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Purely Commentary:

Longfellow's Tribute to Jewry

Published simultaneously with Congress Weekly

In the romantic period during which the sentimental Ameri-
can poets influenced the thinking of the people of this country,
in the very beginning of the nineteenth century, Henry Wads-
worth Longfellow was among the first of the great writers who
wrote sympathetically about Jews and seemed to be inspired by
Hebraic experiences.
Longfellow wrote several poems in which Jews and Judaism
figured prominently. He was the author of a five-act tragedy,
"Judas Maccabeus," in which he dealt with the struggle between
Judaism and Hellenism. Mysticism in Judaism influenced his
thinking and he' gave serious thought to the ability of the Jews
to survive.
It was in his best known Jewish poem, "The Jewish
Cemetery in Newport," that his major sentiments are expressed
They are especially deserving of review and re-evaluation in
this, the 150th year of his birth and the 75th year of his death.
Longfellow, who was born in Portland, Maine, in 1807, and
died in Cambridge, Mass., in 1882, was -a professor of languages,
first at his alma mater, Bowdoin College, from 1829 to 1835, and
later, 1836 to 1855, at Harvard University.
His poems dealt with romantic themes. They were marked
by great simplicity, and were, in the main, replete with hope
and tinged with heartwarming sentimentality.
It may well be that his association with a number of Jews
influenced his attitudes and caused him to study Jewish history
and traditions and to devote so many of his verses to Jews. It is
known, for example, that he had befriended the famous Jewish
actress, Adah Isaacs Menken, who also was a poetess of note and
who mastered Hebrew. He met her in Paris during her final
sickness, before she died in her thirty-third year. Longfellow
wrote a poem in the album of the "La Belle Menken" who be-
came famous for her acting and beauty.
Longfellow also made the acquaintance of a Moroccan
Jew, Israel Edrehi, who became the prototype of his Spanish
Jew, the hero in his "The Spanish Jew's Tale—The Legend of
Rabbi Ben Levi," one of the poems in "Tales of a Wayside
Inn." Here an early American poet emerges with one of the
friendliest sentiments about Jews.
This legend of Rabbi Ben Levi is a tale about a learned
rabbi who acquires the sword of the Angel of Death. He returns
it on the condition that sword as well as angel should remain
invisible. Admonished to "Give back the sword," Rabbi Ben
Levi's tale concludes:

"The Rabbi bowed his head in silent prayer;
Then said he to the dreadful Angel, 'Swear,
No human eye shall look on it again;
But when thou takest away the souls of men,
Thyself unseen, and with an unseen sword,
Thou wilt perform the bidding of the Lord.'
The Angel took the sword again, and swore,
And walks on earth unseen forevermore."

Later, in another poem, "Azrael," the Spanish Jew reappears
in Longfellow's writings, in a tale about the Angel of Death.
Here a Hindu is the guest of King Solomon. He sees the Angel
of Death and begs the king to send him back to India. The king
complies, is thanked by the Angel of Death, and it develops
that the latter is bound for India to meet that very guest.
In "Sandalphon," Longfellow dealt with another legend of
"ancient Rabbinical lore," "a part

"Of the hunger and thirst of the heart,
The frenzy and fire of the brain,
That grasps at the fruitage forbidden,
The golden pomegranateS of Eden,
To quiet its fever and pain."

In "The Theologian's Tale" about "Torquemada," Longfellow
exposes and condemns the horrors of the Spanish Inquisition
"when Jews were burned, or banished from the land." He con-
cludes the poem with this expose of Torquemada:

"Three centuries and more above his banes
Have piled the oblivious years like funeral stones;
His name has perished with him, and no trace
Remains on earth of his afflicted race;
But Tarquemada's name, with clouds o'ercast,
Looms in the distant landscape of the Past,
Like a burnt tower upon a blackened heath,
.Lit by the fires of burning woods beneath!"

