Friday, November 2, 1945
THE JEWISH NEWS
Page Nineteen
David A. Brown and Our Times Ask Congregations Donate
.
(Continued from Page 6)
boys for Christianity) he later word "sacrifice". The assump-
Eastern Europe and Russia. H e headed a campaign for funds for tion that any man—and I am
studied the operations sympa - the YMCA. Later he rendered a speaking now also for those
thetically yet objectively an d similar service for the Catholic thousands back of me—can
critically and the reports he sub - charities of Michigan; directed sacrifice in giving himself to
'flitted and the advice he offere d the first three campaigns of the humanitarian efforts is most
exerted a large influence on th e Community Fund of Detroit; or- ridiculous. The finest thing
policies and operations.
ganized and managed the fund that can come to one in -life is
Because Brown has for a num- raising for the Detroit Symphony service -of this kind. There are
ber of years been persona non Orchestra, gave it a magnificent many men who have made
grata with some Zionist leaders initial gift and made regular large sums of money which
it was very interesting to read generous annual contributions never gave them even a happy
the material about his work for for many years following; he was thrill, and there are hundreds
Palestine. His outstanding service responsible for bringing Ossip of men who constantly get
in that area was virtually a one Gabrilowitch to Detroit as its happy thrills—not because
man campaign he launched in conductor and with the latter's they are getting but because
the late summer of 1929 netting aid raised the money for Sym- they are giving.
$2,265,000 for the relief of the phony Hall. He was also largely
"You can only get the things
surviving victims of the Arab responsible for bringing the Chi-
that are worthwhile by giving
riots in Palestine. He sent 12,- cago Opera to Detroit.
—whether it is in a material
000 telegrams throughout the
(In appreciation for his services sense, or by giving of your-
country and the immediate and for the Union of American He- self."
gratifying response is not only to brew Congregations, Hebrew Un-
David Brown made thousands
be attributed to the cause itself ion College awarded him an hon-
of men appreciate these truths.
but the esteem and confidence orary doctorate).
Thus he contributed substantial-
American Jewry had for him.
Helped Hoover in London
ly to their happiness while at
That money, used for construe
Having helped Herbert Hoover the same time he helped to save
tive relief is still, I am told, in in London in embarking stranded countless thousands from despair
a large measure, intact and in Americans for home when the and death. He, too, is blessed to
action as a revolving loan fund. war . broke out in 1914 he as- be able to look back over a long
Promoted Aid for Yishuv
sumed the chairmanship of all life, nobly lived.
Brown paid several visits to the American Relief Administra-
Palestine. Though not a Zionist tion campaigns in Michigan.
he was active for years in pro- These and many other fine civic Young Women's Bicur
moting support for the Yishuv activities combined with his Cholem Affair Dec. 5
In conjunction with the seventh
up to the time when he was at- commercial success brought him
tacked by some Zionist leaders the nomination for mayor. His annual donor luncheon sponsor-
for promoting the Jewish farm defeat for this office was . the ed by the Young Women's Bicur
colonies in Southern Russia and only campaign he ever lost. He Cholem Organization on Dec. 5,
Biro-Bidjan. Among the records could serve others better than he at the' Book-Cadillac Hotel, Rob-
I find a handwritten letter from could serve himself.
ert Roberts of Detroit who creates
Louis Brandeis dated March 28,
In more recent years he was fashions in furs will displa3r
1919, in which appears the fol- chairman . of the China Famine many of his original models. Res-
lowing:
Relief (1928-33), chairman of the ervations may be made through
"I congratulate, you on the China Flood Relief (in 1931-32) Mrs. Joseph Shifman,- TO. 7-0257.
wise and, courageous course and president of American
you have adopted and the Friends of China, an office he
cogency with which you have still holds. He made two long
- presented your reasons. Judge trips to the Orient, spent many
Mack told me of his talks with months traveling through the in-
you and his confidence that terior of China, accompanied by
your support -would bring much a small regiment of Chinese sol-
strength to the Zionist cause diers assigned to guard him by
in Detroit."
a grateful and admiring govern-
I am told that Dr. Weizmann rnent.
said to Brown years ago in play-
He published many illuminat-
ful words but With serious in- ing articles about China, one of
tent, "I'll wring your neck if you which, originally a radio address,
become a Zionist. You can help was prophetically captioned
us more by remaining a non- "China Can Never -be Con-
Zionist."
quered." He raised large sums
for China Relief which was also
Extraordinary Humanness
This tribute to David BroWn gratefully acknowledged in this
would not be complete without country at a big luncheon given
some reference to the extraordi- in his honor, epitomized in the
nary humanness of the • man words of one of the speakers, the
which was - reflected in an emo- distinguished Protestant minis-
tionalism that sometimes bor- ter, Dr. S. Parkes Cadman, "We
dered on the sentimental. He was have always encompassed him
particularly tender to the mem- with our prayers and followed
bers of his family, especially to him with our love."
