The English-Jewish Press
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
(Copyright, 1958, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
The English-Jewish press in
America is one of American
Jewry's oldest instruments. Only
the Bnai Brith, as an organized
unit, exceeds it in age, and it
is therefore not incorrect to
view the Jewish press published
in English as one of the most
solvent symbols of Jewish life
in this country.
Yet, it is one of the most mis-
understood, most misinterpreted
and most maligned s e r vice
media in our midst.
* * *
The Bnai Brith was organ-
ized in 1840. The first English-
Jewish newspaper appeared in
1849, and since 1856 there is one
English-Jewish newspaper (Cin-
cinnati Israelite) that has ap-
peared uninterruptedly for more
than 100 years.
Now, it happens every Friday:
in nearly three score Jewish
communities such newspapers
bring the local, national and
world news into hundreds of
thousands of Jewish homes. Our
rabbis would be elated if the
major instrument for Jewish
survival, the synagogue, could
possess such an appealing influ-
ence as t h e English-Jewish
weekly.
Yet, this important instru-
ment of American J e w r y is
often mocked and maligned!
Several months ago, a writer
in a Catholic newspaper, while
viewing the various publications
in this country, launched a
shocking attack on the English-
Jewish weeklies.
A few weeks later, at a sym-
posium at the Theodor Herzl
Institute in New York, view-
points that were packed with
misinformation were expressed
regarding the Jewish weeklies.
Why is it that this very im-
portant instrument for Jewish
service—nay, for Jewish survi-
val in this country—is so mis-
understood, in spite of the fact
that our national organizations
are spending exceedingly large
sums of money to service these
papers with weekly bulletins,
with mats and feature articles?
An often-used and frequently-
misused term—vested interests
—is in large measure respon-
sible for this condition. Each
of our national movements is
so anxious for priority, for pre-
ferred space, that it is con-
cerned with little more than
that it should receive preferred
attention. Let the others paddle
their own canoes!
* *
A sad condition affects Jew-
ish life vis-a-vis our national
organizations. Since nearly all
of them have their national of-
fices in New York City, they
have assumed a policy of plac-
ing greatest emphasis upon the
amount of space they can secure
for their releases in the two
major New York City morning
newspapers. When a public rela-
tions executive has succeeded in
inserting an item in one of these
newspapers, he feels that he
has triumphed.
These very public relations
directors fume and fret if an
English-Jewish weekly does not
use in totality all the stuff pro-
duced in their publicity mills.
But they never stop to analyze
a vital existingsituation: that
the few inches of space in a
New York daily newspaper in
the long run reaches only a
fraction of the Jewish people.
It may reach all the officers of
their movements, but not their
followers.
* *
• On the other hand, the Eng-
lish-Jewish weekly reaches into
all corners of Jewish life in
America. There are more than
50 such weeklies published in
this country today. They strug-
gle, some of them have a bare
minimum of national and for-
eign news, but whatever Jewish
news of importance is dissemi-
nated among American Jewry is
spread by these calumnied peri-
odicals.
Let us look at them. If Jewish
life in communities throughout
America is to be cemented into
a cooperative unit, it must be
done on a family basis. If our
people, wherever they may be,
are to be made aware of what
is happening to their kinsmen
everywhere else, they must be
made aware at the outset of
the value of their immediate
existence as Jews in their re-
spective communities. That is
why the social note, the birth
announcement, the wedding re-
port, the news about synagogue
services, in their combined
form, are so vitally awaited by
Jewish readers. That is why
they are offered to their read-
ers by t h e English-Jewish
weeklies.
Having reached their readers
through such media, the weekly
newspapers are able addition-
ally to provide them with in-
formation about Israel, Ameri-
can and world Jewries; about
the United Jewish Appeal and
the Israel Bond drives; about
the Bnai Brith and the NCRAC.
*
To belittle the local angles
which provide means for sus-
tenance for the English-Jewish
weekly is to be blind to reality
and to kill the goose that pro-
tects the other eggs in Jewish
life: the elements affecting the
kinsmen of those who take an
interest in their immediate
neighbors.
