American ,ewish Periodical C

Thursday, October 12, 1950

DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE

Page 16

Welfare Federation's Goal:
Harmony of Jewish Interests

BB Speaker

In the following are excerpts from a speech by Isidore Sobel off, executive director of the Jewish Welfare Federation of Detroit,
at the opening session of .West Central Regional Conference of the Council of Jewish Welfare Federations and Welfare Funds on Oct.
7 at Kansas City, Mo. Mr. Sobeloff's topic was "Program for American Jewry — 1951."—Ed.

It is, in short, impossible to de- tions, to develop effective propa-
It is for that reason that mod-
By ISIDORE SOBELOFF
OU CAN'T RAISE money erate people, wishing to be help- fend the Jewish name and the ganda, campaign techniques and
without being called on to de- ful in the over-all situation, de- position of our people, and at the programs of service that put first
cide how to distribute it. This serve the community's respect same time to ignore the services things first and to evolve a pro-
cedure for allocations that will do
makes it advisable and possible to and honor. People who assume we maintain for dealing with the
justice to the people served, with-
social
problems
in
our
part
of
central
community
leadership
look at all the services and to
out militating against the success
study their relative needs. It must be encouraged. Those inter- the population.
Welfare Funds and Federations of the over-all effort.
helps to avoid situations, which ested in individual causes should
Welfare Funds are here to see
would otherwise arise, in which be urged to take central com- have become the symbol of unity
to
it that the zeal of any one
munity
responsibility.
in American Jewish life in cer-
one agency with
Under these circumstances, tain well-defined areas. Through group in winning its private bat-
more aggressive
tle should not result in our all
leadership or
progress toward unity may ap- the Federations and their asso-
losing a war.
ciated
Welfare
Funds
and
Coun-
sentimental ap-
pear to be slow, but slowness
It is our task as communities
peal might g e t
must never be used to discourage cils, unified action and programs
more than it
sound efforts to improve the com- within the local community and to insist on machinery within our
an orderly, balanced approach to cities and in relation to the na-
. needs and an-
munity processes.
tional agencies that will insure
. other service do-
The wave of anti-Semitism in national and overseas needs have fair dealing all around, but allo-
been
made
possible.
ing equally im-
the thirties heightened our inter-
cation of funds by blitz must be
portant work
The inclusive interest of Feder-
est in the community relations
resisted.
gets less.
ations and Welfare Funds has re-
and civic-protective services;
The Jews of America are giving
No single
Under Prof. Maclver, of Colum- flected a recognition that the less this year for overseas needs
agency, a Ion e, Sobeloff
members
of
an
American
Jewish
bia University, the National Com-
can plan adequately, because no munity Relations Advisory Coun- community,can work together for because it has not been possible
matter how competent its leaders cil, is now making a study, in co- the general good, regardless of to maintain the high level of ex-
may be and no matter on how operation with our own Large differences of opinion on program citement.
An occasional city excepted, the
• many boards they may serve, a City Budgeting Conference, to or area of operations that may
community must plan in relation evaluate these programs. Our re- exist between agencies within the services are getting less, pri
=lily because in gross dollars
to the total community structure lations with the outside world local community or beyond.
we have been raising less, not be-
and only a central organization, and the necessity to be on guard
This ability of all elements in
representing all the interests against the enemies and in behalf the Jewish population to march cause of any diversion of funds.
It must be confessed that, on
combined, can do this job of of the forces for democracy are together under one broad hu-
occasion, the Welfare Funds —
budgeting and planning for the tremendously important.
manitarian banner, has developed
greatest good of all concerned.
local community organization, re- their structure, their fairness,
INTEGRATED SERVICES
their representativeness a r e
Thanks to our ability to work
We must continue our efforts duced misunderstandings, encour- challenged, but challenged by
together, to give together, and to in this field, remembering, how- aged personal and communal
budget and plan together, we ever, that much more than can be friendships and strengthened the agencies which for fund-raising
were in position to marshall our done through special services Jewish community as a force for purposes accept these same Wel-
fare Funds as partners. On that
resources with respect for the must be the result of our day-to- well-being. •
