J.t.a. Carries America’s Name to Distant Corners

Booklet Describes World-Wide Service of J. T. A.

A booklet entitled, “J. T. A. its function, its importance and service to American Jewry.” by William Z. Spicgelman will be off the press in a few days.

Describing the history, the scope and character of the work of the only Jewish news agency in existence, the booklet tells a graphic story of how Jewish news is gathered and distributed. It presents the background of the world-wide service and demonstrates the manifold directions in which the Jewish Telegraphic Agency extends its usefulness.

A chapter dealing with the function of the American branch, states:

One aspect of the American branch of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency is of particular interest to American Jews.

A superficial knowledge of Jewish history suffices one to know that the centers of Jewish life in the past two thousand years have been shifting from empire to empire and from state to state as the trend of mankind’s history proceeded. Observers of Jewish life in the Post-War period have reached the conclusion that the cultural, religious and philanthropic center of Jewish life has been transferred to America.

The American Jewish community numbering close to four million, emerging from the initial stages of adjustment to the environment of the New World, is today the leading Jewish community in the world. All projects, all plans, all ideas, depend for their success or failure on the support of American Jewry. The eyes of the Jews of the world are focussed on the Jewish activities of American Jews. The precarious position in which many Jewish communities in Europe, Asia and Africa have found themselves following the World War, is due to the fact that they could not find as speedily as necessary, the formula of adjustment which became essential due to the fundamental changes in the structure of the commonwealth with the changes wrought by the cataclysm.

The strides in the direction of cultural economic and social adjustment made by American Jewry in the past decades is of tremendous constructive value to the Jews of the world.

The manner in which American Jews have coped with the problem of social service, their incomparable contribution toward social welfare through the Federation system, their helpfulness in introducing into American life the Community Chest idea, their unparalleled per capita contribution to philanthropic causes, their world wide interest in humanitarian effort, their attempt at solving the Jewish education problem, their contributions to the economic upbuilding of the Republic, their leadership in civic affairs–are an outstanding example to Jews and non-Jews the world over, which, if properly known and emulated, would solve many perplexing problems of the so-called national religious or ethnic minorities.

Since the principle of religious and personal liberty was incorporated into the Declaration of Independence, America has become the world’s leader not only in reiterating this ever-true principle, but in including it as an integral part of the basic law and by making the government the guardian for its application.

Max J. Kobler, prominent New York attorney, in a conclusive study submitted recently to the Judeans, showed in detail how America influenced Europe in embracing this principle. The spirit of equal opportunity to all men, the principle of fair play, the total lack of discrimination against Jew so far as the branches of the government are concerned, the atmosphere of American life comparatively free from anti-Semitism — equipping the Jew with freedom in all branches of life and receiving in exchange most valuable contributions in all fields of human endeavor–is an inspiring tale which is daily broadcast to all parts of the world by the service of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

This service brings the name of America into every distant corner of the world. Jewish leaders in all countries eagerly absorb the description of events in America, the achievements of American Jews, their large-scope plans to alleviate human suffering, the co-operation of non-Jewish Americans in these endeavors, the attitude of the United States government in this matter, the growth of the Jewish communities, the results of Jewish research, the conclusions of Jewish studies, the spirit of helpfulness and understanding which prevails.

Due to the efforts of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, no detail of this absorbing story, standing out unique in the history of the Jews, is lost to Jewish readers in all parts of the world. In the service of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency it is not subjected to the perchance picking up which must unavoidably be marked by inaccurate translations, distortions and misunderstandings.

The American branch of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency tells the majestic story, daily, through trained, efficient writers and observers of life, thoroughly familiar with international conditions thus preventing the possibility of American events being viewed through “European” eyes and European events being viewed through “American” eyes, guarding the proportion and the color of the occurrences described.