7.-
'‘$
•
-• -7°T
•
Page Six
THE
.
JEWISH NEWS
The Jewish Welfare Board
Serves USO and on War fronts
Report of The National
Army and Navy Committee
HE ARMY AND NAVY
Committee of the Na-
tional Jewish Welfare
Board, which represents 37 national
Jewish agencies, has marshaled the
personnel and resources of the Jewish
communities throughout the country
to serve men and women in uniform.
It has in addition sought to minister
to the particular needs of members of
our faith in conformance with the
stated policies of the Army, Navy and.
USO. To that end, there haS been. 7.
formulated and conducted . on all
fronts where Jewish men and women
serve with . the colors an extensive
program of recreational, religious,
spiritual and cultural activities, both
within and outside the general USO
program.
T
• The National Jewish Welfare Board, in its annual report
describing the record of Jewish contributions to America's military
program and civilian morale in the global war, has presented an
outline of services rendered to the armed forces.
• Frank L. Weil is president of the National Jewish Welfare
Board. Walter Rothschild, one of the vice-presidents, is chairman
of the national Army and Navy Committee.
• Henry Wineman of Detroit is the representative of Michigan
and the Eastern Ohio area on the National Finance Council, the
budgeting and allocating body of the National Welfare Board.
• Mrs. Samuel R. Glogower, president of the Jewish Community
Center of Detroit, is chairman of the Jewish Center Division of
JWB.
• Fred M. Butsel and Henry Meyers of Detroit are members of
the national executive committee.
• Detroit Army and Navy activities will be. reviewed at the
annual meeting next Wednesday at the Jewish Center.
CANRA and Dr. Barnett R. Brickner
is administrative chairman.
THE CHAPLAINCY
In December, 1941, there were 25
WITHIN THE USO
Jewish Chaplains on active duty in the
U. S. Army. One year later there
This was the second year in which
were approximately 100.
the National JWB represented the
Jewish community in th.e USO, a year
The Jewish chaplain renders un-
of growth and expansion, not only in
usual service, for he is most often the
•numbers but in standards of service
only Jewish chaplain in a large army
and maturity of work.
. camp or naval station
In co-operating effec-
and must serve men
tively, the six agen-
who are scattered
cies that constitute
over great areas. His
. the U S 0 have lost
NV o r k includes the
nothing of their in-
conduct of religious
tegrity—on the con-
services, often at sev-
trary, each was
eral places in the
strengthened. Chester
camp in succession,
Barnard,• president of
hospital visiting, visits
the - USO, Pointed this
to the guard house,
out, when he said:
consultation with men
"The agencies that
on their personal
came together and
problems, relation-
founded the USO . . .
ships with nearby
said more than the
communities, and mil-
Constitution of • the
itary duties which he
U. S. said when it
has to perform in the
established religious
same manner as other
freedom. Each agency
chaplains.
said, 'We insist on our
The first Jewish
• right not only to
chaplain in the history
practice our faith but
of America to sacrifice
on the right and
his life for God' and
obligation to see that
country was Rabbi
those . of your faith
FRANK L. WEIL
Alexander D. Goode
also are served; that
who was reported
you of a different race are adequately
missing in action when a transport on
cared for; and that you of no faith
which he was aboard was sunk.
shall be respected in your independ-
Chaplain Goode was one _ of four
ence'."
chaplains aboard an American trans-
With the expansion of the armed
pOrt torpedoed early in March, "some-
forces and USO activities, the number
.where in the North Atlantic." As the
of local JWB Army and Navy Com-
ship started to •go down, they noticed
mittees more than doubled in the past
four enlisted men in the crew who did
year; from 200- to 480, representing
not have lifebelts, and insisted that
• 544 Jewish communities.
the sailors take their own life pre-
servers. The Purple Heart was award-
NATIONAL WAR FUND
ed to Chaplain Goode posthumously.
