August 29, 1941

HECHT

(Continued from Page 1)

DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE and the Legal Chronicle

Semi - Annual Mich. Membership Drive,
Synagogue Parley
Box Collections
At the meeting of the execu- Start J.N.F. Work

9

ISSUE STATEMENT ON
munal problem which affects the
CLOSING OF BAKERIES Jew in this country and endangers

sive "21" Club—a small barroom
one flight up with the stuffed
heads of almost every animal in tive committee of the Michigan
the zoo as well as a swordfish Synagogue Conference held Aug. Mrs. Lightstone Heads Program
Committee of Jewish National
staring down from the walls at 20, the date of the fall conven-
•
Fund Auxiliary
us and the few tables around the tion of the state-wide union of
small bar. Hecht himself must traditional congregations was set
Annual collection of Blue and
.7 have felt a bit embarrassed by for Sunday, Nov. 2. Sessions will
the fact that he was in the bar- be held at Congregation Bnai White Boxes and a membership
room, not because he felt like David, Elmhurst at 14th, Detroit. drive are to feature preparatory
Advance notice is given of the work of the Ladies' Auxiliary of
having a drink, but because of
a deep political and spiritual urge scheduling of this semi-annual the Jewish National Fund for the
to attend a Fight for Freedom event, which attracts a large at- current year.
Mrs. Leon Kay is chairman of
Committee meeting. That definitely tendance of representatives of
put our "enfant terrible" in a synagogues and their Women's the committee in charge of box
bad light of wholesomeness and Auxiliaries throughout the state, collections, and her co-chairman
in order that no functions of
purpose.
major importance be arranged by
Describes Types of Jews
other organizations for that day.
But it is erroneous to think of
Ben Hecht as being without pur-
pose, as some talent spilling over
without control or direction. For Philip Rosenthal Returns
From Nine-Weeks Course
example, he has a razor-edge,
precise conception of Jewish life
at U. of Wyoming; Will
which has projected him into
Teach Portuguese
many a verbal free-for-all. And
he speaks of Jews with a provoca-
Philip L. Rosenthal and fam-
tive candor. He has a sound view
of the Jewish position and he ily returned from Laramie, Wyo-
believes in the frankest kind of ming, where he attended the
University of Wyoming for nine
self-criticism.
weeks. The Rockefeller Founda-
Mr. Hecht outlined the follow- tion and the American Council
ing types of Jews:
of Learned Societies jointly
"There are the Hollywood Jews. sponsored a Portuguese Institute
They're terrified, ashamed, yel- at this university for the purpose
low, scared and silly, instead of of developing a fuller under-
being proud of their achievements,
proud of their success, their standing of Brazilian culture.
Although several hundred applied
nrains, their money and their
for entrance, only 30 were ac-
intelligence.
cepted. Mr. Rosenthal plans to
"Another type of Jew,"—and teach Portuguese this fall.
here Burgess Meredith, the actor,
interrupted to ask what could be
MRS. LOUIS R. LIGHTSTONE
done in the way of a special historians and commentators of
movie in support of the demo- Jewish history, he has not been is Mrs. J. Deytche. Announcements
cratic cause, "is the 'Yeshiva able to find a solution to the of plans for traditional collections
bother' or talmudic Jew, who ex- Jewish problem. Mr. Hecht can- of the Blue and White Boxes will
amines with a microscope what not see any hope for the Jews be made at an early date.
is right or wrong, good or bad of Europe who, he says, will prob-
Mrs. William Hordes, chairman
for Jews. They seem to be sick ably be wiped out in the next five of the membership drive, who is
—sickened by the long history of years. But Zionism and Palestine assisted by Mrs. William Klafer
trouble. They're weak, frightened will "ultimately be the salvation as co-chairman, stated this week
to death. Their nerves are shaken, of the Jewish people. The Zionists that the committee hopes to enroll
panic-shocked."
give the word Jew a high focus several hundred additional women
in the work for the land redemp-
The Weak and the Strong
and dignified stand."
tion in Palestine. Mrs. Hordes
But he believes that beyond
Placing himself "1,000 per cent" pointed out that the hopes placed
the fringe of the "Jew-frightened" in favor of a Jewish army, he
Jews is a big flock of very strong said that a fighting army of 100, by Jews in Palestine and the large
Jews and among them he places 000 Jews with an appropriate air movement for settlement in the
the Jewish writers and journa- arm would make the most impor- Jewish homeland after the war
lists and the Zionists. They are tant contribution to the Jewish demand immediate action to re-
delighted to be Jews. They have people. He felt that the British deem as much land as possible in
no shame, no fear; they're always were a bit slow in arming the order that the largest number of
Jews may be settled there.
full of creativeness, stirring up Jews of Palestine.
Announcement was made this
excitement, organizing armies,
It
was
somewhat
of
a
shock
week by Mrs. Philip Slomovitz,
getting places.
III r. Hecht looks with scorn to learn that Hecht has a daugh- president of the Ladies' Auxiliary
ter who is married and lives in
upon the "I'm-an American" type Rio de Janeiro. Apparently the of the Jewish National Fund, of
of Jew which he has met so "bad boy" has grown older. At the appointment of Mrs. Louis R.
frequently in his world. He con- present he is writing a new play Lightstone as chairman of the pro-
siders this type stupid. "While which he hopes to have produced gram committee. Serving with
