Friday, April 15, 19411
Pnge Twenty-five
DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE
•
Meshumodim
Reap Profits
Italian, Irishman
Convert to Judaism
Tel Aviv's Opera House
NEW YORK (WNS) — Two
Christians, Arthur Vendetti, a 46-
year-old Italian, and Frank Bo-
lan, a 26-year-old Irishman, were
brought into the Jewish faith at
the offices of Dr. Harry Haler-
man, who supervised Bo tradi-
tional rites that were performed
in his office by two "Mohelim."
The new converts to Judaism
said that the only motivation be-
hind their decision to become
members of the Jewish faith was
a desire to live as religious Jews
in Israel.
They said they were familiar
with what happened to the Jew-
ish people in recent years, and
that it was their intention to help
redeem the Jewish people and
the Jewish land.
By ARNOLD FORSTER
(Anti-Defamation League of I
Bnai
Every y e a r, well - meaning
Christians in the United States.
and Canada pour $1,500,000 into •
the coffers of missionary societies
dedicated to the conversion of
Jews to Christianity.
What returns they get for their
money is difficult to determine.
Certainly, the number of converts
is low—one expert figures it less
than 50 Jewish children and
adults a year.
Most Jews are offended by
proselyting, for basic to Judaisni
is the concept that men should
be free to worship as they please
so long as their religion pro-
pounds a belief in one Supreme
Being and its code of ethics up-
holds the dignity of man.
Passover Greetings
FORMERLY JEWS
Since the constitutional guar-
The Murgabi Theater in the center of Tel Aviv typifies the imposing modern style of the archi-
antee of freedom of religion pro-
of the public buildings, apartments and homes. The Israel Opera is presented here
teasproselyting as part of the
to overflow audiences.
.
practice of religion, there is no
argument with the regulated ac-
• •
•
tivities of legitimate missionaries, 31, 1946, showed total receipts of I w''•
however arbitrary their attitudes. ' 9473,442.06 for Inc year.
LONDON (WNS) — The dia- sources, the total supply of dol-
11354 Dexter Blvd.
To be judged with suspicion, i t For his labors as president of 1
1)10nd-cutting industry in Israel 1 lars in Israel from polished gems
however—as much by Christians
as by Jews—are those profes- the group Michelson received a is more than an eighth of the' made from roughstones, ranks M. Alpert TO. 8-3590
dis-i second only to Zionist fund col-
sional conversionists, formerly salai of $4.800. But $96,000 was current world total, it was
Jews, whose success is based on chat d off to "home-office ex_ closed here by diamond industry : lections.
authorities, who said that it was ______.
sensationalism and tawdry prac- penses."
I remarkable fur so small a coun-
•
t i ces.
PASSOVER GREETINGS
Another $232,699.33 was spent try to have so high a record,
Nor can they be dismissed as on publicity and $200,000 more
Experts predicted renewed ex-
small-timers operating on the ! to purchase radio time.
pansion of the diamond-cutting
fringe of the missionary move-'
Commercial Leases — Improved Property Managers
men(. At least two of them, A. U.1 Michelson began proselyting by industry in Israel when peace
Michelson and Joseph Hoffman radio in 1936; by 1947 his week- prevails. According to those
WOodward 2-1515
704
Transportation
Bldg.
Cohn, each year elicit from cred- 1Y programming totaled 413 15
ulous supporters the tidy stun of minute transcriptions on 74 sta-
out of every tions in the United States and ,
$1,000.000 or two
Passover Greetings
three dollars contributed to the Canada.
HAPPY HOLIDAY
I Headquarters for Michelson is
missionary cause.
located in Los Angeles where his
$500,000 TAKE
For example, the Hebrew Evan- society owns property that in-
HOgarth 9545
gelization Society, Michelson's eludes a church and living quar-
9583 Grand River
creatui collects some $500,000 ters for himself, his wife and
annuilly. It is the biggest "tins- members of his staff.
sign to the Jews" in operation, I
He also operates foreign mis-
equalling in financial strength the sions in England. South Africa,
Greetings To Our Many Friends and 'Patrons
ur
3046 E. Outer Drive
combined resources
of the seven China, Palestine, Australia, Pol- •
largest denominational or church and South America, Holland,
sue rvised societies. Hungary, Canada and Austria.
TW. 2-2050
But Michelson's interest in re- It's big business all right!
ligion appears to be secondary
to his desire for personal finan-
GREETINGS
cial profit. In virtually every
MARGOLIS FURNITURE
community in which he has oper-
ated since emigrating from Ger-
COMPANY, Inc.
many in 1924, Michelson has been
Expert Workmanship en
Louis Margolis, Pres.
charged with unethical practices
WA. 1-9756
ST.
tilt:NE
5560
of one kind or another.
Also of concern is the Amer-
ican Board of Missions to the
PASSOVER GREETINGS
Jews which JoSeph Cohn inher-
— CALL FOR ESTIMATES —
ited in 1937 from his father Leo-
pold.
DISTRIBUTORS OF GAROD TELEVISION
6 STORY OFFICES
WO. 2-3906
2545 Grand River
Within eight years, the younger
4606
CASS
AVENUE
Cohn, an adept fund-raiser, had
accumulated enough money to
house his outfit in its own six-
story building in New York City.
PASSOVER GREETINGS
Ilis "mission's" yearly disburse-
ments have exceeded $250,000,
according to its own financial
statements for 1943, '44 and '45.
Hyman J. Appleman, a former
lawyer who became president of
the American Association for
Jewish Evangelism, confines him-
self to highly publicized per-
sonal appearances in Baptist
churches throughout the country.
TO. 8-5072
lie is a skilled speaker given to
30 Bartlett
oratorical excesses characteristic
of old-style "revival" meetings
and he is much in demand as a
guest preacher before non-Jewish
groups.
ummond- Cuttincr Thr ivin or in Israel
Meyer's
Appetizers and
Groceries
KAMIL MANAGEMENT CO.
—
11Y1)114)
SANFORI) CLEANERS & DYERS
Co.
REX
Plating Works
--
ALL KINDS OF PLATING
BRILLIANT MUSIC COMPANY
-7-
WISHINC OUR FRIENDS
The HIGHLAND
PARKER
$473,000 RECEIPTS
Michelson built up his Hebrew
Evangelization Society largely
from contributions solicited over
the air. A report submitted Dec.
•■■■
AND PATRONS
A HAPPY PASSOVER
GREETINGS .. .
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