THE JEWISH NEWS
Friday, January 16, 1948
Home Relief Society Completes Invaders Repulsed 5 Panels to Be Feature at filVF
25 Years of Community Service
Women's Institute January 29
Completion of 25 years of ser-
vice to the Jewish community
will be celebrated by Home Re-
lief Society Jan.- 31, at a dinner
at the Rackham Bldg.
The dinner will honor all mem-
bers of Home Relief and the so-
ciety's many friends whose gen-
erosity has sponsored extensive
relief, medical, refugee and other
assistance. Special tribute will
be paid to Mrs. Harry Shulman,
founder and first president,
through distribution of gift food
baskets to all families now under
the society's care.
Home Relief was organized in
1923, with the assistance of Mrs.
Edward J. Jeffries, then head of
the Department of Public Wel-
fare Commission. During the
the group was partic-
ularly active in supplying relief
to needy families.
HoSpital care, clothing, supple-
mentary food for school children,
employment assistance and other
phases of relief work have 'all
been within the scope of the
Home Relief. A special project
was the coordination of Mo'os
Chitim, Passover relief programs,
through the Jewish Social Service
Bureau.
Working closely with Judge D.
J. Healey of the Juvenile Court,
the organization has provided
home care, clothing and medical
services for children, rehabilita-
ting many who might otherwise
have had little interest shown
in their welfare.
A Junior Home Relief Society
was organized 18 years ago, hav-
ing as its special project the pro-
vision of extra clothing, books
and lunch money for school chil-
dren.
At the anniversary dinner,
newly-elected officers will be in-
stalled .by Mrs. Minna Cornell.
Reservations may be made by
calling Mrs. M. Garelik, in-com-
ing president, UN. 4-3282, Mrs.
Peter Miller, UN. 3-4235,, or Mrs.
H. Shulman, TO. 82784.
Program Depicting 'New Look in Community Affairs' Will
Mark Federation's 21st Anniversary; Nationally
Prominent and Local Leaders to Participate
Announcements were sent this week to all members of
the Women's Division of the Jewish Welfare Federation,
inviting their participation in the institute on "The New
Look in Community Affairs," to be presented by the Division
on Thursday, Jan. 29, at Hotel Statler.
"Just as in other phases of our daily life, there is a 'New
MIUSAIIM
•
1•IPMHEM
*WON •
TRANS.
SEA
Look" in our. community - social
services," Mrs. Abraham Cooper,
chairman of the division's pro-
ram committee, said. "The Jan
29 program will give Detroit
Jewish women an opportunity to
discuss some of these changes
with five nationally known au-
thorities—in a national confer-
ence right here on our doorstep."
The program will include four
morning panel sessions, "The
New Look in Problems of the
Aged" and "The New Look in
Campaign," at 10 a. m.; "The
New Look at Misconceptions Con-
cerning Emotional Disturbances"
and "The New Look in Education
for Jewish Living" at 11 a. m.;
and a luncheon meeting at 12
noon at -which Harry L. Lurie,
executive director of the Council
of Jewish Federations and Wel-
fare Funds,. will discuss "What's
All This to Me?—Social Prob-
lems and Their Personal Appli-
cation."
Since the program will cele-
brate the 21st anniversary of the
Jewish Welfare Federation, the
invitations also were extended to
the men of the community.
Speakers at the panel sessions
will include Morris Zelditch, di-
rector of social studies of the
Council of Federations; Isidore
Sobeloff, executive director of the
Detroit Federation; Dr. Harry E.
August, psychiatrist, and Israel
Rappoport, consultant on Jewish
Education of the American Jew-
ish Committee.
Chairmen of the morning meet-
ings will be George M. Stutz,
JORDAN
Ban on Tax Deductions
NEW YORK (JTA)—Disallow-
ing tax deductions for charitable
purposes for gifts or contribu-
tions to organizations and insti-
tutions which practice racial or
religious discrimination was of-
fered as a deterent to discrim-
inatory practices in colleges and
charitable institutions by Morris
L. Ernst, member of President
Truman's Committee on Civil
Rights, in an address before the
New York Section of the National
Council of Jewish Women.
