THE DETR OIT JEWISH NEWS — Friday, May 18, 1962 — i
Purely Commentary
Three Jewish Center Leaders Repudiate
Accusations in Conservatives' Symposium
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
The Haters in our Ranks
A New York Times correspondent, who reported the pro-
Terming the criticism of the it has a Jewish orientation which
Jewish Center movement, in the is much more encompassing than
ceedings at the convention of the anti-Israel, anti-Zionist Council Rabbinical Assembly publication, any of the denominational syna-
Conservative Judaism, a "gratui- gogue groups, because it serves
for Judaism, found it necessary to append this paragraph:
"Virtually all non-Zionist groups and Jewish religious bodies tous attack," Charles H. Gershen- many needs of a wide segment
son, Samuel Frankel and Jacob of the Jewish community, and be-
in this country support Israel, financially or morally."
L. Keidan, in a letter addressed cause it is both responsible and
For an understanding of the new outburst of hate — which
stitution in fact, even as it
appears to be in name.' The Cen-
ter has never purported to be a
religious institution in the nar-
row sense of that term. It readily
acknowledges the religious role
of the synagogue in Jewish life,
but takes the position that being
to the editor of The Detroit Jew-
is mostly self-hate—that emanated from the convention of the ish News, dated May 10, state that responsive to that community.
"When is it suggested that the Jewish has many dimensions in
haters of Zionism, it should be added that all religious factions they "feel impelled" to react to
in American Jewish life not only are supporting Israel but have it. Gershenson is president of Center must either change its ap- addition to religion which legiti-
repudiated the allegations of the Judaism Council and the anti- the Jewish Community Center of proach or give way to the Syna- mately find expression in other
gogue — Orthodox, Conservative institutional forms, including the
Zionists' silly inferences about foreignism in Jewish life.
Detroit. Frankel and Keidan are or Reform? The focus of the
Jewish Community Center. It
There isn't a single American Jew who is an avowed Zionist former presidents.
Jewish Center movement since
who has ever as much as implied that he has an allegiance to
The letter by the three Center the Janowsky survey made for seems odd, therefore, to criticize
Israel. There isir1 a Zionist anywhere who has as much as said leaders reached The Jewish News the National Jewish Welfare an institution for not being what
that he links himself with the political life of Israel.
on May 11 — on the morning Board, the national organization it has never claimed to be.
"What the Center does claim
Yet, the Council president, Clarence L. Coleman, found it when the editor's review of the of Jewish Community Centers, in is that it performs a vital service
necessary to repeat the nonsense that "American Jews desiring Center-Synagogue debate already 1948, has been on giving particu- in helping people participate in
no attachment to their religious faith should treat all arms of was in print in last week's Purely lar emphasis to informal educa- meaningful activities which cover
the Zionist movement like the extensions of a foreign govern- Commentary column. The report tional, recreational, cultural and a broad spectrum of Jewish cul-
on the Conservative Judaism sym- other group activities which have
ment, which they are,"
ture and values. It emphasizes
Nothing could he further from the truth, yet the lie is posium on the subject of Jewish special Jewish group survival those facets of Jewish life which
Center
programming
was
released
values.
repeated again and again. It is a replica of the Arab method
unite us rather than the denomi-
"The Center believes that the national differences which tend
of pulling the wool over the eyes of many misled people whose by the Jewish Telegraphic
Agency
and
appeared
in
the
May
general personality development to divide.
minds are poisoned with the anti Israel propaganda that not the
activities and the more specifi-
Israelis or the Jews are "the guilty" in the establishment of 4 issue of The Jewish News.
"Finally, it is necessary to
The statement by Gershenson, cally Jewish activities are both
Israel, but the Zionists.
point out that some 8000 individ-
Frankel and Keidan reads:
integral
parts
of
valid
program-
ual Jewish men, women and chil-
Oh, those hogymen, the Zionists! What is it that they did?
"The writers taking part in the
When Jews everywhere—outside the democratic orbit of Western symposium which served as the ming. To condemn the Center for dren currently hold membership
including
the
former,
and
judg-
in the Detroit Jewish Community
nations—were hounded, declassed as citizens, deprived of their vehicle for the attack reveal
ing the philosophy and commit- Center and that many thousands
rights to earn a living and to observe their faith in freedom, either lack of knowledge of the
ment
of
the
Center
on
the
basis
of
others are positively affected
they issued a rallying call to Jews everywhere to assist in objectives and program of the
establishing an autonomous Jewish State. Came the holocaust, Jewish Community Center or a of these activities as if they stood by the program of the Center
and every Jew with a heart was in the movement. But there - need to distort the facts. Typical alone, is akin to evaluating the designed for the total Jewish
are some Jews with heart ailments, and they faltered. A handful of this is the statement attributed purpose and commitment of the community. Among these a signi-
still live in darkness, failing to recognize that assistance to to Rabbi Mordecai S. Halpern to synagogue on the basis of fashion ficant number are also affiliated
shows, Monte Carlos, stag nights, with local synagogues and
Israel does spell kinship, but in no sense calls for allegiance the effect that the Detroit Center
and similar activities frequently temples and do not believe that
of loyal American Jews to a foreign state.
