JEWISH WESTERN BULLETIN
Friday, January 19, 1940
V The Jewish Western Belletin
. Official Organ of the Vancouver Jewish Admmiitrative Council
S. W. Chess.------------—Chairman Administrative Council
Samuel Gillies__.__:___________________ _________________.....____.____Editor
Harry Musikansky..!
..Business Manager and Publisher
B'Nai Bmth Holds Past Presidents'Night
V i ^ 2675 Oak St., BAy. 4210.
Business Hoars: 9 ajn. to 5 p-e;., except Saturday and Jewish Holy Days. Entered as Second Class Mail Matter at Ottawa
VANCOUVER, B.C., FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 1940
ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL
There was a large and representative turnout of members of the community at the annual meeting, and election of members to the Executive Committee of the Vancouver Jewish Administrative Council, held recently in the Community Centre, The keen interest manifested in the activities of the Administrative Council is a , healthy sign, for, it proves that the community is behind the administrative body in support of its policy in the administration of the affairs of the Jewish community in this city.
Very interesting reports were submitted by the various committees, which included audited financial statements. Much interest was shown in the report of the Finance Committee of the Building Amortization Plan, the chairman of which proved that this committee is very active indeed, and submitted figures to prove that if the community keeps to its pledge, the Community Centre Building will be free from all debt in two years. Three years ago the total liabilities of the Centre were $22,000. Today the liabilities are $13,000. Money pledged to come in, $U,500, so,that it will easily be seen that to clear the building in the allotted time, pledgors must redeem their pledges in accordance with the terms made. We would like to remind the pledgors that yearly payments are made on the various liabilities, therefore when payment of pledges are late, naturally the Centre is tardy in paying commitments. This does not create a favorable impression on the creditors, and also means that accrued interest has to be paid... Late payments aiso entail more work to the committee, writing and phoning, etc., which otherwise would be eliminated if pledgors would pay on time.
Dealing with the Community Centre Committee Report, it was made clear that the Centre will be able to support itself when it is free from the mortgage. But it must be remembered in order to do this, that the present income must be maintained.
, The Community Chest Report showed that all beneficiaries had received their allotment for 1939. In regards to the War Chest Drive the Jewish Division had done remarkably well. Perhaps the most colorful report was that of the Faitmly Welfare Bureau, which contained many detailed cases which had been helped during the year. 'I'm^h is stranger than fiction, and the report of the Family Welfare Bureau was so interesting that it would have substituted for a good story, but the details given were taken from the records—cold facts of the work performed by the Bureau in 1939. Members of the Community wlw were not familiar with the work of the Family Welfare Bureau in the community, were amazed at the amount of service given and the nature of such duties performed.
To the many who attended the annual meeting of the Administrative Council, an evening of interesting details of community life in all Its phases, was provided... The Administrative Council's activities are numerous—are essential--are valuable. They help to cedent the coMntm^ They save the community many dollars by low administration costs. They protect the community against unworthy, unauthorized fund solicitors. They promote brotherly love and friendship, aU of which only can be one hundred percent eflfective by the whole-hearted co-operation of the community.
RELIEF IN POLAND
There come times when the mildest and most peace-loving of men lose patience. Such an occasion rose last week when Clarence E. Pickett, the ever-patient director of the American Friends Service Committee, exploded in Washington about the relief situation in Poland. He called it a "rotten mess" and he voiced the sentiments of a large section of the American public.
Americans have given generously to provide relief for war-torn Poland, suffering from starvation and privation which came about as a result of Germany's invasion, and now they find that the Nazis will not permit American supervision of the relief distribution to ensure that it is done cn an impartirl and non-sectarian basis.
The history of the German authorities' negotiations with American relief officials during the past four months has been an unbroken record of chicanery on the part of the Germans. First they did not wish to see Jews included in the relief distributions. Then they agreed to allow the relief to go to Jews as well as Poles, but insisted that the distribution be handled by the German Red Cross, without American supervision.
The Nazis have never had too great a reputation for keeping promises. Certainly, the German Red Cross could not be too much trusted to keep the promise when its leader made a radio speech in which he violently attacked the Jews.
. The issue involved is not so much the immediate question of whether Jews in Poland should receive relief, or whether the assistance should be handed out bv Americans. There is this deeper issue—Should Americans continue to give relief, as they always have in every catastrophe that evoked their sympathv, bv American stpridards of impartiality and humanity, or should they sur-renc'cr to Nad principles?