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Mufti's Ruthlessness—Against Arabs and Jews Alike
I. A. Abbady, until 1944 the chief Hebrew interpreter for the
Palestine government, one of the few non-Moslems who knew
Haj Amin el Husseini intimately, relates interesting episodes about
the inspirer of Arab riots.
The Mufti, who made it a practice, before his expulsion from
Palestine, to stop at the Government House in Jerusalem for coffee
with Mr. Abbady, 30 years ago threatened to massacre all Zionists.
He did not, however, limit his murderous schemes to Jews. Hun-
dreds of his Arab opponents were murdered, among them mem-
bers of the Nashashibi family.
Mr. Abbady writes that: "On Dec. 18, 1938, Fakhri Nashashibi
laid at the Mufti's door the killing of 192 of his own followers.
`A wave of terrorism,' he wrote, 'has loosed destruction on the
country, ruining the villages and their inhabitants through murder
and looting . . . We place the responsibility for these crimes on
Haj Amin Husseini and the men who surround him'."
The following interesting account of anti-Mufti evaluation of
the Mufti's influence, related by Mr. Abbady, is of particular im-
portance at this time:
"How much genuine support did he command? I once put
that question to Ragheb Bey Nashashibi, the late Mayor of Jeru-
salem and one of Haj Amin's most outspoken enemies. I sug-
gested that the numerous and noisy demonstrations of his support-
ers indicated that he did enjoy important backing in the Moslem
community. Nashashibi replied: 'Nonsense, my dear Abbady. You
give me 500 silver shillings and I will bring you 500 hoodlums
to shout "long live Abbady" before this Governorate'."
Nashashibi's interesting comment applies to Arab demonstras-
tions in Cairo and other Arab centers where hoodlums shout the
glories of the person who buys their service first, and upon their
return trip from the demonstration secure enough shillings from
the other side to change political affiliation in their demonstrations.
Mr. Abbady makes an interesting comment on the existing sit-
uation in Palestine:
"We in Palestine believe that once the Jewish state is estab-
lished, Jews and Arabs will find common ground for collaboration
and the Mufti's raison d'etre will vanish. But, until that day
dawns, this gifted demagogue can spill oceans of blood."
That's the unfortunate thing about the present conditions: that
bloodshed is inadvertible. If only the United States Government,
through our State Department, and the British Foreign Office would
release the data exposing the Nazi affiliations of the Mufti and his
responsibility for the murder of hundreds of thousands of Jews!
The hiding of these facts—or delay in their publication—represents
one of the most regrettable situations of the post-war era.
* * *
Philip Wylie, eminent author and columnist, has written his last
column, and hundreds of thousands of his readers will regret it
most sincerely.
A fighter for justice and fair play—one of his most recent
columns was an attack on anti-Semitism—Mr. Wylie appears very
disillusioned. Contrary td the verdict which, we believe, he would
receive if he were to put the question to a vote among his readers,
he wrote in his "last column" in the New York Post that "my
column has been a failure." Asserting that he had gotten off to a
good start but that "the newspapers which tolerated my opinion
have dwindled," he wrote: "It is not the fault of the owners and
editors of those papers. Their press is as free as the public will let
it be — and sometimes freer than the public likes. For the public
is slave to instinct — perverted and exploited — and the wisest in-
dividuals are not much more emancipated." And he added:
"We allow our journalists to take any side of most questions —
but not of all questions. We Americans do not. like to have our
journalists suggest, for example, that our fundamental error is one
which communism has merely magnified—a faith in and a worship
of materialism. Then, we forbid our journalists to discuss sex. The
very terms of it are called 'unprintable!' And we force our press
to interpret 'religious freedom' as the right of every organized
religion to smother all detached inspection of its nature and activi-
ties. That, of course, is the opposite of the meaning of freedom and
`religious' freedom."-
Mr. Wylie stated: "Some bigots will gloat, no doubt, over the
disappearance of this column. I give it up, however, only for the
purpose of striking at their folly in a more effective fashion." He
now is turning to the writing of books and we sincerely hope—
being among those who regret the disappearance of an excellent
column—that he will gain an even larger audience in the interest
of justice and common decency.
