Purely Commentary

All-Day Conference Sunday to Develop
Budget Formulas for Allied Campaign

duct a combined drive in the Mrs. Jones Again to Head
Judge Theodore Levin, presi-
Campaign Women's Division
spring for continuing needs
dent of the Jewish Welfare Fed-
Mrs. Harry L. Jones, has again
the
world
over,
as
well
as
for
eration, will preside at the
The Future of Southern Jewry
been named Women's Division
the Rescue Fund.
Federation's
eighth
annual
pre-
NEW ORLEANS —Editors and publishers of English-Jewish
The all-day conference will Allied Jewish campaign chair-
newspapers, who convened here last week, differed on the status campaign budget conference at begin with a presentation of man, Mrs. Lewis B. Daniels,
10:30 a.m., Sunday, at the Ten
of Southern Jewry and their future.
local, national and overseas the Jewish Welfare Federa-
Adolph Rosenberg, of the Southern Israelite, Atlanta, and Mile Branch of the Jewish Com- needs. Following a 12:30 p.m. tion's Women's Division presi-
munity Center, 15110 West Ten
Jimmy Wisch, of the Texas Post, Dallas and Fort Worth, were
luncheon, the budget conference dent, announced.
Road.
The next campaign will mark
most optimistic. They thought that the enrollment of young Jews Mile
The conference will develop will be open for discussion and
in synagogues and increased attendance in Jewish schools is a formula for allocating funds recommendation. Conf erence the beginning of the second
decade that the Women's Divi-
impresSive and encouraging.
to be raised in the 1957 Allied recommendations will be pre-
Jacques Back, of the Nashville, Tenn., Observer, and Abra- Jewish Campaign, in four cate- sented to the board of gover-
ham Slabot, of the New Orleans Jewish Ledger, were less gories: Overseas and Israel, nors of Federation.
The presentation of overseas
Local-Operating Fund s, Na-
sanguine.
and Israel needs will be made
Interestingly enough, most fears regarding Southern Jewry's tional Agencies.
The steering committee, by Samuel H. Rubiner. George
status stem from sad experiences with the Council for Judaism.
Hy Safran, and his committee M. Stutz, health and welfare
The major internal battle in this area is with the Jewish anti-
will hold a luncheon session division chairman; Morris Gar-
Zionists. They are more numerous in the South than in any
at which a formula will be vett, education division chair-
other section of the country—although even there thearea
evolved for the consideration man, Jacob A. Citrin, commun-
negligible factor; but the fact that a number of very wealthy
of the delegates at the after- ity relations division chairman,
men belong to the Council and refuse to give to the UJA creates
and Sidney J. Allen, capital
noon session.
serious
problem
here.
a
The formula, both for the needs chairman, will present the
Jacques Back, a man with long experience — this youth-
looking and progressive editor will be 77 this week-end — regular campaign and for De- needs of their divisions.
troit's participation in the
The invitation list to the con-
predicts that the anti-Zionist Council will be out of business in
$100,000,000 United Jewish
ference includes members of
a very short time. He believes that the rebukes this group has
Appeal Rescue Fund, will the boards of, the Jewish Wel-
received and its negative program are dooming it to total failure.
take into account Detroit's re- fare Federation, Detroit Service
Your Commentator picked up a good story here. It was told sponsibilities for Israel's
Group, Women's Division, Jun-
byJimm y Wisch about Jan Peerce, who succeeded in packing
emergency and related prob- ior Division, Federation budget
Worth,
Tex.,
orthodox
synagogue
on
an
ordinary
lems. Detroit will again con- and planning divisions and
th e Fort
MRS. HARRY JONES
Sabbath morning.
boards of Federation member
Peerce must have had yahrzeit when he came to services in
sion has raised money to sup-
agencies.
that synagogue on a recent Friday evening. He conducted the
Allocations from the 1956 port the United Jewish Appeal,
service for a very small attendance. He conducted the Sabbath
Allied Jewish Campaign in- 13 Jewish Welfare Federation
morning service—again for the usu2l group that barely exceeds
cluded $3,133,379 for overseas member agencies, and 54 other
minyan. But he announced thPI while he was going to San
Detroit business, communal and Israel, or 67 per cent of all agencies in the United States
a Antonio
for a concert he would •eturn to coxiduct the service and religious leader, Phillip funds available for distribution. and throughout the world that
the following Sabbath. That Saturday morning the synagogue Stollman, was this week named Local operation was allocated perform essential services. The
was packed, as if it were Yom Kippur. But Jan Peerce, who chairman of the bOard of trus- 21 per cent, _a $1,007,411; local Women's Division has 12,000
