•
• I
Of 1
Pu rel Commentary
As we welcome the year 5718, - let us look at the
F
o future.
Jewish leaders are debating a moot question:
what will American Jewiry be like in the year 2,000?
•
I call it a moot question because conditions
change so rapidly in our time that it is dangerous
O to assume the role of a Prophet. -
Furthermore, • in the light of past experiences,
I when one takes into consideration the fact that in
w Egypt,
less than 2,000 years ago, there were more
0:1
When
i4than a million Jews—who have disappeared!
one looks into the record and finds that there are
can point to Jewish
very -few American Jews in who
I
this country—this being
ancestry 150 years back
•
c'D a clear indication of the dire results of total assimila-
tion, intermarriage and conversion; then one must
look into other fields for new reasons to give us
faith that American Jewry will count in the millions
—as we do today-50 or 100 years from now.
z
H
r
* * *
Four years ago, I was asked to prepare a time
g24
a.>
capsule for the University of Iowa. I then wrote
•
a column which may have special bearing on the
&T1 question. It was my answer to the question regard-
ing American Jewry's status in 2053. In a sense, it
•.
44 still is my answer, although it may change a year
from nosy. Here is the column as it was published
on May .15, 1953:
A few weeks ago, your Commentator was
asked to participate in predictions gathered by
the University of Iowa School of Journalism, to
be placed in a time capsule, sealed in the uni-
Versity's new Communication Center Building,
to be opened in 140 years. This Commentator,
asked for his views in his capacity as president
of the American Association of English-Jewish
Newspapers, offered these auguries in response
to the request of the Iowa "University's Associate
Firofessor of Journalism EdwardF. Mason:
--•
April 13, 2053
_ _
--
SHALOM! PEACE!
The conservative English-Jewish press,
seranely to its
710tV 200 years old, looks back
birth. Some instruments of our age are
hoary. But our beard hasn't even begun to
sprout. There is indestructibility in age:
for a thous-
hasn't the Psalmist procictimed,
as yester-
and. years in thu-s-igilg__ are _but
wonder, theTcriare---&-4W----___ _
day , . ." It is 11.0
ex-
We experience today we have already
tribulations
that
our
trials
and
perienced;
of yesteryears; that
also were the challenges
history repeats itself. .
is an age in
Yet, this a good age. It
Editors' Views on the Futu re:
A Vision of Jewry
100 Years from Now
re-
which we cam look back, calmly, upon
were
peating events, upon plagues that
overcome by mankind. The basic ideals of
Man survived the Loathsome and offensive.
elements in life. In our Land, the traditions
over
of freedom and democracy triumphed
The
the threats that came from bigots.
genius_ of America emerged as the guide for
the world.
as we
It is proper to think of these things
a Press,
observe the 200th anniversary of
published for Jews, in the spirit of our
Prophets and of America, and to look back
a hundred years to the days when nten and
women everywhere were in jitters. With our
neighbors, we have survived many things.
Know-
We have seen the rise and fall of the
Nothing movement, the Ku Klux Klan, the
Fascists, the America Firsters, the extremists
in bigotry. In truth, we see them rise again.
Only the other day, another such movement
attempted to revive hoary myths, to create
people
hatred, to inspire prejudice against
of differing religions ,. and tinted skins. We
chuckled as we- read about _them. And we
said to them: Brothers, (aren't we all
brothers?) turn back the pages of history!
you! Iniquity
There is a lesson in store for
movements
at
the
survive!
Look
can not
akin to yours: Coughlin and Ford retired into
-- solitude, and Ford apologized to the Jews.
The Ku Klux Klan tarred some people and
shed some blood, but they always had to
hide behind hoods: they should have known
their own. shame. McCarthyism had a . short
life. No, Brothers, you can't survive wrong
and injustice."
Thus, the battle continues, ever for the
right, with dangers ahead, but with faith
the triumphing element in Man's existence.
This is an interesting day for the Amen-
can Jew. It is reflected in our Press. When
we first began there were newspapers for
Jews in Yiddish, and in Ladino,. and in
Hebrew. Ladino, the dialect of Spanish
Jewry, was the first to disappear. Yiddish
had a slower exit. Its decline is a tragedy.
Its rich literature was best understood irrt
Ft•icatn • -,...nsw.t
fit, -stems J' d'
either lost or forgotten.
