Offen Brothers Celebrate
Second Reunion in 10 Years

Sam Offen Bernard Offen
The excitement of a reunion
almost 10 years ago was re-lived
recently here in Detroit by two
brothers, Samuel and Bernard
Offen. A third brother, Nathaniel,
who now resides in Jersey City,
N.J., however, was missing from
the joyful second scene.
The occasion for celebration
was Bernard's discharge from
military service. After spending
two years in the United States
Army, most of it in Korea, Ber-
nard was home again.
This time home is Detroit.
But,,, nine years ago, the locale
of the first reunion was Italy,
and it was not home, but a
stopping-off place for three
young men who had been shunt-
ed about Europe by men who
were beasts and with others who
were treated like animals.
The story actually begins in
Krakow, Poland, their native
city. In 1941, the three boys,
their mother, father and sister
were herded into the Ghetto,
a year later to be separated.
The men were taken to Maut-
hausen Concentration Camp in
Germany, the women only God
knows where because they have
never been heard from again.
While Sam and Nat. then 23 and
22, remained at Mauthausen; the
Nazis', following their extermi-
nation polcy for elders and chil-
dren, sent Bernard then 13, and
his father to Auschwitz.
Bernard saw his father die in
the gas chamber, and miracul-
ously escaped death himself by
fleeing undetected and returning
to his cell. Later he was sent to
Dachau, from where he was lib-
erated.
Meanwhile, Sam and Nat also
were liberated by the Allies.
Their first move was to register

