Purely Commentary

Detroiters to'Lead New Infirmary Dedicated to LeVines
CJFWF Sessions
49th Annual Meeting of Home for

Aged to Highlight Cornerstone Rite

Judge Theodore Levin, Samuel
H. Rubiner, Morris Garvett and
William Avrunin, of Detroit, will
Tribute to the lasting memory ,
•
Russia's Aims in the Middle East
play major roles at the 24th gen- of David M. and Freda G. Le-
Russia's
aims
in
the
Middle
East?
Recent
develop-
What are
eral assembly of the Council of
ments in that area are creating serious anxieties. Not only the Jewish Federations. and Welfare Vine will be paid at 11 a.m., Sun-
arms sales, but the intrusions in cultural spheres also seem to point Funds to be held Nov. 10 to 13, day, when members of the com-
to attempts by Russia to "capture" the Middle East for the USSR. at the Conrad Hilton Hotel, in munity gather for the corner-
stone laying ceremonies of the
Of special interest is the "dedication" to Palestine by the Soviet Chicago.
new Infirmary Wing for the care
Academy of Science of a new periodical, "Palestinski Sbornik," with
Judge Levin, president of the of chronically ill aged at the
• '
the serial number 1(63). The first 62 issues of that periodical
were iJewish Welfare Federation here, Jewish Home for Aged, 11501
published by the Russian Palestine Society under the aegis of the will preside as chairman of a Petoskey.
Czars. Does this mean the Czarist aspirations are being revive
workshop session of large city
Rabbi Morris Adler will be
delegates on campaign and com-
by the communists?
principal
speaker at the observ-
This is not, by any means, a naive question. It is an establish- munity relationships.
ance. Judge Theodore Levin,
Avrunin, associate director of
ed fact that the Communists had never abandoned the principles
president of the Jewish Welfare
represented by the Czarist double-headed eagle—one head looking Federation, and Garvett, chair-
Federation, will speak on behalf
man
of
JWF's
education
division,
towards Constantinople (Istanbul) and the other towards St. Peters-
of the organized Jewish commun-
have been appointed to the
burg (Stalingrad).
ity.
Time will reveal all the secrets that are today hidden in Soviet CJFWF program committee. Av-
Gus D. Newman, president of
minds and hearts. Perhaps, however, we can get an additional runin also will be a discussant at
the Home„ will preside at the
inkling of Soviet aspirations in another development. In a review Judge Levine's workshop.
A paper written by Garvett on dedication ceremonies and at the
of various recent Soviet publieations, Mario Rossi, writing for the
Christian Science Monitor from the United Nations, reveals that the current status of the Jewish 49th annual meeting of the Home
ecentl as June 1955 the leading Soviet historian of the federation will be part of a which will precede the program
Ancient East, V. Struve, criticized a 'History of the-World,' publish- major Assembly address by j at 10 a.m. Saul LeVine will re-
the LeVine family.
DAVID M. LeVINE
ed in Switzerland, for dedicating 71 pages to Jewish history and Stanley C. Myers, of Miami, "Are Present
Sidney J. Allen, chairman of the
Community Organizations Keep-
religion. Far too many, according to Professor Struve."
figure this out? We can't, and won't, call this anti- ing Pace with the Communities?" Home's executive and building
Can you
Rubiner, former JWF presi- committees, will report on the de-
"-
-
t
=
wonder
how Soviet-lovers can reconcile such an
Semitis , y ,
attitude with denials of animosity towards Jews! Something that dent, will be discussant at a velopment of architectural plans
not too friendly too Jews—is that, too, an inheritance from the l workshop for cities with a Jew- for the infirmary. The invocation
is
ish population of more than 5,000 and benediction will be delivered
anti-Semitic Czarist days?—certainly lurks in Russian hearts.
* * ..*
on community-synagogue rela- by Rabbi Jacob E. Segal.
The LeVine Memorial Wing
tionships.
and His Disappointing Novel
Back to Wouk
will have a bed capacity of 120,
According
to
Julian
Freeman,
MGM wants to film Herman Wouk's `MarjOrie Morningstar,'
enabling the Home to care for
