Page Four
THE JEWISH NEWS
THE JEWISH NEWS
Hanging on by the Nails
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.
Published every Friday by Jewish News Publishing Co., 2114
Penobscot Bldg., Detroit, Mich. Telephone, RAndolph 7956. Sub-
scription rate, $3 a year; foreign, $4 a year. Club subscription of one
issue a month, published every fourth Friday in the month, to all
subscribers to Allied Jewish Campaign of Jewish Welfare Federa-
tion of Detroit, at 50 cents a club subscription per year.
Entered as second-class matter August 6, 1942, at the Post
Office at Detroit, Michigan, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
By DAVID 1VIORANTZ
Each One Has His Burdens
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ, Editor
As the Editor
Views the News
APRIL 30, 1943
NMI
The Meaning of Compassion
The Bermuda conference on refugees has written another
tragic page in the record of negotiations by the democratic
powers in the consideration of the needs of the unfortunates
who are suffering under the heel . of Nazism.
Instead of action, we have procrastination. Instead of a
firth stand in behalf of those who can still be saved, we are
told that the conference is "exploratory," that Great Britain
and the United States have already taken in large numbers of
refugees, and that large-scale rescue efforts are at present
impossible.
Dr. Frank Kingdon, president of Newark University and
chairman of the International Rescue and Relief Committee,
shaking in New York at a luncheon at which the work of
his committee was coordinated with that of the Unitarian
Service Committee and the American Committee for Christ
ian Refugees, condemned the Bermuda conferees in no un-
certain terms when he declared:
"It is shameful when two nations talk idiotic nonsense
while discussing a great humanitarian question. I'm sick
of democratic hypocrisy—I want democracies that know how
to act as well as speak. The men in striped trousers have
forgotten the meaning of compassion."
It is tragic, but nevertheless quite apparent that the Ber-
muda conference will not bring even a ray of light to the
millions of downtrodden. The hour of redemption is again
being postponed, until the day when the statesmen of the
world recognize that compassion is an important aspect in
the battle for victory, and until it is realized that victory is
necessary not merely on the battlefront but also in the quest
for peace and freedom.
Correction of Catholic Bible
Talmudic Tales
(Based upon the ancient legends and
philosophy found in the Talmud and
folklore of the Jewish people.)
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
MAURICE ARONSSON
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
FRED M. BUTZEL
ISIDORE SOBELOFF
THEODORE LEVIN
ABRAHAM SRERE
MAURICE H. SCHWARTZ
HENRY WINEMAN
VOL. 3—NO. 6
Friday, April 30, 1943
The Sedorim for Servicemen
The description of servicemen's Sedorim which were
arranged at military camps in Michigan provides a thrilling
account of the work of the Jewish Welfare Board's Michigan
Army and Navy Committees in behalf of our uniformed men
and women.
Our leading citizens, prominent Jewish Army officials,
members of the J.W.B. Committees and the cooperating
organizations in communities in Detroit, Battle Creek, Kal-
amazoo, Jackson, Sault Ste. Marie and Mt. Clemens have
done all that is necessary to provide a holiday spirit for our
servicemen.
This should encourage parents of servicemen to know
that wherever their sons and daughters may travel, the
Jewish Welfare Board watches over them and makes every
effort to provide for their spiritual needs.
The Jewish Welfare Board performed a great job in the
last war. It is rendering even greater service now, as proven
by the arrangements made everywhere, in this country and
at overseas military points, for the observance of Passover
by Jews in the service.
One day a woman bent with
care came to a wise man and
asked:
"Why is it that I am beset with
so many troubles and misfor-
tunes? I try to do my duty as a
mother and a wife. I try to live
an honest and upright life, yet
why is it that I have greater
troubles than any one else?"
The wise man listened atten-
tively and in a kind voice told
her when she should come again
to receive his answer.
In the meantime, other men
and women called upon him and
many of them asked identically
the same question. Every one
thought his troubles were greater
than those borne by anyone else.
The wise man asked all to
come back on a certain day and
when they had assembled, he
told them to gather up all their
troubles and bring them on a
specified date to the market place,
at which time each one could
trade his or her troubles with
anyone whose troubles seemed
lighter.
But lo, when every one had
brought his troubles to the mar-
ket place to trade for lesser ones,
no lesser ones could be found.
Each one saw that his troubles
were small compared to those of
the others so they all returned
home satisfied to bear their own
troubles because, as bad as they
thought their plight was, there
were still many whose burdens
were even greater than their
own.
(Copyright by David Morantz)
("Talmudic Tales," containing 128
legends and 500 pearls of wisdom,
are available in the autographed,
195-page volume, from the author, •
David 3torantz, Grossman Bldg.,
Kansas City,
Nordau's Biography
To Appear in May
Committee of Prominent
Zionist Leaders Sponsors
Our
the Publication
Dr. Alexander M. Dushkin, executive director of the
Children's Jewish Education
Jewish Education Committee of New York, has issued an
The committee for the publi-
interestina report to show that New York City's Jewish pop- cation of the biography of Dr.
ulation of b 2,000,000 has 517 Jewish schools with a total enroll- Max Nordau, collaborator with
ment of 58,845. Of this number, 36,355 are enrolled in 361 Dr. Theodor Herzl in the estab-
Talmud Torahs and Hebrew Schools, 6,270 in all-day Yeshi- lishment of the World Zionist
voth, 11,334 in one-day a week Sunday and other schools and movement, is now having the
printed by the Haddon
4,336 in Yiddish schools. Of the 1,809 teachers, 806 are serving book
Craftsmen, Inc., New York. The
the Talmud Torahs and Hebrew schools and 249 the all-day author of the book, numbering
schools.
