Dr. Paul Nathan's Views on American Conditions
Dr. Paul Nathan, of the Hilfsverein, was interviewed in Berlin in reference to his recent visit to the United States. In the course of the interview he said: “The sole purpose of my journey to New York was to confer with a small circle of American personages whom I partly knew in Europe, and with whom I was anxious to enter into closer relations. I was especially anxious to see Jacob H. Schiff, that great Jewish philanthropist with the foresight and the forthright energy of a statesman. He had frequently invited me to see him. I decided in addition to study in what way and at what rate the immigrants from Eastern Europe were being converted into American citizens. As, externals circumstances compelled me to restrict my visit to the shortest limits, I was not able to conduct my investigations with as much thoroughness as I should have liked. None the less the impression I derived is that under the influence of American conditions changes are brought about in the East European Jews which are highly gratifying. I have never observed the blessed effect of free institutions to such advantage as in the contemplation of the Jewish immigrants in America. The bearing, the behavior, of parents and children who have been only one or two years in the States is quite different from that to which one is accustomed in East European Jews. If good will prevailed in Russia and Roumania the authorities need only study the conditions in America, to understand that the East European Jews constitute a human material which is able to render extraordinary services in the development of a country in which these Tews are given a chance of developing their powers. All that has been said hitherto in this respect in print I was able to confirm, in the short time at my disposal, by my own observations of schools and libraries and in converse with children and adults in the streets.
"If I am asked as to the prospects of future emigration to the United States, I see no reason for painting the future in sombre colors. It is true that there are circles which desire to restrict immigration (not only Jewish immigration) but it
does not appear to me that this section is very large. The majority of the American people are bound to recognize that educated, industrious and peaceful inhabitants are a great blessing for the United States and will help in the development of the country."
Dr. Nathan strongly advocated the Galveston route as a means of relieving the congestion in New York, but he thought that the emigration to the Orient should be encouraged, in order that there might be an "open door" available in case of any financial crisis in the United States.
An Interview with the Chief Rabbi of Turkey
The London Jewish Chronicle sends an interesting account to this paper of an interview with the Chief Rabbi, M. Nahoum, regarding his recent trip to Palestine. M. Nahoum gave an account of his work there which, he said, had been misrepresented in the Jewish press.
He described the chaotic condition of the Jerusalem Jewish community. The Sefardim are divided into five communities, while the Ashkenazim are divided into twenty-five communities, all of which are federated in a council. Every community has its chief or Beth Din and its council. Not only is there no union between them, but they even live in actual enmity. This is the reason why the 50,000 Jews of Jerusalem play no role in the affairs of the nation, because there is not one who could worthily represent them.
Rabbi Nahoum asserted that the Chalukah is not fairly administered. It is impossible now to deal with the question of the Chalukah. The services rendered by the schools of the Alliance and the Hilfsverein are incalculable in their value and influence. "The school which particularly captivated me was the Bezalel Art School. I saw there magnificent speciments of Jewish renaissance which I greatly admired."
He related the difficulties he met with in trying to get the various elements to agree to the election of a Chief Rabbi. The following decisions were reached after a great deal of discussion: 1. The Chief Rabbi, to be styled Rishon le Zion, should be of the Sefardic rite. 2. There shall be two Councils, one ecclesiastical, the other