New Hadossoh President

Purely Commentary

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

An Era of Trial and Error—Calling Us Back to Fundamentals

This is admittedly a period of transition. We are witnessing
a. decline in cultural standards in all ranks. "Wie es christelt sich
so judelt sich," Heine said. This is equally applicable to our time:
"As Christians react, so do Jews." A lack of good leadership in
non-Jewish ranks is reflected within Jewry. A lowering of stan-
dards in the world at large influences us as well. The despair that
disturbs people because of the war fears and the worldwide arm-
anient program also strikes at our hearts and undoubtedly affects
our outlook on life.
But it is only a passing phase. There must, as there undoubt-
edly will be a return to fundamentals, a renewal of devotion to
the basic principles which have enriched our existence. Our
Hebraic heritage can not be denied by a temporary decline in
standards.
In his "Social and Religious History of the Jews." published
concurrently by the Jewish Publication Society and Columbia
University Press, yet to be reviewed in our columns, Prof. Salo W.
Baron makes reference to the "widespread fallacy" of the "age-
old 'Pariah' existence of the Jews." He shows how this concept
is "based on false analogy" and is "flatly contradicted by all
known historical facts," and asserts: "The wide assumption of a
pariah status of pre-Emancipation Jewry could never have arisen,
were it not for the prevalent view of Jewish history in the dis-
persion as one of incessant suffering and persecution." Then
comes this significant statement:

"-`Unlike genuine pariahs, Jews could, severally and col-
lectively, leaving their group and, at their own discretion, join the
dominant majority. At least until the rise of modern 'racial'
anti-Semitism nothing was formally easier for the Jew than, by
an act of simple conversion, to become a respected, sometimes
leading member of the Christian or Moslem community. Accord-
ing to a sixteenth-century Lithuanian law, baptism made the
convert immediately eligible for the rank of nobleman. The fact
that so many . Jews throughout the ages repudiated this easy
escape, indeed furiously resisted all blandishments and force,
testifies to their deep conviction that they would lose, rather
than gain, from severing their ties with the 'chosen people'."

Mrs. SAMUEL J. ROSENSOHN
was elected_ president of nation-
al Hadassah at the mid-winter
conference in New York last
week.

Histadrut Reports
Drive at $80,000

Zionist House Becomes Center
Of State's Pro-Israel Efforts

A. C. Lappiri, president of the Family of the certificate indi-
Zionist Organization of Detroit, cating the completion of the
announced this week that
Shetzer Memorial Forest in
tensive plans are being made Israel.
for an elaborate, cultural pro-
On Jan. 30, John Roy Carlson
gram at - the Zionist House, 11345 addresssed an overflow meeting
Linwood, corner Lawrence.
of the Z 0 D at the Shaarey
Mr. Lappin stated that with Zedek. Mr. Lappin presided and
the abandonment of the Zionist Albert Elazar introduced the
Region office all Zionist activi- speaker who exposed the ma-
ties in Detroit and the surround- chinations of Arab leaders and
ing area will emanate from the compared the progress in Israel
Zionist House.
with the backwardness of Arab
"We are planning a series of lands. Mr. Elazar appealed for
lectures and we hope that the purchasers and workers for the
community will use our library Israel bond drive.
which is being stacked with im-
Plans are being advanced by
portant Zionist literature," Mr. ZOD for the enrollment of new
Lappin said. He invited all De- members.
troit Jews to make use of the
new Zionist House.
Mrs. Albert Feldstein, the ZOD Herbert Orliffe Sets
executive secretary, stated that Precedent in Toronto:
the Zionist House is being used
by many organizations and that Heads School Board
keen community-wide interest is
being shown in the new Zionist
Herbert Orliffe, b r other of
program.
Richard I. Orloff of Detroit.. re-
Mr. Lappin stated this week cently set precedent when he
that plans soon will be made was elected chairman of the
for the presentation of the Toronto Board of Education —
annual Shetzer Memorial In- the first Jew ever to hold the
stitute, the program to include post.
the turning over to the Shetzer
Orliffe, a lawyer and a mem-
ber of the board since 1939,
created a stir of favorable com-
Bond Parley Sets
ment in the Toronto press upon
his election. An editorial in the
$200 Million Goal
Toronto Globe read:
". . . he is the first person of
MIAMI BEACH — As fore-
Jewish faith to head the Toron
most United States leaders,
to Board of Education. It is a
headed by Vice-President
Barkley, called for the fullest sad commentary on our society
that such a fact is news.' but
economic aid to Israel as a
it is also very welcome evidence
vital factor in the preserva-
of progress toward a spirit of
tion of peace and democracy,
mutual understanding and tol-
the National Planning Con-
erance in our city."
ference for Israel assembled
Mr. Orliffe, who at one time
here Sunday voted to under-
thought of becoming a teacher,
take the sale of a minimum
of $200,000,000 in Israel Bonds is now head of the body which
supervises 2,800 instructors in
in 1952.
Toronto.