with'Debbie Reynolds in the title role," we read in Leonard Lyons' CJFWF president, the assembly a total of 205 chronically ill aged
"The Lyons Den" in the New York Post—a sentence that -compels will be a working meeting, with when the extension is completed
accent on small workshops. The
us to return to the subject of Wouk's newest novel (Doubleday).
in March of 1956 and after the
' Lyons' information creates a sense of horror. What can MGM present status and future direc- remodeling of the old infirmary
tions
of
federations
and
welfare-
possibly do with Marjorie that will, even in the minutest measure,
funds, overseas accomplishments wing.
•
lend glory to the Jewish people? _
The Freda G. LeVine Founda-
The manner in which Hollywood has. rightfully glorified the and current needs and appraisals
tion, established by Mr. LeVine
place of the Catholic priest in American life has been a cause of the 1955 campaign will be dis-
as a memorial . to his wife, be-
for jealousy among many Jews for a long *me. The Jewish geniuses cussed.
queathed $250,000 to the Jewish
in the movie industry, somehow have failed to give similar status
Welfare Federation to be used
to Jewish characters. We would have eXpected that a man as
for health purposes. With the
devout as Herman Wouk would be just the right person to create
passing of Mr. LeVine last year,
such glorious characters for us. After all, they have .existed and
Sidney Karbel and Dr. Leo the LeVine children Saul, Daniel
continue to exist. But Wouk has failed us in his new novel. Will
Orecklin have been elected chair- and Mrs. Lillian Waller accepted
he rewrite it for the movies? How can he possibly re-create his
man and honorary chairman, re- the suggestion of Federation that
FREDA G. LeVINE
mediocre, ignorant, sex-crazed characters, and-make them appear spectively, of the Detroit Service the bequest should be --given to
as inheritors of the great Jewish traditions?
Group's Professional Division for i the Jewish Home for Aged to- facilities at the Home in antici-
This commentator's review of Wouk's book produced two
1956-57. The election was part ward the construction of an in- pation of the new wing and for
criticisms from serious-minded Jews who disagreed with our view-
of
the division's biennial meet- firmary for the chronically ill the infirmary itself.
point that a pious Jew must create pious characters. That's not
aged.
- Recognizing the need for more
the point at all. We have no objection to a realistic picturization of ing, held recently, in the Butzel
The LeVines labored in behalf beds_ for the chronically ill aged
evil Jews, provided they do not monopolize the scene. We have Memorial Building.
The division elected Harry • B. of many philanthropic endeavors
no objections to the sex element in a novel. Sex-less novels are
in the city, the Metropolitan De-
Berlin,
Judge William Friedman, during their lifetimes in the gen-
almost inconceivable. But we do expect that men of learning
eral, as well as the Jewish com- troit Building Fund also became
Paul
Handleman,
•
Dr.
Alvin
B.
and of pity will produce works that will elevate Jewish standards
munity. Of major importance to a partner :in the project and
rather than degrade them. Wouk did not elevate Jewish standards Lezell, Dr. Hyman S. Mellen,
Dr. Martin Naimark, Russell S. them both was their service to allocated $700,000 for the In-
through Marjorie and her boy friend Noel.
the Jewish Home for Aged ;- where firmary. •
Harvey Breit, in his weekly article "In and Out of Books" in Nida, Dr. Abraham S. Rogoff,
the New York Times Book Review Section„ presented the most Abraham Satovsky and Julian David M. LeVine was a board
member for many years and his Joseph Salmona Only Jew
admiring reviews of "Marjorie Morningstar" and headed the list of Tobias, vice chairmen.
Other elections, to the division's wife had been a leader 'in the
with
this
quotation
from
your
commentator's
review:
On Istanbul City Council
least admiring
- "Frankly, we expected a much better work from Wouk." He quoted board by trade representation, Women's Auxiliary.
IST.ANBUL,(JTA) — Joseph
_
Judge
Levin
cited
the
expan-
are
as
follows:
us correctly, but he did us an injustice: he- failed to indicate that
Salmona, secretary general of the
sion
