Daily Digest of Public Opinion on Jewish Matters

Alpha Mu Sigma, a national Jewish fraternity, will hold its tenth annual convention at the Hotel Plaza, New York City, to commemorate the tenth year of its founding

The question of the effects of the cessation of immigration on the future development of American Jewry is discussed at length by H. Lang in a recent issue of the “Forward”. The picture of the present composition of American Jewry is given in this way by the writer:

“The grandfather, a former poor immigrant; the son, a modern American businessman; the grandson, a ‘college-boy’ who helps his father in his business. Linguistically, English is the uniting link between the three; the son occasionally hears the sound of Yiddish-the grandson never hears it.”

With the stopping of the influx of east-European Jews Mr. Lang can see no hope for the growth here of the Yiddish language or literature, and he sums up his conclusions in the following words:

“Yiddishism with its chools and seminaries constitutes a weak instrument for restraining the stream of life which must flow into the melting-pot. It constitutes a weak force to counteract the ‘Americanization’ of the Jewish masses. We are doomed to abandon our immigrant modes of life, our Yiddish and everything that goes with this.”

A FOREIGN-BORN AMERICAN PATRIOT

Congressman Julius Kahn, who died last Thursday, is eulogized by the N. Y. “Times”, which says of him:

“Mr. Kahu was one of the greatest and most inspiring examples of a foreign-born citizen who identified himself so intensively with American life that not even his natural sympathy for the people of the land of his birth could dim his ardent loyalty to the country of his adoption at a time which tried the souls of many others in like circumstances.”

The N. Y. “Herald-Tribune”, writing about Mr. Kahn, remarks:

“Julius Kahn did this country a great service during the war and in the days before the war. He had the real vision of a public servant. He exerted himself to the utmost to set our house in order and to defend America.”

“A NEW HOPE”

Mr. S. Niger, writing in the “Day”, welcomes the new Yiddish treatre, which was organized recently in this city under the name of “Unzer Teater”, as a worthy achievement. This theatre is under the directorship of David Pinski, Peretz Hirshbein and H. Leivik, all of whom are well known Yiddish dramatists, and it aims to present only plays of the higher class. Mr. Niger, relating his impressions of the first performance, which took place on Dec. 9, says:

“It was proven that love, devotion, a comradely atmosphere and aspiration toward perfection of style can accomplish, even without superior powers, something noteworthy and valuable. We feared that the new theatre would be a new disappointment. It is a new hope!”

AN IMPORTANT REPORT

The “Jewish World” of Philadelphia lauds Mr. Louis Lipsky, who returned recently from Palestine, for the practical, matter-of-fact tone in which he reported his Palestine observations. Mr. Lipsky’s address, says the paper, is indicative of the new Zionist psychology which is pivoted around the word Work.

“Mr. Lipsky’s report will help to substantiate this fact. And this is more important than clever journalism and beautiful phrases, of which Mr. Lipsky is a master. His report is timely, interesting and worthy of close attention.”