Mr. Wylie undoubtedly is right, in the main, in his evaluation
of the faults inherent in present-day American journalism. _Through
concerted efforts of serious journalists we believe that the situation
can be improved. In any event, Mr. Wylie's voice is not silenced
and we look to him as an important factor in bringing light where
darkness prevails.
chairman of the subcommittee on
aged and chronic sick of the Fed-
eration social planning committee,
and division members Mesdames
William H. Frank, Julian H.
Krolik and Alexander W. San- •
ders. Mrs. Cooper will preside at
the luncheon meeting.
-
For Bias Groups Urged
Purely Commentary
Philip Wylie's Last COlumn
/4/// 7
1 t
A, SEA OF
t• GALILEE'
— International Photo
An invasion of Palestine by
600 troops from Syria (see map)
who attacked the Jewish colonies
of Kfar Szold and Tel El Quada,
were repulsed by British and
Haganah troops.
An attempted attack upon
colonies in the southern part of
Palestine similarly was repulsed.
It is reported that the British
Minister in Damascus made
strong representations . to the
Syrian government protesting
against .the invasion.
After the announcement in
Jerusalem of the recognition of
the Arab "National Guard" to
keep order in Arab areas, armed
Arabs appeared in ,Arab sections
in pick-up trucks, sporting new
arms and insignia, the JTA re-
ports. In view of the confisca-
tion of arms used by Haganah,
this report is arousing new in-
dignation in Jewish ranks against
British treatment.
In New York, the American
Zionist Emergency Council
charged that it had information
that British troops in Palestine
are giving "material and tactical
aid to lawless bands of Mufti-led
Arabs."
Between You and Me
By BORIS SMOLAR
(Copyright, .1948 Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
4 Detroit Leaders
Will Participate in
Welfare Assembly
Palestine Scene
The major roles in the General
Assembly of the Council of Jew
ish Federations and Welfare
Funds, to take place in Chicago,
Jan. 24-26, will be taken by
Julian H. Krolik, president of
the Detroit Jewish Welfare Fed-
eration,- Morris Garvett, a mem-
ber of the Federation's board,
Mrs. Leonard Weiner and Mrs.
Harry Jackson, Stanley C. • Myers
of Miami, national president, an-
nounced.
Krolik will serve as chairman
of the session devoted to 1948 ov-
erseas, national and local capital
funds and operating needs. Gar-
vett will be discussion leader of
the meeting which will cover
problems and trends in com-
cunity planning for Jewish edu-'
cation; Mrs. Weiner will serve
as discussant during the session
on organizing women for cam-
paigning and year round service
and Mrs. Jackson will serve as
consultant during the Women's
Division meeting.
.
Bnai Brith Tabulates
College Percentages
WASHINGTON. — Jewish stu-
dents make up 5.9 per cent of
the total enrollment of the col-
leges and universities in the East
North Central States, according
to an announcement by Leon
J. Obermayer, chairman of the
Bnai Brith Vocational Service
Commission. The percentage in
1935 was 6.3, Obermayer said.
The East North Central States
include Ohio, Indiana, Illinois,
Michigan and Wisconsin. Nearly
half of the area's 1946 Jewish en-
rollment was concentrated in
Illinois. The East North Central
States enrolled 13.2 percent of all
Jewish college students in the
United States and - Canada.
HARRY L. LURIE
Reservations for the Institute
are being taken at the Women's
Division office, Room 309, 51 W.