It was with this larger issue in mind that Mr. Pickett said: "We will not send supplies into Poland unless we feel that the Jews will not be deprived of their share. We have promises, but we cannot send American-purchased goods into there unless the distribution is supervised by Americans.''
The Nazis have already broken almost every rule of humanity that has been evolved through the ages of civilization. If they continue to prevent the peaceful Quakers from bringing relief to the stricken population of Poland, they will add a new huge blot to a record already black with deeds of shame.
Ajffair Huge Success
By HABBY GBBENBBBG You want to know what the Lodge meeting last Tuesday was like, and you shall. It was the most interesting and breeziest meeting we hays had for a long time. Surprises, contests, vaudeville and refreshments, were certainly the order of the day or rather night. Bro. Dr. J. I. Gor-osh presided over the meeting, while Past President, Bro. Harold Freeman, was in charge of the program. All the other officers' chairs were occupied by Past Presidents. It was a gala event with about 250 in attendance, refreshed by the presence of some 25 youthful, keen and alert A.Z.A. members.
At the opening of the meeting a truly royal welcome was extended by the President, Dr. Gorosh, to the members of His Majestiy's uniform. Several new members were duly admitted with Bro. E. M. Goldsmith as installing officer, and then—^Let's go . .. 1940"—the fun-fest began. Tap dancing. Sacred and profane by Joy & Juanita, especially their interpretation of Longfellow's "The dhild-ren's HoUr," were given a real bya-tion; only to be surpassed l>y the whirl-wind performance of Eddie Emerson—The English Jumping Jack.
Following this, a welcome was extended to Bro. Cogen and Bro. Sloan both of Montreal, and various messages of congratulations were conveyed and the old shoe was thrown after the carriages of those who recently joined the bonds of matrimony and those who require a new baby carriage.
Thiere was a tense moment when Bro. Harold Freeman in a few well chosen words suitable to the soleni-nity of the occasion, presented Private Bro. Allan Frome with a farewell gift and special letter from the lodge. The letter to serve as an introduction to whatever other B.B. lodges Bro. Frome may chance to visit.
Past President Bro. Jules Ablow-itz was then called upon; and in as .impressive a manner as only he is capable, the following A.Z.A. officers
were duly installed: Aleph Godol (Pres.), Philip Snider; Aleph S'Gen (Vice), Morten James; Aleph Maz-kir (Sec), Jack Fahgin; Aleph Gis-bor (Treas.), Irwin Herman; Aleph Sopher (Rep.), Robert Rozen; Sho-tare. Godel (In. Grd.), Jack Rose; Shotare Kotone (O. Grd.), Harold Pearl; Kohon Godel (Chapl.), Al Mackoff.
The highlight of the evening came when Al Mackoff, winner of the A.Z.A. District No. 4 Oratorical Contest in Los Angeles delivered the address that won his great honor. It was brilliantly presented, closely reasoned and ably constructed—a real treat. Unfortunately, space will not permit the inclusion of more than a few brief excerpts from the assigned subject, "The Magna Charta."
"It was no romantic adventure that a nation of millions of people had undertaken so willingly, theirs was not the illusion of glamor and heroics on a battlefield of blood. . . . To them war was grim business, broken bodies, torn limbs, warped minds, and perhaps—yes perhaps— death' itself. And yet these men stand ready, no sacrifice t6o great, no effort unattainable to defend the keystone and comer stone of their way of life . . Libierty . . Demiocracy . . those treasured principles of our most precious heritage—^The Magna Charta!
Following Bro. Mackoff's address a Quiz Contest was held between the Past Presidents and the A.Z.A. and we wouldn't be surprised that pound of feathers does outweigh a pound of gold. In any event, the 1st prize for the P.Ps' was won by Bro J. B. Jaffee, while Bobby W^ener won 1st for the A.Z.A. The decision as a whole was given to the featherweights. Bro, Dr. Bokaut then made a strong plea for greater co-operation between the B.B. and A.Z.A. members. Lodge adjourned and refreshments were served. Everyone agreed that the meeting was splendid—entertaing, enlightening and refreshing. Don't forget membership dinner and dance, Tuesday, January 30th, a;t the Mandarin Gardens. Dinner, fioor show, dancing 'till 2 a.m.
