The Denver Jewish news., 1925-08-20

Louis ~ Jnire originally intended to
become a Hbb Ills early life was Il
studious, secluded devotion 10 fu-
turc career ns u Jewish religious lead
or. lie was Il retiring youth, who was
Interested however In all Jewish prob
lens, He not Cnly became thoroughly
familiar with all Jewish questions, hut
he gained an intimacy with problems
Of an economic social nature. Life
struck him as a prc.arranged happy
adventure for only minority; the
youth OF seventeen devised schemes OF
aiding the rest of humanity. lie was
of course, especially intent ON coming
to the rescue Of his own people. To
this end, he thought Of having some
body convokc Il world conference Of
rabbiS whose decisions would be re-
gnrdcl ms laws w world Jewry. Some
of the difficulties In which Jews found
themselves would he eliminated In
these conferences, the young visionary
thought. An organized world Jcwry
would be better able to protect their
interests and mobilize their resources
to contribute TO humanity.
But Louis Jnfrc grew older his phil
osophy became melower and worldly
wise. When he reached America as n
Young, idealistic Immigrant he, Il
course, abandoned his most ambitions
scheme, although he was still intent on
entering the rnbbinatc. and thus help
in the reform Of jewish conditions.
Jaifc's father, also n rabbi. was nat
urally Interested in having his son con
tinuu the family tradition. But clrcum-
stances dccreed otherwise. 1t began to
seem to Jaffe that reform through his
capacity ns religious leader would he
an arduous, slow process; his newt
able lack of money would he "A real
barricHde to extensively planned hu-
manitaran work. And thus, Jairc, the
idcnlist and dreamer, who had never
concerned himself about material pros
poets, but who was always schcmiug
for the furtherance of the worlds wei
fare, decided that the surcst. quickest
means to reform was through the prac-
teal manner-thc gain of money.
The tribulations of all immigrants
are almost all alike; the refining pro-
cess leaves many scar. physical and
spiritual. Jaife. too. had TO tread the
MIL But he had II wider vision, a
more determined purpose than many
of the other immigrants. He was work
ance by night he went TO school, study
ing law. His father had died In the
meanwhile. and he was face TO face
with the ruthless, pitilcss realities of
New York life. There were moments
in the struggle when the "Ieshivah
Bochur" was at the end of his rope
despair grippcd him not intrequently.
The law student finally graduated.
however, from New York University as
a full-iledgcd barristcr Atstlp age OF
l21 he had already distinguished him.
Stll Nv HIS lllllllll ll'tii l'NtlN, u
result no doubt of his early Talmudic
training and innate keenness. Jaffe's
law office saw him rise from success to
success; his phenomenal rise was us
consistent as it was deserved Now he
is the head of the noted law firm, and
one of New Iork's most astutc realtors.
JafTc has now come into his own; he
has reached the position where he can
realize his boyhood dreams: to strive
FOR better understanding between jew
and Gentle, and TO acquaint all Amer
lean Jews with the riches Of Jewish
culture.
Mr.. Jafrc has very definite. specific
aims in mind. lie has made n happy
combination between social altruism
and personal duty about which he is
frank and honest. Most of his ideas
have tingc of communal service; GER
tain it is that many of them will not
be immediate financial successes. Mr..
JniIe declares:
y am not Il philanthropist. | believe
that America is ripe for the staging Of
the highest form of art which may yet
pay for itself | have undertaken 10
build an elaborate home for the Jewish
Art Theatre at a time when Maurice
Schwartz, the directing genius of the
group, practically gave up hope for the
theatres success. Although the linan.
cial returns from the theatre were quite
satisfactory, they did not provide
enough to finance the building of an
appropriate home
Il considered the proper housing Of
the Art Theatre ms the first plank in
my planned program Of communal ac.
tivity. Note the use of my word ac
tivity-and not hobby
The Jewish Art Theatre Building,
now in the process of erection in the
"a. Il, g