D
-G's Stature Rises in U.S.
B-G Presents Menorah to Truman
Continued from Paget
The "freedom for religion group" in this country may have
helped B-G in Israel.
B-G's visit in this country was 'accompanied by other
conflicts which were mainly enacted behind the scenes.
The most serious one involves the functions of the United
Jewish Appeal. Leaders in the UJA feel that the Prime
Minister of Israel should be helpful to the fund which
provides the major flow of "free dollars" into Israel. But
the B.I.G. (Bonds of the Israel Government) directors,
wider the leadership of Henry Montor, put up stumbling
blocks. It would be foolhary for anyone to stand in the
way of efforts in behalf of UJA, whose leaders are com-
mitted to the sale of bonds as part of the four-point pro-
gram for Israel. As a result, B-G is going to Chicago for
the UJA conference, May 26-27, and some sort of com-
promise is believed to have been reached on the issue
involving differences of opinion between UJA solicitors
and bond salesmen. In the course of time, the issue will
be fully resolved, and friends of Israel hope it will be for
the good of the Jewish state—in behalf of UJA as well as
the bond drive.
The receptions accorded B-G
in this city, which has the larg-
est population of a n y Jewish
center in all history, were deep-
ly moving and spectacular. It
began with the lining of the
streets by more than a million
people who watched B-G's ar-
rival with a cavalcade of cars
on his way to the City Hall; the
official welcome by the city in
the presence of a gathering of
100,000; the luncheon at which
Governor Dewey delivered a
masterful address and a dinner
in the evening—all on May 9.
At the dinner, large bond pur-
chases were made and a De-
troiter—Abe Kasle—emerged one
of the leading supporters of the
bond drive. The chairman of the
Detroit Allied Jewish Campaign
informed B-G and the leaders of
the bond drive that he and his
brothers in Flint and Toledo will
purchase bonds in the amount
of $250,000. Other Detroiters at
the dinner were Joseph Holtz-
man and Morris Schaver.
Then came the great event of
May 10. More than 19,000 people
filled Madison Square Garden
and witnessed one of the most
impressive shows of its kind ever
staged here. Arranged under
the chairmanship of Meyer
Weisgal, it was a typical Weis-
galian display, rivalling in color
his "Romance of a People." The
powerful address of B-G, a mag-
nificent statement by the brilli-
ant Israel Ambassador to the U.
S. Abba Eban, the speech of Is-
rael Finance Minister Eliezer
Kaplan, the appearance of Jas-
cha Heifetz, Jan Peerce, the NBC
orchestra—all were portions of a
well-organized show that proved
deeply moving.
flow of lights, by the appear-
ance of a contingent from the
U. S. Navy as an official wel-
come to the Israel Navy.
Reviewing t h e experiences
with the British, the distin-
guished guest recalled how the
proposal of President Truman for
the admission of 100,000 Jews
into Palestine in two years was
rejected and how, now, more
than 200,000 enter Israel each
year. He declared that the rate
of entrance of 1,000 Jews daily
will continue and that "We will
not let a single Jew suffer hu-
miliatiOn." He said that in keep-
ing Israel's doors open "7.7e be-
lieve in three great principles":
"1. We believe in the crea-
tive powers of human beings.
Each immigrant has creative
powers. We allow ourselves the
luxury of unlimited immigra-
tion because the immigrants
are such a creative asset.
"2. We believe in the part-
nership of the Jewish people.
You together with us shall
share in the great privilege of
redeeming the soil.
"3. We believe in the fellow-
ship of free peoples."
President Truman was presented with a handvvorked Menorah by the Prime Minister of Israel,
David Ben-Gurion Looking on is Abba S. Eban, Isrbel Ambassador to the United States. Mr
Ben-Gurion's visit to this country is serving to launch the nation-wide drive for the sale of the
$500,000,000 Israel bond issue. The Prime Minister is the originator of Israel's three-year
development program, which will be financed through Israel's bond issue.