Of the non-English instruments of public
opinion, only Hebrew survived. This is the
indestructible language. Lt is the language of
By Philip Slomovitz
is no
the Bible and of the Prophets. It
will not die. It
_wonder that it can not and
remains undying also for another reason:
leads us
it is the language of Israel. Which
reminiscing on this
to another eau-se for
19, 2053: One hun-
interesting day of April
was
barely five years
Israel
ago
years
dred
struggled against great -
land
little
old. That
Today she is s
odds, but survived attacks.
beacon light unto the nations, as her fore-
was more than
runner in the Holy Land
2,000 years ago.
the
Israel's rise and survival is proof of
indestructibility of an ideal, of the superi-
ority- of right over wrong. True, Israel
needed the help of America. The acquisition
justice of
of such help is indication of the
the cause.
And because Right triumphs over wrong,
of
all the fears of yesteryears, especially
1953, over an impending destruction of the
world by the Atomic Bomb, have vanished.
Right is might. What a glorious testament
to Faith and Righteousness that Ma•'s
fears were unnecessary and unjustified.
Blessed be this day of Peace!
If it is true, as has been said, that "no man
is a prophet in his own country," it may be
stated with equal truth that no man is prophet
in his own time. It also has been said that "the
best reply to a prophecy is another forecast."
There is a Yiddish saying that "a Novi is a
naar,"—"a prophet is a fool." We mention these
not only in our own defense but also as an eval-
uation of our augury: •
We have drawn upon faith in evaluating the
Future, and in faith we believe that Right will
conquer might, that justice must prevail in the
world. We have many examples in history to
point to the contrary, but all of the ugly seasons,
all of the cruel experiences, were passing phases
in Man's existence. The aftermath of each de-
clining era has witnessed the resurgence of bet-
ter days. So it will be in 2053—and so it will be
a thousand years after that—in spite of threats
from atomic or other outbursts.
Our own time is the best proof of our confi-
dence. It is a totigh..age:.,_perhapo -it: evow , witi
tough_em sa r e.WAcren against all impending dan-
gers. But it is a most interesting age to live in—
especially for one who is given a chance to - be a
prophet in his own country and in his own time.
It is with faith in the future that we extend
greetings for a Happy 57 18 to all Jewry.
.
•
•
What Kind of Jewry in Year 2000
parcel of those forces which
the present-day measure of
in accordance with the times
guide us through life.
greater understanding of the
success.
in which we live and which
whys and wherefores of our
"Thus,
we
find
our
syna-
will
be
the
status
of
"By abdicating its spiritual
What
will be acceptable to all
gogues and temples are no and intellectual responsibilities,
American Jewry in the year great religion. The new Jewry,
groups.
longer interested in developing it has permitted American
2000? Will it decline numeri- though perhaps smaller than
"The term `Mosaism" will in-
cally and spiritually, or will it today's population, will possess crease in popularity. By the a desire for Jewish knowledge Judaism to become a philan-
greater homogeneity and posi-
be positive and progressive?
year 2000, millions of non-Jews or Jewish living. They measure thropic Judaism, a philanthropy
tiveness, a fuller appreciation
Polled for their views, a
will join the Jewish ranks. Be_ their success today by the not based an the Jewish con-
of its values, direction and
number of editors of English-
cause of its applicability to number of members they have, cept of Zedakah, but one arti-
e "
by the size of their budgets
in-
-
Jewish weeklies expressed n- p The editor of the • Chicago every-day living, the Mosaic and by the cost of their edi- ficially stimulated by the gim-
micks - of professional fund-
teresting
teresting opinions. _
Faith
will
become
the
predom-
Fishbein, sees
fices.
Sentine
,
raisers.
h
Jacques Back, of the Nas
"The same is true of our re-
the rise of a "Unitarian inate philosophy for mankind.
"Should the direction of to-
Judaism will be vindicated -be- ligious schools, our community
ville (Tenn.) Observer, stated: Jewry. He writes:
leadership continue on its
"We witness today a refresh-
fore the whole world."
day's
centers and all other organiza-
"It is quite obvious to any-
present course, then future
ing appreciation of Jewish
Jimmy
Wisch,
of
the
Texas
tions
or
institutions
which
in-
values. Our youths — the men one familiar with the speed JeWish Post, Fort Worth, is clude among' their goals the American Jewry will be totally
and women, who, in the final ' with Which American Jewry is optimistic. He states: •
survival of Judaism and the ignorant of its history and its
toward assimilationism
ana lysis, fashion the pattern driving
"From
a
Southwestern
point
Jewish
community in America. traditions and the everlasting
that will dominate the religious and decay, that by the year of view, we see the future of Much more effort and time is contributions our ancestors made
2000
A.D.
