The Southern Israelite. (Augusta, Ga.) 1925-1986, December 14, 1929, Image 4

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I*aye 4 The Southern Is ha elite 4 hr ^cuttiprO^flHe Executive Otficei: 161 Spring St., N. W. J I I Published in Atlanta Monthly by J THE SOUTHERN NEWSPAPERS ENTERPRISES. Inc.. M. STEPHEN SCHIFFER, Managing Editor ! « Subscription Rates: 15 Cents Single Copy, $1.50 Per Year in Advance. Entered as second class matter at the Postoffice at Atlanta. Ga., under the Act of March 3rd, 1879. All communications for publication should reach this office not later than 1st and 15th of each month. i _ I The Southern Israelite Invites correspondence and literary contributions, but the Editor Is not to be considered as sharing the views expressed by the writers except those enunciated in the Editorial columns The Passion Plav Notwithstanding our respect for the spirit in which the Pas sion Play was received by its audience and the dignified reviews to the credit of the critics, we still fail to glimpse any justification for the production. This impression was induced from knowledge of the principle of the theme of the pageants, alone, for after its advertisement, all desire to see the actual presentation was obli- viated. The play may have been beautiful, full of the reverence and respect that religious sentiment carries and that the assured sin cerity of the actors probably expressed, but it must needs have recalled to the popular mind incidents which to them are the basis of all the religious prejudice originating in the era protrayed. Surely tableaux, reproducing the actual inspiration for the almost blind religious intolerance that exists even today, cannot but arouse significant anti-Jewish reaction in the hearts of thousands of non- Jews. Most people with any sort of education at all today, religious or otherwise, realize the false effects and impressions that have piled up through ignorant instruction and propaganda reverting to the theme of the Passion Play, but the spirit of the play today can serve only to aggravate any existing anti-Semitism or awaken intolerance that has died down. We should be broadminded and we should certainly look upon the life of Jesus in the intelligent and significant aspect upon which the fundamental of Christianity is based, but in the face of all the distorted and incongrous prejudices and ideas that have developed since that time as a miserable result of the originally beautiful sentiment, it seems unnecessary and unjust to the welfare of man kind to recall these scenes in any such realistic fashion as the Pas sion Play suggests. It should be the duty of really sincere Christians to discour age the performances as far as possible by their restricted patron age and unenthusiastic propaganda; it should be the good, sound judgment of intelligent Jews to simply ignore such amusement entirely. Hannukah The culture of a people, the significance and wealth of its history, are reflected in its tradition. The individual, in the final analysis, has his cultural roots in the historical background of his particular group. The richer the historical tradition of the group, the finer the cultural heritage of the individual. Few histories can compare in depth and color with that of our own. The Jewish calendar is full of the symbolism of that unique history—vibrant with memories of the millenniums behind us. The Feast of Hannukah is one of the most beautiful symbo lisms in our whole calendar. It is the story of a heroic revolt that had for its object, not the conquest of land or economic liberation, but freedom of thought and worship. The Maccabees fought not for political, but primarily religious, freedom. And when the first decisive victory was won—they came to consecrate anew a dese crated Temple. Then follows the strange legend of a cruise of oil that lasted for eight days, until new oil might be prepared for the Eternal Light in the Sanctuary. The symbolism of the lighting of the Hannukah candles one on the first night, two on the second, and so on—is as beauitful and inspiring a ceremony as that found among any other people. It should be observed in every Jewish home. The child that wit nesses the ceremony will grow up to be a man or woman richer in his cultural heritage—prouder of it. Hannukah begins this year on the eve of December 26th. Let the ancient lamps be kindled again. Temple Topics, Atlanta. Ga. ItslIMlom TllOllglif* By CHARLES H. JOSEPH ( opyrigh Ivd A lady residing in Eau Claire, Wis consin, writes me that listening to a radio talk given by Floyd Gibbons, the well-known correspondent, she heard him >ay that Charles Steinmetz was a Protestant. She had always thought he was a Jew and asked me to express my opinion. In view ot the fact that hundreds ol thousand ot others lis tened in” on the talk, and believing that others possibly might have mis understood Mr. Gibbons, I decided to answer her question through this col umn. Charles Steinmetz, the late gen ius >f the General Electric Company, was a Jew. When