`BIG Show' of Israel Bond Women's Organization
Thursday; 'BIG Day' . to be Observed This. Sunday
Purely Commentary
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
it.
The "BIG Show," or Bonds tive Rio de Janeiro; and in Henrietta Szold by Mrs. M.
of the Israel Government Show,' America at the "Met" and with Saulson.
will be the major undertaking the San Francisco Opera..
of the Detroit Women's Division : An outstanding authority on
for Israel bonds, it was an- the economic opportunities and
nounced by Mrs. Joseph Katchke problems of Israel, Robert Na-
and Mrs, Harry Kay, . co-chair- than predicted in his book,
men of the Vicmen's Division ,, Palestine:
Palestine: Problem and Prom-
_ , ,, that Israel would be able
The show is scheduled for next is e
Thursday, 1 p.m., in the Scottish to absorb a large influx of im-
Rite Cathedral of Masonic Tern- migrants withdut detrimental
ple.
- effect on its economic structure.
The show will feature Bidu
In the fashion show depicting
Sayao, Brazilian star of the
costumes of famous historical
Metropolitan Opera.
women, these portrayals will be
Robert Nathan, former Deputy made: Eve by Miss Arlene Hel-
Director of the U. S. Office of man, Ruth by Mrs. Peter Chod-
War Mobilization and Recpn- oroff, Queen Esther by Mrs.
version, will be the speaker. i Aaron Soverinsky, Hannah by
Another attraction of the Mrs. Harry B. Aronow, Donna
afternoon is "The New Look Gracia by Mrs. Gerald Goldberg,
Through the Ages," written by Gluckel of Hameln by Mrs. Wil-
Avis Shulman of New York, a ham Cohen, Hannah Czenesh by
presentation of 10 famous worn- 1Mrs. Saul Rose, Henrietta Herz
en in history, as portrayed by b D y Mrs. Louis Kasle, Rebecca
local selected representatives of Graetz by Mrs. Harry SpoOn, and
BIDU SAYAO
Detroit Jewish Women's organ- ,
izations.
Admission to the "BIG Show"
is by purchase of an Israel bond,
or by the sale or collection of
$500 in bonds.
As a final rallying point for
December is designated as a review by Mrs. Harry L. Jackson
this function, the women will special month for Hadassah.
join the men of the community - Throughout the month events on "Blessed Is Our Land," at
in a "BIG (Bonds of the Israel are planned to celebrate the the home of Mrs. A. H. Stern,
Government) Day," Sunday, birthday. -of the late founder of 19182 Monica, 12:30 p.m. Candle
9:30 a.m., with headquarters at Hadassah, Henrietta Szold, and lighting ceremony honoring Hen-
Carmel Hebrew School, 17556 Hanukah. Induction of new rietta Szold's birthday. '
SHERWOOD — A luncheon at
Wyoming.
members will be featured.
home of Mrs. Robert Brody,
According to "BIG Day" Mar-
On Tuesday, group meetings 19560 Afton. Samuel Kellman,
shal, Norman Allan, 18507 North- will be held at p.m. throughout
senior clinical psychologist of
lawn, hundreds of volunteer the city.
the psychiatric clinic at Harper
workers will join phone squads
The following special programs Hospital, will moderate for a
or motorcades, to contact every have been scheduled:
"Make-Up Your Mind" panel.
Jewish family in Detroit for the
RUSSELL WOOD EAST and
MEYERS—A "Do-It Yourself
sale or collection of Israel Bonds WEST — Paid-up membership
during this one-day drive,
dessert luncheon and tour of Show," featuring how to make.
Working with Mrs. Katchke Tercentenary exhibit at Detroit Hanukah decorations, cake dee,-
and Mrs. Kay on preparations Historical Museum. Auto cara- orations, millinery and flower.
for the "BIG Show" are Mes- van leaving Dexter and Glendale ' arrangements, at Esther Ber-
dames Philip, Heilman, Joseph at 12:30 p.m. for members need- man Branch of United. Hebrew
Schools, at 12:30 p.m. Luncheon
Newman, Albert Potiker, Samuel ing transportation.
Aaron, Philip Cutler, Eli Gross,
UNIVERSITY EAST — At the will be served.
Mrs. William B. Isenberg, Ha..
Avis Shulman, Mrs. William P. home of Mrs. Sam Schwartz,
Goldberg, David Holtzman, Nor- 18000 Muirland. New members dassah chapter president, an-
man Allan, and George Korman. will be honored with a Hanukah ' nounces that the Hadassah Sab-
Currently on a nationwide candle-lighting ceremony. Pre- bath will be held Dec. 17, 8:30
concert tour, Bidu Sayao has miere in Detroit of new Hadassah p.m., in Temple Israel. Dr. Leon
starred in Europe's foremost movie shown at national con- ' Fram has planned a special ser-
opera companies, LaScala, Mi- vention.
mon. Hadassah members are
lan, Rome's Royal Opera, the
UNIVERSITY NORTH—A book invited to worship together.
