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Who Lear ml The Rabbi's Lesson
A publication is not simply a mirror reflecting and chronicling
the events of its readers, area and times, it is also creator of public
opinion, a pacer of movements and thought in the offing and re
finement of principles undergoing change in the crucible civilization.
Through the perspective of the past, the accompanying illustra
tion brings to mind a significant factor in cause and effect. It raises
the point of who learned the lessons of Rabbi Emund A. Landau
(center) for more than four decades spiritual leader of Albany, Ga.?
Did he teach religious isolationism and self-interest—or were his
lessons aimed at broad humanitarianism and integrity? (Isolationism
is here used in the sense of confinement of religion to synagogue
walls. Thus any moral and ethical problem whose implications ap
plicable to ever.v-day life a person finds uncomfortable or anathama
can be dismissed at the snap of a finger as “not a Jewish question.’’)
Both the current leadership of The Israelite and the leadership of
the Albany Jewish community during the past decades are products
of Rabbi Landau's instruction. Yet the philosophy of the editor is
diametrically opposed to the shriviling reactionarism and fear evi
denced hy Albanians lest their Judaism bear testimony to the Amer
ican conscience and American forward-goingness. This spirit Rabbi
Landau helped pace during the pre-World War II decades when the
editor and the Albany leadership were under his tutelage.
The accompanying photograph appeared in an article about
Dougherty County history prepared by Ribbi Landau. Surrounding
the photograph of Rabbi Landau (5) are some of the earliest leaders
of Albany’s 120-year-old Jewish community—1. M. D. Gortatowsky,
2. S. B. Brown, 3. Joseph Ehrlich. 4. Jacob Lorch, (i. Marx Smith, 7.
Charles Wessolowskv, 8. Sigmund Sterne.
The Southern Israelite
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Georgia 9 s History in the
United Jewish Campaign
REPRINTED FROM MARCH 29, 1929 ISSUE THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE
It was on December 6, 1925,
that the first plans for partici
pation of the state of Georgia
in the United Jewish Cam
paign were laid. Mr. Harold
Hirsch of Atlanta graciously
accepted the State Chairman
ship, while Mr. Leonard Haas,
also of Atlanta, accepted the
State Treasurership. It was
under their able leadership,
and that of constituents that
rallied around them to assist,
that made possible the excel
lent showing of the state of
Georgia. These leaders have
not for one moment relinquish
ed their duties and help to
our brothers in foreign lands,
and time and time again have
assured our national leaders,
such as David A. Brown, Louis
Marshall, Felix Warburg,
Julius Rosenwald and others
that they will remain on the
job until every dollar pledged
has been collected.
The first large city to be
heard from in Georgia when
the campaigns got under way
was that of Macon. Morris
Michael, Chairman and Treas
urer, and Rabbi I. E. Marcu-
son wired to state headquar
ters that their city had pledged
$9,600. Not satisfied in being
the first city to send in its re
port as to pledges, Macon was
the first city to pay up in full,
without a penny being lost
by non-payment, and with no
campaign expenses for its loc
al appeal.
A few days later, Hyman
Esserman, Chairman for Rome,
advised that Rome had
pledged $2,288, and was send
ing its check for that amount.
LaGrange was another city
that after hearing the master
ful appeal of Rabbi David B.
Marx sent its check through
Chairman I. Sugarman for
$1,005.
Albany was again in the
front ranks of Georgia cities
which pledged $2,205.25 and
since that time has paid up
in full, with no cost for their
local campaign. The leaders in
the Albany campaign were
Henry Gortatowsky, Chairman,
L. J. Hofmayer and Dr. E. A.
Landau. Vice-Chairmen, Lionel
Sterne, Chairman of the Exe
cutive Committee, and Carl
Neuman as Secretary and
Treasurer.
Savannah organized a com
mittee lead by the late A. J.
Garfunkel, as Chairman, Leo
pold Adler as Honorary Chair
man, Dr. George Solomon as
Vice-Chairman, Elry Stone, as
Secretary, Sam Adler as
Treasurer and Isaac Blumberg
and Morris Bernstein as mem
bers of the finance committee.
Savannah pledged $19,614 and
to date has paid $13,714.90. At
this time it is with sad regret
that we note the recent pass
ing of the beloved Chairman
of Savannah, A. J. Garfunkel,
whose acts and life should
stand as a memorial and im
petus to all Jewry.
Columbus pledged $5,290
and to date has paid $2,116.15.
The leaders in the Columbus
campaign were Gerson Roths
child, David Rothschild, Rabbi
Frank L. Rosenthal and Simon
Schwab.
Bainbridge, under the lead
ership of Melvin N. Nussbaum
as Chairman, and W. H. Kwil-
ecki as Treasurer, secured
pledges to the amount of $1,205
upon which $805 has been
paid to date.
Augusta, lead through its
chairman David Slusky, and
assisted by Charles Schneider,
and Lee Blum, secured pledges
totalling $3,229.66, of which
$2,563.90 has been paid to date.
Reports from other cities
throughout the state followed
rapidly; Athens, Americus,
Barnesville, Cartersville, Ced-
artown, Cochran, Cordele,
Covington, Dalton, Eatonton,
Fitzgerald, Fort Valley,
Gainesville, Gordon, Griffin,,
Hawkinsville, Manchester.
Marietta, Moultrie, Norcross,
Pelham, Quitman, Rochelle,
Sandersville, Statesboro,
Thomasville, Tifton, Toccoa,
Valdosta, Washington, Way-
cross, West Point and Wrights-
ville all came into line with
pledges to the state wide cam-
paign.
Brunswick, under the chair
manship of Fred Pfieffer, an-