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80—DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Is the Diaspora in Exile?
•01011•
By DR. SOLOMON GRAYZEL
Editor, Jewish Publication Society of American
The Diaspora is a problem. had been fearful for Israel's fu-
No one feels this more keenly ture, discovers that the Israelis
than a Jewish visitor to Israel. have doubts about his future as
a Jew. It is suddenly borne in
He is exhilarated by the phe- upon the visitor that one result
nomenon of a Jewish nation at of Israel's existence is to compel
work; he is stirred by the en- the Diaspora Jew to re-think his
thusiasm with which rocks and status, to find his place in Jew-
sand are being turned into pro- ish life, to consider his function
ductive soil; he is amazed by
the cultural standards of a pop- as a Jew both in the world in
general and in relation to the
elation which refuses to be national community in Israel.
overwhelmed by its innumerable Basically this perplexity reduces
social, political and economic itself to two related questions:
problems. Before long, however, Is the existence of a Diaspora
the visitor cannot but contrast an abnormal situation, espe-
all that he sees and senses in cially when the national com-
Israel with the lack of com- munity is ready to receive all
munal solidarity, the escapism who want to come? Is the Dias-
and the cultural apathy which pora Jew living the life of an
characterize the Jewish com- exile, with all the tragedy of
munities in most other parts of frustration and loneliness which
the world. The Israelis, for this term implies? If so, is he
their part, make no secret of not foolish to stay away from
their concern for the Diaspora's "home"?
future. Having themselves but
Whether the Jewish Dia-
recently come out of such com- spora is or is not normal, it
munities. they know full well is certainly unique. . No other
the perils, both physical and group has ever maintained it-
spiritual ; we have to face. Thus
vigorously and so long
the tables are turned. To the self
so
simultaneously
in so many
visitor's surprise, he, who came different environments. But
to extend sympathy, finds him- uniqueness is not abnormality.
self the recipient of it; he, who
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VI-0/May Greetings.
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Meyers Rd.
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New Year Greetings
WISCONSIN
CTZTAIN LAUNDRY
t_
11832 Grand River
TE. 4-1440
Nomissua.c
New Year Greetings
SAF EWAY
CLEANERS INC.
We Operate Our Own Plant
6-Hour Service on Request
If Cash and Carry
\i‘l.st Side Sec. Pickup Cr Delivery
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8532-34 TIREMAN
WE. 3-3044
90 East Warren Ave.
TE. 1-4600
WOLFLEY
AUTO SERVICE
2520 Michigan at 17th
TA. 5-9805
It would seem absurd to con-
sider abnormal anything
which has existed for twenty-
five centuries. How long does
a situation have to obtain be-
fore it can be called normal?
Nor is failure to become re-
conciled to it—assuming that
the Jews never did become
reconciled to Diaspora life —
evidence that a situation is
abnormal. We have not be-
come reconciled to the exist-
ence of injustice; we do not
like it, but it would be naive
to say it is abnormal in hu-
man society.
What has misled people —
Jews and Christians — into call-
ing the Diaspora abnormal is
the fact that it has been such
a surprising phenomenon. Even
when explained it appears in-
credible, as startling as a mira-
cle, to which it has been fre-
quently compared.
The only test that may be
applied to the Diaspora, to de-
cide whether or not it ought to
continue, is .the test of inner
worth, that is, in terms of its
spiritual strength and cultural
productivity. If Diaspora life
has been as barren as its de-
tractors maintain, if the Jewish
communities outside of Pales-
tine have been as foreign to
their respective environments as
every anti-Semite has pro-
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claimed, then the Diaspora must
be considered to have been and
SAMUELS BROTHERS tc.
have remained a failure. But if
CAFETERIA
Diaspora life produced results,
managing in the case of many
Specializing in
communities to develop within
Kosher American Style
their environments, it must be
Cooking
considered a healthy spiritual
manifestation which, far from
2493 RUSSELL
being deplbred, should be en-
WO. 4-8686
couraged.
The exile, for a large number
of Jews, began with their eman-
cipation. They were granted
political. rights and, somewhat
New Year Greetings
grudgingly and by no means
universally, admitted to social
0. S. WILLIAMS
equality. In theory the exile
ended. But the payment that
& SONS
was expected and rendered was
in spiritual coin, with the result
EGGS
that the actual exile only now
began. For most western Jews
1530 Casgrain
exiled themselves from Jewish
cultural activity, from the basic
VI. 1-8566
concepts of Jewish religious life.
They fortified their sense of
alienation even further by cen-
tering their attention on their
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would- be persecutors. They
were so eager to be loved, or at
least accepted as complete
TOY FOUNDERS
equals, that they willingly dis-
carded much of that which had
INC.
given the Diaspora communi-
ties creative personality. They
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made themselves indistinguish-
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able from the undistinguished
mass, yet they continued to suf-
fer from the fear of rejection.
