Mrs. Yassky Appeals for Tourism
To. Israel; Describes Hadassah's
Progressive Medical Achievements
2—DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, September 3, 1954
Move by Sharett May
Avert Cabinet Crisis
Tribute to Esther Berman to Mark
Hebrew Schools' Building Dedication
Formal dedication ceremonies rooms, a spacious library, an au.
of the new Esther Berman ditorium with a 350 seating ca+
The vital importance of tour- world f a m o us ophthainolo-
JERUSALEM, (JTA) — T h e Branch of the United Hebrew pacity, a well equipped kitchen
ism to Israel was explained here gist who was the head of Ha-
and offices to house the Cen-
last week by a distinguished dassah's Medic al Organiza- danger of a cabinet crisis was
; tral Administration of the Unit-
guest of Hadassah, Mrs. Haim tion in Israel and who, together perhaps avoided here after a
, ed Hebrew Schools.
Yassky, director of the Hadassah with a medical mercy group, was visit paid by Prime Minister
The grounds surrounding the
Tourist Club in Haifa.
murdered in Jerusalem by the Moshe Sharett to Israel Rokach,
new school are large enough to
Mrs. Yassky addressed a group Arabs during the Israel war for leader of the General Zionist
provide a children's playground
of Hadassah. Honor Roll leaders, liberation, has lived in Israel for
and parking facilities for the ten
spoke at an Oneg Shabbat and more than 30 years and has I Party.
buses and two station wagons
I The meeting which took place
conferred with local Junior Ha- seen the country's growth.
used by the United Hebrew
dassah, during her brief Detroit
Schools.
"Hadassah reflects the prog- following a meeting of the Cab-
visit.
Mrs. Berman, who combined
ress achieved by Israel," she inet Consultations group, seek-
nobility of character with a pro-
Pointing to the need for an said. "We have brought health ing to avoid the cabinet shake-
found
Jewish consciousness,
understanding of Israel's people
I up following- differences over a
showed her enthusiasm for the
and of that country's needs, Mrs. to a neglected land and we con
proposed
change
in
the
election
cultural, educational and so-
Yassky said that Israel-Ameri- tinue to protect the well-being
cial activities of- the United He-
can relations can be greatly im- of the natives and of the new law, took place at the home of
brew Schools many years ago.
proved if those coming for visits settlers. Our hospitals in the Rokach who is indiSposed.
As one of the mainstays of the
to Israel will study conditions Emek, in the large cities and in • Prime Minister Sharett is in-
Women's Auxiliary from its very
there and will see the important the Negev, have earned the ac- clined to settle the dispute be-
-
inception, she unselfishly gave
institutions that were establish- claim they have received. Now
we are making a great contri- tween the Mapai and General
her time and ability to the serv-
ed with American aid.
ice of the schools and their
Mrs. Yassky especially urged bution to the entire Middle East Zionist's by a compromise. .Shar-
ideals. She made every effort to
Hadassah . women and their with our Hadassah-Hebrew Uni- ett's proposal is that the exist-
associate Jewish youth with the
friends not to overlook seeing versity Medical School. Hadassah ing agreement between the two
LATE ESTHER BERMAN
United Hebrew Schools, includ-
the chain of hospitals, health has earned continued and in- parties to introduce legislation
centers and vocational schools creased support from American aimed at eliminating small po- Schools will be held Sunday, ' ing her own 'children. She lov-
ingly watched their progress and
established by Hadassah in Isra- Jewry, because she has lived up litical parties should be con-
Sept. 19, 8 p.m., at the new encouraged them in every way.
to Detroit to her obligations and to the re- firmed.
el. She
Mrs. Berman's husband. Julius
The Prime Minister, however, building, Schaefer and Seven
Hadassah members to plan visits sponsibilities she has assumed..'
Berman, her son, Mandell Ber-
Mrs. Yassky expressed confi- suggested that the implementa- Mile Road.
in Israel and • while there to
A tribute to the late Mrs. Ju- man, and her daughters, Mrs.
study Hadassah's creative efforts dence that through accomplish- tion of the pact be postponed
and to see Hadassah's institu- ments like Hadassah's the good until after Parliament is recon- lius Berman, the new branch is Bert Smokier and Mrs. Milford.
will feelings between America vened following its summer re- a modern, ranch-type structure Pregerson, have made substan-
ions.
containing seven large class- tial contributions .to the new
The widow of Dr. Bairn Yassky, and Israel will be strengthened. cess.
branch whose facilities will be
; utilized by the United Hebrew
The American Ideal
By Philip
1Schools and t h e Jewish Corn-
Of Free Expression;
I munity Center.
