Mary Fels Takes Exception to Utterance of Bialik

(Communication to the Editor)

Sir:

What unfaithfulness to his people is in these words of Bialik: “If the Jewish people does not wish to make a farce of its life-content and historic existence it cannot afford to shirk this obligation.” As if a farce could ever be made of the undying glory of Jewish life and history. A life and history which has preserved, far beyond all others, the eternal verities. A life lived close to God, with an ever-striving to learn how best to achieve this. A life clean, loving, fervid to martyrdom, for its One God and His Law. The devotion to the Holy Land to what has, and is to, come out of it, this is what is of infinite worth. It is this which should be stressed. The material needs will then he met spontaneously and healthfully. There will be neither disregard of them nor over-regard. And wisdom and vision will preside over all.

The “honor and dignity” of the Jewish people rest in what it has given to the world. With a people as with a person the less one thinks about one’s dignity and honor the more they are present to look to their real basis. That basis is found in spirit content not in outer furnishings, not in adding house to house and city to city. And that spirit is present now in Palestine. Whatever may or may not come this noble, fervid spirit will not, cannot, be undone. It is of the zeal and consequent endeavors of colonists who came there many years ago. They live the simple, holy life of true Jews. Dignity is the every day garment of these good men and women. In them we are, and will be further, justified and honored. We can point to what we have now, instead of crying out fears for the future.

MARY FELS.

New York, Feb. 17, 1926.

The building committee of the Adas Kodesch center, Wilmington, Del., authorized the preparation of plans and specifications for the proposed center building.

The building will be erected adjoining the synagogue. Funds were subscribed in a recent campaign. The members of the committee are Charles Topkis, chairman; Joseph Stone, Dr. I. K. Kreshtool, Louis Rosenblatt, Abraham Topkis and Abraham Silver.

The appeal of the Shearith Israel Congregation to the Baltimore City Court to compel the city to permit it to erect a Hebrew school at 2100 Callow Avenue, was upheld by Acting Chief Judge Henry Duffy.

The twenty-fourth annual meeting of the Young Women’s Hebrew Association was held yesterday afternoon at 31 West 110th Street, New York City.