At the Keshenever Clinic in Israel
2
—
THE JEWISH NEWS
Friday, August 25, 1950
Detroit Hadassah
Honored at Parley;
Rush H-Day Plans
An Israeli nurse gives a patient first aid at a Kupat Cholim
clinic completely furnished by the Keshenever Bassaraber
Society of Detroit, through the Detroit Israel Histadeut
Committee.
Detroit's Israel Histadrut Labor Committee is receiving
numerous inquiries regarding the establishment of clinics in
Israel and it is expected that a number of additional organiza-
tions will assist Kupat Cholim in this fashion.
Between You and Me
By BORIS SMOLAR
(Copyri ght,
1950, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Ine.)
Plans and Dollars
Now that Premier David Ben Gurion revealed that Israel is
seeking a billion-dollar loan from Jews abroad, the news is no
longer secret . . . We can, therefore, reveal that this request was
the subject of the recent talks in Jerusalem to which the Ameri-
can members of the Jewish Agency were summoned . . . It was to
these talks that Henry Montor, director of the United Jewish Ap-
peal, and Dr. Joseph J. Schwartz, European director of the Joint
Distribution Committee, were similarly summoned . . . Details of
the conference have been considered top-secret, and only a few
of the top Jewish leaders in the United States were kept informed
about them . • . Actually, it means that the Israel Government ex-
pects American Jews to raise $1,000,000 : 000 for the Jewish State
within a period of three years to help, in the absorption of
thousands of immigrants pouring into the. Jewish state ... This
sum is needed since all indications point to the fact that countries
behind the Iron Curtain--Romania, Hungary and Poland—have
suddenly adopted a more liberal policy with regard to permitting
Jews to emigrate to Israel . . . This policy must be taken advan-
take of by Israel while it lasts . . . There are also optimists in
Israel today who predict that contrary to all expectations, Jews in
the near future may be permitted to emigrate to Israel even
from the Soviet Union . .. It is on the basis of this belief that
the Israel Government will soon address itself with an appeal to
Moscow to permit the emigration of those Jews from the USSR
who might wish to go to the Jewish state . . . Nobody is. opti-
mistic enough to expect that Stalin will permit young Jews to
leave Russia; however, some well-wishers hope he may permit at
least the emigration of old and aged Jews who have relatives in
Israel . . . If this should happen, Israel's burden of absorbing non-
productive elements will become even heavier than it is at present
. . Of course, everything is based on the assumption that the
Korean conflict will not develop into a world war . . . This ex-
plains why Israel's plan for the billion-dollar loan is a three-year
plan . . . Within three years a good many thousands of Jews can
be taken out of the Soviet-dominated countries before these
countries may be involved in a war ... The reaction of American
Jewish leadership to the idea of raising a billion-dollar loan for
Israel among U. S. Jews remains to be seen.
Domestic Affairs
Last week we spoke here of contributions made to Jewish
education in the United States through the publication of books
in English, linking the Jewish past with the present . . . The Jew-
ish Publication Society of America has been doing exactly this
kind of work for 62 years as a non-profit organization . . . It has
published to date about 250 books with a total distribution of
approximately four million copies . . . These books include basic
works such as the six-volume "History of the Jews" by Prof.
Graetz, or the 17 volumes of Hebrew Classics • . . The JPS has
also published a one-volume "History of the Jews" by Dr. Solomon
Grayzel, its editor, and a "Century of Jewish Life" by Prof. Ismar
Elbogen, covering the period of Jewish life for the past 100 years
. . It introduced Israel Zangwill to the American reader and
published Alex Bein's biography of Theodor Herzl, • which is con-
sidered the best study of the life of the father of political Zion-
ism . . . Its universally accepted translation of the Bible in Eng-
lish has been distributed in approximately 500,000 copies, and its
anthologies of Jewish holidays are no small contribution to the
education of the average American Jewish family . . . The JPS
has been following a policy of encouraging Jewish writers by pub-
ishing books that do not necessarily appeal to commercial pub-
lishes s . . And one can find on the list of its books a variety of
titles ranging from "Yiddish Tales" translated into English to
Maurice Samuel's "Prince of -the, Ghetto," or the works of Soma
Morgenstern, the distinguished German novelist . . . Not to speak
of scholarly works such as "History of Jewish Medieval Philosophy"
. And, last but not least, it is the JPS which, in cooperation
with the American Jewish Committee, publishes the American
Jewish Year Book, the most authentic -handbook on Jewish life
and activities the world over .. . It should be noted that these
books are distributed to the Society's members at an amazingly
low cost, and that membership in the JPS is open to everyone in
this country . . . One of the finest compliments was recently paid
to Judge Louis E. Levinthal in his capacity as president of the
Jewish Publication Society . . . Judge Levinthal, who needs no
introduction to our readers, has been designated—together with
General Eisenhower, as president of Columbia University, and Dr.
