Purely Commentary
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Judge Simon E. Sobeloff
Rabbi Reichert Calls Council of Judaism
`Virtually a Pariah in Jewish Life'; His
Move Recalls Dr. Franklin's Resignation
It required nearly a year to secure the U. S. Senate's con-
firmation of President Eisenhower's appointment of Simon E.
Sobeloff as a Judge of the U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals. But
a wise choice—perhaps the best that has thus far been made
by our President—could not possibly be turned down.
Judge Sobeloff has had a very interesting career -- as a
Maryland Justice, as U. S. SOlicitor General, as Maryland's U. S.
District Attorney.
He also is in the forefront in Jewish affairs. He does not
hesitate to associate himself actively with Jewish causes. He
is a leader in the American Jewish Congress. He is a devoted
Zionist and a defender of Israel's position. He was twice in
Israel with Mrs. Sobeloff and Governor Theodore R. McKeldin
of Maryland. In the past year he has appeared on many Jewish
platforms, in behalf of educational movements, in defense of
civil rights, in support of Israel and in appeals for the United
Jewish Appeal. Only a few months ago, he appealed for the
UJA at a dinner of the Detroit Allied Jewish Campaign.
Judge Sobeloff takes his place in Jewish ranks alongside
- the late Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis and Federal
Judge Julian W. Mack. These men rose above most Jews in
public life by their positive affirmations in behalf of Jewish
causes. Too many Jewish officials are hesitant to assert them-
selves, although most of them are devoted Jews. But Judge
Sobeloff- is a positive Jew. That is why • he also is a liberal.
When his nomination was under attack in the Senate, Arthur
Krock, the veteran New York Times Washington correspondent,
in an article "Focus of the Opposition to Sobeloff," in the New
York Times of May 24, summed up by saying:
64 • • • his record in Maryland and as Solicitor General
indicates that the Federal Bench .. ;will gain a just judge with
far better professional qualifications than others who have
gone higher on the jet stream of politics alone."
There is hardly a dissent from such an opinion in all of
Maryland, or in the na'tion's capital where Judge Sobeloff al-
ready has won the affection of all who have worked with him
and have learned to know him.
He is, of course, greatly admired in Jewish ranks. We
could relate numerous episodes of our association with him.
Suffice it to say that a man Who is fearless in a battle for justice
for the Negro and courageous in his alliance with Jewish causes
can be depended upon to elevate American standards. The Fed-
eral judiciary is enriched by Simon E. Sobeloff's appointment.
*
*
*
David W. Petegorsky: Brilliant Political Scientist
David W. Petegorsky was an ordained rabbi. He was a dis-
tinguished scholar who had earned a doctorate in philosophy at
the London School of Economics. He was an organizational di-
rector who helped elevate the American Jewish Congress to a
high position as a defender of Jewry's rights. He was an able
writer and it was thanks to him that the Amercian Jewish Con-
gress' Commission on Jewish Living, which he founded, launched
the scholarly quarterly publication, Judaism.
Primarily, Dr. Petegorsky was a political scientist. His books
and essays revealed a keen mind and a thorough understanding
of mankind's problems. He was fearless in his actions and never
deviated from his principles.
We shall miss him. He was a warm person, a man of sen-
sitive feelings relating to his friends and associates. Truly, he
was a very distinguished personality. He was `only 22 when the
Canadian Zionists elected him a delegate to the 1937 World
Zionist Congress. Few men had ever earned• such a distinction.
As a teacher, as a writer, as a man of great kindness, he had a
great future ahead of him. He was only .41 when he was passed
away last week. Jewry and mankind are bereaved.
*
.
"through wise and statesman-
like measures a climate of pub-
Council's chief role was to foster lic opinion which would have
a revival of American-Jewish made it possible for the millions
spiritual life, its initial digest who shared our original prin-
of principles also- promised sup- ciples to have joined our ranks."
port to Palestine of an "eco-
As the organizer of dozens
nomic and spiritual nature."
of ACJ chapters throughout the
Today, the Rabbi declared, United States, Rabbi Reichert
the Council has repudiated this declared that he had fought its
platform and "seems deter- leadership for many years on
mined to create the impression Council policy. In tendering his
that it is waging its own private resignation, he concluded:
war upon Israel and its people."
"I can no longer continue to
"Its major emphasis," said accept the steady drift away
the letter, "has been directed to from principles and conduct
the purely political aspects of which I have cherished as an
the Arab-Israeli conflict and its American Jew. I now part corn-
repercussions on American-Mid- pany with the Council; the
dle East. diplomacy. It has at- Council long ago parted com-
tempted to influence the policies pany with me."
of our government in precisely
In a reply to Rabbi
the same fashion as have the Reichert's r e s i g nation, Mr.