6470 Epworth TY. 7-1979
They thus acquired the charac-
teristics of an exile : timidity,
a sense of homelessness, - a loss
of self-respect. This kind of
New Year's Greetings
exile is, indeed, deserving of
sympathy. This kind of Dias-
Warren Diagnostic
pora will destroy itself and leave
the continuation of Jewish life
Hospital
only to the national community
in Israel.
Mrs. Charles F. Kuhn
Holiday Greetings
Friday, September 11, 1953
New Year Greetings
TWIN BEES
HEATING CO.
Gas - Oil - Coal
Sales and Service
Northwest Section
19592 Dalby
KE. 1-5709
Holiday Best Wishes
New ,Year Greetings
SUPERIOR STARTER
& GENERATOR
SERVICE
Westmoreland
Chiropractic Clinic
First in Quality
W. DIEGEL
19049 Westmoreland
4401 HAMILTON
TE. 1-0355
Corner of W. 7 Mile Rd.
KE. 3.-4540
• t
.
Should this happen, it would
mean a loss to Jewish as well
as non -Jewish civilization.
Both would lose, not only the
variety upon which culture
thrives, but also the positive
values, the viewpoints and the
answers to social problems
which Judaism offers. For a
generation as confused and
misguided as ours, so terrified
of its problems and of its own
nature that it seeks to escape
to other worldliness, the wis-
dom of Judaism can still serve
as a balm, provided the Dias-
pora Jew learns to live by it
and exemplify it. The Dias-
pora's going into self-imposed
exile is losing for Judaism an
unrivalled opportunity to rise
to great heights in freedom
and to serve mankind in joy.
Essentially . this is a problem
for the individual Diaspora Jew.
One means surely must be to
encourage the Diaspora Jew to
read books of Jewish interest
and contest. He must be re-
introduced to his ancestors.
Books exist on these aspects
of Jewish life and more are
being written a n d published
eons tantly.
Greetings
Holiday Greetings
Martin Hoffman
Company
Royalcraft Bicycle
Metalon Store Fronts
Porcelain Enamelled Steel
On Concrete
5- Hobby Shop
Will Last a Lifetime
Hundreds of Colors
12721 Seven Mile, W. of Meyers
UNiversity 4-7656
16580 SAV'OIE BLVD.
KE. 1-6526
New Year Greetings
Holiday Greetings
To Our Friends & Clients
John L. Hudson
Co.
Howlett-Barrett-
Watson, Inc.
DIAMOND SETTINGS
Special Order Work
12840 W. Seven Mile Rd.
435 LAFAYETTE
UNiversity 3-0661
WO. 3-4657
New Year Greetings from
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George A.
Isabel].
WOODHOUSE
CIGAR CO.
President
Detroit Housing Commission
President
Isabel! Management Co.
Distributors of
Fine Havana Cigars
706 Lawyers Bldg.
WO. 1-6323 - 24
Holiday Good Cheer
E. WILDER
BILDOR
Complete Building Service
14851 Grand River
VE. 8-61.22
37 West Jefferson
Fillniniimiltlimillifilliiiiinninniiilittillilliilillitei
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Plant: 15920 Puritan at Prevost =
VE. 8-6130
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Year Best Wishes
Neu Year
Holiday Good Cheer
Pesick Brat iers
Produce Co.
SAN JUAN
Super Market
Deliveries
Groceries - Restaurants - Hotels
Solicited
2726 18th
TA. 5-6150
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Groceries - Produce
7624 W. McNICHOLS
UN. 2-9742
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PLUMBING
SUPPLY CO.
WARREN
Tonnie's Tobacco
& Candy Co.
9111 JOSEPH CAMPAU
TR. 1-6937
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For Free Heating Survey
And Estimates Call
TORIDHEET
ENGINEERS
Sides and Service
17168 WYOMING
Just North of 6 Mile
UNiversity 4-2013
Wholesale Plumbing
& Heating Supplies
12670 EVERGREEN
BR. 3-3100
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TYLER
CLEANERS
Joe Becker, Prop.
13219
Linwood
IF NO ANSWER CALL
TRinity 5-9100
TO. 8-6200
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WEST DETROIT
GLASS CO
Established 1922 •
Industrial Maintenance
Wholesale & Retail
24 Hour Service on Plate Glass
Replacement
Zerillo Produce
CommisSion
MERCHANT
5815 W. Jefferson
VI. 1-7000
2538 Market Street
Cordial New Year Wishes
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12th & LESLIE
SERVICE
WEST POINT FUEL
Cling to Good Service
Sunoco Products
Complete Electric Service
Towing - Carburation - Ignition
Lubrication
Builders - Suppliers
15411 Tyler at Greenfield
12653 12th at Leslie
VE. 8-7240
TO. 6,9665
& SUPPLY CO.