14

DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE and the Legal Chronicle

Michigan Author Wins Country-Wide
Praise for His Latest Jewish Novel

Father CO Thousands

January 2, 194:

Hadassah Appoints New York Neurosurgeon to Post
in Its Palestine Medical Center: Dr. Henry
Wigderson Flying to Holy Land

NEW YORK.—Hadassah, the ditional refugees and to sustain
Women's Zionist Organization of the morale of "a community
America, announced that it has which is the backbone of pro-
appointed Dr. Henry Wigderson, British strength in the Middle
35, instructor in surgery at New East," there was spent in Pales-
the
pioneering
activities
in
the
York University, to a newly- tine by the national funds sup-
Much water has gone over the northern territory and the activi-
created post as head neurosur- ported by the Jews of America
dam since 1936, and many ideas ties of those who denuded the
geon in the Rothschild-Hadassah- the sum of $7,586,411.40 from
have changed in five years of country of trees for profit. It is
University Hospital which is a Oct. 1, 1940, to Sept. 1, 1941,
blood and sweat and toil. What the story of Bernard Straus who
part of the group's medical cen- it was announced by Charles
was objectionable at the end of comes to Chippewa City with the
ter situated on Mt. Scopus, out- Rosenbloom of Pittsburgh, treas-
four years of Hitlerism is accept- pioneers, marries a Gentile, raises
urer of the United Palestine Ap-
side of Jerusalem, Palestine.
ance as pure in some quarters, his children in the community,
peal, American Jewry's central
and the simon-pure of that day builds up a business, fights for
Together with his wife, Doro- instrument for the upbuildin
now possesses a stench.
thy Marks Wigderson, 29, who of Palestine.
political and social reforms, at-
By the same token, many Jew- tempts to stop the tree-denuding
has collaborated with her hus-
In this eleven-month period,
ish ideas have changed, and "some
band in neurological research there was an average monthly
of our best friends" have since process.
and holds a master of arts de- immigration into Palestine of ap-
His father-in-law, who never
become our worst enemies—and
gree in speech pathology from proximately 1,000 Jews, half of
forgave him his marriage, is the
vice versa.
Columbia University. Dr. Wig- them registered immigrants and
Similarly, what was trivial then leader in the movement that
derson will begin a 22,000 mile the other half refugees without
is important today; and the re- caused him his troubles. The Ku
Klux Klan stepped in, made him
air journey to the Holy Land certificates. The total Jewish
verse.
on Oct. 24. The trip will be by population of Palestine is now
These do not necessarily apply a tar-and-feather victim and
way of Hawaii, Australia, India said to have risen to 550,000.
entirely to Robert Gessner, bril- brought about the changes in the
and Iraq.
liant writer who hails from the entire family's thinking. The
The issuance of the report by
Upper Peninsula of Michigan. younger son, as a result of the
the United Palestine Appeal,
In
addition
to
heading
the
But they have some bearing on horrifying anti-Semitic experi-
Dr. Samuel Wolfenstein, be- neuro-surgical department in the whose national chairman is Dr.
his case, as it has shown trans- ences, was prepared to go to loved superintendent of the hospital, Dr. Wigderson will also Abba Hillel Silver of Cleveland,
formations from his book "Some Palestine. He gets to New York, Cleveland Jewish Orphan Home, work with Hadassah's war emer- coincided with the launching in
of My Best Friends Are Jews," visits the Jewish sections and at the first of the philanthropic gency committee • which is co- Palestine by the Jewish Agency
to his latest novel, "Here Is My the last moment gives up the agencies founded by Bnai Brith, operating with British and Jew- for Palestine, which receives its
Home." The latter was just pub- steamship ticket, returns to his from 1878 to 1913, whose cen- ish medical authorities "to safe- funds from America through the
lished by the Alliance Book Cor- native city to hurdle over the tennial was celebrated on Dec. guard the Palestine population United Palestine Appeal, of a
