The Southern Jewish weekly. [volume], June 10, 1955, Image 1

About The Southern Jewish weekly. [volume] (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1939-1992

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THE OLDEST AND MOST WIDELY CIRCULATED JEWISH PUBLICATION IN THIS TERRITORY
VOL 32 No. 21
PLAIN TALK
BY ALFRED SEGAL
WE GIVE A SAMPLE
SERMON
Rabbis please will excuse the
impertinence oi this column, but
though I have no ordination. I've
Just been thinking oi writing a
sample sermon of a kind many in
the congregations would rather
hear.
I’ve heard complaints from a lot
of them. They don’t like rabbis
putting on the airs of internation
al pundits in their sermons. They
try to be Dulleses and Churchills,
handing down sermons that sound
like authoritative pronouncements
of statesmen. Though the fact is
that rabbis, no more than states
men, can feel that sure of them
selves; they are all just guessers.
But, according to the complain
ants, to hear some of the rabbis,
they know it all.
I feel prompted to write an
exemplary sermon because of a
letter by Nathan D. Shapiro of SO
Court Street, Brooklyn, I've just
read in Cincinnati's American
Israelite. Mr. Shapiro was asking:
“Why must our rabbis and other
members of the cloth desert the
rich and inspiring field of reli
gion in choosing subjects for their
sermons? Surely . . . a spiritual
word and perhaps a strengthening
of faltering faith is sadly needed.
"Instead of that, one is obliged
to listen to political, military.
Ideological and international
speeches, mislabeled 'sermons.'"
Mr. Shapiro said that internation
al speeches, etc. are "readily
available (to the members of con
gregations) via the press, radio,
television and political pronounce
ments, may to some extent ac
count for the vanishing Judaism
see on all sides.
“itabbis, in my opinion, have a
sacred duty to their congregations
and to the public to preach the
Jewish tradition, its values . . .
the Bible, the philosophies of our
prophets and scholars, and to
bring the Jewish people closer to
an understanding of God. Some
of the personal problems of the
members are also the legitimate
concern of the clergy.”
Mr. Shapiro's letter prompted
me to look into Saturday's church
page of the daily newspaper for
which I work. There they print
the titles of the sermons that
Christian clergymen of our town
are going to preach next day.
In this list I could find not one
sermon that was going to tell Mr.
Dulles what to do about the world
and its problems. These ministers
seemed all to be humble men con
cerned only with the lives imme
diately around them in their con
gregation and what to say to them
as to the best way to go in life.
The Baptist Lawrence Wheaton,
was speaking on "The Evidence of
Faith." and the Baptist I. Stanley
Matthews was going to tell them
what constitutes "The Home
Beautiful," that is to say, how by
the spirit, rather than by brand
new furniture of latest decor, a
home can be made beauiifuL
' The minister H. M. Wyrick
would preach on “A Life Made
(Continued on Page 8)
tKutfHQA . . .
'' if i iiii'ii
Our fondest congratulations to
the Ben Cohens whose son, Gary,
graduated from the University of
Maryland in record time . . . Gary
made a four year course in two
years—a first for the Maryland U.
... Young Cohen will continue his
studies at Columbia . . .
*****
Summer reading is piling up . .
With so much news being made
there has been little time for book
reading or reviewing, but the pub
lishing companies have been kind
in sending us their releases, and
we intend have a go at them
during the vacation months . . .
While we do not always agree
with the politics of the American
Jewish Committee we always look
forward to the American Jewish
Year Book . . . This year a special
tercentenary edition has been
published . . .
From Farrar, Straus and Co.,
Inc., of 101 Fifth Avenue, N. Y
there is a copy of The Third Pillar
by Soma Morgenstern . . . This is
a translation from the German by
Ludwig Lewisohn . . . The book
sells for $3.00 . . .
The Jewish Publications Society
A Nazi Comes to Mississippi
BY N. PETER LEVINSON
Rabbi Levinson was a chaplain in Germany and
served as rabbi in the Mississippi community
where the incident he describes took place.
She was tall, blond, and blue-eyed and she had
a preference for tailored suits. Her hair was comb
ed straight back, her walk mannish, and she re
minded you of the amazons Hitler had recruited
for the 8.D.M., his favorite youth organization.
Marching along the streets of Hamburg, Munich,
and Berlin, its girls had once been heard singing of
their flag fluttering in the breeze and the blood of
Jews dripping from the knives.
She was an exchange teacher on a tour of the
States, perhaps sponsored by the State Department,
and her mission was ostensibly to acquaint herself
with the methods and techniques of the American
public school system. Perhaps she was also to learn
something of the democratic way of life. For she
was young and supposedly of open mind. On the
other hand, it was probably expected that she
would do her part in dispelling the prejudices
many Americans still harbored against the German
people. For Western Germany was today the “bul
wark of democracy” and its indispensable defend
er. As a typical representative of the new German
youth she would be an ambassador of goodwill to
a formerly hostile nation. ,
Our small town welcomed her with true South
ern hospitality. She was showered with friendliness
and several homes that would ordinarily be closed
for many a good American citizen were opened to
her. Miss Hilde Meyer went around the schools
and addressed classes. She gave talks at civic clubs
and before churches. Within a few days the entire
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 1955
By Ethel "Teddy" Moscovilz
Summer time is not vacation time for
the B’Nai B’Rith Luncheon Club . . .
They are continuing with their mealtime
sessions, and this Thursday, June 9th, at
1 o’clock lunched at the George Washing
ton Hotel, and the guest speaker for the
afternoon was William Johnson, Execu
tive Director of the Chamber of Com
merce . . .
We understand Johnson is recognized
as an outstanding orator . . . The Ben
Briths were privileged to have him for
this occasion . . . The meetings are open
to the public . . .
of Philadelphia has sent us a copy
of The Responsa Literature by
Solomon B. Freehof . . . Dr.
