Newspaper Page Text
March «, 1959
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THI SOUTHIIN I8KAILITI
TRIBUTE TO JACQUES BACK—Guide of public
opinion, creative and distinguished editor.
by PHILIP SLOMOYITZ
Editor, The Detroit Jewish News
'week marks the 25th anniversary of Jacques Back’s
The Observer” of Nashville. In the following article, Philip
slomovits — one of the founders of the American Associa-
Uon of English—Jewish Newspapers and editor-publisher of
The Detroit Jewish News — pays high tribute to the noted
southern editor.
The
English - Jewish weekly
newspaper publishing era began
in this country 110 years ago.
In the interim, our communities
were served by German Lan-
_ . ncluding Hebrew,
to a limited degree — and even
by ladino.
Yiddish predominated quant
ity-wise. For more than 50 years
it served the major Jewish com
munities in America. It was the
source of information for the
great Jewish community of New
York and for the large Jewish
populations in Chicago, Detroit.
Philadelphia, Cleveland and
many other cities.
Yiddish Press Wanes
Some of the cities mentioned
had their own daily Yiddish
newspapers. Gradually, they dis
appeared. Cleveland, Detroit,
Philadelphia, gave up their daily
Yiddish newspapers and the Yid
dish readers began to depend on
the publications emanating from
New York. Then came an end
to the Yiddish periodicals in
Chicago, and New York remained
the only community with two
Yiddish dailies. (A third, the
Communist Freiheit, is so limited
in circulation and so biased in
behalf of a handful of prejudiced
people — it is believed that it
has a circulation less than 3,000
— that it does not even command
the interest of the research man).
The remaining Yiddish dailies
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Southern Israelite’s Tribute
Upon “Observer” Anniversary
beloved partrUrch* among
country* English-Jewish
in New York are the result of
mergers. Only the Forward has
survived continuous 60 years of
publishing. The Day - Morning
Journal is, as the name implies,
a merger. Before the Joining of
the two papers bearing the above
names, tne Morning Journal al
ready had merged with the
Tageblatt; the Warheit, the Txeit
and other Yiddish dailies had
disappeared.
New “Instrument”
In American Life”
This is a long introduction to
a specific topic, but it is neces
sary for an understanding of the
position of the new “instrument”
in American Jewish Life: the
English - Jewish weekly news
paper. While the Jewish weekly
published in English is older
than the Yiddish press — as
stated, it is not 110 years old —
it has only recently come into its
own. It has replaced other Jew
ish periodicals in other lan
guages. It has its counterparts in
more than 50 communities. It is
read by all Jews, young and old;
and even the handful of remain
ing Yiddish readers must read
the English-Jewish weekly to be
fully informed on the happen
ings in the Jewish comfhumties
throughout the world.
Not all the English-Jewish
weeklies measure \ up to the
standards their communities de
mand of them. Some are pri
marily local in nature, others
place emphasis on the social ele
ments in their communities. But
the major periodicals are making
an effort to give their readers
the best possible news coverage,
not only local but national and
worldwide.
“A Great Jewish Newspaper”
Many of the English - Jewish
weeklies are published in com
munities with small populations.
Nashville, Tennessee, is such a
community. It has a population
of some 3,000 Jews. It has many
traditions for service to Jewry,
and in its recent trials and tri
bulations, when the Temple was
bombed, its rabbis and leaders
showed courage as adherents to
Jewish traditional principles of
social justice. Its position of dig
nity and its splendid record for
Jewish service are in great mea
sure attributable to the fact that,
in spite of the community’s
smallness, it possesses a great
Jewish newspaper.
Students of the Jewish press
in America will know at once
that the reference is to The
Observer of Nashville, and to its
illustrious editor, Mr. Jacques
Back.
Editorial Genius
The two represent, at best, a
struggle — especially for space.
The Observer couldn’t possibly
have sufficient room for the pre
sentation of all the facts of all
the news involving Jews and
Jewry. Yet, thanks to ! the skill
of its able editor and publisher,
his community may be one of
the truly well • informed in
America because, no matter how
serious the handicaps from space
restrictions, Jacques Back makes
certain to share with his readers
the important happenings
Jewish life.
by ADOLPH ROSENBERG
Editor and Publisher
The Southern Israelite is
pleased to note the twenty-fifth
anniversary of continuous publi
cation and service by The Ob
server to the community of
Nashville and environs.
