Joy in the final achievement of victory mixed with concern for their surviving brethren in Europe weakened by years of Nazi persecution filled the hearts of millions of American Jews as they observed Rosh Hashonah this year in synagogues throughout the country.
In their sermons yesterday and today rabbis stressed the grave problems of relief and reconstruction for the Jews of Europe which lie ahead, and emphasized that nest of the required aid must come from the Jews of the United States, the largest Jewish community in the world. They also pointed out that the struggle against the forces of evil is not over and that a constant fight must be waged against these in this country and abroad who continue to spread hatred and distrust.
The feelings of most American Jews were, perhaps, best expressed by Rabbi Stephen S. Wise, who said in his sermon at the Free Synagogue that “The world tragedy is not ended for the bereft, who will, as long as life lasts, bear wounds and scars in their hearts, even though victory has achieved the best for the most… The world tragedy will not end with the ending of the war or with its victories. It will end only when the causes thereof shall have been ended.”
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