Two Donate Libraries
To ZOA House in Israel
On the third anniversary of
Israel statehood, the Zionist Or-
ganization of Detroit turned
Last Sabbath was "indeed a
great day," as Dr. A. M. Hersh-
'
man described it in his sermon
at the Shaarey Zedek. Com-
memorating the third anniver-
sary of the establishment of
Israel, the event was significant
also in the history of the con-
gregation, since it marked the
first time in several years that
the gathering that nearly filled
the synagogue to capacity had
heard Rabbi Hershman preach,
since his election as rabbi emer-
itus.
Dean of the Zionist movement
and of the Dftroit rabbinate,
Dr. Hershman's message was
looked forward to with keen in-
terest.
Reviewing the tragic events
that preceded Israel's rebirth,
Dr. Hershman said:
The great show included songs
by the Robert Shaw Chorale. en-
cores by Heifetz for large bond
purchases, talks by Jacob Sin-
coff Benjamin Abrams, the New
York bond drive chairman, N. Y.
Mayor Vincent R. Impelliteri
and Rudolf G. Sonneborn. Fritz
Reiner conducted the NBC Or-
chestra.
Then, of course, there was
that vast audience. Its enthu-
siasm helped perfect the great
show.
The Israel Prime Minister also
was heard at the great spec-
A roll call of the States, pre- tacle Sunday evening, also at
sided over by Montor, showed Madison Square Garden, on a
that $35,000,000 worth of bonds recording that was transmitted
were sold in the first 10 days to the audience of 20,000 from
of the bond drive. Michigan's Philadelphia. The pageant, "Two
total was reported to be $1,- Flames of Freedom," which fea-
450,000. Representing Michi- tured Mollie Picon, Richard
gan on the platform were Mor- Tucker and scores of able ac-
ris Schaver, Abe Kasle and tors, depicted the bonds of
SPENCER S. FISHBAINE
Morris Landau.
friendship that unite the Amer-
An untold number of sensa- ican a n d Israeli democratic over two libraries of over 600
tions marked the May 10 event. ideals.
books on education, medicine
The audience was so deeply mov-
B-G displayed two inter- and engineering to the Daniel
ed and was so stirred by the ap- esting characteristics over the
pearance of B-G that even the week-end. On Friday he Frisch ZOA House in Tel AviV,
prayer of Dr. Israel Goldstein browsed for books at Bren- Israel.
was applauded because of its tano's and purchased volumes
The books were contributed
references to B-G. Henry Mo•
by
Mrs. Anna Forbat, 760 Camp-
genthau was acclaimed when of Greek classics and Chinese bell, in memory of her late hus-
philosophy.
On
Saturday
he
he announced that he would be
band, and Spencer Fishbaine,
60 the next day—on Israel's third attended services at the orth- 925 Whitmore Rd., retired De-
odox
synagogue
at
221
East
anniversary. Cabinet Minister
Street, indicating his troit teacher and educator.
Moshe Shapira (Hapole Hamiz- 51st
The volumes were immediate-
rachi leader) was acclaimed, reverence for religion. Sat- ly consigned to the library of
urday
night
ht.
saw
the
per-
even though he did not speak,
the ZOA House, scheduled for
when B-G personally welcomed formance of "The King and I." completion this summer. The
performance
B-G
Now, the
him.
ZOA is currently engaged in
While B-G's address natur- moves to Detroit. The great man projects of outfitting schools
of
Israel
is
certain
to
carry
the
ally was the most important
and libraries in various settle-
statement of the evening, glory that envelops him where- ments of the new State. -
ever
he
may
go.
The
miracle
of
there was not a dissenter to the
Interested contributors o f
view that Abba ]Eban again Israel -- t h e Meshiach Idea — books are asked to contact the
rose to very great heights paves the road to great enthu- Zionist Office, 1031 Penobscot
with his masterful address. siasm wherever the hero, the Bldg., WO. 5-1484.
Churchill would have envied proclaimer of Israel's independ-
him the manner in which he ence, may travel.
wove into a great classic the
English phrases he coined for Moss Re-Elected to N.Y.
this great event. "Never must Board of Ed. Presidency
the objectives be renounced
NEW YORK, (AJP)—An ac-
for the obstacles," this genius tive Jewish figure •who proposed
admonished his audience.
that public schools in the
B-G spoke of the fearless de- world's largest city be closed on
termination of the people of
Eretz Israel which prevented
the decision of Nov. 29, 1947,
from becoming a dead letter. He
did not apologize for the declar-
ation that it was "the voice of
Meshiach," "that Israel exists
and shall exist forever."