In his major poem of Jewish interest, "The Jewish Cemetery
at Newport," which is especially inspirational, there is an incon-
sistency that arose out of the pessimism of the ages over Israel's
ability to survive. The ninth stanza pays a tribute to Jewry's
m artyrdom:

"They lived in narrow streets and lanes obscure,
Ghetto and Judenstrass, in mirk and mire;
Taught in the school of patience to endure
The life of anguish and the death of fire."

Then, in the twelfth stanza, Longfellow paid Jewry this
tribute:

"Pride and humiliation hand in hand
Walked with them through the world where'er they went;
Trampled and beaten were they as the sand,
And yet unshaken as the continent."

Yet, in the final lines, apparently moved by the lack of faith
in Israel's ability to endure, he wrote:
"But ah! what once has been shall be no more!

The groaning earth in travail and in pain
Brings forth its races, but does not restore,
And the dead nations never rise again."

It took the events of the middle of the twentieth century, a
hundred years after Longfellow had written these lines, to prove
that he was wrong. But those who knew him believed that his
major faith was in the assertion that Jewry is "yet unshaken as
the continent."
A tragically pathetic story is told about the funeral of
Longfellow. It was attended by Ralph Waldo Emerson. The
great philosopher was then already ailing. His memory began
to fail him. He rose several times during the funeral services
for Longfellow to look at his dead friend's face and then said:
"I can't recall my friend's name, but I know he was a good
man.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow had great faith. In his "Evan-
geline" he wrote: "Man is unjust, but God is just; and finally
justice triumphs." This line, together with his assertion about
Jews being "unshaken as the continent," cause him to stand out
:aff • the great poet of confidence and of faith in the ultimate ;
ix/ tmph of justice.

Longfellovv's Tribute to the Jews . . . Keeping Re- • By Philip
ligion Out of Our Public Schools . . . A Private ,
Neighborhood Plan vs. an Establishd Public Principle 3/0MOVitZ

in an intensified national pro-
At this season, every year, an old issue is debated, involving gram designed to enroll
the children of our country
attempts to merge Hanukah and Christmas celebrations in our
public schools and the attendant charge that such celebrations in religious educational insti-
would tend to break down the principle of the separation of tutions of their respective
faiths. We urge religious
church and state.
Of particular interest this year is the attitude of a number bodies to avail themselves of
of Christians, some of whom appear to resent the linking of the all media of mass communica-
tion for this program, such as
Hanukah and Christmas celebrations, and others who adopt a
the press, radio, motion pic-
"tolerant attitude" on the subject.
An interesting example is the letter that appeared in last tures, speakers' platforms and
week's issue of Commonweal, the liberal Catholic weekly, special dramatic projects."
It is most regrettable that
written by Rev. Kenneth J. McCaffrey of Babylon, N. Y. The
this issue should have arisen at
Revs McCaffrey wrote:
all, but, having been raised, it
Throughout many school districts where there is a large Jewish
population a problem of sorts has arisen concerning the dual celebration must be faced frankly. Once a
of Hanukkah and Christmas. It has long been the custom to mark the concession is made in the
arrival of Christmas with carols and pageants of the Nativity. There are church-state separation princi-
school plays and posters, pictures of the Virgin and Child, scenes of
the corning of the Wise Men. We have taken all this for granted for. ple, there is danger that the en-
many years as we are basically a Christian country. Recently we have tire basic American idea will
been made to feel we don't have the whole show to ourselves.
In many new communities, groups of our Jewish neighbors feel crack. That must be averted.
they would like to have Hanukkah celebrated in the schools in much
Hanukah is a festival that
the same way as we celebrate Christmas. They argue quite logically
that they are just as much American as we; they are, however, of a arose from a triumph based on
different faith. Are they to be deprived• of the same rights we expect to religious freedom. The very
exercise because they are in a minority? After all, if we can bring a
religious element into a non-sectarian, tax-supported school, why can't ideal of such liberty is involved
they? The logic is all on their side, but unfortunately these problems in keeping our public schools
are more often met with emotion than thought. Because of the almost free from religious-infiltrations.
inevitable clash between entrenched custom and innovation an unneces-
sary and unhealthy friction has been caused where none existed before. Let us retain the principle of
Many zealous Christians, believing they are protecting their children keeping religion out of the
from heretical doctrine, have been most militant in their efforts to ban
Hanukkah from the schools. Regrettably, they have allowed their ideas schools. Let each religious
occasionally to lead them into anti-Semitic attitudes and into a singularly group strengthen its own hold
un-Christlike lack of charity in their remarks. They can be forgiven for
their over-earnestness, but can they be so easily absolved of their upon its followers, but let that
failure to see that their fight is no true fight at all?
be done in the synagogues and
The Jewish people wish to have the menorah, the seven-branch
candlestick so often used as a symbol of their faith, along with other churches and in the homes.
religious articles, on public display as a representation of this their
Our best wishes go forth to
Feast of Lights. They want them in evidence for the Jewish, and perhaps the entire community for a very
even for the Christian children, to remind them of this ancient Hebrew
festival. It is hard to see what is so terrible about all this. What is this joyous Hanukah spirit in our
bogey man we are fighting so vigorously? Just what is Hanukkah
houses of worship and within
In the second century before Christ the people o,f Israel fell under
our households
the oppressive heel of Antiochus, one of the Selucid Kings, a successor

