Furniture Division Campaign Leaders

'W7

2—DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

Friday, May 21, 1954

s

Zionist Region
Meets Sunday

Captains of the furniture section of the mercantile division
confer to insure full coverage of prospects before the close of the
Allied Jewish Campaign. Left to right: MORTON NEWLANDER,
OSCAR KAHAN, DAVE TABASHNIK, NAT RISEN, LOUIS BAB-
COCK, AARON BERG and SAM MARPOKSKY.

Purely Commentary

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

The Late Dr. Selig Brodetsky
Prof. Selig Brodetsky was a very distinguished mathematician.
He was the author of several books on the subject of mathematics
and was revered as an able teacher.
His chief interest, however, as in the case of Dr. Chaim Weiz-
mann who was a noted chemist, was Zionism. He did not begin
with Hitler. This Commentator first met and interviewed him,
upon his arrival in New York for a tour of this country's Zionist
organization, in 1926. He was then, already, a leader of note and
distinction in Jewish life.
Since then, he had risen to high positions in Jewish life, not-
•
ably the presidency of the British Board of Deputies and the
presidency of the Hebrew University.
He left the latter post as a result of rather unfortunate mis-
understandings with the faculty. But while in that post he pur-
sued his established policies of rendering sincere service and of
devoting all his time and energy towards the advancement of the
great university which he was honored to direct.
His death represents a serious loss to all Jewry. Zecher tzadik

livracha.

Zolli's Conversion and the Hickory Rod
Eugenio Zolli, the man who went through life under the
name Israel until his conversion to Catholicism on Feb. 13, 1945,
is the former head Rabbi of Rome. He tells his life story and
the issues which disturbed his thinking while he was in the serv-
ice of the Jewish people in his book "Before the Dawn," (published
by Sheed & Ward, 840 B'way, NY3).
It is a fantastic, almost incredible story. Dr. Zolli insists

that he had a love for Jesus from early childhood. Yet he of-
ficiated over Jewish communities!
When he was asked whether he became a convert "out of
gratitude towards the Pope who did so much for the Jews in
Italy during the Nazi persecution," Zolli entered into a rather
confusing dissertation on gratitude and the "great charity of the
Holy Father and my admiration for him and his holy work." He
devotes a whole chapter to this subject, pays tribute to "The
Charity of Pope Pius XII," and then resorts to this reasoning:
"I did not hesitate to give a negative answer to the question
whether I was converted in gratitude to Pius XII for his number-
less acts of charity. Nevertheless, I do feel the duty of rendering
homage and of affirming that the charity of the Gospel was the
light that showed the way to my old and weary heart. It is the
charity that so often shines in the history of the Church and
which radiates fully in the actions of the reigning Pontiff."
It struck us with amazement; that a former rabbi should
suddenly find consolation for his "old and weary heart" in the
goodness of a church whose heritage stems from the faith he
found need to abandon. And we were left with the feeling that
there must have been other reasons that caused him to give up
his faith, his people, his community and friends.
His reasoning, rooted in emotional expressions and in avowals
of love and affection for the people from whom he had sprung,
must raise some harsh questions upon discovering—by his own
admission—that "clouds had gathered" over his head as far back
as 1917 and he then "began to invoke the name of Jesus." If
his head already was clouded at that time, how could he, in full
, consciousness, continue to serve a Jewish community? He states
in "Before the Dawn": "Neither Hebraism nor Christianity seemed
to interfere in my love for Jesus. Jesus was present in me, and
I in Jesus." And he offers Bergson as an argument: The eminent
French philosopher Henri Bergson had refrained from conversion,
out of protest against the Nazi atrocities, but nevertheless asked
for a Catholic priest to recite the prayers at his funeral. Zolli's
argument is that "Conversion consists in responding to a call from
God." But it took him a long time to take the step, while he re-
mained in the service of Jewry. That is why, also, his defense
over a dismissal from his rabbinic post, in 1944, in spite of testi-
monials appearing in his book, sounds vague and unconvincing.
A chapter in his book entitled "The Triumph of the Rising
Surf' begins with this paragraph:
"In 1945 light broke forth in my soul. It was the high summer
of my spiritual life: after my sorrow a great abundance of fruit
issued from the eternally flowering Wood of Christ's Cross. He
said, 'Follow Me.' It was the call of God. I followed, receiving
Baptism in the Roman Catholic Church on February 13, 1945.
I had the great joy of being joined in this act by my wife, who
received the sacrament with me."
Thus, the confusion continues. He repeatedly tells us that
Christ beckoned to him through the years, but the "flowering"
came on this given day. What, it would be well to know, hap-
pened to the spiritual life he was preaching to his Jewish con-
gregations for years? Was he an arch hypocrite?
But what, in reality, did cause his conversion? It seems
to this reviewer that he exposes his case when he tells us that
he learned his Hebrew as a child "frequently ... under a hur-
ricane of blows." On one occasion, his teacher "stripped me to
the waist, put a broom in my hand, and ordered me to stand
in a corner near the stove for hours." Is it because he had a
stupid teacher that his mind was clouded until his "flowering?"
Somehow, we feel that therein lies the answer to Zolli's con-
fusion, to an act that followed unjustified retention of Jewish
posts—if he actually had constantly invoked Jesus in his think-
ing and dreaming.
The Zolli case is an unusual one in our history. That a rabbi
should have abandoned his faith and should now admit that
from childhood he flirted with Catholicism is something hardly
reasonable in an adult's acting and living. But it has happened
—and from his own words we ascribe it to a childhood hickory rod
and a Heder punishment. If all hickory rods were to accomplish
similar results, we would be a crazy world indeed.

