Shall We Have a Unified Community?
Federation in Favor; Community Council
Outlines Its Stand on Democratic Action
On Sept. 17, The Jewish News addressed this question
to Dr. Shmarya Kleinman and Samuel Rubiner, presidents, re-
spectively of the Jewish Community
Council and the Jew-
_
ish Welfare Federation :
"MUST Detroit have two community organizations,
and isn't there a way to combine the two and to create
ONE over-all Jewish Kehillah?"
On Sept. 25, Mr. Rubiner re-
plied to this question as follows:
"I appreciate the construc-
tive communal interest which
motivates your letter address-
ed to me and Dr. Kleinman.
"The Federation Executive
Committee is committed to
the principle of a single cen-
tral communal organization
for the Detroit Jewish com-
munity. We have instructed
our Committee to discuss a
suggested plan with represen-
tatives of the Jewish Com-
munity Council.
"These initial discussions
should now proceed and we
will be pleased to keep you in-
formed of developments."
In the meantime, the Jewish
Community Council prepared a
reply to, our query which first
was: circulated among members
of its- executive committee for
approval. With only one dis-
senting one, the following state-
ment was approved for release
by the Jewish Community Coun-
cil:
The Jewish Community
Council more than welcomes
the CREATION of a unified
Jewish Community in Detroit.
This is the position we have
consistently taken at all the
sessions of the Joint Council-
Federation Committee for the
past several years. Creation
of such unified community or-
ganization would represent a
fulfillment of the Jewish Com-
munity Council's basic pur-
poses and philosophy.
The Jewish Community
Council believes that American
Jewish life is fast coming of
age and is prepared to take
the next step in its develop-
ment, namely the achievement
of a democratic unified local
Jewish communal structure.
The present, organizations and
agencies have largely fulfilled
a great historic function in
meeting the calls made upon
American Jewry. The unprece-
dented sums of money raised
by American Jewry are both a
tribute to the fund-raising
leadership and to the sense of
Jewish responsibility and in-
terest felt by a large number
of Jews.
A single community organi-
zation should be built on the
following foundations:
Purely Commentary
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Rehovoth—Sixty Years Young
In few other instances is it possible to say about a sexagen-
arian community that it represents yolith: Rehovoth, just turned
60, is throbbing with activity. It is literally bubbling over with
youthful enthusiasm.
Established in 1890, this community became famous for its agri-
cultural Research Station, sponsored by the Jewish Agency, which
has attracted world-wide fathe for its development of methods for
intensive cultivation of land in cramped Palestine: Mote:recently
it has added to its fame through the Weizmann and Sieff Inst4-7
tutes of Science and by the fact that President Chaim Weizinanri
has his home in this important Israel city.
Rehovoth has helped Israel become a progressive factor in
the development of agriculture and agronomical experts from
all over the world have gone there to witness the miracles wrought
by Jewish builders of a modern state.
The fact that 25 of the original settlers Of Rehovoth still are alive
is significant. Equally as important is the fact that the town's area
now is double the original 10,000 dunams. Rehovoth's popu-
lation has grown from a beginning of 268 to 955 prior to World
War I and to 10,000 in 1948, when Israel was established as a state.
Now, with the settlement of 8,000 Olim from all over the world,
Rehovoth has a population of 18,000 and its original 17 small
buildings have multiplied to the present registered number of
1,964. structures.
In Rehovoth's first school there were six pupils. Today, her
school population numbers 3,560. It now is one of the chief citrus
centers, possessing intensely cultivated groves on 5,000 dunams
of land. New industries have sprung up, paints and plastics are
manufactured there and the wisdom of the Weizmann Institute
scientists promises to, encourage the development of large num-
bers of manufacturing plants there and in other parts of Israel.
Twenty agricultural settlements are using this town as their
shopping center. .. . ; -
What glory is contained in the name Rehovoth! May it be
blessed for years to cone.
'Couturier Fashions by Famed Israel Designers'
—
in Brooklyn
Loeser's Department Store in Brooklyn carries an impressive
advertisement in the New York Post under the heading "Imported
from Israel—Ours. Alone in Brooklyn—couturier fashions by famed
Israel designers:" The explanatory notes state:
"These coats are the work of men known throughout the
Continent, now pioneers in Israel. Their originality shows in every
line. But count on it, these coats are every bit as practical as
they are unusual: functionality is another hallmark of Israeli
craftsmen. They're cut from that superb French woolen .
Rodier's fleece .. . tailored with that minute attention to detail
that marks the best couturiers, Gold, wine, green, gray, beige and
black . . . Seldom have we seen sweaters with such chic on this
side of the Alantic. No wonder—these designers, too, are men,
famed throughout Europe, who have transplanted their talents
to this pioneer land . . • All exciting, new!"
