Detroit Industrial Project Makes Its Mark in Israel

Purely Commentary

Alfred May Praises Activities of Edward C. Levy
In Growth of Successful Rock Products, Inc.

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

Marie Syrkin's 'Way of Valor'—A Partisan Biography

Marie Syrkin pays a great personal tribute to a dear friend in
her "Way of Valor," a biography of Golda Myerson, the former
Milwaukee girl who became Israel's first Minister of Labor. This
impressiVe volume, published by Sharon Books (45 E. 17th, N.Y. 3),
is valuable not only as an evaluation of the life story of a great
contemporary woman, but also for its review of the history of
events that preceded and followed the establishment of the state
of Israel.
"Way of Valor" is—justifiably, perhaps—
biased. It is strictly a tribute to Mrs. Myerson and
to the Labor Zionists with whom she labored for
Zionism, for the establishment of the State, for
the defense of the Jewish positions in Israel: It
is an idol-worshiping book to such a high degree
that at one point in the biography, when Miss
Syrkin tells how Mrs. Myerson was chosen to go
to the United States—after the UN Partition deci-
sion—to plead with American Jewry Mr assistance
when it needed arms for self-defense, she states-,
convincingly—that: "It would have been madness
to let Ben-Gurion leave Palestine at so crucial a
time." While asserting about Ben-Gurion, that "no
one had his breadth of vision where major deci-
sions had to be made," she adds; "In addition,
Ben-Gurion was not notable for tact or winning
Golda Myerson ways. He was as likely to • antagonize as to con-
vince." But Miss Syrkin has no doubts about Golda Myerson's
ability to convince and to achieve results.
In at least one respect, Miss Syrkin's partisanship is regrettable.
When speaking of the - battle for independence, she mentions
the names only of Labor Zionists, forgetting that all elements in
Jewry fought for freedom for _Israel. She writes about Moshe Sher-
tok—now Sharett—as having been sent to lead in the appeals in
favor of the Palestine Partition Resolution before the ,United
Nations, forgetting the invaluable service that was rendered at
that time by Dr. Abba Hillel Silver. The bias of "Way of Valor"
in glarnig in this and in other respects.
But the biography of Golda Myerson, as already indicated, is
meritorious because of its review of historical developments that
led to Israel's rebirth. It has special value in its revelation of Mrs.
Myerson's meetings with King Abdullah of Transjordania, now -
Jordan, and her Ambassadorial experience in Russia.
Little is known about Golda's—as Miss Syrkin constantly refers
to the subject of her biography—"Tryst With Abdullah." The first
meeting with Abdullah was held, in secret, in Pinhas Rutenberg's
house near the power-station at Naharayim on the Jordan in
November, 1947. Abdullah then promised not to join in any attack
on the Jews. He promised friendship, calling the Mufti a common
enemy, said he would annex the Arab portion of Palestine to be
decided upon in the UN Partition Resolution to his kingdom and
agreed upon another meeting after the passage of the UN Partition
Resolution. •
Then came a betrayal. Abdullah, out of fear again to meet with
Mrs. Myerson at Naharayim, sent a car to take her and an inter-
preter, Ezra Dannin, an Oriental Jew born in Jaffa, to Amman.
Golda dressed as an Arab woman to make the perilous journey
and to learn that Abdullah was to make impossible conditions for
a friendship with Israel. He insisted upon making Israel a part
of his kingdom,.promised the Jews good treatment and wanted to
know why Jews were in a hurry to declare a -state.
His conditions were, of course, rejected, and Mrs. Myerson,
fortunately, returned to her home safely, .at a time when dangerous
Arab mobs had begun to roam the highways. Abdullah broke his
promise and joined the war on Israel. Miss Syrkin's chapter on
"Tryst With Abdullah" concludes:
"Early in 1951, Abdullah told another Jewish emissary that
the person. chiefly responsible for the war was Golda. She had
rejected his offer of peace. Later that year, in July, I was in Golda's
apartment in Jerusalem when the radio announced that Abdullah
had been assassinated." She adds that "both Golda and Dannin"-
who warned Abdullah to be careful in mingling with crowds when
he insisted he was a Bedouin—"had been right."
Of special interest is the report on Mrs. Myerson's experience
ae: Israel's Ambassador to Russia. The receptions given her by the
Jews of Moscow at the synagogue services on her first Sabbath in
the country and on the Holy Days; her run-in with Ilya Ehrenburg,
which will require special treatment later; the reactions to the
status of Yiddish in Russia and other items deserve study.
. Contrary to some views, that Mrs. Myerson was unduly spied
ujion while in Russia, Miss Syrkin writes in her biography:
"The experience in Russia had had its inevitable frustrations
birt in justice to the welcome she had received from the Russian
gbvernment, there was one. thing she wanted to make clear before
her departure. The Israel legation had received exactly the same
kind of treatment as the embassies of more powerful nations. In
answer to rumors in the American press she denied that she had
been dogged by plain-clothes men and stated curtly that her legation
had suffered 'neither from excess ribr lack of attention.' And she
Was able to say - with complete sincerity: shall always remember
the profound understanding •shown by. the Russian authorities to
the many problems of our young state. It was my endeavor to
further friendly relations between the Soviet and - Israel, and I
hope I have succeeded.' "
Miss Syrkin adds: "The sorrow for the silenced Jews of Russia
was another matter."
There is much more in Miss Syrkin's biography that should
be considered, in' the reading of her book, in relation to the Zionist
Movement. •
For instance, Mrs. Myerson's opinion . of American Zionists,
her depreciation of the importance of a U.S. Zionist movement, etc..
As a history of a movement and of the beginning of the young
State of Israel, more than as a biography, Miss Syrkin's "Way of
Valor" has much merit.