Harry N. Wright, president of the City College of New York—as a
member of the committee which will distribute the $2,500,000 Jacob
R. Schiff fund among charitable and educational institutions which
"further the ideals of American democracy" ... "I regard this as
a real compliment to the JPS and I hope to be able to help many
worthy projects through this fund," the distinguished Jewish
leader told me this week.
Detroit chapter of Hadassah
was honored at the organiza-
tion's national convention in.
New York, when the president
M r s. Theodore Bargman, re-
ceived a badge of honor in rec-
ognition of Detroit's having
fully subscribed its quotas for
all Israel projects during the
past year.
The badge was presented at a
plenary session Aug. 22 in the
grand ballroom of the Waldorf
Astoria Hotel.
News of this honor is spurring
on the large corps of Detroit
Hadassah women in their plans
for a one-day membership cam-
paign, Sunday, Sept. 17, desig-
nated as "H" Day. Prominent in
this campaign are: Mrs. Ralph
Davidson, chapter vice presi-
dent; Mrs. Milton Prag and Mrs.
Adolph Lowe, "H" Day chairman
and co-chairman.
Also at work are group mem-
bership vice presidents: Mes-
dames Stanley Akers, Benjamin
Arkin, Benjamin Bond, Clarence
Jacobs, Kopel Kahn, David
M i r o, Louis Redstone, Morris
Schiff, Leonard M o r e i n and
Benjamin Weiss; and g r o u p
membership chairmen and com-
mittees: Mesdames L. Berkowitz,
Alfred Bleier, Joseph Deutsch :
J o e. Ellis, Bernard Feldman,
Paul Friedberg, William Gelb,-
Gerald Girard, John Horwitz,
George Keil, Julius Kraft, Philip
Levant, Albert Pines, Harry
Pinsky, Kolman Sachse, Harry
Sloan, Harry Spector, Manuel
Stolen, Sam Sugerman and Jack
Windshall.
Sobeloff, Avrunin
Participate in CJFWF
Executives' Conference
More than 60 Jewish commu-
nity executives from the United
States and Canada will attend
the fifth annual executive's in-
stitute sponsored by . the Council
of Jewish Federations and Wel-
fare Funds to be held Sept. 4 to
9 at French Lick, Ind., it was
announced by H. L. Lurie,
CJFWF executive director.
This year's institute, he add-
ed, is built around three major
points of interest—the overseas
picture, analysis of 1950 cam-
paign and budgeting experience,
and community organization
and planning. In addition, there
will be small meetings by popu-
lation groups on specific prob-
lems confronting these commu-
nities.
Harold Glasser, director of the
CJFWF Institute on Overseas
Studies, will report on the eco-
nomic situation in Israel at the
overseas session.
Isidore Sobeloff, executive di-
rector of the Detroit Jewish
Welfare Federation, will serve as
chairman of the session devoted
to directions in central organi-
zations in meeting problems in
1951. William Avrunin, JWF
associate director, also will par-
ticipate.
A basic long-range survey of
American Jewish communal life
has been initiated by a newly
organized committee on com-
munity organization of the
CJFWF.
The committee is operating
under a mandate given by the
Jewish communities at the 1950
CJFWF general assembly to an-
alyze the current status and un-
derlying principles of Jewish
community organization in the
United. States and Canada, dis-
cern the direction in which the
organized Jewish communities
are moving, and assist in
strengthening community or-
ganization generally.
Purely Commentary
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
is Reprisal EVER Justified?
Arthur Gordon, 23, an unemployed truck driver and a former
welterweight fighter, lost his head when he was taunted as a- Jew
by his drinking companions. He killed one of the men who ragged
him and injured another. His explanation to the police: "I
couldn't take it any longer. I lost my head. I pulled the gun
and let go."
This isn't as extreme a case as that of Nathan Hamilton in
Arthur Gordon's powerful novel. "Reprisal" (Simon and Schuster)
which was reviewed in this column last week. But it raises once
again the question of the morality and the wisdom of seeking
recourse to insults—even murder—in violence.
As a general rule, resort to reprisal is not commendable. "Re-.
prisal" proves it. Loss of temper is harmful. In the long run,
injustice affects our entire social structure and it must be fought
with reason and in an effort to eliminate prejudices.
Samuel Liebowitz and 'Courtroom' Experiences
Quentin Reynolds' magnificent book "Courtroom," the story
of the career of Samuel S. Leibowitz as lawyer and judge (Farrar,
Straus publication) throws additional light on the subject of
reprisals. Judge Leibowitz, reminiscing about the cases which
made him famous—he lost only one in 140, only because a judge
whom he once licked in a trial case insisted that he handle the
case that marred his record, when Leibowitz asked to be excused
from it—emphasized that "there is no excuse for a lawyer to lose
his temper." He had spoken out of turn in the Scottsboro Case
and lambasted the southern jury as a group of "lantern-jawed
men whose eyes pop out." Reynolds quotes Leibowitz:
"What did the Scottsboro case mean to me? I like to thing .
that I helped a little in convincing the public that a Negro is a
citizen, entitled to the full privileges of citizenship. Every time
I see Jackie Robinson and Don Newcombe and Roy Campanella
out there in Dodger uniform, I get a kick out of it. Baseball
wasn't worthy to be called our national game until it recognized
that a Negro had every right to play in the big leagues. I like
to watch Jackie out there playing alongside of Pee Wee Reese
of Louisville, Kentucky; each giving the other harmonious sup-
port; each encouraging the other."