Freehof is a Reform rabbi who
has made a special study of Re
sponsa Literature, and has him
self made a considerable number
of Responsa especially applicable
to traditional Jewish law to situa
tions arising in the armed forces.
The release by the J. P. S. is not
a dull one . . . The reader is inter
ested to learn of the place of Re
sponsa in contemporary Jewish
life, and here he learns under
what . circumstances a church
building can be used for a syna
gogue, or the question is answered
whether or not a pious Jew may
wear a self-winding wrist watch
on the Sabbath . . .
The book is 304 pages and sells
for $3.50.
*****
An interesting novel, but one
which we have not yet had time
to investigate fully is “In the Path
of the Winds” (The Case of the
New Patriot) by Victor Rine . . .
(Continued on Page 4)
Dr. Horace M. Kallen, research professor in Social Philohophy
at the New School for Social Research, and Dr. Joseph Dunner, chair
man of the Political Science Dept, of Grinnell College, lowa, are
slated to act as leading discussants at the Summer Seminar of the
Southeast Region of the Zionist Organization of America, to
place in Hendersonville. N. C.. at the Osceola Lake Inn. FrM»
June 10th to Sunday June 12lh.
The plans for the Seminar were
announced this week by Dr. Sid
ney Q. Janus, immediate past
president of the Atlanta Zionist
District and Mr. Leo R. Burson,
president of the Southeastern Re
gion of ZOA.
The Seminar will include a
week-end of discussions based on
Dr. Kallen's subjects, "Jewish
Community and the American
Idea" and "Allegiance—Exclusive,
Dual and Multiple." Dr. Joseph
Dunner will dwell on the topics
"Zionism in the Process of Reali
zation." and "Zionism As a Uni
fying Force of Israel and World
Jewry."
Outstanding discussion leaders
will be Dr. Sidney Q. Janus, At
lanta; Leo R. Burson, Memphis;
Michael Adilman, Savannah;
Robt. A. Persky, Augusta.
In addition to discussions, an
evening of Israel entertainment is
planned, plus ample time for re
laxation in the private swimming
pool and on the spacious sun
courts. Religious services will be
led by Mr. Robt. A. Persky, Au
gusta, and Mr. Israel Feiden. St.
Augustine. Representatives from
the states of Alabama, Florida,
Mississippi, North and South Car-
town was singing her praises and quoting her
authoritative views on Communism and the cur
rent political situation in Europe.
If we were to ask ourselves to which particular
quality Miss Meyer’s success was to be attributed,
the answer would be simple. Certainly, it was not
her scholarship, her profound knowledge of con
temporary affairs or the like. It was on the one
hand the universal desire to accept her, and on
the other, the admiration of the average small town
citizen for the educated foreigner, the one who
has come to visit —and not to stay. For this is the
essential difference between the visiting foreigner
and the so-called refugee. Since the former is not
interested in making the United States his home,
he is subconsciously considered to be superior—he
does not need us. The refugee, however, is suspect,
even though he has made democracy his choice, or
more accurately, precisely because he has chosen
America in preference to his former home. Miss
Meyer was definitely no refugee. And since she did
not want to be one of us, she could be quoted as
an authority.
Above all, it was the “continental charm” which
captured the hearts of her listeners, to say nothing
of the amazing fluency of her English. “Isn’t she
wonderful?” her admirers would exclaim, “Just
imagine us giving a talk like that in a foreign
country.” And while everybody tried to outdo the
other in their praise, they would comment on her
choice of words, the level of her education, her
sense of humor, and her poise. It all culminated
in a rapturous article which appeared in the local
newspaper. Nobody, however, in all this whirl,
(Continued on Page 5)
Southeast Zionists Meet
In Hendersonville on
June 10th -12th
olina, and Tennessee will be
present.
Total cost for the week-end, in
cluding room, board and registra
tion fee, is $35.00 per person.
Reservations should be made
through the Southeastern Region
office, Suite 604, 41 Exchange
Place, S. E., Atlanta, Ga., tele
phone Walnut 2329.
Stevenson Pays Tribute
To U. S. Jews
NEW YORK. (JTA) Ameri
can Jewry was congratulated on
its accomplishments and heard a
forecast of its future role as one
of partnership in a great adven
ture here last week as the observ
ance of the American Jewish Ter
centenary came to a close with a
public assembly at Carnegie Hall.
The tribute to the past, and the
forecast of its responsibilities for
the future, as it stands on the
threshold of its fourth century in
this country, were outlined in an
address by Adlai E. Stevenson.
“The Jews of the United States
stand now on the threshold of the
fourth century as citizens, as
partners with all other Americans
in the great common adventure of
freedom for nations and for the
body, the mind and the spirit of
man,” the former Democratic
Presidential candidate declared.
Paying tribute to American
Jews, he continued by saying that
they can—contemplate with joy
and with pride" their accomplish
ments in the three centuries
which the Tercentenary observ
ance marked. 'Tor all they have
wrought, for this nation, for them
selves, for the brave new Republic
of Israel across the sea. for bro
thers and sisters in need and dis
tress everywhere in the world,
they are entitled to great and de
served satisfaction, and also to the
admiration of their fellow coun
trymen of all faiths," he declared.
TWO JEWS KILLED IN
CASABLANCA, ONE IN
RABAT, IN ANTI-JEWISH
VIOLENCE
CASABLANCA, (JTA) Two
Jews were killed in this city and
one was murdered at Rabat in a
new outbreak of anti-Jewish vio
lence. The two Jews killed in this
city were both grocers standing in
front of their shops when a gun
man cut them down. The Jew
killed in Rabat was a tobacco shop
owner and father of six children.
$3.00 A YEAR