As the Editor
Views the News
`Yes, The Root Is Deep'
Campaign Allocations
Figures made public by the Jewish Wel-
fare Federation during the past week show
that large increases in the allocation of
funds raised by the Allied Jewish Campaign
have been made not only to the United Jew-
ish Appeal for overseas and refugee settle-
ment causes but also to local educational,
health and welfare movements.
A typical example of increase is the rise
in allocations to the educational and cultural
causes in Detroit. In 1940, the expenditure
from Allied Jewish Campaign funds in this
division was $46,650. Gradual increases
mounted to $118,850 in 1947, $152,777 in
1948 and $162,244 in 1949.
_
Similarly, the local health and welfare
- allocations grew from $179,469 in 1940 to
$554,843 in 1949.
In the same years, the community re-
lations expenditures mounted from $7,000
to $74,788 locally and from $3,900 to $87,250
nationally.
The United Jewish Appeal received from
the Allied Jewish Campaign $350,000 - in
1940. The income for overseas causes jumped
to $750,000 in 1945, $2,750,000 in 1946,
$3,000,000 in 1947, $4,050,000 in 1948 and
dropped to $3,575,000 in 1949. -
.
Several interesting lessons may be learned_
from these figures. They indicate at the out-
set that those who claim that local com-
munity causes have been neglected because
of overemphasis on overseas needs are not
interpreting facts properly. The truth is that
if there has been neglect of local causes it
was not at all due to the rise of Israel or to
special emphasis on the Jewish state, or the
need for rescuing victims of Nazism, but
rather to intern-al niggardliness and to our
failure to understand the tremendous need
for expanded educational activities.
The funds which we have spent for re-
lief of the needy overseas and in recent
years for the upbuilding of the Jewish
state have been as much in our interests
as in those of the oppressed. It is encour-
aging to know that we do not have to
blush for shame at having failed to help
the downtrodden, since it is the first duty
of human beings—especially of people as
free as the American Jews—to lift up
those who have seen their kin murdered
and who were themselves driven to the
brink of crematoria.
While Detroit remains one of the most
liberal cities in the country in the field of
overseas reconstruction work, we are un-
doubtedly as guilty as the rest of the coun-
try in having neglected our schools and hav-
ing reduced our educational systems to low
standards.
Apparently, we are entering an era of
reconstructing our community programs
and of re-evaluating our needs. In the course
of our new planning, it is encouraging to
know that Detroit will not swerve from the
path of upholding the hands of those who
are creating a new life in Israel. To abandon
Israel now, or to reduce our gifts to those
who are gathering the exiles from all parts
of the globe into a free Jewish ;community,
would rebound to our lasting diSgrace.
In the course of our planning, however,
emphasis must be placed on the needs of
our schools, on the educational programs
in our community, on the importance of
strengthehing our cultural values. By con-
tinuing to support Israel—until such time
as the infant state is able to provide ade-
quately for the hundreds of thousands of
newcomers—and by creating strong cultur-
al values in our midst, we shall be elevating
ourselves to a position of honor worthy of
the station acquired by the nearly five mil-
lion Jews of the United States.
Interesting facts about, Detroit and Grand
Rapids are included in -the.article "The American.
Jew: Some Demographic Features," in the SOCi0-.
Economic Section of the 1950 American Jewish
Year Book, published by the American Jewish
Committee.
Based on 1944 figures, the study shows that
Grand Rapids had a population of 1300 and that
the largest percentage-10.0—was in the 30-34
age group, with the second largest, 9.9, in the
0-4 age group.
In a study of the employment status of Jew-
ish labor forces in 10 cities, it is shown that 46.1
per cent of Grand Rapids Jews are wage work-
ers and 53.3 'are employers and self-employed.
In the occupational' classification in Grand
Rapids, it is shown that 57.79 per cent are pro-
prietors, managers and officials, 20.68 hold
clerical and sales jobs, 8.78 are professionals and
semi-professionals, 7.93 are in the operative
group and 4.82 are craftsmen.
The home owners in Grand Rapids form a
percentage of 63.7 per cent of the Jewish popu-
lation and 36.3 are tenants.
An educational study shows that 24.23 per
cent attended or were graduated from elemen-
tary school, 46.22 attended high school or col-
lege without graduation and 29.55 a t tended or
were graduated from college.
Detroit studies show that the largest
Annual. Brotherhood Week
In his letter of acceptance of the honorary chairman-
ship of Brotherhood Week 1950, addressed to John L. Sul-
livan, general chairman of this year's Brotherhood Week,
President Truman made this interesting statement :
"Millions of people in our world are living in slavery. They
are subject to the iron rule of despots who make the state
supreme and who constantly violate God-given human rights.
