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Purely Commentary

Paperbacks, Covenant Books Add to Jewish
Pnlblication Society's Literary Services

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

coast. It is a story of pioneer-
The Jewish Publication Soci- a nuclear chain reaction in
a large mass of uranium ..." ing, of the adventurous travels
ety
of
America
gained
addi-
Khrushchev's Reply to Query About Soviet Jewry
Wise mentions the fact that of Louis Fleischner and his .
tional status this week with pa-
at National Press Club Luncheon: Two Versions
perback reprints of notable Einstein was offered the presi- brother, Jacob, across peril-
When Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev was in Washington, classics and the extension of dency of Israel when Dr. Chaim ous roads, towards Oregon.
These pioneers settled there,
he addressed a luncheon meeting of the National Press Club. A
Weizmann died in 1952. This is
cz
74 question was then addressed to him regarding the status of the Covenant Books series.
in the Willamette Valley, and
the
concluding
tribute
to
Ein-
Published jointly with Meri-
they led the way towards the
Soviet Jewry.
Books , JPS has re-issued stein:
com-
Crosscurrents Press of New York has just issued a volume, d ian
"In his efforts to under- establishment of a great
un- two
Jew in the
.. classics—"The
munity. The Indian wars, the
e
apparently in b half of the Soviet Embassy in Washington,
o f England," b y s tand the ature of the uni-
era
ore
u) 'der the title: "Khrushchev in America Full texts of the speeches
verse, to promote peace be- struggles in the wilderness, the
made by N. S. Khrushchev, 'Chairman of the Council of Ministers Montagu Frank Modder, and tween nations, to protect the retention of Jewish loyalties—
• P-4-
z of the USSR on his tour of the United States, September 15-27, "The Jew in the Medieval . rights - of all men, Jew and these and many more incidents
1959. Translated from the, book published in the USSR entitled World," by Dr. Jacob R. Marcus. Gentile; from the brutal forces are part of an effectively told
Modder (1891-1959), who was
=
cn 'Live in Peace and Friendship.' "
of opptession—in - the efforts story about the Fleischners,
Included in the texts of the speech and questions at the edudated in England and re- of a lifetime—he had been emigrants from Bohemia.
National Press Club is the following: ceived his Ph.D. at the Univer- completely selfleSs, and the
The author of "Northwest
14
sity of Michigan in 1935, made
QUESTION: There is great interest here, Mr. Khrushchev, a notable contribution to litera- ' peoples of the world, perceiv- Pioneer," Alfred Apsler, is a
in the situation of the various nationalities, including the Jew- tore in search for Jewish char- ing this, mourned his death." native of Vienna. He has lived
Li
ish population, in the Soviet Union. Can you say a few words acters. In his important book,
o 04
The Louis Fleischner story in in the Pacific Northwest since
afor us on that score?
he covered all the available "Northwest Pioneer" by Apsler 1943 and is therefore familiar
KHRUSHCHEV: In the Soviet Union there is no national material, from medieval Eng-; reconstructs the trek of the cov- with the background of his
A
question in the sense in which you understand it. All nation- land through Zangwill and his ered wagon trains. to the west story.
■
■
alities live in friendship and all have equal rights. In our contemporaries and the fourth
•
country, the attitude toward anyone is not determined by his decade of the present century.
Et
nationality or his religion. This is a matter for every man's
Modder's book first was pub-
Boris Smolar's
own conscience. We look upon a man primarily as a man. In lished by the Jewish Publica- 1
I
our country, all nationalities—Russians, Ukrainians, Turkmens, tion Society in 1939.
Uzbeks. Kazakhs, Byelorussians, Georgians, Armenians, Kal-
Dr. Marcus, the eminent his-
myks, Jews—if I were to list all the peoples of the Soviet Un-
torian, professor of hiStory at
- ion, it would take more time than has been set apart for this
Union College, Cincin-
press conference—they all live in peace and harmony. We are Hebrew
(Copyright, 1960,
proud of the fact that a multinational state such as the Soviet nati, and director of the Amer-
Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
Union is solid and is making good progress. All the peoples of ican Jewish Archives, covered
the
vast
panorama
relating
to
our country trust each other and are advancing shoulder to
The New Spirit
shoulder toward their common goal communism. The position , Jews in medieval times in his
United Jewish. Appeal leaders are flirting with the idea of
book.