left for an Eastern concert tour vfter his Texas visits, was there tees of Bar-Ilan University in capital, 8 per cent, $385,451, members who have contributed
only in spirit: the spirit that packed a synagogue.
and 4 per cent, $190,000, was $5,000,000 to the allied Jewish
Israel.
He also was made chairman allocated for national agencies. Campaign since 1946.
of the Amer-
Exposes of Council: Coleman Admits Failures -
To the credit of New Orl :ans Jewish Ledger's editor, Abe jean Commit-
tee for Bar-Ilan
Boris Smolar's
Slabot, let it be said that he has defied pressures and has called U niversity.
the bluff of the Council for Judaism on numerous occasions.
Stollman will
Slabot has condemned the i itroduction of Council textbooks direct the de-
1
schools.
The
result:
the
rabbi
-
velopment pro-
in one of his community's tempi
is angry, but the reproduction of the Council remains on record. gram of the
Also: Slabot has presented f,Oine interesting facts about the university in
recent meetings of the Council In his city. In a leading article, this country.
Stollman
(Copyright 1956,
Bar-Ilan,
he has revealed that Council for, Judaism President Clarence L.
Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc)
Coleman has admitted the failure of his organization's program. now in its second year under
It is unfortunate that so iriuch fuss is being made over a sponsorship of the Mizrachi Or- Emergency Action:
The ban on travel to the Middle East imposed by the State
handful of Jews in our midst. They are about 15,000 out of a ganization of America, is unique
of Department upon American citizens is adversely affecting the
total American Jewish population of more than 5,000,000. But among Israeli institutions
Amer-
that
El Al Israel Airline which has established a record in carrying
they are wealthy, they control number of charity gifts, they higher learning in
methods of education are passengers from the United States to Israel . . . However, El Al
is
so
necessary
ican
why
it
7
-.UMW
access to the white
to expose -mem That is why it is heartemnb' +1-tat in taught and synthesis of liberal is continuing to maintain its regular flight schedules from New
t scientific and religion is York to Israel carrying passengers from the United States who
communities where they are most numerous, in the South, Shp
Jewish editors are.unanimous in _their opposition to and in theiN-1 stressed.
not American citizens . . The Israel airline also carries
president of are
Stollman, wlio
condemnation of this destructive group.
American citizens who fly from this country to London, Paris,
be
Mizrachi
in
Detroit,
has
been
*
*
Rome, Vienna and capitals of other countries outside of Israel...
an active supporter of the uni-
It is hoped that the State Department will soon lift its ban on
versity.
The
Stollman
family
'What If We Win?' .. .
visiting Israel in order to enable many tourist groups in this
When the Germans, having lost the war, were receiving recently contributed funds for country to take planned trips to the Jewish State ... Such group
many benefits from the victors, including the United States, the university's Stollman Dor- trips were arranged with El Al by Hadassah and other American
mitory.
this anecdote went the rounds in Israel:
The Detroit Committee for organizations long before the State Department's decision to halt
Two men were discussing the Jewish State's difficulties. One
Bar-Ilan,
headed by Abraham visits to the Middle East.
of them suggested that Israel declare war on the United States
Few people in this country are aware of the important role
and then, losing the conflict, would receive all-out financial aid Nusbaum, David I. Berris, Max El Al played during the recent critical days, when American
- and from Israel...
Stollman,
Irving
W.
Schlussel
from Uncle Sam and would forever after be on easy street.
and Daniel Temchin, is current- and other foreign airlines cancelled flights to
To which the other man replied: "But what if we win?"
ly planning its second annual The Israel airline was the only line—other than radio and tele-
This is most applicable to the present situation in the Middle banquet at 6 p.m., Jan. 8, in the graph—speedily connecting Israel with the outside world . . . It
arranged an emergency airlift operation, sending aloft four flights
East, where the defeated Nasser seems to be getting all the Latin Quarter.
Hon. James G. McDonald, daily between Israel and various points in Europe, to enable
advantages.
Apropos of which, we are indebted to Max Lerner for this first United States Ambassador thousands of travelers to reach Israel or to leave the country
Thus, no group of passengers was stranded in the country .. .
story which, he states, is now most popular in Israel, as a com- to Israel, will be guest speaker,
El Al airlines were the only planes which carried airmail and
and
an
interesting
musical
pro-
mentary on the loot acquired from Egypt by Israel: Bulganin
air freight to and from Israel . . . They justified one of the
