A Salute to Irving I. Katz
. •
Michigan's Jewish Historian
to Celebrate 50th Birthday
The Historiographer of the
Jews in Michigan, Irving I.
Katz, will receive greetings
from his friends, co-workers
and members of Temple Beth
El this weekend as he celebrates
his 50th birthday on March 31.
Katz, who is officially execu-
tive secretary of Temple Beth
El, a post he has held 'since
1939, holds a variety of titles
all of them connected with aca-
demic, cultural, literary, histor-
ical, educational and philan-
thropic work.
Born in Dvinsk, Russia, Katz
came to this country at an early
age, attending business college
in Cleveland, and later gradu-
ating with a BA from Western
Reserve University, where he'
also attended law school.
His interest in the Jews in
Michigan is a carry-over from
a general curiosity about the
history of the Jewish people.
During his nine years with a
Cleveland congregation and
three more with a Youngs-
town synagogue before he
came to Detroit, Katz was
equally interested in the story
of Ohio's Jews.
His research into the life of
Michigan Jewry resulted in the
publication, in 1955, of his book,
"The Beth El Story—with a
History of the Jews in Mich-
igan Before 1850," published by
the Wayne State University
Press and winner last year of a
book award, the first WSUP
book to receive an award.
Katz was responsible for
many of the historical displays
which were set up in the De-
troit Historical Museum in cele-
bration of the American Jewish
Tercentenary in 1955, a n d
served as secretary of the De-
troit Tercentenary Committee.
A regular contributor to
The Jewish News and other
publications, Katz has au-
thored numerous books and
articles on synagogue admin-
istration and finance. He is
currently editor-in-chief of a
"Manual on Synagogue Ad-
ministration," to be published
later this year by the Na-
tional Association of Temple
Secretaries (NA TS) and
Union of American Hebrew
Congregations (UAHC).
Katz, organized the NATS, an
affilate of UAHC, in 1941, serv-
ing as its first president until
1948 and since then as honorary
president and chairman of sev-
eral NATS committees.
He is a member of the execu-
tive board, executive commit-
tee and caravan of experts of
the Great Lakes Region of
UAHC, and a member of the
National Combined Campaign
Committee for American Re-
form Judaism.
Locally, Katz is a board
member of the Detroit Serv-
ice Group of the Jewish Wel-
fare Federation, chairman of
the religious. division of the
1957 Allied Jewish Campaign
and a charter member of the
board of advisors of Wayne
State University Press.
He belongs to the Michigan,
Detroit and American Jewish
Historical Societies, American
Jewish Archives, Yiddish Sci-
entific Institute (Y I V 0),
National Jewish Social Service,
Religious Education Association,
Jewish Publication Society,
American Jewish Committee,
National Jewish Hospital at
Denver, American ORT Federa-
tion, Clements Library Associ-
ates (Ann Arbor), Adult Edu-
cation Association, Detroit In-
stitute of Arts, Kvutzah Ivrith
and is a charter member of the
Society of Contributors to the
Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
Named Philadelphia Judge
Edward A. Kallick of
Philadelphia, former Assistant
U. S. Attorney, has been named
Judge of the Philadelphia
Municipal Court by Governor
George M. Leader of - Pennsyl-
vania.
Katz is married to the former
Gail Peres. They have two
daughters, Nina Claire, a 1956
graduate of the University of
Michigan who now teaches in
the Detroit Public Schools, and
Myrna, presently a U. of M.
student.
IRVING I. KATZ
Flint Names Four
to Honorary Posts
Louis Kasle, president of the
Flint Jewish Community Coun-
cil, and Joseph Megdell, gen-
eral chairman of the 1957 Flint
United Jewish Appeal, an-
nounced that Louis Lebster, Ja-
cob Pines, Louis E. Rudner and
Ellis H. Warren have accepted
honorary co-chairmanships of
the annual drive.
Lebster, Pines and Warren
have headed past Jewish cam-
paigns in this honorary ca-pa-
city, while Rudner is being
honored for the first time since
1952.
Mr. Lebster is one of the pio-
neers of the Jewish community
of .Flint, having brought his
family here in 1905. For close to
50 years, he has inspired Jewish
communal activity of every
kind.
Jacob Pines, treasurer of the
Flint Jewish Community Coun-
cil, served with the Jewish
Legion of the British -Army in
Palestine from 1917 to 1919.
Rudner was general chair-
man of the 1948 Flint United
Jewish Appeal.
Our Letter Box
Vote on April 1
Editor, The Jewish News:
Here's hoping everyone gets
out and votes on April 1. There
are 22,000 children who will
need seats in two years in
schools. It takes $3200 to put
a child from kindergarten to
high school. In the schools the
children learn how to get along!
Let's not let them down !
ABE EIGEL
18714 Biltmore
* * *
1
and the publicity you gave to
our Brotherhood Concert.
The Jewish News is always
cooperative and we are most ap-
preciative for the fine way you_
emphasized Brotherhood Week.
Your ready interest in our work
does more than we can tell you
toward selling the concept of
Brotherhood and encouraging
groups to use our facilities.
Sincerely,
ROBERT H. FREHSE,
Executive Director.
JEANNE CALKINS,
Administrative Assistant.
Round Table Comments on
Brotherhood Week Observance
Heaven does not choose its
elect from among the great and
Editor, The Jewish News:
The Jewish News has a large wealthy.
—William M. Thackeray
share in the fact that the news-
paper coverage for Brotherhood
Week was remarkable. We have
Learn To
received calls and reports from
our membership and people on
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all sides who are interested in
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our attention to the splendid
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MOBILE UNIT JL 4-3844
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Elect the JUDGES
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ELVIN L. DAVENPORT
These Men
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THOMAS A. KAVANAGH
JOHN D. VOELKER
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1. Pokempner
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COMMITTEE FOR INCUMBENT JUDGES