PLAIN
TALK
By AL SEGAI.
en
mmm judaean girls
All members are requested to turn up "for a meeting to be held on January 21, at 2:30, at the Community Centre. A very interesting agenda has been drawn up by the executive which none of the members can afford to miss.
The position of Educational Chairman, which was left vacant by the resignation of Peggy Lipson, has been taken over by Lena Lourle. Lena promises to have a very entertaining program to be drawn up for Sunday's meeting. During the business meeting two committees will be chosen to assist the Membership and Education Chairmen.
Be sure to attend the best meeting we've ever had—January 21, at 2:30.
bereavement
There passed away recently in Tel Aviv, Palestine, Mrs. Sillo Rose, Vho resided in Vancouver a number of years ago. She is survived by one son, Ben Rose, and one daughter, Mrs. Dora Rose, in this city.
^los^oms of Zion
A very pleasant afternoon was enjoyed by the Blossoms of Zion Club at our last meeting on Sunday, January 14.
Members, be sure to attend our next meeting which is to be held on Sunday, January 23, as we are planning a very interesting educational program for your enjoyment. See you all then.
By PHINISAS J. BIBON '
WAR NOTES
If you're one of those optimistic souls who think the war over in Europe is gradually petering out, take a squint at the President's new budget as submitted to Congress ... You'll see that official Washington is expecting the worst . . . The first i-eal battles, it is believed," will have the Balkans as their locale. . . We hope you haven't missed the implications of the replacement of British War Minister Leslie Hore-Belisha by blue-blooded Oliver Stanley, son of the 17th Earl of Derby and long a member of the appeasement crowd. . . . Canadian newspapers, you should know, make no secret of the fact that it was because of his Jewish-ness that Hore-Belisha was let out. ., They also indicate that before long friend Chamberlain may institute a special censorship for Jewish newspapers. . . . Usually soldiers in the field are sufficiently pepped up with patriotism to make it unnecessary for war propaganda to be carried on among them. . . . But not so in Naziland. . . . One of Gabby Joe Goebbels' chief jobs is to drum the nobility of Nazi war aims into the troops at the front. . . And if you want to know what his war propaganda is like we'll tell you that the Nazi broadcasters have been informing their people that Americans believe that the Athenia was sunk on orders issued by Winston Churchill. . . . The Czechs, who constitute the weak point of Hitler's empire just as they helped wreck the Hapsburg realm, have plenty of reason to be sore at Germany. . . But what annoys them most of all is that German visitors who come into their country' eat up the good food for which Czechoslovakia has long been famous, and which of couise, Nazis could not get at home. . . . HEBE AND THEBE
Look for startling revelations ori the identity of the Bund higher-ups^ the big business men and even religious leaders who have been supplying the Kuhn outfit with the wherewithal for its un-American activities.' ... James Wheeler-Hill, who long served as the Bund's national secre-i tary, is now prepared to tell all. . . ; Blanca Holmes, Holl3^ood star-gazer, incists that the constellations in-^ dicate that Hitler will continue to; go strong during 1940, though Goer-J ing will gradually catch up with himj in popularity. . . . Have you observed,! incidentally, that it's Goering and' not Hitler who is the centre of thej peace talk that occasionally rises
over the war rambles?... . It's because the Gestapo discovered his connection with a plot to overtht-ow Hitler that Fritz Thyssen left Germany in such a hurry, .they say in Switzerland. . .Behind the plot, which still is thickening, are the survivors, of the. German world of big .business. . . .
