An Emerging Vigor °lit ol Agony of Ages
Predicted in Baron's Newest JPS Volume
There are hundreds of posses-
sors of doctorates in Jewish stud-
ies whose mentor was the eminent
lecturer and pedagogue, Dr. Salo
Wittmayer Baron. His essays and
lectures have been guides to many
audiences, classes and readers of
Jewish literature.
His major essays have been is-
sued by the Jewish -Publication So-
ciety of America under the in-
triguing but very descriptive title
of "Steeled by Adversity."
It is not only the author and
lecturer himself who lends great
significance to this volume, but
also the editor of the book, his
wife, Jeannette Meisel Baron.
Not only has she ably edited
this important work: she has
written the preface to this vol-
ume jointly with her husband
and she is co-author with him
of the second longest essay in
the book, the 108-page "Palestin-
ian Messengers in America, 1849-
79: A Record of Four Journeys,"
which first was printed in Jewish
Social Studies in 1943.
This essay deserves special men-
tion for the extent of research
that was involved in compiling the
record of Palestinian meshulahim
and the communities they visited.
The lists appended to the lengthy
resume of a fascinating story of
an interest that existed in Eretz
Israel and its institutions, and the
manner in which emissaries for
DR. SALO W. BARON
the various agencies existing there
in early years, contain data re-
garding donors and the amount
of their gifts. 'The - contributions
ranged from $1 to $10. There are
five donors listed for _ 1867 and
next to a $6 gift:from MoSes b.
Nathan Neta is a note: "promises
annual donation."_ There are 12
donors listea.tor40.-,T9 and among
them is ceng• Bneis Israel for $10,
$5 from Ileavenrich Bros..and oth-
ers from individuals.
The fatts and figures _ related
here represent historical data about
the philanthropic activities and the
extent of -generosity as contrasted,:
with solicitations and responses in
our time.
The entire Baron volume, so
well done by the\ husband Wife
team asauthor and. editor,
great vujue attadrArpa, to
Amecail
JeWln into
ri
of the Very many aspects cov-
ered and the commentaries that
will guide students of future gen-
erations..Proof of, tbis contention
is in , an entire- seeiliiii entitled
"Climax of Immigration," deal-
ing, in 145 pagei, with "United
States 1880.1914:' It is a superb
study of the confliCts among vari-
ous eleinents in American Jew-
ry, the personalities, the early
opposition to Zionism which as-
sumed bitterness in Reform
ranks, the cultural aspects, the
role of Yiddish and the dedica-
tion to Hebrew, etc.
There is an interesting reference
to the campaign against Zionism
in Reform ranks at the time when
Dr. Kaufman Kohler was president
of Hebrew Union College. This long
paragraph in the American section
is worth quoting:
"So determined was the leader-
ship to combat Zionism, that, al-
though it had generally tried to
adhere to the German academic
practice of LehrfreTheit, it could
not tolerate the expression of Zion-
ist opinion by members of the fac-
ulty of _klebrew.,.Union. College.. A
much-discussed - controversy led in
1907 to the resignation of Profs.
Henry Malte r, Max L. Mar-
golis, and Max Schloessinger, the
former two soon joining the faculty
of Dropsie College. While Kohler
tried to explain these resignations
on other grounds, the public at
large believed Margolis when he
quoted Kohler as saying: 'The col-
lege was not an academic institu-
tion where mooted questions might
be freely discussed and the stu-
dents trained to think for them-
selves and arrive at their own con-
clusions.' Only the upheavals of
the First World War; the establish-
ment of the Mandate, and the mass
entry of the college's alumni of
East-European parentage into the
Reform rabbinate transformed the
pro-Zionist minority into a major-
ity group. Among the Orthodox, on
the contrary, the anti-Zionist group,
though quite articulate, seems al-
ways to have represented a minor-
ity opinion. Though no statistical
data of any kind are available, it
appears that the rank and file of
Orthodox congregants were not
particularly inclined to follow even
those of their leaders who joined
the Agudas Israel movement when
it was founded in 1911. Most Or-
thodox Jews readily contributed to
the new Zionist appeals, as well as
to the old haluka. Quite a few must
have sympathized with a leading
New York Orthodox rabbi, M. Z.
Margulies, when he defied a wide-
spread prejudice and hung a por-
trait of Theodor Herzl on his wall."
Historic lessons, like those enun-
ciated in 'Dr. Baron's American
Jewish Tercentenary address, are
under thorough review. Dr, Baron
is an optimist.
THE DETROIT nyasp NEWS
Y.
Friday, January 14 1972-17
.
PACKER • PO
Jewish Commonwealth, the vast
majority will doubtless continue
living in this country. When im-
bued with will of self-preservation
as heirs of a millennial tradition,
they will be facing the future with
many apprehensions but also with
an ardent desire to serve . . ."
The analytical writings on edu-
cation, the views on the religious
aspects and the effects of cur-
rent trends upon the synagogues
and scores of other problems are
not merely touched upon by Dr.
Baron. His essays and speeches
contained the philosophical defi-
nitions so vital for an understand-
ing of the Jewish position. The
JPS volume "Steeled by Adver-
sity" is, therefore, of such marked
importance for the present genera-
tion.
—P. S.
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In his -1955 tercentenary ad- -
dress le• spoke, while defining
general American trends, - about
the "genuine vigor of -demo-
crane institutions and ihe long-:
range iinpact of American edu-
cation." -
In his introductory analysis,
"Ages of Anxiety," Dr. Baron ex-
pressed "the hope that the present
age of -anguish will be overcome
by the pioneering spirit of. Amer-
ican- 'Jewry, as have the-earlier
eras of crisis. Although some dis-
gruntled American Jews, like their
non-Jewish confreres, may give up
their residence -in. the Vatted
States, and some others, prompted
by_ idealistic or family considera-
tions, may decide-to settle in Is-
rael and iselp to build up the - Third
_
Regutt in
4 7
Ashdod
-
NEW YORK—Construction of a
new workshili5;for-i=the,blind wag,' •
begun faSti lizoigit in Ashdod,
Israel's
city, If '1,1, Ig Motniatdrby Samuel
L. Haber, executive vice chairman
of the -joint Distribution Commit-
tee.
When completed, the new facility
-
ern
will:pravide'work for 80 blind - per-
sons--..instead of the 42 it can ac=
comniodate in its present, Inade-'
quati: quarters, Haber said. The
work consists mainly of light as-
sembly, sewing and basket
weaving.
The project resulted from a
study made by Malben, the JDC
program in Israel, of facilities
needed for those of the 120 known
blind in Ashdod who are able to
work.
"The Ashdod workshop is an
important source of supplemen-
tary income for this handicaped
group," Haber said. "The $25 to
$35 they earn each month added
to their grants from the welfare
authorities eases their financial
problems."
The Central British Fund has
contributed $40,800 which will
cover 40 per cent of the construc-
tion costs, Haber noted. The re-
mainder will be borne by Israel's
National Atsociation for the Blind.
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