THE JEWISH NEWS

Friday, jun. 4, 1943

Distinction sans Difference

I

T WAS SUNDAY
afternoon, and I found Mr. Altman
ensconced in his favorite seat in his
study behind a large table, piled high
with Jewish histories and reference
books. He seemed eager enough to
make the usual inquiries and to dis-
cuss the events of the week, but I
surmised from a certain distant look
in his eyes that his mind was still
asleep deep in the recesses of the
records of bygone days.

I said: "Well the delegation is back
from Washington, but it has not ac-
complished anything."

"Oh," he remarked, as if rousing
himself, "Louis Marshall and Oscar
Straus and Simon Wolf petitioning
again in the Russian passport ques-
tion?"

"What an idea!" I exclaimed, "that
matter was settled long ago."

"Settled? Can American Jews travel
in Russia now?" he asked.

"That question," I tried to explain,
"has been entirely changed by reason
of new conditions, but we are not
troubled now by any issue relating to
Russia."

A Thoughtful Satirist Blithely

Impales a Knotty Question Upon His Pen

By BERNARD G. RICHARDS

EDITOR'S NOTE:

Bernard G. Richards, author of this satire,
is an eminent Jewish leader and writer. He is
the author of "Discourse of Keidansky," which
was published 30 years ago and was a best
seller for many years. Mr. Richards was the first
national executive director of the American Jew-
ish Congress. He accompanied the American
Jewish delegation to the Versailles Peace Con-
ference. Recently he has been identified with the
New York War Council. He served on the lead-
ing newspapers of the East and has held several
government positions. He is chairman of the
Jewish Information Bureau of New York.

"Distinction sans Difference" is reprinted
from "Liberal Judaism," the new magazine pub-
lished by the Union of American Hebrew Con-
gregations, by special arrangement with the
editors and the author of the article.

"What then is the issue?" he asked.

"Yes, after it is rejected
a sufficient number of
times and all the oratorical
steam is shut off."

"What ideological differ-
ences?"

"They have been invali-
dated and scarred by two
wars and will have to re-
cover first."

"What do you mean by
colonization—Uganda?"

"Uganda is gone."

"Didn't we make a go
of it?"

• "No, you see, we re-
jected it. But the Gentiles
took the land and did make
a success of it."

"At least we should get
credit for discovering a
country."

"The European catastrophe," I re-
plied, "the brutal assaults upon our
people—and the threatened exterm-
ination of our brethren."

has already been made. The name has
been changed from Assembly to Con-
ference as a concession to the Ameri-
can Jewish Committee."

"We are never short of credit. The
trouble is about cash, about actual
recognition of our achievements as
a people."

"Yes, I know," echoed my friend
.with an inquisitive look and a cer-
tain quickening awareness.

"Always identical and always di-
verse," Mr. Altman improved upon
my formula. "What is to be the pro-
gram of the Conference?"

take ourselves?"

I mentioned the conversations in
Washington presumably held by
Judge Joseph M. Proskauer and Dr.
Stephen S. Wise with the British
Foreign Minister, Anthony Eden, and
the American Ass
istant Secretary of
State, Sumner Welles.

"What happened ? " Mr. Altman
asked.

"Some polite conversation and gra-
cious assurances." We paused.

"There are certain plans afoot," I
stated, "the Bnai Brith had called a
conference in Pittsburgh—"

"Mr. Kraus?" My host had appar-
ently lapsed into his reverie.

"No," I said, "Mr. Monsky."

"What is the difference?" my friend
asked, softly, as if musing.

"It is always the same," I admitted,
'but there is always a difference."

"You mean conditions affecting
our people always grow worse."

"That is one distinction."

"What did they decide to do in
Pittsburgh?"

"To hold another conference—an
American Jewish Assembly, repre-
senting all groups and points of

"The Marshall-Brandeis fight all
over again?"

"Something of a fight, but not of
the same character. Some compromise

World Jewry's Most
Brilliant Writers

are among the contributors to
the columns of The Jewish
News.

In forthcoming issues, we
will publish a series of im-
portant features which will
throw new light on Jewish
conditions throughout t h e
world.