Slomovitz
Truth About Crusaders
The old building, adjacent to
the new Esther Berman Branch,
remarkable
"History
and
Destiny
of
the
Jews,"
the
late
Josef
The Prevailing .American Spirit
Kastein (to quote this eminent authority alone) gives credit to will now house the pre-school
Even in periods of gravest disillusionment, we are often° the original aims of the Crusaders for whom "piety and enthusi- classes of the United Hebrew
heartened by the emergence of evidence that he American spirit asm both acquired an outlet." But the people who joined , the Schools which meet in the morn-
of fair play is certain to predominate. There was evidence of it Crusades were led to believe that those who were ready to take ing. Afternoons and evenings,
in the closing hours of the last Congress, when the U. S. House up the cross were to be held invulnerable and their sins were the old building will be used by
of Representatives made note of the passing of the late Con- to be forgiven. "The Crusades provided the means for emancipa- ithe Jewish Center for northwest-
gressman Vito Marcantonio, who was extremely leftist in his tion on a grand scale from the fetters of time and place, from j ern
and activities.
views. Congressman Clare E. Hoffman of Michigan, who is con- the dreary oppression of medieval life . . . They were a means
sidered one of the most conservative members of Congress, de- of releasing the primitive instincts, the unsublimated animal pas- .
livered this speech:
sions that still held sway over the man of the Middle Ages."
"Our late colleague Vito Marcantonio, came to the House
These animal passions soon predominated over reason and the
about the same time that it was my privilege to begin my service Crusaders became more concerned with baptisms than with piety.
here. On his passing, those whose policies and beliefs were as
In the First Crusade, reference to which was made by President
his lost an able, vigorous and effective advocate.
Eisenhower, Jews of Speyer who refused to embrace Christianity
"He not only knew the parliamentary procedure which gov- . were murdered (May 3, 1096). In Worms, some Jews escaped death
A Detroit man and his son will
erned the House, but he never lacked the courage to use that
by bribing Bishop Adalbert for refuge in his castle, and except for
knowledge to further the legislative program to which he
those who committed suicide or yielded to forcible conversion the next week be blood relations,
both in name and deed.
adhered.
rest were massacred (May 18, 1096).
This continued, in city after city, in year after year, for two
When. the Greater Detroit
"He was so far to the left that I could not go along with
centuries. In the Rhine province, 12,000 Jews were killed be- Men's and Women's Councils of
his views. Perhaps I was too far to the right. However that
may be, no Member of the House, so far as I know, ever tween May and July of 1096. To quote again from Kastein's Bnai Brith hold their next blood
bank rally on Sept. 16, Leo Polk
doubted his sincerity, ever failed to recognize his ability or his history:
"Wholesale massacres continued to take place wherever the will be giving his 100th pint of
effectiveness.
irregular bands of crusaders made their way. They are recorded
blood since Pearl Harbor, while
"In this country of ours, under our form of government,
as having occurred at Met; Regensburg, Prague, and other his son, Herbert, who is just 18,
every citizen, as well as every Member of Congress, has a right
towns in Bohemia. Albert of Aix, one of the few Christian
will donate his first pint.
to his own opinion as long as he stays within the letter and the
chroniclers who have recorded these events, says: 'And then,
* * *
spirit of tlie law. It has always been my firm conviction that
laden with the spoils of the Jews, Emicho, Clarebold, Thomas, and
The rally will be held from
we should be tolerant in our judgment of others, that no man
the whole insufferable band of men and women, continued their
should be condemned because of what he believes as long as
6 p.m. to 12 midnight, at Adas
journey to Jerusalem.' It was only when they reached the
he is sincere, entertains honest convictions. Equally true is it
Shalom Synagogue, and nurses
frontier
of
Hungary
that
they
were
driven
back
and
dispersed
that no man is required to accept or to follow the views of
from the Red Cross will be in
as
robbers
and
marauders
by
King
Koloman."
another. Our colleague served the people of his district vigor-
attendance to insure a mini-
This is only part of the story. The indelible record of Jewish mum of waiting time for
ously, consistently, and sincerely."
martyrology recorded in history included the burning of all the
In view of the overwhelming repudiation of Marcantonio's Jews and Karaites in Jerusalem, Jews became the sport. of mns donors.
views, this must be recorded as an unusually fair and thoroughly throughout Europe during the Third Crusade and the hold Jews
Polk and the Bnai Brith.
American tribute. It was a good speech and it serves to encourage had on Oriental trade was destroyed. As a result, ascribable di- Councils have received many
us in the belief that the views of sincere and honest men always rectly to the Crusades, Jews were forced to practice usury.
awards—from the Detroit Cora-
Will be honored in this great land.
Heinrich Graetz, to whose "History of the Jews" we must turn mon Council, Gov. G. Mennen
One other incident, recorded in the last days of the recently for a detailed review of the terrors of the Crusades, tells the fol- Williams, the national Red Cross
adjourned Congress, attests to our hopeful viewpoint. There were lowing:
and others—for recruiting don-
two dissenters in the action that was taken to outlaw the Com-
"Wratislaw, the ruler df Bohemia, returned from his cam- ors in their organization in the
munist Party—Abraham J. Multer of Brooklyn, a Democrat, and paign, and heard that the Jews intended sending their riches drive to obtain blood.
