Jewish Post, Indianapolis, Marion County, 19 September 1952 — Page 18
THE EDITOR’S CHAIR
On tfie Threshold of a New Year
T DONT know whether Tm just to prom-trotting, which la so X getting blase, or whether the good a comparison that I won’t sessions of the National Com- try to find a better one. It was munity Relations Advisory Coun- good to see Pat Spiegel, of The cil in Atlantic City, where the New York 'limes, whose by-line, American Jewish Committee and Irving Spiegel, you see on almost the Anti-Defamation League of every U.S. Jewish story, and B'nai B’rith walked out, was Paul Tobenkin, likewise for The dull. But in any event, what Herald-Tribune. Paul never loses most people thought was an ex- the opportunity to tell me that citing convention, aws anything John Slawson of the American but that, as far as I’m concern- Jewish Committee, not too long ed. ago, with malice aforethought, Perhaps it was because I ca U p d Gabriel Cohen, as if could close my eyes and picture there were no worse expletive myself at any of a number of ^ or an y° ne connected with a
national Jewish conventions in newspaper.
the past, where the same funda- ^ the Bond conference, I welmental issues were fought out. copied gam Rothberg and Julian Instead of Hemy Monsky and venezky, back from Israel. They Judge Joseph Proskauer leading took my on their
the opposition, it was Phil Klutz- photos , n good spirit
nick and Jacob Blaustein this
time, but it was pretty much the While on the subject, here are same issue, and pretty much the two pictures, one of Julian lissame double talk (on both sides, tening intently to former U. S. not only that of the two bolt- Ambassador to Israel, James G. ing organizations). McDonald, and the other of Ru-
“dolf Sonnebom, also shown with
From one standpoint, the with- McDonald. Very convenidrawal of the AJConamittee and ently we did not inquire who the the ADL was perhaps healthy, speaker was in whom Rudy was
The issues are now clearly drawn, and the American Jewish community will be given an opportunity to decide. There is no
so engrossed. I HEARD quite a bit of news, some of which you’ll see enlarg-
evading a decision now, and ed on in the news pages Of The since one was long overdue, the post at a ^ ^ For , n .
walkout may not have been al-
together for the worse.
stance, the Meridian, Miss., congregation, where Mrs. William Ackerman, the first woman in
THE FOLLOWING weekend
(last week-end) I was back in , . , , , . Atlantic City for the second an- the h,stor >’ of American Judaism nual economic conference on Is- To serve as a spiritual leader ocrael. This no one expected to be cupied the pulpit, has asked for exciting; there were no major de- a ra bbi . . . Sara Harris, wife of cisions to be taken, no conflicts Harris, who is director of
in personality. It was an occasion for opening the bond drive
r Jf 'MTE National Jewish Post and its staff joins X with Jews all over the world in extending best wishes for a year of health and happiness to all Jews everywhere. To our readers and advertisers in particular we record an expression of our appreciation for their loyalty and support and the hope that they will enjoy many more years of good reading. The year just ending was a good year comparatively for the Jewish people. If there were eruptions here and there in the steady although interrupted progress towards democracy in the American Jewish community, these were the convulsions that are almost inev itable, though nonetheless painful. Jewish activities are slowly becoming more and more co-ordin-ated, and the final decisions over actions in the U. S. Jewish community are resting more and more where they should be—in the hands of the local Jewish communities. In Israel, too, notable improvements can be reported. There the problem in 5712 has been an economic one. It is encouraging to be able to report that the first signs of possible relief from the terrific economic strains of the past few years are beginning to become visible. Israel is far from safe economically, and has a long fight ahead of her before she will become self-sustain-ing, but the chances arc that the improvement of the past month or two will become even more apparent in 5713, and soon so obvious that the question will no longer be one of whether the new nation can survive economically. From the standpoint of Judaism, too, advances have been made. The growing recognition that a Jew is nothing if he is not a religious person is an outstanding change. Jewish education, like the synagogue, has come to be recognized as the mark of the Jew, and a growing momentum should be noticeable in these areas in the next twelve months. As for fund-raising, a major project of the Jewish community for so long that many had come to look upon it as the outstanding character-
istic of Jewish life, the picture, if not encouraging, is not discouraging either. In^i year in which the sale of Israel bonds w'as launched on a wide scale, the United Jewish Appeal s income suffered only slightly. As for the bonds themselves, they provided Israel with a substantial new source of capital, and have already made a significant contribution to that nation’s welfare and future. Most of all, however, the year 5712 is outstanding fur the one important fact—the modern Jew has finally come to respect himself. Although signs of the growing dignity of the U. S. Jew as a group were obvious for the past ten years and more, it is only with the past year that the Jew has assumed to full stature. Throughout even the worst years of persecution, when the pressure became so heavy that even the Jew began to believe the propaganda broadcast about him, there were always hundreds and thousands of Jew s who held their heads high and could look anyone straight in the face, be he king or beggar. But the majority of the Jewish group, both in the U. S. and elsewhere, cringed. They were discouraged, easily dismayed, and many began to hate themselves, a phenomenon still not uncommon today. But by this New Year 5713, this kind of Jew no longer dominates, or even is listened to. The characteristics that ten years ago marked the Jewish community, fear and suspicion, have finally been dissipated. It is like a new emancipation. Tlie Jews have won a real victory—not over enemies from without, but over themselves. Assimilation will always be a threat to the Jewish group or, for that matter, to any minority—but only the historian will be able to tell how close the Jew himself came to achieving what dictators from Haman to Hitler failed to do. Warped in outlook, and driven to self-hatred by an avalanche of circumstances over the past 200 years, the Jew has come through it all not. unscarred, but wholesome and virile. He now stands proudly before the world on the threshold of a new period of creativity.