of
facilities
at
the
Home
as
Attorneys,
Theodore
Birnkrant,
this reviewer referred to Wouk's book as "the literary disappoint-
Lay Council of the Turkish
- ment of the year." That's the point we reiterate now, especially David J. Cohen, Harry N. Gross- another instance where an indi- Grand Rabbinate, has been
vidual
contribution
had
been
add-
man,.
Joseph
H.
Jackier,
Albert
when we are told that a scholarly Jewish writer's book about
elected a member of the Istanbul
mediocre _Jews may be filmed for millions to see, "Marjorie Morn- Melvin Colman, Jacob L. Keidan, ed to centrally-donated funds in City Council. Salmona is the only
order
to.
help
the
community
Nathan
L.
Milstein,
Harry
M.
ingstar" is rising on the best seller list. It will . be the greatest
Jew on the Council. There are
literary amazement of the year if it remains in the best seller Nayer, Sylvan Rapaport, Irving move ahead on vitally needed some 46,006 Jews among Istan-
capital
development—beyond
the
W.
5chlussel,
A.
Joseph
Seltzer,
: category for even a fifth as long a time as did—deSeivedlY—his
bul's 1,600,000 inhabitants.
- excellent "The Caine Mutiny." But through the movies; ten-thousand- Albert J. Silber, Lester S. Smith, limits of community resources.
Clement
J.
Weitzman.
i
He
praised
the
work
of
the
fold-as-many will witness the spectable portrayed by our, great
writer: we repeat: how can he improve on, his ordinary, too ordi- , Dentists and dental techncians, Federation's Committee on Capi- Wine Label Misleading
Theodore Glass, Dr. Samuel tal Needs, under the leadership of
WASHINGTON,(JTA) — The
nary, Jevis; iii the Movies, unless he - rewrites his book? - •
Jews have written about JeWs on numerous occasions. We Krohn, Dr. Jack S. Lason, Dr. Max J. Zivian, which had helped Federal Internal Revenue Bureau
have had some very bad novels about Jews. We have had some Robert Moss; physicians, Drs. Ra- to establish priority needs in the ordered that bottled wine may no
quite good ones. Charles Angoff certainly has rendered us greater phael - Altman, Harry E. August, community for capital expansion longer be labeled as "kosher-
- glory than is found in Wouk's new best seller. Another young Abraham Becker, Arthur Gold- and the progress which had been style" or "kosher-type," rulipg
the use of these phrases to be un-
Jew, Lionel Shapiro, in a novel. without- a Jewish character- berg, Paul L. Fraiberg, Benja- made in meeting these needs.
The total program at the Home lawful. It was held by the Gov-
- half the length of Wouk's—"The Sixth of June" (also a best-seller), min Gutow, Julian Priver, Jack
has produced a sounder and more impressive work. But. Wouk Rom, Alexander W. Sanders; for Aged will cost $1,460,000 of ernment that use of such phrases
is a name to contend with—because he has enjoyed so long a pharmacists, Irving Belinsky, which the - Allied Jewish Cam- to describe non-kosher wines
_ stay in -the hest-seller lists,.—and he was accorded the high honors Samuel M. Bez, Harold Milton paign has allocated $458,000 to "would be misleading to the con-
of a four-page review in Tinie Magazine—and Time's cover photo! Ellias, Morton Siegel; account- extend and improve central suming public."
- He remains in the limelight with his new book. But there are ants, Hy-man Beale, Bela Eisler,
• others who are critical of "Marjorie." We have said that this Samuel Geller, Bernard R. Isen-
book is too long. Martha MacGregoi, in the New York Post, wrote: berg; chiropodists, Dr. Maxwell
Hoffman; osteopaths, Dr.
. "The book - could have taken cutting." The an Francisco Chronicle H.
reviewer has not "learned anything new" from ".Marjorie" and -Harold M. Ekelman; educational
the Baltimore Sun's man wrote: "Let us hope - that the next time workers, Miss Jean Holtzman,
By BORIS Sty1OLAR
he writes a novel he will have the wisdom to cut his pattern to Melvin Weisz.
(Copyright, 1955, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
Others are religious services,
fit_ his cloth. He is too able a novelist to waste - his talents."
Meyer Levin liked the book. So did many others. But, in Rabbi Morris Adler, Dr. Leon Community Affairs
Of the numerous groups raising funds in the United States for
