The Maccabaean

THE rebirth of the Jewish spirit is manifesting itself in as many ways in the field of social endeavor, as the rebirth of spring manifests itself in nature. No longer do thoughtful communal workers sneer at the nationalistic ideals of Jewish workingmen. No longer do successful Jewish social workers ignore this important movement in our midst. What is true of the social worker is true of the rabbi. There was a time when most rabbis thought it their bounden duty to cry down the movement which cements this Jewish consciousness. Now this movement is accorded a respectful hearing and, with few exceptions, rabbis and communal workers are ready to credit the Zionist movement with the good it has done. Those who have vision are beginning to see what this movement means in idealism for the Jewish worker and for the young American Jew.

No wonder the relation of this movement and the Jewish settlement or social center is being earnestly discussed by Jewish social workers. It is the new spirit knocking at the doors of these centers in the same way as the spirit of social justice is seeking shelter there. After all is said and done, Zionism is justice to the Jewish nation just as Socialism is justice to the producers of wealth. So it is natural that these national stirrings in the Jewish breast should call for discussions as to the special and peculiar functions of the Jewish social settlement or social center. Recently, in his report, the head worker of a social center connected with one of the richest and most radical congregations in this country emphasized the need of reawakening in the Jew an historic consciousness. At the last two or three conferences of Jewish social workers this problem had a prominent place.

It is a fine sign of the times. The best known Jewish social center in this country left off the name Jewish from its official name when it was founded. Some twenty-five years ago that was possible. It could not be done to-day. That was the day of fast assimilation. In the same institution Yiddish was practically tabo. If this institution were founded to-day it would be known as the Jewish Educational Alliance. It could not do otherwise. A new era has come into Jewish life.

There was a period in the life of the Jews of America when it was supposed that the way to Americanize people was to compel them to forget that they were Jews. I am not talking of de-Judaising I am not here concerned with the religious aspect of the situation. I leave that to the religious leaders. I am concerning myself with the sociologic aspects of the problem. It is this phase of the problem which will be discussed more and more among Jewish social workers We have come to a turning point. The nationalist movement, as expressed in Zionism, has done its work The Jewish people is coming into its heritage in America. We are beginning to feel at home and are leaving off some of the Ghetto psychology.

To be a Jew was considered a sort of disgrace in the

European countries. It is still considered so in most of these countries. Even the best among us felt as if we owed an apology to the world for being Jews. This feeling was brought by us to this land of freedom and opportunity. We wished to discard rapidly everything which indicated our Jewishness. We clung to Judaism, but wished to discard Jewishness. Many a strong adherent to the Jewish faith, to Judaism, was a traitor to Jewishness. Many a man who was not much concerned with Judaism was a loyal Jew. To be sure, one does not exclude the other. But one is easily possible without the other.

Let us remember that the faithful Judaist made his allegiance known in the synagogue and only there. It was he who frequently derided those who were loyal to Jewishness. He regarded them as fanatics, backward persons, and looked upon them as individuals whose existance was injurious to the Jew in America. Jewishness meant non-Americanization. It was on this account that until practically recent years Zionist organizations were not welcomed in Jewish social centers. Zionism was the cardinal sin against Americanization, just like Socialism was, and is still largely, the economic blasphemy.

The Zionist movement, however, has gradually brought about a change in thought of the Jewish people. It has made itself felt as no other influence in the life of the Jew. The Jewish social center or settlement reflecting as it does the life of the Jewish people, could not escape this influence. With this influence have come more lectures on Jewish topics, Yiddish has received recognition in the settlement. Zionist meetings were at first tolerated, then welcomed. In a word, the Jewish settlement has become more Jewish. It was no longer sufficient for a settlement working among Jews to limit its Jewishness to its name only.

As a result of this natural development discussions as to Jewish problems and the settlement had to come. These discussions will continue. There must be adjustment and co-relation in this process of Americanization of the Jew. We must decide how far we can Americanize the Jewish immigrant and his offspring without killing the Jew within him. America cannot profit by the suppression of racial peculiarities or group characteristics. If the literature of America is to be rich it must keep alive the heritage which the immigrants bring. If we have to have any art in America it must be an expression of the composite soul of the immigrants. Whatever we have in the way of art or literature has not come out of the native soil. The civilization we have found here—we Europeans—we have destroyed together with the population which inhabited the continent. If we are to have the things which express the language of the soul, we must not suppress the expression of the longings of the soul.

We cannot turn out ready-made, hand-me-down Americans. Such Americans are not worth having. People who readily give up their soul life which they brought