DETROIT JEWISH NEWS-19
Friday, April 16, 1954

JWV Activities

ROBERT SOLOMON, young promotion work for the Cinema,
Detroiter active in local theat- Detroit's first art theater which
rical productions, is now doing re-opens Sunday with "Little
PFC JOSEPH L. BALE post
Fugitive." The theater's first
holds nominations of officers
offering is the comedy-adven-
8:30 p.m., Tuesday, at the Me-
ture, filmed in Coney Island,
U.S. May Reduce
morial home.
which won an academy-award
* * *
Middle East Aid
nomination and was judged the
SGT. MORTON A,. SILVER-
top American entry at the Ve-
MAN post meets 8:30 p.m., Mon-
.
WASHINGTON (JTA) —For- nice film festival.
• • •
day, at the Memorial Home, for
eign Operations Administra-
election of officers. The annual
Mrs. ALBERT FARBER of
tor Harold Stassen revealed
dinner-d a n c e honoring past , that the major portion of of Philadelphia has accepted the
commanders and auxiliary pres-
American military, economic national chairmanship of the
idents will be held at Glen Oaks
and technical assistance in new women's community lead-
Country Club May 16. Installa-
the coming year would be ership division for State of Is-
tion of officers will be held June
allocated to the Far East. It rael Bonds, which will seek to
6, at the Memorial Home.
was indicated that Europe broaden the base of leadership
* * *
among women on a nation-wide
and the Middle East might
CHARLES and AARON KO-
receive less than in previous basis for the support of the new
GAN AUXILIARY will hold its
Israel Development Bond Issue.
years.
annual Mother and Daughter
Mr. Stassen said the devel-
banquet May 13 at Mayfair Ca-
opment assistance category .
LAWN SPRINKLING
tering. "Meister's Follies" will
does include some aid for Is-
provide the entertainment. For
• Expert Repair
rael and the Arab states, but
reservations, call Mrs. P. Buch,
did not specify how much.
• Service All Makes
TE. 4-7072, Mrs. M. Margolis, UN.
He disclosed that the re-
3-2983.
CALL UN. 2-0308
quested allocation- for aid to
• • •
the Near East, Africa and
Lt. ROY F. GREEN AUXILI-
Also
South Asia totalled $569,100,-
ARY is planning a mother and
Estimates
on
New Systems
000.
However,
it
was
impos-
daughter's affair on May 18, in
sible to tell from this figure
the Mayfair Room. Reservations
how much was intended for
may be made with Claire Spo-
GREEN - LAWN
the Arab states or Israel be-
lan, president, TE. 4-0797.
• • •
SPRINKLER SYSTEMS
cause of the vast area covered
JACK WINOKUR AUXILIARY
in the regions specified.
10214 PURITAN AVE.
will meet at 8:30 p.m., Monday,
in the Memorial Home for nom-
ination and election of officers.
* *
A Very Happy Passover to Our Friends and Customers
Lt. ROY F. GREEN AUXILI-
ARY will celebrate its sixth
It Is Always a Pleasure to Serve You.
birthday at a joint program with
the Post on April 29, in the Me-
Watch for the Opening of Our New Store on the
morial home, announces Claire
26th of April — at 12945 W. 7 Mile Road
Spolan, president. Five year pins
will be awarded, and a social will
follow. For information on Aux-
iliary activities, call Mrs. Spolan
TE. 4-0757.
a a a
9726 DEXTER
13137 Dexter
Ruth Shapiro will take over
8735 - 12 Street
BORENSTEIN BROS., PROP.
the reins when the YETZ-
COHEN AUXILIARY meets on
Monday, in the Memorial Home.
She was recently elected to the
presidency, and will serve with
Louise Applebaum and Mickie
Orechklin, vice-presidents; Rose
Feinberg, treasurer; Frances Sil-
verberg, Eileen Gold, Edna Am-
koff and Bessie Schein, secre-
taries; Belle Kirsh, chaplain;
Celia Yetz, conductress; Dorene
Levine, patriotic instructress;
Annie Weinstein, guard; and
Marian Rich, historian. Tillie
Goldman and Jean Friedman
will be hostesses at Monday's
meeting. A part, for outgoing
president, Betty Spinner, will be
tute, backed by 60 community held May 3, in the Memorial
from the
Home. Minnie Alpert is chair-
groups, is scheduled May 3, in man.
the Rackham Memorial Bldg.,
and is planned to aid its leaders New York AAA "Opposes
in planning programs of com- Hotel Guest Policy Bias
Manufacturers of
The Automobile Club of New
munity interest and suggest
methods of obtaining maximum York, third largest affiliate of
group participations. Principal the American Automobile As-
speaker will be Dr. Dumont F. sociation, expressed in a resolu-
Kenny, national program direc- tion its "emphatic disapproval"
tor of the National Conference of discriminatory guest policies
of Christians and Jews. Reserva- by hotels and resorts that cater
tions for the Institute luncheon to the motoring public.
The formal statement fol-
must be made in advance with
Mrs. H. Lloyd Patterson, TU. lowed a series of meetings be-
5-5623.
tween Club officials and repre-
sentatives of the Anti-Defama-
*
*
*
"LITTLE FUGITIVE," the tion League of Bnai Brith. The
warm comic story of a boy from Club acknowledged that many
Brooklyn, Joey Norton, age 7; of its members "have been em-
his older brother, Lennie, 12; barrassed by such discrimina-
their widowed mother; and a tion."
youthful practical joke that had
far-reaching consequences, will
have its Detroit Premiere Sun-
day at the Cinema Theater. The
movie will serve as the opening
From the Hills of Galilee
attraction for Detroit's art
theater, Columbia at Woodward.
*
*
*
I f Your NeighbOr-
hood dealer does
A basic library devoted to "the
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impact of Franklin D. Roose-
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the development of American
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and world civilation" was pre-
Produced and Bottled in Israel Under Supervision of
sented April 12 to the HEBREW
Rabbi A. Simcha Kaplan, Chief Rabbi of Safod, Israel
TRinity
UNIVERSITY of Jerusalem by
Sole Importer and Distributor
Mr. and Mrs. HERMAN H.
1-0606
ROSENTHAL of 115 Central
Park West, New York, on the
ninth anniversary of the death
CHICAGO, ILL.
AND WE WILL
of the late President. The Col-
Abraham
Finkelstein, President
SERVE HIM
lection, received on behalf of the
Hebrew University by Dr. George
S. Wise, national president of
the American Friends of the
DETROIT, MICH.
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corporated in the University's
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new Department of American
History and Culture.

