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THE JEWISH WESTERN BULLETIN
Thursday, Get. 12, 1933
The Jewish Western Bulletin
Published Every Tliurfiday by
THE VANCOUVER JEWISH ADMINISTEATIVE COUNCIL 2875 Oak Street, Bay. 4210 - - Vancouver, B.C.
BULLBTHSr COMMITTEE: Chairman—J. W. Herman Committee—I. J. Klein, Wm. N. Zimmerman BDITOB—S. A. Goldaton, BA.
Send all new« items to the Community Centre. For advertismg rates. Phone Community Centre Secretary, Bay view 4210
Vancouver, B.iC, Thursd'ay, October 12, 1933
EDITORIAL
ON Shemene Aiizereth (the eighth day of Solemn Assembly)^ or on its extension Simehat Torah (the rejoicing of the law) we read' the last portion of the Torah dealing with the death of Moses. What caused the lawgiver's death? Sickness? An untoward incident? The infirmities of old age? No. He was in "CLEARNESS perfect physical condition: "His eye was not OF VISION" dim, nor his natural force abated," so the Bible tells us. Apotheosis is alien to Judaism. The lawgiver was not raised to the rank of a diety. He was subject to the laws df nature a» any other man. The Bible contents itself with lauddng his leadjership as being characterized by clearness of vision and by unabated vigor until the last day of his life.
A Moses lives never to be forgotten. His lifework branded itself into the consciousness of his people ineradicably. According to the Rabbis, Moses and^ Israel became thoroughii[y blendled: "Moses is Israel and Israel is Moses". In that way Moses achieved immortality and Israel fell heir to all of Moses qualities of leadership ; clearness of vision and unabated vigor.
But can it be truthfully said concerning Israel as it was said of Moses "His eye is not dimmed nor his natural force abated?"
In contemplating Jewish life, whether of the past or of the present, we som'etimes gather the impression that this or that section of Israel has. lost its qualification of lead'ership, that its vision is dimmed and its natural forces abated. Twenty-five 'n-turies ago, during the Babylonian 'exile, Israel felt itself exhausted after the excruciating experiences of the war with the Chaldeans. Until then our people had alread'y lived about fifteen hundred years, a longer period than was vouchsafed to greater nations; and in the helplessness of apparent old age, they repeated "Our bones are dry, our hope is lost; we are utterly destroyed". By that time our people had' produced some spiritual values which were destined to lead the families of the earth and Israel, deeming its mission fulfilled, was ready to obey the law of nature and die. Had! Israel died during the Babylonian captivity or soon after the books of Job, of the second Isaiah, of Bcclesiastes, the Song of Songs, and several other Bibical works, gems of the world, thought and literature would never have been created and humanity would have remained spiritually poorer. But Israel did not die. Leaders arose, notably Ezekiel and the Great Unknown Prophet, who restored to our people the Mosaic qualities, the clearness of vision and the hope of the future. And weak Israel, re-inspired, re-invigorated, continued to live, survived stronger nations, and created more spiritual values which further clarified mankind's vision.
There in Balbylon, the distinguished disillusionment in the future was caused by the great national catastrophe, by the loss of the homeland and by the violent interruption of independent existence. In modern times a similar phenomenon was noticable—a dimming of vision, a relinquishment of leadership, an abandonment of the hope in the Jewish future —caused not by a catastrophe of any sort, but by
DURING THE
BABYLONIAN
CAPTIVITY
of pseudo-civilization around about them. A century of assimila-
tionists endeavour, overt and covert, has PALESTINE THE ended in bitter disillusionment for those who SILVER LINING put their trust in assimilation, while a few
decades of effort laid the foundation of a promising, self determining Jewish Community in Palestine. It is now recognized tha tPalestine is the silver lining in the heavy clouds that lower over the house of Israel so ominously. With more than half the Jewish people politically and economically handicapped our intensified activities in Palestine eloquently attest that Israels "eye is not dimmed nor his natural force abated".
All our holidays, the Rabbis said, were given us for the sake of the nations of the world, but Shemene Artzeres was given us for our own sake. They illustrate the thought jvith a simple parable: A king bad feted all his suibjects for seven days. On tha
eighth day he said to his friends, "Now AN ILLUSTRATIVE that I have fulfilled my duty towards PARABLE my subjects let us spend' one day to-
gether, just you and I". So it is with our Holy Days—Rosh Hashona, Yom Kippur and Succoth which follow one another in rapid succession, are universal in their application. Shemene Artzeres, is that extra day which is devoted to ourselves exclusively, the entire House of Israel. In keeping with the Rabbi's understanding of the nature of the day we have attempted in this editorial an examination of World* Jewry and we have gratifyingfy discovered that Israel's eye "is not yet dimmed nor his natural force abated."
