The Denver Jewish news., 1924-07-03
New Jews And A New
Jewish Question
Michael Wumbrand in Letter From Germany Explains
Situation. German Jewry Undergoing Process of
Renewal. In Matters National, Social Cultural and
Religious.

hunt during The past year. but II il
not enough This Is not because of III,
influx of East European Jews. The
Russian Jews in Berlin have remained
the hardened sinners they were. M
panics have taught them To pray. The
Polish Jews for their part from their
"Minyan" aud "Chcvru" In the ugly
grey tenement houses Of the north and
east Of The city, and nothing is heard
OF them. II is the German Jew who
has returned To the synagog and Is
humbling his soul before the words rf
ligious fcrycr is passing through Ger
man Jewry. One is tempted to describe
the movement in the words OF Theodor
Herzl as n return to Jewish faith
preceding the return to the Jewish
land" Here is the spirit Of the time.
We may say, preceding the return to the
consciousness Of n Jewish nationality.
Only two years age. while JewTy stood
overwhelmed by the disaster which had
cvertaken the Jews in the Ukraine. the
German rabbits still preached ON the
high festivals On subjects like "The
Family" and Peace in the Home" On
the last high festivals, however. the
subject was THE Return" Never were
50 many tears shed in German synagogs
as this year. The wntchword Return
has been adopted also by the thinking
generation. Books full Of talent, which
arouse response, hut forward varia.
tions Of the one theme, an ethical re.
ligions return.
This is for the present the manner
in which the German Jew has reacted
to world anti-Scmitism. But 1t is only
the beginning. The real return rs
yisibly in preparation.
This German Jewry In the throes OF
its renewal must ut this time Of its
political and material distress be given
assistance by the Jews of the world
We know how the official German anti
Semites pnt a pious cloak on their
actions and say aliens when they
mean Jews" That was the official
version issued by Herr Won Kahr in
Munich md by the Berlin police head
quarters nt the time OF the pogroms
against the Jews from Eastern Europe
The "ufficial version" method was also
adopted by Prof. Wiedfelt. the German
Ambassador in America, In his eypla-
nation to the Jewish Telegraphic
Agency. although the veil had by then
been already torn Off and the same
lay naked before the whole world. On
the other hand. it was seen, however,
what deep impression the interven-
tion of foreign governments made on
Government circles. the officials and the
German public generally.
As for the material want Of the Ger.
man Jewry, large part of the once
prosperous middle-class has fallen in.
to condition of genteel shamefaced
poverty They cannot he helped by re-
lief from the Qunkers, and public gifts
at Christmas time from the Central
Relief committee; there must be n spe
cial form OF relief activity co-ordinat-
ed by Jewish organizations devoted tC
the purpose.
And there is something else 1t is
not u question OF German Jewry alone
Germany is an important stage on the
road of Jewish emigration from East
crn to Western Europe and the over
sea countries. The movement may end
in disaster, if the van is not protected
Make safe therefore, the road for the
advance guard OF Jewish Emigration
/ look to the New Jews. A New Jew
ish Question.