total need, and with due recogni- day contacts through our regu-
These positive achievements score, we have an unseemly situ-
tion that our interests, wherever larly established agencies and ac- should not be regarded as the by- ation.
The problem is clear: a national
they might be, were harmonious- tivities.
products of joint fund-raising for
agency, like a local agency, has
ly interwoven:
Our own Community Center, as humanitarian and other social a right to make a choice. If it
This harmony of interests has a counterpart of Y.M.C.A.. Y.W. services. Rather, the creation of elects to deal with the Welfare
been understood and honored in C.A., and Catholic Youth Organ- a strong community, united de- Fund it must respect the implica-
most communities. The strength ization, affords believers in the spite all of its differences, has tions of partnership.
and integrity of any community American patte-n of group work been the principal accomplish-
UNION OF PROGRAMS
stand or fall on the attitude of organization, an opportunity to ment—and the joint campaign has
Each of us is struggling to
Individual human beings who help in their own back yard, been the bv-nroduct.
reach larger numbers of support-
make up these communities. Or- while others of different groups
UNITY IS GOAL
ers and to make possible a wider
ganization depends upon the co- are doing likewise in theirs.
Toward the achievement of a
participation in communal affairs.
operation of individuals, which
united
approach
we
must
dedi-
Our hospital, family agency,
There
is this essential difference:
involves a conscious effort by child caring service, our home for, cate ourselves. We must employ
The national agency is advancing
each to play his part. Our leader- the aged, in fact, all of our social our local resources—and our re-
ship—Federation, Welfare Fund, services represent our part of the gional and national facilities, a program that has to be placed,
Council, whatever name we give total community responsibilities through our Council of Jewish at least for fund-raising purposes,
it—is especially challenging be- in maintaining good communal Federations and Welfare Funds— into a larger setting.
The Federation, or for that
to eliminate conflicting presenta-
cause it deals with so many dif- standards.
matter the Welfare Fund, is a
ferent kinds of groups and indi-
union of programs, a combination
viduals. We can succeed through
of interests by all kinds of people
statesmanship, self-discipline, and
for almost all types of programs.
the willingness to put the whole
The unit of participation is the
above the parts.
individual citizen.
AGAINST EXTREMISTS
In theory, other forms of com-
An example is the efforts these
In preparation for the open- ing from Grand boulevard to munity organization have chal-
days of extremists, some of whom ing of the Torch Drive on Oct. Clairmount avenue and from lenged this concept, but the scope
have their sights only on what 17, district chairmen of the Dexter boulevard to Twelfth of interest and the social validity
happens around the corner and Community Service Committee street.
of that scope have not been chal-
others of whom see the merits are distributing kits this week to
Headquarters for the Commit- lenged.
only of causes that are physically their young adult workers. Mil- tee during the drive will be the
If adding4rganizational repre-
far away.
ton Lucow and Avern Cohn, Jewish Community Center.
sentation to the other elements
A Welfare Fund must beat president and vice-president of
District chairmen for the as- now generally included in our
down extremism from any quar- the committee, respectively, are
signed
area include Lillian Fisch: older forms of local community
ter and rally the vast majority of serving as co-chairmen of the
er, Mildred Fox, Shirley Jacob- organization will improve the
fair-minded people around the area assigned to the group.
son, Benson Jaffee, Marilyn functioning of our social struc-
banner of true concern for all our
The Community Service Com- Kopel, Seymour Lichter, Leo ture, certainly this should be
causes. That kind of unity is more
precious than group or individual mittee, which has the responsi- Majzels, Harriett Ruth Migdol, done; but to deny - local communi-
de4ires, for only through keeping bility of gaining young adult Nathan Peterman, Richard Prince, ties the right to determine the
all our decent forces working to- participation in communal affairs Samuel Ross and S h i r 1 e y extent of their community's re-
sponsibility is to make a mockery
gether can we stand on common as a member of the Jewish Simons.
Additional workers are need- out of all community planning.
ground and mobilize our forces in Young Adult Council of Detroit,
We must recognize that, what-
an effort to solve all problems as will conduct solicitation for the ed. For information call Miss
ever forms of organization we
Torch Drive in the area extend- Finegod, WO. 5-3939.
they arise.

