Jewish Post, Indianapolis, Marion County, 8 September 1939 — Page 2

PAGE TWO

THE JEWISH POST

Friday, September 8, 1939

THE RABBI'S CORNER

ANE would expect an EnglishJewish journal like the Jewish Post and the 70 or more journals of its type to be thoroughly Rabbinical. News about rabbis their doings, their studies, their hobbies would seem to be part of the field covered by these journals. At least 50 per cent of the contributions accepted for print should come from Rabbinical pens. Here and there a photograph of a rabbi at a wedding delivering an address or presiding at a meeting should greet us as we glance through the paper. When a rabbi comes to Gary, let us say, Indianapolis should hear about it in less than three years. Strange as it may seem, the case is not so. Crooners, movie actresses, and social elites or climbers have a much better chance at Jewish publicity. Rabbis are taken for granted. They serve, occasionally, as editors or contributing editors. They write their piece, and that’s the end of it. They are certainly not news or press heroes. They write a greeting for the New Year, and are forgotten between messages, except for the regular announcements of services throughout the year. One rather frantic attempt was recently made to give the rabbis their due. A Jewish-English magazine in Chicago, that began to feel its age, looked about for some hypodermic material. And, lo! For several months its columns were busy with rabbis. Not all rabbis, of course, just some rabbis, but enough to call attention to this new departure in Jewish journalism. • In the best manner of Hollywood pulp magazines, with a marked lack of dignity, screaming prints of outstanding rabbis appeared on the front page; interviews with them abounded, and a column or two of rabbinical wisdom was pi eminently displayed. Reign Short-Lived At last we were coming into our own! Some of us were suspicious, since we were left out of this altogether. Yet we were inwardly pleased. The uncrowned heads of Jewry were coming into their kingdom. The happy days were very short, however. The paper which had initiated the high pressure drive of rabbinical publicity died of senility just the same. It is now living in an after-life, a reincarnation of its former self, and has dropped the rabbis like a Republican exPresident. In this regard it is now in line with the old tradition of the English Jewish press. Which leaves us just where we started from, but brings into relief the decision of the editor of the Jewish Post to start a rabbis’ column in his paper. The plan is to have one of the rabbis of the several Jewish communities of Indiana contribute a column each in turn, so that each will have a chance to reach the large reading public of the Post. Handled properly, the idea is highly commendable. Since the rabbis aVe so closely in touch with Jewish life in its minutest details, they are in a position to contribute much to the better understanding of the conditions under which we live, and can offer guidance in the many problems besetting us. Further, the discussion of these questions by sev-

Conducted This Week By Rabbi Julius L. Siegel Gary, Ind.

Kicshbaum Closed Kirshbaum Center will close for Rush Hashonah holidays at 4 p. m., Wednesday, September 13, and will reopen at 6:30 p. m., Saturday, September 16.

eral competent men will create a more enlightened public opinion, which will not do us any harm. The welding of the several local communities into a larger whole is highly important. It is not only important for Jews to know the Kol Yisrael Haverim. It is even more important to know that all Jews of Indiana are Haverim. Solidarity on a state-wide scale makes possible a real larger solidarity. Why should we have a useful, tut faraway agency like the A. J. C. or the Zionist Organization of America, when we have no representative group to speak for the Jew's of Indiana, for the Zionists of Indiana, for the Ivrim of Indiana? We think too much in very large and somewhat unreal terms, when we should deal concretely with concrete realities like the counties and the State of Indiana. Should Lead to State Groups The rabhis of Indiana should welcome this opportunity offered by the Jewish Post as a first step in building up this solidarity we speak of. They should form a state association for consultative purposes, for study and discussion and functions that would | offer the rallying points needed \ for a lively interchange of ideas ; and experiences, and the initiation of large cooperative measures. Such would include periodic meetings of Temple officials, statewide Sisterhood conventions of the groups that are not affiliated with the State Federation, social functions and the like. Similarly Jewish educators, Hebrew school principals and teachers would have their annual or semi-annual conferences and find ways and means of establishing a tie of common endeavor among the children of the Hebrew schools throughout the state. Why not a large Hebrew school children’s festival or two in Indiana, inaugurated by such an association ? So far only the Jewish Welfare Funds, of recent formation, the Temple Sisterhoods, and the Union of Indiana Jewish Youth, in part have reached this larger view. It remains for the Temples, educators, rabbis, Zionists, Hebraists to follow along and to close the gaps. The space offered by the Jewish Post will be valuable in clarifying this matter, as discussion of the suggestions made above will bring forth ideas that may. I hope, lead to definite proposals and to concrete plans. In the meanwhile, Leshano Tovah Tikaseva.