with the Joint Distribution Com-
mittee, and then get off German
soil as quickly as possible. They
went to Italy and joined the
Polish Army in Exile.
When Bernard saw his
brothers' names on the JDC
list, he began a Irant for them
—a hunt . which took, him
through Germany, Austria and
finally Italy. He missed them
once by three weeks, another
time by two days, and finally
caught up to them in an army
camp in Southern Italy.
Sam and Nat went to London,
England to be discharged from
the Polish Army, only this time
Bernard was with them. Then
started correspondence with rel-
atives in Detroit who, after five
years, finally succeeded in gain-
ing admission for them here.
While in London, Sam worked
for John Bester Furriers, Ltd.,
and was in charge of their fur
operation. Bernard also followed
the fur trade, while Nat was a
clothing pattern maker.
When they c a m e :sere, Nat
left for New York's garment cen-
ter where he currently works,'
while Sam went to work for
Ceresnie Brothers, eventually
hoping to open his own fur busi-
ness. Sam started in the fur
trade at 15 with an uncle in
Krakow.
Just recently that dream has
been accomplished. After buy-
ing out Phil Bricker Furs, Sam
opened his Furs by Offen, at
11612 Dexter, in which Bernard
now is associated. According
to Sam, it wasn't such a
"grand" opening.
"A little over two weeks after
I opened," he relates, "a thief
broke our window and took two
mink stoles off our manequins.
But you know," he philosophied,
"that thief has good taste. Out
of all the furriers in town, he
picked our store."
In spite of this little setback,
the 'brothers feel good about be-
ing in such "a wonderful coun-
try where one can so soon buy
his own store and stand on his
own two feet." Bernard, through
military service, already has his
citizenship papers. Sam and Nat
have two years to wait before
their final papers come through.

le!1•1111111121121•1=,

ZEMAN'S NEW YORK BAKERY

Sincere ilolicla y

greetinv to the

C ommunitieJ ol

News Brevities

How to build a successful lo-
eal affiliate of a national worn-
en's organization and the duties
and responsibilities of members,
officers and committees are de-
scribed in a "MANUAL for SIS-
TERHOODS" by Ruth Jacobson,
published by the National Fed-
eral of Temple Sisterhoods. Mrs.
Jacobson is a vice-president of
the organization and chairman
of its departments on member-
ship and administrative services.
Edited by Jane Ev_ans, executive
director of NFTS, the Manual
serves as a guide for the smooth
functioning of local Sisterhoods.
* * *
The eighth annual children's
theater party, sponsored by the
SOCIAL LEGISLATION GROUP,
will be held at 1:45 p.m., Wed-
nesday, in the Detroit Art Insti-
tute Lecture Hall. Walt Disney's
'So Dear to My Heart" will be
the featured presentation, with
all proceeds going to the Allied
Jewish Campaign. For informa-
tion, call Mesdames Ann Jacob-
son, president, TO. 7-8618, or
Donna Garmel, treasurer, VE.
8-9241.
* *
An original musical comedy,
"Keep Off the Grass," is the stu-
dent production being planned
for April 30 and May 1 by the
HIGHLAND PARK JUNIOR
COLLEGE. Herman Gould has
one of the lead parts, and Fred
Lemberg and Robert Littky are
co-chairmen of the publicity
committee.
* * *
The LEAGUE OF JEWISH
WOMEN'S ORGANIZATIONS
will be among the sponsoring
groups of the 1954 Program
Planning Institute, an adult ed-
ucation project now in its 14th
year,' announces Mrs. Harold J.
Davidson, chairman. The Insti-

People Make News

2eiroit and Michi gan

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CRYSTAL WINE COMPANY

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