Rare American Jewis Documents in Library Lthibit

Noteworthy Event Marks
'Ilercentenary Celebration

For the first time in the his-
tory of Detroit, an exhibit of
rare documents and books por-
trays the history of the Ameri-
can Jewish community and of
the Jews of Detroit and Michi-
gan.
On Monday evening, civic and
local Jewish leaders officially
opened the exhibition at the
main Detroit Public Library. Un-
der the chairmanship of Philip
Slomovitz, who heads the Detroit
Committee of 300 for the Ameri-
can Jewish Tercentenary, par-
ticipants in the program in-
cluded Rabbi Leon Frain, a
member of the Library Commis-
sion, who gave the dedicatory
address; Detroit Librarian Ralph
A. Ulveling, Dr. Harvey M., Mer-
kel', a member of the Tercenten-
ary exhibits committee; Rabbis
Morris Adler and Max J. Wohl-
gelernter.
Dr. Ulveling pointed out that
a great deal of material from
the Burton Historical Collection
was used for the exhibit at the
library.
In his remarks, Dr. Merker
recalled the distinguished Jews
who served on the Detroit Li-
brary Commission—the late
Bernard Ginsburg, Magnus
Butzel, Dr. Leo M. Franklin
and Henry Meyers, and pres-
ently Rabbi Fram.
The gathering was greeted by
a message from Mayor Cobo.
Important historical materi-
al about the early Jews in De-
troit and Michigan was pro-
vided for the exhibit by Irving
I. Katz, local historian.
Among the material that was
provided by Mr. Katz is the ear -
liest Jewish marriage certificate

Plan to Name Israel
Library in Honor of
Dr. A. M. Hershman

A group of community lead-
ers last week decided to honor
Dr. A. M. Hershman by naming
the library and
educational fa-
cilities of the
Tel Aviv Youth
Center, now
under con-
struction in s Is-
rael, in his
honor.
Jacob Green-
berg, secretary
general of the
Dr. Hershman Brith Olamith
(World Organization) of Hapoel
Hamizrachi has announced from
Israel that the Tel Aviv Youth'
Center now being built by the
movement will be completed by
June, 1955. •
The center on four spacious
stories will contain a gymnasi-
um, class rooms and a large li-
brary.
An evening high school will
present a full program of gener-
al and vocational training for
creative living. A large auditori-
UM will facilitate dramatic pres-
entations and kindred activi-
ties.
Dr. Hershman has been selec-
ted for this honor on the basis
of his great contribution to
Jewish scholarship. The last
fruit of his scholarly labors, an
important work on Jewish his-
tory. is just being published .in
Israel and will be released soon.
A committee of Rabbi - Hersh-
man's friends is now being form-
ed to further this project.

issued in Michigan, the photo-
graphs of the earliest Jewish
family in the state—Joseph Well
and his five sons; an account of
the Detroit Jewish community
published in Hebrew in Ham-
maggid of Warsaw in an article
by Louis Bloomgarten who later
became rabbi of Shaarey ZedeK,
a Confirmant's Guide by Rabbi
Elias Epstein of Temple Beth El,
published in 1868—the first Jew-
ish book to be published in
Michigan; the articles of incor-
poration of Temple Beth El, and
a score of other important items.
Rare Hebrew and Yiddish
books are part of the display,
whose major interest is in the
works of American Jewish Ar-
chives of Hebrew Union College.
Thanks to the director of the
Archives, Dr. Jacob Marcus, a
large selection of manuscripts
and books dealing with the Co-
lonial and Civil War periods, are
on display on the second floor
of the Main Library, on Wood-
ward and Kirby.
Of local interest are manu-
scripts about Chapman'Abraham,
Michigan Jewish pioneer, dating
back to 1768; Ezekiel Solomon,
the first known Detroit Jew, and
other important data.

Material provided by the Ar-
chives includes the following
Photostat of letter written by
Rutherford B. Hayes to his wife,
during the Civil War, • in which
he speaks of one of his soldiers,
a Jew, who was severely wound-
ed. 1862-XII-21.
Photostat showing the title
page of a Hebrew grammar,
probably the first book of Jewish
interest published in the State
of Ohio.
Letter of Abraham - Lincoln to
the Secretary of War "about
Jews": 1) Dr. ISsacher Zachatie
who acted as a Presidential
Agent in New Orleans; 2) Blum--
berg, a Jewish officer in the Un
ion Army. 1865-1-25. .
Letter of Henry I. Hart, Presi-
dent of the Board of Delegates
of American Israelites, to Presi-
dent Lincoln asking that the
Rev. Dr. Arnold Fischel be ap-
pointed as a Jewish chaplain in
the army.
Letter of General Robert E.
Lee, Commander of the Confed-
erate Armies, to the Rev. Mr. M.
J. Michelba,cher of Richmond,
explaining that the "necessities
of war" made it impossible for
him to grant holiday furloughs
to Jewish soldiers. 1861-IX-29.
Official text of General Order
Number 11, issued by General
S. Grant, expelling Jews from
the Department under' his com-
mand.
Letter from Samuel Myers to
Moses Myers concerning an im-

portant transaction. Moses My-
ers was one of the first Jewish
residentS of Norfolk, Virginia,
arriving there from New York
in 1786. Samuel Myers, a busi-
ness partner, became a leader in
the Jewish community of Rich-
man.
Haym Salomon advertises as
"broker to the Office of Finance,
to the General Consul of France,
and to the Treasurer of the
French Army." The advertise-
ment indicates the services he is
capable of rendering in the way
of ' financial and mercantile
transactions.
Marriage contract, or ketubah,

'

of Rachel Franks and Haym Sal-
omon - on the occasion of their
marriage in New York.
Letter of Haym Salomon to
John Brownlow of Fredericks-
burg, Virginia, explaining that
the merchandise Brownlow or-
dered is difficult to obtain be-
cause of the war. 1782-V-7.
Scores of other manuscripts,
books of unusual interest, some
of them loaned by Charles E.
Feinberg, chairman of the Ter-
-centenary exhibits committee,
and rare letters are on display.
The entire community is
urged to visit the exhibit during
the coming two weeks.

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Yet trim-lined, smooth-contoured beauty is
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Plan San Francisco Merger

SAN • FRANCISCO, (JTA)—
Plans for merger of the Jewish
Welfare Fund of San Francisco
and the Federation of Jewish
Charities have been completed.
The new agency will be called
the Jewish Welfare Federation
of San Francisco, Marin and
Peninsula.

DETROIT JEWISH NEWS-1

Friday, September 24, 1954

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