Speakers
For Institute of
Women of JWF
•
List
Reveal hniand Defied Nazi Order to Deport Jews
BOSTON, (JTA) — How the
Finnish government defied Hit-
ler's orders to deport the Jews
n Finland to ext.mmination -
camps is reported from Helsin-
ki in the Christian Science
Monitor. The story was told for
the first time in authentic de-
tail by the chief of the wartime
Finnish censorship, Prof. Kus-
taa Vilkuna.
In July, 1942, during the
height of the campaign on the
Eastern Front, Gestapo Chief
Heinrich Himmler visited Fin-
land. The relatively few who
knew of the visit were sure it
was no pleasure or vacation trip,
but what his objective was,
neither the President of the Re-
public nor any of the Cabinet
officers would divulge.
It was observed, however, that
for months after Himmler's de-
parture members of the Finnish
government labored under a
heavy burden of anxiety. Hitler
had demanded the surrender of
Orthodox Rabbis Issue Ban On
Conservative Rabbinical Court
NEW YORK, (JTA) — More
than 200 members of the Union
Of Orthodox Rabbis of the
United States and Canada unan-
imously adopted a resolution
proclaiming the prohibition of
the Beth Din (Rabbinical Court)
of the Conservative Rabbinate
and of the latter's newly-revised
Jewish marriage contract.
. The Union of Orthodox Rab-
bis, with a membership of
close to 700, issued a statement
in which. American Jews were
cautioned not to "consult the
so-called Beth Din of the Con-
servative Rabbinate on any
matters pertaining to marriage
or divorce, or on any other re-
ligious question."
The Rabbinical convocation,
in its resolution, asserted that
"in view of the fact that the
Conservative Rabbinate of
America has in recent years ren-
dered various decisions which
engaged in diverse practices
which sanction mutations of
and departures from Jewish law,
the Union of Orthodox Rabbis
of the United States and Canada
herewith notifies the Jewish
public that the Conservative
Rabbinate is pursuing a course
of heresy, contrary to the es-
sential doctrines and funda-
mental principles of our Torah
and faith."
The strongly-worded state-
ment went on to say that "ac-
cording to Jewish law, the
Conservative Rabbinate does
not have the status of a Rab-
binate." The statement con-
tinued: "Its so-called Beth
Din is utterly devoid of Rab-
binical and religious authority,
and its judgments and deci-
sions have no validity. The
very establishment of the Con-
servative Beth. Din constitutes
a breach and violation of Jew-
ish law."
The resolution emphasized
that, in accordance with Jew-
ish law, the "use of the revised
Jewish marriage contract es-
tablished by the Conservative
Rabbinate, is forbidden." It is
also forbidden to "participate
in a marriage rite," the state-
ment said, "in which the revised
Ketubah is used." This ban, it
was noted, "applies especially to
the bride and groom and their
parents, partiCipants in the mar-
riage ritual, and witnesses."
The Convocation declared
further that in accordance
with Jewish law, a "Conserva-
tive rabbi cannot and should
not perform a religious di-
vorce, and that no person can
remarry on the basis of a di-
vorce performed by a Con-
servative Rabbi." The meeting
reiterated that "only Ortho-
dox rabbis are authorized to
perform marriage rites."
In conclusion, the Union of
Orthodox Rabbis cautioned the
American Jewish community
that the "functioning of the
Beth Din of the Conservative
Rabbinate and the use of its
revised Ketubah will lead to the
desecration of numerous Jewish
families, or cast the shadow of
illegitimacy upon their offspring,
and will create a breach irithin
the Jewish communityn"
The Union added that, if the
Conservative Beth Din is per-
mitted to function, then the
members of the Union of Ortho-
dox Rabbis of the United States
and Canada will be compelled
to "prohibit marriage into these
families whose members were
6Etarried in accordance with the
instructions of the Conservative
Beth Din, and will introduce
into each community a special
register in which the marriages
of such families will be re-
corded."
Fight Appeasement
The Conservative rabbis were
criticized generally for their
"continuous misrepresentations
of Jewish jurisprudence and
their. ever-growing efforts to un-
dermine the significance of
Jewish tradition."
Rabbi Harry J. Kaufman,
chairman, urged the Rabbinical
Alliance of America, an Ortho-
dox group, "to put an end to
the policy of appeasement and
reconciliation towards the 'Con-
servative movement which has
hitherto been prevalent in Or-
thodox circles."