Editorial Comments
IN MODERN TIMES
the phantom of emancipation. Brow-beaten by centuries of oppression and cramped G-hetto experience, Western European Jewries, German Jewry particularly, offered to surrender their Jewish individuality and their belief in a Jewish future in return for the grant of civil equalit'y. Over-zealous to display their worthiness of this equality many renounced the name of Jew, choosing to be known as Magyars or Teutons of Mosaic persuasion. Thus in the spirit of self-abnegation, of cowardly assimilation, born in Central Europe, began to spread to the rest of the world, damming everywhere Jewish vision and sapping our vitality. Blinded by the prospect of Civic and State office, our Central European brethren did not discern that unwittingly they were lending support to the dangerous principle that a cultural and racial minority is not entitled to privileges of citizenship. But has Israel, as a whole, lost its Mosaic rights? No! As
The holidays are now practically over and once again most of us will resume our normal duties. We are proud of the fact that we have been able to produce our last four issues a little before their usual time in order that we would not conflict with the holidays and to do this we feel proud that we had the cooperation of our advertisers, the publicity secretaries of our various organizations, and all those who were good enough to send us material for copy. We would like this cooperation to continue and we feel with such assistance a lot of the difficulties we have had to contend with will be obviated. In order that the Bulletin be in the hands of our subscribers on Friday morning we are compelled to close our columns on Tuesday afternoon. The dead line hour after this date will be 2 p.m. on Tuesday and those who wish their items to be publishe din the current issue, must bear this in mind. We cannot accept reports after that hour even tho' the old charge of "discrimination" is made against us. We try to be as fair as wp. can, and, if during the past year we have been guilty of sins of "omission or commission", we promise not to offend again. If our readers would realize that the Bulletin is their Organ and not that of any private individual we feel they would be more eager to help us.
There is one point more in connection with the paper we would like to touch on. Every now and again, we hear (even when we are not supposed to) that the subject of the Editorials are discussed and laid down by the Bulletin Committee and the Administrative Council. This is not true. The Editor is solely responsible for such editorials and is willing to take all responsibility in the matter. It is true that the Committee in charge have laid down certain policies in connection with the paper, such as the omission of anything of a political or contentious nature. This vvas a wise aotibri and saves much soreness. But apart from that, the Bulletin Committee or the Administrative Council, do not dictate or interfere in any way with the subject matter of the Editorials. It has been my aim and ambition, since I undertook the Editorship of the Bulletin, to write Editorials that would be helpful and I feel that I have succeeded as far as human power can. Naturally one cannot please everybody but if my readers will beai' with me and show their sympathy, even if they do not agree with all I write, things would be made much pleasanter. It is the intention of the Editor, during the coming year, to introduce many innovations. We have started with a "Ladies Corner" and have arranged for a series of articles on the doings of our students in the Universities under the title of "Campus News".
Arrangements are also being made for a "Childrens Corner" and short stories of Jewish interest will also be inserted when space permits.
We sincerely trust that the efforts of the Bulletin to publish a paper that will be of use and interest to its readers will be successful.
Let it be the organ of Jewish thought with one idea uppermost in the minds of our readers and that is that the slogan for 5694 is a "United Jewry".
CORRESPONDENCE
formerly in Babylon, so in modern times, leaders arose who repaired our peoples vision. 'One is tempted to say that history occasionally indulges in irony, Germany, the land that gave us the earliest and latest defeatists, also gave us the first MOSES HESS modern prophet of Jewish re-birth. In the middle of the last century, during that great European revolution when Jews of the Germanic countries, in anticipation of the forthcoming emancipation, were vehement in their renunciation of national Jewish hopes and in proclaiming their readiness to amalgamate with the surrounding nations, there was heard the voice of Moses Hess, on© of the leaders of that revolution, demanding that in the great emancipatory movement, the Jews should be freed not as Germans, Austrians or Hungarians, but as Jews. He discovered that there is an indestructible quality in the Jew; and that quality he maintained, was worthy of preservation and cultivation. With this prophetic insight, he discerned that rampant European nationalism would be in need of that sobering and pacifying influence Avhich a Jewish commonwealth coukl furnish.