poration, 212 Fifth Ave., New difficulties created by intolerance.
"This Is My Home" is the im- 10, by the thousands of gradu- form health hazards which al- drive to recruit 10,000 additional
York.
ways accompany war," a state- Palestine Jews into the British
ates of the Home.
plied answer he arrives at.
Son of Prominent Zionist
ment issued from Hadassah na- Army of the Middle East. Over
Jews
as
Pioneers
The author is the son of the
tional headquarters, 1819 Broad- 10,000 Jews of Palestine are now
Robert
Gessner's
book
is
a
children's
problems
are
there,
and
prominent Zionist leader, Herman
way, said. with the British forces, many
magnificent
story
in
many
re-
the
fact
that
the
father
comes
Gessner of Escanaba, Mich. He
To strengthen the Jewish Na- of them having served in the
spects.
For
instance,
there
is
the
very
close
to
Zionism
is
a
direct
is at present on the faculty of
tional Home in Palestine, to make North African, Greek and Mid-
New York University, is the old Jewish mother's affirmation to result of these conflicts.
possible the immigration of ad- dle Eastern campaigns.
author of several important her future daughter-in-law, "The
The rise of a rabble-rousing
works, is an able poet and has Jewish people have always been priest—the counterpart of Cough-
made his mark as a novelist. pioneering . . . " Then there is lin—indicates how Gessner was Hadassah "Parcels for Pal- CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE
JEWISH HOME FOR AGED
That his lateit work, "This Is the reaction to "the first Jew affected by the new wave of in-
estine" Meeting Jan. 13
My Home," is going over with a you ever saw" in the wilds of tolerance. Of course, there is the
The following have made con-
bang, is indicated by favorable lumbe•land.
conclusion of the need for inter-
Featuring the work of the Pal-
reviews and by letters, among
Actually, there is a good ac- relating all racial and religious estine Supplies Committee, the tributions to the Home for Aged:
which is one by Rev. F. A. Mac- count of Jews as pioneers. Also, groups in the melting pot of next meeting of the Detroit Chap- August family, donation; Mrs.
Callum, minister of the Walnut there is an excellent record of America, and the adherents to ter of Hadassah will be held at Emil Baron, in honor of Bar
Street Presbyterian Church in inter-faith activities when hon- the American way of life are the 2 o'clock, Tuesday, Jan. 13, in the Mitzvah of Ruthven Simons;
Rev. MacCallum estly approached, and the Straus heroes—often they are the mar- social hall of the Shaarey Zedek. Harold Biller, in memory of
Philadelphia.
intermarriage works out well. tyrs in the struggle for decency
wrote to Mr. Gessner:
"Parcels for Palestine" is the mother, Hansah; Daniel Birn-
"I know that It is a serious The Gentile wife's interest in the in Chippewa City.
slogan of the meeting to which baum, Wyandotte, Mich., in mem-
defect in my mentality but I read Bible and Jewish history denotes
Robert Gessner has written a members are asked to bring those ory of brother, Norbert Birn-
relatively few novels. This is a tolerance that is not strange, good American-Jewish story, even things which are most needed baum; Jack J. Brown, donation;
not due to any original limitation and the manner in which it is if the approach to the Zionist such as sheets, pillow cases, tow- Mrs. Etta E. Cohn, Brookline,
for once upon a time it was not described is good.
angle is still somewhat strange els of all types, sweaters and Mass., in memory of husband,
true. It is to be explained as
An entire community's reactions to the position of his own father garments of all types—anything Louis M. Cohn, and father,
Darwin explained his lost interest to a Jew and his Christian wife and to realities within Zionism new which can be bought or made, Isaac Elbinger; Louis Cooper,
in poetry. However, the adven- are reflected in the story, which and in Palestine. "This Is My according to Mrs. Saul J. Benyas Chicago, Ill., in memory of moth-
