Wi I I Hadassah,
H istad rut and
Jewish National
Fund Retain
Independence?
E JEWISH NE
A Weekly Review 1E1 of Jewish Events
VOLUME 18—NO. 11
708 David Stott Bldgl—Phone WO. 5-1155 Detroit, Michigan, November 24, 1950 •.000.7
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until of Federations Abandons
Idea to Replace UJA
By Jewish News Special Correspondent
NEW YORK—Protests from mp.ny Jewish leaders throughout the country
against the plan formulated for presentation to the general assembly of the Coun-
cil of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds in Washington, Dec. 1-3, which has
been interpreted as aiming at "taking over" the United Jewish Appeal, has forced
proponents of the idea to withdraw it from the CJFWF agenda, it became evident
this week.
Norway's Gift-to Israel:
A gift of
50 houses from the Norwegian labor movement is gratefully
acknowledged by Joseph Btrg at ceremonies held in Yanof,
Israel (top) , a village dedicated to the memory of 27 dis-
placed children and three nurses who died in a plane crash
near Oslo a year ago. At bottom, members of the Allal family,
Whose son Yitzah, 13, was the sole survivor, are shown in
front of one of the homes.
After representatives of seven national Zionist organizations, who met in camera
under the leadership of the American Zionist Council here on Sunday, at Hotel Astor,
went on record unanimously in opposition to the "possible replacement of the United
Jewish' Appeal," Harry Lurie, executive director of the Council of Federations, stated
that the plan would not be submitted to the conference in Washington.
Previously, the Council of Federations had denied that it planned to take over the
UJA. It stated that the charge was a fabrication and that the proposed plan is merely
"a blueprint" for action in the event the UJA would not be reconstituted.
Defenders of the UJA's autonomy maintain that the machinery for. Israel drives
exists, that it is not necessary to set up a new machine under the direction of the Feder-
ations and that the new scheme merely would replace existing public relations functions.
Alex Lowenthal, a Pittsburgh Zionist leader, meanwhile organized a telegram
campaign in opposition to the Council of Federations idea which was formulated two
years ago by a committee headed by Julian Freeman of Indianapolis. Isidore Sobeloff
and Harvey Goldman of Detroit are member s of Mr. Freeman's committee.
Refuting charges which have been hurled in the new issue, which already has
created much bitterness, Mr. Lurie said that the CJFWF is , supporting the 1951
UJA and that any talk of scuttling the UJA was "absolute pure nonsense."'
Mr. Lurie told the American Jewish Press : The emergency plan is designed only
if and when the time comes when the UJA is no longer in the field. We are not pre-
senting the committee's report for adoption at our Washington conference in early
December."
Other Council officials pointed to the controversial report's relatively unimportant
position on a _Friday afternoon agenda with two other subjects as an indication that no
real action wo,uld..be—its-ked .of–the- Conference relative to the emergency plan.
Nevertheless, it was disclosed, Council spokesmen will meet with six representa-
tives of national Jewish organizations, reportedly including the Jewish Welfare Board
and the American Jewish Committee, to obtain reaction to the two-year findings and
suggestions of the Committee on Stable and Unified National Fund Raising. It was
learned that the suggestions of these representatiyes may be presented at the Dec. 1
conference along with the committee's original proposals.
General reaction to the plan varied, though many felt that the release of the
committee's far-reaching report on the eve of the billion-dollar drive to aid Israel
through the UJA and the sale of Israeli bonds in the spring was "ill-timed and poor
•
judgment."
'Officials of the UJA, although acknowledging awareness of Mr. Lowenthal's cam-
paign to whip up opposition to the Conference's report, said his move was not in any way
connected with the UJA. Queried further on the matter by the American Jewish Press,
the UJA chiefs said "no comment."
Memory of Isaac and Simon Shetzer to be Honored
With Israel Forest; Noted Leaders on Committee
,- Five Detroit communal organiza-
tions this week joined in sponsoring
a Memorial Forest in Israel, -on land
of the Jewish National Fund, in
tribute to the many contributions
to Jewish communal causes -by the
late Isaac and Simon Shetzer.
