Purely Commentary
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
'The Tragedy of Yiddish'
Turkey Rejects _
Arab Demand on
Trade with Israel
0
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Boris Smolor's
'Between You
... and Me
ISTANBUL, (JTA)—An Arab
A quarterly review of current events in Jewish life, prepared League announcement that it
(Copyright, 1959
for the Institute of Jewish Affairs of the World Jewish Congress would boycott cigarettes made
Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
by Dr. Jacob Lestschinsky, contains a section on "The Tragedy from Turkish tobacco, was de-
of Yiddish." It states bluntly, at the outset, that "the vernacular fied here by the Government Information Please:
of our people — Yiddish — is passing through, not a crisis, Ministry of Monopoly, which has
The National Council of Churches, which has carried
but a deep tragedy."
jurisdiction over the tobacco in- erroneous data on American Jewish membership in synagogues
Dr. Lestschinsky declares that "there is. no doubt that _for dustry.
during the last years, has done it again now . .. Its 1960 Year
many decades this national vernacular will serve as a connective
"Israel is our customer," a Book of American Churches reports that 5,500,000 Jews are
link among Jew§ of various lands with different languages." spokesman for the Ministry de-
This contention was corroborated at the Plenary sessions of the clared, "and we feel free to members of congregations in this country . . . Even assuming
World Jewish Congress in Stockholm where Yiddish was the sell our tobacco to any country that there are 5,500,000 Jews in the United States, they include
predominant medium in the exchange of experience among the that asks for it. Furthermore, many hundreds of thousands who are not affiliated with syna-
the countries that seem to be gogues . . . But the American Jewish Committee Year Book
250 delegates.
To indicate that efforts now being exerted to give neW thinking of boycotting us do not estimates that there are only about 5,255,000 Jews in this
vitality to Yiddish are progressing, Dr. Lestschinsky indicates trade with us anyway." The
that "already Yiddish plays a very great role at Jewish spokesman pointed out that country, and the Institute of Jewish Affairs of the World Jewish
conferences, as a language sufficiently comprehensible even to Turkey was not only exporting Congress this week published data estimating the present Jewish
tobacco to Israel, but was also population of the U.S. at about 5,200,000 . . . No less an authority
those Jews who do not employ Yiddish in their daily life."
Nevertheless, "the tragedy of Yiddish" is a fact to be planning a joint Israeli-Turkish than Arthur Herzberg estimates in the American Jewish Year
reckoned with, as indicated in the following figures included in cigarette factory in Israel.
Book that only "some 60 percent of the entire American Jewish
Dr. Lestschinsky's study to illustrate the decline in the circula-
community, or something more than 3,000,000 Jews, are affiliated
tion of U. S. Yiddish dailies:
with the synagogue" . . He adds that it is customary for many
Circulation No. of Jews per Copy
Year No of Jews in U.S
people to join synagogues when their children come of religious
6.3
585,978
3,700,000
1925
school age, and to drift out of membership when their children
7.1
562,382
JERUSALEM, (JTA) — Is- reach adolescence . . . Being extremely liberal in his estimate
4,000,000
1930
11.0
403,235
rael's Cabinet approved the com-
4,500,000
1940
synagogue
16.5
287,850
position of the Government's on this basis, Dr. Herzberg believes that, in all, the
4,750,000
1945
25.8
a
matter
of
real
concern
to
perhaps
4,000,000
American
213,093
delegation
to
the
United
Na-
5,100,000
is
1953
42.4
125,00Q
tions General Assembly, which Jews . . . Why the National Council of Churches should insist
5,200,000
1958
will convene Sept. 15.
on maintaining that 5,500,000 Jews are synagogue members
Since the publishing of the World Jewish Congress quarterly
Mrs. Golda Meir, the Foreign
survey containing this study, the latest circulation figures for the Minister, will head the delega- remains a puzzle to those who drew the attention of the Council
two remaining Yiddish dailies in this country have been made tion, during the early weeks of last year to the fact that the information about Jews in its
public by Editor and Publisher. The latest report shows a total the Assembly, after which the year-book was incorrect . . . The information not only clashes
Yiddish dailies' circulation of 140,000—the Jewish Daily Forward chairmanship will be taken over with the data given in the authoritative American Jewish Year
having 71,219 in New York and 14,000 in Chicago (the latter by Arthur Lourie, Israel's Am- Book, but also with the membership figures claimed by the
including Detroit, Cleveland and the other communities west bassador to Canada. Other mem- Jewish congregations themselves . . . The Union of American
of New York) ; and the circulation of the Jewish Daily Day- bers of the delegation will be: Hebrew Congregations claims no more than 1,000,000 members
Morning Journal is given as 53,116 for New York and 8,000 for Yosef Tekoah, acting perma-
its Reform temples . . . The United Synagogue of America
Philadelphia. According to the Editor and Publisher survey of nent representative at the in
claims 1,000,000 adherents for its Conservative congregations . .