Free people everywhere are horrified to witness the subjugation
of their fellow human beings by the totalitarian states. No
group is being spared. Protestants, Jews, Catholics and Ortho-
dox are'being crushed into submission. Statesmen of democratic
spirit and writers, teachers, and scientists of independent mind
are being destroyed. The conscience of the free world is ap-
palled by their shocking martyrdom.
"At such a time our people, with qthers of like devotion to
freedom and human dignity, must demonstrate a greater mea- -
sure of fraternity and unity than ever before. There pobably
has never been a time in history when true brotherhood was so
indispensable to the welfare of our 'own nation and- to the
peace and freedom of the entire world."
*
a
4
The President is right : "there has never been a time in
history when brotherhood has been so indispensable to the
welfare ofiour own nation." Therefore our nation must learn
from experience and from example to promote the best re-
lations between all creed:. and all elements in our population.
On the occasion of this year's Brotherhood Week observance,
the sponsoring organization, the National Conference of
Christians and Jews, has released the following story:
A simple marble tablet has been placed in the monastery
of the Fathers of Sainte Marie de Tinchebray in France- by
five grateful Jews who were protected there during the war. On
the tablet is engraved:- "Within' the shadow of this chapel five
Israelites were saved from death on June 22, 1944. Glory to
God. Gratitude to the Very Rev. Father Leconte."
On that day in June, 1944, while the convent was still be-
hin&the German lines and the battle was raging on the nearby
Normandy bridgehead, a skeleton-thin man slipped into the ,
monastery under cover of darkness and asked to see the su-
perior.
"Father," he said, "we are five Jews escaped from Nazi
concentration camps . . . -"
"No need to go any further," replied Father Leconte with-
out hesitation. "Fetch your comrades."
Father Leconte hid the Jews until the liberation of that
region and meanwhile managed to get word to their families
that they were alive and well. They were only a few of the
many others, including Allied parachutists and Maquis, who
were hidden in the monastery during the four years of the
German occupation.
Father Leconte, a sick man at the time, died shortly after
the five Jews left the monastery on Aug. 7, 1944.
*
a
This is the type of experience which teaches the true
lesson of equality and justice. Brotherhood Week must em-
phasize not tolerance but justice. It must be observed in the
spirit of the message that was sent to the Hebrew Congre-
gation in Newport, R. I., by president George Washington:
"The Citizens of the United -States of America have a
right
to applaud themselves for having given mankind
Member: American Association of English-Jewish News-
examples of an enlarged and liberal policy: a policy
papers. Michigan Press Association.
Services: Jewish Telegraphic `AgencY, Seven Arts .Feature
worthy of imitation. All possess alike, liberty of conscience
Syndicate, King Features, Central Press Association.
•
and
immunities of citizenship. It is now no more that
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing
Co. 708-10 David Stott Bldg., Detroit 26, Mich., WO. 6-1155.
tolerance is spoken of, as if it was by the indulgence of
Subscription $3 a year; foreign $$.
one class of people that another enjoyed the exercise of .
Entered as second class matter Aug. 6, 1942 at- Post Office,.
Detroit. Mich., under Act of March 3, 1879.
their inherent 'natural rights. For happily the Government
of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction,
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ. Editor
to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who -
SIDNEY SHMARAK Advertising Manager
RUTH L. CASSEL, City Editor
live under its protection should demean themselves as
Vol. XVI—No. 21
Page
February 3, 1950 . good citizens in giving it on all occasions their effectual
support.
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
If the ideals of the founding fathers of this great re-'
public can be put into practice, Brotherhood Week's prin-
This- Sabbath, the seventeenth day- of Shevat,
ciples will become reality. The message of George Washing-
0710, the following Scriptural selections will be
thin can and should serve as a guide in this direction.
'read in our synagogues:
It is sincerely to be hoped that all Americans will strive
Pentateuchal portion—Ex. 13:17-17:16.
towards such realization during the observance of Brzther-
Prophetical portion—Judges 4:4-5:31.
hood Week Feb. 19-26.
THE JEWISH NEWS
.
Facts About Detroit, Grand
Rapids in 1950 Year Book ;
Volume Branded Propaganda
groupings-11.2 per cent in_ each division—
are in the age groups of 15-19 and 20-24, the
third largest-9.0—being hi the 10-14 age
group. At the time the study was made the
total Detroit Jewish labor force formed 55.0
per cent of the Jewish population of this city.