The prices are reasonable and the illustrations catch the eye
and are impressive. But the point is, as the Loeser ad indicated,
that the entire incident is EXCITING! Israeli designers' work on
display in Brooklyn! The news is almost as thrilling as Israel's
admission into the United Nations. For, acceptance in the in-
dustrial field assures security for the infant state. Long life to
progressive Israel—and a bouquet to Brooklyn for welcoming
her designers.
On this score it is equally interesting to note that Gimbel's
coat department is showing sport coats from Israel and announces
that "Gimbels is the first New York department store to sell
clothes designed and made in Israel." The Jewish state appar-
antly is compelled to export home products to this country in
order to secure much-needed U.S. currency. But the fact that the
products are there indicates that Israel is on the road to greater
security. If we help properly, such security will come sooner.
It is a pleasure to give these free ads to Loeser's and Gimbel's
on the score of the Israel achievements.
(1) Participating groups, or-
ganizations and individuals
should have as their primary
purposes Jewish interest, acti-
vities, and communal respon-
sibility;
(2) The unified Jewish com-
munity organization should be
representative of all the demo-
cratic trends, elements and
ideologies in the Jewish com-
munity. It should provide ade-
quate machinery through
which the Jewish community
can frequently register its
opinion on important issues,
policies and problems;
(3)
Such a community
should be dedicated to a bal-
anced program of wide Jewish
content in which fund-raising
and campaign activity will be
one of the activities. Fund-
raising leadership should not
automatically mean policy-
making leadership;
(4) Such a community or-
ganization should be com-
mitted to the advancement of
positive Jewish purposes and
towards bringing all Jews into
its framework;
(5) In the program of such
a community organization
Jewish cultural and educa-
tional activity should occupy
a prominent part;
(6) Every attempt must be
made by such a community or-
ganization to stimulate wide
participation in its activities
and in the selection of its lay
leadership. The ultimate goal
would be that none should be
disenfranchised or be per-
mitted to disenfranchise him-
self by 'indifference or remote-
ness;
(7) Leadership in the uni-
fied Jewish community organ-
ization would then be entrust-
ed to those who have won
their spurs within the Jewish
community and who by their
views and background, con-
tribution and identification
with the totality of Jewish
people have earned their right
to speak for the community;
- (8) The overall .purposes to
`which a communW ‘lorganiza-
.: tion should be dedicated and
to which all of its planning
and activities should be direc-
ted are:
A. To intensify Jewish aware-
ness and dignity;
\ B. To spread Jewish knowl-
edge, philosophy and under-
standing;
C. To represent the Jewish
community to the larger com-
munity in tetrms of self-re-
spect, courage and high ideals
of American democracy, par-
ticularly in the fields known as
community relations, inter-
group relations and defense of
the American way of life;
D. To provide for the wel-
fare of the Jewish communitT
in the social, economic, phy-
sical and psychological health
areas;
E. To stimulate and provide
opportunities for maximum
expression of Jewish interests
and values;
F. To' build and preserve
links between the local Jew-
ish community and national
Jewish life in America, as well
as Jewish life in Israel and
other centers.
The Council has always been
ready and is fully prepared to
join in any sin c e r e effort
which earnestly seeks to bring
about a community organiza-
tion of the character outlined
above. It places these purposes
above any organizational loy-
alties or interests.
UHS Holds Commencement Program
In Conjunction with Education Month
The joint commencement ex-
ercises of the elementary and
high school departments of the
United Hebrew Schools, will be
held at 3 p.m. Sunday, at Bnai
Moshe Synagogue.
The ceremony will begin with
a processional by the graduates,
followed by the National An-
them and Hatikvah. A prayer in
Hebrew and in English will be
offered by two students of the
David W. Simons Branch, San-
Rabbi Segal to Speak
Over W W J, Sunday
In connection with Jewish
Education Month, a special
broadcast has been arranged
at 12:30 p.m., Sunday over
Station WWJ. Rabbi Jacob E.
Segal, of Northwest Hebrew
Cong., will speak. He will be
introduced by Bob Leslie of
the WWJ staff.
Branch, who will speak both in
HebreW and English. The Lin-
wood School graduating class,
which is a combination of both
the Linwood and Central grad-
uating classes, will participate
in the ceremony with a brief ad-
dress on the subject "What does
the Hebrew School Mean to Me."
Gloria Mathis will talk in He-
brew and Hadar Granader in
English. Raymond Greenspan
of the Linwood. School will speak
on the subject "Israel and its
Influence on the H e b r eve
School." I. Illpern is the prin-
cipal and N. Ruttenberg instruc-
tor.
The high school graduates,
consisting of Miriam Cullen,
Daniel Elazar, Sheila Pudavick
and Jean Rabotnick, will deliver
brief talks in Hebrew and in
English. S. Kasdan, Max Gor-
don are instructors, and A. 3.
Lachover, registrar of the high
school. The guest speaker of the
evening will be Rabbi Moses
Lehrman of the Bnai Moshe
Synagogue. Brief talks will also
be delivered by Bernard Isaacs
and Albert Elazar, Superintend.k
ent and Associate Superintend-
ent of the United Hebrew
Schools.
