The Bulletin’s Day Book

We have just been talking with a young lady who once worked the “directory game.” She says the Jews are softies under the kneading of high pressure salesmen, and through her we learn that many Jews contribute thousands of dollars yearly to unscrupulous racketeers trading in the name of religion.

Why Jewry presents a happy hunting ground for mulcting bands we are not particularly interested in discussing here, but how they expose themselves to the coercion of racketeers is a matter that should be undertaken for the benefit of those who prove to be perennial suckers. No figures are available, but one authority on the “directory” racket reckons the income of promoters in New York City at more than a half million dollars annually–a half million dollars which could be given to worthy charities.

Few synagogues in the city have been immune to the operations of groups who seek to compile a directory or year book of respective congregations. The sanction of unsuspecting rabbis is first secured, “boiler rooms” (rooms with a battery of telephones over which solicitors turn on the heat and blow off steam) are established, and all is in readiness for the advertising campaign. No doubt, you have seen the innumerable ads in church or synagogue directories, all jammed together in an ugly display and all of them too obscure to produce results.

Vocal piety is a requirement indispensible to those hoping to succeed in telephone solicitation. Reverent modesty combined with resistless perseverence and firmness must be incorporated in the tonal qualities of the appeal. Something between the moan and whine on the one hand, and, on the other, the commanding bark of a drill sergeant.

A solicitation goes something like this: “Hello, Mr. Cohen, this is Mrs. Gold down at the synagogue. We are making up a directory for Rabbi Soandso–a directory of the congregation. Judge Blank told us to be sure to call upon you to support this worthy cause with an advertisement for the directory. We would like so much money from you for an ad of such and such size, and may God bless you for your help. The entire congregation will read it and patronize your store. We’ll send a man right over for the money.”

When more persuasion is required the solicitor may add: “Judge Blank (who, incidentally, knows nothing of the director will certainly repay the favor if ever he can do you a court favor.” Or, if something of the nature of threats seems feasible, “I am sure that the entire congregation would be disappointed in not seeing your ad in the directory. You know, they are particularly careful to patronize those who support this good work.”

It is miraculous how merchants contribute to this cause. Not only Jews, but businessmen of all sects give frequently, until or when it hurts. They are literally sandbagged into meeting the demands of the solicitors.

Few merchants ever risk the embarrassment of mentioning the modus operandi to the rabbi or prominent members of the congregation, whose names were mentioned as sponsors in the solicitation. But when they do, they meet with shocked surprise.

The rabbi usually agrees to publication of the directory when agents of small publishing companies offer him five hundred copies of the book free and sometimes a small fee, about $25, for his recommendation. He is never informed accurately as to how publishers make profit from the enterprise.

When the work is over, and it requires only a few days for all merchants within a radius of fifteen blocks of smaller synagogues to be approached, advertising receipts are found to aggregate $2,000 or more.

The books are published–usually miserable looking affairs–for $100. Solicitors receive fifteen per cent, of the contributions, collectors get ten per cent., and promoters take the rest. Frequently, it is said, the rabbi is fleeced out of his $25.