Present d'ay events in Germany prove tliat Hess and his followers had a clearer perspective of Jewish history and mission
Like the Ark of the Covenant, the good man will be golden within as than the assimilationists whose vision was dimmed by the glamour'well as without.
The Editor, Jewish Western
Bulletin. Dear Sir:
We are deeply grateful to you for the very splendid publicity given to Vancouver Chapter No. 119 of Aleph Zadik Aleph, in your publication. I trust that this will be a continued feature in your organ.
Very sincerely yours, JULIUS BISNO. Executive Secretary Aleph Zadik Aleph B.B. Omaha Nebraska.
Vienna Synagogue Walls Are Defaced by Swastikas
VIENNA—The walls of many synagogues here were defaced with swastika emblems by the Nazis during the intervals between Rosh Hashonah services.
The Hagana, a Jewish self-defense organization of Jewish soldiers, guarded the synagogues and helped maintain order throughout the High Holidays. During the hours between serv-ives, however, when the Hagana was not on duty, the opportunity was seized by the Nazis to do their defacing.
The continuous impoverishment of Uie Jewish population makes maintenance of communal budgets .most difficult. Altliough synagogues are overcrowded, many seats in the synagogues have not been paid for on account of financial hardships.
Strengthen Boycott Appeal In Warsaw Synagogues
, WARSAW—An appeal to S'trengthen the boycott against all German goods was recited at all the synagogues today before the reading of the Torah, at the request of the rabbinate. The appeal was circulated in all the synagogues with a suitable text, asking the purchasing public to refrain from buying all goods originating in Hitler-land. "Our brethren are cruelly tortured in Germany. Let the Lord listen to our prayers and release our brothers from their present hardships," the appeal concludes.
6000 German Jews Settled In Palestine in 6 Months
LONDON — Six thousand German Jews have been settled in Palestine in the last six months, the British Central Fund for German Jews disclosed today. The report reveals that investigations of the possibility of settling German Jews in all parts of the world are being continued, and that already about 500 of them have been settled in Brazil and other over-seas points.
The British committee has already raised 185,000 pounds (approximately ,^890,000) toward the work of expatriating the German Jews. Of this, about 170,000 pounds has been allocated. .Approximately fifty per cent of the total went for work in Palestine and the remainder for assistance to refugees in England and countries on the continent.
True happiness consists of being considered worthy of it.
a
IN MEMORIAM
The tombstone in memory of Hulda, the wife of George Klein, and mother of I. J. Klein, H. H. Klein and Mrs. H. S. Lechtzier
will be unveiled
at the New Cemetery, Marine Drive, on
Wednesday, October 18th at 2.30 p.m.
Rabbi N. M. Pastinsky will officiate.
Relatives and friends will please accept this, the only intimation.
Schara Tzedeck Congregation
The Plostponed Election of Officers will be held on Sunday, October 15, in the Talmud Torah Hall at
2.30 p.m.
Every member is urgently requested to be present as matters of a special nature will foe discussed.
The following notices of motion to alter and amend the by-laws and constitution of the Schara Tzedek Cemetery will be submitted. (1) By-law 1, Section 2—."That after the words, "That such new congregations shall each have a membership of at least fifty bona-flde members", the following words be added: "provided further that such congregations must be in existence at least twelve months before being entitled to a Representative."
By-law No. 4—That By-law No. 4, referring to the alteration and repeal of any by-laws shall not in any way refer to By-law No, 2, Section 1, which reads, "That all burials in the Schara Tzedek Cemetery shall be made in accordance with the rites and customs of-the Jewish Orthodox Religion, and that By-law No. 2, Section 1, shall not in any way be amended, suspended or repealed under any conditions.
We Thank Thee
By THOMAS CURTIS CLARK Not for our lands, our far-flung prairie wealth,
Our mighty rivers born of friendly spring; Our inland seas; our mountains proud and high:
Forests and orchards richly blossoming; Not for these, Lord, our deepest thanks are said
As, humbly glad, we hail this day serene; Not for these most, dear Father of our lives,
But for the love that in all things is seen. We thank Thee, Lord, on this recurring day,
For liberty to worship as we will; We thank Thee for the hero souls of old.
Who dared wild seas their mission to fulfil; 0 gird our hearts with stalwart faith in good.
Give us new trust in Thy providing hand, And may a spirit born of brotherhood
Inspire our hearts and bless our native land.
—From The Vancouver Sun.
-y^Kt? )?u;-i*x ;?i''HrK
LESLIE COAICDITD
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