Page Twenty
THE JEWISH NEWS
Jewish Community's Obligation
Kasle, Isaacs View • Vital Need
Of Hebrew School in N. W. Area
More Than 2,000 Jewish Children in Fast-Growing
Neighborhoods Lacking Formal Jewish Education
If the children in one of the fastest growing Jewish neighborhoods in. Detroit are
to grow up as well-informed Jews, and if ignorance is to be prevented from becoming
the rule among them, the Detroit Jewish community owes it • to itself and to- all American
Jewry to act promptly in providing for them the necessary requisites to acquire a Jew-
ish education.
0
This is the substance of a warning that
comes from the leaders of the United Hebrew
Schools.
Their reference is to the large Jewish corn-
munity • in t h
northwest s e
tion of Detroit.
Abe
president of the
United Hebrew
Schools, and
Bernard Isaacs
s u p erintendent
of the schools
call attention to
these needs on
the basis of ex-
isting facts.
It was pointed
out by Mr.
Kasle that the
section in ques-
tion, extending
f r o m Linwood
west to Wyo-
ming and from
ABE KASLE
Puritan north to
8-Mile Road, now numbers approximately 6,000
families. It is believed that more than 2,000
Jewish children in this section are in the main
left today without any sort of Jewish training.
• 200 Attended Hebrew Classes
-
A small portion of these children, numbering
not more than 200, now are attending Hebrew
school classes-130 of them being enlisted in the
United Hebrew Schools' branch of the Bagley
School. Another 1,000 attend classes only once
a week in the . various Sunday schools of the
community.
"Many hundreds of these children are
potential prospects for enrollment in a He-
brew school," Mr. Kasle stated.
"We, of the United Hebrew Schools, are con-
fident, on the basis of surveys we have made
in the past two years, that such an enrollment
can be made a certainty.
"If we do not act promptly; these children
will be lost to us.
. "If we act promptly, we can establish the
classes that are so sorely needed for our boys
and girls.
The Longer We Wait the Greater the Indifference
"The longer we wait, the more children will
be lost to us and the greater the indifference
that will arise in Jewish ranks.
"This is not an idle warning. The moment
the boys and girls reach their twelfth and
thirteenth birthdays, they and their parents will
estop thinking in terms of an education which
will provide them with a knowledge of Hebrew
and Jewish history.
'
"With the situation becoming increasing-
ly more serious for Jews throughout the
World, it will be a calamity if these children
will not be provided with that knowledge
which helps them face the issues affecting
all Jews.
"We can recapture the youngest of the
children if we provide classes for them.
- "I hope that our people will begin thinking
seriously in terms of this great need.
UHS Auxiliary Plans
Second Cultural Affair
At Rose Cohen Bldg.
"I appeal to our people to think in terms of
erecting a modern, up-to-date Hebrew school
building in the northwest section of our corn-
munity so that we may properly fulfill our
obligations to our children."
Mr. Kasle's statement reveals some very in-
teresting facts.
"A study of the northwest section," he stated,
"reveals that in one public school alone, the
Bagley, at Curtis and Roselawn, 10 blocks west
of Livernois, there are 704 Jewish children.
"In another school, at the Hampton, one block
east of Livernois, near Curtis, there are more
than 480 Jewish pupils.
"We have established quarters in the Bagley
Schocl where we use five classrooms, and have
filled them to capacity with our 130 pupils. It
is the maximum we can accommodate in that
school.
Hebrew Environment Lacking
"The lesson is self-evident: we can not de-
pend on a public school, grateful as we are for
availability of such facilities. The class hours
are reduced, Sunday morning classes are elimin-
ated and the Hebrew School environment is
lacking.
"To build a new Hebrew school structure in
that section is a community obligation."
Mr. Isaacs added important comments to
Mr. Kasle's appeal and observations.
"In the course of our experiences in estab-
lishing the Bagley School branch of the United
Hebrew Schools, we have discovered that there
are many hundreds of parents who are clamor-
ing to send their children to a modern • Hebrew
school," Mr. Isaacs declared.
"These parents, however, are reluctant to
send their children for limited studies in a
public school building. We find that their re-
sponse would be spontaneous and prompt and that
hundreds of Jewish children would be enrolled
in Hebrew school classes, provided we had a
home of our own, for such classes.