Diplomas will be presented to
the members of the graduating
class by Messrs. Maurice Landau ,
and Maurice Zackheim, co-,,
chairmen of the UHS Board of
Education.
Special awards to outstanding
students will be given by the
Hebrew - Teachers Organization
through their president, Mr.
Morris Nobel; the Ladies Aux-
iliary of the Kvutzah Ivrith by
its president, Mrs. Julius Ring;
and a special gift to the mem-
bers of the high school gradu-
ates of a Hebrew-English dic-
tionary will be presented by a
member of the Feigenson family.
dra Schechter in Hebrew and
Alvin Sulkes in English. Morris
Lachover is the principal of the
David W. Simons Branch and M.
Mathis. inLtructor. •
The Rose Sittig Cohen Branch
will be represented by Irwin
Rabinowitz and Sharon Zack
who will talk in Hebrew and
English on the subject "Our Ob-
ligations to the Community."
Mr. Morris Nobel is the principal
and S. Kasdan, instructor.
The traditional "Ceremony of
the Light" whereby students of
the graduating class turn over
the light, the symbol of the To-
rah, to the members of the next
graduating class, will again take
place. This ceremony will be
performed by two Parkside stu-
dents. Ruth KAzman in Hebrew
and Arnold Sameroff in English.
Alex Roberg is the principal
and instructor of the Parkside
School.
Receiving the candle will be 2
Linda Axelrod of the Northwest.
—
Friday, October 20, 1950
,
The Jewish Welfare Federa-
tion's board of governors, at a
meeting on Oct. 10, endorsed the
principle of working toward a
central Jewish communal agency
and authorized its special com-
mittee, headed by Morris Gar-
vett, to negotiate on that basis.
Bevin Elath . Confer in London
LONDON, (JTA)—Foreign Sec-
retary Ernest Bevin received Is-
rael Minister Eliahu Elath, at
the latter's request. The subject
of the half-hour conversation at
the Foreign Office ilas not dis-
closed.
-
THE JEWISH NEWS
On the Record
By NATHAN ZIPRIN
(Copyright: 1950, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate, Inc.)
Heard and Recorded
Dr. Joseph Schwartz of the JDC, slated to take Henry Mom-
tor's place in the UJA next year, is reluctant to accept the post
but he is under heavy pressure. Informed circles are convinced
he has but one decision to make—acceptance . . . Who will be
the next general chairman of the UJA next year? Informed circles
are buzzing with reports that both Bernard Baruch and Senator
Lehman are prominently mentioned as successors to Morgenthan
. Before long the announcement will be made that Rudolph G.
Sonneborn has been named chairman of the UPA, succeeding the
late Judge Rothenberg . . . ZOA President Browdy was to have
conferred with President Truman last week. The President's sud-
den conference with General MacArthur necessitated a cancella-
tion. The President will see Browdy as soon as possible after his
return to the White House. Mr. Browdy expects to make • an im-
portant announcement after the meeting ... As the Washington
parley of Jewish. leaders is growing close, rumors are abounding
that the sponsors of the National Planning Conference aim to
establish themselves into a new organization . • . Other rumors
have it there will emerge from the conference an American friends
of Israel in which Zionists and non-Zionists will be amalgamated
. . . People close to Jewish organizational life are oozing with con-
fidence over the success of the planned Israel billion dollar bond
drive in the U. S. and they are equally certain the drive will not
adversely affect the UJA 1951 campaign.
*
*
Potpourri
"This is the Day We Have Been Hoping For" is the name of a
symphony dedicated to Israel by an Austrian
A
Catholic who died
recently. He is Heinrich Knauer, who made vast contributions to
church music, and who was banished by the Nazis to the Thereien-
stadt ghetto. Before his death the professor forwarded his sym-
phony to the Austrian Ministry of Education with a request that it
be transmitted to Israel. The symphony was later sent to the
Austrian Consul in Tel Aviv who turned it over to the Israeli
Ministry of Education.
A report recently released by the Hebrew board of education
of Helsinki, Finland, discloses the curious fact that most teachers
in the Hebrew school system are Christians because there are not
enough Jewish teachers.
Paris, we hear, has become a center of .anti-Semitic activities.
That capital is vieing with Germany, it seems. An ugly anti-
Semitic piece, called "Next Year in Jerusalem," is being shown to
huge audiences in the Paris Studio Theater. This 'is the same ugly
play that Was exposed some months ago as having been crowned .
by a jury of the French Ministry of Education as the best work
of the year.
Only two theft cases were reported by the Tel Aviv police
during the "Ten Days of Awe," between Rosh Hashanah and Yom ,
Kippur. It looks like Israel's underWorld Cannot. be accused of
godlessness.
A Parisian Jew was recently convicted by Tel Aviv court on
a pickpocketing charge. When the judge asked the convicted man
why he left Paris he indignantly replied: "It isn't important what
I live from—I am a Jew just like you are, Judge."