March 30, 1933, pages 1, 3

Menorah Protests
Hitler Government
At Mass Meeting

Dr. Gross, Dr. Neumann,
and Rt. Rev.Belford Speak

President and Deans Attend

          "The students of Brooklyn College respectfully petition the Secretary of State of the United States of America to make representation to the German government to end effectively the aforementioned abuses and to guarantee the fundamental rights to all within its borders"

          This is the concluding part of the resolution to be sent to the Federal Department and to the metropolitan press by the combined Menorah and Avukah Societies of Brooklyn College, who sponsored a mass meeting yesterday, called in protest against the treatment of the German Jews by the Nazi forces, and attended by some 1000 students and faculty. It was further resolved to add a request that the immigration laws be let down to admit German refugees into this country.

Among those present were the Rt, Rev. Monsignor John L. Belford, Rabbi Louis I. Newman, of the Rodeph Sholom Synagogue, Dr. Louis D. Gross, of the Board of Higher Education and editor of the Brooklyn Jewish Examiner, President William A. Boylan, Dean Adele Bildersee, Dean Mario E. Cosenza, Professor Stanley Rypins, Professor Joshua Neumann, Dr. Harry Slochower, Professor Richard J. O'Neill, Dr. Louis A. Warsoff. Dr. Adelbert G, Fradenburgh, Professor of History was chairman of the meeting.

          Rabbi Louis I. Newman the first speaker stated that the meeting, and all meetings throughout the nation, was called to protest three things: the anti-Semitic excesses, the nights of March 9 and 10, and the boycott propaganda. "Against the poisonous propaganda of hate we raise our voice in protest," he said. "We demand equal rights for all non-nationals in Germany!...All of us, elders and youth together, if we but hold fast to the principles of liberty and freedom, shall win in the end."

          Dr. Louis D. Gross, a member of the Board of Higher Education, next addressed the meeting. "What a striking exhibition of the law of retaliation: Hitler and his gang of cut-throats are going to punish the Jews of Germany just because of the protests in America." But then, he continued, the protest at Madison Square Garden was a Hitler's Christian protest–according to logic the Christians should be persecuted. Dr. Gros claimed that, despite this retaliation on the part of the Nazis, the protests were right, and the only thing to be done. "We are too much prone to bow our heads as if we are guilty, and keep silent," he said. He suggested as con- [sic] constructive measures to meet the situation:

          1. A new ambassador should not be appointed to Germany, as a rebuke to Hitler and his party.

          2. A liberalization of the immigration laws to permit fleeing refugees from Germany to enter this country. They will not become a public charge, but will be taken care of.

          "Though we be crucified for it over and over again, the Jew must live!" he concluded. "And men must learn the lesson of the Jew, which is also the teaching of the Christian: 'by his spirit shall man persist:'"

          Dr. Gross was followed by Monsignor John L. Belford, the last of the speakers.

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May 20, 2004