American Atrish Periodical Cotter

Friday, March 1, 1946

CLIFTON AVENUE - CINCINNATI 20, 01110

DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE and The Legal Chronicle

Page Thirteen

STORY OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY COUNCIL

(Continued from page 1)
were many meetings, many con-
ferences, many consultations. As
early as April 1935, a number of
Mai Briny workers had called
together representatives of a
number of organizations
• .
V nsiner
ways and means of
4 t l y mints 1
e m
n a
more cons i s t e
-rd.° effectively with the in-
creasing problem of anti-Jewish
discrimination in employment.
The invitation brought out a
veritable mass meeting with hun-
reds in attendance. James L

JAMES I. ELLMANN
Ellmann presided. It was agreed
that this was no job for one or-
ganization or for volunteer work-
ers. It concerned all Jews, and
it required continuous handling.
9:.;cussions were Initiated with
the Jewish Welfare Federation,
with a view to getting Allied
Ilewish Campaign funds for this
work: Negotiations were pro-
tracted, and in the interim the
work continued on a volunteer
basis.
Home for Aged
At the same time, large num-
bers of Detroit Jews had become
interested in the proposed Home
'for the Aged. The need for this
'agency was clear, and popular
support for it developed rapidly
when it was suggested on behalf
of the Jewish Welfare Federation
that such an institution was need-
ed much more than a Jewish hos-
I pital, for which there was also
popular demand.
Early In 1935, a Conference of
Jewish Organizations was conven-
ed, attracting over 200 delegates
who represented 70 organizations
of all kinds, with Yiddish-speak-
ing groups predominating. A Com-
mittee of 21, which had been es-
tablished, recommended that the
Allied Jewish Campaign include
in its 1935 Drive a. $100,000 alloca-
tion for a Home for the Aged.
The Committee was an important
factor In the Campaign that year
and again in 1936. Throughout the
months during which the Commit-
tee was active, the idea began to
develop that a good start had
been made in getting representa-
tives of a wide variety of organi-
zations together, and that this
should be followed up. The Com-
mittee of 21 should become the
nucleus of a broadly representa-
tive Council of Detroit Jewry. Re-
sponding to this insistent demand,
the Federation appointed a com-
mittee of its Board of Governors
to discuss with the Committee of
21 the steps to be taken to create
Community Council.

More Demands
From still another direction
there came demands for a Com-
munity Council. In keeping with
the over-all philosophy of the
American Jewish Congress, local
adherents of the Congress had
been considering for months
Plans for the establishment of a
Council under Congress stimu-
lation and auspices. Similar ef-
forts were being made by Con-
gress groups in other cities.
tigress constituents such as
Labor Zionist organizations,
various individuals had been
noting considerable time and
energy to the plans.
With all this stir and agitation,
the time was manifestly ripe for
action. The several trends de-
scribed here were all moving in
the same direction. The facts of
Jewish life locally, nationally and
abroad, the growing dissatisfac-
tion with the status quo, and the
"Ting of age of many groups
Which had been traditionally sub-
merged
in community affairs had,
in c
ombination, made dramatically
vldent the need for a central,
representative body, to give all
romps in the Jewish community
voice in community affairs.

Events Move Rapidly
Between late 1936 and summer
of 1937 events moved rapidly.
The committee of the Federa-
tion, the Committee of 21, and
representatives of the American
Jewish Congress participated in
t h e Provisional Organization
Committee. Simon S hetzer was
elected Chairman, Myron A.
Keys, Vice-Chairman. The Com-
mittee consisted of Henry M.
Abramovitz, Irving E, Adler,
"Sidney J. Allen, Hyman Altman,
Joseph Bernstein, Maxwell L.
Block, Charles Driker, Mrs. Jo-
seph II. Ehrlich, James I. • Ell-
mann, Clarence II. Enggass,
Isaac Finkelstein, Joseph Hag-
gai, Mrs. Jacob Haravith, Dr. A.
M. Hershman, Israel Ilimelhoch,
Julian H. Krolik, Benjamin M.
Laikin, Mrs. Maurice A. Lan-
dau, Mrs. I. S. Levin, Prof. Sam-
uel M. Levin, Samuel J. Lieber-
man, Joseph H. Peven, Judge
Charles Rubiner, Philip Slomo-
vitz, hider Sosnick, and Henry
Winernan. Kurt Peiser, Execu-
tive Director of Federation, serv-
ed on the committee in an ex-
officio capacity, and William I.
Boxerman was secretary.

