Prof. Gordon's 'Assimilation in American Life .
Recognizes Legitimacy of Ethnic Communality
Prof. Milton M. Gordon of the
University of Massachusetts, in his
"Assimilation in American Life,"
published by Oxford University
Press, (417 5th, N.Y. 16), makes
a noteworthy contribution to the
sociological studies on the subject
of separation, as contrasted with
assimilation.
This is a very thorough account
of the role of national origin
groups, racial and religious ele-
ments, in American life.
It makes interesting studies of
all elements involved, goes deeply
into the Negro question and assays
the Jewish position most analytic-
ally.
In his review of the organi-
zational life of American Jewry,
Prof. Gordon shows that most of
the Jewish agencies—with the
conspicuous exception of the
Council for Judaism—"support
in varying forms and degrees
the 'cultural pluralist' conception
of American life—a point of
view which offers legitimization
of the preservation of sub-na-
tional communal life and some
\__, cultural differences for the na-
tion's various ethnic groups, and
justifies the result as providing
a more democratic, more in-
teresting, and more dynamically
\_,
fruitful culture for all Ameri-
(
i
cans than one in which uni-
formity was the norm."
His approaches are positive. His
analyses of the Jewish conflicts,
the Jewish cultural aims, Jewish
organizational life, are based on
realistic analyses.
Tabulating the paradigm of
assimilation, the Jewish position
is substantially positive in cul-
tural matters, "mostly in civic
matters, partly on the behavior
receptional question and "no" in
the marital structural and identi-
fication areas.
Prof. Horace M. Kallen is quot-
ed on the question of the preser-
vation of Jewish communality in
America:
"No confirmation of a Jew's
right to disengage himself from
his Jewish being can in fairness
to him be unconditional. If he
is directing his disengagement
toward what he imagines as a
more abundant and safe life, he
must needs see to it that his
choice is informed, enlightened
and brave, not anxious, ignorant,
afraid and blind . .."
Prof.. Gordon's comment is that
"structural pluralism is the major
key to the understanding of the
ethnic makeup of American so-
ciety, while cultural pluralism is
the minor one . The important
residual theoretical question then
becomes that of how ethnic pre-
judice and discrimination can be
eliminated or reduced and value
conflict kept within workable
limits in a society where the ex-
\—'
-
--2- : istence
of separate subsocieties
keeps primary group relations
among persons of different ethnic
>
I
r
Beth Am's Rabbi,
David Jessel, Gets
Masters Degree
Rabbi David Jessel of Temple
Beth Am was recently awarded
an MA degree by the Hebrew
Union College-Jewish Institute of
Religion in Cincinnati.
Ordained at that seminary, he
came to Beth Am in July, 1963.
A native of Tor-
onto, Rabbi Jessel
received his BA
from the Univer-
sity of Toronto,
and then entered
HUC-J1R, where
he was awarded
the bachelor of
Hebrew letters
degree. He stud-
ied at the Hebrew
Jessel University, Jeru-
salem for two years and returned
to Cincinnati to complete his rab-
binical studies: His master's thesis
is entitled "Reform Versions of the
Passover Haggadah."
backgrounds (except in the in-
tellectual world) at a minimum."
His chapter on the Jews is an
illuminating historical analysis and
a most valuable sociological thesis.
He makes this interesting obser-
vation in his summation of Jewish
acculturation processes.
"Communal life and ethnic
self-identification flourish with
in the borders of a group de-
fined as one of the 'three major
faiths' of America, while at the
same time its members and, to a
considerable degree, the institu-
tions become increasingly in-
distinguishable, culturally, from
the personnel and institutions
of the American core society."
One of his basic conclusions, on
the question of the structural
assimilation of immigrants, is that
"while exceptional individuals will
occasionally assimilate structurally
into a native American subsociety
. . . the great majority of new-
comers to the country will need
and prefer the security of a com-
munal life made up of their fellow-
immigrants from the homeland.
He emphasized that "the in-
tellectual subsociety with its ethnic
intermixture serves the rest of the
nation as a symbol of the possi-
bility of inter-ethnic harmony
and integration at the meaningful
primary group level of communal
living." In substance, his basic
conclusion is:
Reform Body Schedules
World Meeting in Paris
PARIS—The 13th international
conference of the World Union for
Progressive Judaism will open
here Wednesday night when dele-
gates from around the globe will
assemble to study the challenges
which confront humanity and es-
pecially Reform Jews. The retir-
ing head of the WUPJ, Rabbi
Solomon B. Freehof of Pittsburgh,
will address the delegates Wed-
nesday night. The conference con-
cludes July 13.
The World Union is the inter-
national organization of Reform
and Liberal Jews and counts con-
stituent membership in 22 coun-
tries.
