I
Jews of John Bull's Other Island -- a Question of Assimilation in Ireland
By S. J. GOLDSMITH
Apart from the truism that ucation. And they tend to include the development of Irish Jews. Jews who are Liberal (in America,
only Hebrew education can assure Jewish knowledge into the pro- They can "kitchen-test" for us the Conservative). This is a compara-
DUBLIN — Ireland is one of the continued connection of Jews gram of acquisition of knowledge feasibility of sound Jewish educa- titvely large number; over 12 per
the few remaining civilized coun- with Israel and their continued ad- through education at all levels. tion, and continued Jewish life, in cent of the total. However, this
tries where people do not rush herence to Jewish life outside the "Litvaks" are made of a stronger a free society outside Israel. In may matter from the point of view
I themselves and others as if every Jewish State, first and second gen- fiber and given less to assimilation 1946, there were only a few Jewish of strictly Orthodox Jew, but not
day was the last day before the eration "Litvaks," as most Irish than other Jewish tribes. It will, families of the reform trends of from the point of view of Hebrew
Day of Judgment. There are a lot Jews are, remain addicted to ed- therefore, be fascinating to watch Judaism; today there are some 500 education.
of urgent problems to be solved in
Paid Political Ad
Ireland, and solved quickly, before
even more people leave the coun-
try. But they are not in a frenzy;
at a normal, human pace they are
trying to repair the ravages of, let
us say, history. It has never been
proven, by the way, that people in
a frenzy achieve more.
There are 4,000 Jews in Ire-
land, most of them of Lithuan-
ian origin. In 1956, there were
5,800 Jews in the country. This
is an astonishing decrease in a
place were Jewish life is pretty
normal, and which can justly be
described as a very good Golah
(in the olden days they used to
classify the diasporas, hence the
; Hebrew saying "Hatova Bagal-
uyot"—the best among the dias-
poras). But it must be rememb-
ered that a process of depopula-
tion was going on in the country
as a whole all the. time.
Once upon a time there were
8,000,000 people in Irelan d.
There was even a time when Ire-
land had more people than Eng-
land. Today there are only three
million in the country. They have
now arrested this trend—unique in
modern times—but only recently.
However, this reversal of the trend
does not seem of have affected
the Irish Jews.
There is no anti-Semitism in
Ireland except perhaps • among
some individuals. There is com-
plete equality before the law and
in administrative practice — of
course. Why then has the Jewish
population of Ireland gone down
by some 30 per cent in eight
years? And there was not even an
Aliyah to speak of. The answer is
simply this: Irish Jews tend to
come to England to look for better
opportunities. True, the story of
grinding poverty generally is a
thing of the past, by and large.
As your Governor, Neil Staebler will act to hold the line on property taxes, help our senior citizens,
The drive of industrialization is al-
provide increased assistance for schools and colleges, and cooperate with Federal programs for
ready showing results. But there is
still more scope in England than
jobs and economic growth. A Staebler administration will achieve these goals.
in Ireland, especially for business-
men and professional people. It is
not a case of going away for lack
1: of basic needs; it is a case of going
away to look for the good things of
An early supporter
As a Congressman .
of John F. Kennedy.
c life. And nobody in Ireland is in-
Staebler v.orliel and
Staebler was Demo-
r clined to blame those who do so.
voted for the 511 5
cratic State Chair
A student of Jewish life in
billion tax Cu! »turf+
man during Com - -
Ireland told me that almost in
returns 5368 million
nor Williams' admin.
every case of marriage between
to Michigan citizens
istration. Together.
and enables people
a Jew from Ireland and a Jew
Williams and Staeb-
all over America to
from elsewhere, the couple settle
ler achieved greater
buy more Michgan
citizen. participation
in the latter's country. But he
products
in Michigan govern-
was sure that more radical
ment.
changes in the Irish economy
would eventually reverse this
trend. For, he said, Irish Jews
are very attached to their coun-
In Congress. Staeb
try.
Stadler. shown here
ler supported tie
Every Jew is dear to us and his
with his family. has
Kennedy Johnson
fate is our concern, but in the con-
devoted his life to
programs for Medi
text of Irish destiny as a whole,
serving Michigan .
care. aid to educa
His dedication to
!ion civil rights. lobs
this is a minor, a very minor,
good government is
and economic
problem. The tremendous effort
-
reflected
in 14 years
groeth He will co
for economic and social progress
of progressive and
operate wilt Prep
is made not to keep on the Jews
responsible Demo
dent Johnson to
that are there from emigrating.
craft •teatlership in
matietheseprog.rams
Michigan .
This we must keep in mind, so as
wort :n Michigan
not to lose a sense of proportion.
* * *
The problem that besets the
Jews of Ireland is the usual one—
how does one make one's children
continue the tradition, both roil-
- gious and Zionist? Assimilation in
a free society is the danger. True,
it is less acute in Ireland for the
simple reason that the almost
chink-proof Romari Catholic soci-
ety of the country is less likely to
attract Jews, although it is ulti-
mately committed as an article of
faith, to the conversion of all non-
Catholics, than a secular society
with a Protestant religion in the
background. Still, it is a free coun-
President
- Lyndon B. Johnson
try, and there is separation be-
Vice-President
- Hubert H. Humphrey
tween State and Church. And Trin-
Governor
ity College, the greatest institution
- Neil Staebler
of learning in Ireland, the alma
Lieut. Governor
- RobertA. Derengoski
mater of Jonathan Swift, Oliver
Secretary of State - James M. Hare
Goldsmith and Oscar Wilde, is, sur-
Attorney General - Frank J. Kelley
prisingly, a Protestant institution.
U. S. Senator
- Philip A. Hart
(Copyright, 1964, Jewish
Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
I
Elect Neil
ST BILE
Democrat
GOVERNOR
He can do more for Michigan!
Vote DEMOCRAIIC all the way—
1
HART STAEBLER • LBJ
On November 3rd ...
SUPPORT THIS DEMOCRATIC TEAM:
On November 3rd ...
Keep Michigan's Free-Choice Ballot
Vote "HO"
On Massachusetts Ballot Referendum
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, October 23, 1964-35
4/
MAKE IT EMPHATIC—VOTE STRAIGHT DEMOCRATIC
•