Community Discipline Under Attack

An emerging critical posture now in
evidence in. Jewish ranks in this country
should encourage us in the belief that there
is more thinking about Jewish needs and
responsibilities, that the critics are concerned
about developments in our communities and
that there is a readiness to assist in correct-
ing shortcomings and in establishing better
conditions for progressive action.

This would be a cause for jubilation,
were it not for distortions in some of the
expressed views, and were it not for many
negations that may prove deterrents rather
than contributing factors toward advance-
ment in our aims.

It may not merit priority, yet -a. declara-
tion by the extreme Orthodox Agudat Israel,
at its recent national convention, warning

federations and welfare funds not to "attempt
to purchase control over the educational
program of the Jewish day schools" imme-
diately poses the question whether control
is the issue or the need to increase educa-
tional efforts. Federations are just beginning
to concern themselves with day schools, after
already having given priority to education
in communal planning:- and already a dis-
sident group seeks to place stumbling blocks
in the road to progress in educational
planning.

If there is to be an expanded day school
program—and we are cerfain that these
responsibilities already are being assumed
by the federations—then there will be the
added obligation to have guidelines in super-
vising these needs. This is what the Council
of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds is
undertaking, with its president, Detroiter
Max M. Fisher, providing encouragement to
the new educational program, and without
it the required aid might not develop or it
could prove a farce.

formed American Jewry is drifting into isola-
tion bordering on a danger zone in Jewish
life. Here is the vital portion of his-address:

American Jewry, the largest and most power-
ful in the world, has become completely slogan-
ized. There is no public forum, no central Jewish
newspaper to debate the issues concerning Amer-
ican and world Jewry critically and in depth.
Instead we have permitted ourselves to be fed the
official version of every conceivable program with-
out any attempt to analyze it or even to become
familiar with the facts of Jewish life. American
Jewry today is ruled.by a small number of execu-
tive directors and a leadership group which has
been selected for its monetary contribution rather
than for its intellectual capacity. The level of the
discussion of Jewish subjects has reached a record
low, and every opinion deviating from the official
line is being denounced and rejected.

Goodman's 'Jewish Bookplates'
Contains Fascinciting
Collection
-

Dr. Philip Goodman, well known as editor of several volumes on
the Jewish holidays, has written the impressive "Illustrated Essays
American Jewry is drifting into a complete on
Jewish
Bookplates," which has just been reissued by Ktay.
isolation, both from world problems at large and
from the Jewish problems of the world. Com-
The reproduced photographs of book plates would in their own
pletely uninformed as to what is going on in the right form a worthwhile published collection. The story of bookplates,
danger zones of Jewish life in the continent of their background, the manner in which love for books inspired many
South America, the Jew has become completely of them form the true text of this notable book written 13y an authority
isolited•from the mainstream of Jewish life. This on books. As executive secretary of the National Book Council and as
situation is aggravated by the fact that large an author of note, Dr. Goodman has gained access to the photographs
numbers of American Jews have now come to in his book. His skill as a researcher provided the background needed
believe that their political hope lies in the reac- for this anthology.
tionary conservative wing of American politics,
The art of bookplating dates back in the essays In this volume
and that liberalism has only been added to its
to the earliest times. Dr. Goodman commences with the ex libels
problems rather than to solve them. Such think-
of
the
15th Century, and he covers the various areas thafinclude
ing which is wide _ spread in the urban areas of
the Bible themes, the general theme of book PoPularity: such
America has led to the new slogan that Jews
loves as adherence to the Zionist themes reflected in book plates
should stick to their own posts and leave the solu-
and other ideals that motivated such creativity by means of
tion of the general problems to others. Suchlhink-
artistry
in assuring book ownership.
ing is not merely dangerous for the Jewish position
Having spent some 20 years in gathering book plates, Dr. Goodman
in America, but has caused Jews to forfeit their
rights and duties as American citizens by abdicat- asserts that for this - work be had chosen examples from 7,000
ing from their participation in the solution of the in his collection. He had contacts with librarians, authors, artists plates
and
problems of America itself. .. .
historians who are authoritative on this interesting- subject. -
Among the listings in the annotated - bitdQrajzy is a reference to
In the shortcomings, we hold the national
an article is The Detroit Jewish News, Nov. 2, 1959, in which a panel
organizations responsible for whatever fail- of 20 Jewish ex libris was compiled.
ures are ascribed to. us and to many of
_Illustrations by_Epidaim Moses Ill are among
the notable
which we must' adihit guilt. How easy it is
ones included in this volume. There are some humorous ones and
to criticize and not to do anything about
many with historical backgrounds. -
correcting the situation! It is like Mark
Medical and musical themes add interest to some of the plates
Twain's comment about the Weather: "Every- in Dr. Goodman's
book, and there are some that give credence to a
body talks about it, but no one does naything women's lib.

