A Chapter from His Book: "Nor By Power"
Weizmann Courts American Non-Zionists
The traditional position of the
Stroock Conferences. This he
readily consented to do, express- American Jewish Committee
In the early part of 1941 Dr. ing his eagerness to promote a with respect to a Jewish Pales-
Chaim Weizmann, on another friendly and practical under- tine is reflected in a resolution
visit to the U. S., telephoned me standing with the Zionists. on the Balfour Declaration
inviting me to call on him at Shortly thereafter I was author- adopted in April, 1918 and in ac-
the St. Regis Hotel. I promptly ized to visit ,South America. This cordance with which it has
accepted the invitation. In es- lasted several weeks. On my re- acted since that time:
sence he told me the following: turn I learned that one or two
I quote from that resolution:
That he had meetings of the Weizrnann-
"The
opportunity will be wel-
received the Stroock conferences had been
most solemn as- held - but little progress had comed by this Committee to aid_
3urances f r o m been made. I was naturally in- in the realization of the British
the highest vited to join the non-Zionist declaration, under such protec-
quarters in group. After attending the next torate or suzerainty as the Peace
London that, as meeting I was greatly discour Congress may determine, and,
he put it, "after aged by the discursive nature to that end, to cooperate with
`-he war we will of the discussions, the ignorance those who, attracted by religious
;et what we of most of the non-Zionists of or historic associations, shall
want in Pales- the problems of Palestine, the seek to establish in Palestine a
center for Judaism, for the
tine," that,
contradictions among them dur- stimulation of our faith, for the
e
had seen sm
ing the debate and unlike the pursuit and development of liter
ery important case with the Zionists the utter
people in Wash- lack of a clearly formulated po7 ature, science, and art in a Jew-
ish environment, and for the
M. D. Waldmanington, who are sition on their part.
rehabilitation of the land."
very sympathetic, who acNised
At a meeting of the non-
This resolution reflects the
hini to see "your,. president (F. Zionist group held in the office
D. R.) ," that he proposed to seek of the American Jewish Com- pQsition of the American Jewish
a meeting with the President mittee, it was agreed that I was Committee only with respect to
but regarded it as highly useful to submit this memorandum in Palestine. That position was one
before seeing him to be in the abridged form as a basis for of sympathy and approval of a
position to speak for a united further negotations at the next `national home in Palestine.' In
Jewry of America, that, as he meeting of the Weizmann- another statement Issued in 1934
stated- it, "I look to you, dear Stroock Conference. This I did the American Jewish Committee
assumed a definite and unequiv-
Waldman, to win over for us on
November 27.
ocally adverse position on the
your group."
* * *
issue of Jewish nationalism (in
To this I unhesitatingly re-
Though it is clear that Nation- its universal sense).
plied, "You know how eagei I
* * *
am for the fullest develop- alism is inseparably intertwined
ment of the YISHUV and I with Palestine it does not follow
As I see the various elements
shall be glad to do everything that Zionism, though based on in the entire controversy the
possible to further your wish,
but I am frank to say that I the idea of. the - 'Jewish People' logic as well as psychology of
believe there is not a ghost and the 'homelessness' of the the situation appears as follows:
of a chance to win over my `Jewish People' need concern it- Nationalists want a Jewish
group, unless and until the self with the organization of Palestine; Zionists want `a, Jew-
Zionists repudiate DIASPORA Jewish life and its problems ish ' Palestine. Nationalism in-
nationalism." "Oh," exclaimed
cludes Zionism. But Zionism
Dr. Weizmann, "you mean the outside of Palestine except for does not have -to be national-
the
practical
purposes
of
secur-
`World Jewish Congress.' "
istic (in the universal sense).
"Yes," said I, "the World ing potential settlers and of ob- Consequently, non-nationalists
taining
moral
and
financial
Jewish Congress and the
also may be Zionists in the re-
nationalist propaganda that support from Jews outside of stricted Palestinian area of in-
characterizes Zionist activ- Palestine. ,I base this opinion on terest. As to whether non-
ities throughout the world." the fact that the Zionist move- nationalists wish to be Zionists
"Well," said Dr. Weizmann, ment has not affiliated itself (in this restricted area) de-
"I am not for the World with the World Congress Move- depends largely upon what they
Jewish Congr es s." After ment and on statements made believe will be the reactions of
further brief discussion I to me by several outstanding Jewish Palestine upon life out-
promised to recommend to my Zionist leaders that they are side Palestine. What those re-
group that a meeting with not in sympathy with the latter actions will be depends upon the
movement and are not identi- form and content of the politi-
him be held promptly.
