Ohio Jewish Chronicle, 1924-03-14

              ii^Ji.
Central Ohio's Onl^
Jetoish Newspaper Reaching Every Home
A WEEKLY NEWSPAPER FOR THE JEWISH HOME
Denoted to American
and
Jewish Ideals
Volume VI — No. 43
COLUMBUS, OHIO; MARCH 14, 1924
Per Year $3.00; Per Copy lOc
D. A. Brown Offers to Investigate Crimean Colonization Project
Great   Campaigner   for   Jewish
Philanthropies   Says   He   is
Ready to go to Russia to
Make Personal
Survey
DR. JOS. ROSEN ENDORSES CRIMEAN PROPOSITION
T.
I.    DANCE    AND    CARD PARTY THURSDAY, MARCH ZO
NKW YORK (J. T. A.)—David A. Brown of Detroit, Mich., long, promi¬ nently identified -vvith the Joint Distri¬ bution Cominittee and other national Jewish organizations has ofTered to go to Russia at once to make a personal survey of thc situation and to report to the Jews of America on the proposed Critucan coloniz.ition scheme for Jews of Russia, according' to a statement made today to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency hy James N. Rosenberg, Vice Chairman of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. Mr. Brown's only stipulation, according to Mr. Rosen¬ berg, being that thc Jews of America in¬ dicate they will back this colonization work.   ¦
"I am ready at once to go to Rtissia and make,a personal survey of the situa¬ tion and find out for myself, and for those who want myopinion what this is all about," said Mr. Brown.
"When Dr. Joseph Rosen was in this country last fall," says Mr. Rosenberg in his statement, "he spoke with enthu¬ siasm ,to a number of the J. D. C. offi¬ cials, including myself, as to Crimean <;olonization. He dwelt on the favorable relationship between the Tartars and the Jews. When I asked him about these large tracts of lands he pointed out to me that these were public lands which the Russian Government would distribute to peasants and that the distribution would neither dislocate population nor cause any animosities for difficulties. In the light of the recent information as to the attitude of the Russian Govern¬ ment on this subject, I cabled Dr. Rosen and Dr. Kahn and have just received the following from Dr. Rosen:
" 'More than ever think Crmiean proposition feasible and greatest' im- ..portari?e. Authorities ; very.viavoraWy. disposed. At ownj initiative, government contemplating organization special com¬ mittee including several highest officials for promotion of plan.'
"This cable came to me through Dr. Kahn who cabled that he concurs en¬ tirely with Dr. Rosen's views and "that support of the Crimean settlement propo¬ sition would influence many other Jews to settle iqidependently.
"In all the work of the J. D. C, Dr. Kahn and Dr, Rosen are outstanding figures. They are neither visionaries nor theorists, but eminently successful, practical workers in the field. We have relied upon them in matters involving many millions of dollars and our re¬ liance has always been thoroughly Jus¬ tified. Their ardent support of the Crimeaji undertaking convinces me of its immense possibilities.
"There are today probably 500,000 Jews in Russia in a semi-nomadic condi¬ tion. The complete change of economic life has displaced them. The opportunity . for the small tradesman has gone. The younger Jews must look to the land. Crimea is a land of fertility and sun¬ shine. It is a thinly settled country, large in area, with room ,for immense (Concluded on page 4)
The Dance and Card Party to be given by tho Tifereth Israel Sisterhood on March the 20th at tho Seneca, Purim night, shows every indication of a big success. There will bo good music and splendid prizes for every table. The committee on arrangements is bending every effort to make this a most en¬ joyable evening for everyone present.
Bo sure to come and bring your friends as this will possi¬ bly be the iast dance of the season.
Tables for cards are very lim¬ ited. For reservations f»ll Mrs. L. Nason,' President, or Mrs. Morris* Polster, Social Chair¬ man. Cards and Dancing at 8:30 sharp.   Tickets $1.00 couple.
Oko Returns With Comjilete Records of
Jews in China louring Ming Dynasty
Purim to Be Celebrated Next Wednesda^y, Mar. 19
Festival Has Been Held In High
Esteem by the Jevrash People
at All Times and in AU
Countries—Book of
Esther is Read
in Synagogs
BALLS AND OTHER EN-
TERTAINMENTS HELD
NEW YORK (J. T. A.)—Adolph S Oko, librarian ot thc Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, has returned to America with .j!) Cliinese Hebrew manu¬ scripts, bound in the original Chinese silk, 'complete records of Hebraic com¬ munity life and culture in China during llic MinK Dynasty (1308-1014), of which all trace had been believed lost.
