• 31 YEARS OF SERVICE TO DETROIT JEWRY •
Detroit Jewish Chronicle
and The LegaltChronicle
Vol. 49, No. 14
DETROIT, MICHIGAN, FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 1947
SECTION 2
Latin Jews Boost
Aid to Survivors
This Passover They Look to You
10c a Single Copy; $3.00 Per Year
Rabbis to Revive
Czech Yeshivah
Group Which Joined
Partisans Arrives
Over $500,000 to Go
to Europe's DP's
NEW YORK—The fast-growing,
vigorous Jewish community of
Latin America, whose population
numbers over 600,000, is taking an
ever-increasing role in assisting
the distressed Jews of Europe,
J. B. Lightman, Joint Distribu-
tion Committee director for Latin
America, revealed.
Lightman, who has been sta-
tioned in South America for over
three years with JDC, recalled
that during the Hitler years JDC
assisted Jewish communities in
South and Central America in
meeting the needs of newcomers
seeking haven from Nazi persecu-
tion. Some 125,000 Jewish refugees
reached these countries from 1934
on.
AID EUROPE'S DP'S
Today, in vivid contrast, he
continued, South America's Jew-
ish communities have virtually re-
linquished all claims , for the
JDC's assistance. Instqr ., they are
furnishing substantia , sums for
aid to Europe's surviving Jews,
especially those leaving DP camps.
Last year, Jwish communities in
the West Indies, Central and
South America contributed ap-
proximately $500,000 for European
aid and a much larger sum will
be given this year.
"This transformation is a trib-
ute to the courage and energy
of the Latin American Jewish
community," Lightman said. "It
is also an Indication of the con-
tinuing work of JDC in close
cooperaion with these communi-
ties.
"These activities," he pointed
out, "include professional assist-
ance to local Jewish communities
in organization and fund raising,
migration and welfare advisory
work, and in the purchasing and
shipping food, clothing and medi-
cines.
33 NEWSPAPERS
Commenting on the vitality of
Jewish cultural life in Latin
America, Lightman disclosed that
more than 38 newspapers and
magazines in various languages
are now being published under
the auspices of Jewish groups.
Those publications, he said, mer-
it comparison with similar types
in the United States.
Moreover, he added, their ob-
jective, judicious editorial poli-
cies and sympathetic under-
standing of overseas needs have
been of importance in stimulat-
ing Jewish welfare work.
A perceptible rise in the immi-
gration of JeWish survivors into
Latin America from Europe and
other areas is now in evidence,
Lightman said, adding that Latin
American J ew ish communities
work closely with the JDC migra-
tion department! in New York
and Paris in bringing refugees to
South and Central American
shores.
LAUDS ZIONISTS
The fine cooperation of Zionist
groups which recognize and un-
derstand, the extensive activities
of the JDC in relation to the
upbuilding of Palestine has proved
invaluable in the JDC's programs
of helping resettle Jewish survi-
vors in Latin America, Lightman
said.
Lightman recently returned to
Bueros Aires to resume his duties
as JDC director for Latin Ame-
rica.
In this second Passover since the end of the war
ro
in Europe, hundreds of thousands of Eupe's
Jew-
ish survivors, including many youngsters like the
two above, are still homeless, hungry and alone.
The Jews of America., who continue to hold the
key to the future of the 1,500,000 Jews still alive
on the continent, have the historic opportunity in
1917 to provide for their redemption through the
$170,000,000 campaign of the United Jewish Appeal.
The surviving remnant of a
band of rabbinical "Robin Hoods'
who joined the Czechoslovak par-
tisans and who continued their
religious studies in forest hide-
outs in Slovakia during the Nazi
occupation, arrived in New York
recently with the aid of. United
Service for New Americans, ma-
jor agency aiding the foreign
born in the United States.
There were 38 persons in the
group, including two noted Czecho-
slovak rabbis, their students, rang-
ing from 14 to 25 years old, and
the wives and children of a few
of the men. Some of the students
were in the underground, while
others are survivors of concentra-
tion camps who joined the Yeshi-
vah after liberation.
JUST A REMNANT
Except for some 20 others due
to reach the United States soon,
the group included the only sur-
vivors of about 250 orthodox Jew-
ish religious leaders and scholars
who pursued their studies until
late 1944 at a renowned Yeshivah
in Nitra, Czechoslovakia, which
came to be known as the "Parti-
san Yeshivah."
The scholars will reestablish
their institution at Somerville,
New Jersey, where a residence
has been furnished for them by
United Service, whose work is
supported by the United Jewish
Appeal. United Service will also
provide for their maintenance and
other necessities.
Spiritual leader of the rabbinical
,
group LS 11..444,
whose father, the late Rabbi
Emanuel David Ungar, founded
the Yeshiva 40 years ago in Notra,
Czechoslovakia. The elder Rabbi
Ungar died in his son's arms of
typhoid in a partisan cave two
years ago.
JOINED PARTISANS
A few weeks before his death
the rabbi had led his faculty and
students into the, woods near Nit-
ra to join the partisans and es-
cape from the Nazis, who had
already liquidated all other Ye-
Generous support of the nationwide United Jewish shivahs in Czechoslovakia.
