Passing of a Friend
THE JEWISH NEWS
incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20. 1951
Member American Association of English—Jewish Newspapers, Michigan Press Association, National Editorial
Association.
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing Co., 17100 West Seven Mile Road, Detroit 48235 Mich.,
VE 8.9364. Subscription $6 a year. Foreign $7.
Second Class Postanr Palirat Detroit, Michigan
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher
CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
Business Manager
.
PASSIK OF A FFVEND ,,,,.
.
CHARLOTTE IIYAMS
' SIDNEY SHMARAK
City Editor
' Advertising Manager
.1.;
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath. the fourth clay of Adar I. 5725. the following scriptural selections
will be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion: E.rod. 25:1-27:19: prophetical portion: 1 Kings 5:26-6:13.
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Licht benshen. Friday, Feb. 5, 5:34 p.m.
VOL. XLVI, No. 24
irek4-
• 75 —
February 5, 1965
Page 4
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The Current Allied Jewish Campaign
Pre-campaign activities in behalf of the
Allied Jewish Campaign serve as a test of the
community's interest in the many causes rep-
resented in the drive. Though the campaign
won't open officially for tome weeks, the
advance„,solicitations are urgent. The major
event that sets the pace for the drive already
was held here last week, and the responses
at that annual function are indications of a
continuing interest in the overseas needs, in
the local and national educational and social
service media that are aided with our cam-
paign dollars.
Jewish lore is replete with admonitions
that men should not be niggardly, that they
should share with the less affluent and with
the needy. And there is constant prodding of
man to know that those who do good deeds
will be blessed for their acts.
In "The Wisdom of Israel," a Random
House Modern Library classic edited by Lewis
Browne, appears a• long section of wisdom
from the Gemara which includes the follow-
ing story from the Book of Sanhedrin on
"The Giving of Charity":
-.
Two disciples of Rabbi Hanina, who,
like their Master, disbelieved in the power
of sorcerers. went into the forest to chop
some firewood. They met an astrologer,
who read their horoscope and predicted
that they would not return alive. This, how-
ever. did not deter them from going on
their way. They met an old man who
accosted them and asked for food. They
had only a single loaf of bread, but they
divided it with him. When they returned,
people who had heard the prediction asked
the astrologer, "Is then your astrology
false?"
He invited the two disciples to unwrap
the bundles of wood which they carried.
In each of them half a snake was found.
"What did you do," asked the astrol-
oger, to merit escape from sure death?"
"We know of nothing," they answered,
"except that we gave half a loaf of bread
to an old man."
Whereupon the astrologer cried: "What
can I do if the aod of the Jews is placated
with half a loaf of bread?"
•
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7/e, ce-vemta, Awe
4-e/e-
-
JOAyeefe:
"wanhv cam=
There is a traditional attitude in Jewish
life that every good deed brings its dividen d s
in blessings. We are an affluent community,
Aransibst-rx,
-1 •411i324.
and we may well believe that by having taken
into account the needs of our fellow men we
have blessed ourselves.
There is much to be said 'about the good American Historical Data
life that is allotted us when we are partners
in so great an undertaking as the one in —
which we are presently engaged. The Allied Morgenthau Diaries Throw
Jewish Campaign provides for many who
come to Israel out of veritable infernos. But Light on Refugee Problem
it also has the creative merits of being not
American history in the early years of the last war is enriched
only a philanthropic fund but a treasury
wherewith to enrich Jewish life by encourag- by the publication of another set of excerpts from the diaries of
ing cultural work, by financing educational
endeavors. by aiding the needy in our own
midst and by assuring proper health facili-
ties and care for the aged.
Indeed, the Allied Jewish Campaieh 6bjec
tives should be well known by this time. Yet
there still are thousands w o are hard to
reach. If this campaign can touch the hearts
-
Henry Morgenthau, who was President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Secre-
tary of the Treasury.
John Morton Blum, Yale professor of history. who edited
the first volume of the Morgenthau Diaries, is the author of "Years
1938 1 941," containing the historical data from the
of Urgency
I Morgenthau diaries for that crucial three-year period. It is published
by Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston.
—
-
This new volume throws light on events that led to the
entrance of this country in the war. It reveals many facts regard-
FDR, the
ing America's attitude, the position that was taken by
Morgenthau-FDR relationship. It deals with the domestic crises,
with the actions of the dictators, with the watchfulness of ear
government over developments abroad and the refugee problem.
of he few thousand more contributors than
the vil decree, the placating of God with half
a I f of bread as told in the legend we have
jut quoted, will indeed become reality for all.
There is an especially interesting note on FDR and his associ-
ates and their opinions on events of that time and the President and
the Presidency. There was the problem of loans for public functions.
put it to Tom
the remarkably instructive volume issued by The President was becoming sour. As Morgenthau
Corcoran on May 22, 1939, "If business got worse. the President would
the Hebrew Publishing Co., in its evalua- become more and more sour." There is this quotation. that Corcoran
*tion of Benevolence of Gemiluth Hassodim went "on a long rampage on what complete disorganization there is in
quoted the following: I the office of the White House and why the President frittered his time
"In his Mishneh Torah, Maimonides
writes: 'The uality of mercy is 'char - everybody wanted to do . . . . and how Pa Watson is good as a
acteristic of the Jewish people. They are doorkeeper but that was all. That Sam Rosenman had said the Presi-
New
like brothers . . . and if a brother shows dent still runs the United States as though it was the State of the
York and he wants to do it on a personal contact basis .and
no mercy toward a brother, who" will? On
then. should the poor of Israel President has never really learned how to run his own office . . .