TRUE STOBY
This is a tale about one of those Jews who prefer to employ non-Jews in their businesses. . . . He is a New York dress manufacturer, and one day refused a job to a girl with a typically Jewish name. . . . Now this girl had an Italian friend who worked in that factory, and the next day —having altered her appearance by changing her .costume, removing her make-up, doing her hair differently and, most important of all, wearing a large gold cross on a chain—returned to the factory with the friend, who introduced her to the boss as a .fellow-Latin, giving her an Italian name. . . . Here we must interpolate a bit of information on union rules; Once an employe has been hired and has worked for seven days, he can't be 'fired without some valid reason such as inefficiency. , . . So, on the eighth day of her employment, the Jewish girl came to work in her original get-up, went over to the boss, handed him her large gold cross, and said: "Now. you wear it, ..." REFUGEE BEFERENDUM
German, refugee intellectuals will be the beneficiaries of the manuscript sale to be held by the League of American writers. . . . Among those who have donated manuscripts to be auctioned off are Albert Einstein, Thomas Mann, Pierre van Paassen and Louis Untermeyer. . . . Hats off to conductor Erich Leins-dorf, the refugee who has stepped into the shoes of the late Artur Bodanzky at the Metropolitan Opera. ... When he got a raise recently the first thing he did was to make inquiries on what worthwhile charity most needed a contribution. ... A new Viennese refugee revue is being readied for Broadway, with Ezra Stone (who's not a refugee, but the star of the stage version of "What a Life") as its director. ... Did you know, by the way, that Viennese waltzes are Mrs Eleanor Roosevelt's favorite popular music? .... JEWISH NEWS
Aside to Dr. Stephen S. Wise: The B'nai B'rithers at the Palestine Conference at Washington didn't like the crack you made when you intro-ruced their president, Henry Mons-
june 18, 2000
Dear Mr. Segal: We are now in
the fifth decade of the century—only
sixty years from the year 2000. That
is not a long time to look ahead.
Will you be so good, Mr. Segal, to
look into the year 2000 and tell us
what you see? Is it-going to be good
for Jews by then?—^E.Z.T., Chicago. « * *
Well, yes! In the year 2000 1 shall be a fairly old man. Perhaps by then I shall not be writing this column any longer, but shall sit in the chimney corner with a blanket over my quavering legs. I shall, indeed, be quite over-100 years old, but this will not be regarded as too ripe an old age in that time. Medical science will have learned to prolong people beyond five score -to which age many will in that tline arrive, provided automobiles don't' get them first.
I am thinking of my birthday Oh June 18, 2000. My family has giath-ered about me '(my child^^ my grandchildren; my grieat-grahdchild-ren, my great-great grandchildren.) The few' survivors • among my contemporaries are there.
My mind has remiained alert tO events of the past and the present, for the marvels of science have, not merely preserved the physical body. (It would really not be worth while to live that.long without a mind.) • As we sit about on that day talking of this and that, I become aware that none of us has said a word about our being Jews. I remember the remoter past of my life (as in 1940) when in any convocation of Jews the matter of their being Jewish always was brought up. In that time the table conversation in Jewish homes never lagged long.
In the embarrassing lUll that often falls on dinner tables there was always some one to take up the thread of conversation quickly again . . . "Well," some one said, "did you hear the latest piece of anti-Semitism" . . . After that, conversation flowed smoothly to the end of the evening and everybody felt he had a good time. •
"Yes," I say to my numerous fam-
th
ky, with the words: "He has made many speeches before B'nai B'rith, but now he is about to sp6ak to Jews" . . . But we know that you agree that Monsky knows how to speak to all the Sons of Israel. . . . The credit for Alfred Duff-Cooper's presence at the Washing^ton Conference belongs to Meyer W. Weisgal, incidentally. ... It was Weisgal who sold the idea of inviting Duff-Cooper to the U.P.A. chiefs, dispelling their doubts—founded on erroneous information—regarding the Briton's ability as a speaker. . . Our congratulations to . the Jewish community of Montreal, and particularly to Rabbi Harry J. Stern, on the new Temple Emanu-EL Centre building that was dedicated last week-end. '. . . CHIT-CHAT
Composer Kurt Weill had nothing to do with "Key Largo," the play in which Paul Muni is now starring, but its success benefited him to the extent of $115.- . . . It seems that a year ago Weill lost that sum in a Florida gambling joint which he visited together with Maxwell Anderson. . . . The playwright decided to do a play on Key Largo, using a similar gambling scene, and promised Weill that if the play grossed more than $20,000 in its first week he would pay him the $115. ... As you have guessed by now, the play has been doing very well. . . . Mural painter A. Hirschfeld, who had some money coming to him for work done for the Shakespeare-Mendelssohn-Goodman show "Swingin' the Dream," tried to collect after the show closed by attaching the properties. ... Now he's wondering what to do with a couple of kettledrums. . . "On the Plaza" will be the name of a new book that wiii revolve around one of New York's ritziest shops, Bergdorf-Goodman . . Ethel Frankau, who works there, is authoring it. . . . ABOUT PEOPLE
One of Judge Irving Lehman'^ most treasured keepsakes is the Bible used by the late Justice Benjamin N. Cardozo when he was sworn in as a member of the Supreme Court. . , . Judge Lehman used the same Bible when he was sworn in as Chief Justice of the New York Court of Appeals recently .. . Now that Manhattan is honeycombed with underground railway tubes, subway king Sam Rosoff is looking for new fields to conquer, and is said to be casting an interest- j
ily on my birthday in the year 2000, "things have changed, things cer-. tainly have changed for us. We are, still Jews but we don't talk about it. We don't talk about it anymore than the Methodists keep on talking about their being Methodists. Being Jewish has in our time become a religious identity purely and, like other people, we don't make table conversation of our religion." /
My oldest great-great grandchild asks, ?'Gramp, Jews must have been more intensely Jewish in your; youth." ^ , , .