had opened all of its facilities promoted and sponsored by Syna-
there is any conflict between
Said Coleman: "The nationalism of Israel. must not be on the Sabbath. It will be obvious gogue Sisterhoods, Men's Clubs their synagogue membership and
involuntarily imposed on all Jews by virtue of our common to anyone who has been in the and kindred groups. It would be their utilization of Center serv-
religious identification." Who ever tried to impose it? And Center on Saturday afternoon, or closer to fairness in evaluating
since when does a humanitarian cause like Zionism necessarily who has made any effort to ascer- either the Center or the Syna- ices. Those who face these
limit itself to a single religious identification? It is our Zionist tain the nature of the agency's gogue to consider their respective people with a dilemma of choos-
ing between two necessary serv-
claim that the redemption of Israel, the re-emergence of Jewish Sabbath program, that the full programs in their entirety.
ices, cast them in a needless con-
Statehood which helps eradicate the humiliations of statelessness facilities of the building do not
"The article admonishes the flict situation and do a disservice
and oppressions, represents a great appeal to the sense of justice operate on Saturday afternoon; Center to 'become a religious in- to this community."
that the program has been appro-
of all faiths.
But—not that of the Council for Judaism! Because its priately modified and that the
prevalent
atmosphere in the
spokesmen, who are under challenge as to their loyal Jewish-
ness and good Americanism, remain in the dark, and, having building on Saturday afternoon is
failed to recognize truth in human relations, mislead their fol- one of quiet and dignity.
"One can only speculate at
lowers into believing their rancorous nonsense. Since nothing
By NATHAN ZIPRIN
can ever receive unanimous approval, Zionism will have to what motivated these charges at
Editor, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate
this
particular
time,
but
the
re-
content itself with such nonsensical opposition .
peated reference to the Center
It is deplorable, of course, that former President Eisen- being a benificiary of Jewish Wel- Amen . . .
The thought persists in some Jewish circles that the best
hower, Vice President Johnson and other Christians should also fare Fund allocations suggests the
have been misled into greeting the Judaism Council as if they motivation. In this respect it American Jews can do for themselves is to forget about their
were good Americans. We hold the view that anyone who stands should be pointed out that the own problems and devote most of their energy, and money as
in the way of another man's freedom cannot be a good American. Center is subsidized by central well, to such causes as desegregation. The idea, which is trotted
The Judaism Council provides fuel for the Arab fires of hatred Jewish community funds because out as based on prophetic teachings, is sound enough when ap-
against Israel and world Jewry, and this pitiable Council is
plied in moderation and not to the exclusion of ministration of
assisting such hate-mongering. Therefore we regret that good
Jewish needs and problems. These are the words of a fellow-
Christian Americans should be misled into clasping to their
columnist, Dr. Samuel Margoshes, who has few peers as expert
in American Jewish affairs.
bosoms Jews who emit hate against fellow-Jews. We call that
as un-American as it is un-Jewish.
The problem Dr. Margoshes touches came to me in full
•
•
force some time ago when a prominent rabbi, whose erudition
The Vaad Hayeshivot of De- and
sincerity are respected by all who know him, told me in all
About the Zionists and Their Zionism . . .
troit has sent letters to tradi-
So much poison emanates from Council of Judaism con- tional institutions in the United seriousness that he considered the battle for integration as
ventions, and its attacks on Zionism erupt into so much sensa- States and overseas advising Judaism's main function today. I for one can think of other
tional copy, that the villainy of this group compels a measure them of the community's new functions for Judaism today, even though there is no denying
that ethical values of prophetic content are involved in the
of the current attention that is usually denied it.
regulations governing the ac- struggle for
integration.The fight for civil rights belongs in the
tivities
of
collectors
(meshulo-
Since Zionism has been placed in the headlines by the
synagogue, but not to the exclusion of values that to us spell
Judaism Council, let it be pointed out anew that the Zionist, chim), it was announced by Jay
survival.