Hebrew Free° Loan s 70th Anniversary
I
An anniversary of traditional significance
%vill be observed at the annual meeting of
the .Jewish Welfare Federation next Wednes-
day.
The completion of 70 years of services by
the Hebrew Free Loan Association merits the
interest of the entire community.
In the concept of tzedakah, erroneously
interpreted as charity but actually denoting
justice and benevolence. is expressed the
philosophy of Judaism aiming at the preven-
tion of poverty.
The basic idea of Gemiluth Hassodim-
of benevolent action to those who must be
uplifted—is to -keep man from falling low. to
assist him in reconstructing his life when he
is in economic need.
In the current American war on poverty,
the Gemiluth Hassodim principle of granting
free loans to needy in our midst assumes an
important role.
We are taught in the Talmud that the
highest principle of charity is to help a man
to help himself. thereby abandoning the
negativism of charity and granting it the
role of humane dealing with our fellow men.
Dr. Philip Birnbaum's "Jewish Concepts,"
—
—
whom,
depend? . . . Alas, their help must come
only from their brethren . . . The highest
degree of righteousness (tzedakah) is to
aid a man in want by offering him a gift
or a loan. by entering into partnership
with him. or by providing work for him,
so that he may become self-supporting."
It is too early, as of 1941, to get the facts on Morgenthan's
role in the problems that affected the refugee problem. But there
is, in this volume, a reference to Cordell Hull's views on German
trade, on "political interpretations," which as Hull stated in a
message to Morgenthau on Nov. 19, 1938, "might possibly affect
the prospective attempt of the Intergovernmental Committee on
Political Refugees to secure German cooperation looking towards
the facilitation of refugees from Germany — though I may say
that the prospects of such facilitation at the present time are
This is applicable to our Hebrew Free
Loan Association which is perpetuating the
principle of Gemiluth Hassodim. It is by
aiding man to help himself, to improve his
own economic status without resort to alms,
that we adhere to the highest degree of
righteousness. By pursuing this goal the
Hebrew Free Loan has earned the entire
distinctly uncertain."
There is no doubt that Morgenthau was concerned. Prof. Blum
states: "Morgenthau dissented on every point. He had no hope for
German cooperation in a program to help Jews emigrate to democratic
states. He considered the State Department's preoccupation with trade
ludicrous in a world racing toward war. - He warned Roosevelt on what
was occurring, on the Hitler trends. There was an evident sharp
Hull
community's appreciation for seven decades difference of opinion on trade with Germany between him and liberty
But Morgenthau's duties were determined and he was "not at
of humanitarian services.
to disregard them . . . . "
There were talks between Morgenthau and Sumner Welles on
the issue of the refugees. While the State Department was "still
exploring the refugee problem," Welles is quoted telling Morgenthsat
cotton
resentment against the abusers will eventual that "for us to take this step now (on the question of dumping
the German market) may throw a complete skid under the
ly lead to better understanding between the into
wheels on what England and France are trying to work out."
benefactor and the beneficiaries Uncle Sam ,
"I cannot,
"I must carry out the law," Morgenthau interrupted,
and those he aids—then Nasser's invectives I
or bad for the Jews?' I have
as
a
Jew,
stop
and
think
'is
this
good
may eventually prove a blessing in disguise.
told you this before . . . and the minute I find myself doing
•
Obstacles to Foreign Aid Program
Egypt's dictator-president. Gamal Abdel
Nasser, having ordered the United States to
"jump in the lake," stirred up a hornet's
nest which may, in the long run, serve to
clarify the dilemmas relating to the com-
plicated foreign aid program.
While the anti-Nasser resolution adopted
by the House of Representatives inevitably
but unjustly involves Israel, the issue re-
volves around the antagonistic anti-American
attitude often in evidence in many lands. We
provide aid and get abuse. We have given
Nasser major portions from our foreign aid
appropriations and have received in return
the bulk of insults,from Cairo.
This is what irks our Congressmen. If the
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—
A number of Senators have shown dis-
pleasure with Secretary of State Rusk's re-
quests for the elimination of the amendment
adopted by the House of Representatives.
Apparently members of the lower House of
Congress are not alone in showing their dis-
pleasure over Nasser's arrogance. It is an
attitude not to be ignored and it is doubt-
ful whether Congress will continue to tolerate
arrogance from those who get aid from us.
—
it, I will resign."
I
And so it is evident that the refugees issue, the Jewish question,
was weighed in the balance.
As of 1941, we do not have all the facts regarding Morgenthaes
difficulties and his struggles to aid the refugees. But the early debates
throw much light on the attitudes of the State Department which
had
•
o
was hesitant and overly cautious, in spite of the signs
been happening in Germany. The next set of diary excerpts, in a
forthcoming volume, will reveal undoubtedly the true story of our
governments role.