Purely Commentary
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
The Man Who Conquered Texas: On a Bicycle
Rabbi Henry Cohen's passing, in Galveston :, Texas, received
scant notice. Yet he will be remembered as one of the most pic-
turesque Jewish personalities in America.
He was 89 when he died, and he had held his pulpit for 69
years. That. in itself, is a ,marked distinction. It is accountable
to a dedication to service which had earned for him the love of
Christians and Jews, men in all walks of life, who recognized the
selflessness of a man who could have gone to New York, whose
fame would have brought him positions of great-
er comfort, but who was determined to stay in
the small community he had chosen for his life's
work. He transformed it into a big community
with his accomplishments.
The story of his life is told in a volume, "The
Man Who Stayed in Texas," by Anne Nathan and
Barry I Cohen, published in 1941 by Whittlesey
House. Some of the incidents recorded in this
book are worth recalling.
Henry Cohen studied in Jew's College, Lon-
don. He was with the British in Africa among
the Zulus, was associated with Israel Zangwill Henry Cohen
in the latter's territorialist activities and was in the forefront
in many battles for justice, in dispensing relief, in coming to the
aid of the downtrodden.
He had met Lord Beaconsfield and his biography relates this:
"Mr. Green, Henry's godfather, had told him that once, when
asked to say grace before dinner at Rothschild's he had begun
in English, and Mr. Disraeli, who was present, had stopped him,
saying, 'Sing it the old way, chazan.'
There is a story about the "battle of potatoes" with village
Toughs, their taunts,
"1 had a bit of pork,
And 1 stuck it on a fork.
And I Bare it to a Jew-boy Jew,"
and the retort,
"I had a hit of beef.
And I stuck it on a leaf,
And I gave it to a Christian thief."
His first pulpit in this country, for a brief period, was in
Woodville, Miss. He moved on to Galveston—to remain there for
the rest of his 64 years. Shortly after his arrival there, he was
married to Mollie Levy, daughter of Leo N. Levy. the distinguished
leader in whose memory the Bnai Brith established the Leo N.
Levy Hospital in Hot Springs, Ark.
These are mere details. Rabbi Henry Cohen became famous
for his courage in fighting the clan. in calling the bluff of every
anti-Semite. for his leadership in dispensing relief during the
Giorlieston flood.
One of his early acts in demanding justice was when the
Galveston News published a report designating the owner of a
store that burned down as a "Hebrew" merchant. He was furious
but bided his time. A few weeks later. when another store burned
down and the owner's religion was not designated. he stormed
in.to_the editor's office. demanding: "What's this fellow's re-.
ligion?" The editor,. Maj. Lowe, saw the point and told Rabbi
Cohen: "1 can tell you, Sir, on my word of honor as a gentleman,.
it will nciler happen again," and the Rabbi left his office "puff-
ing happily on the Major's cigar."
That. very evening, Rabbi Cohen faced an internal fight: Al-
Sharett to Submit Rabbi Gorrelick Shows Benefits of
Synagogue-Community School Merge
Bond-UJA Plan
NEW YORK, (JTA) — Israel's
Rabbi Benjamin Gorrelick of guided by the syn a gogu
Foreign Minister Moshe Sharett, Congregation Beth Aaron this through its Rabbi and .50a
prior to his departure from the week' concurred with local and I Committee and the United H
national leaders who have corn-ibrew Schools through its edues.
United States, issued a state- mended the United Hebrewl tonal personnel and directio
ment that he had formed cer- Schools and local congregations will combine the favorable ele
tain conclusions on coordinating for merging their daily school ments of the Community an
activities of the Israel bond is- activities. Rabbi Gorrelick said: the Congregational schools wit
"During the past half century, the result of bringing grea
sue and the United 'Jewish Ap-
peal and will submit them to Jewish education in America has profit and advantage to JeWis
the Israel government f or a been served chiefly by two sys- education in our community."
tems of schools, the Community
final decision.
"The two public fund-raising school and the Congregational Israeli Miss to Host
efforts," he stated, "should be • • school.
regarded as mutually supple-' "The community school had New York Exposition
mentary and on no account the advantage of a large num-
competitive. The f ears ex- ber of students and highly
pressed at the time the bond is- trained and dedicated teaching
sue was originally launched, that staff and community responsi-
if it prospered at all it could bility and support for the main-
only do so at the expense of the tenance of Jewish education. It
UJA have not been borne out occasionally, however. suffered
by experience. On ,the contrary. from the lack of continuity of
the bond issue has proved itself Jewish interest and activity by M.
capable, without the least detri- the student upon reaching the '
ment to the UJA, of opening up age of Bar Mitzvah when his ;
new sources of capital for the Jewish education, in most in- :
development of Israel's economy stances, stopped.