Paris Opera Comique; in the two
Latin American opera houses,
Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires
and Teatro Nacional in her na-
"Gut, Guter, a Mechaye" -
Our item about Arthur Koestler's "Invisible Writing" (Mac-
millan) under the heading "The 'Yiddish-German' Taught in Rus-
sia," reminded Leon Kay of a similar experience. In the Russian
gymnasium where he studied, he befriended a Greek who learned
a. number of Yiddish and Hebraized words. But he was weak in
his German. When asked to conjugate "gut," he began with "gut,
guter . ." and then noticed that Kay was shaking his head to
him in the negative. He was perplexed, but suddenly his face
brightened and he exclaimed: "Gut, guter, a mechaye."
A word about Leon Kay: He is best known as a Zionist leader
here. But his interests are varied. He is equally interested in the
advancement of Jewish cultural values and in an effective Jewish
educational program. He is concerned with local as well as world-
Wide Jewish affairs. His chief interest, however, is the Israel
Technion. He is a national vice-president of the American Tech-
*lion Society and the spearhead of the Detroit Technion Society.
It is natural, therefore, that the dinner being dedicated in his
honor, Dec. 12, should be sponsored by the Technion. It is pleasant
to join in good wishes to a deserving leader.
*.
Dr. L. M. Birkhead: Fearless Champion of Democracy
This Commentator loses a valued friend in the death of Dr.
Leon Milton Birkhead, the fearless champion of just causes, the
director of Friends of Democracy. I'e lived a full life. He packed
In a great deal of activity in the last 30 of his 69 years. He chal-
lenged every anti-Semite and all who dared threaten the liberties
Of Americans:
He started his career as a fighter for justice in this fashion:
Several years before Hitler rose to power, while on a vacation
from his pulpit in Kansas City, he visited in Nuremberg, Germany.
Eis attention was called to an exhibition that was arranged by
"=m s'.:< the notorious sadist and muderer,
•vm""'
Julius Streicher, and to his amaze-
ment he found among the pamphlets
displayed there many anti-Semitic
brochures published in the United
States. He wondered: he had never
seen that sort of material in his
homeland. Was it possible that in
the great United States there was a
flourishing anti-Semitic movement?
He returned home determined to
learn for himself. .Then he discovered
that even in free America there were
bigots. That began a new era of dedi-
cation for the Christian minister from
Kansas City. He gave up his Uni-
tarian pulpit. He plunged into the
job of fighting prejudice. He became
Dr. L. M. Birkhead • the target of the hatists of the land.
rut he exposed them and he made them fear him.
Leon - Birkhead came to Detroit at your - Commentator's
invitation in the days when. Gerald L. K. Smith was riding high.
This Commenatator still was president of the Detroit .chapter
of the Ainerican. Jewish_ Congress. We •had a luncheon meeting
in Dr. Birkhead's honor at the Leland and we learned that there
was pante in some ranks. A Jewish friend . of G. L. K. Smith was
afraid that Birkhead wound say damaging things. He tried to
"top the lecture. We were warned in advance that a public
stenographer would be at the meeting to make a record of the
Birkhead speech in its totality. And there was a public stenog-
rapher for the public rally that night at Central High School.
It was believed in advance that Birkhead might have some-
thing to say that night about Charles A. Lindbergh, who was then
badly involved in what was believed to be an anti-Semitic '
complex created by a pacifism that made him an America Firster
and a pro-Nazi. When we came into the Central High School
Auditorium we sensed trouble. There was a strange motley of old
women and unfamiliar men. There was a threatening silence
until your Comnfenator introduced Birkhead. Suddenly people
began to sneeze. We soon learned that a sneezing powder was
spread in the hall. Then, when Birkhead actually mentioned
Lindbergh, the tumult started, the hissing, the shouting, the
attempt to break up the meeting and to start a riot.
Your Commentator rejected a suggestion that we call the
police. Jewish War Veterans were angry after the meeting at not
having been told in advance that there would be trouble (as if
we knew!) : they would have taken care of the rioters, said they!
But these steps were unnecessary. An appeal to an American
sense of fair play failed, but our patience triumphed and we
finally were left in peace to hear Birkhead's address. We were
happy that the couple of policemen who arrived in response to a
panic-stricken auditor's call came when the atmosphere had
cleared. The disturbance made the press: the newspapers got us
out of bed at 3 a.m. to get the facts—having learned of the
incident from the police blotter. It was a scandal—to the discredit
of the anti-Semites--and it added just another experience in the
interesting career of Leon M. Birkhead.
It was a G. L. K. Smith crowd—and we learned later that Mrs.
Smith was among those in the audience.
Leon Birkhead remained untiring. He exposed Coughlin in a
special documented brochure. He conducted a fight against the
American Nazis and often invaded Yorkville and other German
sections in New York where anti-Semitic meetings were held
nightly and whence gangs emerged to attack and molest Jews.
He went a long way to befriend the younger Fords to re-establish
a good feeling towards the Detroit auto magnates.
He formed the Friends of Democracy and remained, to his
dying day, one of the ablest American champions of decency.
He was one of the Hassidei Umot Haolam—the saintly among
the nations. Those who knew him always will bless his memory.
