Purely Commentary
•
Stephen S. Wise's Letters . . Challenging Years
Reconstructed itr\- -Carl Hermann Voss's Volume
On the 20th-anrr?versary of the passing of Dr. Stephen S. Wise, we
are provided an opportunity to pay tribute to his memory by recalling
his immense contributions to the humanitarian causes in which
Americans of all faiths, and especially the Jewish community were
deely involved.
Dr. Carl Hermann Voss, for 25 years an admirer of the late
leader, often associated with him in efforts in support of the Zionist
Detrimental Arab Students'
Propaganda . . . Dr. Wise's,
Bar-Ilan's Hi stori c Roles
SIOMOVitZ
H makes note of Wise as "orator, organizer,
o k . He
of the hero of his bo
limpressario, prophetic figure, implacable foe of tyranny and injustice,
civic figure, world citizen."
Dr. Wise's daughter and son, Judge Justine Wise Polier and James
Waterman Wise, authored a deeply moving foreword to this volume,
land they point to ther father's "commitment toward the building of a
father and pro-
I just society. - They add the deserved tribute to a great
Ivide an added testament of love and affection in which millions shared.
It
Dr. Stephen S. Wise
idea, provides the means of recalling the role of the great rabbi in the
form of the letters he had gathered — communications written to the
world's most noted men and women of this century, containing expres-
sions of views on every significant issue.
The Jewish Publication Society of America has published this book
under the title "Stephen S. Wise -- Servant of the People." What Rabbi
Wise believed and adhered to is summarized in a brief quotation from
his letter to the president and members of the board of Temple Emanu-
El, New York, Jan. 5, 1906: ". . . . I would not deliver my conscience
into the keeping of the angels. My conscience is my own."
This has been and remained his credo during his entire lifetime.
He pulled no punches in anything he said or stood for. He unhesitating-
ly spoke up freely, frankly, to assert his views, to condemn injustice,
to demand action in defense of human rights.
That's what the reader will learn from the letters of Stephen S.
Wise — whether the issue was Zionism and Palestine, or political con-
ditions in New York City and nationally, or matters involving labor,
or religious controversies and the freedom of the pulpit, or the Nazi
terror and the need to act against the terror.
A glance at the names of the people with whom he had corres-
ponded, to whom the letters in this volume were written, would at
once indicate the vast range of interests that concerned the giant
among leaders. Presidents, Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis,
Dr. Theodor Herzl, Israel Zangwill, Chaim Weizmann, Albert Einstein,
Jane Addams — these merely introduce the long list of people who had
received the letters that are part of this significant work.
Dr. Voss used excellent judgement in the gathering of the letters
in his well-edited volume. He has provided a textbook in courage, evi-
dence of fearlessness that distinguished the great rabbi and the un-
disputed leaders of American Jewry for many years.
While the first letter in the book, dated Nov. 24, 1896, deals with
his first rabbinic duties, it is interesting to note that the second one,
dated June 26, 1898, was written to Dr. Theodor Herzl regarding the
American Zionist activities in which Dr. Wise began to share in lead-
ership from the movement's very beginnings. Then follow other letters
to Herzl, and scores of messages which have a strong bearing on Zion-
ist history in this country and on the world front.
Dr. Wise emerges in these letters as a defender of Sacco and
Vanzetti, as a supporter of NAACP and American Civil Liberties Un-
ion, as organizer of the Jewish Institute of Religion which has been
merged with Hebrew Union College, as a battler for free speech and a
free press, as one who never hesitated to attack any and every mani-
festation of intolerance.
There are some items in this volume that add significance to his-
torical developments. They show the vision of the man who was
always on guard against the emergence of any semblance of injustice,
whether against Negroes or Jews or any oppressed group of people.
It is especially interesting to note that 20 years ago — on Feb. 9,
1949 — he denounced Arnold Toynbee's anti-Semitism. He then wrote to
Samuel Caplan, who was the editor of Congress Weekly:
" . . . Did you and Dave Petegorsky notice that the fir
article in this issue (of Commentary) is by Toynbee — 'Can Wes-
tern Civilization Save Itself?' Why the devil should he find a place
in a Jewish magazine? Be is not so much an enemy of Israel as
completely incapable of decently evaluating the significance of
Hebraism, the contribution of Israel to world civilization. If I
were writing my column (in Congress Weekly) now, as I will,
beginning in April or May, I would have something to say about
Toynbee's welcome by the Philistines (i.e., the American Jewish
Committee, which sponsors Commentary)."
(The reference to Commentary, of course, dates back to the
magazine's early years when it met with great resentment because
of its then assimilationist and anti-Zionist attitudes.)
