[The purpose of the Digest is informative: Preference is given to papers not generally accessible to our readers. Quotation does not indicate approval.–Editor.]
The conference of church and synagogue, the first of its kind, which is being held this week in Olivet. Mich., can, in the opinion of the “Jewish Morning Journal,” do much through exerting American influence toward the eventual protection of the interests of racial and religious minorities.
“It is well known,” the paper writes. “that we Jews received expressions of sympathy from Christian churches at a time when Jews suffered from persecutions, and an understanding that may lead to a better-organized and speedier cooperation during similar situations would prove to be useful.
“The new order of things in the Old World has brought to the surface the minority problem in many countries. Even big nations, like the Germans, have minorities in Poland, Lithuania, etc., and Jewish minorities exist and suffer wherever complete political freedom does not yet prevail. A union of Jewish and Christian representatives for the purpose of being better prepared to use American influence in favor of racial or religious minorities, can have a certain value. At any rate, we have no reason to be opposed to such an understanding even though the exaggerated compliments which individual representatives offer one another under such circumstances may not be to our taste.”
ON THE “JEWISH WORLD COUNCIL” PROPOSAL
The decision, made on the suggestion of Dr. Stephen S. Wise, of the recent conference of the Committee of Jewish Delegations which took place in London, to the effect that next year an international Jewish conference be called for the purpose of electing a Jewish World Council for the protection of the Jewish rights in the countries of Eastern and Central Europe, is regarded by the “Day” as a timely and necessary step that will, if realized, bring about an improvement of the relief work for the East European Jews.
“Such an organization (a Jewish World Council) is particularly necessary today,” the paper urges, “because today the Jewish world is divided into two groups: one that gives and one that takes; Jewish worlds in ruin, and Jewish worlds that seek to reconstruct the ruins. Between these two groups there is rarely an adequate understanding, an exchange of opinions as of equals and equals. At the charity table the relations are, after all, different than they would be at a general Jewish congress. In order to be in a position to properly participate in the relief administration, so that the work may be performed in the most adequate and decent manner, the Jews who are in need of the relief must also have a say in the management of the relief activities,” the paper declares.
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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.
