THE JEWISH NEWS
fnenrPcnifing The Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20, 1951
Member American Association of EnglishJewigh Newspapers, Michigan Press Association. National Editorial Asgoel-
ation Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing Co.. 17515 W. Nine Mile. Suite 863, Southfield, Mich, 40075.
Second-Class Postage Paid M Southfield. Michigan and Additional Mailing Offices.
Subscription $5 a year. Foreign
as
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher
CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
Business Manager
CHARLOTTE DUBIN
City Editor
DREW UEBERWITZ
Advertising Manager
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the 21st day of Tenet, 5732, the following scriptural selections
will be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion, Exod. 1:1-6:1. Prophetical portion, Isaiah 27:6-28:13,
29:22-23.
Candle lighting, Friday, Jan. 7. 4:59 pm.
VOL. LX. No. 17
January 7, 1972
Page Four
Housing: Aggravation of Social Problems
our opinion (and some of our editorial board DO
In the national struggle to eliminate pov-
live in Forest Mils), one cannot fwd fault in
erty and low standards of living there has
principle with the thesis that the poor must be
developed a struggle between the have and
given an_opportunity to improve their lot, through
have-nots. Involved in the tragic develop-
low-cost housing in new areas; and it is hypo-
ments is the racial issue. Linked with it is
critical to approve the principle but insist that it
the problem of changing neighborhoods. Out
be put into practice elsewhere. However, as the
Forest Hills project was conceived, it could do
of it has developed the expansive govern-
more harm than good, both to theneighborhood
ment welfare program of providing the less
and to those who are supposed to benefit from it.
affluent with low-rental housing, and the
A complex of houses, rising 24 stories, would
construction of apartments for those with low
create the kind of impersonal monstrosity to
incomes is now an established policy,
which the tenants could not possibly- develop a
Neighborhood changes in all of the large
sense of responsibility; and soon it would de-
American Jewish communities have often
teriorate into -a slum. It mast be scaled down;
and proper provisions made for adequate polic-
bordered on panic as a result of a mass flight
ing, for skilled social work facilities, for schools 'Complete Franz Kafka Stories'
and attendant violence that has made our
and day care centers. The architects and planners
streets unsafe and has aroused fears as soon
apparently were concerned more with accommo- Contains Unpublished Works
as new elements began to settle in the midst
dating a large number of families than in taking
of Jewish sections.
account, of the social problems which would
For some the name Franz Kafka is a mystery, for many it is now
These factors must not be ignored in
inevitably grow out of such a project.
an appeal for continuing acquaintance with one of the very great
viewing conditions that have emerged from
It is still possible for Jews to adhere to their writers of the early decades of the 20th Century.
age-old ideals, and at the same time meet the
rapidly developing welfare programs and the
Schocken books has produced the long-awaited—the complete
problem realistically. They should come up with
changes that inevitably take place in all of
practical proposals which would minimize the writings of the man who is credited with genius.
our large' cities where; government control of
dangers, and assure the continuity of the_Jewish "Franz Kafka—The Complete Stories" contains all
construction programs of apartments for low-
community. Some of the opponents of the plan of Kafka's narratives, and the Schocken vohtme
income citizens has become reality.
pointed out that other ethnic groups had rejected has the great distinction of having been edited by one
Jewish communities have been seriously
the proposal to have the houses built in THEIR of the leading scholars of our time, Dr. Nahum N.
involved in the situations that have thus be-
areas; so they turned to the- Jewish neighbor- Glatzer.
come a renewed struggle between the haves
The volume commences with two Kafka parables,
hood, knowing that Jews are genuine liberals of
and the have-nots. That is why the New York
long standing. The reputation is not fully de- "Before the Law" and "An Imperial Message." There-
upon
we have the writings—those that appeared
served; but it is still credible. A compromise
Qimana-Anatinn_of_Enroct TIMs the
• -tine And the newly- published
national limelight demanding' kbenest et - —
posthumously--
—
impression that Jews do not merely mouth their-
— est not from New Yorkers alone but from
In a postscript, Dr. Glatzer defines the igsifka
belief in equality; they are prepared to live
the entire American nation, and more espe-
messages. He commences, as a tribute, by pointing Kafka
with it.
cially from all American Jews.
Halite's art
this analysis of a near-tragic situa- out that "Albert Camas once said that `the whole at Glatzer
The Forest Hills situation may have been tion While
lists
consists in compelling the reader to re-read him.'» Dr.
leaves
us
in
a
quandary—it
has
been
summarized more completely than anywhere said that Mayor John Lindsay of New York the stages Of publication of Kafka's works by Scheele:a and announces
an
anticipated
critical
work
on
Kafka.
else in an editorial in Reconstructionist. Un- will not budge from his program of estab-
der the title "Realities versus Ideals in Forest lishing
This volume has the additional merit of a lengthy bibliography,
large-scale 24-floor apartments—there
Hills," the official organ of the Reconstruc-
chronology of Kafka's life, a long list of selected writings on Kafka
no doubt that it beckons for compromise a and
tionist Foundation reviews the issue and is
annotations on the Kafka stories included in the Glatzer-edited
and for agreements that should guarantee
truly throws down the gauntlet to all in- preservation of soundly established communi- book. These are most valuable for students of Kafka and as guides in
classrooms
where Kafka's works are frequently discussed.