Rabbi Kaufman deplored the
Conservative rabbis who "des-
pite their ostentatious efforts to
cloud their true intentions with
the language of traditional
Judaism, fail to practice the
fundamental principles of Or-
thodox Judaism, publicly violate
the law of the Sabbath, dietary
laws and the sanctify of the
family."
Rabbi Samuel A. Turk, chair-
man of the executive board of
the Alliance, emphasized "the
urgency for a concerted and
united effort of all Orthodox
rabbinic and lay groups to
guard against any encroach-
ment upon the traditional syn-
a gogue and community by these
non-conforming rabbis who pur-
port to represent the traditional
viewpoint of Judaism."
Dr. Eisendrath Guest
In Detroit for a Day
Dr. Maurice N. Eisendrath,
president of the Union of Amer-
ican Hebrew Congregations, was
a guest in Detroit on Wednes-
day and conferred here with
leaders of the three Reform
congregations —
Temple Beth El,
Temple Is-
rael and Tem-
ple Emanu-El.
At noon Wed-
nesday, Dr. Eis-
endrath was
honored at a
luncheon at the
Sheraton Cad-
illac Hotel.
Wednesday
Dr. Eisendrath e v e n i n g, the
members of the board of Tem-
ple Israel were hosts at a gath-
ering for Israel leaders and
the board members of the other
two Reform Synagogues.
the Jews who had sought sanc-
tuary in Finland from Nazi ter-
ror—this could be surmised and
it is now confirmed by Prof.
Vilkuna.
Beyond this, however, was
the awful knowledge of what
Himmler's black portfolio
eonta in e d. Himmler had
brought to Finland with him
a complete catalogue of Fin-
nish citizens of the Jewish
faith. There were nearly
2,000 names. It was clear to
the Finnish government that
Hitler's demand for Jewish re-
fugees was only a preliminary
measure to a mass liquidation
of Finland's Jews.
"In the fall of 1942, it was
obvious that, since no general
deportation could be organized,"
Prof. Vilkuna writes, "the Ges-
tapo could demand our Jews in
small groups on various grounds
and charges for examination
and trial in Germany. This grave
knowledge seems to have given
additional strength to the deter-
mined reaction following the po-
lice measure leading to the first
surrender."
How the Finnish authorities
gained their knowledge was
through "an incredibly brave
and successful coup." Silently
operating soldiers, "who were
alert to every danger, photo-
graphed the contents of the
portfolio belonging to Himmler,
the world's best-guarded police
chief." The wartime Finnish
military intelligence, inciden-
tally, is reputed to have been
far more efficient in many re-
spects than the German.
Nazi pressure on Finland
concerning the Jews was
exerted at a bad time. The
Third Reich was still at the
height of its power. North
Finland was full of German
troops engaged against the
common Soviet enemy. The
Finns were critically short of
supplies and dependent on
German imports. To rebuff
Hitler would have been to in-
vite dire consequences.
Eight persons will be speakers
at the six concurrent workshops
of the ninth annual institute of
the Women's Division of the
J e w i s h, Welfare Federation
Wednesday,; ,7
Jan. 19, from
10 a.m. to 2:30
p.m., at Con-
gregation Adas
The Finnish government did Shalom.
M r s. Morris
make a courageous secret deci-
sion not to surrender a single Zwerdling, as-
Jew, refugee or native. But in sociate profes-
its response to Himmler it hem- sor of Wayne
med and hawed, bidding for
time. It was pointed out that
Finland was a parliamentary
state and no measures of the
kind proposed could be taken
until Parliament met in the fall.
When fall came and the Fin-
nish government did nothing to-
ward implementing Himmler's
proposals, "some genius in the
' ranks of the Gestapo hit on the
idea of 'police action' requiring
neither Parliament nor even
leave from the government."
Four Jewish refugees accused of
various crimes were surrendered
to the Gestapo by the Finnish
State Police strictly in line with
collaboration on the police level.
As soon as it reached the
knowledge of the government,
prompt steps were taken. Pre-
parations for the surrender of
more "criminals" among the
Jewish refugees were halted by
vigorous intervention on the
I part of government authorities.
Early Formation of National Cabinet
To Get UJA Drive Off to Fast Start
University'
School of Social Mrs. Cohane
Work, will
speak at • . the.'
"Women As' .
