Friday, December 24, 1943

THE JEWISH NEWS

Jewish Book "In the Black"
On Our Cultural Ledger

Jewish Schools
Urge Parents
Enroll Children

55th Year Finds the Jewish Publication Society a Cultural
Colossus—An Evaluation on the Occasion of
Jewish Upbringing Important
Jewish Book Month
in Early Years, Council
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Declares in Appeal
Jewish Book Month, now being observed by American
Jews, is the proper time for an evaluation of the status of
The Council of Jewish Schools
Jewish book-publishing in this country as a symbol of our of Detroit and the United Jewish

cultural position.
0
As the largest Jewish commun 7
Ay in the world, American Jewry
is "taking over"^ leadership of
Jewish affairs in behalf of our
people everywhere. We are of
necessity — not by choice — the
spokesmen for Jews in • matters
affecting relief and equal rights,
and if our position is not to be
anomalous and contradictory we
roust also assume responsibility
for the protection of Jewish cul-
tural values.
Constructive Media
The Jewish Publication Society
of America, as the non-profit,
community - serving publishing
house of American Jewry, pro-
vides the most constructive media
for study of our cultural position
J. SOLIS-COHEN JR.
as the central Jewish book-pro-
ducing > agency in the English- the coming year. Some excellent
_ speaking world.
titles are planned for publication
The fifty-fifth annual report of this and next year. .
the society, prepared by its presi-
Great Progress
dent, J. Solis-Cohen Jr., and pub-
Nevertheless, those who are
lished in the 1934-44 American
Jewish Yeark Book, contains a concerned that Jewish culture
major portion of the evidence should thrive and reach an ever
that the Jewish book is beginning increasing Jewish group in Amer-
to come of age and is assuming ica will not be completely satis-
a position of security- in this fied. They will rejoice with Mr.
Solis-Cohen and with the Jewish
country.
A study of the progress made Publication Society's able execu-
by the Jewish Publication Society tive director, Maurice Jacobs,
would be incomplete without that great progress has been
mention of the fact that when achieved. But they will be deeply
the society, in its present form, concerned that even this mark of
was first reorganized 55 years progress indicates that only a
ago; the Jewish population of this limited number • of American
country numbered less than a Jews read Jewish books and en-
courage Jewish publishing proj-
half million..
ects.
Nearing 5 Million
Today, with our population • Here are the facts, as incor-
nearing the five million mark, porated in Mr. Solis-Cohen's
our needs are obvious and self= report:
"For the first time in several
apparent and the existence of the
Jewish Publication Society must years, we have pushed ahead and
be accepted as one of absolute 1,660 new members were enrolled
necessity for a large community during the year. Our total mem-
bership amounted to 6,335, of
like ours.
It is encouraging, therefore, to which _4,922 were $5 members,
learn from the society's latest re 1,264 were '$10 members and the
port that the Jewish Book is now balance in the higher classifica-
in the black. As against a loss tions. It is interesting to note
of $1,990 in. 1941, the society that we have added more than
showed a profit of $453; and 200 new members in the Librar3r
while the matter of profit or loss classification, proving rather def-
should play no part at all in initely that the new appeal of
considering cultural needs of the six books for the Library mem-
Jewish community, it is never- bers has been effective."
theless good to know that the
Discouraging FaCts
Jewish book is not in the red on
Here you have the basic facts
our cultural ledger.
which should prove that what
Best Possible Books
has been achieved is not only not
Mr. Solis-Cohen's annual report enough, but is somewhat discour-
for the society shows that the aging. That only 6,335 American
officers of this important cultural Jewish families should be en-
agency have recognized the need rolled in a Jewish book publish-
for a maximum program in pro- ing project is a matter for deep
viding American Jewry with the regret. We are not even a Jewish
best possible books.',Instead. of Book-of-the-Month Club. We do
issuing three or four books a do not ask our people to buy
year, the society now produces and read one book a month.
a minimum of six or seven.
At best, the Library members
Also—collaboration with non- secure one book every two
Jewish publishers has helped the months, and the regular members
society to serve a larger reading are sent one book every four
public than ever before; besides months. Nevertheless, even with
rendering a service for the ad- the progress we have made, there
vancement of Jewish knowledge. is in evidence apathy among
Joint publishing of - Leo W, most Jews of this country to-
Schwarz's "Memoirs of My Peo- wards the Jewish book.
ple" with Farrar & Rinehart, and
Deserves Gratitude
Lee M. Friedman's* "Jewish
We need not retreat from the-
Pioneers and Patriots" with the
Macmillan Co. has not only help- original thesis—that The Jewish
ed increase the circulation of Book Is In The Black.' But we
these two books, but has pre- must not permit the progress
sented to the non-Jewish reading made by the Jewish Publication
public two exceptionally valu- Society to keep us blinded to
able and instructive books.
24,531 Extra Sales
Here is an interesting point in
Mr. Solis-Cohen's report: Of the
55,736 books distributed during
1942, 28,193 were on membership
quotas and 24,531 were distribut-
ed as additional sales. The Bible
remained "the best seller," and
the society had to print another
large edition of 15,000 copies of
"The Holy Scriptures."'
Mr. Solis-Cohen indicates that
1942- was a, good year- for the
society. The Jewish Book is now
in the black. More books were
sold than at any other time in
the history of the society, with
the result that an even more am-