Appeal drive will help liberate the "liberated" Jew-
Another of the group is Rabbi
ish survivors who are still in the grip of suffering Jonah Forst, 32 years old, who
and despair which have been their lot for the past has been confined to a wheel
13 years. The success of the $170,000,000 campaign chair since he was stricken with
to support the relief, rehabilitation and resettle- infantile paralysis at the age of
programs of the Joint Distribution Commit- 18. Rabbi Forst, assistant to
tee, United Palestine Appeal and the United Serv- Rabbi Ungar, helped direct the
ice for New Americans will insure a happier seminary group's activities while
Passover for Europe's Jews next year.
hidden for months in a secret
room protected by a specially
camouflaged wall.
Tell Aviv Election
German Baron, Nazi Victim,
Faces New Delay Manual Published
TEL AVIV, (World News) — On Story Telling
Brought to U.S. With Jews' Aid Municipal
elections in Tel-Aviv are
for Jewish Group
IN ROOM 800-A of the United coast of Ireland after spending supposed to be held not later than
May 1947, but it appears as
Service hospitality center Tn three days in an open boat.
NEW YORK:—A source book,
though another postponement may
New York, a tall, dignified gentle-
Ile lived in Freiburg until the
containing discussion of the tech-
be
ordered.
man gazes down from his window outbreak of World War II. His
Elections for city council in the niques of story telling and ex-
at the bustling Broadway crowds son-in-law, Robert Wartenberg,
all-Jewish
city have not been held tensive bibliographies of various
on the streets below and looks a Jewish neurologist, and his
since
1935,
when 21,678 voters cast types of stories for Jewish groups,
forward io a new life in America. daughter Isabella, also a neu-
ballots but by now the popula- has Issued by the National Jew-
WI Welfare Board (JWB) for use
However, this newcomer is no rologist, had immigrated to tion has grown to over 200,000.
stranger to the United States. He America in 1935 because of Nazi
Civic elections have taken place it group work of its 295 affiliated
is Baron Karl von Sazenhoften, persecution.
only six times since Tel-Aviv was Jewish community centers in the
United States and Canada. It is
77, who arrived last week aboard
The baron himself was under founded. The first election was called "Story-Telling for Jewish
the S.S. "Marin Marlin" to join close surveillance by the Nazis. In in 1929. Almost the entire Jewish
his daughter and son-in-law, Dr. 1938 he went to Czechoslovakia press is demandng new elections Groups."
Extensive bibliographies, each
and Mrs. Robert Wartenberg of where he soon found himself immediately.
the medical school of the Uni- trapped by the Nazi occupation.
Today all 21 members of the preceded by advice on handling,
versity of California in San Fran- After liberation he returned to Tel-Aviv city council belong to are categorized under seven head-
ings: Bible Stories; Fairy Tales
cisco.
Freiburg, in the French occupied the Mapai, right wing labor Zion- and Folk Lore; Holidays; Pales-
ist party, although as many as 24
zone
of
Germany.
He was among the 325 immi-
different parties have been known tine; Jews in Many Lands; Bi-
• • •
grants sponsored by United Serv-
ography; and a separate section
to take part in a civic election.
ice for New Americans, whose GRATEFUL TO JDC
Under this council civic policy on some of the "most delightful
work is supported by the United
of the Yiddish folk tales," stories
DR. AND MRS. Wartenberg, has been to improve the center of The Wise Men of Helm.
Jewish Appeal.
with the cooperation of United of the town with its good homes,
Altogether, more than 230 stories
WARSAW (WNS) — The survi-
Service, then made immigration gardens and water supply. Little and collections of stories, bio-
has been done to improve the
vors of the ghetto uprisings in
arrangements for the baron.
graphies, etc., are listed.
Warsaw, Bialystok and other SON oF CIVIL WAR VET
On his arrival, the baron ex- poorer district which lacks a
Among the suggested uses for
proper water supply and sewage
Polish cities are to be presented
pressed
his
gratitude
to
United
THE BARON WAS born in
system, and has an insufficient story period recreation, the book
with bronze and silver medals on
Service
and
the
JDC
for
making
the occasion of the fourth anni- Washington, D. C., the son of a it possible for him to rejoin his number of schools and kinder- describes some activities which
in addition to providing fun, also
versary of the Warsaw Ghetto Bavarian army officer, Baron family. He remarked with an gartens.
Tel-Aviv's last annual budget help in the acquisition of new
uprising. The medals will be Clemens von Sazenhoften, who amused smile that the director of
presented by the Central Commit- fought for the union during the the JDC office in Bremerhaven amounted to LP 1,500,000, of which facts and skills, such as acting
American Civil War. In 1872, he
650,00 pounds was raised from the story, studying behaviour pat-
tee of Polish Jews.
had told him:
property tax, 110,000 pounds from terns, use of a quiz game, or en-
The Polish government also returned with his parents to Ger-
"I've
seen
everything
In
the
They were shipwrecked on
amusement tax and 180,000 pounds couraging listeners to re-tell of
plans to honor the ghetto sur- many.
to continue the story.
vivors on the anniversary of the the Atlantic, the Baron recalled, 'Joint,' but never a German from water tax.
and were finally rescued near the baron."
uprising.
Survivors of Ghetto
to Receive Medals
• • •