Rabbi Nathan A. Perilman, Temple Emanu-el—If in Hitler’s Germany the leaders had given the people justice how much better it would have been for the German people and the whole world. Let the men who have power take off their masks of deceit.
Let us turn from our twentieth century existence and turn to the period of the prophets. Then the people had but one index. Prosperity meant that God was with the people while depression meant that God had strengthened the hands of the enemies.
Now, we think of life in terms of economics, politics and social set ups. So complex has life become that we must think of ourselves with relationship to all mankind.
URGES MORE SOLITUDE
Rabbi Morris Lichtenstein, Congregation of Jewish Science, 150 West 85th St.—God invested man with two distinct powers, mental and emotional; the power of thought and the power of feeling. The object of feelings is to bring man in contact with mankind.
But while emotions were given to man in order to emphasize his fellowship with the rest of the world, man’s progress was made essentially in solitude.
The weakness of our modern life is that we give too much of ourselves to society and too little to solitude. It seems that we must constantly have society, constantly mix with the multitude. We have trained ourselves to flee from solitude, we dread to be alone.
DISCUSSES CHAUVINISM
Rabbi Joseph Zeitlin, Temple Ansche Chesed, West End Ave. at 100th St., N. Y.—Chauvinism is defined as exaggerated patriotism. However, to a limited extent, it may have spiritual value. It would be a blessing indeed if the nations of the world began to take stock of themselves and to see in which of their qualities they delight. The Jew, for example, throughout his history has never boasted of powerful armies nor military conquest nor the wealth that he might have possessed, but instead, he found reason for pride in his culture and spirituality. Would that the nations of the world glory in their abilities to better and enrich mankind—then indeed would we all enjoy greater contentment, blessedness and peace.
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.