his mother and his wife both of
Champion of * Human Rights
whom he adored and to whom he
David Brown's service to
credits the inspiration for his causes beyond the boundaries of
life of service. In a letter to a his Jewish interests, his cham-
dear friend, November, 1925, he pionship of the rights of all
writes:
human beings, regardless of race
"My poor _ old mother tried or creed, stamp him as one whose
to talk to me on the phone yes- life truly exemplifies a genuine
terday morning but after her American, a man loyal to his own
first words of salutation she race and faith while at the same
could not utter a sound. I knew time full of love for those out-
exactly what was going through side his fold.
her mind. She was associating
I am reminded of a story about
the day with another day 21 an interesting personality who
years ago (his marriage to for half a century or more was
Paula Kahn) and all that event a prominent figure in orthodox
had meant in her life. There Jewish circles, Harry Fishel. He
was a love of Paula in my rarely refrained from getting up
mother's heart, I think even
at every meeting of charitable
greater than that which she organizations to have his say. At
has for any of her daughters. one such meeting, in speaking
Paula was a rock that she rest- approvingly of the melting pot
ed upon during the many days process in the U. S., he wound up
of trial that have come into by saying "The Fishels and the
ber life. Paula was the ear Astors, the Astors and the Fishels
into which she poured many that's what makes America." A
stories of her early life and shrewd and profound observa-
the little problems that pre-
tion. It is the Fishels and the
sented themselves from time Astors, the David Browns and
to time. Mother's loss was the Brewsters, the Kabatchniks
great in Paula's passing and it' and the Cabots, the Kellys, the
takes such an event as my Levins, the Svensens, the Gam-
birthday to bring it all home barellis and the Ching Loes and
to her."
the Boston Lees and Lowells who
(Mr. Brown was married to the make America.
former Pearl Kroll, a member of
His Great Sacrifice
the editorial staff of Time maga-
What has David Brown's re-
zine,, in May, 1940).
sponse been to all the fine words
that have been uttered about his
Citizen of the World
David Brown was not only a great and long service, about his
Jew; he was an American; even own generous money contribu-
more he was a citizen of the tions and the great sacrifice in
world. Though his name is espe- the collapse of the huge public
cially identified with philan- utilities business he has built up
.thropy and, more narrowly, for- because his energies were divert-
eign relief work, his is a broad- ed for long periods to his com-
munal activities? Let me -quote
ly social mind and spirit.
In reading some of the records his own words:
of his earlier days when in
"I don't want any credit for
gratitudes for what the local giving anything of my time or
YMCA did for him in his boy- of myself in this effort. 1 have
hood days (without any attempt always been just a little bit
to win him and other Jewish resentful over the use of the
Torahs for European Jews
Appeal to Detroit Synagogues Issued by Rabbi Leo Jung ;
JDC Cultural Religious Affairs Committee Chairman;
Address Message to Rabbis, Presidents
Rabbi Leo Jung, chairman of
the committee on cultural re-
ligious affairs of the Joint Dis-
tribution Committee, and Rabbis
Herbert S. Goldstein and Jonah
B. Wise, members of his commit-
tee, have appealed to Jewish
congregations in Detroit for con-
tributions of Sifre Torah for
Jewish communities in Europe.
The appeal, which has been
made particularly to rabbis and
presidents of congregations reads
as follows:
"This is an appeal to you to
take action to meet the spiritual
hunger of Etirope's devastated
Jewish populations.
Other Religious Articles
"Representatives of the Joint
Distribution Committee overseas,
engaged in the relief of the
`saved remnant' of our people,
have repeatedly asked for `Sifre
Torah' for use by re-established
houses of worship. They report
to us that time and again the
very men and women who ask
for food and similar rebel, ask,
almost in the same breath, for
Scrolls of the Law, for books,.
for other religious articles. They
desire these to replace those
desecrated and destroyed by the
Nazis.
"A careful estimate by the
Cultural-Religious Committee of
the JDC indicates that at 'least
500 additional Sifre Torah are
sorely needed in Europe as soon
as possible. JDC has sought in
many ways to meet this large-
scale need. It is apparent that
the only resource that can satis-
fy it are the Arks of the temples
and the synagogues of the United
States. In many Arks there re-
pose Holy Scrolls in excess of
those needed for actual services.
What greater 'Mitzvah' could any
American or Canadian Jewish
congregation perform than to
make an outright gift of one or
more of their excess Scrolls for
use overseas? About 200 Scrolls
have already been made avail-
able by congregations—but 500
more are needed.
"Each Scroll will be repaired
at the offices of the Central Re-
lief Committee and the Etz Chaim
of the Scroll will be fitted with
a legend bearing the name of the
donor congregation."
President 'of Paraguay
Greets Jewish Refugees
NEW YORK—Sonia and Esther
Brom, the first two Jewish ref-
ugees to arrive. in Paraguay
from Europe since liberation, who
came to join relatives there, were
received on their arrival by Gen.
Marinigo, president of Paraguay.
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