Mr. Gibbons said that he was a protestant he did not mean Protestant in a religious sense. Steinmetz was a cripple, he had been paralyzed and this condition was in herited as his father had suffered sim ilarly. Steinmetz felt that those who were incurably incapacitated as he should never marry. And he protested against such marriages being consum mated. In that sense he was a pro testant. lb' was also a protestant against other conventionalities in so ciety. He was an extreme individual ist and was regarded by many as ec centric. When he first went with the General Electric Company he found a notice posted in the laboratories that smoking was prohibited. He immedi ately notified the company “no smok ing, no Steinmetz,” so they revoked the tide for his special benefit. Stein- met/. though a Jew, was only a Jew by birth and not by religion. Through the “Jewish Times” of Bal timore I am asked the following ques tion by a reader residing in West Vir ginia : "If a girl’s mother is a Jewess and her father is a Gentile is she consid ered a Jewess or a Gentile?” That is a most difficult question to answer and depends entirely upon the point of view, and what we mean by the terms used. The best authorities define a Gentile (1) among the Jews, a person of a non-Jewish race or faith; (-) among the Christians as one who is neither a Jew nor Christian; a pa gan. a heathen; (3) among the Mor mons one who is not a Mormon; (4) in India one who is not a Mohammedan. So a Gentile may be one of many races ami ot many religious beliefs. A Jew we are informed, may be Racially a Jew, or a Jew only through belief in Judaism; that is, Religiously. If we ad here to religious terms then it is eas ier to answer the question. If a Chris tian and a Jew marry, the offspring is what their religious training makes them. It the girl in question is reared in the Jewish taith she must be con sidered a Jewess; if in the Christian ieligion, then she must be recognized as a ( hristian. In the event that the parents are indifferent to religious training and the girl is reared in any taith, then socially, she is recognized as a member of the group in which the parents move. If the husband tvho is a Gentile decides to throw his lot with the people of his wife’s faith, who happen to be Jews, then in all likeli hood the children will be regarded as Jews. If the Jewess seeks to escape from her Jewish social ties and dates with her husband’s peonl/.t the children will come to b,. as Gentiles. There have been many instance* similar cases and it is difficult to m/ an absolute statement regarding qj hor example: Joseph Pulitzer the 1 owner of the New York “World"' I believe, the child of just such a n * ed marriage. He in turn married* Gentile and his children today are re garded as Gentiles. But the work! .pi seems to regard Pulitzer as a J w " ’That is the attitude taken by the ma jority of the Jewish Press. But da does not necessarily establish tht- f ac - that Pulitzer was a Jew. The n n- Jewish world, it seems to me, ha- m«. as valid a claim to him. The confusiur arises because the Jews themselves »r t not sure whether there is a Jew..? i ace, and in fact the Reform element take the definite position that we are Jews by religion only. But this ha? created confusion, and contradictions without number. I know Gentile girl? who have married Jews and whose children are being reared as Jews, ir such cases the world accepts them a* Jews without question. As 1 started out to say it all depends upon the in dividual case and the special circum stances surrounding it. But goner ally speaking, I believe that children of such marriages are regarded as Jews, though inaccurately, unless reared as Jews. 1 have propounded this question to any number of "ex ports” and I am unable to obtain i clearly defined status because of the number of puzzling elements involved Through the “Jewish Review ant Observer” of Cleveland, the following interesting letter is received from ar earnest-minded Jew associated with Gratz College in Philadelphia. I ap preciate very much the interest the writer takes in me and my writing? but I hasten to assure him that 1 as not guilty of the lapse he charges nt with. I never referred to Moses or to any other great leader ancient or mod ern in Jewish life, as a “wiseacre. If such “epithets” were used it must have been in nature ot a quotation, the writer can point out specifics-) wherein I have so grievously errec > shall make proper amends. ut letter is worth the space I f? ive u ! this column: The Gratz College. Philadelphia. Pa- Dec. 3, m “Dear Mr. Joseph: “Moses, I have often felt, mu* have written the 90th Psalm a the time that he received the t0 mand, ‘Go unto Pharaoh and A unto him, Let my people ‘ when he is eighty years oW “"J burdens and responsi i 1 > , subjection to criticism h upon him for that indeed he m have special powers gi'* 3 ' 1 the Guardian of Israel. “At present I a » °P* r of conviction that this P . Moses the man of God ' - posed in that short period / ry ,^,l nn Pag? 12)