Governor Hails 3,000th Jerusalem
Anniversary as Historic Milestone

2—DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

Friday, February 12, 1954

Senate Committee
Approves Sobeloff

WASHINGTON (JTA)—The
Senate Judiciary Committee
has approved the nomination
of Judge Simon Sobeloff to
be Solicitor General of the
United States. Judge Sobe-
loff's. nomination will now go
before the full Senate for
final confirmation.

sees Jerusalem once again forging to
the forefront of the world's great cities.
However, Jerusalem is not only a city;
it is a symbol of the entire nation of
Israel and of the courage and deter-
mination that have enabled Israel to
record such brilliant and unprecedented
achievethents in the few short years
since it• • attained Statehood. It is fitting,
indeed, that on its 3,000th Anniversary,
Jerusalem should be the heart of a re-
birth of the Jewish nation.
"The picture of Jerusalem today—a
combination of venerable antiquity and
busy modernity throbbing with life and
hope for the future—is irresistible. It
is small wonder, therefore, that Ameri-
cans should he eager to demonstrate
how much the 3,000th Anniversary of
the Eternal City of Jerusalem means to
them. And they are demonsteating this
in the finest way possible—by purchas-
ing State of Israel Independence Bonds,
which are doing so much to build Jeru-
salein and all Israel, and by participat-
ing in the commemorative festival at
Masonic Auditorium in Detroit this Sun-
day.
"May I, therefore, offer the people of
Jerusalem, through you, the respects
and congratulations, of the people of
the State of Michigan, and may I add
puatsu tr. e
s lgesh faosr
ad wi shes
my own personal
the f
as

Purely Commentary

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

The USNA-HIAS Merger: SignaI for More Such Action
The announcement of the merger of the United Service four
New Americans with the Hebrew Sheltering and Immigrant Aid
Society (HIAS) and the inclusion in the new program of the Joint
Distribution Committee's foreign migration service was without
question one of the most sensational Jewish stories in a decade. It
represents an historic move in the direction of proper community
planning, of a serious aim to eliminate multiplicity of efforts in
Jewish life, of a sense of responsibility in treating public funds.
Such a fusion of related activities should encourage similar
attempts in other areas—especially in the civic-protective field.
There is no justification for the multiplicity of movements that
function to protect civil rights and to fight anti-Semitism. An
effort was made last year to coordinate such activities within the
National Community Relations Advisory Council (NCRAC) and
several dissidents were permitted to threaten the unity of Ameri-
can Jewry by bolting the NCRAC ranks. The USNA-HIAS merger
should encourage renewal of efforts for unity through a central-
ized agency in the civic-protective field and for coordination of
activities in many other movements. Much can be done to fuse
Zionist ranks, to cement better relations among some religious
groups and to--end confusion in many other fields of activity.
Furthermore, the example shown by the fusion of related
migration groups on the national Jewish scene also should inspire
thinking along these lines on the local scenes. Take Detroit as an
example: scrap 60 per cent of organizations in some areas, aban-
don at least a third of our congregations by merging them in
neighborhoods where they have multiplied in recent years, com-
bine at least half of the existing women's groups, and the com-
munity will have lost absolutely nothing. On the contrary, it will
have gained by the abandonment of unnecessary programming, by
the elimination of excessive expenses, by removing from the scene
of Jewish activity the fringe fund-raising campaigns and the bur-
dens that are being imposed upon merchants by solicitors for ads
for unnecessary programs. .
However, if this were ever to be attained, Congregations X,
Y and Z would have to be fused into XYZ and there would be
only one president and only one set of directors; the combined
women's groups would reduce the honors that are available for
distribution at this time, and our communities apparently can not
stomach such a calamity. Therefore, we may have to continue to
suffer from frightfully over-organized conditions.