Jewry
will
be
no
life of the community some 40-
American Jewry progressing being spent today in recording to civilization. The future
odd years hence, have come to different from Unitarians in through - the years. We don't 1 what these organizations and American Jewish community
realize that, to be complete, every meaning of the term.
hold any pessimistic outlook institutions .should be doing I will then be a nebulous one,
"Israel, by that time, will be
they must nourish distinctive
for Jews in the United States. than is spent in actually doing possessing no relationship to
spiritual qualities, must cling fully settled, so there will be
on i the things they were created the glorious achievements of its
no need for UJA, etc. Philan- Ours is an outline based
predecessors, lacking the power
to and believe in their faith.
optimism.
for.
thropy will have very likely
of creativity and the internal
"There is today convincing
"We
note,
more
and
more,
•
In
its
attempts
to
achieve
disappeared completely, and
will to exist. Its continuity and
evidence that the generations
quantity, our leadership has
since this is the basis for that young people are Intel-
its size will depend to a great
which attain to the stature
overlooked the fact that the
Jewish life in America, the re- ' ested in the Jewish way of life
extent on whether the mores
of leadership—the trustees of
institutions it leads are not
sult is inevitable. It may pos- and in Jewish culture. This
of the American community
a cherished inheritance—can
ends in themselves, but only
sibly be that on Rosh Ha- means more than just a return
will require of its citizens re-
up to carry the
ans
be rel e d on
Jew
It
me
means
of
achieving
the
ulti-
shanah and Yom to the synagogue.
ligious affiliation.
banner forward, that Ameri-
mate end, the survival of
will turn on their television teaching the child the entire
can Jewry definitely will be
"While the outlook for the
of
Judaism.
This
is
American Jewry. It makes
sets for a brief service. Beyond philosophy
Progressing, that the ye ar
future, as seen by this writer,
being done now as it has been
no effort to impart Jewish
that,
most
temples
and
syna-
2000 will be a period of
may not be very bright, who
knowledge or create a de-
gogues will be used for social done in the past.
flowering and fulfillment.
can prophesy whether or when
"We
see
youth
marching,
sire
for
Jewish
living.
It
some new force, good or evil,
"This is not hopeful optim- purposes only."
joining
Jewish
organizations,
treats
the
Jewish
heritage
as
The editor of the American
will arise and change the
ism—not an illusory prediction.
becoming identified with wor-
though it was something that
course of not only American
Notwithstanding t h e careless Jewish Press Feature Service, ship, singing out from the
belonged
in
a
museum,
to
be
Jewry, but of the entire
statement that the Jew's re- David Horowitz, has this to heart for charitable causes,
looked at from a distance,
ligious identity is but a breath say:
world."
helping
to
discover
new
hori-
but
not
to
be
made
part
and
'
"Long before.. the year 2000,
of the buried past, a tribute I see a merger of the three zons in the field of knowledge;
only, as it were, to our pious
we see the youth adding new
fathers, we find ourselves in a branches within Judaism—Or- beauty and appreciation to the
thodox,
Reform
and
Conserva-
new, a promising, climate of
culture of our religion.
religious awareness; no longer tive—on the basis of the fun-
"The Tree will prosper. It
Jews in name only, but in damentals of Judaism as blue- will bear fruits of knowledge
search for the truths that shall printed in the Mosaic Law and and still proclaim to the world
lend meaning, and beauty, and which are even today recog- `to beat its swords into plough-
nized as basic by the three
richness to our faith."
shares!."
Adolph Rosenberg, of the At- groups.
But A. Slabot, of the Jewish
development, as I
"Such
lanta (Ga.) Southern Israelite,
Ledger, New Orleans, is less
see it, will result from an
ad•mits a possible decline in our
optimistic. He states:
international conference of
numbers, but expressed this
"The American Jewish com-
Jewish leaders to be held in
—Courtesy, Jewish Museum, New York
munity, like the society in
optimistic view:
Jerusalem as a sort of "San-
Photograph by Frank J. Darmstaedter
"We foresee the emergence
which he exists, has become a
hedrin." This Sanhedrin will
new
Jewry
within
the
victim
of
the
modern
age
of
of a
Shofar (Germany 1781) with engraved inscription
once and for all establish—
of Dieburg .
next half century, with mem-
statistics, and, in so doing, it
on the basis of the Torah
"I, the humble son of Wolf of the city
bers more mature in Jewish
has sacrificed quality in the
serving as the common de-
blow the great trumpet."
achieving quantity —
philosophy, more secure in
nominator — a religious code i hope of
their position, possessing
An AJP Feature
-
Shofar Blown in 1781