Funds for the USO will be derived
in 1943 from the National War Fund
OBSERVANCE OF HOLYDAYS
Campaign. Walter Rothschild, Chair-
The task of organizing and corn :-
man of the Army and Navy Conimit-
pleting arrangements for observance
tee of JWB, is on the Board of Direc-
of the High Holy Days of the Jewish
tors and a vice7president of the
year 5703 by men in the armed forces
National War 'Fund. Frank L. Weil,.
assumed tremendous proportionS
President 'of.. JWB, serves as a vice-
greater than ever undertaken by the
president of the USO and both he
National JWB. Religious services were-
and Mr. Rothschild are members of
held in more than 400 military posts
the Board .of .DirectorS and Executive
and stations in the U. S., as well as 25
Committee of that organization, Also
overseas points. Even ships on the high
representing. the Jewish Welfare
seas, maneuver areas, post hospitals,
Board in .the.-USO are Louis Kraft,
remote outposts in the Pacific; were in-
member of the Board of Directors
cluded' in High Holy Day arrange-
and Executive Committee and the fol-
ments. The staff was assisted by local
• army and navy committees, JeWish
lowing' members of the Board of
Directors: Mrs.' Walter E. :Heller, Mrs...
chaplains, numerous non-JeWish chap-
Ely Jacques Kaha'and. Dr. David de-
lains, lay leaders, volunteer workers.
Solo. Pool.
-
and service men. 31 civilian rabbis.
were sent by the JWB to those places
RELIGIOUS; SPIRITUAL NEEDS
where none were available locally,
Responsibility for the JWB religious
and where need for service was in-
program for the men • and women of
dicated, including island bases.
Jewish . faith in the armed forces rests
Large subsidies to cover expenses
with the Committee on : Army and
involved in the High Holy Days effort
Navy Religious Activities (CANRA).
were advanced by the National JWB.
The Committee discharges its respon-
Local Communities were cooperative
sibility (1) by recruiting and giving
and gave of their efforts, goods and
ecclesiastical endorsement to rabbis
hospitality. In cases where Jewish com-
who are candidates for the chaplaincy,
munities were small or non-existent,
and (2) by supervising the supple-
and home hospitality was not feasible,
mentary religious program and pre-
emphasis,
of necessity was placed on
paring the devotional material pro-
community observances for the
vided by the JWB. During the year an
soldiers, sailors, marines and war work-
internal reorganization of the Commit-
ers. For those who could not get away
tee, leading toward greater depart-
from. their duties arrangements were
mentalizatioM and division of function,
made to have services conducted at
was necessary.
stations, on posts and in the field, at
The reorganization maintained the
hours most convenient to the men.
basic principle. of the Committee that
Large supplies of religious material
it represent the whole of the American
were
made available to camps and
rabbinate—Reform, Conservative and
other military establishments, both in
Orthodox. On the Committee sit of-
the U. S. and abroad, through em-
ficial representatives of the Central
barkation points to ships at sea, to
Conference of American Rabbis, the
station hospitals, Veterans' facilities,
Rabbinical Assembly of America, and
ROTC units at universities, and gen-
the Rabbinical Council of America. Dr.
erally wherever supplies or services
David deSola Pool is chairman of
were needed,
Religious - materials were also., sent
to such ,overseas : points as , Alaska;
Puerto RicO, . Bermuda, Cuba, New
. Caledonia, - Newfoundland,. C e n. . t r a 1
America, canal Zone,„ - Atralia,
iis
Ha-
waii, Netheylands West Indies, Antigua,
Canada, arid the British West Indies.
PASSOVER; OBSERVANCE . •
-
In 1942, ..pa..sgbyer . was observed by
thousands of Jewish servicernen star-
tioned at 280 home and overseas' posts.
They attended traditional Sedarim
through arrangernents made by the
Board in cooperation with the Corps
of Chaplains of the Army and Navy.
The Board sent civilian rabbis to
overseas points, including Puerto Rico,
Bermuda, Trinidad, Newfoundland,
Alaska and Cuba, to conduct services
in the abSence of regular Army chap-
lains. Other rabbis were assigned to
cantonment areas in the United States.
These were in addition to 29 Jewish
chaplains then in active service.
Troop transports leaving posts of
embarkation were supplied with mat-
zoth, Haggadath, other Passover sup-
plies and specific suggestions for Cath-
olic and Protestant chaplains aboard
relating to the conduct of Passover .
services.
PUBLICATIONS
Close to two million pieces of re-
ligious literature were printed and
distributed by the -JWB during the
past year. -
A revision was made of the Abridged
Bible, originally prepared during the
first - World War, and it has been of-
ficially accepted by the War Depart-
ment for publication and distribution
to Jewish members of the Army. The
National JWB Abridged Prayer Book
has been revised so as to satisfy the
needs of Jewish men, and women not
only for private devotion and field use
but also for chapel services.