The discouraging experience fied with it. It therefore appears cal, economic and social struc-
In Zurich in 1937 of the non- to me that Zionists need not ture and will depend upon both
Zionists headed up by Felix M. necessarily be nationalists in the external and internal pressures.
Warburg, Sol M. Stroock, aided universal sence. The full impli- But whatever these pressures
by Max D. Stuer, the prominent cattons of this vital fact I hope may be non-nationalists may
New York trial lawyer (not a to demonstrate when I discuss find a possibility of union with
member of the Agency, fortui- the WELTANSCHAUUNG of our official Zionism as it affects
tously enlisted by Mr. Stroock side, which I think is now in Palestine. Whether they will, de-
when they happened to meet at order. -
pends upon the policies of the
Among the adherents of "our ZioniSt organization affecting
Vichy, France), in efforts to help
bring about a readjustment in position" there is equal confu- domestice existence in Palestine,
t h e relations between t h e sion with diverse conceptions. the policies of propaganda out-
Zionist and non-Zionist part- When I speak of `us' I speak of side Palestine and the effect of
ners in the Jewish Agency, a large and heterogenous group those domestic policies and ex-
eombined with the bitter dis- even if I confine that group to ternal propaganda on Jewish
life outside of Palestine.
sentions between the Joint Dis- the U. S. A.
tribution Committee and the
United Palestine Appeal in the
negotiations surrounding the
United Jewish Appeal, seriously
handicapped my efforts to bring
about a meeting. As a result of
my earnest pressure, however,
Stroock was finally persuaded to
meet with Weizmann. That
meeting resulted in an agree-
ment to hold informal confer-
ences between the Zionist lead-
ers and prominent non-Zionists
in their individual capacity
which came to be known as the
Weizmann-Stroock Conference&
Not long after my talk with
Weizmann at the St. Regis, an
informal meeting of a score of
Zionist leaders and prominent
non-Zionists, among them Gov-
ernor Herbert H. Lehman, was
Blending their voices as the newly-formed Detroit Vocal Art
held at that hotel on Weiz- Quartet are these prominent community artists: left to right,
mann's invitation. Lehman DON FROHMAN, BELLA GOLDBERG, SHOSHANA FREEDMAN
cautioned against adopting and GEORGE RICHTER.
measures tipt might in any way
prejudice our country's foreign
policies. Stroock was not present.
Four outstanding soloists in lish, Hebrew, Yiddish, Russian,
His meeting with Weizrnami Detroit have combined their tal- Italian and French.
'Wok place later.
ents into a vocal group, which
'Accompanist for. the group is
On Sept. 11, 1941. Sol Stroock they feel will be the answer to Rebecca Frohman, recognized as
died. Maurice Wertheim was a popular demand for a com- one of the city's outstanding pi-
privately approached with the bination that offers the best in anists.
offer of the Presidency of the music, a varied program and en-
The Quartet's first tour will
Committee. He was flattered and tertainment on the highest level.
The four who will be known as include concerts at Dayton, Co-
interested but not feeling sure
he could measure up to the re- the Detroit Art Quartet is lumbus, Cincinnati, Akron, Pitts-
sponsibilities of the office he comprised of Shohana Freed- burgh, Cleveland and Chicago.
agreed to accept the office of man, soprano, Bella Goldberg,
chairman of the Administrative mezzo-soprano, George Richter, In Detroit, they will appear to-
Committee, thereby testing his tenor, and Don Frohman, bari- gether for the first time at the
Shaarey Zedek musi c, night,
interest, aptitude and capacity tone.
in Math by the con-
for the supreme office of the
In their debut tow, tha Quar- sponsored
Committee. He also was asked to tet will sing solos, duets, trios gregation's Men's Club.
take Stroock's place as the head and foursomes of fOlk songs, art
of the non-Zionist = contingent songs, ballads, arias and operatic 28 DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, November 20, 1953
the so-called Weizmann- excerpts in six languages—Eng-
By MORRIS D. WALDMAN
Dr. Weston Elected Pre:sident of
Detroit Chapter, Israel Medical AAs'n.
.
An American Jewish Press Feature
.
-
•
-
The first officers of the Detroit Chapter, American Physicians
Fellowship Committee, Inc. of the Israel Medical Association are
shown here, left to right, front row, Drs. NOAH E. ARONSTAM,
honorary president; BERNARD WESTON president; back row,
Drs. AARON DUBNOVE and EZRA LIPKIN, vice-presidents; and
Dr. WILLIAM A. HANKIN, secretary-treasurer.
