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THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE
A Magazine Perpetuating Jewish Ideals
Volume 6
JUNE 15, 1931
Number 6
Tin
11 1
Wailing Wall
settlement of the Wailing Wall issue by the recently pub-
report of the Commission appointed by Premier MacDonald
the approval of the League of Nations over a year ago was
received with satisfaction by Zionists and Orthodox groups
"ighout the world. Although the report states unequivocally
the Wall and its surrounding territory must be recognized
the sole property of the Moslems, the Jews are granted free
' to the Wall to worship in accordance with their religious
It is felt that the closing of the Wall controversy opens a
t path for Arab-Jewish co-operation and is a blow to fanatic
al) propagandists eager to fan hate against Palestine Jewry on
basis of religious prejudice. There are of course rabid polit
ical leaders who clamor that the decision of the Wailing Wall
mmission means another political setback to Jewish hopes in
* Israel and a further loss of prestige for Zionism. This view
mot hold water. At no time have Jews claimed property rights
in the Wall. At all times have they demanded only the unalter
able right to worship at the Kotel Maaravi without outside inter-
terence. The Commission’s report is a diplomatic masterpiece that
does not give reason or justification for complaints from either side.
* * * *
Mortimer L. Schiff
The passing of Mortimer L. Schiff, son of the late Jacob Schiff,
America’s most distinguished Jewish philanthropist, was a terri
ble shock to all who knew him. The son of a great father, Mr.
schiff did his utmost to carry on philanthropic activities accord
ing to the best tradition of his family. Resourceful, courageous
and with a deep understanding of prevailing methods of business
">ih at home and abroad, his counsel and his judgment will be
widely missed in the circles of high finance in this country. He
vas of a reserved nature, and generally was looked upon and
referred to as the son of Jacob Schiff, although he was a man of
unusual ability and capacity in his own right. His service to the
b ( »y Scouts movement and other non-
b wish and Jewish youth organizations
'Til be remembered as a fine instance of
brilliant and continued devotion to social
service. He was a great force in the
••conomic, philanthropic and civic life
this country, consistently striving,
b bis non-sectarian outlook, to further
mind will among all religions and races.
. Is country has lost a man of the
mst type, who, while a business man,
! not forget social service.
* * * *
ll(> ' Rat Not Strange
Jewish students are more liberal in
lr social and religious views than
:er groups, according to an interest-
survey made at Barnard College
W omen. The survey shows that
> s h girls show a tendency to be
t'Ptive to radical ideas primarily in
economic and political fields. They
ready to accept Judge Lindsey’s
as on marriage and Lenin’s theory
he distribution of wealth without
CONTENTS
La Belle Juive of Bucharest
By MAKIANNE OURLENEVA ....
6
The Inside Story of Russian Jewry
By ISAAC DON LEVINE
- 7
Mortimer L. Schiff Passes
By JULIUS MAYER
8
A Genius Grouts Up
By PHINEAS J. BIRON
- 9
National and Foreign News
10
“Facing the Situation”
By EDWARD M. KAHN
- 11
Social Notes
12
Southern Notes
13
High ights and Sidelights
By MARTIN GOLDE
• 14
blinking. The questionnaire at Barnard College also showed that
Jewish students are not very active in religious matters. This has
provoked a number of clergymen to express their surprise. We find
nothing startling in this aspect of the survey. Modern radicalism
does not go hand in hand with religious devotion—except in the
case of an Einstein, who has promulgated his own theory of a
cosmic religion that does not on any point conflict with his scien
tific or radical outlook on life.
At Last They Understand
The Federation of Polish Jews in America is beginning to see
the light. Its president proposed a resolution which was unani
mously adopted and which said: “Despite the repeated asser
tions and pronunciamentos of the accredited agents of the Polish
Government in the United States, the Government of Poland has
failed to improve the conditions of its Jews.” For the last few
months we have been insisting that Polish and Jewish goodwill
committees—desirable though they are—have no raison d’etre
as long as there is no clear-cut policy on the part of the Polish
Government to do its share in putting a stop to the economic
boycott against the Jewish population of Poland. The Federation
of Polish Jew's will henceforth embark on a policy of plain talk
and point its finger at the disgraceful “economic disinheritance”
carried out against the Jews of Poland which results in the clos
ing of avenues for decent and honest means of gaining a liveli
hood to literally millions of Jews. It is to be hoped that the Polish
Ambassador to this country will report to Warsaw that American
Jews will not be hoodwinked further into believing that good will
is a one-sided proposition.
* * * *
439 Years Too Late
In Madrid last week, for the first time in 439 years, a Jewish
marriage ceremony was performed in an improvised synagogue. A
picturesque, fascinating event in this
twentieth century of ours. The marriage
was made possible because the Govern
ment of the new Spanish Republic re
cently lifted the legal disabilities against
Jews, some of which were in force since
1492. The bride and groom of this “first”
Spanish Jewish marriage ceremony were
Spanish Jews from Turkey, and in order
to carry out their historical marriage had
to import a rabbi from Morocco. Arthur
Brisbane, who has his ear to the ground,
was, as usual, the first to comment on
this news. Says the dean of American
journalists: “Intelligent persons will
say: ‘The Republic has a good idea, but
it is a bit late.’ When Spain ejected the
Jews she was the greatest nation in the
world. Thereafter her record was one of
swift decay. Had she kept the Jews to
work for her, amass wealth for her and
tkink for her, she would occupy a bigger
place on the map than she does now.”
I hat is what Bribsane thinks of anti-
Semitism.
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