For the guidance of Christian chap-
lains, Jewish Welfare Board repre-
- •
Fricky, 'Novemher 26,
941
sentatives, civilians and erviceme
Who :are called 'upon to conduct Je
ish religious services in the absen
of Jewish chaplains, the Board di
tributed Weekly Religious Message
a manual entitled, "Ministering to t
Jews in the Armed Forces," an
"Notes on the Conduct of Jewis
Services."
In addition to the above publicatio
issued by the Jewish Welfare Boar
books, pamphlets and periodicals pu
lished by other Jewish organizatio
were distributed.
FIELD OPERATIONS
The USO field staff of the .JW
during the past year has more tha
doubled in size. One year ago
numbered 97 full-time profession
workers operating from 72 Unite
Service Organizations clubs and co
operating facilities. Today there ar
284 field workers functioning in 18
facilities throughout the country in
eluded in which are government buil
USO clubs, USO rented building
Jewish Community Centers, Youn
Men's Hebrew Associations, and othe
JWB constituent society facilities.
Of the 186 USO facilities in .whic
JWB operates, 50 are wholly JW
operations, 20 are directed by JW
with one or more of the other agencie
cooperating, and 116 are directed b
one of the other agencies with th
JWB participating jointly in admire
istration and program.
OVERSEAS SERVICE
Not only did the JWB expand it
services during the past year to cove
the entire country including isolate
men on maneuvers and on guard duty
but it extended its operations acros
the seas to reach our fighting men an
women on all five continents. Throug
the USO Overseas Division, the JW
serves in Panama, Hawaii, Bermuda
Puerto Rico, Trinidad, Alaska, Brazi
and at several other points in Centra
and South America.
At overseas points of this hemi
sphere, where the USO by agreemen
with the Red Cross and the militar
authorities is not permitted to operate
the JWB organized Army and Nav
committees, representing the loca
communities, along the lines followe
in this country for service to men o
Jewish faith. Committees were forme
in England, North Ireland, Australia,
New Zealand, Newfoundland, Pale-
stine and Egypt.
The work in combat areas and for-
eign theaters of operation is a coor-
dinated effort of the National JWB
local committees and the Jewish chap-
lains in overseas service. The Jewish
chaplains receive co-operation from
the local Jewish communities wherever
there are resources. The JWB furnishes
supplies to the chaplains and continues
to send them funds to enable them to
provide necessities and to aid in com-
munity hospitality. The number of
Jewish chaplains assigned to overseas
duty is constantly increasing, there
(Continued on Page 16)
111)r Glazer Tells of Holy. Day
Hospitality for Servicemen
HundredS .- of Jewish - men . and women
serving in the U. S. armed forces were
provided with hospitality during the recent
High Holy Days, and provisions were made
for them to attend services . in Detroit and
in communities near camps, according to
a report released by Dr. B. Benedict Glazer,
State. Chairman for Religious Services of
the Jewish Welfare. Board.
The report shows that the number of
Jewish men served during 1943 in Michigan
was 810, compared with 218 in 1942. During
1943, 432 men were provided with home
hospitality, compared with 44 in the
previous year.
Get Religious Passes
, Holy Day arrangements for men in
Michigan cantonments which granted re-
ligious passes for Jewish men to attend
religibus services, according to Rabbi
Glazer's report, included the following:
Selfridge Field, River Rouge, Romulus,
Fort Wayne, State Fair Grounds; . AAFTT
Headquarters in Detroit, U. S. Coast Guard,
Willow Run, Detroit Induction Center,
Grosse Ile Naval Air Station, Ford Motor
Navy School, Naval' Armory in Detroit, Air
Products Co., Chrysler Tank Corp., Fort
Brady, Fort Custer, Oscoda Army Air Base,
Camp Grayling.
Home hospitality was arranged for
servicemen by the following synagogues:
Temple Beth El, Temple Israel, Shaarey
Zedek, Bnai David, Bnai Moshe, Beth Tefilo
Emanuel.
More than 155 families provided hos-
pitality for servicemen and servicewomen
during the Holy Days.
Dr. Glazer reports that religious serv-
ices are being arranged for serv-
icemen at Fort Custer, Fort
Brady and Selfridge Field, and
at the Hillel Foundation at Ann
Arbor for the ASTP School. At
Selfridge Field, laymen as well
as rabbis alternate in delivering
the weekly Friday evening ser-
mons.
DR. B. BENEDICT GLAZER
State Chairman for Religious
Services of the JWB, reports
on provisions made for serv-
ices at camps, communities
near .camps and in Detroit.