When truth or his deep-rooted convictions were involved, he did
not hesitate to criticize his best friends. That was the case with his
dear colleague Dr. John Haynes Holmes. (Dr. Voss is the author of a
noteworthy book about both
bo Dr. Wise and Dr. Holmes, "Rabbi and
Minister."). Holmes was critical of Arthur James Balfour in his book
"Palestine: Today and Tomorrow — A Gentile's Survey of Zionism."
Wise wrote (Nov. 11, 1929) to Jacob Billikopf: "He (Holmes) is a cur-
ious anti-Britisher and has an unjust view of Balfour. On the other
hand, Holmes is so nearly right most of the time that we must be
patient with him if for once we cannot wholly agree with him. A man
like Holmes may occasionally lapse into a blunder; but what are minor
blunders by the side of the great power he has, and which, for the
larger part. he uses in a great way and for great ends?"
Dr. Voss pays a glowing tribute to Wise in his introduction in which
be describes the Americanism, Jewish fervor and Zionist leadership
•
•
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
2—Friday, May 2, 1969
The Late Ray Meir
(Berlin) Bar-Ilan
Another anniversary is being re-
corded at this time. It is 20 years
after the passing of the late Rabbi
Meir Berlin who had changed his
name into the Hebrew of Bar-Ilan.
The great university in Ramat
Gan, Israel—Bar-Ilan—was named
after his death in his memory.
One of the great scholars of the
preceding generation, Rabbi Bar-
Ilan stemmed from a rabbinic fam-
ily of note. His father was Rabbi
Naphtali Zvi Ye-
huda Berlin, who
became known
under an abbrevi-
ated title of NAT-
ZIV. Tne eminent
son of the emi-
nent father was
born in 1889(5640)
on the 5th of Iyar
which 68 years
later became the
Meir Bar-flan Israel Yom
Ha-Atzmaut.
Heir Berlin's father was the
Rosh Yeshiva of the famous Volo-
zhin theological school. The elder
Berlin was an avowed Zionist who
would not tolerate unfavorable re-
ports about the Land of Israel, in-
sisting that settlement there was a
serious Jewish duty. His son later
adhered to the principles enunci-
ated by his father.
Meir Berlin emerged as one of
the chief spokesmen for Orthodox
Jewry and became a leader—later
Herzl's Secretary
Stephen S. Wise
The 20th anniversary of the passing of Stephen S. Wise provides
an opportunity to review an important chapter in American Jewish
history, especially the Zionist aspect and the Reform religious activities
relating to it.
Reform Jewry was in the main anti-Zionist. But there were note-
worthy exceptions — among them being Gustav Gottheil, father of Prof.
Richard Gottheil who became the first president of the Federation
of American Zionists, and Stephen S. Wise.
Wise was an associate of Dr. Theodor Hertel, who had asked the
young American rabbi to serve as his American secretary for the World
Zionist Organization. Wise and Herzl last met in 1904 when the Ameri-
was 42.
can was 30 and the founder of the political Zionist movement
Herzl already suffered from a heart ailment. While, in 1897, he had
predicted that in 50 years there would be a Jewish state, when he spoke
to Wise in 1904 he said to him: "I shall not live to see the Jewish
state, but you, my young friend, will live to see it." Herzl died at the
age of 44 in 1904.
Judge Louis Levinthal, a former president of the Zionist Organiza-
tion of America, has just written about this incident and has told of
Stephen Wise's reference to it at the famous Biltmore Conference in
New York in 1942. Describing the reminiscences by Wise at that
assembly. Judge Levinthal recalled:
Then Dr. Wise called upon Chaim Weizmann to rise and said
to him, "I do not know whether I shall be granted the joy of seeing
the Jewish state, as Theodor Herzl predicted I would. But I am
confident that you, Dr. Weizmann, will have that blessed Z'HUT
which you have so richly earned."
Dr. Wise then took from his hand a heavy gold ring which
years ago had been given to him by some friends. It was the ring president—of Mizrachi of America
which Theodor Herz] had worn until the day of his death. Dramati- as well as of World Mizrachi. He
cally, he handed the ring to Weizmann and said, "Dr. Weizmann, I settled in Palestine in 1923, became
present you with this ring, the ring of Theodor Herzl, as I place a member of Vaad Leumi Execu-
it in the hand which under God is to receive the Victory Charter tive, the body that served as pred-
for a Jewish Commonwealth in Palestine."
ecessor to the Israel government.