WJR’s Refusal To Carry Talk to Answer Coughlin Is Brought Before FCC By JcwIbIi Telegraphic* Agency WASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission has begun an investigation as to whether Radio Station WJR, Detroit, from where Charles E. Coughlin's broadcasts originate, acted in “the public interest, convenience and necessity” in barring from the air the Rev. Walton E. Cole, pastor of the First Unitarian Church at Toledo, Ohio. Rev. Cole had contracted for time to answer Coughlin’s | veiled attacks on the Jews and he j had intended to charge the “radio priest” with pro-Nazi tendencies, i If the commission finds WJR failed to act “in the public inter-1 est,” it can refuse to renew the station’s license. T. J. Slowie, FCC chairman, sent a letter to Station | WJR demanding to know why it had refused to allow Cole to go on the air, although the broadcast had been arranged and the text passed as not libelous by the station’s attorney. He also sent a letter to Rev. Cole, in which he said the FCC could not compel WJR to allow him the freedom of the air, but could and would take up the broader matter of “public interest.” Slowie’s letter to Cole said: “Except in cases involving the use of facilities of a broadcasting station by regularly qualified candidates for public office, the commission has no power to compel a station to permit a particular individual to use its facilities. Any right of redress which you may have by reason of a contractural relationship with Station WJR pertaining to the use of its facilities cannot be adjudicated by this commission, but is a matter for the courts. “Insofar as your complaint states WJR is acting as a vehicle for onesided propaganda rather than for free discussion of controversial subjects it will be investigated by this commission and the incident described considered as it may bear upon whether WJR is operating in the public interest.”

“your commission take the necessary action to have WJR give an equal opportunity for expression of both sides of controversial questions, or that its license be revoked.” Cole declared he would ask the Unitarian Fellowship to press the issue to the limit with the Federal authorities. The script for the speech was rejected by the station after the station’s attor-

ney, William A. Alfs, had last week approved it as containing no libel. Cole stated. Coughlin, whose Sunday afternoon speeches originate at WJR, commented that he knew nothing of the cancellation of the Cole address and asked: “I wonder why they failed to urge free speech on Station W'MCA in New York and the other stations that cut me off.”

Funeral Held Monday For Mrs. Lina Strauss Funeral services were held Monday for Mrs. Lina Strauss, 84, widow of Leopold Strauss, pioneer Indianapolis merchant, who for many years headed L. Strauss & Co. Rabbi Morris M. Feuerlicht officiated, and burial was in the Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation cemetery. Mrs. Strauss died Saturday night at her home, 2122 Noi’th Meridian, after a year’s illness. Survivors are a son, Arthur L. Strauss, secretary of L. Strauss & Co., and a granddaughter, Miss Barbara L. Strauss.

