LAS Business Men's Group Opens
Year's Work ivith Dinner Sunday
a dinner at 7 p.m.. Movies de-
picting the progress made by the
sanatorium in Los Angeles will
be shown and there will be an
address by Paul Dubinsky of
Chicago, LAS director for the
•
midwest area.
Other interesting features are
planned, according to Ben Gold-
berg and his committee on ar-
rangements.
Nathan R. Epstein, president
of the Business Men's Group, will
preside.
The arrangements committee
includes Charles Nathanson, Jos-
eph Lee. Eugene and Jack Ep-
stein.
Organized in 1943 by Mr. Ep-
stein, the Business Men's LAS
Group includes members each of
whom pledges to raise $1,000 a
year for the sanatorium. The
goal for this year is $50,000. Hav-
ing started with 23 members, 27
more are to be admitted this
year.
A conference of delegates of
Detroit organizations will be held
Sunday morning at the Work-
NATHAN IL EPSTEIN
men's Circle Building to plan
Commencing with a cocktail activities for the Los Angeles
party at 5:30 p.m., there will be Sanatorium.
An invitational affair, for mem,
bers and their wives, will mark
the first meeting of the fall sea-
son of the Business Men's Group
of Los Angeles Sanatorium, to
b 1. held Sunday, Sept. 19, at the
Furniture Club of Hotel Detroiter.
Aid for Israel Drive, Directed by
Bnai Brith, Gets Hearty Response
man of the women's food division,
through the United Grocers As-
sociation, collected a truck load
of canned foods. She was assist-
ed by Phil Schoenberg of Ivan
S. Block Lodge and Bernard
Sharkey of Louis- Marshall Lodge.
New displays have been set up
at the corner of Dexter and
Webb, and at the Cities Service
Station, Dexter and Chicago.
The drive is scheduled to end
Sept. 26. The new number of
Material for Palestine office, Inc.,
at 727 David Stott Bldg., is Wo.
1-3256-7.
Marston Busch, of Lansing,
Aid to Israel chairman of out-
state and for the Michigan Coun-
cil, reports excellent progress in
outlying territories and the tripl-
ing of their original pledges since
last week. They have already
purchased a carload of powdered
milk and food.
Detroit is one of the communi-
ties where knitting units have
been formed to "knit for Israel"
under auspices of Women'f: Divi-
sion of Material for Palestine.
Mrs. Rebecca Imber is chairman
of the national women's knitting
division.
The original request for aid to
the people of Israel came from
the supply mission of the Govern-
ment of Israel directly to Isaac
Imber, national head of Material
for Palestine, Inc., it was an-
nounced this week. Material for
Palestine, after discussing it
with national groups, decided to
conduct this drive nationally un-
der the auspices of Bnai Brith
organizations throughout the
country. (See full page advertise-
ment on Page 6 in this issue.)
Greater Detroit Bnai Brith
Council, in conjunction with the
National Bnai Brith program, is
conducting the Aid to the People
of Israel drive in Detroit and
vicinity.
To date, the Bnai Brith Aid to
Israel drive has laid the ground-
work necessary for a well or-
ganized drive. Trades and pro-
fessional groups have been form-
ed, quotas for the 16 lodges and
chapters have been assigned and
accepted and the formulated
plans are being carried out in
full swing. Landsmanschaften
groups are making generous con-
tributions without direct solici-
tation from Bnai Brith.
Keshenever BessaraVier Aid
Society, of which Louts Bassan
is president, and Louis Cohan,
financial secretary and Aid to
Israel chairman, contributed 43
cases of peas and one ambulnace.
Mrs. Samuel Shulman, chair-
2
THE JEWISH NEWS
—
Friday,,- September 17, 1948
Center Art Show
To Feature Work
Of Morris Merlin
---
Mrs. Arthur Bloom, newly ap-
pointed art committee chairman
of the Jewish Center, announces
that the first in a series of art
exhibits will be the memorial
show of the work of Morris Jay
Merlin, to be displayed Sept. 28
to Oct. 26 in the Ginsburg
Lounge.
- Merlin, a former Detroiter, died
in Los Angeles last April. His
work had been exhibited in De-
troit and in national exhibitions.
Born in Sioux City, Ia., in 1909,
Merlin received schooling there
and at the Chicago Art Institute
and
of Michigan. In
Detroit, he was a supervisor in
the Federal Art project. His work
was responsible for several inno-
vations in the field of visual and
graphic arts. While here, he com-
pleted a mural for the Highland
Park schools.
During World War II, Merlin
served With the U. S. Ground
Forces at Fort Benning, Ga. and
Fort Mead, Md. He was employed
as art director of a Los Angeles
advertising firm from 1946 until
his death.
Included in the showing are
portraits, industrial scenes of De-
troit, army sketches and recent
West Coast landscapes, which are
portrayed in seriagraphs,, colored
and black and white lithographs,
gouaches, tempera, linoleum cuts,
and water colors.