the foreign press in the U. S., the Yiddish press reached its high United Nations; Michael S. The American Jewish Year Book believes that if these claims
point in circulation in 1914 when 10 Yiddish dailies had a Gomay, deputy director-general of the Reform and Conservative congregations are correct, then
combined circulation of 762,910, second only to the German- of the Foreign Ministry, former on the same basis there would be perhaps 1,000,000 Jews who
language dailies in the foreign-language field. The Yiddish press Ambassador to Canada; Shabtai were actually part of American Jewish Orthodoxy . . . In the
circulation, Editor and Publisher reports, jumped ahead of the Rosenne, legal adviser to the light of the fact that the figures of the Year Book of the National
German papers in 1919, exceeding it by as much as 200,000.
Foreign Ministry; and Avraham Council of Churches are often quoted in research on Jewish
Dr. Lestschinsky's comments on the status of the Yiddish Darom, Israeli Minister to matters, it would be advisable that the editors of this book
press are sufficiently important to deserve quotation. He writes: Yugoslavia, an expert on Latin should coordinate their data on Jewish synagogue affiliation
with the American Jewish Year Book, which has an established
"The decline of the circulation is terrible, and even more American affairs.
terrible is that the tempo of the decline is growing faster all •
reputation for accuracy.
*
*
the time. Thirty-three years ago-1925—one out of every six
U.S. "Reform Rabbis
Jews bought a Yiddish paper in America. At that time every
Israeli Quiz:
fourth or third Jew read the Yiddish paper, because the Ask for Suspension
Attempting to have the Israeli-born Jews better acquainted
women than also read the Yiddish papers their husbands
of Nuclear Testing with facts on American Jewish life, the Israeli radio started a
brought home. Today only one out of 42 Jews buys a Yiddish
NEW YORK, (JTA) — The quiz panel show . . . Here are 10 questions which the participants
paper, and it may be said that it is actually read by only one
Central Conference of Ameri- in the first broadcast were asked . . . 1. Who translated Walt
out of every 42 Jews. Jewish women who are still dependent can Rabbis issued a statement Whitman into Hebrew? . . . 2. What was the great historical
on a Yiddish paper are very rare nowadays, unless the very old. calling for continued suspen- event American Jewry celebrated four years ago? . .. 3. When
"In the past five years—from 1953 to 1958—the circulation sion of the testing of nuclear and where did the first Jews arrive in North Africa? . . . 4. What
declined from 213,000 copies to barely 125,000, nearly one half! weapons.
did the German and Rbssian Immigrants call America at the end
During the same period the Jewish population increased by
- The Central Conference of of the last century? . . . 5. What was the origin of the last wave
about 200,000. Among the latter were tens of thousands of American Rabbis has repeat- of Jewish immigrants to America? . . . 6. Who was the Polish-
edly urged that the testing of born American Jew who financed the American War of Inde-
Jewish immigrants.
"As is well known, the Jewish Daily Forward, once the nuclear weapons be stopped pendence? . . . 7. Who was the American Jew who dreamed of
richest and most widely read Yiddish newspaper in the world, with a view to establishing a a Jewish State and what was his suggested name for it? . . .
passed through a serious crisis, and it was necessary to raise permanent ban of nuclear ex- 8. Where are the following Jewish institutions located: Hebrew
the price of the paper and to cut the salaries of all the plosions. "Such a procedure," Union College; Jewish Theological Seminary; Brandeis Uni-
employees. Let us hope that the paper will live a long time yet. the statement declares, "is an versity; Dropsie College? .. . 9. Name the Jewish writer whose
"The tragic plight of the Yiddish press in the world's indispensable s a,f e guar d of play was performed by Habimah; name the play; what is the
largest Jewish community, just described, is only slightly less human health and a needful name of the second play on the same topic? . . . 10. Is there
step in retarding the danger- a Hebrew weekly in the United States? If so, what is it called?
so in Argentina; in the second country with a considerable
. . It is interesting to note that the quiz panelists answered
Yiddish press. These are the two countries where there exists ous armament race."