-

Draft Constitution
The Provisional Committee work-
ed intensively on the preparation
of a draft constitution, and an
April 25, 1937, it convened the first
conference of representatives of
organizations in a constitutional
convention. 175 organizations par-
ticipated. Delegates debated the
proposed constitution — a clause
at a time. Discussion was keenest
on the controversial questions of
purposes and membership. A sec-
ond session on June 6 completed
the consideration of the constitu-
tion. With its adoption it was sent
out to all eligible organizations
for ratification.

Memorable Occasion
The first meeting of the Coun-
cil was held on September 29.
It was a memorable occasion,
with those present showing
clearly the great hopes which
they were investing in the Coun-
cil. The first group of officers
and the Executive Committee of
25 were elected. Simon Shetzer
was the unanimous choice for
President, and he served until
he left Detroit to become Ex-
ecutive Director of the Zionist
Organization of America. Joseph
Bernstein, James I. Ellmann and
Julian H. Krolik were elected
vice-presidents. Abraham J. La-

may attend orthodox, conserva-
tive or reform synagogues, or
none at all; they may be Zionists
or non-Zionists; they may belong
to any one of several organizations
devoted to a wide variety of simi-
lar, different or conflicting pro-
grams. They may be the descend-
ants of Jews who have lived in
the country for several genera-
tions, or they may be recent ar-
rivals. Regardless of any differ-
ences in background or outlook,
they all have a right to be repre-
sented in the organized Jewish
community, unless, of course, they
have no Interest in its well-being
and survival.
Always Controversies
so many different types
of Jews meet together there are
certain to be controversies as to
what is important and as to
how to act. Such differences of
opinion should be voiced freely
in open debate, and when the
debate is concluded there should .
be a vote which will determine
the policy and line of action to
be followed. Such decisions
should not be the prerogative of
self-appointed individuals or un-
representative groups.
Essence of Democracy
This is the essence of democracy
in a complex society. The Com-
munity Council is not a Town
Hall. Detroit's 90,000 or more Jews
cannot be brought together at any
one time or place to discuss and
vote upon various matters con-
fronting them. The Community
Council Is a representative democ-
racy, just as are the legislatures,
congresses and parliaments in any
democratic country. The organi-
zations to which Jews belong are
the units of representation. These
organizations reflect the interests
and points of view of their mem-
bers; their delegates can be pre-
sumed to reflect the sentiments of
their organizations.
Since the best plans can go
astray, and since it has been al-
together too common an experi-
ence for organizations to start
out democratically and then de-
teriorate gradually, great care
and vigilance have to be exer-
cised constantly to assure the
maintenance and development of
the Council's representative
character. The number of dele-
gates per organization is deter-
mined by the size of the organi-
zation. An upper limit of five
delegates has been established
so that no organization can have
too large a delegation. Several
revisions of the Council's con-
stitution have been made with a
view to improving procedures,
and—more important—strength-
ening the democratic safeguards.
Another such revision is now in
the offing, and will doubtless be
presented to the delegates this
spring. Interestingly enough, the

purposes of the Council as stat-
ed originally, have survived all
these revisions.
Based on Representation
The Community Council struc-
ture is therefore based on organi-
zational representation. Each of
cue 222 organizations elects or
designates its delegates. The dele-
gate body is the ultimate author-
ity in the Council's decisions. All
decisions may be reviewed by the
delegate body. This body, in a
free and unhampered election el-
ects an Honorary President, a
President, three Vice-Presidents, a
Secretary, and a Treasurer, and
an Executive Committee of 36.
There is nothing cut and dried
about a Community Council elec-
tion. You never have the usual
"I move the slate nominated be
elected unanimously." There are
always contests. Elections are live-
ly and spirited, and an air of true
democracy prevails. When you ac-
cept nomination to an office or to
the Executive Committee of the
Council, you are never certain of
being elected. At more than one
e l e c ti o n, candidates nominated
from the floor have been elected,
and nominees of the Nominating
Committee have fallen by the
wayside. If you believe in democ-
racy, you will like this procedure.
Some people don't like it.
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee makes
policy between delegates' confer-
ences, and reports to the dele-
gates. Like the delegate body, the
Executive Committee is a true
cross-section of the community
and its various points of view.
Here, after nine years, the dif-
ferent elements have learned to
sit together, argue together, work
together, and hammer out deci-
sions together. Whereas before we
used to have not one community
but several communities, now we
resolve our differences and act as
a single, united community. For
one who has a true 'feeling for
democracy, it is a marvelous sight
to behold the different representa-
tives working together, and demo-
cratic decisions emerging out of
the clash of views brought to bear
on a problem.
The President and the Execu-
tive Committee appoint a number
of functional committees which,
together with the professional
staff, carry into execution the
policies of the Community Council.
Democratic Character Protected
It is in the make-up of the
Council's numerous committees
that one can note once more the
painstaking care with which the
democratic character of the
Council is protected. Every pol-
icy-making committee, beginning
with the Executive Committee,
offers a representative cross-sec-
tion of the entire Jewish com-

