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The Jewish Trail of Tears The Evian Conference of ... - Haruth.com

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Jews. <strong>The</strong> patriotic organizations sure won’t object to this one. It should make things a<br />

hell <strong>of</strong> a lot easier.” 96<br />

Finally, Haskel Lookstein has argued that “divisiveness” in the American <strong>Jewish</strong><br />

<strong>com</strong>munity and reticence to respond “to the indifference <strong>of</strong> America” out <strong>of</strong> fear <strong>of</strong><br />

generating increased anti-Semitism and more restrictive immigration laws led many<br />

American Jews to assume the role <strong>of</strong> “bystander” to the inherent dangers <strong>of</strong> the German<br />

anti-Nazi policies. Such hesitancy was evident during the course <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Evian</strong><br />

<strong>Conference</strong> and in later attempts to admit <strong>Jewish</strong> refugees. A clear division existed<br />

between Jews who believed rescue depended upon adopting a more public and vocal<br />

stance and strategy and those who maintained that back room diplomacy and political<br />

maneuvering was the only realistic tactic for Jews to follow. For example, the American<br />

<strong>Jewish</strong> <strong>com</strong>mittee maintained a low pr<strong>of</strong>ile during the Congressional hearings on the<br />

Wagner-Rogers bill. <strong>The</strong> Congress Bulletin <strong>of</strong> the American <strong>Jewish</strong> Congress noted that<br />

Jews needed to observe “a great deal <strong>of</strong> necessary caution” while the hearings were<br />

underway but this “cautious restraint” could be eased once the bill left <strong>com</strong>mittee.<br />

However, a forceful campaign was not mounted by the <strong>Jewish</strong> leaders and <strong>com</strong>munity<br />

out <strong>of</strong> fear <strong>of</strong> inciting calls for greater immigration restrictions. This lack <strong>of</strong> significant<br />

visible <strong>Jewish</strong> support for their co-religionists was used by nativist adversaries <strong>of</strong> the bill<br />

(and others who were against any increased immigration) as justification for opposition. 97<br />

96 Carl L. Steinhouse, Barred: <strong>The</strong> Shameful Refusal <strong>of</strong> FDR’s State Department to Save Tens <strong>of</strong><br />

Thousands <strong>of</strong> Europe’s Jews from Extermination (Bloomington, IN: Author House, 2007), 18-20, 69-70<br />

97 Haskel Lookstein, Were We Our Brother’s Keepers? <strong>The</strong> Public Response <strong>of</strong> American Jews to the<br />

Holocaust 1938-1944 (NY: Hartmore House, 1985), 22, 183.<br />

345

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