At the first formal meeting of
e Detroit Chapter, American
ysicians Fellowship Commit-
tee, Inc. of the Israel Medical
Association, Dr. Bernard Weston
was named president and Dr.
Noah E. Aronstam was voted
honorary president.
Also serving the group, which
was formed early this year, but
was officially bound into an or-
ganization only this month, are
Drs. Aaron Dubnove and Ezra
Lipkin, vice-presidents; and Dr.
William Hankin, secretary-treas-
urer.
Serving on the board of direc-
tors will be Drs. Her b e r t H.
Cohen, Irving I. Edgar, John
Freedman, Charles Gitlin, Wil-
liam Klein, Leonard Kurtz, Ber-
nard Lieb2rman, Morris Marks,
Max Mosen, Harry Paysner, Emil
Rothman, H. Saul Sugar; Myer
Teitelbaum and William K.
Usher.
The group also voted to change
its name to the Detroit Chapter
of the Affiliates of the Israel
Medical Association, but will be
known by its former title pend-
ing approval of the change by
the American Medical Associa-
tion which meets this winter in
San Francisco, Calif.
Dr. Weston stated that since
its formation, the Detroit Chap-
ter has grown to a membership
of 48 physicians. He added that
plans are now underway to
reach 100 members by the end
of 1953, through . an extensive
membership drive.
The group, like its affiliate
chapters in other parts of the
country, aims to establish closer
cooperation, between American
and Israeli practicing physicians,
to provide assistance to the Is-
raeli physician, to offer residen-
cies and fellowships in the U. S.
for Israel doctors and to send
professional 'essentials unobtain-
able in the Jewish state.
The American Physicians Fel-
lowship Committee, Inc., Dr.
Weston stated, is the only or-
ganization in the United States
which concerns itself with prac-
ticing physicians in Israel.
Lord Reading Named Minister
Of State in Foreign Office
LONDON, • (JTA)—Lord Read-
ing has been named Minister of
State in the Foreign Office. The
Foreign Office already has one
Minister of State, Selwyn Lloyd.
ntit3 741 21? tin;47.
,
Local Soloists to Blend Voices
As Detroit Vocal Art Quartet
—
MADE EASY
Hebrew As It Is Spoken in Israel Today
By SHUSHANNAH SPECTOR and Rabbi JOSEPH ZEITLIN
Editor's Note: This special American Jewish Press feature is
another in a series of easy lessons for self-study of Hebrew.
The Sefardic pronunciation is used in these lessons. The complete
book, "Hebrew Made Easy," is available from • Miss Shushannah
Spector, 904 S. Miami Ave., Miami, Fla., at $1.50 a copy.
AT THE POST OFFICE BAD-D0'-AR.
Hello; Mosheh, here is the
post office
"So to this window
Sha-lom, Mo-sheh, hin-neh
ha-do'-ar
Lech 'el ha-'esh-nav ha-zeh
Thanks, Mr. Levine
To-dah Mar Le-vin
Please give me a dozen pos-
tal cards
,
le-valOsa-shah ten li te-rei-
sar ge-lu-yot
Please give me a dozen
stamps
11e-1,04a-shah ten li she-
nem 'a-sar bu-lim
Please give me a dozen en-
velopes
Be-vak-ka-shah teen li ie-rei-
tar ma'at-a-fot
Is that ill, Sir?
Zeh
No I wish to send a regis-
tered letter
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zits) 21057 '7k;
411'451.177
111 .47
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'ani ro-zeh
with-tav beJalli-ra-yut
General Delivery
Mich-ta-vim Ii dri-shah
C.O.D.
Ze-Isl-fah
mtfR.4:4
non te?O` 7 1114
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Oh yes, I . have a parcel to Ken, ve-yesh
send registered
be-'ab-ra-yut
rii?11"? rer'17 4? e7.1
And I want to send a tele- Va'a-ni ro-zeh
gram
miv-rakt
.P`Pn n`? ? r(*i1
Give me a cable blank
Ten li to-les - 1e,iniv-ralf.
"HoW much does it cost per Katzt-mah 'o-lah kol mil-lah?
word?
Every word costs
Rol
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Is
everything in order, Sir? Ha'-im ha-kol be-se:der ,
'Ado-ni?
P-1.47L? .60
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re0.17 hp
reps; rep
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