Flint Campaigners
Set $325,000 Goal
Louis E. Rudner has been se-
lected general chairman of the
Flint Jewish Community Coun-
cil's 1948 campaign in behalf of
the United Jewish Appeal and
over 40 other health and welfare
agencies.
The Flint quota has been set
at $325,000, and the campaign
will get under way this Sunday
with a reception at Hotel Durant
in honor of Rabbi Jonah B. Wise,
national chairman of the United
Jewish Appeal.
Rudner announced the appoint-
ment of Abe Schreiber as chair-
man of the initial gifts division
and Mesdames William Bailies
and Jack Krause as chairmen of
LONDON, (JTA)—The British the women's division of the drive.
delegation to the General Assem- Dr. S. S. Gorne and Louis Leb-
bly of the United Nations, sched- ster are vice chairmen of the
uled to begin Sept. 21 in Paris, drive.
will be headed by Foreign Secre-
Harry Heller, formerly admin-
tary Ernest Bevin.
istrative assistant of the Detroit
Jewish Welfare Federation, has
been named executive director
of the Jewish Community Coun-
cil at Flint.
Between You and Me
By BORIS SMOLAR
(Copyright. 1948, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
Zionist New Look:
There are going to be important changes soon in Zionist activi-
ties in this country . . . Dr. Abba Hillel -Silver is ambitiously de-
veloping new plans calculated to bring to Israel funds running into
many hundreds of millions of dollars . < . These plans lean pri-
marily on private American investments in Israel and on making the
Jewish state an industrial center for the Near East ... The American
members of the Zionist Actions Committee who returned from Israel
are of the opinion that the Jewish state will depend heavily on
American private capital ... Dr. Emanuel Neumann, together with
Dr. Silver, will concentrate on stimulating American Jews to invest
a good part of their capital in enterprises in Israel .. . Dr. Israel
Goldstein, treasurer of the Jewish Agency, will leave the U. S. for
a year immediately after the High Holidays and will establish his
seat in Jerusalem .. . During the year he will visit the U. S. in the
interests of fund-raising activities conducted in this country for
Agency work in Israel . . . Eliahu Stone of Boston is expected to be
in charge of Zionist activities in Latin America and will have to do a
lot of flying between New York and Central and South American
capitals . . The Zionist Emergency Council may be dissolved as
such and its machinery become a part of the public relations work
of the American branch of the World Zionist Organization executive.
*
*
*
D6stination Palestine:
The story of the Haganah ship "Exodus 1947" will go down in
Jewish history as the high mark of British brutality against Jewish
refugees seeking their way to Palestine from camps in Germany .. .
It will also take its place in Jewish history as a tale of high courage
of 4,500 displaced Jews who, crowded into small decks and facing
untold hardship, sought to defy the British blockade of Palestine
shores . . . This story is now told in words and photos by Ruth
Gruber, noted American correspondent, in "Palestine Destination,"
just published by Wyn Publishing House<
Sign of Times:
The establishment of Israel has resulted in greater interest in
the U. S. in Hebrew and Jewish history , . A number of universi-
ties are offering courses on modern Palestine and in American
Jewish history . . New York University has 17 such courses this
season . . . They start with elementary Hebrew and conclude with a
course on contemporary Hebrew literature . . . Representatives of
the Israeli Government are listed as guest lecturers in the course
on "Modern Palestine."
JDC Region Elects
Krolik, Mrs. Wineman;
Pledge Continued Aid
CINCINNATI, Sept. 12 — The
Joint Distribution Committee,
major American agency aiding
distressed Jews overseas, at the
third annual meeting of its East
Central Region here elected De-
trioters Julian H. Krolik and Mrs.
Henry Wineman vice president.
More than 300 representatives
from six states in the area at-
tended the conference. They were
addressed by Dr. Joseph J.
Schwartz, chairman of JDC's
European Executive Council, and
Moses A. Leavitt, the organiza-
tion's executive vice-chairman,
who recommended a program of
accelerated emigration and inten-
sified reconstruction activities as
the only means for economic and
spiritual rehabilitation of Eur-
ope's 1,400,000 surviving Jews.
Leavitt, in his address, analyz-
ed JDC's reconstruction needs
and accomplishments abroad.
Since the end of the war in Eur-
ope, JDC has spent $300,000,000
for rehabilitation, reconstruction,
and relief for Jews overseas, he
reported.
A resolution supporting the
$250,000,000 campaign of the
United Jewish Appeal was adopt-
ed by acclamation at the meet-
ing.