Those who did not know him heard of his deeds and, as they
re-read the story of his unselfish , life, also will bless his...name.
* • *
Dr. Sachar's 'Guest' Argument
Dr. Abram L. Sachar is an able spokesman for the school
of higher learning of which he is president: Brandeis University.
He has earned the esteem of American Jewry for his scholarship,'
his learned addresses in behalf of Hillel Foundations (which he
formerly directed and of which he still is the national chairman)
and major. Jewish causes. He inspires large audiences 'whenever
he is booked to deliver a public address.
Because of our admiration and friendship for him, we are
especially disturbed by his argument, which we have heard on
several occasion and which he repeated here last week, that Jews
have been "guests" in American universities and that they are,
at last, acting as "hosts" through Brandeis University.
We take exception to the label "guests" in relation to Jewish
attQl:41-P, WQ.b1 American schools . of learning. Our- contention. is
that as citizens we share in the rights and privileges accorded
-
Hadassah Groups to Ceiebrate.Birthday
Of Henrietta Szold at Tuesday Meets
.
I
Baruch Niv, Ben Zion Ilan to Speak
At Histadrut Campaign Rallies Here
Discussing 'the fatal apple that
Eve gave Adam are Mrs. ELI
GROSS (left), director of the
"B I G S h o w," presentation of
the Detroit Israel Bond Women
at Masonic Temple, klee. 16;
and Miss ARLENE HELMAN,
who will portray "Eve" as one
of 10 famous women in history,
in "The New Look Through the
Ages."
With more than a quarter of
the local $250,000 goal already
attained, the Detroit Histadrut
Campaign proceeded this week
to mobilize all its forces for the
raising of the balance during
the coming few months.
This week-end, Baruch Niv,
Histadrut official from Israel,
who is in this country on impor-
tant business for the Israel,
Federation of Labor, will partici-
pate in several local events. A
former Israel Consul to Poland
and Romania, he will address
several societies, including Pins-
ker, Turover, Minowitzer and
others.
The Farband Division of the
Histadrut Campaign is reported
well ahead of its schedule.
Ben Harold, Farband Divi-
sion chairman, reports that
Arlazaroff Branch 13'7 has al-
ready achieved two-thirds of
the entire amount it raised
last year. Mr. Niv will address
the Farband groups Saturday
night and the Landsmanshaf-
ten Sunday at 2 p.m. Both
meetings will take place in the
former Labor Zionist Institute,
13722 Linwood.
The Labor Zionist Division,
under the chairmanship of Irv-
ing Pokempner, will bring its
pre-campaign activities to a
peak during the week of Dec. 11
in conjunction with Ben Zion
Ilan's visit to Detroit. Mr. Ilan,
one of the founders of Kibutz
Afikiin, Haganah and Jewish
Brigade Commander, special
emissary for the State of Israel,
will spend four days in Detroit
commencing Dec. 17. He will
meet most branches of the La-
bor Zionist Organization and
will open the Pioneer Women
Division drive which this year is
under the chairmanship of Mrs.
Thelma Zak and according to
Samuel Schwartzberg, chairman
of the scrap metal division, will
address his group at a Sunday
breakfast.
The professional division, un-
der the combined chairmanship
of Drs: Saul C. and Jack Kut.
nick and Morris W. Stein. The
communial workers division,- -un-
der the co-chairmanship of Ha*
old Silver and Walter Klein, a1S0 -
report the distribution of work-
ers' kits completed and actual
soliciatiOn well under way.
An innovation is being at,
tempted in connection with the
Histadrut radio programs thbs
year. While the series were con!.
ducted in Yiddish exclusively in
former years, four of the 1*
programs • this year will be in
English. Louis Levine, chairman
of the Landsmanschaft division
again will handle the Yiddish
programs, with Joseph Edelman
in charge of every third presen-
tation.
all elements w ho seek the benefits of schools, hospitals, libraries,
museums and other public institutions. As long as our sons and
daughters ,pay tuition in the colleges they attend, they. must be
viewed as possessing equality in them with their Christian fellow
citizens. If they attend free-tuition schools, it is because they pay
taxes to the city or county or state which support such colleges
with their money.
Dr. Sachar does not have to resort to an -argument of "guests"
versus "hosts" in propagating the values of Brandeis University.
If he wishes he can point to the value of Jews sponsoring a school
that is financed mainly by Jews as being a valuable - contribution
to the educational systems of our country. That should be on a
par with our arguments for Jewish hospitals which serve to
supplement and implement our health systems. But he should
avoid resorting to an argument that we have been "guests" in
America's schools of higher learning. That is not true. Futher-
more, it invites the danger of antagonists saying to us that we
also ought to go to libraries and museums and other public
functions as "hosts," thereby accusing us -of having been or being
"guests." .
As Americans, We must repudiate any claim that we have
ever attended schools in any other capacity than as free citizens
of .our. great land.. ,Tlcie , '!guest," claim -is .a false approach .and-an. 2—DETROIT JEWISfT'i ► EWs
Friday, December 10, 1954
unnecessary one.