Noting that there have been all the questions correctly . . . I wonder how many American-
an unsubsidized Yiddish press."
reports that the United States born Jews could answer these questions correctly?
*
*
*
The lamentations of the Yiddish writers, quoted by Dr. will resume t es t s when the
Lestschinsky, are indicative of the feelings expressed over the moratorium year ends on Oct. Moody Moments:
plight of Yiddish. Thus, on Dec. 28, 1952, H. Levick published 31, the statement asks that the
While trying to bring American and Israeli Jews closer
this poem in The Day:
present situation be continued. together, Israel has now committed a "sin" against a prominent
A fellow pqet said to me, "Let us all write the last poem, "Our country, "the statement American writer which created a lot of commotion in this
place it in a coffin and carry it through the streets where says, "should not be the first country . . .•The writer is David Pinsky, well-known author and
the American Jews live. We shall wrap the poem in blue to break the tacit truce that playwright whose plays have been performed both on the Yiddish
shrouds, and perhaps in simple white—in the white lCaves now prevails."
and the English stages in America . . . One of the most devoted
of all the poets' books .1ying in the cellar—food for mice."
Labor Zionists, he did what American Zionist leaders are ex-
However, Dr. Lestschinsky is not entirely discouraged over Russians Acclaim
pected to do . . . He left the United States soon after Israel
the general status of Yiddish. He believes "all beginnings
was established and settled in the Jewish State permanently .. .
Leonard
Bernstein
are difficult and 'though he tarry, I will wait daily for his
He felt that the dream of his life had come true and he wanted
NEW YORK, (WUP)—Never to live the rest of his life as an Israeli ... Highly respected in
coming': the rich historical cultural store of the Yiddish language
in the history of the Soviet the entire Jewish world, he served as an example and an
guarantees this future." -
Dr. LestSchinsky's hopeful outlook is based on the renewed Union has an artist been so inspiration for others who thought of settling in Israel . . .
activities of the CongresS for Jewish Culture; on the establish- greatly acclaimed and feted However, the treatment which he received in Israel, when he
ment of a Mine for Yiddish writers in Israel; on the publication with parties and gifts as has died last week, has not only planted negative thoughts in the
of "Lexicon Of Yiddish Literature" and other Yiddish -books been accorded the American- minds of some who contemplated following his example, but it
Jewish composer Leonard Bern- also provoked bitterness . . . Obviously because he had written
and on the progreSs that is being made by VIVO.
stein during his current concert
Dr. Lestschinsky makes an important point of the following: tour of the USSR with the New his works in Yiddish — although some of them were translated
"Apropos is the- question of Yiddiih-in. Jewish education, this York Philharmonic orchestra. into Hebrew — there was no proper funeral arranged for him in
Israel where tens of thousands know his writings . . . It was a
new project in New York will be of . interest: Yiddish clubs
All the leading news services
have begun to be formed in high schools where the number of reported the Russians as going "quiet funeral" in Haifa allegedly arranged by the municipality,
at which no speakers except one Hebrew writer, were allowed
Jewish pupils is large."
wild over the young Jewish to eulogize him . . . When the _news of his funeral was missed
artist.
"The
official
bouquets
There is -no doubt that Dr. Lestschinsky is a bit overopti-
in New York by his many admirers, and the proper inquiries
mistic. We happen to know that Yiddish books "seldom sell more that were handed up to the limp were made in Israel, it turned out that "something had happened"
and
perspiring
Mr.
Bernstein,"
than a thousand copies of a single published volume: that the
to prevent an impressive funeral which he would have had,
Yiddish theater has all but expired; that the children do not wrote Times correspondent Car- had the proper arrangements been made . . . Dozens of radio
uthers
from
Moscow,
"were
fol-
know Yiddish. All of which is deplorable.
quizzes in Israel on American Jewish life cannot repair the harm
But we hope he is right in his patience and in his confidence. lowed by more bunches of done to Israel among many American Jews by the apparently
posies
spontaneously
and
anony-
Yiddish his been a powerful factor for good in Jewish survival.
thrust deliberate =negligence in not giving the proper . last rites to
It still should serve that vital purpose. May -it receive a mously brought up and
such a man of Jewish leters as David Pinsky.
hands."
•
THE DETRO IT JEWIS H
j
Israel Approves
Delegation to UN
•