Zionists, whose political activ- Coleman, expressing regret,
ities it criticizes."
said he felt the Rabbi should
Citing as a case in point the have first discussed the matter
recent recommendation of the with him and his colleagues.
Council that the United He said the Council will con-
State s Government conduct an tinue with its program of in-
investigation of the United terpreting as "a religion of uni-
Jewish Appeal, a national versal values and not a nation-
fund-raising agency, Rabbi ality." He said he received the
Reichert described the move resignation on Friday and had
as "an incredible and out- no time to prepare a full reply.
However, it is an established
rageous proposal."
fact that Rabbi Reichert al-
The Co u n c i 1, said Rabbi r e a d y had challenged the
Reichert, should either revise its
Council for Judaism to aban-
policies drastically, or dissolve.
don its present policies in a
"The entire atmosphere of the
letter to the Jewish Commu-
debate in which the Council ori-
nity Bulletin of San Fran-
ginally engaged hai altered
significantly" since the creation cisco, on June 15.
of the state of Israel, the letter
went on. The extremist Jewish Text of Dr. Franklin's
nationalist wing has so tempered Letter of Resignation
its arguments that "one wonders
Dr. Franklin, who died on
to what extent semantics, rather
than real issues, divide the Aug. 8, 1948, submitted his re-
American Jewish community signation from the Council for
Judaism, the fi r s t week in
today."
June, 1948, three weeks after
While citing the achievements
of the organization in emphasiz- the birth of the State of Israel;
ing the religious rather than the in the following letter to
secular nature of Judaism, the Lensing J. Rosenwald, the then
letter went on to charge Coun- president of the Council:
"I cannot personally think
cil leaders with failure to create
(Continued from Page 1) .
Wayne University Publishes Texts
of '5-'54 Franklin Memorial Talks
Wayne University Press this
week published the texts of the
1953-54 series of Franklin Me-
morial Lectures in Human Re-
lationsNn a single volume, un-
*
The Late Carl Sherman
Another sad loss is the passing, last week, of Carl Sherman,
another distinguished American Jewish Congress leader. He was
a devoted Zionist, a fighter for just causes, a highly respected
Democrat who had the high distinction of being elected Attorney
General of the State of New York. We shall miss him, too.
Blessed be his memory.
Israel's Survival: Strabolgi vs. Ellender
Speaking in . London and in Washington, three weeks apart,
two ChristianE.:—Dowager Lady Strabolgi and Senator Ellender
of. Louisiana—differed on Israel's ability to survive.
Said Lady Strabolgi, who had been to Israel: "That Israel
will survive there is no doubt; she is possessed of a spiritual
power that cannot be overcome by force of arms. But she is
woefully short of the qualified technicians that are so necessary
for her armament and defense."
Senator Ellender, speaking one day after he had voted
"against confirmation of the appointment of U. S. Solicitor Gen-
eral Simon E. Sobeloff to the U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals, said,
opposing a proposal by Bernard Katzen that accumulated U. S.
funds in Israel,- from the sale of books, be used for scientific and
cultural purposes in that country, that "the Jews of America and
the world will have to subsidize Israel from here on out, because
the people there will never make a go of it."
Of course, it is painful to read the latter. If "the people there"
have difficulty making a go of it, it would be noble for all Amer-
icans to help them make that go of it. But the Louisiana Senator
hasn't seen Israel. Perhaps he hasn't read the history of recent
events. Would that he had undertaken to do that! After all, a
great democratic • idea is involved in this debate over aid to
Israel.
And, of course, every person of compassion, and surely the
Jews who understand the needs, will come to Israel's aid.
One of the objectives of Lady Strabolgi's speech, which was
delivered at a Technion meeting in London, was to call attention
to technological shortcomings in Israel.
Our Government has helped solve such shortcomings. Now,
"the people there" need Our help more than ever. Surely, all of us
can get together in support of Israel's great libertarian efforts.
This is an invitation to the distinguished Louisiana Senator to
come along for a just cause.
and the Social Predicament";
Prof. Paul Tillich, on "Existen-
tial Analyses and Religious
Symbols," and Dr. Abraham J.
Heschel, of the faculty of the
Jewish. Theological Seminary of
America, who spoke on the sub-
ject, "The Biblical View of
Reality."
