Speculation as to American Jewry’s course of action in the future by two of its outstanding philosophical thinkers — Professor Morris Cohen of City College of New York and Dr. Mordecai M. Kaplan, dean of Teachers Institute of the Jewish Theological Seminary — featured yesterday afternoon’s session of the National Conference on Jewish Welfare, which last evening concluded a four-day session at the Community House of Temple Emanu-El, 1 East Sixty-fifth street.
Joseph Schlossberg, general secretary of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America, accused Jewish employers in this country of "an economic anti-Semitism" in another address.
FEARS FOR GHETTO
Speaking on the general subject of "Jewish adjustment and integration into American Life," Professor Cohen and Dr. Kaplan stressed diametrically opposed lines of thought.
Professor Cohen, who termed liberalism "the fine flower of civilization," expressed the fear that over-regimentation of Jewry might well bring about the institution of the ghetto in American Jewish life.
Dr. Kaplan stated that "the Federation movement represented
(continued on page 3) ###oy centrifugal forces in Jewish life making for Jewish survival" is the future of American Jewry.
THE WILL TO LIVE
"The organization," he said "of the National Council of Jewish Federations should be viewed as an expression of the Jewish will to live. It is not, in spite of the fact that many of those identified with the Federation are indifferent, or even antagonistic, to Jewish group solidarity.
"If the Jew is to meet his obligations to America, he must be integrated into the economic framework of American life to the same degree as his non-Jewish fellow citizens."
"This religion is, I believe, the fine flower of civilization," Professor Cohen said," and is easily crushed by vital stresses, especially in times of adversity and depression.
ANTI-SEMITISM AND U. S.
"It may then well be that we shall have such a strong development of anti-Semitism in this country as to force us all into a ghetto, just as the German Jews are practically being forced into one today.
"While this is not impossible, I think it highly improbable, from the best available evidence, and it is of the utmost importance that we do not aid in bringing about such a calamity by regarding it as inevitable."
Discussing discrimination against Jewish employes, Mr. Schlossberg said:
"We may raise all the fine ethical and moral points against American Hitlerism but the boycott is here. Neither you nor I can help it. There is, however another economic boycott against Jewish workers which should be the concern of every Jew who is honest with himself.
ATTACKS JEWISH EMPLOYERS
"There is in effect an economic anti-Semitism among Jewish employers in this country," Mr. Schlossberg asserted. "The clothing industry has always been considered a Jewish industry. That is {SPAN}#rue{/SPAN} in the sense that almost all employers are Jews, and that the largest group of Jewish workers {SPAN}#re{/SPAN} in those industries.
TRACES CHARITY ENDEAVORS
Speakers were Rabbis David de #ola Pool of Shearith Israel and #ra Eisenstein of New York, as#ociate leader of the Society for ### Advancement of Judaism.
Rabbi Pool traced the history of Jewish charitable efforts in this country.
"It is a familiar fact," he said, that Jewish welfare activities are the direct outgrowth of the synagogue."
He admitted that today, however, the synagogue has only an indirect influence on charity.
SYNAGOGUE’S INFLUENCE DECREASED
"The removal of organized charity from the synagogue," he said, "has had a seriously weakening effect on the synagogue, which today stands out almost as a gamut, bloodless skeleton of its former self.
"If this decrease in the influence of the synagogue in charitable endeavors has weakened the synagogue, it has had an equally unfortunate effect on the nature of Jewish welfare activities.
"For removing them from the synagogue has often meant in effect uprooting them from the nourishing soil of Judaism. Jewish welfare activities grow out of Judaism and gain their specific character from Jewish teachings and Jewish life.
"Without the essential Jewish-ness of character, most of Jewish welfare work would not justify itself."
JEWISH CONCEPT DIFFERENT
He characterized as disheartening the fact that some Jewish hospitals entirely disregard the dietary laws and that many Jewish organizations fail to observe the Sabbath.
"There must be distinctiveness of Jewish character in Jewish welfare work," he said. "The Jewish concept of Tsedaka is characteristic, individual and differentiated. It is not identical with the Christian concept of charity, nor is its spirit and practice identical with the spirit and practice of American social work. This unfortunate de-Judaizing of Jewish welfare activities must be halted."
Continuing where Rabbi Pool left off, Rabbi Eisenstein termed the congregation of today "a highly diluted form of synagogue."
TREND OF TIMES
"No longer is it possible for every Jewish activity to stem from the place of worship," he said. "The foundation of Jewish organizations must be in the community of interest, which all must share."
The congregation, he pointed out, must gracefully accept this new state of affairs, and must labor in accordance with the times. Welfare agencies, however, must not forget the influence of the synagogue, he warned, and must not look to it only at times when funds are needed.
"The congregation will require representation on the councils of the community," he admonished. "The congregation must not be expected merely to contribute to the funds on which communal activities depend. Taxation, if it can be achieved, can be achieved only if accompanied by representation."
Summing up the work of the conference at the concluding session last night, H. L. Lurie, director of the Bureau of Jewish Social Research, declared that the "keynote of this conference has been changed adaptation, a recognition of the changing scene and a willingness to modify and reconstruct, if necessary, the social implements in order that they may serve more effectively for the needs which group and individuals seek to obtain through organized efforts."
A memorial service for Baron Edmond de Rothschild preceded the evening program. Morris Rothenberg and Mrs. David de Sola Pool were the speakers.
Mr. Rothenberg, Dr. Maurice B. Hexter and Berl Locker spoke in a discussion on Palestine.
SEEK TIEUP OF BODIES
William J. Shroder, president of the National Council, presided at Saturday evening’s assembly. He hailed the organization as a clearing house for the ultimate solution of the welfare problem. He also presented his annual report. The session was devoted chiefly to business.
One committee’s report called for the merger of the National Council and the Bureau of Jewish Social Research for a trial period of one year, on the ground that both organization do similar work.
Organized in 1932, the National Council now has a membership of forty-four Jewish federation and welfare funds throughout the country.
"From the beginning," Shroder said, "the National Council has disclaimed any desire to become a super-body, in any sense controlling the national or international agencies of the local communities. It stressed the need of procuring the return of lay thought and lay leadership throughout the entire nation to the planning and development of social programs. It stressed the autonomy of every community in helping to solve in its own way the problems we are all facing."
Professor Joseph P. Chamberlain of Columbia University, chairman of the national coordinating committee for refugees and immigrants coming from Germany, spoke on "The German Refugee in the United States."
"I don’t know of any group of people who are more German or more sympathetic to the traditions of German culture than the German Jews," he said.
"I tell you this in order that you may understand the mental shock that these Germans have suffered because of recent events in Germany. Because of their very loyalty Jewish refugees from Germany have found it most difficult to adjust themselves in exile."
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