Internal
rela-
of our country's Jewish population, for example, is character- limportant
,ized, among other things, by the following fact: Jews hold' a tionships, state and church convoking a nationwide conference of young American-born
' hind Icompulsions. and other vital is- Jews active in local Jewish communities, none to be older than
: worthy place among those who made the success
sues are part of the volume, 30 years . . The idea emanates from the fact Tat a new spirit
. 'of • the moon rocket possible."
first published in 1938 by the is noticeable among young American Jews with regard to their
Immediately after Khrushchev's statement, Radio Moscow Union of American Hebrew obligations as Jews . . . To many of them, UJA is not merely
reported the questions and answers at the National Press Club, Congregations, and now avail- an organization raising funds for Israel and for needy Jews in
and the one on the Jews practically coincided with the above, as able in a popularly-priced paper- other overseas countries . . . They see in UJA a deeper sign-
recorded in the book "Khrushchev in America."
ificance which appeals to them as humanitarians . . . To them
back.
However, the New York Times stenographic version of .tlie
the UJA is the carrier of the ancient Jewish philosophy that
The
two
new
Covenant
discussion reported the question and the answer, in the issue of
Books were again, as in the 1 "all Jews are responsible for the well-being of each one of
Sept. 17, as follows:
Instance of the first eight them" . . . This philosophy is making as much of an impact on
QUESTION: There is great interest here, Mr. Khrush-
volumes for young readers, many young American Jews as does the fact that the Jewish
chev, in the situation as regards the Jewish minority within the.
issued jointly with Farrar, people of old were the first to introduce a six-day working week
Soviet Union. Can you clarify for us yourself what the status
Straus and Cudahy. The new . . . Or that the Jews —ere the first to abolish slavery thousands
- of those people is as regards equality of opportunity?
Covenant Books are: "North- of years ago—while slivery still exists in some countries today
. . . It gives the young Jews a sense of pride in Jewish belong-
ANSWER: I think one of -the facts which characterize the
west Pioneer: The Story of
' position of the Jewish people in our country is the fact that
Louis Fleischner," by Alfred ing . . In this spirit they approach the UJA work as a link
e- launching of
Apsler; and "Albert Einstein: with the liberal traditions of care and welfare introduced by
- among the persons who took foremost part in the
the L rocket to the moon the representatives of the Jewish
Citizen of the World," by Wil- Jews way back in the Biblical times ... The young audiences,
who unfortunately have little Jewish background, are seeking
liam Wise.
•people hold a place of honor.
national problem does- not exist in our
general, the ational
Wise, author of the first vol- from UJA speakers mor , and more information . on Jewish
country. The question of a man's religion is- not asked in our time in the Covenant Book se- liberal traditions in general . . . It is the contribution which
country. It is a matter for the conscience of the person con- ries—"Silversmith of Old New the UJA makes in. strengthening moral values, along with
cerned. We look upon a person as a person.
York: Myer Myers" — narrates philanthropic aid, that awakens their Jewish consciousness
In our country Russians, Jews, Ukrainians, Turkmens, the Einstein saga with great . .. It is thus felt that a UJA conference of young Jews will
be of great benefit not only in stimulating them to become more
Uzbeks, Byelorussians, Georgians, Armenians—if I started to charm.
enumerate all the nationalities in our country I am afraid the
The reader meets Einstein active in local fund-raising drives but also in inspiring them
question period would be taken up by that enumeration. They the scientist, Einstein the Jew to become the future leaders of Ame -" ,'an Jewry.
* * *
all live in peace and.. close friendship in our country, and we
and the Zionist, Einstein the
very
proud
of
the
fact
that
the
national
problem
does
not
are.
violinist and the lover of music. UJA Among Students
exist in our country, that all the many nationalities inhabiting
The biographer accounts in
The United Jewish Appeal has embarked on a plan of
the Soviet Union are together marching towards one common
his book for Einstein's share intensified activities among Jewish students in colleges and
aim.
in the atomic bomb, and he universities . . . These activities are being carried on under the
The texts are not alike. Since the chairman of the National quotes from Prof. Einstein's slogan - "Take Your Rightful Place in the Jewish Community
Press Club meeting—the club's president at the time—happened letter to President Roosevelt through the United Jewish Appeal" . . Since World War II,
to be William H: Lawrence, New York Times Washington cor-
in which he stated that "it campaigns conducted among Jewish students at American col-
respondent, we accept it as a certainty that the question as pre- may become possible to set up leges and universities have contributed comparatively substan-
sented was the one published in the Times. And since all the
tial amounts to Jewish overseas, national and local causes . .
news services and correspondents seemed to agree on the text
In 1947, students raised more than $136,000 among themselves
of the answer, as given in the New York Times, we are inclined Hadassah President . . . In 1948, the year Israel was established, they raised more
than $175,000 . . Since then, they have continued to con-
to accept the Times version.
