Friday, January 12, 1945

THE JEWISH NEWS

Page Six

The Jewish I o sp it a
For Detroit

A DREAM ABOUT
TO COME TRUE

Tracing the 1-listory of the Movement From the Early Strivings Forty-Five Years
Ago to the $2,000,000 Campaign of Today.

T LONG LAST Detroit
,. Is about to establish a general hospital
under „ Jewish auspices—because the
time . is opportune and the contribut-
ing public is willing and able to un-
dertake this essential social service as
a contribution by the Jews of this -city
to the . health and welfare of the en-
tire community.
The present . effort, which is to
Dave its formal launching at a cam-
paign dedication meeting in the near
future, has the substantial support, in
manpower and in material terms, of
the comm-unity's outstanding citizens.
For several months now,, these pub-
lic-spirited men have been laying the
groundwork for a fund-raising cam-
paign of unprecedented magnitude,
-setting themselves a minimum goal of
$2,000,000 for a 200-bed hospital,
with the humble but clear under-
standing that a hospital of. such size
and at such a cost represents only the
modest nucleus of the Jewish center
of health and healing that will arise
•in the community in the early future.
From every community in the
country they have gathered informa-
tion—and strength of purpose. They
have enlisted the leadership of Dr.
J. J. Golub, of New York, eminent
hospital consultant and administrator,
to advise them on accepted proced-
ures, in order to make certain that
the institution will be the most mod-
ern in structure, direction, staff and
program of service.
Jewish groups in Detroit long have
had the vision of a Jewish Hospital.
As- early, as 1900, the Hebrew Ladies'
Aid Society for Widows and Orphans
made arrangements with the Poor
4 Commission to provide medical care
for its clients at Harper Hospital, at
the then current rate of $4 per -week.
The movement has been constant
and insistent since that date. At
times it has sprouted spOradically and
irresponsibly; at others, it has been
brought fo,rward under dignified
auspices, responsibly sponsored and
carefully planned. The persistency
with which it -has appeared in the
annals of the Detroit Jewish _ com-
munity life is shown in the *following
chronological history':
In 1900, the Hebrew Ladies' Aid
Society for Widows and Orphans, a
private group. interested chiefly in
the provision of medical services for
indigent women and children, pro-
viding hospital.- care at Harper Hos-
pital, was founded.
Two years later, in 1902, an out-
patient clinic was opened in the Self
Help Circle Building, Brush and
Montcalm Streets, by the Hebrew
-Ladies' Aid Society, thus expending
their original hospitalization pro-
gram.
In 1905, the clinic was transferred
to the Hannah Schloss Building on
High Street (now Vernor HighWay),
where the scope of medical care. and
the . hospitalization of indigent per-
sons was broadened.
In 1913, the Hebrew Hospital As-
sociation; composed of a large group
of men 'and women, who felt the
need of a Jewish medical - institution, -
was chartered as --a non-profit organ-
ization with the aim of accumulating
funds for the building and main-
tenance of a Jewish Hospital in De-
troit. The 'Association collected
$8,000 through nominal ' contribu-
tions, with which sum it purchased
a lot. This lot was sold during the
real estate boom, for $40,000, which
sum' was placed in trust with the
Jewish Welfare Federation and ear-
-- marked for a Jewish Hospital. This
• fund, now approximately $50,000, is,
being held in trust _and will be avail-
able for the new hospital fund.
In 1923, a comprehensive study of
the Detroit Jewish community was