Over 150 campaign workers
and representatives of lands-
manschaften heard encouraging
reports of campaign progress
a n d an inspiring address by
Rabbi Ephraim. Einhorn at a
second Histadrut campaign rally
last Sunday, at the Labor Zion-
This is a revelation in simplest terms of loyalties which defied ist Institute.
temptations from the outside and disillusionment within our
Chaim Gottlieb, executive di-
ranks. There was no room for utter despair or for abandonment rector, reported that campaign
of basic ideals in Jewish ranks. The satisfaction provided by the pledges have passed the $80,000
spiritual values inherent in Jewish existence was far greater mark as campaign activities
than the lure of nobility or the falsehood of self-delusion. We of Farband, Labor Zionist and
have something to learn from it in our day. We are too willing landsmanschaften- groups are
to make concessions in order to make our life easier. Our com- being intensified towards at-
munity has just shown a lack 'of vision. It has made a concession
in budgeting by risking reduction in allocations to Israel for the taining the $300,000 overall goal.
Labor Zionist Branch 4 has
sake of capital needs for a remote building program. We can already obtained $6.000 in pled-
learn from history in our determination to complete the most ges,
a c c or ding to Shulamith
urgent needs before embarking upon tasks that can stand post- Goldoftas, Histadrut campaign
ponement.
branch chairman. Ben Harold
We are experiencing trials and in the course of the battle for and Berl Hearshen, co-chairmen
Jewish dignity we are making errors. We can correct the budget- of Farband Branch 552, and
Mg mistake. We can pave the way for aiessening rather than Mrs. Levitt, Histadrut chairman
an increase of blundering.
of Farband Branch 79, reported
*
*
steady progress of branch mem-
Humility Versus Vulgarity
Programming in Dignity
bers with over $2,000 pledged.
By BORIS SMOLAR
Recognizing our trials and admitting our errors, let us pursue
Landsmanschaften D i v i s ion,
(Copyright, 1952, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
the issue and unburden ourselves frankly.
with $12,000 so far obtained, has
If we hold aloft . our spiritual banners, we are unbeatable. geared all its activities on His- Foreign .Affairs
You may have already learned - officially the composition of
The moment we permit a decline in our basic idealism as Jews, tadrut affairs now being
as inheriters of the Prophetic ideas, our status as Jews is weak- planned during .the month of the praesidium of the central Jewish body which is to represent
the Jewish communities outside of Israel in dealing with Germany
February.
ened. How does one elevate a community's spiritual ideals?
on the question of reparations . . . The praesidium, headed by Dr.
The third report will be held
Let us revert once again to the subject of programming which
we had discussed on other occasions. A grave error regrettably on Feb. 17, 1 p.m., at the Labor Nahum Goldmann, is composed of Jacob Blaustein, president,
American Jewish Committee; Dr. Israel Goldstein, preident, Amer-
crept into our columns last week when, referring to a program Zionist Institute. Dv. Chaim ican Jewish Congress; Frank Goldman, president, Bnai Brith;
sponsored for an important cause, the words "unusual merit" Greenberg, director of the cul- Adolph Held, president, Jewish Labor Committee . .. What you
were misused. That program was neither "unusual" nor was it tural department of the Jewish may not know is that the West German Government has em-
"meritorious." It was an example of a lowering of standards that Agency for the Western Hemis- ployed two Jewish public relations 'men in New York to handle..
has reduced our status as a cultural community.
phere and editor of the "Jewish its publicity affairs in the United States . . . Both of them have
It is immaterial that the objectionable programming—we Frontier" will be the guest previously been doing public relations work for leading American
apologize for dignifying it—was in behalf of one of our most speaker. A musical program will Jewish organizations .. . A bit of authentic "behind the scenes"
sacred causes. Too many Jewish movements have been respons- be featured.
background on how the idea of direct Jewish-German talks on
"The Voice of _Histadrut" pro- reparations originated will clear up a lot of speculation on this
ible for a degrading of standards, and it is the principle we must
deal with rather than individual groups.
gram on WJLB • every Sunday subject . . . The first step was taken by a high German official.
What has happened is that aging actors in the show business morning at 10:30 a.m., directed He approached a high American official in Germany—who is a
have made inroads into American organizational life. They have by Louis Levine, is presenting Jew—with the proposal that the U. S. authorities in Germany
found avenues of escape from their decline in motion pictures the latest news on Israel and should draft a- statement for the German government on. Ger-
and on the legitimate stage by getting TV spots and by securing Histadrut and the progress of many's readiness to pay reparations to the Jews as a people . .
The American official refused, declaring that this was a purely
assignments on entertainment programs sponsored by Jewish the Histadrut Campaign.
German affair . .. However, he agreed to read such a document
groups. Their frustrations have led to vulgarities which are prov-
should the German government draft it . . . The statement was
