Stephen S. Wise: Founder of World Jewish Congress

Counsel to Jewry for Unity on Global Scale

By Josef Fraenkel
Jewish News Special
London Correspondent
The generation, born in the
second half of the last cen-
tury, produced the greatest
number of outstanding Jew-
ish personalities in the di-
aspora. They became the
leaders of the Zionist Organi-
zation, of the World Jewish
Congress, of the state of Is-
rael, and the spiritual lead-
ers of the Jewish people.
They enriched Hebrew and
Yiddish Literature and the
literature of other languages,
Of music and of art. Thou-
sands of Jewish professors
and dozens of Jewish Nobel

dau, "equipped with kindred Weekly" and later of World Jewish Congress. how his teacher Herzl had afraid" was his last counsel.
gifts and aspirations, had been "Opinion", where he com- warned humanity of the dan- prophesied 50 years before:
Stephen S. Wise died on
most friendly and congenial mented upon Jewish and gers of Nazism. Precious "You will live to see the Jew- April 19, 1949 •and is buried.
from their first meeting on. Zionist problems and the time was lost. At last, in ish State." At that time Wise in America. In Kfar Samuel
They had kept in touch by necessity to create a World August 1936, delegates from must have felt that his days Israel, a monument has
'correspondence, and Nordau Jewish Congress. In May 32 countries gathered in were numbered, and he prom- been erected to his memory
recognized in the younger 1932, Nahum Goldmann was Geneva and established the ised to serve the great cause but his spirit, his hopes and
American leader a true entrusted with the pprepara- WJC for the defense and of the WJC to the last hour dreams will go on inspiring
brother in thought."
tions for the forming of a protection of Jewish rights. of his life "whether it be the World Jewish Congress
Stephen S. Wise was na- World J e w i s h Congress, Had the WJC been in ex- near, for it cannot be far." to continue with his great
turally a rabbi, a statesman,
"Be strong, unite, and be not work.
a journalist and editor, and
orator.
Boris Smolar's
In 1906 Wise was offered
the post of Rabbi at a famous
temple in. New York but he
refused the call, insiting that
his pulpit should not be
"muzzled" by the trustees of
the temple. He said: "I wish
Editor-in-Chief Emeritus, JTA
to make it clear that I would
(Copyright 1975, JTA Inc.)
not deliver my conscience
LEADER
IN
JEWRY:
Harold Friedman, the newly
into the keeping of the an-
elected president of the American ORT Federation, is not
gels. My conscience is my
a newcomer in the field of Jewish communal leadership.
own." A year later he found-
He enjoys a meritorious record of service.
ed the Free Synagogue of
He was president of United Hias. He is a leading
New York. There he spoke
member of the governing bodies of the Joint Distribution
about Thomas G. Masaryk, a
Committee and of the United Jewish Appeal of Greater
great friend of the Jews, and
New York. He is chairman of one of the major commit-
invited him to address the
tees of the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare
Free Synagogue, where he
Funds—the overseas committee which is concerned with
pleaded for the establishment
the massive needs of Jews in Israel and other countries.
of Czechoslovia, and after the
The U. S. State Department has appointed him to serve
Second World War, Jan Ma-
on the Advisory Committee on International Organiza-
saryk, his son. the Czech.
tions, a body which brings together senior government
representative at the United
officials and prominent citizens for informal discussions to
Nations, appealed, for human
focus on the Jews in countries overseas.
*
liberty, from Wise's Free
*
Synagogue.
ACHIEVEMENTS AND CHALLENGES: Friedman
Herzl asked the Zionists to
takes over the presidency of American ORT at a time
help the Negroes of Africa
when inflation, recession and other economic difficulties
and Wise and his friends de-
prevail in countries where ORT operates. Under his leader-
ship, American ORT will have to respond to the mounting
manded justice for American
DR. MAX NORDAU
financial needs of the World ORT Union, the central world
Negroes. He often spoke at
DR. STEPHEN S. WISE
Prize winners contributed to his Synagogue against dis-
body of the organization which last year sought more than
the progress of humanity. To crimination towards the Ne- "Thanks, with all by heart, istence 'a year before 1933 it $34 million to meet its obligations in providing vocational
name them in a book, consist- groes and against anti-Sem- for all you are doing for the may it may well be that our training for 65,000 Jews in more than 20 countries.
Congress", wrote Wise to tragedy would never have
ing only of an index would itism.
American ORT Federation provides millions of dollars
suffice.
reached such gigantic pro- for the worldwide ORT programs. The Women's American
Wise's political program Goldmann in June 1932.
Storm clouds were gather- portions and that we would ORT alone raises about $3 million a year for ORT pro-
This article will quote only was a combination ot. Herzl's
three names — all of them and Nordau's aims: the crea- ing over Europe. "I am not not have lost six million grams in Israel and in other' countries. The American ORT
gets about $3.5 million from the Joint Distribution Com-
born in Budapest. Theodor ation of a Jewish State, the working hard enough," Wise people.
mittee towards ORT's annual budget. Funds are also being
Herzl (1860-1904), the found- strengthening of Jewish unity
"Zionism was the Sabbath raised by the American Labor ORT, the National ORT
er of modern Zionism and the and the protection of Jewish
of my life," said Herzl. The League, the Business and Professional ORT and by men's
architect of the State of Is- rights, which he served for
WJC was the Sabbath of ORT chapters in communities across the country.