. Congregation - Shaarey Zedek, De-
troit Chapter of Hadassah and the
Zionist Organization of Detroit are
co-sponsors of the project. The JeW-
ish Community Council's executive
committee and the Zionist
Council unanimously endorsed it
and urges the community to support
it. The Jewish National Fund
Council has approved the -memorial.
In addition to these spo'nsoring or-
-
ganizations, other groups have • given
LATE SIMON SHETZER
approval to the memorial which is be-
ing sponsored on a community-wide
basis. Although the late Isaac and Sim-
on Shetzer were General Zionists, their
contributions to the community em-
braced so wide a field that the labor
Zionist Arlazaroff Branch of Jewish
National Workers Alliance has joined
this project by pledging to plant a
grove of 1,000 trees in the Isaac and
Simon Shetzer Memorial Forest, thus
placing the project above party lines.
.
Mrs. Isaac Shetzer started the
fund for the memorial by undertak-
ing to plant a grove of 1,000 trees in
the forest.
Israel forests, which are planted by
the Jewish National Fund, contain a
minimum . of 10,000 trees each, and the
two groves planted thus far assure ad-
vance subscriptions of one-fifth the
entire project* .
Detroit Jews are urged to participate
in the planting of trees in the Shetzer
Forest ancl.the hope has been expressed
that friends of the two departed lead-
ers will plant large quantities of trees,
to assist in the speedy completion of
this undertaking. Gardens of 100 trees
each are expected to be planted by
a large number of people.
Isaac Shetzer, a pioneer Detroit colt-
munal worker, who died in November,
1945, served Congregation Shaarey Ze-
dek as president for several terms. He
was a leader in the Jewish Welfare Fed-
eration, in Allied Jewish Campaigns, in
Community Fund drives, in the Zion-
ist movement; in the Hebrew Free Loan
Association and in numerous other
causes.
Simon Shetzer, one of the organizers sponse to this move to honor the mem-
ories of two noted leaders will be spon-
and first president of the Jewish Corn-
taneous and that the project will be
munity Council, a former president of
completed in the shortest possible time.
the Zionist Organization of Detroit,
who was given national recognition by Benjamin M. Laikin, president of the
being named executive director of the JNF Council, in his announcement of
Zionist Organization of America, was the JNF endorsement of the move to
born in Detroit in 1900. He died in May, honor the two leaders who were the
1947. A graduate of the University of outstanding Father-Son Team in Jew-
Michigan and the Harvard Law School, ish community efforts, similarly ex-
he won Phi Beta Kappa honors and pressed the hope that the community
was recognized as one of the outstand- will respond liberally to this effort.
Philip Slomovitz is chairman of the
ing orators in American universities
during his undergraduate years. As JNF liason committee in dealing with
sponsoring organizations in behalf of
executive director of the ZOA, he was
the memorial project.
in constant demand as speaker in corn-
-At 'a meeting held Sunday morning,
munities throughout the land.
Harry Cohen was named chairman of
The move to honor the two depart-
the project committee.
ed leaders has taken on national
significance. Judge Louis Levinthal or
Philadelphia, president of the Jewish
Publication Society of America, and
Dr. Solomon Goldman of Chicago,
both former president- of the Zion-
. ist Organization of America, have
joined the committee, now in process
of formation, that will sponsor this
project.
Congregation Shaarey Zedek has
authorized its president, Judge Charles
Rubiner, to appoint the following par-
ticipating committee : Harry Cohen,
chairman, Philip Slomovitz, Nathan
Spevakow, Dr. Albert Altman and Louis
J. Tobin.
Mrs. Theodore Bargman, president of
Hadassah, A. C. Lappin, president of
the Zionist Organization of Detroit,
and Dr. Shmarya • Kleinman, president
of the Jewish Community Council,
have expressed the hope that the re-
(See Editorial, Page 4)
LATE ISAAC SHETZER