War Interfered with Plans
"We would have acted earlier in assuring
the construction of a new building. But the war
interfered, and the restrictions on constructions
were accompanied by the additional handicap
of our having been unable to secure the proper
teachers.
"The situation has changed. We can
build now, if we are given the means. And
we can get more teachers.
"Furthermore, we have evolved plans for
the establishment of a teachers' high school
and college for the training of more teachers
from among the graduates of the United
Hebrew Schools.
"I add my • personal appeal to that of Mr.
Kasle for our people to think in terms of this
great need: for the immediate construction of a
Hebrew school building in the northwest section
of Detroit, so that we should avert the calamity
of keeping hundreds of young Jews in ignor-
ance, through the perpetuation of a grave error
of failing to provide the facilities for the much-
needed Hebrew school building in the northwest
section of Detroit."
Mr. Kasle, Mr. Isaacs and other leaders in
the United Hebrew Schools are entertaining the
hope that public-spirited Detroit Jews will come
forth with proposals to assist in the construc-
tion of the proposed new Hebrew School build-
ing in order to fill this immediate and great need.
Detroiters who feel as they do are asked to
communicate with them and to advise them how
this community need can be made a reality.
15 Nobel Winners
To Be Honored Dec.18
NEW YORK Fifteen Nobel
The second program irk the cul- Prize scholars will be honored at
tural series of the Women's Aux- a dinner Dec. 18 at the Hotel
iliary of the United Hebrew Pierre to open the national cam-
Schools will be held at 1 p. m. paign for $4,000,000 to establish
Wednesday, Dec. 26, at the Rose a medical school in Palestine, it
was announced by Ira A. Hirsch-
Sittig Cohen Bldg.
mann and Mrs. Samuel J. Rosen-
A luncheonette will be fol- sohn, co-chairmen of the drive.
lowed by a program devoted to
The guests of honor, who are
the works of famous Jewish writ-
serving on a committee of scien-
ers of wit and humor.
tific sponsors for the project,
It is the desire of the auxiliary will be Dr. Albert Einstein, Dr.
to arouse and foster an interest Clinton Joseph D a viso n, Dr.
not only in the serious aspects of Enrico Fermi, Dr. Victor F. Hess,
Yiddish and Hebrew literature, Dr. Isidor I. Rabi and Dr. Otto
but also in their entertaining as- Stern, all holders of the prize
pects.
The program participants are Theodore Isaacs, I. Brawer, Irv-
members of the auxiliary.
ing Ackerman and William Man-
Research and preparation of dell.
material has been done by Mes-
Mrs. Rossman, chairman of the
daines Morris Adler, Joshua Sper- program committee, is assisted by
ka - and Florence--Moss Rossman. Mrs. Sol A. Dann. Mrs. A. L.
The participants are Mesdames Carnick is president of the Wom-
Bertram Smokier, Burton Seidon, an's Auxiliary,
in physics; • Dr. Henrik Dam, Dr.
Otto Loewi, Dr. Otto Meyerhof,
Dr. George R. Minot, Dr. William
P. Murphy and Dr. George H.
Whipple, prizemen in physiology
and medicine, and Dr. Peter J.
W. Debye, Dr. Irving Langrnuir
and Dr. Harold C. • Urey, who
hold the prize in chemistry.
In addition, the sponsoring
group includes Dr. Chaim Weiz-
mann, eminent chemist; Dr.
Thomas Parran, Surgeon-Gen-
eral, U. S. Public Health Ser-
vice; Dr. Karl T. Compton, presi-
dent of the Massachusetts Insti-
tute of Technology; Dr. Harry
Woodburn Chase, Chancellor of
New York University; Dr. Ste-
phen Duggan, director of the In-
stitute of International Educa-
tion; Dr. Morris Fishbein, editor
of the Journal of the American
Medical Association and Dr. Wal-
demar B. Kaempffert, science
editor, the New York Times.
The dinner will be given by
the American Friends of the
Hebrew University, the Ameri-
can Jewish Physicians' Commit-
tee, and ikidassah.
Friday, December t4, 1945
Truman CJ reets HUC Anniversary
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
November 21,.19k5
Dear Dr. Morgenstern:
The Seventieth Anniversary of the Hebrew
Union College is a significant event in the annals
of a people that has a continuous history oflaw
and learning. In our land of.freedom, where
liberty of conscience and freedom of worship are
paramount; American life has received notable
contributions from the. theological, intellectual
and social thought of your College.