The books which Mr. Oko brings to this country constitute all of thc manur scripts known to have been written by thc Jews living in China. Four addi¬ tional inanuscrips were stolen some years aso wliile on exhibition in -London.
The manuscripts include hymnals and prayer books which were brought from China to London by the London Society for Promoting Christianity among the Jews in China, and were purchased by missionaries of that organization in the village of Kac-Fung-foo.
The introduction to the history reads* in part, as follows:
¦ "The money for the purchase of the books was made available by a grotip of Jews in the West, headed by Ben Selling of Portland, Ore., and Rabbi Jonah Wise, son of Isaac M. Wise, late foun¬ der of thc Hebrew Union College. Ac¬ companying the manuscripts is a history of the experiences of the missionaries of the village of Kac-Fung-foo.
"Instead   of   being   iii   the   form   of
exiujscd to trial, reproach and thc pain pf long-deferred hope, remained the un- jconscious ileposilarics of thfc oracles 6i iCiod and survived as the solitary wit- (Kiscs of (kpiirted glory. Not a single lindividual conid read the Hebrew pooKs; tliey had been without a rabbi AW  fifty  yean.
"The expectation of a Messiah seems 'to have been entirely lost. The rite of viicunicisioii, which appears to have been Uiicrved at the period of their discovery (by the Jesuits two centuries ago, had Jjeen     totally     discontinued.     Out   of
vcnty   faniily   names   or   clans,   only '^evcn now remain, numbering about 200 Individuals   in   all,  dispersed  over  the 'lieighborhood." V	
JEFFERSON M. LEVY, FORMER CONGRESSMAN, DIES IN NEW YORK
NEW YORK—(J. T. A.)—Jefferson tt. Levy,  former member of congress torn   this   city,   owner  of   Monticcllo, riiomas  Jefferson's   home   near   Char¬ lottesville, 'Va., died at 8:30 last night of  heart  disease   at  his   residence,  17 .East 37th street, at thc age of 72 years. 'He  was a  member  of the   fifty-sixth, iiitty-second and 'sixty-third congresses. ,He was always a Democrat in politics
ANNUAL SPRING JUBULEE AND INITIATION EXER¬ CISES OF ZION LODGE AT SOUTHERN WINTER GAR¬ DEN, MARCH 24
Many special features have been 'arranged for the Annual Spring Jubilee of Zion Lodge^ No. 62, I. O. B. B., at which thirty-five candidates will be initiated. Thc affair will take jiace on Monday evening, March Z4, at the Southern Winter Gar¬ den.
In next Week's issue of the Chronicle the full program for the Jubilee will be published. Every member of the Lodge is urged 'by President Yassenoff to make sure that' he will be present  at  this affair.
A wonderful evening, full of fun and merriment, is in store for every "Son of the Cove¬ nant."
THE COMMITTEE.
Colonization Expert Predicts a Glowing Future for Palestine
Professor  Elwood   Mead,   After Returning    From    Palestine Trip, Declares That Suc¬ cess will Crown Zion¬ ist Efforts
RESEMBLANCE BETWEEN PALESTINE AND CALI¬ FORNIA IS GREAT
scrolls, as might be expected, the manu-''4n<i was one of  the founders of the scripts arc fan shaped. The oblong page* | f^n'O'^ratic Club of New York, are folded one upon the other and tht.j'v In his own state, Mr. Levy performed reader pulls the pages out fanwi^c.        Valuable  public   services   in   connection
''Opposition to Inter- MarriagCy Religious Not Racial/' Krass
"Nothing Reaches Down So Far
Into the Depths of the Soul
as Religious Di£Ferenc^
"The history relates how in the mid die of the nineteenth century the once
''\Vith   the  codification   of   the   election ^'aws and in thc reform of practice in
Cooper
ative Sabbath To Be Observed At Temple Israel
Next Friday evening, March 21st, co¬ operative Sabbath will be observed in the Bryden Road Temple, under the auspices of the Council of Jewish VVomen. The Rose E. Lazarus Sis¬ terhood, the Tifereth Israel Sisterhood, the Ezras Noshim Society, the Hadas¬ sah Society, the Ivreeyoh Sosiety and the, Agudath Achim Auxiliary are all co-operating to observe this Sabbath in fitting manner.
Mrs. Ignace J. Reis, president of the Chicago Section, Council of Jewish Women, has accepted the invitation to come to Columbus and to talk at the Bryden Road Temple, Friday evening during the services, and at the Colum¬ bus Hebrew School, 5S2 E. Rich street, Saturday morning at 10:30 o'clock.