Warren, TE. 1-1600, Ext. 272. To
allow time for completion of ar-
rangements, Mrs. Arthur Bloom,
Mrs. Samuel B. Danto and Miss
Pearl Devenow, chairmen of the
committee of the day, have an-
nounced that Monday, Jan. 26,
is the deadline for placing of
reservations.
Watch the month of February. . . . This will be the decisive
month in Palestine. . . The Jewish position can either be strength-
ened considerably or immeasurably weakened during that month....
It all depends on whether Britain complies with the UN decision
and withdraws in February from a port area in the section of Pales-
tine designated to be a part of the Jewish State. . . . If Britain with-..
draws, the port area—presumably Tel Aviv—would. be opened for...
Jewish immigration, thus bringing new manpower into the country.
. .. Arms and munitions could then also reach the Jews freely
through the Jewish-controlled port. . . The. question of "illegal"
Jewish immigration would, cease to exist. . . . On the other hand,.
if Britain chooses not to comply with the UN decision and continues -;
to bottle up the Tel Aviv port area even after February 1, the Jew-
ish defense forces might suffer greatly. . . . And the Arabs
interpret the British action as an encouragement in their fight against
the United Nations' partition decision. . . . Some members of the' •
UN Implementation Commission seem to display uncertainty as to '•
whether the partition decision can be carried out if Arab-Jewish -
clashes continue.... At least one of the five members—representing' .
a European country—did not hesitate to indicate his feelings. . •
He believes that one of the possibilities is that in the coming months
the Jews and the Arabs will show themselves immature and not
ready for independence. .. In this case, he thinks, it would be the
duty of the Implementation Committee to report to the UN General -
Assembly that the partition scheme is impracticable and ask the"
Assembly to act accordingly.
*
*
Domestic Notes
The question of whether the Bnai Brith will join the American
Jewish Assembly will be decided Feb. 1 in New York. . . . A meet- .,
ing of Bnai Brith leaders is being held on that day to discuss the
recommendations of the Chicago gathering of the American Jewish •
Conference which gave birth to the Assembly plan.
The history of the Atherican Jewish Committee, written by a
well-known American author, is now in print. . .. The volume will'
appear just in time for. the 41st annual meeting of the organization sr
which is to - take place in New York on Jan. 18.
Believe it or not, but the quantity of merchandise in the JDC:
warehouses in New York is sufficient to open a department store
of no small size. . . . An average of two ships a day are leaving
the U. 'S. for Europe with JDC cargo for distribution among needy.
Jews. . . . There are at least 2,500 persons on the staff of the JDC
in various countries, about 10 per cent of whom are Americans. .
In the U. S., the JDC staff exceeds 200 persons . . . If you want an
idea of JDC immigration work—aside from relief and reconstruction.—
activities—it will be sufficient to say that 30,000 persons reached
permanent homes with assistance of JDC .during 1947. . . Of this
number, 11,000 Jews reached Palestine under the regular quota,'
about 12,000 came to the.U. S., and more than 6,000 to Latin Arneisi,;''
can countries.. .. JDC is in debt to banks to the extent of $13,500,000- ..:;
in addition to $4,000,000 which it owes to the U. S. Government for , '
purchases made from the War Assets Administration.
Sigi Weissenberg, 18-year-old Palestinian pianist, this week won . ,
an award for his outstanding talent—the prize is an appearance with
the N. Y. Philharmonic Orchestra.
Jedediah Gorochov, president of the Palestine Composers and - •'
Authors Association. has arrived in the U. S. to set up an interchange
of musical information between this country and Palestine. .
Gorochov plans- to organize a center for the distribution of Palestin-
ian music to concert artists, orchestras and performers .in the Us:As •
and for the selection of American music for Palestine.
The textbook "Hebrew Self-Taught," published - by the Zionist"
Organization of America, has just gone into. its second printing. .
It is rather an unusual experience for a textbook to sell out as quickly
as did this one—in about six months.
'