No, no, not that at all, my dear great-great grandson. Their Jewish feeling was mostly a pain. And, in? deed, there was a lot for Jews to feel hurt about.-That was the time of the terrible persecutions.; Jews felt Jewish because it hurt.
Some of them, to comfort their pain, built the illusion of being a nation. In this Illusion they could feel like statesmen leading their nation to great destinies, Their conversation at all their parties'was of that. It was really most comforting to imagine ourselves a, nation wrestling with England.
My best friends used to feel very brave as they sat in my living room building a nation and governing it in a,ccordance with their own political, economic and social ideas. It was a great help to carry such a dream; it was like a light in the absymal darkness of the period. It's good at elast to have a dreuu when there is nothing else to comfort yoUi But that's all over now, and we sat here for three hours yith no one mentioning that we are Jews, until I brought the matter up. Being Jew is no longer a painful obsessid~ but a happy gift of the spirit are Jews because of our' religion faith. We talk about that only t God privately, and publicly we brir our Judaism as an offering for common altar at which we sei with all men to the ends of peac^ and justice and righteousness.
In this year 2000 we are more real ly and' intensely Jewish than Wi were in 1940 when the Judaism, p many was chiefiy defensive. Man; Jews knew they were Jews only be cause it hurt to be Jewish, just ai they discovered they had heads whe^ they suffered from headaches.
We are more really and intensel; Jewish today because we:have dis covered the spiritual meaning of be ing- Jewish -in relattori 't6" the^ gdoi life. As a matter of fact, my child ren. in 1940 Judaism had almos ceased to have any spiritual signifi cance. We were talking rather o Jewish nationalism, Jewish mere! ant marine, Jewish social servic4 Jewish art, Jewish pain.
Nor are there in our time any mot Jewish nationalists. Being wlthou any special pain as Jews we no long er need the comfort we derived fror dreaming of ourselves as a natio with a destiny. In this year 200 Palestine is just another good coun try for Jews. Jews live- in it side by side with their neighbors â– with whom they work in unity to make the country good.
Of course, Jews in our time devote themselves more to the religious significance of being Jewish because there is no longer any Jewish problem in the world. We are happy beneficiaries of the great democratic revolution by which the present righteous order of the world was established.
In the year 1940 democracy was still intra-mural, you might say—a thing confined within the,borders of, some of the nations. In our time it has become an international way of life, the way of understanding and peace between nations joined in the Confederation of the United States of the World.
In this righteous order there is room for every man and every group of men in the world. This democracy is economic as well as .political, so that there is a just distribution of the goods of the world. In a world of justice there is no room for the envies that in 1940 made a veritable massacre of Jews.
In this year 2000 Jews sit in equality with all men at the full table of political and economic justice. * * «
If E. Z. T. or Chicago doubts my prophecy, let him clip this and save it for reference in the year 2000. I invite him to my birthday party, June 18, 2000.
-
ed eye at the newspaper businesii. . . Wonder whether anybody gave Dr. Albert Einstein a new fountain pen for Chanukah. . . . At last reports he was carrying one that leaked quite badly. . . Wedding-bells are in the offing for New Year's Judge Birdie Amsterdam and Michael Edelstein, aspirant to the (Congressional seat vacated by the death of Representative William I. Sirovich. . . . Jules Epstein, author of "Four Wives," expects to be initiated into the mysteries of fatherhood ere long. . . .
Have You Paid Your Building Pledge?
MdHHIB