Mrs. Reis is a charming and force¬ ful speaker and has much of interest to impart to the mothers and fathers in Israel. It is hoped that the temple will be filled to capacity on Friday evening and that niany will take advantage of Mrs. Reis' talk Saturday morning at the Hebrew- School. Services at the Temple start proitiptly at 8 o'clock.
The Co-operative Committee of the Council in charge of Co-Operative Sab bath is headed by Mrs. H. Lieverman.
(Specially Written for Ohio Jewish Chronicle.)
Purim, a minor festival of tiie Jewish people, will be celebrated in home and synagogue Wednesday evening, March 19, and by those who adhere to thc older traditions, on Thursday morning, March 20th.'
Of all thc festivals on the calender of the Synagogue, Purim is the' least religious in character. This i$ due to the nature of the story told in the Book of Esther, on which the feast of Purim \& 'founded,^ and has led some scholars
not of Jewish origin, but adapted from pagan sources.
Whatever its origin, Purim has been held in high esteem by the Jewish people at all times and in all countries. Some Jewish writers have expressed the opinion that when all the prophetic and sacred writings of the Jews are forgotten, the Book of Esther will be remembered and the feast of Purim maintained.
No religious service is prescribed for this day. Aside of the command that the feast be annually observed as a day of feasting and joy and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to thc poor, it has no other injunction save this prerequisite one of reading the  Book of  Esther.
The only ceremony that can be con¬ strued as religious in character is the reading of the Book of Esther in the synagogue, although business could be transacted and manual labor allowed, there being the fewest restrictions im¬ posed on work during tnis festival. It was of a convivial and social nature and  so observed by the Jewish  people.
Ina.-nnich as it was a woman. Queen Esther, through whom the miraculous deliverance of the Jews was accom¬ plished, thc presence of women at the reading of this story in the syna- (Concluded on page 4)
powerful Jewish groups, of China hadj'J(urrogates' courts, fallen into-poverty and were victims oi-'i( For many years various  plans were persecution-and starvation. '        .Jt^ut forward for the purchase of Monti-
"Since the British Treaty of NankIn8\t!j:cllo and its establishment as a national in 1842, many Christians in Europe nav^jshrinc, but none of them was carried directed their attention toward the Jew^.^to completion. It was stated last night, in ,China. It was at their request thaf; jbov^'^^*"'" ^' ^^- Levy's house, that the the writer of these introductory remarl^^fcthomas Jefferson Memorial Associa- undcrtook to direct the general plan, an^j (tion was arranging to acquire thc prop-
management of the undertaking.
.jiCrty;   Monticello was inherited by Mr.
BELIEVING JEW WILL ALWAYS OPPOSE INTER¬ MARRIAGE, SAYS RABBI
NEW YORK (J. T. A.) — Religious and not racial grounds are the basis for Jewish opposition to intermarriage, said Rabbi Nathan Krass Sunday in a ser¬ mon on "Intermarriage" at Temple Emanu-El.
"Mere prudence," said Rabbi Krass, "would caution against intermarriage because nothing reaches down so far into the depth of the soul as religious differ¬ ence. It may .be concealed, apparently it ...          „ _   may not even exist, but in crises it comes
families; sunk in; the lowest povert«iviiiii£,i^^ieUl¥d ,in, thiSt;*co«t>try, his ances- to  the  surface, with, .the accumulated
<Testifatfeffif,-"tteltf-'^erfg?dtf^s^a're
than a)name, and yet suflicient to sepa-|belonged to the Sons of the Revolution
rate them from the multitude around' and the Society of the War of 1812.
Here in the midst of a surrounding! ^tj?*y fVom his uncle. Commodore Uriah population,   two-thirds   of  whom   wereJ ft.i'Levy, who had bought it from the
professors of Mohammedanism, an'd| fev; .James C. Barclay, the purchaser close adjoining td a heathen temple dedili ^fnSm'Jefferson's daughter, Mrs. Ran- cated to the 'god of fire," a few 'itviism^'^.: Mr. Levy belonged to a family |
Biographical Sketch of Prominent Jewish Poet and Author, P. M. Raskin, Who Will Speak Here March 25th
EXCELSIOR CLUB BEGINS PROGRAM WITH DANCE MARCH 25
The Excelsior Club has begun a social program with snap, which leaves no doubt that this club is a fixed institution.
The committee on entertain¬ ments reported at the 'meeting on March 6, 1924, at the Chit¬ tenden Hotel, that it has en¬ gaged the Seneca Hotel Ball Room for the night of March 25, 1924, for the first dance and has secured the services of ona of the best' orchestras in Colum¬ bus.
