Evening star., 1928-11-10
B'NA| BIRTH ASKS
WIDER HELP HERE
Rabbi Abram Simon DevoteS
His Sermon to Work of
Organization.

Jews Of Washington were called upon
last night by RABBI Abram Simon, CT
the Washington Hebrew Congregation
tn support the Wider Scope campaign"
of the B'nai Birth which opens here
tomorrow.
DR.. Simon devoted his regular Friday
night sermon to the postwar activities
of the B'nai Birth, the largest Jewish
fraternal organization. The order has
passed from charity to a cultural
period, he said. Its so-called wider
scope work is now chiefly concerned
with catering to the needs of Jewish
students through the Hillel Foundations,
combating racial prejudice through the
Anti-Defamation League and caring
for Jewish immigration to Mexico and
South America.
Three Phases Discussed.
Discussing these three phases of
Bnai Birth work, DR.. Simon said:
THE problem of the refugees III
Mexico is on the road to constructive
solution. The B'nai Birth representa-
tiveS are on the ground, stimulating
these men and women to efforts OF self
support, and encouraging them in their
work, and in their rehabilitation, and
have given them more expansive out
look on life. For this work alone, the
B'nai Birth has merited the unstlnted
support OF all.
"The second question to which call
your attention, concerns itself With
that phase of the work which the
B'nai Birth has called Anti-Defamation
The average man sees a complete
change in the character and quality
of the pictures in our theaterS. Tne
average man sees a healthier tone Ill
the vaudeville shows. The average
man sees a finer spirit even IN the
magazines of today Let any one thlnK
back a few years, and he Will recall
the burlesuues and caricatureS OF the
Jewish people and their sacred mStl-
tutions picturized in the movies, or
represented on the stage. What
change for the better!
But, it is the third field OF endeavor,
which, to my mind, is the most con-
structive of all. In the department ot
cultural activity, in connection with the
higher education in this country, the
B'nai Birth has shown vision and high
statesmanlike qualities. This new enter
prise is known as the Hillel Foun-
iation. and one wonders why the lead
ing Jews in our land, had not the Wis
dom and insight to anticipate the
Bf1ai B'nit1, so years ago.
Question of Colleges.
"The postwar period has founo
thousands upon thousands OF youths
crowding the universities of the land.
The Jewish youth forms no excepIi0n,
Academic life found the Jew on the
campus a solitary figure. There was
feeling years ago that the universities
were alternating both Jewish and Chris
tian young people from religious beliefs
and that the atmosphere was antagonlS-
tic to church and synagogue. The B'nal
Birth has found solution and we
congratulate the leaders of the B,nai
Birth upon the practical wisdom OF 1t.
"The Hillel Foundation has estab-
1ished cultural and religious centerS In
the universities of Illinois, Ohio, Cali
3ornia, Wisconsin and Michigan, and
has under contemplation one in Cornell.
The appeal for money is that the B'nai
Birth might spread its beneficent ac-
tivitieS year after year to other unlver-
sites. The real secret of the success
of these educational centers, lies in the
establishment of resident rabbi, who,
in addition to offering courses in jew
ish history and literature, can at the
same time coordinate the work OF thSee
centers with the university studies.
I'VE are looking to the college youth
for Jewish leadership of tomorrow. We
are expecting these young Jewish men
and women to return to their communi-
ties with enthusiasm for the Jewish
cause and with a desire to serve that
cause in their respective communities.
1t is still too early to estimate the
value of the Hillel Foundation in its re-
lation to the students who have already
graduated. But from sources that can
not be doubted, we are quite satisfied
that these Jewish men and women have
given a good account of themselves.
Their Jewish consciousness has been
aroused.
Such a cause merits the entire sup
port of our people, and am appealing
TO the Jewish people of our community,
as earnestly as can, to throw them
selves heartily into the campaign and
10 express our profound appreciation
of the great service which the B'nai
Birth has, and is rendering, by a
generous outpouring of our financial
means