munity. Men and women are
carefully selected so that in each
committee there will be articu-
lated the variety of points of
view which exist among Jews.
Exchange of views, debate, and
then a vote — this is the demo-
cratic procedure, and this is the
procedure of the Community
Council.

From Day to Day

As indicated, the Community
Council was established, In part,
because there are problems con-
fronting all Jews which cannot be
dealt with by individuals or
groups which do not represent the
entire community. Problems of an-
ti-Semitism and discrimination of
various kinds are in this cate-
gory. Anti-Semitism is a threat to
ell Jews, and has to be combatted
with the understanding and sup-
port of the entire Jewish com-
munity. The Community Council
serves Detroit's Jews in the war
against hate. It is a war which
has to be conducted on many
fronts. In the course of the strug-
gle many techniques and strate-
gies are employed, and numerous
allies are enlisted and encouraged
in their work. There is work to be
done to investigate and expose
anti-Semitic a n d anti-democratic
groups and forces. There is work
in connection with the prepara-
tion of legislative measures, and
the winning of support for them.
There is work in the more positive
and constructive program of broad
public education regarding the
values of democracy, and the dan-
gers involved in anti-Semitism.
There is work with schools, chur-
ches, labor, youth, wemen's groups,
other minority groups. Complaints
of discrimination against Jews in
employment, education and hous-
ing are investigated and followed
up with a view to correcting spe-
cific situations and more general
conditions.
But the Jewish Community
Council is more titan an agency
set up to combat anti-Semitism
and build good relations with
the non-Jewish community. It
was more than that at its birth,
and it has always been more
than that.
Committed to Program
The Community Council Is
committed to a program of im-
proving the content and tone of
our community life as a whole.
It seeks to maintain Jewish
morale on a high level.
It seeks affirmation in prac-
tice of traditional Jewish ethi-
cal and cultural standards.
It helps its constituent organi-
zations, and through them the
rank and file of the Jewish com-
munity, to be better informed
about Jewish life here and abroad.

ANNUAL MEETING

Jewish Welfare Federation

and the Following Affiliated Agencies:

JEWISH SOCIAL SERVICE BUREAU

SI5ION SIIETZER

chover was named secretary,
and Joseph II. Ehrlich, treasur-
er. The Executive Committee
consisted of Henry M. Abramo-
vitz, lb-man Altman, Theodore
Baruch, Fred M. Butzel, David
J. Cohen, Mrs. Ralph Davidson,
Nathak R. Epstein, Henry Fen-
ster, Dr. Leo M. Franklin, Ben
F. Goldman, Dr. A. M. Hersh-
man, Frank A. Hoffman, William
Hordes, Myron A. Keys, Dr.
Schmarya Kleinman, Benjamin
M. Laikin, Louis R. Levine,
Samuel J. Lieberman, Max Nus-
baum, Judge Charles Rubiner,
Philip Slomovitz, Isidore Sobe-
loff, Abraham Srere, Mrs. Herb-
ert H. Warner and Henry Wine-

Again, what was behind the
movement for a Community Coun-
cil? What has remained its basic
idea? Simply put, the Community
Council is founded on the convic-
tion that there ought to be 1ind
can be in the Jewish community
a central, democratically constitut-
ed and broadly representative
body, in which all Jews Interested
in the welfare and survival of the
Jewish community can have a
voice. Jews may be rich or poor;

tv

NORTH END CLINIC

JEWISH VOCATIONAL SERVICE

RESETTLEMENT SERVICE

FRESH AIR SOCIETY

0

Come and Learn How You Can Participate in the

One Hundred Million Dollar Campaign for the
UNITED JEWISH APPEAL

Monday, March 11, 8:15 P.M.

titi

man.

What's the Idea?

V

Hotel Statler

r

GUEST SPEAKER

CAPT. MORRIS ADLER

former U. S. Army Chaplain and Rabbi of Congregation Shaarey Zedek

THE CONTRIBUTING PUBLIC IS INVITED

r r