Y

—

yowl. g A dult Workers Set
to Take Placs in Torch Drive

!IMINIM41• ■■■■■•■■

- TIIE PUBLIC IS INVITED —
TO THE UNION OF TIIE SIIOLEM ALEICHEM
INSTITUTE AND JEWISH FOLK SCHOOLS
OF THE LABOR ZIONIST MOVEMENT INTO
TIIE

UNITED JEWISH
FOLK SCHOOLS

GUEST SPEAKER

Dr. Shloime Weisman

Dean of Jewish Education in Canada

Sunday 8:30 P.M., October 15

DETROIT ART INSTITUTE

REGISTRATION OPEN AT ALL BRANCHES

For Information, Call TO. 8-9280

•••

Synagogues and Organizations

Why buy a Cemetery—when you
can acquire for yourself a reserved
section on the Hebrew Memorial
Park (Chesed Shel Emes Cemetery).

QUINCY I. ABRAMS, chair-
man of the national member-
ship commission of Bnai Brith,
will be the guest speaker at
the Sabbath Eve services to be
held at 8:30 p.m., Friday, at
Temple Israel, 17400 Mander-
son road at Merton. This oc-
casion will honor the 107th an-
niversary of Bnai Brith and
will be celebrated at similar
services throughout the coun-
try.

National Fund Slates
Clearance of Boxes

The local Council of the
Jewish National Fund an-
nounces that the blue-white
box clearance will begin on
Sunday, when volunteer col-
lectors will visit thousands of
homes in Detroit in which the
blue-white box has been ac-
cepted.
Anyone wishing to obtain a
box may do so by calling the
Jewish National Fund Council,
TO. 8-7384.

Telcove Club to Hold
`Harvest Dance' Sunday

The Telcove Friendship Club
will open its season's activities
with its annual harvest ball, Sun-
day evening, - at the Davison.
Branch of the Jewish Center.
Mickey Woolfe and his or-
chestra will provide music and
entettainment. Request numbers
will be played 'also.
The Telcove Friendship Club
is a social club to promote friend-
ship for unattached men and wo-
men. It meets every Sunday
evening in the Davison Branch.
Max LaKritz is the master of
ceremonies, assisted by Etta Fay
Cohen and Joseph Klein.

COCA-COLA HITS .. .
JERUSALEM — (Special) —
Not only France but Israel, too,
feels the impact of Coca-Cola.
A recent headline in the Jerusa-
lem Post read: "To Beat Coca-
Cola Israel's Wines Must Be
Improved."

evolve, structure is not a substi-
tute for program, but rather the
instrument which implements
program. We must recognize, too,
that, no matter what the form of
organization, we shall never
catch up with perfection.
Always there will be new
groups clamoring for recognition
and new needs unmet within the
latest pattern of organization.

Your PONTIAC Friend
"BOB" GINSBERG

(tor Urges you to buy
your new
PONTIAC NOW!

Do not pass up this opportunity
which may be very beneficial to your
Synagogue or Organization.

DON'T WAIT!

For more detailed information
contact our Office at 2995 Joy Road
or call TY. 6-1686.

"BOB"
GINSBURG

Samuel Oleshansky
President

Harry E. Citrin
Vice President

Take up YOUR
ear problem to-
day with

at

"Bob" Ginsburg

Norman Pontiac Co.

2310 W. Grand Blvd.
near Linwood
TY. 4-5400 — Res. TO. 8-4726

