Friday, July 12, 1946.
THE JEWISH WESTERN BULLETIN
Why Jewish Education
By
Rabbi Leon Spitz There are four guUty i>arties on whose heads must fall the responsibility for the failure of Hebrew education in America — ia> divideti Rabbinate, a prevailing type of Talmud Torah official, a consider-alile percentage of the parents and Jewish educational bureatis.
It is distressing that in so many of the committees, both large and small, rabbis find that they caimot afford to share the crown with their colleagues in the commiznity. The present writer cannot at the moment recollect a single Rehrew school on the educational board oi which more than one rabbi in the-commtmity is serving: and, let the truth be spoken, it is the orthodox rabbi who is charged with this insistence on monoply; the conservative rabbi does not as a .general rule object to sit in counsel with his more orthodox coUeagues. This "political" motive gives rise to a split community. Yet, one must realize that irreconcilable theological or ritualistic differences) in the curriculum may be properly involved.
The older Talmud Torah officials are as a matter of record not willing to relinquish their clutch on the affairs of the institution, ift spite of their conthiuous assertions to the contraTv. Even if they permit the office to go to other persons, they, the veterans, who had blundered so much ana so sadly in the past, stil retain the hold of th-3 'political boss." They wUl fore-ever keep on reminding you that they had run of the institution for perhaps twenty or more years. They appear so oblivious of the fact that after '*runnmg down" Jewish education for so long a period the sacred obligation rests upon them to afford their "betters" the opportuinty to save the anem-nant and reconstruct it on a sounder, more modem, and mor«» intelligent basis. They almost subconsciously put all manner of petty obstacles in the way of each and every honest and intelligent effort which may be made by the very persons whom they had apparently invited to take charge of "tiXc SitLis*tion, 'JTlis only comfofrt lies in th fact that these veterans lare aging fast.
It is, in very truth, brutal as it may sotmd, a race between the doom of Jewish education and the approach of helpless senility of at least the more aggressive of those pioneers and veterans who have been messing up the problem or Jewish training in America. If they would only permit themselves to be honorably discharged! An absolute guiajrantee should be offered to them in the best faith that the buildings which they really did labor to erect shall not be sold under the hammer in public auction and that their own graves will not . be mortgaged for the debts that the Hebrew school principles . might incur in the conduct of the school.
It is an impossible task to convince these well-meaning old-time officials that Jewish education consists in the training of our children for the mind of American Jewish life which they are going to live and not in just keeping up Talmud Torash buildings and pay-."ing mortgages.
This leads to the consideration of the third and most tragic factor, the growing indifference of the A-nierican Jewish father to the Jewish education of his child. Very frequently men will contribute generoxisly to the upkeep and maintenance of Talmud Torahs and even of Yeshivoth, the very name of which they cannot pronounce, and remain more than satisfied with restricting the spiritual upbringing of their children to an irregular attendance at Sunday school.
But it is almost always the "mother of Israel" who is the offender, who will so cheerf uly and so heartlessly sacrifice the child's Jewish training for a piano or violin lesson, who is s6 certain that the "conefinement" in the Hebrew school will draw the health out of the cheeks of her "darling," who trembles so much with fear lest the Talmud Torah association will mislead her own precious pro-gency. Propaganda will help, but argumentation and logic will not suffice.
At least one solution offers itself. The scene of Jewish education must be shifted from the community
Is a Failure
Talmud Torah to the neighborhood synagogue in the immediate vicinity of the cMld's residence, and that education must be placed in the keeping of trained, Americanized teaching staffs; the branch or neighborhood sdiools must be proi)erly equipped for school purposes; and, if at ail possible, xhe Sjmagogue in the vicinity should be secured for Hebrew instruction. The day of the Central Community Talmud Torah with its imposing building and its rental schedule is passing. To retard its departure from the American Jewish scene is but to retard the development of Jewish education in America. It must make room for the synagogue school, for whetlier we like it or not, reform, conservatism, and orthodoxy are distinct philosophies of Jewish thought and express themselves along distinct patterns, of Jewish living. And the Jewish education of the children of a synagogue must in accordance with all pedagogic rules be directed towards their spiritual adjust-menjt to fii|ture member^p in atmosphere of the particular Sya-agogue-type.
