Sholen Asch, the noted Jewish writer, today made public the text of a statement which he telegraphed to the editor of the Christian Herald in connection with an interview given by him to the publication, to which leading Jewish newspapers took exception. Mr. Asch’s statement reads.
“Even though my conception of Jesus is new outside the framework of Orthodox Jewish tradition Jewish tradition, I would no more think of leaving the faith of my ancestors than I would of betraying my country. Jesus, to my mind, is not a rupture with Judaism, out rather a continuation o he high ideals of Judaism.
I gave Mr. Mend the interview in good spirit, knowing your sympathetic attitude toward my work. While the interview as published is correct in spirit, it was on some vital points, if not directly misquoted, badly misunderstood. I did not see the interview before publication and on first reading I did not notice the implication, having been carried away by your sympathetic attitude toward my people and myself. Even if the spirit of the interview is correct, it is not correct in phraseology nd expression. Although I expressed my appreciation to Mr. Mea in writing, and still do so now, I must insist on the following corrections.
“in paragraph fine I meant to say that regardless of our attitude toward Jesus, as the Son of God, if we only regard him as the son of man he still has exerted the most vital influence on mankind. I never mentioned the words “the Son of God.” The express in the Son of God on Jesus is not in accordance with my conception of Jesus. My conceptions still Shma-Yisroel.
“Every other of my expressions in the interview on the role of Jesus and his importance still stands. Christianity can no more be analyzed then Judaism. As a matter of fact, no faith can be analyzed. You either accept or reject it. I know your good intentions and I appreciate them. Still, I do not wish to jeopardize the relations with my people by a mere statement, over the interpretation of which I had no control. I will not 1st provoke me into something that I do not believe. If I would feel like making a profession I would choose my own time and definition.”
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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.