rael, Max Nordau (1849- over 50 years. Judge Louis
Stephen S. Wise's life. When
In 1974, ORT maintained vocational training programs
1923), the defender of rights D. Brandeis, Judge Julian W.
he spoke from the World for 45,000 students in its institutions in Israel, while more
for Jews throughout the Mack and the statesman S.
Jewish Congress platform the than 20,000 were enrolled in its institutions in India,
world, and Stephen S. Wise S. Wise, the trio of American
world listened, because his Uruguay, France, Iran, Morocco; Venezuela and other
(1874-1949), the father of the Jewry, and others formed—
words were intended for Jew countries.
World Jewish Congress. The during the First World War
and non-Jew. And he proved
eldest, Nordau, went to Paris, — a Committee to establish
that an attack against the
IDENTITY AND CONTINUITY: With vocational edu-
Herzl, to Vienna and the the American Jewish Con-
Jews was usually the prelude cation as its instrument, ORT considers as its basic tenets
youngest of the trio, Wise, gress which would formulate
to an attack upon democracy the strengthening of Israel, the strengthening of the fabric
came to New York as a after the war the Jewish de-
and upon progress. The de- of Jewish life in countries outside of Israel, and the
chid. The three met for the mands to the Peace Confer-
struction of synagogues leads enrichment of the quality of Jewish life everywhere.
first time at Basle and be- ence in Versailles. On the
to the destruction of church.
ORT is very proud of the role played by the 100,000
came acquainted with each initiative of the leaders of
es; when Jewish books are set graduates of its school system in Israel during the critical
other on the occasion of the the American Jewish Con-
on fire, books by non-Jewish days of the Yom Kippur War. As trained technicians, they
Second Zionist Congress in gress together with delegates
authors soon follow and when have proven their value to the country on the battlefield.
1898. Herzy was the Presi- of 13 countries the "Comite
consentration camps are set
ORT is also aware of its particular responsibility in
dent of the Congress, Nordau de Delegations Juives" was
up, they also contain Chris- the challenges of alienation of Jewish youth in countries
Vice President and Wise, founded in March 1919. Leon
tians.
outside of Israel. ORT leaders consider their schools in the
Secretary for English.
Diaspora as a rampart against alienation and 'a strong-
Motzkin became secretary.
Wise was one of the best hold for Jewish identification. They point to the fact that
In Basle the friendship de- But the Alliance Israelite
and finest speakers for the the ORT programs are an inspiration for youth and r 't
DR. THEODORE HERZL
veloped between the three Universelle (France) and
men from Budapest, Their the Joint Foreign Committee wrote in April, 1933, when Jewish people. At the Second alike in the countries where the organization operates
love of Zion and burning de- (England) refused to join Hitler came to power. He, Plenary Assembly of the a vital factor in the enrichment of the quality of Jeivish
WJC in Montreux (June-July life.
sire to serve the Jewish this body.
the fighter for the idea of a 1948) he told the story of
people brought them together,
Brandeis and Wise brought
personally as well as politic- America into the history
ally. Herzl soon came to call of Zionism. In a letter Israel Continues Sinai Peninsula Build-Up as Egyptians Fortify Army Positions
By YITZHAK SHARGIL
Wise 'my friend from Basle." to Wise, President Wood-
any provisions dealing with equipped with the Sagar Egyptians can have the bulk
In his strictly confidential row Wilson promised to
TEL AVIV (JTA)—Despite fortifications, is also enabl- anti-tank missiles. The Egyp- of their army in the Sinai
letter to Dr. Richard Gottheil, endorse the Balfour Declara- the political and diplomatic ing the Egyptians to carry tians are also training their within six to 12 hours. They
the President of the Federa- tion. From that moment a commotion o v e r Israel's out extensive works, includ- forces to cross the Suez in have several pontoon bridges
tion of American Zionists, in pro-Zionist attitude develop- future status in Sinai, in the ing new road networks and the least possible time.
as well as approaches to the
which he reported on political ed in American which reach- context of second stage ne- fortified positions along the
Suez Canal that will ease the
A
number
of
Egyptian
in-
negotiations, Herzl wrote, ed its highest point under gotiations with Egypt, Israeli hilly ridge a few kilometers
crossing.
fantry divisions recently
"You may show this letter President Truman, when the engineers are continuing ex- east of the Suez Canal.
Meanwhile, Defense Min-
to Wise, but to no one else." State of Israel was created.
The agreement did not crossed the Suez into the ister Shimon Peres reported
tensive efforts of fortifying
thinned-out
zone,
in
violation
"Wise and Nordau", wrote
As co-founder of the Ameri- Israel's present line in Sinai deal with armored troop
to the Cabinet, according to
Anna and Maxa Nordau in can Jewish Congress he also established by the disengage- carriers and thus the Egyp- of the agreement, but with-
government sources, that the
their biography of Max Nor- became editor of "Congress ment agreement.
tians are bringing into the drew them after the exer- Egyptian buildup in Sinai
The disengagement agree- Sinai a large number of such cise.
was not an infringement of
48 — Friday, January 31, 1975
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS ment, which does not have vehicles, some 'of which are
It is estimated that the the disengagement- accord.

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'Between You
. . and Me'

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