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Volume 5 THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE A Magazine Perpetuating Jewish Ideals FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2S. I ‘>30 IN umber S Jews in Politics There is an erroneous idea that the Jew in the political world stand on a basis of equality with any other group, for that in proportion to the number of Jews in this country, w, have been and are well represented in high political offices. There have been several Jewish governors of states, any number ( if Jewish representatives in Congress, several Senators and a great many Jewish judges. Recently there have been a number of Jewish elections and appointments to important political and diplomatic posts, which are worth citing to disprove any feeling of inferiority that so many of our people hold when they insist that the Jew does not have a fair chance in politics. For illustration we shall name nly a few of the entire group, first of all, Herbert H. Lehman, the millionaire philanthropist, who was elected to the office of Lieutenant Governor of New York State. Mr. Lehman received i ; larger vote than Herbert Hoover received in that state, and to auMain iii.> l eal ability lie lias, interested himself in every phase of state government. While Jewish representation in Congress is not rare, it is interesting to note that Mrs. Florence P. Kahn, of California, is the only Jewess in the House of Representatives. She is a vital forc< in House affairs and has won national attention many times, most recently by being elected secretary of the anti-Volstead group in Congress. To mention the current appointments of Jews by President Hoover to fill foreign posts will repeat the fact that there is no religious or racial prejudice in the American diplomatic corps, which fact the Strausses, Morgenthaux and Elkus were con sidered sufficient evidence during past Republican and Democratic administrations. President Hoover is, however, the first American President who has, in a single term, appointed three Jew’s to rep resent the United States as envoys. The selection of Guggenheim and Ratshevsky as ambassadors to Cuba and Czechoslovakia, re spectively, while meeting with general satisfaction in the Jewish world of America, was accepted as a matter of fact. Both are men of high finance and have been active in American politics t"f many years. Their interests in Jewish affairs, how’ever, were a philanthropic nature. Herman Bernstein, Ambassador to Albania, on the other ■'md. is the first Jewish leader to enter lomatic field. Although a well- niown editor and one of the most popu- ! names in international journalism, P ignificance of this Hoover selection maik-. a departure in the official view- ! in* of Washington, for Bernstein is • irst Russian Jew’, born and bred ussia, given American diplomatic 1 " n " r8 * It speaks volumes for the uiers of both Bernstein and Presi- Hoover, as as far as the Jewish i is concerned, is the most signifi- political honor bestow’ed in the his- ° rv °f America. 1 ven forgetting for the moment the ■alar interest and importance at- ‘ l led to the Bernstein ambassador- ' he other Jewish elections and ap- ments, which are not exhaustive, •'"Uificient in number and conse- 1ce to show that Jew’ish percentage " political field is not negative, nor : a ny interest in the political and aatic world be daunted because it ’ *ght that Jewishness operates to '1 vantage. Religion and the Public School Religious instruction and reading, along with Christmas cele brations in the public schools, presents a problem that has been confronting parents and religious leaders for any number of years, but one which is more or less difficult to approach. It was, therefore, with interest that we learned of the discussion opened along this line by Rabbi Edward L. Israel, Har Sinai Temple, Baltimore. Under our present governmental theory, Church and State are separate, and the insertion of religion into the public school program points to hypocrisy in the system. This does not mean that there is not the need for daily religious, as well as secular instruction to be recognized, but it does mean that religious programs should not be enforced upon those children whose parents arc opposed. It is logical that it is equally undemocratic not to give time for religion* 1 observance it a parent douirp«i «<* it is to enforce religious instruction. For those who do object, however, there should be some alternative for their children to follow. There are various solutions, of course, satisfactory to both educational and religious leaders, that might he reached w’ith the proper conferences and willingness to understand one another. Rabbi Israel, who feels that religious aspiration should be given the child as well as secular education, suggests that one choice would be to release the child from school upon written consent of the parents for religious instruction in church schools or synagogues of their choice, since one day a week is set aside for religious teaching is entirely sufficient. In Philadelphia, on the other hand, this plan was rejected by the Board of Education on the grounds that the plan infringed upon the American prin ciple of the separation of Church and State. We can readily see, therefore, that it is an individual prob lem for each group of educational and religious leaders to work out. The fact remains that co-operation between these two facul ties will essentially prove invaluable in placing the responsibility of furnishing the aspiration to morality in the hands of the church and synagogue, the potential sources of character. The movement is one which demands our thoughtful attention and consideration. While it is far from a simple question to attack, with ample understanding and joint ac tion it is not without promise of a definite program of co-ordination be- U< > INTENTS tween educational and religious leaders throughout the country. THE PHENOMENAL RISE OF DAVII) SARNOFF 4 liy Julius Mayer DOES BUSINESS KILL RELIGION 6 By Rabbi Michael Aarouxohn YOUR FEDERATION 6 By Edward M. Kahn FEATURES OF LOCAL INTEREST 7 SOCIETY AND PERSONALS 8 IN THE LIMELIGHT 9 FOREIGN NEWS 10 NATIONAL NEWS 11 CHILDREN’S CORNER 14 M. Stephen Schippek, Managing Editor Entered as second class matter at the Poetoffice at Atlanta, Ga., under the Act of March 3rd, 1879. Published monthly by The Southern Newspaper Enterprises. Inc. Subscription Rates: 15 Cents Single Copy. *1.50 per year in advance. 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. Established 1925. All communications for publication should reach this office not later than 1st and 15th of each month. Light At Last We are almost assured that persev erance has been rewarded by success ful attainment regarding our sustained plea for a Brotherhood in our com munities. The first convention of the Southeastern Religious Union of the Union of the American Hebrew’ Con gregation is scheduled to be held in At lanta in March, and the invitation to attend has been extended to the Presi dents of the Congregations, Sisterhoods and Brotherhoods. Sad enough, we have no Brotherhoods to be represent ed, but the ray of light is that the representative of the U.A.H.C. to be stationed in Atlanta w’ill see to it that there is such an organization in our midst, a need which our own Jewish leaders have failed to complete—or even venture to begin. (Continued on Pajre 12)