Philosophy and Religion

• Author: Thomas I. Cook
• DOI: 10.1177/000271625127400187
• Published date: 01 March 1951
• Date: 01 March 1951
• Subject Matter: Articles

253
GINZBERG, ELI. Agenda for American Jews.
by an excessive aggressiveness and posi-
Pp. x, 90. New York: King’s Crown
tivism about particularly Jewish causes.
Press, 1950. $2.00.
The fact that these demagogic leaders are
This is a book which defies any attempt
usually identified with a single Jewish
to review it intelligently for it is really not
undertaking rather than with the broad
a book but the outline of a book. The pri-
gamut of Jewish work is an a priori basis
for
mary intention, apparently, was to make
suspecting that their very intensity is
the outline available for discussion and
enmeshed in their
re-
own power drives. The
search and to raise certain questions. But
frequent irascibility of their actions must
whatever the intention, one may reasonably
place them under suspicion, for they seem
object that it is difficult to review
unable
an out-
to differentiate the security of their
line
own
or to review a book largely made up
leadership from the values of the
of a series of questions.
cause which they lead.&dquo;
Chapters made
CAREY MCWILLIAMS
up of numbered para-
graphs
Los
are devoted to brief outlines of cer-
Angeles, California
tain phases of Jewish life in America. The
chapter-subjects relate to: Jews and Juda-
ism ; Trends in Jewish Life; Synagogue and
School; Welfare; Israel; and The Gentile
PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGION
World. A brief bibliography is included.
The discussion which Mr. Ginzberg in-
POPPER, KARL R. The Open Society and
vites American Jews to undertake is made
Its Enemies. Pp. xii, 732. Princeton:
to pivot on the assumption, which is clearly
Princeton University Press, 1950. $7.50.
well founded, that all is not well with Jew-
ish life in America. Elements of weakness
This first American edition in one vol-
and instability are noted in many fields,
ume of a work first published in England
and the general impact of the American
in two volumes some five years ago, con-
environment on historic Judaism is sugges-
stitutes...