turous and romantic eleMents in also reveals the inner struggles Home" is a fine contribution to and Mrs. Morris Wayne, local er, Bella Cooper; Rose and Leon
Friedman, donation; Gertrude
my personality are not altogether in both religions. Of course, the American-Jewish novels.
chairmen.
atrophied as a careful reading
Glaser, in memory of . David
Rayman; Mrs. Hurwitz, dona-
of your "Here Is My Home" has
proved. During the past year I
tion; Mrs. J. Imerinan, in mem-
have read half a dozen of the Jewish Congress Delegates from South and Central America Are
ory of brother, Morris Baum-
notable works of fiction, includ-
garth; Geo. L. Kahn, Auburn,
Tendered
Impressive
Reception
at
Manischewitz
Bakeries
ing "Grapes of Wrath, "Native
Mich., in memory of brother,
Son," "How Green Is My Valley,"
Itzhok Kahn; Mrs. Lillian Kaye,
in
Delegates from South and Central America visit the B. Manischewitz Matzo Bakery
and am fairly familiar with the
in memory of David Rayman;
Those
present were: From Argentina, Dr. Jacob Hellman, M. Rogalsky, editor of Yid-
Jersey
City.
works of Huxley, Cronin, Maug-
Moses Goldman; from Colombia, Dr. Dr. Albert Krohn, in memory of
dishe
Zeitung,
David
Grossman.
Tillia
Grossman
and
Dr.
han and Priestley.
Resnick; from Peru, Dr. Wek- parents, Moses and Theresa
"I mention this only as a back- Salvador Rosenthal: from Cuba, E. -Aronofsky; from Uruguay, David
Leona Schwartz, Mrs. Dworkin Krohn; Izy Levy, donation; Mrs.
Congress,
Mrs.
Schnieberg,
Miss
sellman:
from
American
Jewish
ground to tell you of the deep
Etta Morris, in memory of moth-
appreciation I feel for your work and Mr. Posansky.
er, Annie; Mr. and Mrs. Geo. M.
in "Here Is My Home" which has
Roberts, in memory of William
held by unflagging interest on
Elson; Mrs. B. Sarasohn, dona-
every page. Because of the basic
tion; Mrs. Dora Shimberg, in
truth in human relations that it
memory of mother, Rayzel; Mrs.
presents, I wish that some means
Jacobb Simon and family, Pon-
could be found to draw it to the
tiac, Mich., in memory of Ben
attention of the widest possible
Robinson; Mrs. Minnie Stein-
public. No man can read it with-
berg, in memory of husband,
out feeling ashamed of his intol-
Jacob H. Steinberg; Mrs. Mollie
erance and his racial and relig-
S. Stern, in memory of husband,
ious animosities. In telling the
Jacob H. Steinberg; Mrs. Mollie
story of Bernard Straus and Mary
S. Stern, in memory of sister,
Bolitho, you have attained a high
Sarah Rosenzweig; Jacob E.
artistic level. The value of the
Stocker, in memory of wife,
story lies in its objectivity and
Pauline Stocker; Mrs. Eveelyn
the absence of moralizing. There
Theil, Hunter, N. Y., in mem-
is no propaganda other than that
ory of mother, Yeetke; Mrs.
which is inherent in an honest
Sarah Wolf, donation.
record of fact which is, of course,
legitimate. In this respect I count
it higher art than Steinbeck's
Jewish Fund-Raising Up 2.8%.
"Grapes of Wrath."
Council Report Shows
"These are my impressions and
NEW YORK (JPS) — A com-
I give them for what they are
Delegates from South and Cen- arose to greet the guests and tude which he and his brothers parison of the amounts raised by
worth, for I am in no sense of tral American countries who at- to introduce the important speak- felt at the privilege of being 68 American Jewish communi-
the word a literary critic yet tended the Hemisphere Conven- ers of the afternoon.
able to meet with their Jewish ties in 1941 with those in 1940
there was a time when I ex- tion called recently by the World
Mr. Goldberg introduced Mr. brethren of neighboring Amer- shows an increase in giving of
pected that this would be the field Jewish Congress in Baltimore, Regalsky, delegate from Argen- icas, and to extend the hospital- 2.8 per cent, it was stated by the
in which my work would be were tendered a colorful and im- tina, and editor of the important ity of the firm to the representa- Council of Jewish Federations and
done."
pressive reception at the Jersey newspaper "Die Yiddische Zei- tives of South and Central Amer- Welfare Funds in a preliminary
Robert Gessner's background is City plant of the B. Manische- tung,"
