Purely Commentary

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

2

—

THE JEWISH NEWS

Friday, March 9, 1951

Wounded Jewish Soldier
Chosen Top Enlisted Man

'Oliver Twist' Approved: GBS on Charles Dickens

"Extensive eliminations" in the film "Oliver Twist," which has
been attacked as anti-Semitic : clear its path to American theaters.
The changes and the subsequent approval for the showing of the
movie version of the Charles Dickens story were made possible by
a majority vote of the directors of the Motion Picture Association
of America, Inc.
When Joseph I. Breen, administrator of the movie industry's
self-regulatory censorship authority, disapproved of the showing
of the Dickens film due to the repulsiveness of the central figure
in the story,—Fagin, the obnoxious and dishonest character whom
Dickens portrayed as a Jew—the distributors of the film, Eagle
Lion Classics, Inc., offered to make revisions and appealed against
the verdict. The latest decision tells its own story.
This brings us back again to the discussion of the merits and
demerits of the original argument and the question whether
Charles Dickens was an anti-Semite.
Perhaps the late George Bernard Shaw was as good an auth-
ority on the subject as we would want. The finest article we have
read on G. B. S. and the Jews appeared in the latest issue to
reach this country of Zion Magazine, published in Jerusalem. It is
by the well known writer J. Hodess, who recalls the controversy
that arose between Shaw and M. Henri Bernstein who defended
Pfc. Harry Dessner, 20, of
France against critical remarks by G. B. S. and incidentally
charged the Irish wit with bias against Jews. As a "postscript".to Philadelphia, who lost an eye
fighting in Korea, was chosen
the controversy G. B. S. wrote:
.
"It is always difficult for a British writer to avoid mis- "the typical enlisted man of the
year" by authorities of Brooke
understanding on the Continent, when he makes any reference Army
Hospital, Fort Sam Hous-
to the Jews, because in England there is no anti-Semitism to ton, Tex.,
where he is a patient.
compel him to touch the subject with the greatest possible Private Dessner
is shown .lead-
delicacy. There is, of course, a vulgar prejudice against Jews ing the motor parade which
in England, just as there is a vulgar prejudice against Scots,
opened the annual San Antonio
Irishmen, Welshmen, and all foreigners. There are stock jokes livestock show, a leading south-
about the Jew's avarice, just as there are about the Scot's west civic event.

stinginess. The Jew is caricatured with a Hittite nose, just as
the Irishman is caricatured with the jaw of a Spanish mule-
teer. But this is not anti-Semitism any more than it is anti-
Hibernianism or anti-Caledonianism."

JWF to Elect Nine
Board Members
At April Meeting

Young Israeli Couple Face
Future With confidence

By FRANK SIMONS
arm, but Ascher requires an-
other
on boot.
his leg, and
F r o in a battle-scarred land wears
a fitting
temporary
come many stores—tales of cour-
Tova and Ascher are in De-
age and glory, of hope and de-
spair, of pathos and romance and troit as house guests of Rabbi
and Mrs. Max Wohlgelernter,
of people.
From Israel comes such an ac- and will address meetings here,
principally groups
of Hapoel
count, one which started with Hamizrachi.
They hope
to get
bravery, went through stages of
a
specially-equipped
car
to fa-
depression, picked up with ro-
cilitate getting about when
mance
and
now continues with they return to Israel in June.
hope and
faith.
Tova smiles demurely at Asch-
Tova and Ascher Back are
much like any other young er when she admits it was she
couple who are newly married. who first said hello to Ascher at
Tova, 20 years-old, is tall, slim the Jerusalem hospital. But she
and pretty. Ascher is a husky, becomes- rather triumphant as
broad-shouldered youth of 22. she reminds Ascher it was he who
And they are very much in love. remembered her and reminded
Their meeting is somewhat her of their acquaintance when
different than most "boy meet they later met at a hospital
girl" stories. They met at a outside of Tel Aviv. It was here
hospital in Jerusalem where that their friendship began.
Tova had her arm amputated They were married in July, 1949.
Tova is a native of Israel, who
and Ascher lost a leg. Both
operations followed wounds prides herself on being a third
received in the Israel War for generation Israeli. Her parents
ancl a sister also live in Israel.
Independence.
A;, !_her is from Czechoslovakia,
Tova was struck by a bomb as from where he came in 1946 via
she was delivering a message to Youth Aliyah. Even in Europe,
an outpost. Although her arm at that time, he said, men were
was completely shattered and being trained by the Under-
she had to hold it together, she ground Haganah for Israel.
managed to deliver the message.
The young couple like Ameri-
Only four days after the Egyp- ca. "The people are kind, there
tian army invaded Israel, on May is plenty to eat and everybody
19, 1948, Major Ascher Back was seems to have m o n e y," they
riddled in the leg by machine chorused. "But Israel is our
gun fire while protecting Mt. home, so we prefer Israel."
Zion.
The Backs have an apartment
The Backs have been in Amer- in Jaffa where they both work.
ica since November. They came Tova is a school teacher and
to this country to secure arti- Ascher works at an amusement
ficial limbs, which they bought center as a cashier.
in New York. Tova now has an - They speak very little Eng-
lish, but the Backs are con-
stantly correcting each other's
AMPAL Announces
grammar and pronunciation.
Already they addressed the
Ninth Annual Dividend
Hebrew Speaking Forum of Ha-
NEW YORK—Abraham Dick- poel Hamizrachi on Sunday; Pis-
gah L o d g e, Bnai Brith, on
enstein, president of ' AMPAL- Monday; and Jericho Lodge,
American Palestine Trading IOOF, on Tuesday. Saturday aft-
Corporation, in his annual re- ernoon at the home of Louis
port, announced that AMPAL Jonas, 3200 Cortland, the Backs
last week paid $922,000, repre- will chat with Bnai Akivah
senting the third redemption on youth groups, of which Tova is
the outstanding principal a member in Israel.
Sunday, a large reception is
amount of its 3 per cent, ten
year, sinking fund debentures, planned in their honor by the
for which the Manufacturers Jewish War Veterans, Hapoel
Trust Company is. trustee.
Hamizrachi a n d the Detroit
At the same time, Dickenstein Chapter League for Religious La-
said that the corporation has bor. Norman Berkley, JWV, Dr.
paid its ninth consecutive an- Max Kapustin and Rabbi Joshua
nual dividend of 4 per cent to Sperka, have planned an inter-
the holders of its preferred stock esting program. Rabbi Wohlgel-
throughout the United States.
ernter will preside.

