis ,
his mother, Mrs. Charles L. W
denberg. Twenty-five years a
this soldier's father left for It
front in the first World W
and his son, Newton, kept u
the family tradition when we
came involved in the pre
World War."
Corporal Woldenberg ha
never let - a- Mother 's Day go b
without presenting his moth
with an original poem for th
occasion. He had given voi
to some such observation wh
a $35 cable arrived, prepaid fro
Australia, which read, as quot
in the Congressional Record:
"However long and hard the war,
There comes an end to every day
And are come sleep my thoughts
do roam
To joy, to happiness, to home.
And her whose smiles well-
remembered joy
Brings heart and strength to
her little boy
.
Whose gentle, 41-forgives role
Has burned some heaven in his soul
Whose courage and love throughout
the strife
To everything worthy of God are rif
And in the battle against temptati
and sin
The verdict is inevitable; they
must win
Ne ocean is broad enough to sweep
my thoughts away
From you today or any day
For all that's line in my poor
breast is rightly thine.
However hard and long the way
There comes an end to every day
And as hour free from toil and tar
Miles do not matter, mother is there.'
(Copyright, J.T.A., 1942)