Daily Digest of Public Opinion on Jewish Matters

If the Zionists were to yield to the demand of the orthodox rabbis to accept Dr. Wise’s resignation, it would mean, declares Dr. A. Ginsburg in the “Forward” of Jan. 1, “a triumph for dark clericalism and would stamp Zionism as a religious movement.”

Expressing his disagreement with Dr. Wise’s notion about Jesus and Christianity, Dr. Ginsburg feels, nevertheless, that

“Regardless whether one is a Zionist or not, whether one believes in the Keren Hayesod or not, whether one agrees with Dr. Wise’s opinions or not–one thing is certain, and that is: the politicians of the Agudath Harabonim must not be allowed to have their way. Their decree against Dr. Wise must be laughed off.

“To accept Dr. Wise’s resignation now, under pressure of the rabbis would be a triumph for dark clericalism….

“The Zionists must not allow this to happen.”

While endorsing the demand of the orthodox rabbis for Dr. Wise’s resignation, Aphraim Kaplan, in the “Jewish Morning Journal,” objects to their threat that they would declare it a religious transgression to support the United Palestine Appeal if Dr. Wise’s resignation is not accepted.

“The threat of the rabbis was unjustified,” he declares. “Perhaps there might have been reason to take such action after Dr. Wise’s resignation were not accepted. But to do so in advance was an error. . . . Rabbis must seek to employ the power of the Torah, the power of faith, not the power of the ‘yellow metal’.”

“Dr. Wise must withdraw his resignation,” urges the Philadelphia “Jewish World.”

“Dr. Wise committed a tactical error, but to commit a tactical error in regard to a theoretical subject is one thing, and endangering the success of the United Palestine Appeal is another thing. We hope the rabbis will realize their mistake and act in accordance with the higher interests of the Jewish people.”

“Tactlessness on both sides,” thinks Leon Zolot-koff, in the “Jewish Daily Courier” of Chicago. “But Dr. Wise has shown more discipline, first, by being reserved and careful not to give offense to the dignity of the orthodox rabbis, and secondly, by declaring himself ready to resign in order not to injure the Palestine Appeal and willing to work as a soldier in the ranks.”

“The able rabbi of the Free synagogue made no concession to Christian doctrine about Jesus; he expressed his recognition of Jesus, himself, as a Jew whose interpretation of the ethical idealism of Judaism is unsurpassed.”–Chicago “Evening Post.”

“Christians with secular as well as religious experience will be apt to be cautious about taking Rabbi Wise for more than he meant when he spoke of accepting Christ. It was as a man and not as a God that Dr. Wise viewed him.”–Waterbury (Conn.) “American.”

“From the point of view of Christians it is obviously no sensation at all, since the eminent rabbi is far from adopting the traditional theological view of Jesus’ divinity. The practical effect is to ### between Jews and liberal Christians–a thing which from the intellectual point of view does not seem very startling in the current unsettlement of religious doctrines and relaxation of denominational claims.”–Springfield (Mass.) “Republican.”

“It hardly seems as if the utterance of Rabbi Wise was radical or revolutionary. As a matter of fact Rabbi Wise’s position shows the trend of the times, portends, we doubt not, the coming of that day when Jesus will be regarded at least as a prophet and an elder brother, if not Savior and Master, by all communions.”–Leominster (Mass). “Enterprise.”

“As a matter of fact what he said has been generally accepted by all intelligent Jews. Its very acceptance is where the Jews differ with the belief of all Christians…. we Jews differ with the non-Jews in so far as it concerns the claim of Jesus’ divinity.”–Philadelphia “Jewish Times.”

“Even though it is true that the moral principles of Jesus’ sermon on the Mount are derived from the great ethical teachings of Hillel, this does not make of the New Testament a Jewish book. The spirit of the New Testament is absolutely alien to the Jewish spirit, which never worshipped the person of a prophet but his teachings. The Jews regard Moses’ Torah as holier than Moses’ person.”–“Daily Jewish Courier,” Chicago.

“All this fuss, when all is said and done, is a mere tempest in a teapot and will not in the slightest degree injure Rabbi Stephen Wise or sensibly decrease the number of his admirers.”–“American Israelite,” Cincinnati.

“Perhaps Christians will be incensed by Rabbi Wise’s address quite as much as some of the Jews appear to be, because of his statement that for the most part Christendom has denied Jesus in deed, though affirming him in name. … Of course the Jews have never recognized him as the Messiah, and even some Christians do not believe that he was the son of God.”–New Bedford (Mass.) “Standard.”

“We must believe Dr. Wise when he denies categorically that he urged Jews to accept Jesus or the teachings of Jesus. . . . His resignation would only weaken the hands of those who are making such great sacrifices to rebuild the Jewish national home-land. It would only help a group for whom Jewish hopes are merely a ladder to power and influence. Dr. Wise’s resignation must not be accepted.”–“The Day,” New York.

YESHIVA COLLEGE ACQUIRES LIBRARY OF VIENNESE SCHOLAR

The acquisition of the library of Professor Samuel Krauss, philologist and historian, of Vienna, Austria, is announced by Dr. B. Revel, President of the Yeshiva, the Rabbi Isaac Elehanan Theological Seminary.

The collection was gathered for half a century; it includes many rare volumes of Jewish and Oriental learning and its acquisition will greatly enrich the Yeshiva library.

The collection is a gift to the Yeshiva of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Gold, New York, on the occasion of their twenty-fifth aniversary.