The trouble is that while a Shaw can be understood for his
puns, those whose bias he belittles are quite serious about spread-
ing anti-Semitism as such.
But, to the point:
G. B. S. then referred to Dickens and vindicated him of
Nine members at large will be
charges caused by the "Oliver Twist" story. Shaw wrote:
elected for three-year terms on
"When Charles Dickens was reproached for having attacked the Board of Governors of the
the Jeivish race by making one of the criminals in. his story of Jewish W e l f a r e Federation,
`Oliver Twist' a Jew, he was so distressed by the accusation that when the Federation holds its
he introduced another Jew into a later book as a model of all its annual meeting, at 8 p.m.
the virtues. As neither of the two characters was specifically April 9, at the Woodward Jewish
Jewish and the criminal one, (with an Irish name!) was much, Center.
On the slate prepared by the
the more agreeable of the pair, neither the supposed offense nor
the amenda had any importance; but the incident shows how Federation's nominating com-
an English public man feels when he is accused of anti-Semi- mittee, the following were pro-
tism. England, saturated from childhood in the Old Testament, posed: Joseph Bernstein, Irwin
is Zionist and accepted Disraeli as a Prime Minister (in the I. Cohn, Rabbi Lean Fram,
days when Prime Ministers were great men) as readily as she William Friedman, Mrs. John
C. Hopp, Henry Meyers, Morris
accepted Rothschild as a banker."
You can't take offense at that, can you? If only the Shaws L. Schaver, Ben L. Silberstein
were to see "Oliver Twist," we'd have nothing to fear; although and Barney Smith.
Other persons may be nomi-
in Israel—where they certainly have no fear—many critics laugh
at the attitude that Jews should protest against an evil character nated by petition or petitions
who happens to be a Jew. They say: "Why can't we have a few signed by not less than 25 mem,
bad ones, in our midst, like the other nations?" (Only a saintly bers of the Federation and filed
man like the late Judah L. Magnes, who insisted that all Jews with the executive director of
must be spiritually endowed, objected to our being "Like Other JWF not less than ten days
prior to the date of the meeting.
Nations"—a title he gave to one of his pamphlets.).
Only one person may be
(Incidentally, G. B. S.'s former secretary, Miss Blanche Patch, nominated in each petition and
in a book about the famous dramatist, "Thirty Years With Shaw," no nomination shall be valid
shows that "few people could have gained a reputation as a pro- unless the nominee shall have
phet on more slender • achievement than Shaw," and one of the consented to be a candidate.
proofs is Shaw's disbelief in the ability of the Jews to build their
Mrs. L e o n - a r d H. Weiner
own state—something he did not deem necessary).
served as chairman of the com-
*
*
*
mittee on nominations. Her
committee included Dr. Harry
`To the Volunteers': A Bialik Paean
No one in Jewish life is more important than the volunteer. E. August, Louis Berry, Dr.' B.
He is so vital in all spiritual efforts—in building synagogues life; Benedict Glazer, Morris W.
in educational activities—in strengthening the schools; in fund- Zack and Samuel H. Rubiner,
ex-officio.
By BORIS SMOLAR
raising— as a campaigner.
(Copyright, 1951, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
Chaim Nachman Bialik, Israel 's greatest poet in a dozen gen-
erations, understood it. That is why, in the days when Zion's 4 Experts to Answer
Jewish Affairs
redemption was a dream, he addressed himself thus to "The Vol-
In 1950 the United Jewish Appeal distributed $86,355,000 among
World Affairs Queries its constituents
unteers":
. .. of this sum, the United Palestine Appeal
With valor grit, go forth, redeem
At Hadassah Program received $44,289,000 and the Joint Distribution Committee $30,188,-
our nation sore oppressed!
000 while the United Service for New Americans received $11,878,000
Assemble, valiant brethren all
Many interesting questions — . JDC spent in 1950 about $12,000,000 on transportation of Jews
From north, south, east, and west.
have been submitted to Mrs. Mil- to Israel and $4,000,000 on the Malben project in Israel . . .A lot
0 Maccabeans valorous
