Rabbi Newman Criticizes Soft Pedaling Policy on Films of Anti-jewish Blas

(Jewish Daily Bulletin)

“We are about to have a showdown on ‘The King of Kings.’ It is high time,” declares Rabbi Louis I. Newman of Temple Emanu-El, San Francisco, writing in “The Scribe,” English Jewish weekly published here.

Dr. Newman, who has from the first showing of the picture taken a strong stand on the matter, severely criticizes the anti-Dafamation Committee of the Independent Order B’nai B’rith on the Pacific coast for what he termed “soft pedalling” the matter.

“In the meantime” Rabbi Newman continues, “the picture is being shown in the provinces, theatre owners, many of them Jews, having made contracts early last September and before. They profess not to have known of any Jewish opposition to the picture and say that the harm was done in not acquainting the Jewish world and the general public concerning the situation while the picture was being filmed, and after it was first produced before they made commitments.

“There is no doubt that much of the responsibility must be laid at the door of those who knew at first hand of the matter and did not take the necessary steps to prevent the signation which has arisen. How dangerous the matter is can be seen from the words of Hollaender. German Jewish communal leader, who says that the exhibition of De Mille’s moving picture will ?faral for the safery of the Jewish population in General and Eastern Europe.

“The B’nai Brith Anti-Defarnation Committee on the Pacific Coast cannot be too severely criticized for their failure to take appropriate action The Convention at Long Beach last summer allowed itself to be misguided, largely because of what seemed to be a controversy of personalities. But the issue is larger than any two or twenty Jewish leaders. The honor and safety of the Jewish people is at stake.

“The action of the two Schildkrants, Rudolph and Joseph in por##aying Caizphas and Judas as against a blond Nordic Jesus is beneath contempt. Holl## of Germany calls their action ‘shameful; it is nothing less. It is on a par with the acts of apostates who in every age have herrayed Judaism and the Jewish cause. No amount of extentiating circumstances will be able to ## their action. As long as moving ## are shown and unless this film is destroyed their portrayak will be irribedded in ## for all the world to see. As long as this film is shown in the churches, our adversaries will glad over the fact that “their Jesus’ was not a real Jew but that his ### were Jews to the hilt.

“The B’nai Brith apparently have sought to follow a ‘hush-hush’ policy. But by keeping silent they have played into the hands of De Mille and his publicity agents who have advertised the fact far and wide that Jews have endorsed the picture. On this basis even Jewish theatre owners have been misled into accepting the film. Instrad of speaking forthrightly at Long Beach, or better still instead of taking action when it was known the film was being produced, instead of making a demonstration of Jewish public opinion–perhaps the only thing to which De Mille would give ear–the B’nai Brith Anti-Defamation leaders have sounded the seft-pedal, and have sought to crush any one who dared oppose this policy.” Rabbi Newman concludes.

Charles H. Joseph in his “Random Thoughts” writest “We mustn’t expect too much of our Jewish morie producers. Like the old-time vandeville Jew, they don’t hesitate to make capital at the expense of their own people. In Germany the protest is being loudly ##ced against this commercial anti-Semitism and specific charges are brought against certain American films that have been made by Jewish capital and under Jewish direction. I have never expected very much from the gentlemen who control our movie industry but then it isn’t very much to ask of them that they find some other source of revenue than by explidting their own people.”

If you are pleased with the Bulletin tell your friends to subscribe.