Hanukah and Christmas: Separation Issue

to a share of the spoils of Alexander the Great. In an attempt to absorb
more surely his new conquest, and no doubt from a pagan religious
zeal, he sought by force to change the faith of the Jewish people.
Through their fear many reluctantly gave up their religion; others
accepted death rather than worship the pagan gods; still others sought
escape in flight.
And so there gathered in the hills small groups of men fleeing perse-
cution two thousand years ago as they have so often fled since. One of
these men was Mathathias, who with his sons, decided it was better to
die bravely fighting, than to die bravely doing nothing. At his death
he appointed his son, called Machabeus (the Hammer), to be the leader
of the guerrilla forces he had formed around him. It is this obscure
Machabeus who comes storming over the plains of Israel to rock the
army of Antiochus back on its heels. The pagan altars are overturned
and the people welcomed back to true worship of God. Jerusalem itself
falls before the onslaught of the soldiers of the One God. The temple,
the hallowed home o,f the Lord, is rededicated for holy sacrifice.
These stirring facts are recorded in the first four chapters of the
First Book of Machabees, the, next to the last book of the Old Testament.
Oddly enough, not all Jews and Protestants accept the Books of Macha-
bee. as being canonical or inspired. The Catholic Church has been the
only strong believer in these facts as the inspired word of God. Ironi-
cally, it is this holy war and memory that some are fighting.
It is not possible to divorce our Christian civilization from its Jewish
background. Christianity does not spring full grown from a void, but is
a fulfillment and completion of what once was the only true and divinely
acceptable religion. It is over obvious to point out that Christ was a
Jew and followed Jewish traditions. Anything which will inform us of
this great past is to be desired, not shunned. This Jewish legacy is a
beautiful thing and one which is part of our religio-historic heritage.
There is enough of difference in our religious beliefs to separate
us from the Jews; there is no necessity for widening the gulf by foolish
bigotry. The celebration of Hanukkah should be welcomed by all Chris-
tians as an opportunity to show loving understanding upon which is
built mutual respect.