The 7th annual conference of
the Michigan Zionist Region will
be held at the Zionist House,
Sunday.
The first sesc. lon will begin at
10 a.m. Representatives and
leaders from all Zionist Districts
in Michigan will attend.
"At a time when we read of
constant harassing of Israel's
population by semi-civilized Arab
bands infiltrating into Israel in
hit-and-rim activities, it is hard
to underStand. that the powers
of the free world should not
unanimously -come out in sup-
port of their most loyal and
their only democratic friend in
the Middle East," states Leon
Kay, president of the Michigan
Region. "It is an erroneous con-
ception to believe Iraqi Arabs
would use United States wea-
pons to fight Soviet. aggression.
They were collaborating with
Hitler, arch enemy of democracy
during World War II, and they
would rather turn American
donated guns towards Israel
than commit themselves against
the power antagonists of free-
dom."
Dr. Sidney Marks, executive
director and national secretary
of the ZOA, will be the main
speaker at the brunch session.
He will discuss "PrOblems Con-
fronting American Zionists To-
day." Greetings will be extended
by Rabbi Moses Lehrman, ZOD
president and Irving W. Schlus-
sel, president of the Zionist
Council of Detroit. The presiding
chairmen of working-sessions
are: Morris M. Jacobs, honorary
president of the Michigan Zionist
Region; David Cohodes, Grand
Rapids; Lawrence W. Crohn, De-
troit; Thomas Horowitz, Pontiac,
vice-presidents of the Michigan
Zionist Region.

Bonne Describes
Israel's Progress

Israel could bring its trade
into balance if it could double
the size of its orange crop and
triple the size of its automobile
production, declared Prof. Alfred
Bonne, chairman of the econom-
ics department of the Hebrew
University of Jerusalem.
This conviction was expressed
at an open meeting of the De-
troit Chapter, American Friends
of the Hebrew University and
the Jewish Community Council,
in an address Monday evening,
in the Kresge Library of Wayne
University.
Bonne is now conducting a
graduate course at Columbia
University's Institute of Interna-
tional Studies on the economic
development of Middle East
countries and the economy of
Israel.
At the meeting of the Ameri-
can Friends of the Hebrew Uni-
versity, an organization which
supports and maintains the uni-
versity in Israel, Bonne was in-
troduced by Prof. Samuel Levin,
of the economics department of
Wayne University.
Charles E. Feinberg is the
local chairman of the American
Friends of the Hebrew Univer-
sity, Henry Wineman and Rabbi
Morris Adler are co-chairmen
and Richard B. Kramer is secre-
tary.

American-Israel Group
Greeted by Eisenhower

WASHINGTON, (JTA)—Presi-
dent Eisenhower, in a message
to the American-Israel Society
dinner here, made .it clear that
friendship between the United
States and Israel should be fos-
tered in this country "in the
interest of international peace."
The message, addressed to Gov-
ernor Theodore R. McKeldin,
president of the Society, said:
"To all members of the So-
ciety go my warm greetings on
its recent establishment. The
fostering of better understand-
ing between peoples of the
United States and Israel is clear-
ly in the interest : of interna-
tional peace, and in this pursuit,
I wish to the Society every
success."

