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Volume 5
THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE
A Magazine Perpetuating Jewish Ideals
FRIDAY, MARCH 14, 1930
Number 9
Jewish Leadership
Cities and men have their assets and liabilities. The chronic
kickers whose complaints are an incurable part of their personali
ties; the men and women whose attitudes are determined by gos
sip and rumor; the small minds and petty souls who see only the
petty and insignificant things in life,—they are the liabilities of
every community.
To offset these every city possesses men and women who have
vision, who can see the big things in every community effort to
ward betterment. They can organize and lead. They are leaders.
They are the assets of a community.
Believe it or not, every community needs both. It needs the
kickers and the leaders, the trouble-makers and the mediators.
One stimulates the other in a sort of “circular response”—a mat
ter of action and inter-action, play and inter-play.
Atlanta—the metropolis of the Southeast—is no exception to
cities and men. It too, has its human assets and liabilities. It is
trite to repeat a truism that the human assets of a city are more
important than its material assets. In a well-organized and happy
community the latter serves the former—the material serve the
human.
The Jewish group has its assets and liabilities like any other
group in the community. We have our noise-makers who shout
from the house tops that their ways are the ways of God and let
it go at that. And we have our quiet, modest workers^ who labor
silently for the good of others without “utzpe” and presumption.
I hey do not presume to speak for the Lord. They know the ways
"f their fellow men and they try to do their bit ‘to ‘help make
Atlanta a healthy and beautiful city to live in. As Jews they try
t" do their share toward maintaining Jewish group life on the high
est possible plane.
I hey are unostentatious in their methods. They know that
leaders cannot change the mass of people overnight. They are
patient, considerate, and tolerant of the
rights and feelings of others.
() ne of these unobtrusive workers
Mr. Louis H. Moss, the President of
thr federation of Jewish Charities. He
a leader of men. Successful in busi-
recognized by the civic and ser-
organizations for his genuine in-
u 'te>t in the welfare of others, he has
labored patiently and quietly in the
interest of the Jewish community for
nunv years. For the past three years
e * las served as President of the
^deration. During his administration
• 1 has been accomplished to raise
standards of Federation work, and
nance the influence of the Federa-
tlon as leading Jewish philanthropic
° r £anization in the Community.
• Moss maintains an active inter-
everything that concerns the cul-
!l( l artistic activities of Atlanta,
i ticipation in the work of the At-
^ r t Association, his deep inter
est in boys’ work are some of his pet hobbies. He realizes the
importance of proper recreational and educational facilities for the
Jewish youth of Atlanta. Hence he is much concerned about the
needs of the Alliance.
In every field of his interest he has given freely of his time
and money. Atlanta should be proud of such men.
The Southern Israelite, without interfering in the internal
affairs of the Federation in any way, sincerely hopes that the
directors and members of the Federation will see fit to continue
Mr. Moss as President, and that they will give him their full
support and co-operation. To the end that the Jews of Atlanta
may be one in spirit and effort and in unity strive to make this
a healthy and happy Jewish community.
IS
Pit'S;
vict
CONTENTS
PURIM IS HERE
By Florence Rothschild 4
TAFT—FRIEND OF THE JEWS
By Robert Stone 5
A PARLIAMENT FOR PALESTINE
By Judge Bernard A. Rosenblatt . . .6
FEATURES OF LOCAL INTEREST ... 7
SOCIETY AND PERSONALS 8-16
YOUR FEDERATION
By Edward M. Kahn 9
NATIONAL NEWS 10
FOREIGN NEWS 11
SCANNING THE JEWISH HORIZON
By David Schwartz 12
IN THE LIMELIGHT 13
CHILDREN’S CORNER 18
M. Stephen Schicter, Managing Editor
Entered as second class matter at the Postoffice at Atlanta,
Ga., under the Act of March 3rd, 1879. Published monthly by
The Southern Newspaper Enterprises, Inc. Subscription Rates:
15 4>nts Single Copy, 11.50 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.
EXTRA EDITION
Changing Names
Quite a good deal of publicity, sarcastic and oHierwise, was
recently accorded the incident of one, Louis Goldstein, who wished
to change his name to Louis Golding. The judge before whom the
petition came up in Brooklyn also happened to be named Louis
Goldstein. The petitioner claimed that his name was un-Ameri
can and a handicap to a traveling salesman; the judge insisted that
Goldstein is more American than Golding, that the name Goldstein
does not stand in the way of worldly success, citing his own pos'i-
tion, and accusing his client of probably trying to hide his racial
and religious identity.
Now’ the salesman may have had serious and sincere reasons
for desiring the change, for even though the name Goldstein may
not be a handicap in the business world in New York, all cities and
towns are not always ready with the same reception. The very
fact that the man wished to change it to hide racial identity for
business reasons, however, is enough cause in itself to wipe out
any compensating merit his sincerity might prompt, for it is hard
ly probable that a mediocre Jew can win the respect of anyone by
changing his name or religion. If a name is unusually foreign and
extremely long and difficult to spell or to understand, there may
be some excuse, but Goldstein, like hundreds of others, fail to fall
into that category.
The career and family life of such men as Julius Rosenwald
and Nathan Straus who have remained
intensively interested in everything
pertaining to Jewish affairs, have done
much to make the non-Jewish world
realize that the Jew can remain a Jew
and yet be a very attractive and wor
thy citizen. Of course, as Salesman
Goldstein claimed, there is a mass dis
tinction against the Jews in some quar
ters, but as the older generation be
comes less active the younger group
will incline toward a more liberal atti
tude. There seems to be little doubt
that Jews are going to be rated more
and more on individual achievements
and not on racial distinctions.
And so let those who intend to
base their success on clan identity
rather than on individual merits, take
heed from the Goldstein escapade, and
remember that if they obtain self-
respect through their own efforts, they
will find others ready to recognize
their achievements.