In recent years Bureaus of Jewish Education have been established in some of our larger Jewish populated cities. And where the Bureau committees and administrators are willing to accord non-discrimative support and treatment to the several institutions and to deal with these on a basis of courted and of recognition, these Bureaus can be very helpful in advancing the cause of Jewish education in the commimity. But sadly, only too many of these seek to dominate existing institutions by the money-club, and practice a technique of camouflage rather than a realistic program.
The conclusion forces itself upon an intelligent Jewish public that a further and more judicious studj' is still required of the problem of Jewish education, its problems and its solution. And such a study cannot be left altogether in the hands of the professional educator who has a selfish interest in the situation. The Rabbi, the educator and very often they actually are one and the same person-the baal-habos, the Shul official, the intelligent layman should in every community as well as nationally agree to confer together and seek to bring their decision to fruitation not by sledge hammer methods, nor by other techniques, but by tolerant and intelligent processes of public education.
CAPITAL LETTER
By Charles Benson
TEEASUBY DEPARTMENT HONORS MONSKY AND BISGYER WlasbingtooDk, D,C.H-H0nry Monsky, presiden of P?ixai Kritfih, afsA Maurice' Bisgyer, national secretary of the Order, were presented with silver medals by the U.S. Treasury D^artment for their "magnificent leadership" in the B'nai B'rith war bond effort whlich resulted in the sale of $711,456,000 worth of bonds during the war by B'nai B'rith groups tiiroughout the country. In presenthig the medals to Mr. Monsky and Mr. Bisgyer (center), William C. Fitzgibbon (right), U.S. Treasury Duector of National Organizations Division, said: In giving you this medal we^express through to you and to eadi; member of B'nai B'rith our highest and deepest appreciation. I wish we could give a medal to every B'nai B'ritfa member."
To Help Finance Resettlement
WASHINGTON (WNS)—The U-nited States Government is ready to assume financial and technical responsibilities for the transfer to Palestine of 100,000 Euroi)ean Jews, declared President Truman last Tuesday to the four American members of the Jewish Agency who called on him at the "White House.
Mr. Truman also deplored,the latest developments in Palestine, and expressed the hope that the leaders of the Palestine Jewish community who have been arrested by the British would soon be released. !rhe Am^can Govenunent had not been consulted by the British before the latter undertook their repressive measures in Palestine, the President said.
The four Agency members who conferred with the President were Rabbi Stephen S. Wise, Dr. Nahim Goldmann, Mr. Louis Lipsky and Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver. Their conference with the President lasted half an hour,
A 'decision on the admission of 100,000 Jewish immigrants to Palestine is expected within a few weeks. State and War Department tech nical experts returned^ to Washington last week from discussions in London wiith the British (jovemment on technical, aspects of the proposed immigration have reported progress, acting Secretary of State, Dean Adieson said here.
Basil Rathbone, Eddie Cantor Legion Guests
A EDDIE CAJJTOR joined the Canadian Legion .Thursday and Basil Rathbone turned comedian.
Eddie became honorary member No: 3 of Branch 168, New Veterani, when he was guest of honor at a smoker and was presented with a membership card and badge by President B. I. Isman.
The British star apologized for not being able to sing, dance or put on an act when he entertained veterans in Shaughnessy Hospital Thurhday afternoon, then turned straight man for city gagster Fran Dowie.
Fran was doing a medicine man routine and boasted his cure-all v/as equally good for siiaving. He called for volunteers to prove it.
Up .stepp£<i Basil Rathbone.
"Sit down, son," said Medicine Man Dowrie.
He whipped out a foaming shaving mug, soap the immaculate Mr. Rathbone's face thoroughly, waved a jaunty hand and stepped back.
"That all, son," he said, leaving the British star in a lather.
When the four leaders of the Jewish Agency Executive called on President Truman to discuss the Palestine situation and practical plan for admitting 100,000 Jewish refugees into Palestine, they left the White House armed with this Government's assurance that they would receive technical and financial assistance for carrying out the task.
Theh- plan, contained in a letter which they sent to the President two weeks in advance of their visit, had been drawn up over two years of close, careful study and contained estimates of what the undertaking would cost in terms of money and material. The letter suggested that the total cost of the undertaking would run to ?35 million and might go as high as $45 million. " . .
Some $8 to $10 million miglit be spent on transportation alone, the letter said. According to a War Shipping Administration estimate approximately ten ships of the Victory type could transport the 100,000 from Germany to Palestine durliig a six month period. The Victory ship is the same style ship that carried so many troops back and forth to Europe during the war. Fifteen hundred refugees at one time could .make the 3,650 mile trip.
