Rabbi Marius Ranson characterized James W. Gerard, former Ambassador to Germany, as a “publicity-seeker” in his sermon at Temple Sharey Tefilo here. Expressing great resentment at the remarks made by Mr. Gerard in an address last Sunday at the forum conducted by the Junior League of his congregation, Rabbi Ranson said:
“Painful as it is to me in my capacity as a host and deeply though I appreciate the friendship which Ambassador Gerard has always shown toward the Jewish people, I am compelled, by considerations of an ethical nature, to characterize Ambassador Gerard as a ‘publicity-seeker.’
“I happen to know that Mr. Gerard is aware of the fact that the number of Jews who are Communists is a very small percentage of the Jewish people. Indeed the capitalistic characteristics of the Jews have often been singled out for attack and criticism. The war record of American Jews is a striking refutation of the suggestion that Jews are prominent in the Communist party.”
Rabbi Ranson was formerly assistant rabbi at Temple Beth-El in New York.
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