Left to right: ISRAEL DAVIDSON, honorary chairman of the
Detroit Israel bond drive; MAX 1OSNOS, chairman; JOSEPH
HOLTZMAN, of the bond executive committee.
•
*
*
Governor G. Mennen Williams 'Borman, Jacob A. Citrin, Irwin
sent a message of greeting to I I Cohn, Mrs. Dora B. Ehrlich,
the Jerusalem Celebration Corn- I Alfred Epstein, Nathan R. Ep-
inittee, calling the City of Ages stein, Charles Feinberg, Judge
William Friedman, Joseph Gen-
t h e "spiritual
delman, Judge Nathan J. Kauf-
home of mil-
man, Barney Keywell, Julian.
lions . . . . the
Krolik, Judge Theodore Levin,
heart of a re-
Edward C. Levy, Alfred Loewen-
birth of the
stein, Samuel H. 'Rubiner, Hy-
Jewish nation."
man Safran, Morris L. Schaver,
His message
Sidney Shevitz, Benjamin Wilk,
provided official
David Wilkus, Isadore. Winkel-
r e c o gnition of
man, I. Lewis Zuieback, and
the commemor-
Osias Zwerdling.
ation of the 3.-
Admission to the celebration is
000th Anniver-
Louis LaMed, chairman of
by purchase of an Israel bond.
sary of Jerusa-
The event's programs, under the
the Jewish Community Coun-
lem, slated for Berry
Masonic Auditorium this Sunday chairmanship of Phillip Stoll- cil, announces that Mrs. Ep-
evening. Louis Berry will pre- man, will include Metropolitan stein, former national presi-
Tenor Jan Peerce; Michael Si-
dent of Hadassah, will be fea-
side.
The Governor, who has indi- mon, Chief of Protocol for the tured in a special program
celebrating the 3,000th Anni-
cated that he will attend the State of Israel; Judith Epstein,
anniversary program, is honor- Rabbi Mordecai Kirshblum and versary of Jerusalem on
ary chairman, along with Mayor the Cantors Assembly of Detroit.. WJBK-TV Sunday, 10 to 10:30 British Labor Leaders and israeE
Albert E. Cobo, Senators Homer A record of all attending will a.m. Rabbi. Jacob E. Segal will
"Hamazkir," the distinguished and well-informed columnist
Ferguson and Charles E. Pot- be presented to Mr.. Simon for be..the narrator.. Cantor Nich- of the Jewish Observer and Middle East Review of London, Eng.!,
placement
in
the
Israel
ArchiVes.
olas
Fenakel
accompanied
by
ter, Israel Davidson, Max
land, has made a most interesting comment on the attitude of
The complete text of the Gov- the •.Youth Choir of the same his country's labor leaders toward Israel. Here is his recollection:
Osnos, and Joseph Holtzman.
Synagogue, . will sing Israeli
Davidson also is Honorary chair- ernor's message follows;
The visit of Aneurin Bevan to Israel reminds me of the
"The Celebration 'of Jerusalem's 3,-
man of the Detroit Committee 000th Anniversary is an event to be and liturgical selections.
fact that not only have many other leading members of the
noted
by
free
men
all
over
the
world.
for State of Israel Bonds. Osnos It is an unforgettable milestone in the
Labour Party visited that country, but that the first to do so,
is chairman. Holtzman is a history of civilization. It is a milestone
in the early years of mandated Palestine, was the late Ramsay
Montor.
Leaves
for
Israel
member of the bond executive that assumes even greater proportions
MacDonald. He went there some 30 years ago, on his own ini-
and importance when we recall that
committee and the national Jerusalem, the spiritual home of mil- To Consult with Sharett
tiative (as far as I can remember), and at a time when he little
lions,
is
the
birthplace
of
humanity's
board of governors.
In response to an invitation dreamed that he would one day become Prime Minister. He
finest and most enduring ideals—the
An honorary committee, now ideals of world brotherhood and of peace from Prime Minister Moshe returned full of enthusiasm for the economic developments
justice among men and nations.
in formation, includes Theodore and
"This 3,000th Anniversary Celebration Sharett, Henry . Montor, vice
that had already taken place in the Jewish National Home, and-.
Bargman, Abe Borman, Tom is an historic milestone also because it president and chief executive wrote articles and gave lectures on his impressions.
officer of the Israel bond organ-
At about the same time I received a letter from Mr. Meyer
ization in the United States, left Weisgal, then editor of the New York weekly, THE NEW PA-
to confer with the new Israel LESTINE, to obtain articles for him from eminent English
Premier on plans politicians for a special issue. I therefore wrote to Ramsay
for the mobil- MacDonald for the purpose, and received a prompt reply that
ization of finan- he would be glad to let me have a contribution. A few days
By NATHAN ZiPRIN
(Copyright, 1954, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate)
cial aid from
later came the manuscript, written in the bold clear hand of
American Jews
the future Premier, who apparently at that time could not 'af-
Mystery About 50,000 Jews
in 1954 for the ford to have his article typed. After Mr. Weisgal received it he
According to the American Jewish Year Book and other au-
„economic devel-
thentic sources, Brazil has about 120,000 Jews, most of them con-
opment 'of the wrote to me that he would send MaoDonald twenty dollars "or
centrated in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. But according to the
State of Israel. perhaps twenty-five dollars to make the figure round and more