Usher L. Burdick of North Dakota, a Republican—one a Jew, the
out of the country. Thereupon he placed them under military
The Councils also have co-
other a Christian. - surveillance. The elders were called together, and the duke's operated
and sponsored Inter-
Congressman Multer said he had voted against the bill be
treasurer announced to them in his lord's name that everything Faith blood banks which have
cause "putting any group out of business in this way is basically
they possessed belonged to him, and that they were endeavoring received similar praise.
wrong in principle; it is the way a Fascist would use, the
to rob him: 'Ye brought none of Jerusalem's treasures to Bo-
* * *
totalitarian way."
hernia. Conquered by Vespasian, and sold for a mere nothing,
Polk,
who
has
been a member
Congressman Burdick said : "I am against any form of
ye have been scattered over the globe. Naked ye have entered
tyranny over the mind of man. I am for freedom of speech,
the land, and naked ye can depart. For your secession from the of- the Detroit Chapter, Ameri-
can Red Cross for 13 years, rep-
freedom of the. press. I am opposed to silence from fear, in-
Church, Bishop Cosmas may judge you.' There was nothing to
resents the CIO and Bnai Brith.
stead of reason."
be said against this logic; it was the argument of brutality. The
When men speak so courageously, in face of overwhelming Bohemian Jews were plundered, only enough being left to them He has individually helped to
sentiment in favor of the bill they opposed, they register voices to stay for the moment the cravings of hunger. With malicious recruit tens of thousands of don-
in defense of a great principle: the right of free men to express pleasure a contemporary chronicler relates that the Jews were ors during and since the Korean
unpopular views because they believe them to be the correct despoiled of more gold than the Greeks had taken from Troy. War.
Ideas for all times.
Since Herbert is under
Still more dreadful was the fate of the Jews of Jerusalem. When
The men we have quoted are, in truth, in the minority. But
his dad has to give special
the crusading army, under Godfrey of Bouillon, after many at-
a minority often becomes a majority in the course of time; and tempts had taken the city by storm, and massacred the Mahome-
permission for his blood dona-
even if it remain a minority it serves the purpose of causing tans, they drove the Jews, Rabbanites and Karaites, into a syna-
tion, but this Polk is only to
their fellow men to think things through and not to be dominated gogue, set fire to it, and burnt all within it walls (July 15, 1099).
happy to do. Polk himself is
by extreme partisanship and by momentary bias.
This tragedy was written in blood in the Centuries of the a rarity so far as blood donors
*
•
•
Crusades, and as we review the dark chapters of medieval history are concerned. While most
President Eisenhower and the Truth About the Crusades
we are compelled to reject whatever encomia are spoken unknow-
donors can give only four
In his campaign for the Presidency, General Eisenhower was ingly in tribute to marauders and murderers.
times a year, Polk contributes
They may have begun in good faith. But we consider it sac-
the "Great Crusader" whose ideas were endorsed by the voters
a pint of blood monthly, since
of this country. His use of the word "Crusade" could not be chal- rilege to compare the Crusaders with the Pilgrims who landed on his system makes it up that
lenged at that time. In its interpretation as "any vigorous, ag- Plymouth Rock in 1620. The Pilgrims, in the words of President fast."
gressive movement for the defense or advancement of an idea, Eisenhower, indeed "came across without the slightest diminution
Co-chairmen of the rally on
cause, etc."—as given in the American College Dictionary—there in their faith that here in this untried, uncharted land they Sept. 16, along with Polk, are
can be no objection to its utilization for a worthy cause. But when could build for themselves a place in which they would prosper Sarah Dorf and Charles Abram.
the Crusaders are mentioned without reference to the damage and they could stand up right before their God." The Crusaders, There will be 80 prizes awarded
they had done to the people with whom they differed, we are com- on the contrary, defied God and the godliest of all things: human to the donors who attend the
pelled to turn back the pages of history in order to point to the life.
We bear no grudge against those who glorify—unknowingly- rally. As a special feature,
truth in an era when those who set out on a crusade had pillaged
the Crusaders, as long as their errors are not repeated when they Marty Horowitz, of Marty's Deli-
and murdered and were the cause of human destruction.
President Eisenhower spoke of the Crusaders who unlocked learn the facts. And the facts impel us not to glorify murder— catessen, will donate sandwiches
faith and energies to carry men forward, in his address at the even if it dates back.to the medievalism (11th to 13th centuries) among the donors and Red Crow
Purely Commentary
Father and Son
Team Up for BB
:Blood Bank Rall y
.
Assembly of the World Council of Churches in Evanston o III. In his of the Crusaders,
helpers.