-

As exhibit two in an analysis of the critical
attitudes of American Jews we offer the
claim of two historians, made in a recent about it."
New York television program, "Jewish
Book marks have been especially known in European Jewish
Dimension," sponsored by the American
In every area of activity we have prob- communities, but the many American reproductions here indicate a
strong
American Jewish interest: •
Jewish Committee, that a censorship has lems, faults, failures,
and it may well be that
been imposed by - the Jewish community our major movements will Nave to take time
In its totality, Dr. Goodman's labors add another mark of glory -
upon Jewish historians, Prof. Ismar Schorsch out to -
research, to conduct stndies on how to his dabbling with an important Jewish theme.
of the Jewish Theological Seminary, report- to raise do our
standards; 'how to educate our
edly said: "Too much attention is paid to the people into knowledgeability.
anti-Semitic dimension of Jewish history,
and not to the internal history of the Jews
It isn't possible to force education upon
or to Jewish–creativity." He. was joined by people, or to ask them to read and to become
Prof. Leo clershkowitz of Queens College in better informed on what is happening
agreeing that the treatment of historians them. We have a very friendly letter around
How can the synagogue be made "a visible -force in the life of the
signed Jewish
reflected the. policy .of the Jewish commu- "An Interested Reader" whose courteous
people?" Will changes in form of services and content of
ap-
prayers
have such an influence?
nity, and also that the reason for this self- proach should have prevented him from be-
imposed censorship was a fear of criticism. ing anonymous. He suddenly became en-
Benjamin Efron and Leonard A. SchoOlraan tackle these and
thused over the Detroit Jewish Welfare Fed- many other questions in "Transition and Change—the Prayer Book in
The terrifying problem that has harmed eration's "Report to the Community" pub- Modern Times," which has been published by -Stay.
American Jewry has not been fear of anti-Sem- lished in our columns - and as a lifelong con-
. The volume does more than merely
.upint these questions or
itism but the creation of ill feelings by those tributor to the Allied Jewish Campaign he suggest that the synagogue is becoming touch
again "the medium whereby
who have misrepresented our role, writers who suddenly became aware of many services ren- the essential message of Judaism is communicated to people, namely,
dealt with the negative rather than the posi- dered' by Federation. We are not dealing with' that we have it within our power to make a decent world if we are '
tive, and if the Jewish community has given secrets, yet there are many things that remain only willing to be the agents, the builders." What their volume does
is define the synagogue, analyze prayers, offer explanations of the
courage to the destructive it was in helping mysteries for many people.
major ones that are in constant use.
elevate filthy litiriature as- best sellers. What
Even more — they deal with the alienation and they pose the
have our historians done to counteract such
How can we educate, inform, keep our
developments?
community knowledgeable so that community - question why indifference, and their approach is one of confidence,
of
faith
that the Message of Judaism 4111 reach all generations.
discipline can always be
to criticism but
The most important exhibit in our dis- not under undue attack? open
Theconcept of God is seen as a matter creating difficulty, and
-
We
have
a
big
job
cussion is the view that was expressed by Dr. ahead, especially in view of Rabbi Prinz's the authors emphasize belief in God as a necessity.
Joachim Prinz. chairman of the governing sharp rebukes to American Jewish leader-
They point to changes that have taken place in prayers as normal
council of the World Jewish Congress, who, in ship. If we need surveys,, research, study into in Jewish experience.
an address before the ultra-liberal Zionist our shortcomings, let it be done before the
Their volume adds practical approaches toward an understanding
group, Americans for Progrssive Israel- most dedicated do us harm with their 0 f prayer,
is a belief,
lief, the importance - of the synagogue. "'Transition and
Chan"
good addition to texts for the study of Jewish valu es , the
Hashomer Hatzair, charged that an unin- abnegations.

'Transition and Change' Views

Synagogue, Prayer in Our -Time

,

synagogue and the prayer book.