gram
has
been
planned.
received an urgent request from Nasser for 200 more planes, to
basic purposes for which. the El Al was established in 1949, at
which Bulganin replied: "Why do you ask me? Can't Ben-Gurion
the end of Israel's War of Independence Special flights added
speak for himself?"
by El AI during the emergency airlift did not prevent the Israel
Rabbi Samuel Rosenblatt, of Baltimore, (son of the late
airline from maintaining current immigrant flights, which were
*4411116014L . Josef Rosenblatt), commenting on the failure of the
carried out as a separate service.
firiasclk.al
fairly
with
Israel,
relates
the
story
world s great-Mlerektker
* •
The Isaac Agree Memorial
about the chap who was caught 'feasting on Tzom Gedalyah (the
Society, sponsors of the Down- The Year Ahead:
fast day that occurs the day after Rosh Hashanah). He was town Synagogue, held its 35th
1957 will be the greatest fund-raising year in American
asked for an explanation and offered two reasons: He was annual installation banquet re- Jewish history . . . It will supersede even 1948 which was a
hungry, and he failed to watch the calendar, and then added: cently. Nathan Agree was toast- year of unprecedented Jewish giving in this country because
"If I don't fast on Yom Kippur, how do you expect me to fast master of the event, held at of Israel's War of Liberation . . . The decision reached at
on Tzom Gedalyah?"
the annual ,conference of the United Jewish Appeal to raise
Rainbow Terrace;
Indeed, if the great powers failed us in the days of Hitlerism,
Norton Rosin was installed as $100,000,000 during 1957, in addition to the regular budget of
and while the Arabs continually threaten to destroy Israel, what president; George A. Agree, $105,000,000, indicates best the urgency of the situation ... It is
vice-president; Robert Canvas- a year when Israel is facing the greatest danger because of
can we expect now?
*
*
ser, secretary; and Harry Kif- Moscow's outspoken threats against the Jewish State . . . It is
ferstein, treasurer. Charles N. a year of Jewish "escapees" when thousands of Jews, fleeing
Bill of Rights Anniversary Day
Agree, Morris Canvasser, Allen
Tomorrow will be observed as Bill of Rights Day, Dec. 15 G. Agree and Max Kaplan were from Egypt and Hungary, are in need of aid . . . 1957 is a year
which combines the needs of 1946—when thousands of Jews
being the nationally • accepted date for the celebration of the named as the new board of di-
were in DP camps—and of 1948 when Israel was surrounded
anniversary of the adoption of the historic principles which
rectors.
by Arab armies• . . In those two years American Jewry rose
guarantee the "unalienable 'rights" for all who live under the
At the same time, the Rachel to great heights of generosity. .. . In 1957 it will have to do a
protection of the American flag.
Agree Memorial Society in- repeat performance . . . Those who witnessed the spirit which
The Bill of Rights is the name given the first Ten Amend- stalled the following officers: prevailed at the UJA national conference, when the decision to
ments to the U.S. Constitution. They include freedom of religion, Mrs. Robert Geller, president; raise an additional $100,000,000 was adopted, have no doubt
speech, assembly, the press and the right to petition; protection Mrs. Jules Meskin, vice-presi- that American Jewry will live up to UJA expectations . . .
against unreasonable searches and seizures; the rights to trials dent; Mrs. Edward Zatkin and It was a momentous conference at which several of the delegates
by juries; the supremacy of the people over government, etc., etc. Mrs. Harry Kifferstein, secre- announcd huge contributions on the spot without even waiting
Serious debates are in progress at this time over some of the taries; Mrs. Sam Hack treas- for the $100,000,000 campaign to be launched . . . Some of these
rights incorporated in our Bill of Rights. But as long as debate urer.
contributions were among the highest in the history of the UJA,
Allan Agree and Ceil Spector and when the figures are announced officially they will no
is permissible, as long as we can speak about it and write about it,
the Bill of Rights remains the beacon of light for the American installed new officers. Irving doubt make a profound impression and inspire other large
Katz discharged past officials. contributions . . . They will also indicate to the people of Israel
people.
Rabbi Steinhauser delivered
Therefore, Bill of Rights Day is a most important occasion the invocation. Rev. Israel and of other countries the extent to which American Jewry is
for celebration. Let us honor it with rededication to the basic
interested in their fate and responsive to their: needs.
Rosin lit the Hanukah candles.
principles of our great democracy.

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

Stollman to Chair
Bar-Ilan Board

Between You
and Me

...

to

Agree Society
Holds Installation