"The congregational school at-
and increasing its dollar re-
tempted to remedy this gap by ,
sources.
providing an institution which
"Those engaged in sponsoring was
part of the synagogue in
Hava Tamar, vivacious 24
both these great efforts should
realize that neither can be con- which the child's Jewish interest I year-old resident of Tel Avi
and
activities
could
continue
un-
ducted in disregard of the other
who has been selected as Chi
but that each is perfectly justi- interrupted through adolescence,
fied and absolutely necessary in youth and maturity. The insti- Hostess for the Israel Expositio
terms both of the vital interests tution of the synagogue as the in Rockefeller Plaza, New Yor
of Israel and the great poten- historic center of Jewish life ex- City, flashes a smile as she I
tialities of American Jewry. Is- ' erted closer contact with the out of one of the huge pi
rael expects all of its friends and family and greater impressive- that bring precious water to it
supporters to work in harmony ness upon the child in his psy- agate the Negev. The pipes pie
and with maximum energy for chological a d j u s t m ent to the tured here are part of hundr
both. It must certainly insist school. e congregational school of industrial and consum e
"T h
that nothing should be done to
often suffered from t he dif- products being manufactured i
hamper or discourage either."
ficulty of proper classification Israel and seen at the exposi
by reason of the small number ; tion. It is being sponsored b
of students which attended it the $500.000,000 State of Israe
_S
and the occasional friction, and independence bond drive.
competition with other activi-
ties within the synagogue might No Hot Weather Relief
claim Promised to Israel Workers
David Wilkus, president of at one time or another
part JERUSALEM (JTA) — An
priority
of
attention
on
the
Temple Beth El, and Dr. Nor-
order introducing double sum-
man Drachler, educational di- of the synagogue authorities.
"It is my hope that the unique , mer time in Israel has been re-
rector, announce the following
additions to the staff of the re- arrangement of the United He - yoked by the Ministry of In-
ligious school: Rabbi Minard brew Schools in Detroit to be terior, following "serious oppo-
Klein, youth director; Ruben housed within t h e synagogue sition" by many groups, partic-
Beth El Appoint
School Personnel
Selitsky, social activities direc- building and to be cooperatively ularly industrialists.
tor; Leonard Jaslove. dramatics
director; Robert Smilay. athle-
tics director: and Jason H.
Lasker's father expressed opposition to his children studying Tickton. music director. A de-
Ilebrev., . Rabbi Cohen said to his wife: - 1-lebr,ew: A stirring lang- bating coach will be appointed
By BORIS SMOLAR
uag•. a folk language, in itself a commentary on the history of in corning weeks.
(Copyright, 1952, Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Inc.)
the Jewish people . . . Mollie. did you know that the word for
was
also
announced
that
It
'charity in Hebrew is T,adoka. which also means 'justice.' There, teachers' training courses will be The Communal Scene:
in a word you have all the feeling of the Jews throughout the offered this fall in conjunction
I see that -the Anti-Defamation League is trying to defend
centuries for social justice . . Hebrew! I told Mr. Lasker of with Beth El College of Jewish itself for the publication of "The Troublemakers" by declaring
Card: ial Saturn's visit last week: a great Hebrew scholar. Mr. Studies. The courses will include that. it has changed its policy of giving "silent treatment" to the
Lasker hadn't heard about the details. of the visit. I told him, advanced studies in Jewish his- bigots. . . This still does not excuse the ADL for reproducing
about my being called on to say grace at the banquet for hi
some of the most vicious allegations by anti-Semitic crackpots
tory. pedagogy and Bible.
Eminence: and when I said it in Latin the Cardinal responded in
The religious school now has against Jews ... Do not the ADL people realize that by reprinting
perfect Hebrew. Well. Mollie. I told him his children would have
900 children and is anticipating the dangerous philosophies of the anti-Semites they are unwit-
to study Hebrew like everyone else in my Sunday school."
tingly helping to disseminate these philosophies? . . . With all
And Albert Lasker—who passed away only a month before an enrollment of 1.000 children due respect to Benjamin R. Epstein. national ADL director, I
his mentor—did study Hebrew. The two became close friends. this fall. The religious school must say that his "explanations" are far from convincing . . „
The Cohen Home at 1920 Broadway was the gathering place maintains a program of Jewish The fact remains that by presenting the views of the bigots—
of all who needed help. of the world's great leaders who came to education for children between some of them at exceptionally great length—in a book, Anti-
seek his help when Galveston became a clearing center for immi- the ages of 4 (nursery) and 18 Defamation League gave a permanence to opinion in this matter
grants who were distributed to sections throughout the land, (high school). The most pro-
which is well substantiated, judging from the wide response I re-
through the Galveston that was formulated with the aid of Jacob gressive developments in t h e ceived from various parts of the country ... It is to be hoped that
Schiff—who was his house guest—Morris Waldman. Israel Zang- field of Jewish Education, in- A.D.L. will appraise the situation more correctly in the future .
will, and others. Christians and Jews flocked to his home—for cluding audio-visual aides, are
incorporated in the curriculum. Incidentally, from ADL "explanations" I note that "The Trouble-
help. for advice, for encouragement.
makers" was issued as an "annual report" of the organization ...
