Jews Owe It to U.S. to Accept High Office, Says Dr. Steinberg

The contention that Jews should not accept high public office was rejected yesterday morning in the open forum at the Park Avenue Synagogue by Rabbi Milton Steinberg.

Asserting he recognized that large numbers of Jews in official positions do offer incitement to anti-Semitism, Dr. Steinberg said this condition should not force Jews to decline the posts. He cited practical, psychological and patriotic reasons.

The Jews owe it to their own interests, to their self-respect, to America and the American “vision” to accept high public office, the speaker declared.

A decade ago, he said, Jews derived pleasure from the elevation of their co-religionists, the idea being that their advancement reflected favorably on the whole community. But today, with more Jews in high public places than ever before, “we are not quite happy about it all.”