this fellow protests that he is on Broadway in the fall. The Mrs. Lightstone in planning a cul-
an American, his Jewishness is subject matter is a deep secret tural program for the entire year
constantly being pushed forward and nothing can be pried out of are: Mesdames E. H. Laster,
Joshua S. Sperka, Harry Davis,
and made the target of attack. him that might furnish a clue. M. Feldstein, Harry Schwartz,
The time to stand on your rights
Max Hayman, Samuel N. Hey-
A Wheeler Fantasy
as an American is when your
But in the midst of the present man, J. Deytche, S. Borenstein,
Americanism is attacked, but not
Harry Kraft, Benjamin Laikin.
when your troubles are tied up world upheaval Ben Hecht can-
Those desiring to assist in box
with your Jewishness. You can't not keep aloof from the fight. collection work, or to get addi-
tell the mud-pie that has just He has been writing speeches, tional information, are asked to
hit you that you're an American." advertisements, letters and radio communicate with Mrs. Kay at
We must not gloss over the fact sketches for the Fight for Free- University 3-4208, or Mrs. Dey-
that a Hitleresque attitude exists dom group. Here he told us of tche, Townsend 5-9398.
among some Jews in this country. the sketch he had written for
For further information regard-
To prove his point Mr. Hecht the radio which had Washington ing the membership drive, and to
related the story of the establish- in a dither. It concerns Senator assist in membership enrollment,
ment of the Mt. Sinai Hospital Wheeler, the isolationist leader. members and friends of the La
and the philanthropic efforts of According to Mr. Hecht's fertile dies' Auxiliary of the Jewish Na-
the late George Blumenthal, the brain the radio sketch finds Mr. tional Fund are urged to call Mrs.
art patron, which made it pos- Wheeler asleep for a long, Rip Hordes at Townsend 8-1957 or
sible. "Blumenthal gave his mil- Van Winkle period. Then sudden- Mrs. Klafer at Townsend 6-5537.
lions for the founding of the Jew- ly the isolationist Senator awak-
ish hospital on one unalterable ens to find that America has been
condition: that there would be overrun and conquered by the Bnai Brith Gives $323,850
no obstetrical ward so that not Nazis. Democracy remains only as
for Relief of War Suf-
a single Jewish child would be a dangerous underground move-
ferers and Refugees
born there. That's a clear case of ment. Any shreds of freedom that
the Hitler attitude. He was quite exist must be bootlegged as in
WASHINGTON, D. C. — In
ready to see the Jews die out," Germany. Shocked at the hor-
said Hecht.
rible transformation of his coun- the first two years of the present
try, Wheeler joins the underground war Bnai Brith contributed $323,-
He Studied Jewish History
His inability to read Yiddish democratic forces and is killed in 850 for aid to refugees and re-
or Hebrew has not prevented a heroic attempt to defend liberty. lief of war sufferers in 16 coun-
Hecht from delving into the most No wonder official Washington tries without regard to race or
obscure corners of Jewish life. has been jittery about giving its creed, according to figures made
He has been able to overcome this approval to Ben Hecht's radio public here by Henry Monsky,
president of Bnai Brith.
difficulty by prevailing upon his cl rama.
Included in these figures, Mr.
father-in-law and uncle to trans-
The dictum of Thomas Mann
late the Yiddish newspaper for that all writers belong in politics Monsky said, were checks total-
him. Analyzing the Jewish ap- today is Ileches inspiration in his ing $8,600 turned over this week
proach to anti-Semitism, Hecht extra-curricular activities. "Every to the British War Relief Society,
has come to the conclusion that bit of wriaen propaganada, of he United China Relief, the Amer-
"hollering" is undesirable and in- elation or even jokes—anything ican Red Cross and the Queen
effective. "Holler you're hurt and that manifests a feeling of super- Wilhelmina Fund as, a result of
you get four bullies on your neck iority—anything like that helps special efforts made by lodges.
Of the total sum, $179,700, or
to finish you off. The Jewish writ- a great deal," he said.
55 per cent, was given to non-
ers should be a little bolder and
"Wherever there's a gun to sectarian agencies such as the
a little gayer. They should stop fire, that's wehe the Jew be-
Red ('rocs, British War Relief So-
complaining and do a little think- longs."
ciety, British-American Ambu-
ingin their counter-attack on
But no weeping, no wailing, lance Corps, Bundles for Britain,
Nazism," said Mr. Hecht. He is and no groaning. These depress
convinced that the mere recital our morale. Take it from Ben United China Relief, Finnish Re-
of the tragedies that have been Hecht: "Always laugh until it lief Fund, Greek War Relief So-
piled on the Jewish people does conies time to run or shoot." ciety and Queen Wilhelmina Fund.
not represent a condemnation of There you have the philosophy of The other 45 per cent, represent-
Hitlerism. The Jews must attack a bright and fearless spirit, whose ing $144,150, was expended
the Germans ruthlessly, with all sharp tongue and pungent pen through existing Jewish agencies
the historical ammunition that have served his people and his operating in the overseas field
has been used against them. They country in his own tempestuous and through Bnai Brith commit-
must not complain.
tees abroad. This amount included
way.
$29,700 allocated to various Pal-
Though he spent one entire (Copyright 1941 by Independent Jewish
Press Service, In•.)
estinian causes.
year reading Graetz, studying the