ford Pregerson, Hadassah Chap- of foolish talk is being heard in Zionist circles of the possibility
Make shine the light long hid from us!
ter chairman of the American of replacing the United Jewish Appeal next year with a United
The darkness efface,
Affairs Committee, which is Israel campaign in this. country . . . The talk is based on indis-
Come' build a new race!
sponsoring its "Quiz the Whiz" creet remarks made by one or two Jewish Agency leaders . . . Al-
program, in which four experts though they provoked little interest in ranks of UJA, they are
With valor girt, go forth, redeem
will express their opinions.
considered indicative of the mood of some members of the Agency
Our Nation sore oppressed!
The question s, embracing executive . . . Should the ambitions of these members be realized,
With nimble fingers snatch and untie
world affairs, legislation, United it would mean that next year the non-Zionist partners of the
Each shattered ray, each fragment of light
Nations and Israel, will be dis- UJA would have to proclaim a separate fund-raising drive for
for radiance unsurpassed—
cussed by Mrs. Lulu Bachman, JDC USNA, ORT and others ... How this might affect con-
Drive out the long night of the past!
accredited UN observer, Prof. tributions for Israeli purposes can easily be foreseen.
The darkness efface,
Samuel M. Levin, of Wayne
Come build a new race!
University; Lou Tendler, of The
Now, as we search anew for volunteers, for the Allied Jewish Detroit News and Dr. Joseph Education Trends
There are today more than 635,000 Jewish children of ele-
Campaign, in all community efforts, Bialik's words assume new Fauman, of the Jewish Commu-
mentary school age in the United States ... About 266,600 of
meaning, as we reiterate his call—
nity Council. Mrs. Herman Sten- them are currently reported as attending some recognized Jewish
"Make shine the light long hid from us • • •
buck, of Pontiac will be moder- school . . . The percentage of children attending Jewish schools
Come build a new race!"
ator.
*
*
The program, prepared by Mrs. is, according to the American Association for Jewish Education,
Two Good Yarns from Israel
Pregerson and Mrs. Harry larger in smaller communities and smaller in larger communities
The two most recent stories from Israel are certain to catch Landsman, Chapter program . . . This figure does not mean that the remaining children never
chairman, will be held at 12:30 receive some kind of Jewish education . . . Actually, it is esti-
the fancy of all lovers of good humor.
One yarn is about a child in an Israel kibutz who was proudly p.m., Tuesday, at Temple Israel, mated that more than 80 percent of Jewish children attend one
boasting about the size of the eggs laid by his hens. "They are starting with a dessert lunch- or another type of Jewish school during the course of their ele-
mentary school years . . . However, they do not all attend at the
so big," said little Dov, "that it takes nine to make a dozen." eon.
Patriotic songs will be sung by same time or stay long enough to complete their elementary
The other story relates to the esprit de corps of the Israel
Courses of Jewish study . . . Of the high school age group, only
army. A high ranking Israel officer, visiting in New York recent- Mrs. Jerry Blum, accompanied about 10,000 pupils—less than four percent—are in attendance
by
Mrs.
Harry
Oberstein.
Mes-
ly, was asked to explain how the rules - and regulations of his
dames Jay Golman and David . .. More than 130,000 of the elementary school children enrolled
country's army are being adhered to. "Simple," he replied. "I was Flayer
are in charge of social in Jewish schools are in Sunday schools, while 111,040 are in after-
witness to an incident when Private Dov passed his commanding arrangements, and Mrs. Harry noon week-day schools . • . The remaining 21,000 are in all-day
officer on Yarkon Street in Tel Aviv without saluting. He was Kopel and Mrs. Jacob Mazer, co- schools . . . These facts are culled from the 1951 Jewish Education
called back and his commander said to him: 'Private Dov, you chairmen, will exhibit products Directory to be published by the American Association of Jewish
didn't salute me. Are you angry with me?' "
from Hadassah's new gift shop. Education.

Between You and Me

L