The industrial classification'. of the Detroit
Jewish labor force was subdivided percentage-
wise as follows : Manufacturing • 22.87; transpor-
tation, 2.05; wholesale-retail trade, 53.92 person-
al, 9.90; government, 1.02.
The 1950 American Jewish Year Book is the
first volume- to be- published by the American
Jewish Committee independently from the Jew-
ish Publication Society. Its contents and make-
up indicate a drastic change from previous year-
books.
"Current Jewish Thought," a bulletin is-
sued by the Jewish Information Bureau under
, the editorship of Bernard G. Richards, carries
the following reference to the current year
book:
YEAR BOOK USED FOR PROPAGANDA
What is happening to the American Jewish Year Book, the
main reference book of American Jewry? The Year Book was
originally projected and issued by the Jewish Publication
Society of America in 1899, then some years later partly taken
over by the American Jewish Committee and now, it Is
reported, completely annexed by that body, which for a num,
her of years has had charge of all the editorial work. Recent
numbers of the book have been many months behind in their
appearance and therefore, remiss in furnishing the reference
data that are constantly sought. •
The Jubilee volume of the Year 'Book is now out, and
Allen Lesser reviewing it in The Menorah Journal (Fall 1949)
finds -little to "jubilate" about. He charges the publishers with
having been deflected from the purpose originally set by
Cyrus Adler as a "Source of autheiritative information on Jews
and Jewish life" and with having transformed the 'Volume into
a propaganda vehicle for the promotion of the self-deleeated
leadership of the American Jewish Committee. The only cure _
lies in transferring "editorial responsibility to a board of
competent social scientists whose loyalty is not to any prop-
aganda organization but to scientific truth."
'Comparing it with such a reference work as the World
Almanac, Lesser. finds the Year Book in complete contrast.
The World Almanac is almost bare of words but abounds in.'
data, the Jewish Year Book is almost bare of facts, but "drowns
in a "Sea of words." Where the Jewish Year Book does supply
data he finds it apt to be misleading and even deliberately
distorted. The writers of one paper on Jewish population
studies arrive at the conclusion that all current estimates
on the subject are worthless; nevertheless twenty-five pages
of -such population studies are given in the Year Book.
Even worse is the case of the statistics on Jewish s t udents
in American universities. The conclusion is- here reached that
the percentage of Jewish students has "dropped drastically,"
due in part to "increased discrimination." The Menorah writer
calls this "an outrageous propaganda gimrnic"- because of the
failure to note the enormous increase in general university
enrollments under the GI bill , which would inevitably have
led to a decline in the Jewish "percentage" even though the
actual number of Jewish students increased.
Very - oddly, the Year Book "whitewashes" to an extent
anti-Semitism in -Germany, blaming the Jews for it. The posi-
tion of the representatives of the Committee- in Europe who tried
to work with the democratic forces in Germany and Austria
"was rendered infinitely more difficult" says the Year Book.
"by the preSence of Jewish DP's who were a Perpetual source
of irritation to the native population."
Its biographical sketches, Lesser charges, eulogize men whom
the Committee, rather than the Community, thinks important.
The same attitude is taken as to organizations whose line is
not their own. -Lesser notes that amid all of the studies which .
have appeared in the past fifty 'years there has not been a
single study of the development of Zionism in America.
Its summaries of Jewish re ligious life, education, scholar.
ship, all breathe a spirit of optimism, which the writer says
is unwarranted by the fact.S, all to the -end of demonstrating
that the only important question is that of anti-Semitism with
which the Committee is chiefly engaged in locking horns. Even
as to this redoubtable foe, the assurance is given that every
Jew may dwell under his fig tree and none shall make hiss
afraid for the brave knights of the American Jewish Committee
neither slumber nor sleep in doing battle with it.
Facts You Should Know .
What is an "Apikorus"?
An "Apikorus" is the name generally given
to a non-believer or heretic. Maimonides de-
fines the term as one who denies prophecy, or
one who denies that there is any contact be-
tween man and God, or one who denies that
Moses Was a prophet, 1. e., that he was' inspired
by God.,
Some like to derive this term from the name
of the Greek philosopher "Epicurus" who suP-
posedly
his philosophy upon the pleasure
and pain ved from this world's existence. It
is therefore claimed by some that he denied the
existence of God or the need of religion' and
evolved what we refer to as an Epicurean
philosophy. '
Many writers base the term upon an Ara-
maic term "Hefker" which denotes the fact that
a given article is free' of ownership and respon-
sibility. In this sense its derivative "Apikorus"
would indicate one who does not accept author.,
ity, particularly religious authority, or the au-
el
thority of God.