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6 THE SOUTHERN ISR A ELITE A Year An Outline And Of J ewish History nterpretation Of Events During 5691 By JOSEPH SALMARK Here, in a bird's-eye-view, are the out standing events of the year as they af fected Jewish populations. Some facts and events, considered of importance at the time, are glossed over, because the inten tion of this article is to provide an index to trends and ideas rather than to furnish a complete statistical catalogue. The reader of this comprehensive and, impartial survey has equipped himself with a valu able insight into the progress of con temporary Jewish life. The Jewish historian, in preparing his materials for a resume of the year 5691, will find little that is hopeful, less that is encouraging. Never, as in the past year, has it been so amply demonstrated that the welfare of the Jewish people and its peace of mind are inextricably bound up with the peace and the prosperity of the rest of the world. Every ill that is abroad is accentuated tenfold by the time it reaches the Jewish masses. Problems of economics take on a social and political tinge when they touch the Jew ish periphery. Financial disas ter, industrial upheaval, politi cal unrest inevitably find a Jew ish target. It is not an expres sion of chauvinism but the recital of brutal fact to say that if all’s ill with the world, it’s worse with the Jew. In the cycle between September, 1930 and September, 1931, world Jewry has experienced a series of shocks, from which it can recover only after a long convales cence. Two years ago it was Palestine that occupied the center of the stage. That country, though containing only 172,000 Jews, has nevertheless had repercussions on all Jewry. Its fate, for better or worse, has been linked to the des tiny of universal Israel. The tension in Palestine has not eased during the past year. Rut other coun tries have claimed the fo cus of attention. Germa ny, still on the brink of chaos as this review is written, looms up as the scene of grave peril for its Jewish population. Oppressed by the econom ic situation, frenzied by the pressure brought to bear by neighboring France, the nationalist elements of Germany are waiting momentarily for the reins of power. Should that catastrophe occur, the heads of innumerable Jew's will be “rolling in the sand,” as Adolph Hit ler boasted only a few months ago. Austria, where the struggle be tween the liberal Social ists and the monarchist Nationalists is steadily becoming more bitter, has made the headlines on numerous occasions dur ing the year. Socialist Vi enna, one of the world’s best governed cities, has nevertheless permitted its municipal uni versity to become a laboratory for violent anti-Semitism. Rumania, traditional haven for the most vicious forms of Jew-baiting has become comparatively quiet under the firm reign of King Carol. Rut Hungary, and even Czechoslovakia, can still be referred to as the “benighted countries of the Ralkans,” despite the reputation for liberalism en joyed by President Masaryk. Rut it is Greece, ancient home of Hellenic culture, fountain of civilization, which provided the year’s outstanding illustration of Anti- Semitism and how it should be practiced. Saloniki became the date-line for a series of dispatches which told of outrages such as had not occurred in Greece in centuries. Where such pas sions can be aroused, the predic tion of tranquility in the near future, is a cynical task. Poland and Lithunia, lands of promise —by government officials—hold in uncertain balance the fate of millions of Jews. So monoto nous have become the reports of discrimination, of poverty, of suicide that emanate from Po- i land that repetition, unfortu nately, has the earmarks of campaign propaganda. The only light on the hori zon is provided by the two coun tries of revolution—Spain and Russia. There is a small settle ment of Jews in Republican Spain. It must be a source of profound satisfaction to them that they have lived to see a repudi ation of the Inquisition. To w'orld Jewry also the revolution in Spain must take on the character of an act of vindication by history. It is extremely doubtful, however, whether Spain can become the magnet of a returning Jewish population for many years to come. Russia, enigmatic, contro versial, cursed and blessed, has, beyond a doubt, given a laudable demonstration of how to suppress anti - Semitism. The land which was once the mentor of all Europe in the science of Jew- hatred is now r an exem plar of tolerance to minorities. Rut if the past year has been notable for its ruth less evidences that all is not “peace on earth and good will to men", it has been even more important for its forcible direction of attention to the prob lem of Jewish leadership. Rarely before have so many distinguishec Jew ish figures passed away as during 1931. Many of them were leaders in oth er fields, but they gave ot themselves and ot then counsel to Jewish Several had passed the stage of active lead' ship, but their living nan was a symbol. Lord Me nett. Nathan Straus, Me niei Schiff, Daniel G #en- heim, Michael Fri ' anL Lee K. Frankel, ‘hese were names to c jjre with. Many other CONTENTS A YEAR OF JEWISH HISTORY A REVIEW OF THE A. Z. A. By Joseph Salma rk 6 By Simon Wender 17 THE TEN BEST BOOKS By Henry Montor 9 WHAT ASHEVILLE JEWRY IS DOING MY SUBCONCIOUS By Edna Long Lichtenfels 18 JEWISHNESS By Sigmund Freud 10 JEWISH LIFE IN ATHENS, 5691 THE CHOSEN PEOPLE By Rabbi Abraham Shusterman 19 By Jacob Wassermann 11 JEWISH ART IN RUSSIA A RESUME OF JEWISH EDU- By Joseph Roth 12 CATIONAL ALLIANCE AC TIVITIES THE OLD HOUSE—Short Story By Edward M. Kahn 20 By Vicki Baum ... 13 PENSACOLA, FLA., JEWRY BUILDS NEW TEMPLE WHAT JEWS ARE DOING IN BIRMINGHAM By Rabbi Martin Friedman 14 By Bcrnie Feld and Leon Levine 21 “THOSE POOR” ARABS A NEW YEAR MESSAGE By Theodore Herzl... 15 By Armand Wyle 22 A RESUME OF THE YEAR 5691 IN THE LIMELIGHT 25 OF MONTGOMERY, ALA. By Rae Poke 16 COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN. 32 JEWISH PEDDLER QUARTERS MEXICO CITY Recent center of anti-Semitic demonstrations