'Separation'. Problem Invades Philately

,THE ROCK PRODUCTS PLANT IN ISRAEL

A major industrial project un-
dertaken by a group of Detroiters
in Israel. has taken root and is
being acclaimed as one of Ameri-
can Jewry's chief contributions
to the Jewish State through pri-
vate investments.
Rock Products, Ltd., which has
developed into a vast enterprise;
this week was described as a
successful Israeli operation as
"an example of what Americans
with money" can do for Israel.
• Alfred May prominent De-
• troit attorney, president of
Rock Products• Inc., describing
the success, of the enterprise,
praised the efforts of a fellow-
Detroiter, Edward C.Levy, in
s proj-
the advancement of thi
ect.
Describing the success of the
Rock Products, Mr. May stated:

dollars to purchase, erect and
build a modern stone crushing
plant, a fleet of trucks, power
rock drills and ,other necessary
tools and equipment for mass
production stone crushing, in-
cluding a 100,000 pound platform
scale, which was the only plat-
form scale then existing in the
State of Israel.
"The Edw.. C. Levy Company
carried out the ideas and re-
quests of the sponsors and after
approximately one year of de-
signing, purchasing and shipping,
this plant came into being and
was erected at.lira Yuhuda,
Israel, at a cost of much labor,
hardship and the unselfish devo-
tion of Mr. Levy to the entire
project.
"Some of the accomplish-
ments of the Rock Products
plant, to date, have been pro-
duction of materials for the
construction of 67 miles of
Road leading to the Dead Sea,

which is presently being used
for transportation of , phos-
phates, fertilizers and for
transporting oil from the first
oil wells in production. Mate-
rial from Rock Products went
into the building of the port of
Tel Aviv, . storage granaries
and of -the P.E.C. electric
plant. Rock Products also pro-
duces the-major portion of ma-
terials for cement blocks and
for concrete pipe now used in.
Israel.
"This plant known as Rock
Products, Ltd., today is a success-
ful operation in Israel and is an
example of what Americans with
money, know how and ingenuity .
have been able to contribute to
a successful, manufacturing op-
eration and to the welfare of the
State of Israel by giving employ-
ment to a large number of peo-
ple, low cost housing, providing
a basic. product, and earning a
fair return on its operation?!

Canada to Admit More Immigrants

MONTREAL, (J T A) — T h e
Canadian government is inform-
ing its regional immigration of-
fices around the world that Can-
ada's gates will be wide open
to immigrants this winter. The
emphasis will be on skilled work-
ers and professions. "Immigra-
tion from France, the United
Kingdom and the 1J. S. would be
most welcome, but no restrictions
are being placed on the immi-
gration picture in general," the
report says.
The Canadian Press reports

EDWARD C. LEVY

-

"In 1950, a group of prominent
Jewish Detroiters, business and
professional men, aware of the
critical need of private capital
investment in Israel, decided to
be among the first to pioneer in
this field, feeling that if it were
successful, others would follow
by example.
"As a result, this group se-
lected and requested Edward C.
Levy, of Detroit, to go to Israel
and make a survey of capital
needs and economic conditions.
After spending weeks surveying
the situation in. Israel and inter-
viewing many groups of busi-
ness, professional - men, builders,
contractors and government of-
ficials, Mr. Levy decided, be-
cause of tbe absence and lack
of steel and wood. in. Israel and,
because all construction and
building in Israel consisted of
crushed stone and cement, there
was a great basic need and de-
mand for a modern stone crush-
ing plant and 'quarry- which
would produce crushed stone at
a moderate price ,and in neces-
sary quantities. This plant could
furnish not only a basic product
but employment to hundreds of
people.
"Experimental _bore tests
and Surveys revealed the best
available site to be in Tira
Yuhuda, a village located near
the Lydda airport, not far from
the Traisjordin border but ac-
cessible to the Tel Aviv build-
ing area.
- -"The Ed•. C. Levy Company,
designed, purchased and financed
the entire cost of the proposed-
project until such time as monies
were raised by the sponsoring
group.
"In culmination of Mr. Levy's
recommendation, 25 of Detroit's
leading Jewish personalities, to-
gether with Mr. Levy, pledged,
raised and invested one million