420 pages, are Madam Anna Nor-
On the face of it, this report shOws a tragic condition, dau and Maxa Nordau, wife and
since it indicates that only 25 per cent of the Jewish children daughter of the late Zionist
are enrolled in the New York Jewish schools. But Dr. Dush- leader and philosopher.
Dr. Max Nordau was one of
kin is more optimistic, and he expresses the belief that the
proportion of Jewish children receiving a Jewish education the most prolific literateurs at
the end of the 19th century. His
"in the course of their school years is about 70 per cent."
Accepting Mr. Dushkin's more optimistic view of the sit- books "The Paradoxes" and
"Degeneration" were published
uation, it is clear taat there is a constantly floating Jewish in
as many as 75 editions and
school population and that the children receive only a smat- translated
into English, French,
tering of Jewish knowledge.
Spanish and Chinese.
Similar figures are being compiled by our responsible
A Talented Singer
educational agencies in Detroit. It will be interesting to know
Madam Nordau, who now re-
Orthodox leaders of Detroit charge that the "selfishness" whether this community has been able to educate a larger sides with her family in New
of our children, and if not, whether the situation York, was in the early days a
of Jewish customers has compelled storekeepers in Jewish percentage
talented singer and a gifted es-
can be remedied in due time.
neighborhoods to be open seven days a week, including the
sayist.
She was an excellent aide
Sabbath.
and companion to Dr. Nordau
The movement instituted to encourage Sabbath closing
and he always consulted her in
literary as well as Zionistic
of stores in Jewish sections has the merit of protecting a
The Christian churches of America have set aside this his
Jewish tradition. If the storekeepers can be induced to assist Sunday as a Day of Compassion for the Jewish victims of activities. Maxa Nordau, the
only daughter of Dr. Max Nor-
in educating the public to buying on days other than Satur- Hitlerism.
dau, is a gifted French painter
days, a double purpose can be accomplished: the sanctity of
Dr. Samuel McCrea Cavert, general secretary of the
essayist. She now resides
the Sabbath will be honored and more Jews will be enabled Federal Council of Churches, has sounded the keynote for and
with her husband, Captain .
to attend synagogue services on that day, and the practice of this day with the declaration that
Greenblatt, in New York and
keeping stores open endlessly, 10 to 12 hours a day, seven
"The suffering of the Jewish people in Europe is beyond contributes to many periodicals
days a week, will be abandoned.
anything the civilized man can picture. But the quantity of and also appears on the lecture
Unfortunately, an old tradition of Sabbath sanctity has the evidence is so enormous, the sources are so varied and platform.
been abused and a new one, indicative of a very sad state their correspondence in substance and import so close even • The Committee in charge of
the publication is headed by
of indifference to Jewish religious observances, has been in detail as to compel belief."
Louis Lipsky, chairman; Judge
established. It is not enougk therefore, to plead with the
In its statement concerning the "Day of Compassion" Louis Leventhal, co-chairman;
merchants that they close their stores on the Sabbath day. the Council urges "all Christian people" to pray:
Dr. Stephen S. Wise, honorary
Observance must begin with the public at large. When the
"that the hearts of all Christian people may be stirred chairman; Jacob Fishman, treas-
buying public proves that it is willing to do its shopping on
to active compassion for the suffering of the Jews;
urer, and Isaac Carmel, secre-
days other than the Sabbath, then the shopkeepers are cer-
"that Christians in America may steadfastly oppose all tary.
tain to respond to the wishes of the community.
Off Press in April
tendencies to anti-Semitism in our own country;
According to Mr. Carmel, sev-
"that the spirit of racial goodwill and justice may be
greatly strengthened among all men throughout the eral thousand Zionists through-
This Week's Scriptural Portions:
out the country have sent in ad-
world."
vance subscriptions for this
This Sabbath, the twenty-sixth day of Nisan, the follow-
In expressing to our Christian friends our sense of grati- book, which
will be off the press
tude for setting aside this Day of Compassion, let us hope in May, on the 20th anniversary
ing Scriptural Selections will be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion: Lev. 16:1-18:30.
that it will bring results and that it will cause the statesmen of the death of Dr. Nordau.
Prophetical portion: Ezek. 22:1-19 (or 16) or Amos
of the world, especially those gathered in Bermuda, to hear
The office of the Committee
9:7-15.
the anguished cry of the sufferers and to provide for them is Room 301, 386 Fouth Ave. i
the necessary relief.
New York City.
A grave error has been corrected by the elimination
of the footnote to the Roman Catholic revised edition of the
New Testament, distributed to the Catholic personnel of the
U. S. Army, by the elimination of the footnote which read:
"the Jews are the synagogue of Satan."
This is the type of religious "commentary" which can
cause an immense amount of trouble in undermining the
morale of our men in service, as well as those in civilian
life who are easily impressed by such mythical references
and who do not seek proper interpretation for it.
In order to establish a sound program of good will and
mutual self-respect among all faiths, it is imperative that
such references to Jews should be completely abandoned..
Kenneth Leslie, chairman of the Protestant Textbook
Commission to Eliminate Anti-Semitic Statements in Amer-
ican Textbooks, deserves highest commendation for having
raised the issue about the Catholic Bibles and for having
secured the elimination of the damaging references.
Sabbath Observance Movement
Christian Day of Compassion