High School, sponsored by all
the Yiddish schools in the city,
have issued an appeal to parents
and- grandparents of Detroit's
Jewish children, urging their en-
rollment in the local schools.

Under the supervision of H.
Ben-Dor, with headquarters at
11529 Linwood Ave., the com-
bined schools include the fol-
lowing branches:
Arbeiter Ring Schools: Branch-
es at Arbeiter Ring Center, 11529

reality. The society deserves the
gratitude of American Jewry for
having set the pace for real
achievement in behalf of Jewish
cultural aspirations. Its officers
and field workers strive for even
greater progress.
It is the_duty of all American
Jews, however, and especially of
the Jewish press, to see to it that
t h e 'society's objectives a r e
brought before an ever-widening
public. Progress is relative. What
has been achieved thus far is only
relatively good.
The future advancement must
be far greater than that of the
past. Unless the membership of
the Jewish Publication Society
will number in the tens of thou-
sands within a decade, American
Jewry will have little, if any-
thing, to .boast about in the field
of cultural attainments.
To reach the tens of thousands
who remain untouched by an ap-
peal for Jewish culture, especial-
ly in the field of Jewish book
production, is an obligation that
does not rest exclusively upon
the officers of the Jewish Pub-
lication Society.. It is the obliga-
tion of all American. Jews, and it
should be fulfilled with a mis-
sionary zeal wherever and when-
ever possible.

-

Page Twenfy-one

Linwood, and at Custer Public
School, 15531 Linwood, Room 303.
Farband Folk Schools: Branch-
es at 1912 Taylor corner 12th,
Thirkell Public School, 7724 14th
and at 12244 Dexter corner Cort-
land. •
Sholem Aleichem Schools:
Branches at 3754 Monterey, Bra-
dy Public School; 2920 Joy
Road, Rooms 115 and 121; Mac-
Culloch Public School, 13120
Wildernere, rooms 110 and 210.
Appeal to Parents
The appeal to parents and
grandparents issued by the
Council of Jewish Schools reads
in part:
"Is your child attending a
Jewish school? If not—then why
not? Are you not aware of the
necessity of a Jewish education
for your Jewish child, for every
Jew both young and old?
"Does not every Jew yet know
that without a Jewish education
a Jew carries his Jewish desti-
ny as a burden, as an unwelcome
responsibility? He realizes that
he is -considered a Jew, whether
he likes it or not, but how to live
as a Jew, to be Jewish, this he
does not know. He wasn't pre-
pared for it in his youth. Such
a Jew will later ask: . "Why was-
n't I given a Jewish upbringing?
Why wasn't I pretoared for an
adequate Jewish life?"
More Cultured
"What will your reply be?
"Unfortunately there are still
some Jewish- parents who do not
know that Jewish children who
are given a proper Jewish educa-
tion are in every respect more
learned, more cultured than their

Jewish friends who are deprived
of a Jewish training. In fact, they
are even better in their public
school studies.

"Jewish parents must also
know and remember that a Jew-
ish upbringing can't be Obtained
within a short period of time,
The upbringing of the Jewish
child should begin from his very
earliest childhood. As soon as he
is of sufficient age to attend pub-
lic school, the Jewish child must
also be sent to a Jewish school.

"An atmosphere must be cre-
ated in the home in which it will
not even occur to the child that
he can possibly afford to miss
attending a Jewish school. Create
the proper atmosphere at home
for your children! Convince
them by "means of concrete ac-
tions, not only with words!
Show great interest in their pro..
gress at school!

Weddings may take place on
Hanukah, but not on Purim, al-
though both are minor festivals
in the Hebrew calendar.

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Hanukah

Greetings—

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Hotel
Book-Cadillac

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A Happy
Hanukah

To All Our Friends in the Community

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bitious program is planned for

•

I. A. LIEBSON

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Will Buy More of
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Hanukah
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