As the Editor
Views the News ...
'Hold The Miracle Line'
Julian H. Krolik, president of the Jew-
ish Welfare Federation of Detroit, made
an impressive appeal for workers in the Al-
lied Jewish Campaign by asking his fellow
Jews to "hold the miracle line."
`Keep Her Flying'
7//i
Finkelstein's Compilation
Of Facts On Judaism
Fails To Fulfill Purpose
-046
Acr
"The Jews." edited by Louis Finkelstein. 4 Volumt - s, Jewish
Publication Society, Philadelphia; 2 Volumes, Harper and
Bros., New York. .
"What we have accomplished in reha-
bilitating the Jews of Europe and North
Africa and in assisting the brave people
of Israel has properly been called a `mir-
Based on our community's perform-
ance until now, I feel confident that we
will continue to hold this 'miracle line.' "
Now comes the test : will the Jews of
Detroit respond to the call for workers and
liberal contributions in order that the line
may not be broken ?
•
The 1950 campaign is approaching. Upon
it depends the success of the national United
Jewish Appeal which provides the funds for
the upbuilding of Israel and the security of
the numerous local and national causes which
are supported by the Allied Jewish Cam-
paign. Together, the overseas and local
,causes form an over-all, combined communi-
ty effort that cares for all Jewish needs.
Our obligations to the 1950 drive are
clear. Adherence to them will be the test of
our loyalty to our fellow Jews and our
strength/as a community.
Israel Investments
Of the $240,000,000 invested in Israel in
citizens of the Jewish state them-
selves provided the sum of $107,000,000 for
industrial development of the country, the
Jewish Agency's economic department re-
ports.
1949,
This is a healthy sign. It indicates an in-
creased interest in Israel's industrial oppor-
tunities and the readiness of the state's citi-
zens to share in establishing new enterprises.
The report points out that more than
double the present amount of capital invest-
ments will be required annually in order to
provide for the settlement of an additional
1,000,000 Jews in Israel in the coming five
years. Since the settlement of another mil-
lion Jews will call for a capital investment
of $2,500,000,000, it is daily becoming more
evident that two main sources of financial
income will have to be strengthened: the
United Jewish Appeal and private invest-
ments.
Israel and Jordan
From time to time, a news "leak" serves
to reveal that there is a genuine effort by
Israel to cement friendly relations with her
Arab neighbors. The report of peace negotia-
tions with Jordan, active talks with Egypt,
the spirit of amity that is in evidence on the
Israel-Lebanon border, are indications of real
efforts to avoid war and to establish non-
aggression pacts.
It has been said again and again that if
not for unfortunate interference from some
UN quarters there might already have been
peace in the Middle East. Israel and Jordan,
in spite of frequent recurrences of troubles
on their borders, are' proving that peace is
possible—provided Jews and Arabs are left
alone by those who seek to inject irrelevant
problems into the issue.
We are on the verge of seeing peace in
the Middle East. The UN leadership is in
position to help by encouraging such moves
rather than by injecting unnecessary con-
licts which can only serve as hindrances in
present negotiations.
THE JEWISH NEWS
Member: American Association of English-Jewish News-
papers, Michigan Press Association.
Services: Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Seven Arts Feature
Syndicate, King Features, Central Press Association.
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing
Co. 703-10 David Stott Bldg., Detroit 26, Mich., WO. 5-1155.
Subscription $3 a year; foreign $4.
Entered as second class matter Aug. 6, 1942 at Post Office,
Detroit. Mich., under Act of March 3, 1879.
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ. Editor
SIDNEY SHMARAK Advertising Manager
RUTH L. CASSEL, City Editor
Vol. XVI
—
No. 26
Page 4
March 10, 1950
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the twenty-second day of Adar,
5710, the following Scriptural selections will be
read in our synagogues'
Pentatcuchal portions—Ex. 30:11-34:35; NUM.
19.
Prophetical portion— Ezek. 36:16-38.