"The protection of the lives and
rights of Jews in European and other
lands, advancement of Jewish inter-
ests in Palestine, post-war reconstruc-
tion and resettlement, perhaps plans
of colonization."

"Do you think the Assembly will
adopt a common platform acceptable
to all?"

"To what territory can we now be-

"Well, Palestine has been over-
promised and over white-papered, and
there are no territories going begging
for populations now — and there .
would not be even if Zangwill and
Dr. Eder and Professor Gregory were
here to go searching for it and if
Joseph Fels were here to underwrite
the cost of the quest. Incidentally,
Zangwill, who with his lone blast
against England said he was the only

Zionist left in the world, died in 1924,
while the last Territorialist, Dr. E.
Ben Adir, died in 1942."

"The country where the Jews are
not going to settle now is a stretch
of land near Kimberly."

,

"Why will this plan not go
through?"

"There will be too many- organiza-
tions in favor of the plan, too many
committees, too many opinions—and
no funds."

"Are there any people seriously
thinking about the Jewish problem?"

"The Jews, some Jews, are."

"And the Christians?"

"They are talking about it. But
it is all automatic and hollow. A II
the more so in a mechanical and ex-
tremely materialistic age — which
despite the universal cataclysm is
still without a great spiritual awak-
ening.

"What about all the post-war
plans and documents being prepared
by various organizations?"

"There is a shortage of paper!
Anyway, the Jews will have to stop
writing for their rights and depend

chiefly on fighting for them."

"Let us have prayers before the
battle—before and after." Mr. Alt-
man sighed and returned to his his-
tories and reference 'books, chronicling
a chain of identical' incidents, strug-
gles, futilities, contradictions and
frustrations.

guest Editorial

`Assemble All the People'

A

Plea for Jewish Education to Begin in the Home

By BERNARD ISAACS, Superintendent, United Hebrew Schools of Detroit

Where does education begin? Does it begin with
the adult, with the parent, or. with the child? This is a
moot question with which educators have been greatly
concerned. The curve of learning reveals that the
acquisition of knowledge decreases slightly with age.
Later studies have proven that it is not acquisition, but
speed which decreases. Learning goes on steadily—it
never ceases.

We, the Jewish people have given an answer to
this question in our own unique way. The answer was
given 'at Mt. Sinai. God said to Moses: "Assemble the
people and I will make them hear my words, that they
may learn, and that they may teach their children."
(Deuteronomy IV-10). When Jethro came to visit with
Moses, he found him expounding the Torah to the
people. The Torah was not given to children only. Their
education came as a matter of course. "That they may
learn and that they may teach their children,"

Following this precept our •people have become a
studying people, a people of the Torah. Whenever we
gathered there was Torah in our midst. The Rabbis
have gone as far as to state that even if three people
gathered for a meal, to break bread together, the word
of the Torah must be heard.

A complete change, however, in our entire con-
ception of learning came about with our contacts with
the new world. We have learned, and very quickly,
that education begins with the child of six and ends
with his or her acfolescent years, except if one studies
for a trade or a profession.

It is interesting to note that many. prominent
educator's have of late sounded a note of warning
against the abandonment of the studies of the liberal
arts, even in these days of war. But the public at large
knows that the child goes to school while adults follow
other pursuits. The Jewish home has become devoid of
all traces of learning.

Many organizations, becoming cognizant of this
shortcoming in our cultural life, have made a great
effort to organize study groups, lecture series, etc., but
with little success. Temples, Synagogues, and Centers
have spent enormous amounts of money. They have
tried to hand down the Torah in a carefully sugar-
coated manner, sandwiched in between an artistic
dance and a beautiful song. But they haven't had much
success. They could not compete with the theater, the
concert hall and the movie house.

Where then does the fault lie? It lies at the very
root, at the wrong conception that learning begins and
ends with the child, that the father, is exempt.

The result is that when the child comes home with
his Chumosh, for instance, he feels almost out of place,
and he is aware of it. This awareness, naturally, reacts
upon his future work. The house is not only indifferent
to his Jewish studies, but at times even hostile. If we
want our children to study our Torah, our language,
our literature, our history, 'we must begin with our-
selves. The home, the synagogue, and all assembly
places must become places of learning. We must go
back to the original keynote struck at Mt. Sinai:
"Assemble All the People."