As this Commentator indicated in his review of "Reprisal,"
Robinson, taunted, could have lost his head. He exercised mar-
velous self-control and became a national hero as a Brooklyn
Dodger. Jackie Robinson proved that reprisal is unwise.
Judge Leibowitz, who, as attorney, "won 139 consecutive
games" before being "finally knocked out of the box" in his un-
lucky 140th experience, emerges as a most interesting personality
in Quentin Reynolds' well-told book. For lawyers, "Courtroom*
should serve as a splendid textbook. For the layman, it will be
fascinating reading, each chapter representing an individual
experience and reading like a fairy tale. It is truth that becomea
stranger than fiction.
There is an interesting story about our hero's name. The
Leibowitzes—parents and son, Samuel—arrived in this country
on St. Patrick's Day, 1897. Their name in Romania was Lebeau.
Quentin Reynolds writes:
"`Lebeau' was a strange-sounding name on Essex Street in
New York. Kindly neighbors told Papa Lebeau that he'd never
get anywhere with that foreign name; he should find himself
a good old American name, then automatically his status would
change from that of newly arrived greenhorn to that of Ameri-
can citizen. Papa Lebeau didn't much like the idea of changing
the name that his forbears had always worn, but another in-
genious neighbor resolved his indecision.
"`-You don't have to change your name,' he urged. 'Just
Americanize it. Your name is pronounced Lee-Beau. Just add
an i-t-z to it and you get Lee-beau-itz, which is the American
' version. You spell it L-e-i-b-o-w-i-t-z.'"
The "witz" didn't hurt the great lawyer—now equally as great
as a jurist—in New York. Read Reynolds' story about him and
you'll be convinced he would have made good anywhere, with any
name. Genius won't be downed. -
He defended cops—although all his life he had to expose
"third degree" measures, and he upheld the right of the underdog
to a fair deal in our courts. He saved the life of a frightened Jew
—Harry L. Hoffman—who perjured himself unknowingly because
he was frightened that he might suffer the fate of Leo Frank, the
innocent Jew who was lynched in Georgia. He defended with
equal skill a crazed policeman—Alvin Dooley ("Dooley Was a
Cop . . .")—who killed a Jewish mayor and in an insane moment
abused the Jews.
But his fame sterns primarily from the Scottsboro • Case. In
Alabama they spoke of "Jew money from New York" which was
used to defend the accused Negroes. Leibowitz told the Alabama
court:
"'Now, as for the "Jew money from New York," let me say
this: I'm not getting any fee in this case and I'm not getting
a penny toward expenses for myself and my wife, who was here
with me.
- "'Mobs mean nothing to me. Let them hang me; I don't
care. Life is only an incident in the Creator's scheme of thinas,
but if I can contribute my little bit to see that justice is served,
then my mission is fulfilled.'"
And Quentin Reynolds comments: "For the first time in Ms
life Leibowitz realized that he was a Jew and that being a member
of a minority race entailed a responsibility that hitherto he had
ignored. Haywood Patterson had been found guilty merely be-
cause he was a Negro. Another man might be found guilty merely
because he was a Jew—or for that matter a Catholic or a Quaker.*
Leibowitz succeeded. Negroes, due to his efforts, now are serving
on juries in the South. This is one of the great points in the noted
jurist's career.
The reader of "Courtroom" will find interesting evidence of
the manner in which Communists operate; how they used funds
collected for the defense in the Scottsboro case to feather their
nests; how the Daily Worker suddenly acquired new machinery.
Whose money was it, Reynolds asks?
"Courtroom" is a great book about a great lawyer by an able
author. And it is not too distantly related to the original issue
posed by this Commentator: of placing restraint above reprisal.
5 Months Report:
$55 Million Is Spent
By UPA in Israel
United Palestine Appeal agen-
cies spent more than $55,500,000,
the major portion provided by
American Jews in Israel from
January through May of this
year for immigration, resettle-
ment and development, Judge
Morris Rothenberg, JPA nation-
al chairman, announced.
Note Special Deadlines
Approaching holidays make necessary the following
special deadlines for The Jewish News editions of Sept. 8
and Sept. 15. Contributors are asked to make careful note
of these dates and times.
For the edition of Friday, Sept. 8, the Rosh Hashanah
edition, deadline for all copy and photographs will be at
3 p.m. Friday, Sept.- 1. The regular deadline of 11 a.m. on
Wednesday will apply to classified advertisements. Rosh
Hashanah greetings will be accepted until Tuesday, Aug. 29.
For the edition of Friday, Sept. 15, deadline for all copy
and photographs will be at 3 p.m. Friday, Sept.- 8. Deadline
for classified advertisements will be at 11 a.m. Monday,
Sept. 11.