2,500 Treated to Movte Preview
On Eve of Opening SOS Campaign
BILL BERMAN (standing), Detroit chairman of the forthcoming
SOS drive, checks with ARTHUR MacCOLL, Downtown Theater,
manager, a partial list of the 2500 persons invited to a preview
showing of the new film, "The Search," Sunday, Sept. 19, 11 a.m., at
Downtown Theater. Invitations have gone to workers in the SOS
drive which will stage a door-to-door 'collection of books, toys,
canned goods and clothing on Oct. 31. The movie depects the plight
of displaced persons who win- receive this aid.
Purely Commentary
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Jerusalem 'Gay Again' • • With 'Dancing on the Streets'
New York Herald Tribune's Jerusalem correspondent, Dr. Ruth
Gruber, tells an important story about the restoration of gayety in
Jerusalem. In a recent cable she stated: "Tonight Jerusalem's citi-
zens will be dancing on the streets, winding up Jerusalem's biggest
shot in the arm, 'the week of embattled Jerusalem.' Mishmar Ha'Am,
the home guard, through its section of education and culture, planned
a week of festivities whose sole purpose was to bring the people out
on the streets and get more cheer and liveliness into the air."
This report is of more than passing interest. It has to do with
Israel's long struggle for our people's rejuvenation, and it concerns
itself with the battle by Jews against those who would have loved
to see us perpetuated as an object for a historical museum rather
than as a living and thriving people.
Dr. Gruber's reference to the "dancing on the streets" of Jeru-
salem serves to recall a most interesting story, to be found in "The
Land of Promise" by Edmond Fleg, the eminent French-Jewish
author, which was translated from the French into English by the
late Louise Waterman (Mrs. Stephen S.) Wise and published in 1933
by Macaulay. Fleg had gone to Palestine to retrace the steps of
Jesus preparatory to writing his "Life of Jesus." The planned work
on Jesus was postponed and was published two years later by Dut-
ton. Meanwhile, enchanted by the historic efforts of the Jewish
pioneers to rebuild Eretz Israel, Fleg wrote his "Land of Promise."
In this book the readers will find the revealing story which has signi-
ficant bearing on the situation in our own time. Here is the episode
as recorded by Fleg:
Before leaving Jerusalem, we wish to take leave of a Domini-
can scholar, who had promised to give me advice as to my
voyage in Galilee. He received us in his monastery with his
usual graciousness.
How many questions I might have asked him, how many
confidences I might have reposed in him! But it seemed to me
he did not seek big themes of conversation. He deplored the
invasion of the cinema into Jerusalem, the new quarters, the
new houses. He did not say JEWISH quarters, JEWISH houses;
but was not that what he meant to say?
"Now people dance in Jerusalem! Yes, my dear sir, dancing
is still forbidden in the old city, but in the new City (in the
Jewish City?) it is tolerated. What do you think of it, sir? They
dance now, they dance in Jerusalem!"
He had prepared a chart, on which he indicated to me the
places I should see. Was I to confess to him, that until now I had
sought in vain for Jesus in this land? Possibly after all, he would
reply to me, as did that other great Catholic:
You will not find our Lord in Palestine. God does not wish
him to be found here. Today, dear sir, Jesus is in Rome!
"Go to Emek," said our Dominican sweetly, "to Emek south
of Lake Tiberias. Do not fail to see Gerasch: they are the finest
ruins of Transjordania You desire to know Arimathea?
Arimathea is Rentis not far from Lydda . . . At Tabgha near
Capernatun, there is an Austrian Father, who will give you
lodging."
The revelations inherent in this story contain the shocks that
go with the incredible in the aspirations of Israel's antagonists to
stop the growth of the Jewish State. In the early days of Jewish
achievements in Palestine, there was an element—what a tragedy
that these people were to be found in the ehurchs of Christ which
should have been the first to wish Jewry well in efforts to attain
national rebirth!—that would have given anything to have Israel
transformed into a mummy for museums. This element desired to
see Zion perpetuated as a ruin. Dancing on the streets of Jerusalem
was looked upon by -these churchmen as a sacrilege, as irreligious
profanity. "Now people dance in Jerusalem!" said the Dominican
scholar. But the "dancing on the streets" of which Dr. Gruber speaks
in her cable represents realization of a great hope, the transformation
of a people's dream to make the Land of Israel a liveable spot—not
a place where the religious formerly went to die.
Fleg's story reveals another obstacle that had been placed in
the path of Israel's efforts. Those who prayed for our destruction
did not refer to Jews, but hinted their accusations at us. They
directed the pilgrims to the ruins but not to the progressive Jewish
colonies. They sent the tourists in search of Arimathea and Tabgha
and Trasjordania but not to Emek Jezreel and Rishon LeZion and
Har HaCarmel and Tel Aviv. But the latter have triumphed—and
with this triumph came a victory for justice and for progress and
for life and security.
Yes, there is dancing on the streets of Jerusalem. The tunes
used for the pioneers' flora are resounding throughout the Holy Land,
—a land made holier by the creative efforts of those who build a
new life rather than perpetuate tombstones. Blessed be the dancers
of Jerusalem!
ti