Veterans:
Vehicles for Just Causes
In an able evaluation of the position of the Jewish War
Veterans, National Commander Jackson J. Holtz pointed out
that the spokesmen for the 800,000 Jews who served in
World War II are better able to reach the ears of the non-
Jews of this country, in the fight for just causes, than any
other group.
Mr. Holtz maintains that JWV is the organization best
suited to serve as the vehicle to fight for FEPC, in defense
of liberal DP legislation and in support of the state of Israel.
The Jewish War Veterans, through association with the
National Community Relations Advisbry Council and by
means of positive approaches to serious problems affecting
American Jewry, has become a vital force in Jewish life. By
continuing its role as part of the over-all American Jewish
community set:up, it can justify Mr. Holtz's claims, and can
help carry into effect many of the programs of NCRAC, in
addition to supporting the cause of Israel on the reconstruc-
tion and defense fronts.
The dedication of the veterans' memorial building in De-
troit provides added opportunities for increased service by
the local organization to whom we extend our congratula-
tions on the attainment of the dream of possessing a home
of its own.
The
Red Cross:In Peace and War
Once again,.. the Red Cross asks for .
.
the supp6rt of the
American People, in a' nationwide driVe• for $67,000;000. De-
troit's goal is only $575,000, the-. sum ,of -- $1,400,000: having
been previously subscribed through the Torch Fluid.
It should not be difficult to secure the • needed sum to
complete Detroit's goal. The Red Cross is important in peace
as well as in war. Its great effort on the battlefield§ is sup-
plemented by activities to relieve want during crises on
the home front, and whenever there is need—during floods,
epidemics or other tragedies—the Red Cross is ready to
serve the people. To assure the continuation of these activi-
ties, it is important that the people in turn should provide
the required means.
30th: Anniversaryof Histadrut
Histadrut—the Israel Jewish Federation of Labor—is
preparing to celebrate its 30th anniversary, and the event
already is being hailed as an important occasion not only by
the Israelis but also by their kinsmen throughout the world.
The reason for it is obvious. Histadrut has been in the van-
guard of Israel's upbuilding. This great labor organization
has achieved wonders not only by creating a defensive mech-
anism for the labor forces in the Jewish state but more
significantly by making it possible for capital and labor to
work harmoniously in the one-time desert through the es-
tablishment of industries which continue to make important
contributions to the infant state.
Writing in the Christian Science Monitor, Max M.
Rothschild recently made a very appropriate comment with
regard to this important movement. He stated:
"Histadrut cannot be compared to trade unions in
other countries. University professors, farmers, factory
workers and cabinet ministers belong to this cooperative
movement. It is not only an organization representing the
interests of the Jewish workers, but it has set up cooper-
ative institutions of its own which have, meanwhile,
grown into formidable enterprises devoid of any 'prole-
tarian' character."
The Monitor correspondent is correct in stating that
"cooperative living in Israel is a middle-of-the-road move-
ment between rugged individualism and anti-democratic col-
lectivism."
This movement has solved many problems. For instance,
while there is much talk about socialized medicine, Israel
Histadrut's Kupat Cholim health services are protecting the
population of the Jewish state. The legend of Kupat Cholim
has captured the imagination of many people. Detroit Maim-
onides Society's Women's Auxiliary, for example, is devoting
part of the income from its March 22 project to rehabilitat-
ing the handicapped in Israel, in addition to aiding the UJA.
The collective contributions to Israel by Histadrut have
earned for it the support it is receiving through its special
drives and in the form of encouragement to its industrial
enterprises. American Jewry does well to strengthen the
hands of Histadrut to whom we extend hearty greetings
on its 30th anniversary.
By DR. S. JOSEPH FAUMAN
The forward of these volumes specifies
that: "The purpose of this book is to bring into
focus the vast number and wide variety of data
concerning Judaism and the Jews, so that they
can be seen in relation to one another and to
the general phenomena of human culture."