It
was
fashionable at one time for rabbis to speak from
who had been called an impractical dreamer, who was villified M. Rosenthal, Vaad chairman.
pulpit on current books until the congregants who also came to
for having the vision of Statehood for declassed and humiliated
Beginning July 15, institu- worship tired of the exercise in literary sematics. It has now
Jews, who was believed to have harbored a dream that could tions that have not applied for become fashionable for certain rabbis to dwell on integration
not he accomplished—this impractical Zionist was the symbol Vaad accreditation and have and other aspects of civil rights when they take to pulpit, for-
of a great movement, who brought into being a State now known not been assigned a specific getting that congregants more
often than not come to holy
as Israel.
date for visiting Detroit will not sanctum to hearken to prayer and not to propaganda, however
Only those who would return to the practice of genocide, receive authorization from the lofty its purpose.
only those who would destroy an entire people as cruelly as is Vaad.
The report that Senator Goldwater's 17-year-old daughter is
Rosenthal outlined some of planning to go to Israel and live in a kibbutz there is more than
advocated by some misled 'Arab leaders, would view Israel other
than the major humanitarian result of two world wars that the new regulations that have a mere curiosity item. About a year ago — and I have this on
counted many millions of innocent victims, The emergence of been announced by the Vaad excellent authority — a prominent Jewish intellectual had oc-
Israel has helped to end the homelessness of those who survived during the past few months and casion to inquire from Senator Goldwater whether a certain
the great holocaust. Had there been an Israel before the Nazi have been implemented by don- Arizonian was of Jewish origin. The Senator's reply was he is
one of our own.
onslaught upon humanity, most of the six million Jews who ors when contributing.
1. Only solicitors possessing a
perished at the hands of the Hitlerites might have survived.
•
•
*
valid credential are authorized to
Those who survived owe their new dignity as citizens of a collect funds in Detroit.
2. An official Vaad Hayeshivot re- Heard and Recorded . . .
sovereign state to Zionism.
ceipt with the name of the institute
Yiddish writers in the U.S. are grappling with a serious
stamped on its face is required for
When, therefore, Jews spew hatred against fellow-Jews, each
contribution. No other type of problem — whether to accept or not an invitation for contribu-
when people who claim to be speaking as Jews spread lies and receipt
may be used. In this manner tions from the Soviet Yiddish publication "Heimland." Heimland
venom and tell the non-Jews that Zionists are not loyal Ameri- institutions are kept informed of the had come under' elitism for using inferior material, prose and
amount contributed to their
cans, when such vile filth is disseminated as if it were the full
poetry, and so it decided to invite works from some of the out-
representatives.
3. A program of spacing the visits standing Yiddish writers in the United States, the letter of
sanctity of a group that speaks in the name of the Jewish
of solicitors more evenly throughout
religion, Jews should react to it with the repudiation it deserves. the year has also been imple- invitation said. The recipients of the invitation are said to be
The self-hating Jews are not spokesmen for religion: they are mented.
in a quandry. Many of them feel that this development is a
Rosenthal stated that un- promising one in that it would be for the first time that non-
the spreaders of hate.' They do not even deserve the dignity of
accredited
institutions
ha
v
e
being called informers against their fellow men because what
communist Jewish writers from abroad had been asked to sub-
they say is untrue. The three religious factions in Jewry—Ortho- been advised by the Vaad not mit material for publication in the Soviet Union. Others are
doxy, Conservatism and Reform—have repudiated these people. t o waste their time and money of the opinion that the invitation is a propaganda device. So
They stand alone as an element that endangers good will among b y sending a collector to De- far there are no acceptances.
Jews and non-Jews.
troit for they will find no re-
When President Taft entered the White House he hoped to
Therefore, in evaluating the Zionist position, this Commen- t ponse in the community to create a climate of culture in the capital. His presidency coin-
heir
appeals.
cided
with the burgeoning of original literary activity in the
tator believes that the only way of completely rejecting the
Judaism Council's attacks on Zionism is for the unaffiliated to b The new procedures have country and it was felt White House interest would lend both
become attached to the Zionist movement That would be the w een developed in cooperation encouragement and dignity to the trend. After taking office,
most solemn way of saying to the venom-spreaders that their C ith the Jewish Community President Taft invited some of the country's leading literary
to enhance the dignity personalities for a dinner at the White House. Among them was
hate is being rejected by an acceptance of the reality and the 0 f ouncil
fund raising for traditional the late Abraham Cahan, colorful editor of the Forward,
humaneness of the Zionist idea.
Yiddish
On the Record
Collection Rules
Issued by Vaad
causes,
daily.