ing harmful to established Jewish traditions. Their vanities are
then drafted by high German officials and sent to Paris, where it
contrary to a basic Jewish characteristic: humility. It would be
was submitted to a representative of Israel, as well as to a repre-
better for our communities, and possibly also for the entertainers,
if they would stick to TV and. to hugging microphones in night
sentative of a central Jewish organization . . . The text then was
sent to Israel where certain changes were suggested .. The
clubs, allowing us to keep our own platforms in a state of dignity.
Milton K. Mahler .assumed changes were accepted by the German government and thus the
More than 900 years' ago, 'in 1040, in an age that was far from
happy for Jews, one of our learned men, Bachya Ibn Pakudah, chairmanship of the D e t r o i t famous Adenauer statement on Jewish reparations was born.
Service Group when the newly- Domestic Issues
offered this interesting definition of humility:
•
The man who , does good works is more likely to be over- elected board of directors met
A period of "unrest" in American Jewish life is looming in
last Wednesday. Elected to serve
taken by pride in them than by any other mischance, and its with Mahler for the next two connection with internal Jewish affairs . . . The prevailing belief
effect on conduct is injurious in the extreme. Therefore, among years are George M. S t u t z, that a basic compromise is due on the recommendations of the
the most necessary of virtues is that one which banishes pride; chairman of the executive com- Maclver Report is far from the actual mood of the organizations
and this is, humility. First among the signs by which the meek
mittee: Harvey Goldman, re- affected .. . All the latest developments behind the scene point
are known is that when misfortunes come to them their en- tiring president; chairman of . to the fact that the American Jewish Committee and the Anti-
durance triumphs over fear and grief, and they willingly submit the Board; Julian H. Krolik, Defamation League of Bnai Brith intend to continue active opposi-
to the decree of God, and own that His judgments are right vice-chairman of the boar d; tion' to the major recommendations of the Maclver Report .
eons_ In matters of justice, however, the meek will be high- and Irving \V, Blumberg, Abe They make it very clear that they are not inclined to accept pro-
spiried and fearless, punishing the wicked without fear or favor. Kasle,, George D. Keil, Ben L. posals which would subordinate their work in the fight against
He will help the oppressed and rescue him from the power of Silberstein and James Wineman, anti-Semitism to the National Community Relatioiis Advisory
Council ... They even imply that they will quit the NCRAC
the oppressor.
vice-presidents,
should the latter become more than the advisory body which it is
If we hold our heads high, there is a way out of every dilem-
today .. . On the other hand, the large Jewish federations and
ma, there is a weapon against oppressors in our devotion to the Klein Re-Elected Vice-Chairman welfare funds—which finance the work of the American Jewish
righteousness of our ideals, there is strength even in weakness. Of Local UN Committee
Committee and the Anti-Defamation League—continue to insist
But the idea inherent in our survival as a spiritual force is en-
that all groups involved should reach a final decision
Walter E. Klein, assistant di- than this June . . The federations are backing the - not later
dangered the moment humility is displaced by vanity and pride
of
and vulgarity.
rector of the Jewish Community the Maclver Report which recommends that NCRAC be portion
strength-
Council,
was
re-elected
vice-
Those who have charge of programming must strive to elim-
ened as the instrument of the Jewish community for overall
inate vulgar manifestations from Jewish life. This means that chairman of the United Nations planning in the field of community relations work, with appropri-
Committee
of
Greater
Detroit.
only those who are equipped by training to direct programming
ate powers and authority to carry that out . . . They also support
should be entrusted with such responsibilities. It calls for revision Miss Laura, Osborne, of Wayne the Maclver recommendation for a change in methods of financ-
in our communal practices—whether in fund-raising or in cultural University, was selected chair- ing the organizations engaged in community relations work .
pursuits. It means recognition of an existence of trials and it calls man. The UN Committee, a However, American Jewish Committee and Anti-Defamation
for correction of errors. While erasing two most objectionable voluntary organization r e p r e- League believe that NCRAC should act as an advisory, consultative
words from our own news columns, we plead for community-wide senting schools and civic groups, and coordinating body only, with no other powers .. :inasmuch
action to avoid degradation that must inevitably come from digni- sponsors annual UN Day and as the federations and welfare funds provide the largest share of
throughout t h e year provides the financing of the national community relations agencies, the
fying vulgarity in undignified programs.
programs, including speakers issue will again come to the forefront soon . . . It can be predicted
and films, about the UN for in- that no final settlement will be reached by June, as originally
2 — THE JEWISH NEWS
Friday, February 8, 1952
terested groups.
agreed by all groups involved.

Between You and Me

—

Mahler Assumes
DSG Chairmanship

-