volved in the choice of contrasts between ties. At the same time, what has been re-
realities and ideals. The editorial reads:
The list of editors and translators of Kalka's stories is most im-
viewed
in
the
presentation
of
both
sides
of
a
New Yorkers generally assume that what goes
pressive. Giatzer's name is accompanied with those of Max Brod, who
serious issue serves as an indictment of gov- more
on in their once-fair city is of interest to every-
than any other was responsible for popularizing Kafka; Hannah
ernment
policies
and
especially
those
in
the
one. Not always—but this time the controversy
Arendt, Jurgen Born, Martin Greenberg, Willy Hass, Erich Heller,
larger communities and in states where the Ernst Kaiser, Joseph Kresh, Willa and Edwin Muir and Heinz Patter.
over the building of low-cost housing in an almost
black vote is heavy or where a so-called Jew-
totally Jewish neighborhood is bound to rever-
The Muirs' names appear on most of the stories as the able trans-
berate throughout the country. The Jews of the
ish vote may prove to be strategic.
lators from the original German. Tanya and James Stern also are well
Forest Hills section of Queens are deeply di-
It is the political involvement that causes represented
as translators in the new volume.
vided on the issue; they are divided against
most of the trouble, often encouraging racial
one another and divided within themselves.
There are, in this volume, 21 of the longer Kafka stories and
conflicts.
The
quest
for
votes
has
caused
Some rabbis, some -"llberals,!? -are_ unalterably
serious community rifts over the school bus- 55 of the shorter ones.
opposed to bringing latirthe *retaliate (meaning--
, and —
the
are in: the volume
- total 39 were
ing Program, it has encouraged controversy hitho well known
Black and Puerto Rican) families. They believe
over housing, it has contributed more than hitherto
that this would automatically and immediately
anything else to the flight from neighbor-
All the intensity of Kafka is reflected in much of the writings in
increase the rate of crime. There are already too
many burglaries; muggings, still moderately fre-
hoods because politicians have been more these collected stories, the totality of which makes this a nota
quent, would become a daily occurrence.
interested in getting votes than in settling product from Schocken, the publisher of major. works by and
Other rabbis and "liberals" are unalterably
down to pragmatic discussions of the needs
in favor of the project. They refuse to be put
of the people in this land of affluence which
into the position of having resorted- to rhetork
has suddenly become more torn than ever be-
without substance when Preaching equality of
tween those who have and those who have not. Madison Provides Definitive
opportunity. They point out that crime in the
Thus, in New York- you will be told that
streets is due to the fact that poor Black young-
if there is a Jewish vote - it will. not go- to Study in 'Yiddish Literature
sters are raised In hellish ghettoes; take them
Lindsay
even for dog-catcher because he is
out of the ghettoes and a new generation will
soon emerge who will take their place in civil
considered as having acted for the advance-
Growing interest in Yiddish and the literature in the languag
- society. If Jews really believe in the values of
ment of his own political < aspirations rather that was the medium of expression for millions for many years ad
Judaism, they should not stand in the way of low-
than consideration of the needs of all the interest to "Yiddish Literature—Its Scot* and Major Writers—Fro
cost housing for the poor.
people of New York. Else, it is now charged, Mendele and Sholom Aleichem to- Isaac Bashevis Singer."
The opponents point out that Judaism depends
why didn't he sit down with All elements in-- — Its author, Charles Madison, a former Detroiter, has devoted an
for its future upon synagogues, yeshivas, He-
volved to consider the conditions in Forest years' to research and:study of the sahject, and his book, first publish
brew schools—and if the neighborhood is over-
Hills and elsewhere and to resolve the issue three years ago by Frederick Ungar in hard cover, now is avallabl
run by Blacks and Puerto Ricans, the middle-
-
by consulting all elentents rather than play- as a paperback, produced by Sdiocken.
class Jewish groups will abandon the area, and
The value of Madison's book lies not only in the analyses an
ing a game of ,special privileges for an im-
the institutions will go to ruin. On the other
biographical
sketches
of
major
Jewish-writers—Mendele,
Sholo
hand, say their antagonists, Jews of principle
poverished element which, in the long run,
Isaak Laybush- Peretz and the hater writers, those
should not run away. They should remain and
will be equally,the loser if the community Aleichem,
wrote in the United States as well as is Alue4ean ghettos: 110 .1e
demonstrate bow well differing races and reli-
is destroyed econOmically and - socially?
Arch, Bt. Leivick, Joseph Oplitoshu, Abraham -Vehten, - David Pins
gious groups can live together. Jews should show
Will Forest Hills serve as an example
,
-
,
the way; they have always been in the forefront
of progressive change. Answer: it's easy for
those who don't live in Forest Hills to preach
ideals to those who do. And so on . .
In the old story, the rabbi says to both liti-
gants: "You are right, and you are right" In
but also because Yiddish - is explained very well.:
for federal, state and city Plainers of neigh- - The essay on the emergence of Yiddish as literary
borhoods. Jew-Cost -housing`!_lind -.whatever the essays on Yiddish writers and their products in Or Soviet U
other welfare pro*inisjmaVbe in the offing? and .in:Israel, the listing of Yiddish works in
to
import=
- ter be proper viewing - of con- all seine_ a valuable purpose in a work of
There had bet
-
-
- - -
-
for our thie.
ditions, else we'll be in the dog house.