Arrangements have bean made so that should any of tbe members or guests not care to dance, « program of entertain¬ ment will be given so that everyone present will bo asaured one of tbe most entertalnint evenings of the season.
Admissioiji to non'membera or guests of members will be by invitation only, and invitation cards will be mailed out about the ISth of March and must be presented at tba door.
To better acquaint Columbus Jewry with the personality of Philip M Ras¬ kin, who is to deliver an address in connection with' the showing of the Palestinian motion pictures at the Chamber of Commerce, Tuesday, March 23, 7:30 p. m., is the purpose of the  following biographical sketch:
Born in Russia, where he was edu¬ cated in thc traditional Hebraic studies Mr. Raskin left for Western Europi- in early youth, studied ill Zurich "am' London, finally settling in Englatul whence he came to America in l!)!''-
Talent as a Writer
At an  earl/ a^e   Mr.  Raskin  maiii fested   his   talents   as   a   writer,   lir^; publishing poems in  Russian and hit^- in Yiddi.h.    His "Ghetto Licdcr" weu published   in   England   in   1910,    ijitW' after, his first book of poems in  I'."' lish  appeared   as   "Songs   of   a  Jf w" Upon   his   arrival   in   America,   liooU-" followed   each   other   in   rapid   siicces,- sion: "Songs of a wanderer," "YiddiM'e Lieder,''    "Songs    and    Dreams"    and "When a Soul Sings."
During his whole adult life, Mr. Ras¬ kin has teen ardently interested in the age-old hope of the Jewish .people tn return to Zion. Both through the writ¬ ten and the spoken word, Mr. Raskin has been its enthusiastic champion. A   Delegate   to   Zionist  Congresses
As a delegate to many a Zionist congress, as a lecturer throughout the British Isles, America and Canada, and as a writer of special Zionist articles, Mr. Raskin has always been actually identified with the forefront oi Zionist activity.
Mr. Raskin is now connected with the Jewish National Fund, the most popular Jewish fund the world over, which aims at the redemption of the soil of Palestine as the inalienable property of the Jewish people. The Jewish National Fund holds its lands open to every Jew that may be willing to settle on it and cultivate it.
Hebrew Songs to ba Sung   .
In addition to his address, Mr. Ras¬ kin will also explain the pictures as they appear on the' screen.
Another feature of the program will he the singing of Hebrew songs by a chorus of children from the Hebrew school of Columbus.
In short, Columbus Jewry is assured nf a highly cntertaininq; and educational fvening at the Chamber of Commerce, Tuesday, March 25.
Menorah Dance at Hennick's a Most Successful Affair
Ohio State University Menorah So- iety brought the winter quarter of ac- ivities to a close with.,an informal !ance for its members at • Hennick's ballroom on thc campus. More than one hundred couples were present. The Scarlet Mask orchestra played for the dancers.
Next week, a team representing the local society will go to Northwestern University to debate with the Menorah society there on thc advisability of the establishment of a Jewish university in the United States.
Thc team is composed of 1. A. Mintz, who is a varsity debater; Roy Stone and Fred Kramer. The debate will be held next Sunday.
The last student pro.^ram, in which Miss Tillie Mohilewski, Miss Edith Brilliant and -Myron Lusti; discussed the prominence of Jews in the profes¬ sion of journalism, was a very great success, and more student programs on various subjects of Jewish interest are being planned.
It is likely that Rabbi Solomon Gold¬ man, of the Jewish Center of Cleve¬ land, will address the spciety late in April.
. At a recent meeting, almost $50 was pledged by members for relief of suf¬ fering Jewish students of Central Europe.   '
"For persons hailing from different religions to marry is indeed taking a dubious step. The conflicts and clashes in the home, particularly when children have to be reared, are indicative o^ dis¬ aster, not of happiness. But there is a deeper reason why the Jew should re¬ frain from intermarrying. The Jews are a minority people in America, 3,000,- 000 out of 110,000,000. While they are not a pure race, they are a historic brotherhood that has suffered through the ages for a great religious ideal.   As
the soldier that goes to fight for his country sacrifices his personal happiness and pleasure for his country, so the in¬ dividual Jew ' should sacrifice his ' per¬ sonal pleasure to the end that his re¬ ligion may continue tb function in the world as a power that in a unique way makes for righteousness.