Dr. Basilius also has written
an enlightening introduction to
the book, explaining the reason
for his having chosen the role
of religion in human affairs as
the topic of the lecture series
in the year that he held the
Franklin Chair.
The book is available from
Wayne University Press.
4•41.11 ■ 0•11111.0.1
■ 0111•11
0.111M13
of myself in other terms
than as an American citizen
of the Jewish faith. As the
Torah is the only symbol of
my Jewishness, so the Stars
a n d Stripes represent the
only flag to which I giVe
political allegiance. Never-
t h e l e s I am submitting
herewith my resignation as
a member of the American
Council for Judaism. I be-
lieve that the time has come
when, for the sake of world
Jewry, the American Council
for Judaism, if it is to con-
tinue, must definitely shift
its emphasis from that of
mere opposition t o Jewish
nationalism to the positive
support of every legitimate
effort to gain for the Jews of
the world the rights of citi-
zenship in every democratic
country, including Palestine.
Short of this, the Council,
in my opinion, has no fur-
ther reason for being. For a
long time, I have been con-
vinced that the policy of the
Council has been negative
and at times even destruc-
tive rather than spiritually
constructive, and with such
a policy I cannot be in sym-
pathy.
"In these crucial times in-
ternecine strife among Jews
is no less a threat to the
survival of our people and
our faith than is the
onslaught o f our avowed
enemies. By the recognition
of this truth and only thus
can we justify our loyalty
as Americans and as Jews."
Appended to the article in
the issue of June 11, 1948, of
The Jewish News, announcing
Dr. Franklin's resignation, was
the following JTA story, under
a New York dateline:
"Taking issue with a recent
statement by Rabbi Louis
Wolsey of Philadelphia, foun-
der of the American Council
for Judaism, urging the Coun-
cil to 'dissolve and forge ahead
in the creation of a real land
of Israel,' Rabbi Elmer Berger,
executive director of the or-
ganization, declared that 'we
shall continue to reject con-
cepts and programs for Jews
that derive from national or
racial theories.' "
AMA's Retiring President
on Israel Inspection Tour
NEW YORK (JTA)
Elmer Hess, retiring president of
the American Medical Associa-
tion, left for Israel by air to
inspect medical installations
maintained there by Hadassah.
Dr. Hess, a urologist, of Erie,
Pa., carries a personal message
from President Eisenhower to
Israel Prime Minister David
Ben-Gurion.
41•1.3a. •■•0■414811 •1•■■0•■•=41111■0 4■4111■11•1■41•••MH31
Bork Smolar's
'Between You
. . and Me'
The Late Dr. Leo M. Franklin
der the title, "Contemporary
Problems in Religion."
The Franklin lectures com 7
memorate the person and the
work of the late Rabbi Leo M.
Franklin of Temple Beth El.
The background of the lec-
tures and the importance of the
present volume are outlined in
a preface to the book by its edi-
tor, Dr. Harold A. Basilius,
holder of the Franklin Memo-
rial Chair for the year during
which the lectures reprinted in
this volume were delivered.
Participants in this series in-
cluded Dr. Basilius, professor of
German at Wayne, on the topic
"Religion and Theology in a
Theory of the Cultural Sci-
ences"; Prof. Fred Berthold, Jr.,
of Dartmouth, on "Faith and
the Dilemma of the Educated
Man"; The Rev. A. Powell Da-
vies, on "The Spiritual Crisis
(Copyright 1956;
Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
Vacation Reading
Going on your summer vacation, and looking for a book
or two for interesting and instructive reading? . . . Take my
advice and read up on the exciting story of the Dead Sea
Scrolls . . . That this subject is beginning • to attract popular
attention can be seen from the fact that a 35-cent edition of
A. Powell Davies' "The Meaning of the Dead Sea Scrolls"
has just made its appearance on the book market . . . Another
volume published' this week on the thrilling discoveries of
the Dead Sea .Scrolls and their significance is "The Qumran
Community; Its History and Scrolls" by Charles T. Fritsch . .
In addition to explaining the importance of the Dead Sea
Scrolls in a manner which will catch the imagination of the
general reader, Mr. Fritsch's book, published by Macmillan,
also carries a bibliography which includes most of the articles
and books on the Scrolls and related subjects that have
appeared from 1953 to last the summer . . . Of course, the
best book on the Dead Sea Scrolls is Edmund Wilson's . . .
It was he who really made the story of the discovery of the
Scrolls fascinating reading and who brought this story home
to thousands of readers who had never been interested in
history or archaeology.