He was deeply moved by the
Jewish holidays was re-elected
this week to presidency of the
Board of Education for the third
successive term.
Maximilliam Moss, the board
president, received six votes in
the board's secret voting. Two
ballots were cast for the other
candidate& Moss did not. vote.
Rabbi Hershman's Sermon
Stirs Large Congregation
Israel. He called ft "only a pass-
ing, a ,transitional stage." He
added:
"The religion which most of
the generation in Israel had
seen in the lands they hail from
was a spurious, counterfeit re-
ligion, the dry bones of the
skeleton, from which the very
heart of religion was left out.
Many of them saw their fathers
and mothers, brothers and sis-
ters brutally slain before their
very eyes—not only by Nazis,
but also by Poles, Lithuanians,
by the people of the Balkan
countries. They saw religion at
its worst. Think of the crises
they have lived through. Much
of the irreligion in Israel is but
a reaction from what passes for
religion."
He continued:
"We have left behind us a
"But Jews without Judaism
vast cemetery, strewn with the
tortured bodies or rather ashes are like Hamlet without Hamlet.
of 6,000,000 Jews, men, women No Jewry in the world can per-
and children, representing sist for any considerable length
more than 35% of the total of time without Judaism. Nor
Jewish population in the can or will Jewry :n Israel dis-
world. But those martyrs did pense with it. Out of the melt-
not die in vain. They inspired ing pot in that land there will
the inhabitants of Palestine emerge in the course of time a
with the solemn determina- new type of Jew. I know not
tion, the sacred resolve to what form Judaism will take
bring about the realization of in Israel. I am led to believe
Israel's age-long hope. To us that it will be a normal and
too are addressed the words of healthy Judaism; a Judaism
the Prophet. "Lift up thine that will be not a mere echo
eyes round about, and see: but a vibrant voice, not merely
They are all gathered together, - a topic for discussior., but a life
and come to thee." "I will that will be lived. I have faith
bring thy seed from the east, in the spiritual potentialities
and gather thee from the resident in the Jew and in the
west; I will say to the north: galvanizing and revivifying pow-
`Give up,' and to the south: er of Israel.
- "God will return to Israel . .
`Keep not back bring my sons
from far, and my daughters
from the end of the earth.' "
"We are witnessing the
homecoming, the reunion of
the exiles Kibbutz Galuyoth
—a prerequisite, according to
the Rabbis, of a thoroughgo-
ing redemption."
Italy Forms Permanent Body
Asserting that "this is only
To Aid Israel Institutions
the beginning of th. redemp-
ROME, (JTA)—A permanent
institution for Israel was formed
at the suggestion of Dr. Raf-
faele Cantoni, president of the
Union of Jewish communities of
Italy, to convince Italian Jewry
of the need of voluntary contri-
butions to Israeli institutions.
Designed to exact a sum equal
to that given in supporting the
Jewish community, the organ-
ization's slogan is "For Italy and
for Israel, with equal love."
How soon? That depends
largely upon us. Says the
Prophet, "I, the Lord, will
hasten it in its time." A self-
contradictory statement, this!
How can God speed what is to
come in its appointed time?
Here is the answer which the
Rabbis offer to this question,
"If Israel proves worthy of de-
liverance, God —ill hasten it;
if not, it will come slowly, in
due time."
"We all need. Israel. A new
light will radiate from her.
May we be worthy soon to en-
joy its brightness. May we
labor with might and main for
the advent of the day when
God will return to Israel."
tion," Rabbi Hershman said that
Israel has a more formidable
foe than the British, since "she
is now engaged in a life-and-
death struggle on the economic
front." He urged liberal support
of the Allied Jewish Campaign
and the bond drive. He declared:
"Israel needs us. Let us not for-
get that we need Israel."
Dr. Hershman said he was not
discouraged by the indifference 24
to religion in some quarters in
—
THE JEWISH NEWS
Friday, May 18, 1951