"The minority is always in danger of being absorbed through intermarriage by the majority, and if intermarriage in¬ creased, Jews as Jews would diminish, and with the disappearance of the Jew, Judaism would disappear, although many of its teachings have been incorporatca in western civilization.   -
"Tennyson has a very suggestive phrase, 'the wilderness of single in- stance=.* In this wilderness we may find a number of instances of happy inter¬ marriages from thc personal point of view, but by and large the general proposition can-.ot be controverted that inasmuch as intermarriage tends to decimate Jewry, it will necessarily weaken Judaism. Thc liberal Jew of today has much in com¬ mon with the liberal Christian but not enough to overcome that psychic heritage which each possesses and which acts as a subconscious urge in one direction or another. The Jews welcome proselytes, though they do not go out for them as missionaries. The Jews welcome people of other faiths into the household of Israel, provided they accept Judaism. But the believing Jew who clings fast to his destiny and feels deeply his mission will always oppose intermarriage only because it points the way to the dissolu¬ tion of his faith."
NEW YORK —A tall, lean man, his keen face browned by the suns and •j breezes of numerous lands, faced a ¦gathering of 300 leading Jews of Amer¬ ica at the Astor Hotel last night and said to them: "Palestine will, within the coming years, again play a great role in the history of the world through its Jewish pioneering achievements." Most of the audience had heard words like these before. They had heard them from visionaries and dreamers. This time the audience received those words with a. peculiar thrill owing to the special sig¬ nificance which they acquired by reason of the man who spoks them.
The speaker was Professor Elwood Mead, the foremost colonization expert of the world who, after a trip of inspec¬ tion through the Jewish colonies in Pal¬ estine reported on what he had found and gave his views, as an expert, on the prospects and possibilities of the future. It is interesting to note in this connec¬ tion that, before visiting Palestine, Prof. Mead, at the request of the British and Australian Governments, had investi¬ gated a $30,000,000 colonization project in Australia in the interests of British and Australian ex-soldiers. He had also visited Java at the request of the Gov¬ ernment of Holland.
Throughout his address Dr, Mead em¬ phasized the resemblance between Pal¬ estine and California.   He called Pales¬ tine the California of Asia and assured his hearers that "agricultural science and skill in cultivation, and care and thor¬ oughness  in  marketing  will  work  the same surprising results in Palestine that have been wrought in California."   He cited instances of colony and town life tending to prove that "anything possible, in southern California is also possible in
"The rural colonization of PalestfiWi'' the scientist declared, "is now' past Its pioneer period. The Zionist colonies on Lake Tiberias and the upper end of the Jordan Valley are worth crossing the Atlantic to see. With their neat; modem homes and tree-bordered streets, they are centuries ahead of the windowless, unshaded mud houses of the nearb$' Arab villages.
Concerning the possibilities of agri¬ cultural colonization in Palestine Dr. Mead said: "Science, skill and industry can make of the plain of Esdralon and the Valley of Jezreel as great a picture of rural charm and agricultural opulenc* as now gladdens one's visions in going from Los Angeles to San Bernardino." Prof. Mead found not only the land itself resembling his native state, but the spirit of the people also was comparable to the spirit that made a garden spot of California.    Said Dr. Mead:
"The Jews are bringing to their ancient Homeland the same optimism and en¬ ergy characteristic of my home state, California. A striking example of this is Jaffa and its snburb,' Tel-Aviv. Jaffa is'an Arabic, city of 15,000 people, which looks as though the only change of a (Concluded on page 4;
^'it'wii
RABBI PELKOWITZ TO SPEAK AT AHAVAS
SHOLOM CONG. SAT.
.   O.   B.   B.   GARDEN   CITY
PROGRAM COMMENDED
BY STRAUS
Rabbi E. Pelkowitz will deliver an ad¬ dress based on the Seclrah of the week at the Ahavas Sholom Congregation on Saturday afternoon at 4 o'clock. AU of the Rabbi's friends and admirers are urged to be prese^it, as a very interesting subject willbe discussed In an entertain¬ ing fashion.
CHICAGO —Nathan Straus, who is in Nice, France, cabled on March Sth. to Adolf Kraus, President of the independent Order of B'nai B'ritb, aa fol¬ lows:
"Just returned from Pales¬ tine. Your Garden City pro¬ gram must appeal to Jews over entire world. Have done and am doing what personally can afford but' as member of B'nai B'rith wish to be identified with your admirable work by con¬ tributing two thousand doliara to Foundation Fund.
NATHAN STRAUS.- B'nai B'rith lodges in America are enthusiastically supporting tha B'nai B'rith Palestine Honso Building Foundation which Is erecting the Garden City suburb in the city of Jerusalem. A total of $280,000 is to be raised In America of which amount $2$,flM bas already been forwarded aa the donation of tbe Exeeutlvo Committee of the Order. Tble. t2^0M ia to be used «• a safety fun4 to protect any possible loss to other subscriibers.