Soltes Scores ‘deserters’ in Money Crisis

The tendency of Jewish leaders to “desert the cause of Jewish education” in times of economic difficulty was deplored by Dr. Mordecai Soltes in a symposium conducted by the Jewish Welfare Board last night at the Hebrew Educational Society, 564 Hopkinson Avenue, Brooklyn. The topic was “Problems Confronting Jewish Youth.”

Speaking at the meeting besides Dr. Soltes were Dr. Adele ###ildersee, dean of Brooklyn College and Dr. Irving Sands, psy###hiatrist.

“I am deeply concerned at the ###larming manner in which Jewish leaders of our country, at the slightest provocation, desert the basic cause of Jewish education. I fail to comprehend the state of hysteria, retrogression and disillusionment which have characterized Jewish communal life since the depression,” Dr. Soltes said.

“It seems that at the first sign of economic difficulties, the leaders of some of the Jewish communities retreat. Some of the Jewish institutions which it had taken decades to build up have been thoughtlessly and unceremoniously sacrificed upon the altar of economy and expediency.

“Jewish institutions are being starved. The chief excuse for abandoning the first line of defense is economic depression, but I maintain that this is a very narrow, short-sighted view. The grave error which we have committed during the past few years was the haste with which we proceeded to relieve ourselves of our Jewish communal responsibilities. To my mind that constitutes an indictment of American Jewish leadership and a real source of danger for the future of American Jewry.”