Wives" w o r k-'
shop.
The role,
problems a n
family relation-:
ships of moth- .
ers will be in-
cluded in the
"Women As
Mothers" work- Mrs. Perlis
shop which will
hear Dr. Mil- •
: dred Peters, as-
sociate profes-
sor, College of
Education,
Wayne Univer-
sity.
"Women A s
Mothers-in-
L a w; Grand-
mothers" will be 'Wm. Avrunin
concerned with
relationships of women in these
roles to their families. Mrs.
Minnie Oed of the Adult Educa-
tion St a f f, Merrill Palmer
School, will be principal speaker.
Mrs. Regene Cohame, attor-
NEW YORK, (JTA) — Forma- raise millions of dollars in their ney, member of the executive
tion by the United Jewish Ap- own communities for the finan- committee of the Jewish Com-
peal of a National Campaign cing of overseas, national and munity Center, and Mrs. Mil-
made up - of 53 business, pro- local causes. The United Jewish dred E. Perlis, marriage coun-
fessional, religious and philan- Appeal is fortunate in having selor and member of the Na-
Council on Family Rela-
thropic leaders who will help them at its top level to help tional
tions,
will
address the "Women
share
in
the
planning,
direction
'
plan and direct the UJA 1955
As
Family
Planners" group
campaign for $99,521,275, was and leadership of its 1955 cam- which will revolve around plan-
announced by Samuel H. Dar- paign."
ning and budgeting both for the
off of Philadelphia, chairman of ' Daroff pointed out that the present and future.
the Cabinet for the third year early completion of the 1955
"Women in Suburbia" will
in succession.
Cabinet, in addition to the ac- delve into the relationships and
The forthcoming nationwide tion of the UJA's annual con- responsibilities between persons
drive will be launched Feb. 27, ference earlier this month in in the suburbs and those in the
at a National Inaugural Confer- electing a full body of national mother community. William
officers, has cleared the way Avrunin, associate director of
ence in Miami Beach, Fla.
Daroff stated that "the or- "for an earlier effort than usual the Jewish Welfare Federation,
ganization of this 53-man cam- to raise the sums the United and Dr. Albert J. Mayer, assist-
Jewish Appeal so urgently re- ant p r o f e s sor of sociology,
paign high com-
quires."
Wayne University, will speak.
mand now gives
Detroiters named to the 53-
Eleanor Cranefield, professor
the United Jew-
man Cabinet are Louis Berry of the School of Social Work,
ish Appeal the
and Abe Kasle. Earlier, Joseph University of Michigan, will
largest and
Holtzman, also of Detroit, was speak to the "Leisure Time—
strongest cabin-
named one of the national cam- The Creative Women" workshop.
et since this
paign. chairmen.
leadership body.
was brought in-
Hebrew U. Gives Honors
to existence in
To Nine U.S. Leaders
Jewish Doctor Gets
1949."
Norwegian
Gold
Medal
The Philadel-
JERUSALEM, (JTA) — Nine
For Medical Paper
phia Jewish
Americans will be the first to
leader, who is
receive the Hebrew University's
OSLO, (JTA)—Dr. Leo Eiting- new honorary degree, "Honorary
honorary presi-
er, a Norwegian Jewish physi- Fellow," at a special ceremony
dent of the Al-
cian, has been awarded the at Hunter College in New York,
lied Jewish Ap-
King's Gold Medal for a paper Jan. 16.
peal of that
on the effects of military life on
city, pointed out
The recipients of the awards
the mental health of Norwegian will be Joseph Mazor, James
that "members
Daroff
soldiers.
The
paper
was
written
of the new cabinet are in all
Marshall, Daniel Ross and Louis
cases leaders of UJA-affiliated as an entry in a competition Rabinowitz, of New York; Max-
campaigns in their home cities." sponsored by the Medical Facul- well Abbell and Samuel Katzin
"They represent virtually ty of Oslo University.
of Chicago; Harry Kangesser of
every important campaign area
Cleveland; Charles Brown, of. Los
in the country," he noted, "and 24 — DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Angeles; and Benjamin Swig, of
are men who have helped to
Friday, January 7, 1955
San Francisco.
THE TERCENTENARY STORY
Copyright, 1884, by American Jewish Press
18. Jews Settle in Mid-West
Text by DANIEL ELAZAR
Illustrations by MAURICE del BOURGO
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