Orthodox Conference
to Convene in Jerusalem
"The major problem is to keep
ethnic separation in communal
life from being so pronounced
in itself that it threatens ethnic
harmony, good group relations,
and the spirit of basic good will
which a pluralistic society re-
quires, and to keep it from spill-
ing over into the civic arena of
secondary relations to impinge
on housing, jobs, politics, edu-
cation, and other areas of func-
tional activity where universa-
listic criteria of judgment and
assignment are necessary and
where the operation of ethnic
considerations can only be dis-
ruptive and even disastrous. The
attainment of this objective calls
for good sense and reasonable-
ness on the part of the average
American citizen, regardless of
ethnic background, and in addi-
tion to these qualities, a high de-
gree of civic statesmanship on
the part of ethnic communal
leaders who will be tempted at
times, out of their own convic-
tions and enthusiasms, to em-
phasize ethnic exclusion and the
demands in time and resources
from their particular consti-
tuents which are likely to make
for exclusion and separation,
regardless of intent.
"In sum, the basic long-range
goal for Americans, with regard
to ethnic communality, is flu-
idity and moderation within the
context of equal civic rights for
all, regardless of race, religion,
or national background, and the
option of democratic free choice
for both groups and individuals.
Ethnic communality will not dis-
appear in the foreseeable future
and its legitimacy and rationale
should be recognized and re-
spected. By the same token, the
bonds that bind human beings
together across the lines of
ethnicity and the pathways on
which people of diverse ethnic
origin meet and mingle should
be cherished and strengthened.
In the last analysis, what is grave-
ly required is a society in which
one may say wth equal pride
and with our internal disquietude
at the juxtaposition: "I am a
Jew, or a Catholic, or a Pro-
testant, or a Negro, or an Indian,
or an Oriental, or a Puerto Ri-
can;' I am an American,' and I
am a man.' "
Thus we have a realistically fair
analysis of assimilation which rec-
ognizes the right to ethnic com-
munality while strengthening the
American way of life and retain-
ing for it the basic principles of
this land which in a sense still is
a kind of melting pot. Prof.
Gordon's "Assimilation in Ameri-
can Life" is an outstanding soci-
ological study.
—P.S.
The fifth World Congress (Kne-
siah Gedolah) of the Agudath
Israel World Organization opens in
Jerusalem on July 22.
For the fifth time since the
founding of the world movement
of Agudath Israel 52 years ago,
the rabbinic and lay leaders of
Orthodox Jewry will assemble to
deliberate on current issues and
to review the movement's policies
in Israel and in all world centers.
Delegates from 15 countries will
attend the gathering, whose tone Bnai David SpOnsors
will be set by Torah authorities `Fiddler on the Roof'
who comprise the "Moetzes Gedo-
"Fiddler on the Roof," the new
lei Hatorah," the Council of Torah musical starring Zero Mostel, will
Sages.
have its world premiere at the
Fisher Theater, July 25, under the
Chief Rabbi Unterman
auspices of Congregation Bnai
David.
Received by NY Mayor
The ticket selling committee in-
NEW YORK (JTA) — Israel's
Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi, Rabbi Yis- cludes Jack Leiberman, chairman,
sar Yehuda Unterman, was of- and captains include Mel Volin,
ficially received by Mayor Robert Morris J. Bradwine, Sam Ravitz,
F. Wagner at City Hall Tuesday. Charles Shere, Max Simons, Jack
He was accompanied by leaders of Kraizman, Ted Wise, Mel Richman,
all the Orthodox Jewish organiza- Ben Kott, Harry Koltinow, Joe
Shiffman, Harold Soble and Max
tions here.
The mayor said he was proud Sossin.
to greet the chief rabbi, and
called him "one of the spiritual S. Africa Synagogue Body
leaders of world Jewry."
Elects New Chief Rabbi
Israeli Boys Choose Jail
After Sabbath Ruckus
JERUSALEM (JTA)—Five of 12
Israeli Orthodox youths sentenced
by a court here to pay fines for
participating in Sabbath disturb-
ances a year ago chose to go to
jail rather than sign "good be-
havior" pledges which would bind
them to keep from disturbing the
peace for a year. The seven others
signed the pledges required by the
court.
JOHANNESBURG (JTA)—Rabbi
Bernard Casper, chief rabbi of
Johannesburg's United Hebrew
Congregations, was elected chief
rabbi of the Federation of Syna-
gogues of Transvaal, the Orange
Free State and Natal in South
Africa.
Rabbi Casper was formerly the
dean of students at the Hebrew
University in Jerusalem.
Temple, Church Exchange Books on Religion
LARCHMONT, N.Y. (JTA)—The
Larchmont Temple Library re-
ceived two books on Catholicism,
and the St. Augustine Church of
Larchmont, two books on Judaism
in a cultural exchange of gifts
aimed at increasing interfaith un-
derstanding in this city.
The exchange of gifts was the
first in a program to increase
books on Catholicism in the Re-
form Temple's 850-volume li-
brary and books on Judaism in
the church's 1,000 volume li-
brary. Participating in the initial
exchange of gifts were Rabbi
Morris N. Kertzer and Father
James J. Halligan. The books
on Judaism, both by Rabbi Kert-
zer, are "What is A Jew?" and
"The Art of Being a Jew."
Rabbi Balfour Brickner, assist-
ant to Rabbi Maurice N. Eisend-
rath, president of the Union of
American Hebrew Congregations,
a resident' of Larchmont, helpect
to initiate the project.
The hook exchange is the latest
in a series of joint efforts of the
Catholic church and the Jewish
temple. Both participate in an
annual seminar with local Protest-
ants, now in its third year.
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