This occasion is a significant
milestone in the history of
English-Jewish journalism, par
ticularly in the South, where
papers like The Observer are of
comparatively recent origin,
emerging with the developing
growth and conscience of or
ganized Southern Jewish com
munities.
The Southern Israelite staff
through the currently available
news and feature service. The
sifting of news calls for strenu
ous work. Jacques Back is,
nevertheless, tireless. Approach
ing 80, he has shown greater
stamina than many an editor
half his age.
Jacques Back subscribes to
every avmlable Jewish news
source. H* is lucky to be able
to use one or two per cent of
the available material, and to
do the selecting requires tre
mendous effort. But he labors
u n complainingly, energetically,
with the skill of a well-trained
newspaperman.
This is not all; Jacques Back
stands head and shoulders above
many of his conferees because he
is a master of the English lan
guage. He s not only a well-
informed Jewish leader, he is
also a skilled writer and a bril
liant thinker.
Pioneer
In the 25 years of the appear
ance of The Observer, Jacques
Back has pioneered in many
interesting activities in his com
munity. He has authored many
inspiring editorials, he has writ
ten a series of sermonettes which
should have been published in
book form and which could serve
as a layman’s guide to the rabbis.
He has displayed the skill of
mastering brevity — because of
the limitations imposed upon his
newspaper and because of his
own ability as an editor.
It is in time of crisis that
Jacques Back emerges as a great
advocate for his people’s needs.
Whether it is in behalf of his
Temple, in which he is a leader;
in behalf of philanthropy or in
defense of Jewish rights, he is
able to write and say the right
words at the right time.
First Jewish Citizen
Nashville is fortunate to have
so able an editor, so valuable a
Jewish citizen. In congratulating
Jacques Back and The Observer,
let us keep in view not only the
editor’s and his newspaper’s gifts
to Nashville, but also to all of
American Jewry.
Nashville has reason to be
proud of its First Jewish Citizen
— Jacques Back. Heartiest con
gratulations to Jacques Back and
The Observer on their 25th anni
versary and to Nashville for pos
sessing them.
in Atlanta for a number of rea
sons has taken more than pass
ing interest in The Observer.
For one thing, as a feliow publi
cation in another Southern Jew
ish community, The. Observer
reflects the activities of Nash
ville Jewry, mirroring develop
ments and trends which added
meaning to what is taking place
in this area. It has maintained
a high journalistic standard that
has been stimulating and a chal
lenge to follow.
During this time, too, we have-'
had the privilege of knowing
Jacques Back, The Observer’s
capable editor and publisher, in
person. Had we never met, we
would still have felt a warm
relationship because of the won
derful and rich philosophy his
publication reflects. But we do
not have to depend upon his
writings for the professional
esteem in which we regard him.
We have had the pleasure of
his fine company often during
the years and know him as an
editor of keen and steady judg
ment, as a leader of deep abid
ing dedication to the religion he
serves and as a man of great in
tegrity, vision and wisdom.
It was our opportunity to be
the secretary of the American
Association of English-Jewish
Newspapers while Jacques Back
was president. Thus workng so
closely to him, we had the op
portunity to know the splendid
measure of leadership with
which he is able to inspire
others.
He is truly one of the honored
and
this
journalists.
To such a person, the record
of his publication itself is the
highest testimony and evidence
of service and achievements.
We salute this admirable rec
ord. We congratulate The Ob
server and staff for its first
quarter century and add our
best wishes for continuation of
the same high standards in the
years ahead.
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OFFICERS
E. A. Barton
President
William W. McNaal
Vice Preaidant
Edwin L Sterne
Sec. and Attorney
E. O. Merritt
Treasurer
Mrs. Mildred H. Bridges
Assistant 8ect>.
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NORTHEAST PLAZA
Melrose 4-7355
DIRECTORS
E. A. Barton
Robert M. Holder
William W. McNaal
E. O. Merritt
Samuel A. Miller
Carroll Schoen
Edwin L. Sterne
E. A. Yates, Jr.
Atlanta 6, Georgia