. the New York Times, Maxwell Geisman wrote that to him "the Fram, Albert Elazar, Rabbi Israel
values of true culture are as remote from its (Wouk's new book) I. Halpern, Dr. Richard C. Hertz, activities in- Israel, aside from the United Jewish Appeal, only 12
polished orbit as are, at base, the impulses of real life." Another Bernard Isaacs, Irving I. Katz, organizations have authorization from the Jewish Agency . . . The
New - York Times - book reviewer, William Du Bois, compared Rabbi Moses Lehrman, Rabbi other fund-raising campaigns are not considered desirable and are
"Marjorie" with "The Caine Mutiny's" hero, Queeg (as we had Max J. Wohlgelernter; social therefore not authorized by the Jewish Agency . . . But even among
_ done in our review), and he had this to say about "Marjorie:"
services, Irwin Shaw, Ira I. Son- the 12 agencies that are permitted to conduct their drives, some
"A basic hollownesi, a numbing infirmity of purpose, remains
nenblick; government services, exceed the "desirable maximum" of 15 per cent of total expendi-
to plague the reader in search of something more than surface
Judge Nathan J. Kaufman, Julius tures . . . The Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds,
entertainment. Queegs, unlike quinces, do not grow on trees; a
C. Pliskow, Harry Shumaker, which red the financial data submitted by these agencies, has
writer who has created a Queeg is entitled to coast - to his next
Max Smith, Commissioner Allan drawn the attention of the Jewish Agency to this fact . . . The
major performance. When that is said, it must be repeated that
L. Weston; health services, Selig Agency will disuss this matter with representatives of the agencies
concerned and will urge them to reduce their fund-raising and
'Marjorie Morningstar' is a grotesquely overwritten attempt to
D; Sidney.
make a pair of also-rans appealing; that Marjorie and Noel,
The division elected Drs. Syd- administrative expenses wherever the 15 per cent figure is exceeded
without the Wouk label to sell them, might well have perished
ney F. Ellias, Perry Goldman, . . . The Jewish Agency will also explore ways of reporting regu-
on the remainder shelf."
Lezell, Mellen, Naimark, Oreck- larly on- the activities of Yeshivot and other Israeli religious in-
But we are asked to accept a novel about "also-rans" who lin, Rogoff, Ted A. Winshall; and stitutions receiving funds from the United States . . . Several in-
are pictured as Jews and to applaud the production! That we can Nida Shumaker and -Julian S. terested bodies, including the Joint Distributidn Committee, the
not do! And we can't stomach the idea -that such a story will be Tobias as division - representa- Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds and the Israel
filmed for vast audiences! And we insist that a man like Herman tiveS to the bbard of the Detroit Consulate in New York, have indicated their willingness to co-
Wouk, who has acquired great stature on the Jewish scene as Service Group. IrWin I. Cohn operate . . . A Jewish Agency Committee on Control and Author-
well as in the literary world, has committed an injustice against and Rabbi Moses Lehrman were ization of Campaigns for Israel in this country has been in exist-
his people with his shallow, dragged-out story about a few stupid elected to the board of governors ence for six years ... It functions on a year-round basis .. . As
a result of its efforts, the Committee has succeeded in preventing
Jews whb will be accepted as representatives of all Jews but of Federation. •
a number of projected additional campaigns for Israel and has
who, in reality, are not that representative - all. Therefore, we
said, and repeat, that his work disappointed us; that we continue 2 DETROIT.JEWISH NEWS thus .stsengthened. the- fund-raising . efforts of - the United- Jewish
Appeal and other authorized agencies.
to 'Vie* 'it as the literary disapiiointthent of the year.
Friday, October 28, 1955

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

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DSG Professionals
Choose Leadership;-

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Between You and Me

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