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The American Jewish Community
This article is a condensation of the lecture delivered at the
B'nai B’rith Institute of Judaism, August 5-9, at Wildacres,
North Carolina, by Rabbi Gordon. Ten B'nai B'ritli Institutes
of Judaism icere held this summer in various parts of the U. S.
and in Europe. Rabbi Gordon is spiritual leader of the Newton
Center. Mass.. Congregation Emanuel.
By DR. ALBERT I. GORDON
The creative survival of the Jew
and Judaism in America is, by no
means, assured. The general weak
ening of the religious base of Jew
ish life — a characteristic, too, of our
Western Civilization has resulted
in an emphasis upon material
things. The "aristocracy of learn
ing” of the Jewish people has all
too frequently been supplanted by
an "aristocracy of wealth.” Ma
terial success was most often a
means towards an end in our grand
parents’ generation. Today it has,
in ever increasing degree, become
the end in itself.
Believing in its infallibility be
cause of its material success, Ameri
can Jewish lay leadership often
lacks the knowledge, the vision or
the humility to serve the best in
terests of our people. To put it
charitably, far too many persons
who regard themselves as Jewish
leaders are inadequately informed
concerning the Jewish past, do not
see Jewish life as a whole and, as a
consequence, do not understand the
need for constructive, integrated
planning for the Jewish future.
Though we are becoming increas
ingly aware of the problem on a
community-wide basis, we are still
doing an inadequate job in Jewish
education. Ours is still a Sunday
School oriented system. Over 90
per cent of Jewish children of high
school age do not receive any Jew
ish education. But 36.8 per cent of
the total Jewish school enrollment
attends Hebrew schools.
The problem of intermarriage is
becoming increasingly serious.
What few studies have been made
on the subject indicate that at
least 6 per cent of all American
Jews are intermarried. There are
strong indications that this rate is
likely to increase.
There are, of course, certain fac
tors which appear to be favorable
for our creative survival. Among
them are the narrowing of differ
ences among American Jews. That
is, more American Jews are think
ing, acting and holding to a core
of values in common. The values,
in certain respects different from
those held in the past, are neverthe
less sources of potential strength.
The growing lines of indistinction
between Jews who call themselves
Orthodox, Reform or Conservative
are likely to make for a healthy
unity of purpose as contrasted with
an unwholesome uniformity.
Though present-day leadership is
often weak, improperly motivated
and inadequately prepared for its
tasks, there appears to be an ever-
increasing number of up-and-com
ing laymen who are beginning to
challenge their leaders. These
younger men and women — recog
nizing the dynamic nature of Juda
ism, unafraid of change if it means
growth and development, aware of
the need for spiritualizing their
lives as well as those of their
fellow-Jews, ardent devotees of
the democratic way of life, think
ing in terms of the Jewish Com
munity as the instrument through
which their lives can be enhanced,
and determined to make their syna
gogues and temples the spiritual
reservoir of their lives and the lives
of their children — possess the will
to live as Jews. The State of Israel
has helped us, no end, to develop
this kind of Jew.
Let us not write off the American
Jew as a failure simply because he
is, in many respects, different from
his European grandparents. We are
presently entering upon the second
half of the twentieth century with
greater opportunities than we have
ever enjoyed before to assure the
creative survival of the American
Jew.
SHIP
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BETTER SERVICE
Between
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and intermediate points
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AND A GREAT FUTURE
Hope and thankfulness greet the coming New Year,
as our people look ahead ... to a glowing year and
a glorious future.
Butler's, too, looks ahead to the coming New Year,
as a year in which it will be foremost among the
South's shoe fashion houses . . . as a year in which
it will continue to serve you with truly fashionable
footwear.
BUTLER’S
oj! Southern C^hcirm Sk
oeS
2 STORES in ATLANTA
The Southern Israelite
(11)