Happily both Herzl's prophecy in 1904 as to Wise and Wise's
. as summarized in his
His life w
prediction as to Weizmann in 1943 were fulfilled—Stephen Wise DID own wk
, 'From Volozhin to Jeru-
live to see the Jewish state, albeit only from afar and scarcely
and he. had a motto: "The
one year before his passing, and Chaim Weizmann, though en- state of Israel alight and the Go-
feebled and almost sightless, not only saw the Jewish state but lah. is darkness." He lived in
i that
was granted the supreme honor of being chosen to be the first spirit and his memory continues
president of Medinat Yisrel.
to inspire those who became his
This commentator had a long association with Stephen Wise, in followers throughout the world.
Detroiters worked closely with
the Zionist movement and in the Jewish Congress, at sessions here
and abroad, and there is much yet to be told about it. The friendship Rabbi Bar-Ilan. They helped estab-
with Wise extended to Mrs. Wise (Louise Waterman) and to their fish the university bearing his
children. Many
links
Ma of the experiences emerged as historic incidents. They name and Detroit-Bar-Ilan
n
left an indelible impression and they add to the deep affection for the remain significant in the life story
Wise name.
of a great man.
•
*
s
Congressman Ford Exposes Grave Danger in Universities
Congressman Gerald Ford of Michigan rendered a distinct service by calling attention to the
activities of Arab student propagandists in American universities who are undermining good will and
who are fomenting strife by instigating to hatred with their anti-Israel and anti-Jewish hate campaigns.
Rep. Ford called attention to a set of facts that have been presented as exposes of shocking
movements that tend to harm this country as well as Israel. In the course of his address at the
meeting of the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee in Washington on April 24, he pointed to the
destructive schemes that stem from Communist China and from the El Fatah, and he stated in part:
"Moscow is attempting to achieve indirectly what Communist and Arab pressure have failed
to accomplish by military pressure and threats. They have sought to roll back the Israelis from
the cease-fire lines of June 1967, without a meaningful peace settlement. Thus they would keep the
sore open, restore the intolerable situation that existed immediately before the outbreak of the
Six-Day War, and exploit any retreat by Israel and her friends to push further against free
world interests.
"Not only the Soviet Union but also Communist China is fishing in the troubled waters of the
Middle East. Arab terrorists are being trained in Peking. Chinese button mines, mortars, rock-
ets, and other weapons used against U.S. forces in Vietnam have emerged in the Arab guerrilla
assaults against Israel. Arab guerrilla leaders have openly proclaimed that they will reject any
peace settlement that might be reached by the Big Four or signed by King Hussein or President
Nasser.
"Citing Chairman Mao of Communist China as their inspiration, the Arab terrorists have
proclaimed a so-called war of national liberation in the Middle East. Their aim is the liquida-
tion of Israel and all pro-western Arab regimes.
"There is evidence that the leading Arab terrorist movement, El Fatah, is working through
Arab students at various American colleges and universities to build up U.S. support for an Arab
"national liberation front" similar to the campus underground mobilized for the Viet Cong Na-
tional Liberation Front. Indeed, we now find that some Arabs here on student visas are working
with the U.S. Committee to Aid the National Liberation Front (Viet Cong); the youth arm of the
pro-Peking Workers World Party known as Youth Against War and Fascism, and its front group,
the Committee to Support Middle East Liberation.
"Indications of the flow of trained agitators from the Middle East have been revealed In
contacts between the Arabs and the Black Panthers, the Students for a Democratic Society
(SDS), and other anti.democratic groups.
"Our nation already is beset by disruption at our institutions of higher learning. We have
no need of agitators from abroad.
"I am confident that the Department of Justice will carefully examine the activities of the
estimated 10,000 Arab students in the United States to ascertain possible violations of visa require-
ments. If they are abusing our hospitality in an unlawful manner, there should be some immediate
administrative action.
"We are painfully aware of how the Middle East conflict has already spilled over to
our shores in the case of the convicted murderer, Sirban Sirhan. This nation will not tolerate
assassination and terrorism."
Congressman Ford's warnings of the danger from the Arab student propagandists merely calls at-
tention to a condition that undermines truth in our universities. Yet there are some who are mis-
interpreting the Michigan Congressman's revelations as being based on political considerations.
Nothing could be further from the realities of a situation that demands serious handling. The students
who are here from the Middle East seem to have been planted to do a job to harm Israel and in-
cidentally to destroy the purpose of encouraging studies by foreign students in this country. It is to be
hoped that Rep. Ford's efforts to end the propaganda campaign will meet with prompt action to cor-
rect the ills that add to the turmoil in our society. We have trouble enough in the campuses with-
out permitting Arab propaganda to poison our atmosphere.
. . ...................
—
Dr. Carl Hermann Voss
By Philip