Transitional maintenance, including medical care,and training expenditures, would run the account to $15 to ?20 million more. An additional $12 to $15 million would be spent on clothing, minimum household utensils and furniture.
The Agency's letter requested that 25,000 of the 100,000 be orphaned children. Of the $60 million which would be required to care . for them for an estimated period of five years they charged that "simple equity'' demanded that most of this cost be met out of German reparations "since their orphaned condition results directly from German aggression and from the German policy of aggression."
To absorb the 100,000 into the existing economy they suggested that certain "productive investments" would be necessary. Housing alone would cost some $40 million and would require the purchase of 21 million board feet of lumber, 3 million board feet of plywood, 3,500 metric tons of pipe and 1,300 metric tons of corrugated sheets. Farm equipment may cost $10 and possibly $25 million. Nonresidential construction, public ser-
WHAT THE PALESTINE COMMISSION RECOMMENDED
Find New Homes For Jewish Displaced Persons Outside of Palestine.
Let 100,000 Jewish D.P.s Into Palestine Immediately [April 30.1946].
'Palestine Shall Be Neither a Jewish Nor an Arab State."
Cpntinue the Present British Mandatory Government of Palestine.
Raise the Arab Standard of living. Introduce Compulsory Education.
Continue Regular Immigration of Jews and Non-Jews Under the Mandate.
End Anti-Semitic Land Le-'-But Provide Protection > • Small Owners.
â– rish Agency Should Suppress: the Hagana and "Illegal" ! Immigration.
vices, etc., would run up to $20 or $30 million and expansion in industrial investment would absorb $25 to $30 million more. The fkst stages of a gigantic irrigation scheme^ which might later be integrated with a plan such as the jiroposed Jordon VaUey Authority, ^ would cost from $20 to $25 million.
The money for transporting and caring for these people is expected to come from a number of sources. New savings within Palestine, the inflow of private investment capital world Jewish contributions, reparations, and public lending insti tutions such as the Export-Import Bank, will all be tapped, it is expected.
If the British loan is granted it may help to imblock at least part of an additional $500 million pound sterling balances which Palestine holds in London. This, however, might take as much as a year after the passing of the loan and even then part of the balance might be written off by Britaui as Palestine's •part in British war expenditures. .
Wm. McC3iesney Martin, Chairman of the Board of the Export-Import Bank said that there is no record to date of an application for a loan to Palestine either from sources in Palestine or from any Jewish agencies in this country. He said he saw no. indication that application for such a loan would be made in the near future. Althou^?' he hastened to explain that not all of them would be filled, Mr. Martin said that the Bank already has more requests for loans than it has capital with which to fill them. Therefore, he added, any loan which could be granted at this time would have to be "a very small one."
Another form of "international assistance" which the Jewish Agency requifsesi according! ;to their letter, is help in obtaining priorities for the purchase of food, clothing and construction materials.
According to the War Assejts Corporation there is a sizeable a-mount of surplus property in the Mediterranean theatre and parts of Europe which could be purchased by the.Jewish Agency for this rehabilitation work. Although practically nothing is left in the Middle East, there was in Italy at the end of June, some $250 million dollars worth of surplus material, a spokesman for the WAC said. This included all types of veliicles, radio equipment, and smaller a-mounts of food, clothing and medical supplies..
He also suggested Germany as a great potential resivoir of much needer materials. He estimated that there was now in Germany some 550,000 tons of material, amounting to about one billion dollars worth; Although this has not yet been declared siuplus, he said, designated amounts mi^t be declared if aii order was placed by the Jewish Agency. This has been done in tiie past for UNRRA and other deserving rehabiliation groups, he explained.
This summation of financial and technical requirements will give, perhaps, some slight idea of what is mvolved in the planned mass migration of 100,000 people.
Jewish Internees Escape Prison
JERUSALEM (WNS)—After 54 Palestine Jewish uitemees escaped from the Sembal internment camp in the Sudan, thirty are reported to have been recaptured. The internees had seized a bus and attempted to reach Ethiopia, but were forced to scatter and make their way on foot when the vehicle broke down. They escaped from the camp in which they were held through two tunnels which they had previously dug from their quarters to a point b^ond the camp gates.