The following statement was dis-
tributed by the Women's branch
of the Michigan Synagogue Con-
ference last week to all organiza-
tions throughout the city, with
reference to the closing of the
maority of the Detroit Jewish bak-
eries on Saturdays. Announce-
ments were also made by rabbis
and presidents of the city's 40
orthodox and conservative congre-
gations, before large audiences
which attended services on Shab-
bos Rosh Chodesh Ellul, Aug. 23:
"Several weeks ago, the prin-
ciple of the six-day-week was
adopted by the majority of the
Jewish bakers of Detroit, thus
eliminating a long-standing abuse
from the Jewish street. At this
writing all of the retail baking
shops on 12th St. and Linwood,
three on Dexter Blvd., one in
the Oakland district and one on
Joy Road are closed Saturdays.
"The first steps in this direction
were received enthusiastically in
all circles. From New York, Chi-
cago, Boston and other cities came
messages of congratulation to De-
troit Jewry. Responsible agencies,
city officials, non-Jewish bakers
and the general public expressed
their satisfaction at the institu-
tion of a day of rest in their
stores by the Jewish bakers.
"We are certain that public
opinion will also exercise pres-
sure upon the small minority of
bakers which still open their
business on Shabbos, to comply
with the desire of the Jewish
community.
"This is not a question of the
personal reliability or religious
observance of this or the other
individual. It is a serious com-

the peaceful relationship with our
non-Jewish neighbors. The sense
of self-respect and national dig-
nity, the care for the growing
Jewish youth no longer permit
us to remain silent at the dis-
honor done our people through the
violation of divine and human law.
"The fact that 18 stores have
closed is sufficient evidence that
the entire program can and will
be carried out."

CARD OF THANKS
The family of the late William
Shevin take this means of ex-
tending their appreciation and
heartfelt thanks to their many
friends and relatives for their
kindness and sympathy shown
them during their recent be-
reavement.

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