THE JEWISH NEWS-13

Life Begins at 84

By MARC RUTNER

(Copyright, 1949, Jewish Telegraphic
Agency, Inc.)
*

The son and daughter-in-law
of Meichel Pressman, aged 84,
noticed the little designs he
doodled on paper. They felt that
it would be wise to encourage
him in this interest as a form of
creative hobby. So they /present-
ed him with crayons and drawing
paper.
They hoped that the depres-
sion that had blanketed the old
man's days following the ampu-
tation of his leg as a result of a
gangrenous infection, would end
in the little shapes that he would
now put to paper.
Thus it was that at the age of
84, an artist was discovered. In
time, Pressman extended his
work to water colors, although
he .knew nothing of formal paint-
ing and less of classic artistic
works.
Today the Carlebach• Gallery
iri New• York City is running a
one-man exhibition of the works
of Meichel Pressman. The show
has created a stir in cosmopolitan
art circles.
Pressman explains that his
paintings are the product of his
imagination, his memory • and
"what my eyes have seen." His
works appeal to the eye, narrate
a story and always retain the
individual charm of the artist.
Among his famous and best-
praised works are "Jacob's
Dream," landscapes of the artists'
colony in Woodstock and graphic
descriptions of the ancient exodus
of the Israelites from Egypt and
the debacle of the fleeting Egyp-
tians crossing the Red Sea.
Pressman was born in Galicia,
the son of poor parents. Al-
though he was able to attend
school only until the age of 12—
due to his famllys' financial dif-
ficulties—his quest for knowledge
was insatiable. As a youth he
often sat at the feet of aged

Friday, April 8, 1949

ward. eagerly and with expecta-
tion, to the years that lie ahead.
He no longer says, as he did after
his amoutation. "I cannot wait
for the day to end." Now he says:
"I cannot wait for the day to
begin." His subjects for his
water-colors are taken from the
Bible. from what he remembers
of his early religious studies,-
and the beauties of nature.

Five Government Offices
Moved to Jerusalem

TEL AVIV, (Palcor)—A deci-
sion to transfer five ministries
and five governmental depart-
ments from Tel Aviv to Jeru-
salem was announced by the Cab-
inet which also authorized a three
man committee, headed by Prime
Minister Ben Gurion to decide on
further transfers.
The five ministries moving to
the Holy City are the ministries
of Health, Religion, Education
and Culture, and Social Welfare
and War Victims. In addition, the
head office of the Department
of Posts, Telegraph and Tele-
phone is being shifted to Jeru-
salem along with the Census Bur-
eau. the Geological Survey de-
partment, the government Print-
ing Office and the Consumers 'Ra-
tioning section of the Ministry of
Rationing and Supply.
The Transfer committee, set up
by the Cabinet, includes, in addi-
tion to Mr. Ben Gurion, Dr. Ber-
nard (Dov) Joseph, former Mili-
tary Governor of Jerusalem and
now Minister of Agriculture, and
Felix Rosenblueth, Minister of
Justice,

Einstein Gets Honorary Degree

Rutgers Students Ask Ban
On Biased Honor Groups

NEW YORK (JTA)—The Stu-
dent Council of Rutgers Univer-
sity announced its decision to
recommend that any honorary
fraternity which practices dis-
crimination be barred from the
campus.
A recommendation that Vassar
College alumnae throughout the
country should hold meetings at
places that "have no policy of
racial or .-religious discrimina-
tion" was made public by the
Associate Alumnae of the Col-
lege. The recommendation was
prompted by an incident in 1947
when a local Vassar Club met at
the Denver COuntry Club where
membership policy is "white
Gentiles only."

Iraqi Jews in No Danger
States State Department

—International Photo

World-famous scientist. ALBERT EINSTEIN receives an honorary
Doctor of Philosophy degree at his home in Princeton, N. J., from
DR. ISRAEL S. WECHSLER (left), in behalf of the Hebrew University
WASHINGTON (JTA) — All of Jerusalem. This ceremony paralleled one held in the temporary
sentences of death in absentia by quarters of the Holy City's university, where scientists and scholars
Iraqui courts-martial have been lauded Einstein's numerous valuable contributions to the world of
imposed against Iraqui Jews ac-
tually serving in the Israeli Army science.

and no Jews in Iraq are in danger
of their lives, a spokesman for
the State Department said. He
added that the situation has been
"cleared up," the investigation
closed by the American Embassy
in Bagdad and that the Depart-
ment was "very relieved" to
learn that the reported executions
never took place. •

P

ao i o v ets

AJDC Airlift Completes
Operation Magic Carpet

Israel from Aden, has completed

TEL AVIV, (JTA)—"Operation
magic carpet," the airlift which
the American Joint Distribution
Committee is conducting to bring
Jewish Yemenite refugees to

and elderly men landed at Lydda
airport. Another 650 Jews of
military age are -still detained in
Aden camps, under British orders.

the first phase of its operation.

The last of 4,500 women, children

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When he was 65, MEICHEL
PRESSMAN of New York had a
heart attack that forced him to
quit work. At 78, a leg was am-
putated. Now, at 84, Pressman is
shown in his home preparing to
give a one-man show of paintings
he has done since he left the hos-
pital six years ago. Hailed as a
"primitive" — a natural artist —
Pressman began with a box of
ordinary crayons.

Talmud scholars, listening to
their discourses, absorbing the
wit and erudition of the ancient
sages.
He worked first as a laborer,
later as manager of a rich man's
estate. He loved the countryside,
and has retained a feeling for
close contact with the soil all
through his life. After he was
married and had two children,
he decided to try his fortune in
America.
In the United States, where he
• arrived in 1898, he found work
as a factory operator at low
wages and long hours. After
many years of struggle, he en-
tered the pants-manufacturing
business. At the age of 65, how-
ever, • his health compelled him
to retire.
Pressman has been able to com-
press a lifetime of memories into
his drawings. At 84, he looks for-

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