latest Brazilian census only 69,957 residents—among them 36,022
Mr. Montor said respectable." Many years later, in the spring . of 1939, when
men and.33,93.5 women—identified themselves as Jews.
that he would I met his son Malcolm at St. James Palace, on the occasion of
'What happened to the rest of the 50,000 Jews known to be
.discuss with the memorable Conference that led to the issue of the ini-
domiciled in Brazil? The "Yiddishe Presse" of Rio de Janeiro re-
Prime Minister quitous White Paper, I mentioned the incident to him. Mal-
cently opined that Jews were heavily represented among the 274,000
Sharett the im- colm didn't seem to be particularly pleased by the reminder
Brazilians who :told the census takers they were not affiliated
mediate econ- and moved off without comment, to take his place as chair-
with any religion. This explanation, it seems, raises more questions Henry Montor omic needs of man of the Conference.
We wonder about the other British leaders: whether they
than it answers for it:assumes the tragic fact that forty percent Israel and the program for the
of the total Jewish population in Brazil has escaped from Jewish- launching of the second Israel would be particularly pleased to be reminded that they had al-
ness. Moreover, it simply is incredible that the ratio of "godless- Bond Issue—the Development ternated with parties in and out of office in either supporting
ness" among the Jews should be so monstrously disproportionate Issue—in the United States, or interfering with efforts to assist the Zionist movement. When
to the rest of the population.
which will seek to raise $75,000,- Churchill was out of power, he was a severe critic of anti-Zionist
What then is the mystery behind the "missing" Brazilian I 000 in 1954. The launching of policy of the party in office; the moment he regained power, he,
Jews.
the new Development Bond' Is- in turn, fAiled to adhere to what was considered established
A. Alperin of The Day-Jewish Journal, who has delved.into the sue will take place at a National British policy "to facilitate" the establishment of the Jewish Na-
problem, believes he has found a partial key to the mystery in Planning Conference for Israel tional Home. This type of acrobatics is applicable to the British
the following item in a. recent issue of "Die Shtimme," Yiddish in Washington, D.C., March 26 Labor Party's leaders. It is no wonder that the British record—
newspaper appearing in Mexico City;
I which began so admirably with Balfour—is so miserably marred!
through March 28.
"Mit long ago there came to Caracas a representative of a
certain Jewish organization in New York. He visited Venezuela's
capital so as to familiarize himself with its Jewish life. But, as a
delegate, he could not resist the compulsion to visit the President
of Venezuela before returning to New York. In the course of the
audience, the delegate thanked the President for his tolerance
toward Jews, and he was even so carried away by ecstacy as to
remark: Senor President; in the name of the 6,000 Jews residing
in your'conntry, permit me to thank you for your attitude toward
them!'
"The President's reply was: 'I am amazed that you are thank-
ing me in the name of only 6,000 Jews. We estimate that Vene-
zuela today has a population of about 12,000 Jews, and although
half of their)." came in as Catholics we are not concerned since in
our• -country there are no religious or racial problems.'
"The worthy delegate turned pale, not knowing what to
reply."
This may be a cue to what happened in Brazil and other
South American countries during the years of the second world
war, when it was comparatively easy to gain admission with
"Catholic documents." But it still does not explain why so many
JeN6 - ate concealing their identity now that they have become
rooted in the soil and are immune from legal fear. Moreover,
there is reason to believe that thousands of the Brazilian Jews DETROIT CANTORS' CHOIR, FEATURED ON SUNDAY EVENING'S ISRAEL BOND PROGRAM
who "officially" concealed their .identity are actively engaged in
Feverish activity marked the preparations this week for the celebration of „Tern-
Jewish communal affairs. Have the rest chosen the self-imposed
role of privately clinging to their faith and people while publicly salem's 3,000th anniversary.
-
and officially denying such affiliation?
Under the chairmanship of Phillip Stollman, many sessions were conducted to assure
There are always those who would barter their heritage for an overflow audience. Mr. Stollman was host to the committee twice last week. A luncheon
imaginary •security. If the 50,000 Jews in Brazil who concealed meeting was held on Tuesday.
their identity believe the storm will pass them if it ever comes,
On Wednesday, at the invitation of Israel Davidson, the committee met at the
they are victims, of delusion who have apparently . . learned nothing
. 10ders
De,troit'Lleland
Hotel and hea)!.d.:.na.fionvvide„;f4Ophoi)iq , :4m0S,agegi
from the most tragic' Chapter in Jewish . ' history. In any event
.
1
to
spur
bond
sales.
development
which
merits
wide
and
serious
attention.
this is a

On the Record

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To Appear at Jerusalem Anniversary Celebration

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