conducted by the Bureau of Jewish
Social. Research, of New York. Re-
ferring to the health situation, the
survey emphasized the need for a
hospital under Jewish auspices, point-
ing out that Detroit was, at the time,
the only large city in the United
States without such an institution.
The Bureau recommended the es-
tablishment of a Jewish Hospital of
125 to 150 beds, one third of the bed
capacity to be used as ward beds, for
free and part-paying-patients.
The survey pointed out that such
a hospital would relieve the general
over-crowding of the existing hos-
pitals; provide Jewish surroundings
and kosher food; furnish adequate
hospitalization to Jewish indigents,
though open to non-Jews; organize'
an out-patient department with social
service activities which could become
the health educational center for the
entire Jewish community; create op-
portunities for research work; pro-
mote close cooperation between the
hospital and local Jewish agencies and
stimulate interest among Jewish
women in..nurse-training.
Three years later, in 1926, the 1923
survey was re-examined. Dr.. S. S.
Goldwater, at that time superintend-
ent of Mt. Sinai Hospital of New
York, and a national authority on
hospital planning, made the following
statement in a letter to the Jewish
Welfare Federation:
"There is no doubt in my mind
that the Jewish community of Detroit
will suffer more and more (and I am
thinking not only of the handicap to
Jews in the medical profession, but
of the welfare of the community at
large), if Detroit do,es not give up
the distinction of being the only first-
class city in the United States today,
without a Jewish Hospital, either in
being or under way."
That same year, in 1926, North
End Clinic was opened in its present
quarters, 936 Holbrook Avenue,
through the gift of the Wineman
family. Hospitalization of its pa-
tients was a problem that presented
itself almost at once. Several funds
were provided for this purpose.
North End Clinic Hospitalization
Funds included, a revolving fund of
$1,500 for hospitalization of patients
unable to meet the expense load at
one time; a Jewish Welfare Federa-
tion's hospitalization fund, establish-
ed in 1927 through the annual appro-
priation of $3,000 from the annual
spring drive, for the hospitalization
of indigents and the Hebrew Hospital
Association fund derived from the
interest on the investment of the
$40.000, .(mentioned above.) .
Also, in 1926, two committees -were
appointed by the Jewish Welfare
Federation for the purpose of pro-
moting plans for a Jewish Hospital:
(a) the Provisional Committee on a
community - wide building fund,
which went on record in favor of a
Jewish Hospital and (b), the Hospital
- -Building site ComMittee, which pre-
sented three alternative sites for a
Jewish medical institution: (1) Col-
lingwood, Petoskey and Otsego; (2)
Boston Boulevard and Petoskey; (3)
Woodward Avenue, south of the Fair
Grounds, east side of Woodward.
At a meeting of the Board of Gov-
ernors of the Jewish Welfare Fed-
eration, in November, 1926, Mr. Mil-
ton Alexander and Judge Harry B.
Keidan, president and chairman of
the Jewish Centers Association, re-
spectively, presented a memorandum
calling attention to the necessity for
taking stepS toward the establishment
Of a Jewish Hospital. They suggest-
ed either a hospital of 150 beds, with
ultimate plans for a 300 bed institu-
tion, or a small 40 to 50 bed hospital
at the present North End Clinic site.
In 1929, a report on the Jewish
Hospital 'situation was made by Dr.

John Slawsbn, then executive direct-
or of the Jewish Welfare Federation,
to a committee of the Federatiodt in
which he indicated the need for a
Jewish Hospital, urging the Federa-
tion to launch a Hospital. project.
BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY
"The fundamental reason for the
need of a Jewish Hospital," stated Dr.
Slawson, "is the protection of the'
health welfare of the Jewish com-
munity."
"The hospital," he maintained
"would benefit the community:
"By making available adequate
hospital facilities for the Jewish
doctors, to be used for developmental,
purposes, both technically and ethi-
cally, thus rendering a higher grade
of medical service to the Jewish pa-
tients of the city, since most Jews
tend to use Jewish physicians.
"By making available Jewish sur-
roundings through the medium of
Jewish, management, Jewish doctors
and other employes, thus creating
an atmosphere psychologically agree-
able to certain types of Jewish pa-
tients and preventing the discomforts
incident to surroundings incompat-
ible with -the habits, customs and
traditions of a vast segment of our
people.
"By making available free or part
pay care for Jewish patients who
are unable to pay part or full cost;
particularly those Jewish patients
who are definitely unhappy in muni-
cipal institutions which we know to
be the case from daily experiences
with Jewish clientele. The establ-
lishinent of Jewish family agencies,
child care agencies, and recreational
agencies has been motivated, in a
large measure by the same consider-
ations."
1929 SURVEY
A survey of the hospital situation
in Detroit, with reference to the need
of a Jewish Hospital, was made by
the Hospital Committee of North
End Clinic, in 1929. This study was
presented at a joint meeting of the
doctors, •the board of trustees of the
clinic and representatives' of the Fed-
eration, with Dr. Michael M. Davis
present. The recommendations of
this committee were:
(a) That the committee recommend-
ed to the board of trustees as its
choice, the erection of a 60-bed
hospital.
(b) That the said hospital be de-
veloped in association with the
North End Clinic, and that priv-
ilege of the hospital to be open
to qualified, ethical physicians.
(c) That said hospital be so located
that expansion will be readily
possible.
(II) That a committee of laymen be
appointed to work in conjunc-
tion with the Hospital Commit-
tee of North End Clinic in fur-
thering the study of the location,
cost of construction, maintenance
and possible deficit of the above
proposed hospital."
THE D. W. SIMONS BEQUEST
D. W. Simons, Detroit philanthro-
pist, left, in his will $150,000 to be
expended for chariable purposes at
the discretion of the trustees, with a
request that preference be given to a
Jewish Hospital project. , (Because the
project was not developed at the time,
the bequest was distributed for other
community purposes.)
The Eva Prenzlauer Service Group
provided part of the hospitalization
fees for expectant mothers in need,
in 1929.
SOCIAL COUNCIL SURVEY
In 1934, the Council of Social
Agencies published a report of a sur-
vey -made by Dr. Haven Emerson and
Dr. Gertrude Sturgis, of the 'Out-Pa-
tient Services in Metropolitan .De-
troit.. This. report demands that the

existing independent out patients'