Praise For Nahum Goldmann
the Community Relations Committee of the Jewish Community
after the summer doldrums c ounc jj 0 f Essex County (N^vwhich seize Jewish life annually. ark) N j wm have her flrst nov . The attendance was good, al- el pubnshed next mon t h . Crown though it was difficult to say ^ the publisher( and the title is
"The Wayward Ones.’’ Sara is presently writing a non-fiction
offices throughout the country volume on Father Divine, the
how many were professionals connected with the various bond
and how many were lay workers. But like all Montor-run af-
cultist leader. Doubleday will publish it next year . . . And
fairs, there was a professional whi]e on the subjeet of publishsmoothness to the arrange- j ng> jtabbi Eli Pilchick’s very inments, the program was well teresting pamphlet on the applispaced, and moved like clock- cab i]]ty D f Miamonides’ beliefs
work.
%
There were many rumors go-
fTMIE consumate skill with which the repara X ations negotiations were carried through to success is a tribute to the diplomancy and sagacity of Nahum Gokimann. Not only were the monetary terms satisfactory, but even the connotations, that Israel was accepting the payments in lieu of absolution to the Germans for the atrocities of their former government and its people, were with a fine hand for public relations steered away from what might have been a tragic blunder. Instead, the non-Jewish world has learned that Germany was not only only not buying atonement but could achieve it only by her actions now and in the future as a civilized nation.
So it was through the master touch of a master diplomat that a united Jewish community, and a pleased Israel, saw the negotiations brought to a successful conclusion. This was a job at which Dr. Goldmann’s particular versatilities were excellently applied. If the non-Jewish world did not know the enormity of the Nazis despoliation of life and property of the Jews by now, then this reparations agreement, with its clear overtones of admission of guilt, was certainly a clincher that must have convinced even those sceptical ones who still were inclined to attribute the charges of atrocities to war propaganda.
for the modern Jew, had an interesting career, which shows
ing the rounds, particularly that even the deepest subject,
those connected with coordination. One which I found hard to believe, but which persisted, is in
when presented attractively, can gain a wide readership. Eli’s congregation compiled his lec-
connection with Sharett’s visit to tures into a pamphlet which was the United States. Montor. ae- distributed to the membership cording to the rumor, refused to and to a few others throughout
see Sharett, and did not see him. Why he would snub Israel’s foreign minister, I could not fath-
the U. S. Dr. Solomon Grayzel, of the Jewish Publication Society, got hold of one and asked
om, which is why I dismissed the R abb i Pilchik if he could place
the few hundred that were still left on sale at 75 cents a copy.
Oren Talked With ‘Dangerous Trotzkyist' VIENNA*—Mordechai Oren, Israel Mapam Party leader who has been held here incommunicado since last winter on charges of “plotting against the security of Czechoslovakia” and having sought to induce Czech Jews to emigrate to Israel, now has been
charged also with having been in contact with a "dangerous Trotzkyist.” The “dangerous Trotzkyist’’ with whom Oren, who was arrested here on his way back to Israel from a Com-munist-sponsored “peace” rally in Berlin, is alleged to have plotted, was named as Ego Ervin Kisch, Czech Jewish writer, who
died here two years ago under suspicious circumstances.
Elected Jerusalem Mayor JERUSALEM—Y. D. Mann, Mizrachi member of the Municipal Council, last week was elected mayor of Jerusalem to succeed Shlomo Z. Shragai, who resigned recently because of ill health.
tip when It first came to be about
a month ago.
I picked up plenty of news j^ow they are all gone, and the bits, and ran Into many old pamphlet is going into its second friends like Sidney Hollander of printing . . . 'The first religious
Baltimore, and Arnold Ginsburg,
of Philadelphia.
pilgrimage of the Reform movement will leave for Israel next
Situation Wanted
assistant in N.Y.C,
Executive director
Health or welfare aftency
Management, program, promotion and fund-raising. Mature, experienced, reliable. Dept. 2326. Jewish Post, 110 West 40 St, N. Y, 18,
N. Y.
When In Indianapolis
ONCE BEFORE, I think, I •February, I understand. It wil’ compared this conve^oing 0/*^
Hebrew Congregations, and will
The National Jewish Post be headed by Ben Salzstein of Mil-
„ ,, . « waukee, who is a member of the Pnbltshed every Friday by The Ha- ’ . _ _ . .
tfonal Jewish Post Poblleattoa offlea, UAHC executive board. Just how £w 8 ‘ Torh r,d omr«. 8l 'ii. I,,,! w' st many will go, no one can say other offlee*. «s» ciuzens Bldg., i.onis- when even the announcement Vine, Ky„ and 7** Cheslnat SU 8k . .. h made but this is an-
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SAM SHULMAN
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4T/tCJ
Friday, September 19, 1952 Erev Rosh Hash ana 5712
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