2 Detroiters Get Posts in. Jewish

Publication Society; Bible Best Seller

Edwin Wolf 2nd, distinguished dents: Chief Justice Horace
bibliophile and curator of the Stern, Sol Satinsky and Dr. Ja-
Library Company of Phila- cob, R. Marcus; treasurer, Myer
delphia, was elected president of Feinstein; secretary, Lesser
the Jewish Publication Society of Zussman; editor, Solomon Gray-
America at the 66th annual zel.
meeting, May 16, in Philadelphia.
Trustees re-elected to serve a
Mr. Wolf succeeds Judge Louis three-year term include Judge
E. Levinthal, who held that Theodore Levin, Detroit.
office for the past five years.
J. Solis-Cohen, Jr., Philadel-
Judge -• Levinthal was elected phia, was chosen honorary pres-
chairman of the publication ident. Honorary vice-presidents
committee, succeeding Dr. Jacob elected include Philip Slomovitz,
R. Marcus, director of the Amer- Detroit.
ican Jewish Archives in
- •
In his annual message Judge Flint Running Ahead .
Levinthal reviewed the progress In '54 Drive for WA,:
made by the society during the
past year and reported on the
Arthur Hurand, general chair-
books to be published during the : man, and Dr. Julian Feiler, as-
,coming year. Eleven titles were sociate chairman of the 1954
published in 1953. "Our list for Flint United Jewish Appeal, an-
1954," he said, "emphasizes books nounced that a total of $95,000
on American Jewish history and lin pledges has thus far been reg-
biography, since this year marks istered, with the campaign run-
American Jewry's tercentenary. ning $7,000 ahead of contribu-
Ten new books are scheduled tions by the same pledgers last
for. the current year."
year.
During 1953, the Judge re-
ported that 35,000 Bibles were
B. of C. Delegation
reprinted, making a total of
To Create Chemical
550,000 in print. A total of 84,-
Plant in Israel
071 books were distributed
during the year. The Bible
continues to head the list.
A JTA report from Tel Aviv
A feature of the anniversary
states that the 51-man dele-
dinner was the presentation of
gation to Israel from the De-
the 1953 Stephen Wise Award
troit Board of Commerce an-
for outstanding achievement
nounced t h a t its members
to the Publication Society
had decided to establish a
in the field of Jewish culture
chemical producing plant in
and education, made by Dr.
Israel.
Israel Goldstein, of New York,
The delegation which in-
president of the American
cluded Norman H. Birnkrant,
Jewish Congress.
Maurice A. Enggass, Saul Le-
In recognition of their services
Vine and Nathan Silverman,
these past five years, Judge Lev-
toured Israel's main centers
inthal was presented with a
and conferred with Premier
beautiful family Bible and Dr. Moshe Sharett, Trade and In-
Marcus with a testimonial Scroll.
dustry Minister Peretz Bern-
In addition to Mr. Wolf and
stein and Finance Minister
Judge Levinthal the following
Levin Eshkol.
officers were elected: vice presi-

Between You and Me

By BORIS SMOLAR

(topyright, 1954, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Washington

Trends:

Assistant Secretary of State Henry 'A. Byroade, whose recent
"advice" to Israel provoked a storm of protest, would be willing
to address a Zionist meeting . . . He gave indications to this effect
to Zionist leaders who visited him in the State Department to
protest against his addressing the annual conference of the anti-
Zionist American Council for Judaism . . . Some time ago he was
invited by Hadassah to address a conference, but did not accept
the invitation at that time . It does not look as if any of the
Zionist groups would invite him to speak now after he publicly
made clear his stand on Israel in a way considered offensive to
the Jewish State.
Mr. Byroade is not inclined to retain his post as Assistant
Secretary of State much longer . . . He has been on the list as
candidate for the post of U. S. Ambassador to Egypt, but the
present Ambassador there will not be replaced until after the
British reach some understanding with Egypt on the Suez issue.
. .. And this may take a long time .. . Jewish leaders who visited
Mr. Byroade at the State Department to protest his speeches,
found him personally a very amiable man .. . This makes it even
more obvious that the views he expressed in his speeches are not
so much his own, as they are the official views of the State
Department . . . It was, of course, a tactical mistake on the part
of leaders of various Jewish organizations to rush in separately
to see Mr. Byroade . . . It would have been much better for the
cause they pleaded, if they had first coordinated their visits and
views .. . And, still better, if they had appeared as a united
delegation . . . As it was, Mr. Byroade was in a position to point
out to some of the Jewish leaders who visited him that their
views did not coincide exactly with the views of other Jews who
called on him previously . . When will our well-meaning Jewish
leaders learn to coordinate their views prior to presenting them
to the government?

Community Issues:

The greatest single item of expense by Jewish communities
in the large cities is medical care .. . Maintenance of Jewish
Centers are the next most expensive item . . A number of new
developments have entered the problem of supporting hospitals.
. . . These developments are being studied by a group of leaders
of Jewish federations and of Jewish hospitals from New York,
Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia, Hartford, St. Louis, and Newark.
. . . The Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds is
planning to call a special conference in September to deal with
these problems . . . The main question is: who is to pay the bill,
and how, since the responsibility of local, state and federal gov-
ernments for building and maintaining hospitals is changing . .
With regard to the Jewish Centers, a joint commission composed
of representatives of the Council of Jewish Federations and
Welfare-Funds and of the National Jewish Welfare Board is to be
established . . The commission is to survey the relationship of
Jewish community centers and local federations . . It will study
the practices which have successfully served the needs of the
It
communities and those which have not been satisfactory .
will then synthesize the results of the studies to serve as a guide
to communities in developing relationships which will best ad-
vance communal progress . . . The scope and function of the
commission will be blue printed by a special steering conunittee
of representatives of Jewish, centers and federations • . The
commission will be advisory in nature and is responsible. to both
the CJFWF and the Jewish Welfare Board.