There is a patronizing note in this message. The Catholic
writer acknowledges the "Jewish legacy," but when it becomes
necessary to plead for "loving understanding upon which is
built mutual understanding" there also arises doubt: why should
it be required, during a religious period, to ask for such an
understanding in the public schools where mutual good will must
be viewed as a basic American principle?
Now, _then: what is the Jewish attitude in this entire
matter?
Regarding sectarian practices, on the question relating to
religion and public education, all of the -national Jewish organi-
zations, and therefore also all of the local community organiza-
tions, long ago have reached accord in opposition to religious
observances in our schools. This applies to Hanukah as well as
to Christmas.
The statement of principles on religious holiday observances
in public schools, adopted by the National Community Relations
Advisory Council, reads:
"1. We are opposed to the observance of religious holi-
days in the public elementary and high schools because in our
view such observance constitutes a violation of the tradi-
tional American principle of the separation of church and
state.
"2. Joint religious observances such as Christmas-Hanu-
kah and Easter-Passover, are in our opinion no less a breach
of the principle of separation of church and state and violate
the conscience of many religious persons, Jews and Chris-
tians alike.
"3. Where religious holiday observances are nevertheless
held in public schools, Jewish children have a right to refrain
from participation. We recommend that the local Jewish com-
munities take such action as may be appropriate to safeguard
this right of nonparticipation.
"4. We urge that local Jewish communities consult with
the Joint Advisory Committee of the Synagogue Council of
America and the National Community Relations Advisory
Council before taking formal or public action on all these
matters."
This position has been taken not only by civic Jewish move-
ments but also by our religious organizations. The Synagogue
Council of America, which represents the Orthodox, Conserva-
tive and Reform elements in American Jewry, has endorsed this
position and has, additionally, adopted a reaffirming set of
principles in which it stated:
"1. The American democratic system is founded in large
part on ethical and moral concepts derived from the great re-
ligions of mankind. The preservation and fostering of these
concepts are essential to the fullest realization of the American
ideal and their growth and development as major forces in
American life should be the deep concern of every citizen.
"2. Religion has always been and continues to be the
central core of Jewish life. The Jewish community of America
is deeply concerned with secularistic tendencies in contem-
porary American life, which, if permitted to grow unchecked,
may work great harm to the moral and spiritual basis of
American Democracy. We urge all religious groups to unite

A Neighborhood's
Joint Celebration

There is a neighborhood
Chicago whose Christian a nd
nd
Jewish residents — they are
divided about equally in their
numbers—have agreed to dec-
orate their homes during this
season of the year. Their houses
are illuminated by "Merry
Christmas" and "Happy Han-
ukah" decorations: The Jewish
group was asked by the Chris-
tians in the area to retain their
Hanukah decorations until after
Christmas, and a happy relation-
ship exists there.
This is all to the good. This
is good neighborliness. It does
not involve the teaching of re-
ligion, as a joint Christmas-
Hanukah celebration would call
for the singing of songs relat-
ing to both festival& That
would mean the injection of
religion in an area where it
must be kept apart from the
public school studies.
Here are two divergencies. If
the proponents of the joint
Christmas - Hanukah programs
were to attempt to apply the
neighborhood idea to the public
schools; they would be wrong.
After all, in the Chicago neigh-
borhood only the decorations
are involved. The area's neigh-
bors go to their respective
houses of worship and no one
asks them to apply their prayers
to others. In the schools the
application — even if indirectly
—would be inevitable. There-
fore, we repeat, in the best
interests of the sacred separa-
tion idea, we oppose any type
of joint religious program in
our public schools.

A Triumph for the
Separation Idea

Thanks to the efforts initi-
ated . by . the American . Jewish
Congress, the proposed question
relating to the religion of Amer-
icans to be enumerated in the
1960 census will be eliminated
from the questionnaire of the
census-takers.
This is a triumph for a basic
American principle. Dr. Israel
Goldstein, president of the
American Jewish Congress, who.
led in the fight against the
religious query, and his associ-
ates; have earned highest com-
mendations for their determined
efforts to prevent the injection
of religion in a strictly civic
American program. It would
have been just as wrong to ask
an American his religious affil-
iation when he is contacted by
the Census Bureau as it would
for the Internal Revenue
( be
Department to ask a tax-payer
his religious preferences.
Any attempt to link religion
with our Americanism must be
fought whenever it becomes
evident.