Let there be no misunder-
standstanding: there is a group
of Jewish weeklies that pub-
lishes practically all the Jewish
news, worldwide, that emanates
over the wires of the Jewish
Telegraphic Agency. This cer-
tainly is true of The Detroit
Jewish News. It is true of Bos-
ton's Jewish A d v o cat e, the
Miami (Fla.) Jewish Floridian,
the Philadelphia Jewish Expo-
nent, the Los Angeles periodi-
cals and several other news-
papers.
It is a tragic fact that the
Yiddish press, for more than
60 years the basic factor in news
gathering and distributing, is
declining rapidly. It is a sadden-
ing factor and is cause for deep
concern and for lament. Yid-
dish has given us a great litera-
ture, splendid editorial opinions
in the Yiddish newspapers, en-
tertaining and informative read-
ing. Only the English-Jewish
press is in position to pursue
the traditions of that good
press.
* * *
Those who, unknowingly if
not maliciously, malign the
English-Jewish press would do
well to study the weeklies' edi-
torial columns. A new type of
editor could, as it should, ren-
der great service to American
Jewry: provided there is suffi-
cient encouragement. to this
Jordan Bans U.S.
Jewish Soldiers
LONDON (JTA)—Jordan has
refused to allow American
Jews serving in the United
States armed forces in Lebanon
to enter Jordan territory for
leave visits, Jordan newspapers
reaching here reported.
The Jordanian condition has
snagged negotiations between
the Jordanians and headquar-
ters of the U. S. f or c es in
Lebanon looking toward par-
ties of American soldiers en-
tering Jordan for tours of the
Holy Places, the Jordan press
said.
press. Even the smallest of our
communities in the South can
proudly boast of possessing able
interpreters of Jewish life. Sep-
tuagenarian Jacques Back, edi-
tor of the Nashville (Tenn.)
Observer, writes as keen and
as thought-provoking an editor-
ial as is to be found anywhere.
The Jewish Floridian of Miami,
Fla., is an alert newspaper, and
there are similar newsworthy
and editorially-alive newspapers
in other communities.
This press can go far — as
some already have. Some of our
weeklies can afford to ignore
the mocking that is done at the
expense of their confreres by
misinformed and uninformed
national leaders. But there are
many that can not afford it.
Most of the smaller English-
Jewish periodicals need the en-
couragement of our national
leaders. Let there be an end
to the mockery that reacts dam-
agingly to the entire Jewish
community, and let there be a
f uller understanding of the
values of ._the Jewish weeklies.
What American Jewry learns is
that which happens every Fri-
day—through the media of our
English-Jewish weeklies. Let
this . instrument become what it
is destined to be—the great in-
strument for the spreading of
Jewish information and for
keeping intact a great Jewish
community.
On the New Year 5119, we
extend heartiest greetings to
the entire Jewish community.
May the New Year be one of joy,
happiness and prosperity for
all mankind.
Abstract and Title
Guaranty Co.
735 Griswold
Detroit 26, Michigan
WOodward 3-5810
11 Branches to Serve You
The just shall live
by his faith.
Habakkuk 2:4
MOE LEITER
At this time of the year, we, who have been privileged to serve
so many of our people, extend our warmest greetings.
Down through the years we have watched father, son, and grand-
son re-affirm their own faith in the future by countless financial
sacrifices.
The New Year is a joyful occasion because it is a time for both
celebration and dedication.
Let us all renew our faith in ourselves and in our families because
it is they who represent the future — as yet unseen. Let our work
be purposeful, our disposition kind, and our abiding faith strong,
A Happy New Year to You and Yours
Moe leiter and Associates
1766 Penobscot Bldg.
* YOUR FUTURE IS OUR IMMEDIATE CONCERN *
25-TH E DETROIT JEWISH NEWS — Fri day, Se ptember 12, 1058
'It Happens Every Friday':,