Does this work meet the requirements of its
purpose as quoted? Questions as to what a
work of this type should contain . were sent out
prior to publication, and the questions, with a
summary of 209 replies, are found at the end
of the work. Evaluating the book in terms of
its stated purpose, and of the needs as indicated
by the replies to. the questions, it must be con-
cluded that this book does not meet its.purpose
or answer the questions. Indeed, other works
dedicated to the same .purpose have done a far
superior job. •
Specifically, let us consider the following:
This work deals with the History of Judaism and
the Jews; the Role of Judaism in Civilization;
the Sociology and Demography of the Jews; and
the Jewish Religion.
Sections dealing with the History of Judaism
were to me, with some exceptions, far inferior
in style, clarity, and analysis to such historical
works as those of Salo Baron, Cecil Roth, George
Foote Moore, etc. Professor Albright's essay of
67 pages and Bickerman's chapter on the histori-
cal foundations of post-Biblical Judaism were well
written, short, yet sparkling with the insight one
expects from men like these. The remaining
chapters in this part were not as well organized,
were too brief, and were rather inadequate con-
densations of far more brilliant work done by
the same authors at other times.
Mrs. Lebeson's essay presents some peculiar
patterns. More than a third of it is devoted to
the period of Jewish life in America prior to the
American revolution and is based on scanty
information. For later periods, as information
becomes fuller, discussion becomes scantier.
A very interesting question arises in this
essay. Mrs. Lebeson mentions the order of
Gen. U. S. Grant expelling Jews from his army
jurisdiction in 1862. A paragraph later she
points out that, in 1869, President Grant at-
tempted to aid Romanian Jewry by appointing
Peixotte, a Jew, as U. S. Ambassador to Ro-
mania. Whence came the change in Grant in .!
seven years.
A major defect of the whole book is that it
presents disjointed facts strung together like
beads on a chain with little analytic material.
Fortunately there are some exceptions to this
pattern.
Part II of this work, the Role of Judaism in
Civilization, offers little more to us. Imagine an
analysis of "Jewish Educational Institutions"
which does not even tell us what proportions of
children get any kind of a Jewish education and
what type it is. The author of this section
should write to Uriah Z. Engelman.
When one sees chapter headings such' as:
"The Contribution of the Jews to Medicine";
"Science and Judaism," etc. we expect in a work
such as this something more than listings of
famous men in the field. It would -be expected
that here, if anywhere, there would be an
attempt to probe and discover why there were
or were not contributions of Jews to particular
sciences and arts. Such is not the case. Certain
of the chapters, however, notably parts of those
on "The Jewish Contribution to Music," "The
Influence of Jewish Law on the Development of
the Common Law," and on "Judaism and the
Democratic Ideal" .are well worth reading and
studying.
Part III entitled The Sociology and Demo-
graphy of the Jews is, apart from Herskovits
chapter, a poor piece of work. Lestchinsky in
his essays in "The Jewish People Past and Pres-
ent" did a superior job to the one he does here.
The worst chapter of the book is that of Dr.
Samuel C. Kohs. Errors such as the following
are inexcusable: On page 1277 Kohs says that
a graduate school of Jewish social work was
established in 1925 and lasted till 1940. On page
1315 he says that "There is no graduate school
for the training of Jewish social workers, al-
though such a school was in existence from
1915-1929." What sloppy work!
Dr. Kohs proposes to , discuss Community
Councils fully. The discussion was brief and
superficial. Egregious errors are made, such as
the one on page 1307 in his discussion of the
National Community Relations Advisory Council.
A reading of the letterhead of that organization
would have correctly informed him as to the
organizations which compose it.
The inflated claims of Communist and
pseudo liberal organizations should have been
seen through in a work of this type, but Kohs
innocently lists "The Jewish Peoples Commit-
tee for United Action Against Fascism and
Anti-Semitism" as a civic protective agency
with an affiliated membership of some 300,000!
Frankly, thiS chapter, if you buy the work, is
not worth reading—it is too inaccurate and
unbalanced.
To sum up—it is a great disappointment to
have waited for a book of this nature under the
editorship of the distinguished Louis Finkelstein
only to find after reading it that it is not worthy
of his name or the names of many of its con-
tributors. The needs that this book attempted
to meet are unfortunately not met here. They
will, for some time in the future, have to be met
by already existing works, which I should be
glad to list on request.
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