After the Galveston storm. when "the London tailor" left The school is staffed by a corps
I wonder whether the compilation of more or less known facts
him a note that he had "gone back to Russia where they don't of 42 teachers and administra-
about anti-Semitism in book form can be considered the annual
tive personnel
have storms," Rabbi Cohen remarked, "only pogroms."
report of the Anti-Defamation League . . . There are many books
He did not limit his activities to relief work and his temple.
Mrs. Samuel Mendelsohn is published in the United States on bigotry . . Not to speak of
He became a nationally famous propagator of prison reforms and administrative assistant a n d
report ADL should also have included
many times had prisoners released in his custody, and succeeded Miss Rosalind Schubot. secre- the fact that in an annual
im remaking them into useful citizens. He interceded for Joe tary. The school committee is the year's positive achievements in the field of civil rights . . .
the
Choyinski and Jack Johnson when they were arrested for par- headed by Benjamin Wilk, chair- This omission is as conspicious in "The Troublemakers" as is
for generations
ticipating in an illegal fight, secured their release from jail by man, and Dr. Herbert I. Kallet, regrettable fact that bigots' views are immortalized
agreement that they were to be free during the day—in order to co-chairman. The opening ses- to come.
•
•
•
go about their business—and to return to jail to sleep at night. sion will be held on Sept. 13
Zionist Affairs:
Rabbi Cohen was the hero when a jury found the two men not and 14.
Competition for membership between the Zionist Organiza-
guilty.
tion of America and the American Labor Zionist Organization
He performed his good deeds on.a bicycle from which he be-
Detroit
Women
Elected
will begin soon . . . Rabbi James G. Heller, newly elected presi-
came inseparable until later years, when he purchased a Model
dent of the Zionist laborites, is determined to win away many
T Ford. later to discard it when the Dearborn Independent articles To BB District Offices
members from the ZOA . . A former ZOA member, Dr. Heller
began to attack Jews. But he retained his liking for the Model T
machine.
Fifty delegates representing drifted -into the Laborite ranks because he opposed the stand
He was downcast by the Leo Frank lynching, and did all he the Greater Detroit Bnai Brith which the ZOA took with regard to helping the General Zionists
could to help the young Jew whom he considered innocent. He Women's Council, attended the in Israel to fight policies of the present Israel government .. .
was depressed by the injustices perpetuated by the Klan, coop- recent district convention at He believes that many persons in the ZOA ranks will follow him
erated with Catholics in fighting the menace and because of him Minneapolis, Minn. Mrs. Irving should the new ZOA administration under Rabbi Irving Miller
•*in Galveston, the Klan never got a chance to raise its head. Ackerman, past-president of the embark on a Silver-Neumann policy . • . He speaks openly of mak-
district, conducted a prologue ing a bid for dissatisfied ZOA members . . • I understand that
hooded or otherwise."
- Russian pogroms, Nazism, the tragedies of the wars, caused depicting the history and activi- he intends to move from Cincinnati to New York in order to de-
vote all his time to the strengthening of the Labor Zionist group
him to be burdened with responsibilities necessitating relief action ties of the past 20 years.
He was in the forefront of activities for the settlement of refu-
gees, whenever possible.
He interceded for non-Jews as readily for Jews, and he broke
down resistance with his selflessness.' President Taft paid him
great tribute for making a special trip to Washington in behalf of
a Greek Catholic. To his fellow citizens in Galveston it was no
surprise; that's what Henry Cohen taught them to expect of him.
It is no wonder that "the man who stayed in Texas" gained as
much fame in Galveston as if he had operated either from New
York or Washington.
7--THE JEWISH NEWS
Friday, July 18, 1952
Between You and Me
Past-presidents present,
who which he heads ... The remarkable thing about the Zionist labor
were honored included from De- movement in the United States is that its women's organization
troit, Mrs. Charles Solovich and
Mrs. Leonard Sims. Mrs. Harry
Yampol was installed as presi-
dent. Officers elected to districts
from Detroit were Mrs. Joe Gold-
berg, treasurer; and Mrs. Robert
Coggan, historian. Mrs. Lewis H.
Manning, Mrs. Stanley Yates and
Mrs. Morris Tack were elected as
general committee members.
_
.
—Pioneer Women—have a larger membership than the men's
group . .. The Pioneer Women has 40,000 members and is very
active . . . Suffice it to say that the women raised $1,400,000 for
working women's institutions in Israel during the past year .
Like the Hadassah, it is jealous of its independence and does not
want to merge with the men's group in a united party . . . The
question of such a merger is raised now and then by leaders of
the Zionist labor movement in this country, but it always meets
with the reply by the Pioneer Women that such a move is
"premature".
• •-