Asks For I’robe By Jewlnh Telegraphic Agency DETROIT—The Rev. Walton E. Cole, Toledo (O.) Unitarian, announced that he had sent a telegram to Chairman Frank McNinrh of the FCC, emphatically protesting against the action of Leo Fitzpatrick, manager of Station WJR, in refusing to let him go on the air with a speech condemning Coughlin’s activities as being of a pro-Nazi nature. The addi’ess, one of a series sponsored by the Unitarian Fellowship for Social Justice, was broadcast over 13 stations in various communities. The telegram, Cole said, charged WJR with being a “vehicle for onesided propaganda rather than for free discussion” and asked that

Hadassah Announces Plans For Rummage Sale Announcement has been made of the Hadassah rummage sale which will be held during the first part of October. Those who wish to contribute articles are asked to call Mrs. Sam Wolf. TA. 6954, or Mrs. Edward Dayan, HA. 3258.

Mr, and Mrs. Sam Rose spent the Labor Day week-end in Chicago.

Indiana’s Oldest Orthodox CongregationSHARA TEFILLA Polishe Shale—S. Meridian and Merrill Sts. SEAT SALE TONIGHT FOR HIGH HOLIDAYS Starting at 10 p. m.—Selichos at Midnight INSPIRING ORTHODOX SERVICE Come and Bring Your Friends Seats on Sale Evenings 7 to 9 p. m. Worship This Year In the Traditional Faith of Our Forefathers

CENTRAL HEBREW CONGREGATION 21st Street and Central Avenue ANNOUNCES HOLIDAY SERVICES Selichos Services Sunday, Sept. 9 6 A. M. —ROSH HASHONAH— Wednesday Evening, Sept 13 5 P. M. Thursday Morning, Sept. 14 7 A. M. Thursday Evening, Sept. 14 5 P. M. Friday Morning, Sept. 15 7 A. M. YOM KIPPUR Friday Evening, Sept 22 5 P. M. Saturday Morning, Sept. 23 7 A. M. Tickets for seats can be obtained on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 4, 5, and 6 at the Shule or from Sam Dorfman. HA. C259-R, or Jos. Fleischman, HE. 5094 or Max Sacks, 306 Indiana Avenue.

FORTUNATE SELECTION The United Hebrew Congregation has been very fortunate in engaging the well-known Rabbi and Cantor, MR. S. SPIVAK, of New York City, to conduct services- during the high holidays. We know it has been a good many years since the Jewish people of Indianapolis have had the privilege and pleasure of hearing such an interesting Rabbi and Cantor as this one. To convince yourself, come and hear him Schlichos night at 12 midnight, September 9. Tickets will be on sale that night and every night thereafter from 7 to 9 p. m. To avoid confusion and to get the seats you want, get your tickets early. JOE LEVIN, Secretary, United Hebrew Congregation.

Knesses Israel Congregation 1023 SOUTH MERIDIAN STREET IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT RABBI ALFRED FRUCHTER OF CHICAGO WILL CONDUCT THE HIGH HOLIDAY SERVICES. YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO TAKE PART. SELICHOS SERVICES SATURDAY MIDNIGHT. SEPT. 9 Seats will go on sale Sunday, Sept. 3 AT THE SHULE. PLEASE MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS EARLY.

BETH EL-ZEDECK TEMPLE THIRTY-FOURTH and RUCKLE STS.—INDIANAPOLIS ANNOUNCES HIGH HOLIDAY SERVICES As the Holy Days draw near, Beth El-Zedeck Temple is making final preparations for the services. At Beth El the traditional ritual is carried out in all its solemnity and beauty. As heretofore, Kahhi Elias Gharry will conduct the services and Cantor Myro Glass, assisted by his choir, will render the traditional prayers. SELICHOS SERVICES WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY NIGHT, SEPT. 9, at 12 O’CLOCK MIDNIGHT SEATS WILL RE ON SALE AT THE TEMPLE ON THE FOLLOWING DAYS Sunday—September 19th From 2 to 5 P. M. Tuesday—September 12th From 7:30 to 9:30 P. M. Wednesday—September 13th From 10 A. M. to 3 P. M. WE URGE MEMBERS AND FRIENDS TO MAKE THEIR RESERVATIONS IMMEDIATELY TO AVOID INCONVENIENCE