It is now the oldest rabbinic Institution
on this continent. From it have gone forward
hundreds of men who have devoted themselves to the
best interests of our country, and to the ideals of
their faith. They have pioneered in many social
and progressive movements and have been in the van-
guard when the country.called for service and
sacrifice - showing the essential unity of high
religion and noble Americanism.
You are celebrating the Seventieth Anniver.4
sary after the free nations of the world have
achieved a . great victory for freedom and humanity.
You have played an important role in the advance-
ment of the great ideals of our country.
May this Anniversary, celebrated in joy,
inspire all Americans of good will to follow the
path of truth and justice, cement their unity and •
increase their power for good for all mankind.
Very sincerely,
Dr. Julian Morgensteim
President,' The Hebrew Union liege
Cincinnati. 20, Ohio
President Truman sent the above letter recently to Dr. Julian
Morgenstern, president of the Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati,
America's oldest rabbinical seminary, on the occasion of that institu-
tion's 70ti• anniversary.
Visit at Pre - School Hebrew Class
Inspires Miss Sarah Philka's Poem
By SARAH PHILKA
I recently visited the pre-school
Hebrew class for children. of 31/2
to 5 at the Rose Sittig Cohen
branch of the United Hebrew
Schools.
This class has been functioning
for two years and was started
more or less as an experiment to
see what could be done with
children not old enough to at-
tend public school.
I was amazed at the progress
of these Jewish tots. It should be
inspiring to the parents to know
that their children are receiving
the kind of Jewish background
that will make better Jews and
from this understanding will re-
sult in being better Americans.
Credit should be given to Miss
Miriam Gold and the United He-
brew Schools for their great suc-
cess in this endeavor.
I have written this poem in
VHS Launches
Drive to Enroll
1,000 Members
A goal of 1,000 has been set by
the United Hebrew Schools of
Detroit for the annual member-
ship enrollment now being
launched.
Abe Kasle, UHS president, has
announced the appointment of
Philip J. Gilbert as chairman of
the membership enrollment. 'In-
augurating the project for the en-
rollment of 1,000 more members
at $5 each, Mr. Gilbert stated at a
recent meeting:
"The United Hebrew Schools is
the communal Jewish educational
agency with a history of 25 years
of loyal service to the Jewish
community in Detroit. In this pe-
riod, our schools have already-
succeeded in bringing up a gen-
eration of young men and women
who play a leading role in vari-
ous communal, educational' and
philanthropic endeavors.
"The income derived from the
membership dues is an important
item in the annual budget of the
schools, and it helps pay for the
education of children whose par-
ents are unable to take care of
their tuition fees. In addition, a
large membership lends moral
support to the institution."'
honor of this class, dedicated to
these small children.
CHILDREN OF ISRAEL
Children, little children
Cheeks aglowing pink,
Everyone so busy
Learning how to think.
Happy little children,
Merry eyes that gleam,
Free from care and worry,
Free to play and dream.
Little children learning
Some so shy and coy.
Y _ aldo means a girl,
Yeled means a boy.
Speaking better Hebrew
Than lots of folks I know,
All these little children
With faces all aglow.
Sweetly singing Hebrew songs,
Such a Sight to see.
Tiny voices blending
In perfect harmony.
Jewish little children,
Learning of the past,
About the different holidays,
And why we have to fast.
Jewish little children,
Learning God's refrain,
Knowing faith and beauty,
Like sunshine after rain.
Children of the future
Learning Jewish ways,
Gaining strength and wisdom
To last them all their days.
This host of tiny stars
Shall be a truth unfurled,
And light the path of Jewishness
To make a brighter world.
9 New Settlements Open
In Palestine Since V-E Day
.
NEW YORK—To provide for
the absorption of immigrants and
returning servicemen and wo-
men, nine new settlements were
established by the agencies de-
riving their American support
through the United Palestine
Appeal since V-E Day, and 11
others are to be launched in the
immediate' future, it was report-
ed here by Dr. James G. Heller,
National UPA chairman.
Four settlements, Dr. Heller
said, were founded on Nov. 2,
anniversary of the Balfour De-
claration. A number of those
to be established in the coming
weeks will commemorate Pales-
tinian Jewish soldiers who were
killed in battle or who were lost
after having been dropped as
parachutists behind enemy lines.