The world-wide counter-attack of Jewry against the Nazi administration has extended even to the heart of the Black Belt in Harlem.
Under the militant leadership of A. W: Matthews: colored head of the B’nai Beth Abraham synagogue at 30 West 129th Street, New York’s colored section is being brought into line to protest the offensive against Jews by the brown battalions of Hitler.
“We have heard of the atrocities being committed against our bro thers in Germany,” Rabbi Matthews yesterday told a representative of the Jewish Daily Bulletin, “and we shall not remain silent longer.
“Our apostles of good will have proceeded into varegated organizations of this section to deliver the word to all people who resent such criminality against the rights and privileges of mankind. Through the ministrations of our spiritual elocutionists we hope to confront the good people with the situation existing in Germany today and beseech them to assume an attitude toward the Nazi administration that will speak eloquently of our protestations.”
Rabbi Matthews reports that many of his flock have been appointed as lecturers and sent out to a number of Negro organizations in Harlem to solicit their support in the boycott of German goods. He says that thus far their efforts have been rewarded with a growing antipathy of the Harlem colony to the Nazi administration.
“We are fighting barbarism of all kinds,” he explained. “Today we are engaged in our battle for mankind on two fronts. One is the Hit ler terror and the other the wave of lynchings of colored folks that has swept the South.
“We are trying to bring the people of the land back to an alliance with God through expostulating with them on the meritorious aspects of religion, by demonstrating the infallibility of the one true God. If we could but obtain the attention of Mr. Hitler, I am certain that he too would see the light and strive to drive away the influences of the devil and the evils of the darker world.
“We can not give too much publicity to the machinations of the evilforces that are playing on Mr. Hitler’s vanity and other weaknesses of human character.” the Harlem spiritual leader declared. “We can not give too much publicity to the attacks of the evil spirits upon mankind. We can not give too much publicity to the atrocities that are being performed on an innocent people in Germany.
“And,” be added, “we are going to give these evils all the publicity they deserve. Our lecturers will give them publicity. Our ministers will see to it that the evil one gets what’s coming to him.”
Rabbi Mathews was born in Algiers. His congregation numbers 405, all colored. He said he was ordained in this city.
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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.