Why does the official USSR version differ from the one Given 1MA Award
tribute significant amounts to Jewish causes . . . Hillel clubs
Tam have created a number of Jewish Welfare Funds, and initiated
given by American translators, who would have no reason what-
ever to doctor a simple statement? This is one of the puzzles
responsible Jewish community action in many places where no
about the USSR that no one is able to solve.
organized Jewish community life existed in the past . . . Jewish
Insofar as Russian Jewry's tragic status is concerned, Khrush-
student campaigns have been organized in every university and
chev has, however, failed to answer any of the pressing questions
college which has a sizable enrollment of Jewish students . .
posed to him either on his visit to the United States or the more
These campaigns are now regarded as an essential adjunct of
Jewish student life . . . But student drives are important not
recent one to France.
In his revealing book, "To Moscow—and Beyond," published
only for financial reasons . . . They have a vital educational
by Harper and Brothers, Harrison E. Salisbury, Pulitzer Prize
function . . . They generate in the students a sense of identity
winning foreign correspondent, declared:
with the Jewish people . . • They deepen their understanding
of the needs of the American Jewish community and of other
"I have not the slightest doubt that if the Soviet govern-
Jewish communities throughout the world.
ment were to permit free emigration tomorrow that '15 to 80
*
*
*
per cent of the Jews would leave the country. That would not
have been true two decades ago. But the anti-Semitic policies of
UJA and Rabbis
Stalin and his successors have taught the Jews of Russia that
Something new is being added by the UJA in the field of
- their government regards them as enemies of the state, and
stimulating greater participation of rabbis in UJA work . .
their fellow citizens regard them as inferiors."
A national UJA Rabbinical Advisory Council, composed of 24
prominent rabbis, has been formed . . . This new body will have
Furthermore, Salisbury wrote in his expose of "The Tragedy
a dual role: I will serve as a consultative group to the UJA
Of the Jews" in Russia:
and will act as liaison between the UJA and members of the
"None of the existing proscriptions against the Jews has
American rabbinate . . . The members of the Council will serve
been lifted. They are still not admitted to the Foreign Service
Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, in their personal capacity and not as representatives of their
school. They are not accepted in the higher military schools.
world patron of Youth Aliyah; rabbinical bodies or movements . . . At its first meeting in NeW
They find constant difficulty in getting admitted to univer-
is shown above presenting a York, the Rabbinical Advisory Council urged that rabbis be
sities, especially Moscow University . . . Khrushchev's party
special IMA Award (Youth used by local Jewish federations in planning and interpreting
may not discourage Jewish careers but it does not encourage
Aliyah "Mother Award") to the campaigns . . . The Council decided that rabbis should
them. No Jew has risen to high party rank under Khrushchev.
Dr. Miriam K. Freund, na- insure that no man in their congregations should be beyond the
The one Jew in the Presidium, Lazar M. Kaganovich, has van-
ished. Most Jews, however, regard him as anti-Semitic; and tional president of Hadassah. reach of the UJA campaign and that they should see to it that
Dr. Freund was honored in the congregation's mailing list is made available. to the campaign
he described himself as a Russian, not a Jew. No Jew has
recognition of her outstand- . . . The Council also recommended that rabbis should see
risen to a post of consequence in the propaganda apparatus.
ing leadership and "dedicated to it that each congregation appoint a UJA chairman who should
There are many Jewish writers on both daily and monthly
services" in behalf of Jewry. cooperate with the local Jewish federations, so that there
publications, but none is the editor of a prominent newspaper.
Mrs. Roosevelt made the pre- would be maximum coverage of the synagogue members . .
The number of Jews of cabinet rank is infinitesimal."
These revelations hardly jibe with the Khrushchev assertions. sentation at the annual Had- Rabbi Morris Lieberman, of Baltimore, was elected chairman
What is happening in Russia, therefore, remains, "The assah Youth Aliyah confer- of the national Advisory Council . • • Members of the Council's
executive committee include Rabbi Morris Adler of Detroit.
ence here last week.
Tragedy of the Jews."

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