published in Buenos Aires. ican Jewry. He ended his remarks report on the sums obtained dur-
important. He acquired fame witz Company. Transported in a Speaking for the rest of the with the fervent hope that all ing the first 9 months of 1941,
early when he emerged as a cham- specially chartered bus, from delegates, Mr. Regalsky told of would soon witness the downfall when a total of $15,895,697 was
pion of the cause of the Indians New York, the delegates were
of Hitler and Hitlerism.
registered in 132 cities in cam-
in his first novels, "Massacre" and welcomed in Jersey City by the the fame of the Manischewitz
paigns for local and non-local
name
throughout
South
and
Cen-
Final
speaker
on
the
program
"Broken Arrow." Later in "Some Manischewitz brothers and by
needs. The Council estimated that
tral
America.
was
Rabbi
Hirsch
Manischewitz.
of My Best Friends Are Jews," Rabbi Hochstein, chief dietary
A warm message was delivered "What is of paramount interest the approximately $16,000,000 fig-
he took an anti-Zionist stand and supervisor of the huge Manische-
represented 60 per cent of the
by Mr. Katz, secretary-treasurer and importance to me at this his- ure
was markedly pro-Soviet. He was
to be raised during the cal-
Matzo Bakery.
of Local 170, who spoke for the toric moment," asserted Rabbi total
the subject of country-wide con- witz
Rabbi Hirsch Manischewitz employees of the company. He Manischewitz, "is the tragic endar year 1941.
troversy in which he was both first
conducted the guests on a was unstinting in his praise of plight of our Jewish brethren
defended and condemned.
Nazis Close University Doors
tour of the entire plant.
Earlier Theme Modified
the high-minded labor relations across the seas." He stressed the
After the tour, the delegates which prevail between employers importance of unifying and co- When Anti-Semitism Protested
"This Is My Home" is in a
GENEVA. (JPS)—Students of
sense a modification of that early were invited to luncheon in the and employees at the Manische- ordinating all the efforts and en-
ergies of the Jewish people, and Holland still have guts — which
theme of 1936. He is not as un- spacious dining hall of the plant. witz company.
explains why the Nazi Commis-
sympathetic to Zionism, although The hall was elaborately deco-
The celebrated journalist and hailed the Pan-American Jewish
he winds up with a resolution for ra ted, Jewish and American flags Yiddish columnist, Mordecai Dan- Congress just concluded in Bal- sioner for the Netherlands order-
his hero to fight the battle for adorning the walls, and in the zis, also addressed the gathering timore as a vitally significant ed the closing of the ancient Uni-
versity of Leyden. Arthur Seyss-
the Jew right here in this coun- center, a colorful array of the briefly, adding his tribute to the step in this direction.
Inquart had dismissed a Jewish
try. Not that such a conclusion flags of South and Central Amer- Manischewitz firm, with which he
Mr. Goldberg brought the im- professor, one of the most dis-
is necessary; but the Ku Klux ican Republics whose representa- has had close association for
pressive afternoon to a close tinguished scholars of Holland.
Klan, Coughlinism, the various tives were present. The luncheon many years.
by calling upon Rabbi Segal of which action immediately pro-
other manifestations 4:4 anti-Semi- , was served amid a happy spirit
Max Manischewitz then deliv- Jersey City to lead the saying of voked a strike among the student
of festivity and Jewish fellow-
tism have had their effects.
The story is an excellent one. ship, after which the noted jour- ered a greeting to the assembled Grace. Cantor Kantaroff rendered body. In retaliation, the sturdy
It is especially good—and authori- nalist and Zionist leader, Abra- delegates and guests. He spoke appropriate selections of litur- Dutchmen will be deprived of
their university training.
tative—when Gessner deals with ham Goldberg, as toastmaster, of the inspiration and the grati- gical and folk music.

Robert Gessner, Formerly of Escanaba, Hailed for His
"This Is My Home"; Is a Variation From Earlier
"Some of My Best Friends Are Jews"