It has been pointed out by the American Jewish Committee that
the proper time in which to • begin facing the issue of injection
of. the Christmas spirit in Jewish ranks is not In. December, but in
July.
Although it is already after Christmas, it is never too late to
warn against the danger to the sacred American idea of the separa-
tion of church and state in the proposal made to the U. S. Post Office
Department, by George W. Linn, senior editor of Linn's Weekly
News, that our Government issue a Christmas commemorative stamp.
Outright rejection is the only answer that can be given such a
suggestion. The merest consideration that may be given such an
idea would threaten the separation • principle. We would then have
a:right to ask commemorative stamps for Hanukah and Purim. .
Detroiter Henry B. Stern- deserves great credit for having taken
note of the Linn plan and for having registered his protest against it.
• Incidentally, our Post Office Department gave a deaf ear to
the request for a commemmorative stamp to mark the American
Jewish Tercentenary—an occasion that certainly deserved official
recognition: In view of that act, we doubt whether our Postmaster 2
10ould be so" unwise as to consider a Christmas stamp;' , !
. .

—

that "the government has ten-
tatively decided to admit as im-
migrants to Canada a 'limited
number' of Palestinian refugees.
Officials said it will have to be
determined how many suitable
refugees want to center Canada
and how many can be absorbed
before the actual number to be
admitted can be decided. The
immigrants will be chosen from
among English or -French-speak-
ing applicants in Lebanon who
have certain specified trades or
skill which would enable them
to find work in Canada."

Between You and Me

By BORIS SMOLAR

(Copyright, 1956, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)

Zionist Trends:

-
American Zionists are not exactly happy that the World Zionist
Congress is now convoked for April . . . They would have preferred
that the Congress be held in July as originally scheduled . . . This
was what Dr. Nahum Goldmann wanted . , . However, the Zionist
parties in Israel insisted on holding the Congress earlier because
of the new situation faced by Israel . . . It was under their pressure
that Goldrnann, as chairman of the World Zionist executive, agreed
to summon the Congress in April . . . Originally, Dr. Goldmann
planned to call pre-Congress conferences of leading non-Zionists ... •
One such conference was to bring together European non-Zionists,
a second conference was planned for non-Zionists in Latin America,
and a third for non-Zionists of the United States and Canada ... At
these conferences the way would have been paved, perhaps, for
bringing non-Zionists into the Jewish Agency . . The insistence
of the. Zionist groups in Israel on holding the Congress early in
April makes the calling of such conferences difficult, if not im-
possible ... Leaders of Zionist and non-Zionist groups in the United
States are now raising a fund of $90,000 quietly, without any 'special
campaigning, to honor Dr. Goldrnann . . . They intend to plant a
"Goldmann Forest" of 60,000 trees in Israel, to mark Dr. Goldmann's
60th birthday.

U.S. - Israel Relations:

More than 40 agreements and treaties between the United States
and Israel materially help business and commercial relations be-
tween the two countries . . . They provide a sound legal founda-
tion for the participation by American businessmen, investors and
technicians in economic activity in Israel . . There is a great
similarity in the U. S. and Israel concepts of the treatment of
matters concerning commerce, finance and the rights of the indi-
viduals in the two democracies . . . The main agreements under-
scoring these concepts are the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce
and Navigation, the Technical Cooperation agreements, and agree-
ments on taxation . . Negotiations are now being conducted for
the conclusion of an American-Israeli tax treaty, to eliminate double
taxation . . This would induce the flow of private investment
capital from the United States to Israel . . . There is a plan under
consideration for a so-called "private Point Four" program for
Israel . .. The plan, discussed by the American-Israel Chamber of
Commerce, calls for the establishment by the Chamber of a special
division in the United States for processing of requests by Israeli
firms for expert .advice and "know-how" . . . A clearing .center of
the Chamber in Israel will examine offers of such assistance from
American manufacturers and businessmen Two Israeli companies
have now placed orders in the U. S. for $2,500,000 worth of oil drill-
ing equipment to be used to intensify drilling operations by various
American and Israeli groups prospecting oil in. Israel. Israel is
testing German drilling equipment . . . If it proves to be more effi-
DETROIT JEWISH NEWS cient, Israel drilling companies may acquire such equipment from
Gerinany undet the reparations pact.
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