Jewish Activities in the Metropolitan Area

Supreme Court Justice Samuel H. Hofstadter, in the principal address before yesterday’s conference of the Jewish Education Association, held at the Jewish Club, 23 West Seventy-third street, stressed the need of a new social conscience called for by the economic changes now in progress.

“America needs not only a New Deal but a New Covenant,” Judge Hofstadter declared. This New Covenant he envisaged in the words of the Prophet Jeremiah: “I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their hearts will I write it.”

Referring to Fascism on the rampage in Germany, Judge Hofstadter exclaimed: “The day will come when the historian will write down “They sought to destroy the Jews because this people has become specially identified with freedom and democracy.”

“But how can we secure responsibility with freedom ? Not through the multiplication of laws, but through the elevation of the moral perceptions. We must instill into our children the sublime teachings of their faith. Then will they continue to be, in greater measure than ever, and in spite of all enemies, the guardians of liberty and democracy.”

ROTTENBERG PRESIDES

Samuel Rottenberg, vice president, presided as reports by the association’s various committees were made to the members on their activities during the past year. In his opening remarks, Mr. Rottenberg urged Jews to prepare themselves and their children to meet the “challenge and menace” they are facing. “Our defense,” he stated, “must be in terms of mind and spirit. We must take our stand on our own ground–the ground of our past, our achievements, our usefulness–on the justice of our cause.”

Jacob Werner, chairman of the scholarship committee, reported that during the past year scholarships were granted to 45 schools with an enrollment of 14,000 pupils. More than 25,000 free scholarships to children of the poor, enabling them to attend Jewish religious schools, have been granted by the Jewish Education Association during its existence, Werner announced. He declared that the committee felt “that where the parent is unable to provide his child with a Jewish education, he becomes the responsibility of the entire Jewish community.”

A report by Jacob H. Cohen, president of the J. E. A. Mortgage Service, Inc., revealed that the corporation had aided 44 institutions by extending to them loans on notes and mortgages. These loans, he stated, had saved the schools large sums in “wasteful bonuses.” While the corporation has suffered serious losses during the depression, Cohen declared, he was confident the end of hard times would find it still in operation.

COUNCIL ANNOUNCED

A “Business and Professional Council for Jewish Education,” to develop trade groups, was formed during the year, it was announced by Judge Jonah J. Goldstein who reported on the association’s organization and campaign activities. Groups already approached by the council, Judge Goldstein stated, included real estate, dresses and silks, accountants, cotton goods and shirts. Two youth divisions have been organized, one in Manhattan and the other in Brooklyn. The Manhattan unit is called the “Banim” and is headed by Murray Rothenberg. The Brooklyn group is the League for Jewish Education. under leadership of Miss Leonore Sweedler and Sidney Q. Cohen.

Plans for a benefit performance at the Hippodrome, May 22, were announced by Judge Goldstein. The arrangements committee will be headed by Abraham Gevirtz, chairman, and Benjamin Leibel, cochairman.

Details of the organization’s educational activities aimed at interesting parents in giving their children a Jewish education were discussed by Bernard Semel, honorary secretary of the Jewish Education Association. An important factor in the publicity campaign undertaken by the association, Semel said, was publication of the “Jewish Education News,” a bulletin that was being mailed to 5,000 men and women.

“We say to parents,” Semel declared, “that their children must not remain Jews by the grace of our enemies, but by the grace of God and of our past.”

Appreciation of the efforts of the Jewish press in publicizing the activities of the association was expressed by Semel, who also singled out for praise in this respect the work of Ivriah, women’s division of the J. E. A. Newspapers lauded by Semel included the Jewish Daily Bulletin, Morning Journal, The Day, American Hebrew and the Brooklyn Examiner.

Mr. Semel disclosed that the Board of License, recently established by the association to license teachers in Hebrew schools, has to date granted 634 permanent licenses, 276 temporary licenses, and 22 permits. Announcement was made of a survey by the Department of Information and Statistics to study the shifting of the city’s Jewish child population in the past ten years.

Other activities reported by Semel, under the community service division, included cooperation with the Federation for the Support of Jewish Philanthropic Societies, Teachers College, the National Council for Jewish Education, the Religious Education Association, the Interfaith Committee and other bodies. In this field the association was represented by Israel S. Chipkin, educational director. Assistance also was given the Zionist Commission on Education, Semel reported, and considerable effort was directed toward promoting the inclusion of Hebrew in the curricula of public high schools.

A report on the work of Ivriah, women’s division with branch units in eighteen sections of the city, was made by Mrs. Gabriel Hamburger, chairman. She stated that the organization had held its membership despite the depression and had even registered an increase in receipts over the previous year. The year’s activities included cooperation with the local Jewish schools to increase enrollment, cultural classes for members to study Hebrew and the bible, and lecture courses.

An increase of 500 members was recorded during the past year by the Brooklyn division, it was reported by Judge Nathan Sweedler, chairman. A youth branch, “League for Jewish Education,” was formed and has succeeded in interesting other organizations in the cause of Jewish education. A dinner will be held by the Brooklyn division at St. George Hotel, May 27, it was announced.