-

services should make a. serious effort
to secure hospital affiliation to their
mutual advantage. North End Clinic
was cited as an independent out-pa-
tient service without hospital affilia-
tion.
The Brandeis Executives, a civic
welfare body of business and profes-
sional men, later known as the
Nat an Straus Executives, was formed
in 1934. One of its aims is the pro-
motion of a Jewish Hospital.
In 1935, a committee, consisting of
the Board of North End Clinic, rep-
resentatives of the Jewish Welfare
Federation and the Hebrew Hospital
Asiociation, discussed the feasibility
of erecting a small hospital building
next to tfie then projected Home for
the Aged on Poteskey Avenue.
In 1936, the Jewish physicians Hos-
pital Committee was organized to re-
vive the movement for a! Jewish Hos-
pital. *
A group of women, unaffiliated
with any medical .body, who felt the
need of a Jewish Hospital in the com-
munity, incorporated as the Mount
Sinai Hospital Association in 1937.
The United Jewish Hospital Com-
mittee also was organized in 1937,
composed of representatives of the
following groups, all interested in
the establishment of a Jewish Hos-
pital; Medical Staff of North End
Clinic; Detroit. Jewish Hospital As-
sociation; Hebrew Hospital Associa-
tion ;Mt. Sinai Hospital Association;
Maimonides Medical Society; Phi
Delta Epsilon Medical -Fraternity;
Alpha Ome,ga. Dental Fraternity and
Aesculapian Pharmaceutal Society.
Pledges totaling $60,000 were ob-
tained from approximately one-third
of the Jewish physicians in Detroit,
with the provision that a total of
$250,000 must be obtained by June,
1939, for a Jewish Hospital. The re-
maining Jewish physicians were not
solicited and the pledges. were not
collected. A Hospital Committee was
appointed by the Board of Trustees
of North End Clinic.
The Wolf Resolution, sponsored by
Edwin A. Wolf, president of North ,
/ , was presented to, and
- End Clini C
passed by the Board of Governors of -,
the Jewish Welfare Federation. This
resolution expressed a sympathetic at-
titude toward the hospital movement
and recommended that a survey be
made to ascertain existing hospital
conditions, and to determine the need
for a Jewish institution.
In 1938, Dr. J. J. Golub, New York
hospital consultant and H. L. Lurie,
Director of the Council of Jewish
Federations and Welfare Funds, made
a study of Detroit's hospital needs
under the auspices of the Jewish Wel-
fare Federation. The study confirm-
ed the need and recommended the
planning of a 200-bed hospital.
A supplementary study was made
by Dr. Golub in 141. He examined
the advisability of converting into a
hospital the Jewish• Children's Home,
whose children were now being cared
for in 'individual foster homes. Dr.
Golub reported that a 50-bed-unit
was uneconomical in operation, and
that plans for a hospital should' pro-.
vide for at least. 200 beds, but that
120 beds as the 'first stage in such a
development could be considered.
LATER DEVELOPMENTS
Communities assume additional ob-
ligations as they grow older, juSt as
human beings do as they mature.
With the acquisition of the Carrie
Sittig, Cohen and Joshua Cohen be-
_ quests in. 1936 and 1937, the estab-
lishment and modernization of neigh-
borhood buildings, the Aaron. DeRoy
Memorial of the Jewish Community
Center and other needed services and
facilities, the community giadually
rounded out its social service pro-
gram. .
- The Jewish Welfare Federation and
the Detroit Service Group, in. joint
session, unanimously agreed in 1944
that the time had arrived to 'proceed
with a building campaign for a 200-
bed hospital. -An appropriate com-
mittee was appointed to incorporate a
hospital association, and the commit-
tee began its work of organizing a
$2,000,000 campaign. And, ' within
a month or so, the progress made by
this Provisional Committee, headed
by Max Osnos, will be reported and,
it appears that the long-delayed
dream of a Jewish Hospital will be-

.

come a reality.

