Purely Commentary:

Israel — a Land of Miracles and Firsts:

Even the initial rainfall of the year provides
a sense of accomplishment.

, of us could benefit from peace," is the common
AFULEH, Israel—There are many firsts-in Israel.
Israeli comment on the attitude of the Arabs.
This country does not forget its first pioneers, the
While weapons never are in evidence here,
first roads, the first achievements and the first -
Israelis who continue to build nevertheless are pro-
sacrifices.
tecting themselves well — building with one hand,
A guest who visits here may retain for all time
protecting with the other.
the recollection of \the first moment of his having
touched Holy Soil upon his arrival; or of his first
They Remember Bernard Isaacs
dip -in the Mediterranean,- or his first glimpse at
Jerusalem; or his first ride in the Israel railroad
TEL AVIV—Israel is a land of high culture.
(Rakovet).
The literatures of more than 32 nations are - in
Few "firsts" compare, however, with the feeling
constant demand. Hebrew novels are good sellers.
that comes when the year's first drop of rain touches
The best works of writers from many nations are
being translated into Hebrew and have good sales.
you.
Eight years ago, on Nov. 3, 1949, it had not- yet
There are 22 daily newspapers in Israel ;too
rained in Israel. This year, the first drops came
high a percentage for a small land like Israel—but
while we were in Safed. But the thrill, which was
it speaks volumes in explanation of the interest that
imparted also by- the general excitement in all of
is displayed here in the -printed word. _
Israel - over the downpours, came the following day.
Many Israelis recall with gratitude the sincere
We were in Afuleh, examining the operations of the
efforts
in behalf of Israeli cultural activities by
Israel Sugar Works, that are partly financed by
Bernard Isaacs of Detroit- There is a sense of
Israel•Bondk when the rain came down in torrents.
gratitude for his having invited Israeli scholars
Then came the radio reports from the entire coun-
to teach in Detroit and to lecture under auspices
try. It rained in Tel Aviv, as well as in the
of Kvutzah Ivrith.
and in the Negev.
Israelis also speak with appreciation of Isaac's
These are some. of the things that excite Israel
personal literary efforts—his short stories and his
—and those who are privileged to see Israel at
collection of narratives, "Amos the Orange Vendor,"
work. The prayers for rain were not to be recited
which was published in Israel in -1653 and was
in synagogues for another day — on Shemini
completely sold out in a very short time.
Atzeret which is marked here as Simhat Torah.
"We look forward to another book by Bernard
It was - an occasion to tease the religious—that
Isaacs," one literary critic hete said, and he pre-
the Almighty- had beat theme to the gun—but
dicted another sell-out for any book of short stories
what really mattered - was that rain, which - is so
by the Detroit scholar. "He is a great story-teller,
vitally needed here—had come!
and it would be a pity if he did not collect all
Wherever you turn in Israel, the results of in--
his works and produce them for us again," the
dustrial accomplishments made possible by Israel
critic said. "Israelis love short stories, , and Mr.
Bond investments warm the hearts of American
Isaacs can produce just what we need here."
Jews who have the vision to participate in the great
Israeli adventure. Thanks • to BOnd dollars, there
Stamps Gain Recognition
• are new roads, many factories, fertilizer and phos-
phate plants.
JERUSALEM—Under the direction of Moshe
At Afulah, we were given a lesson in sugar-
Cohen, the Israel Ministry of Posts has established
refining. Here, at the Israel Sugar Works, Ltd.
a special philately department and its influence
(Mipalei Sukar Israelim), we saw the development
already is felt throughout the world.
of a plant that compares favorably with the most
Every congress of philatelists in the past five
efficient factory in America. Tnuvah, Hamishbar
years, and every philatelic exhibition, in all parts
and the Israel Agricultural Bank• established it in
of the globe except in Arabic countries, has had
1951 for the refining of beet sugar. Israel Bonds
Israeli representation.
provided some of the funds.
ANIL_
The reason for the Israeli pinmersosinterest is
Under the direction of J. W. Schwabe, this plant
two-fold:
the
uniqueness
of
the
designs of the new
welcomes the know-how of Americans. Schwabe,
state's stamps, and the emphasis they place on
Radislaw Rosenberg, the production engineer, and
Biblical history and historic Jewish traditions. -
Itzhak Itsock, the plant's English-trained mechanical
engineer, said they had- -hopes of eventually pro-
The first Israeli stamps depicted ancient Jewish
coins, dating from the Jewish wars of independence
ducing cane sugar.
Meanwhile, 300 . workers are employed here,
against Rome in 67-70 and 132-135 C.E. A later
- and Israel's economy gains strength from activities
series featured birds on air mail stamps, repro-
which involve both the manufacture of essential
ducing the symbols that decorated synagogues and
products and serious experimentation for the im-
tombs 2,000 years ago.
provement of the product and the introduction of
A defense seriet_also is included among the
new ones. - on- the rapidly-expanding Israeli - market.
new Israeli stamps afltraniong the most attractive

Country Club in Ashkelon

ASHKELON—This is one of the new miracle
cities in Israel. Ashkelon, like Beersheba and
Dimona, will become a well known name throughout
the world—because of the miracle of city-building
in Israel and the rise of important industries in
and around them.
We'll deal with Ashkelon's development in -an-
other item. At the moment, the interesting thing
to point out is that this city, which has been built
on what were sand-dunes only five years -ago, al-
ready - has a country club. -
There also is a country- club 10 miles- from
Tel Aviv, on the road to the Lydda Airport,--the
Savoyn Country club—which has enrolled some

of Israel's most prominent citizens as members.
Savoyn has a beautiful setting. It has a modern
swimming pool, a good restaurant and a club-
house.

Israel also has a few night clubs. The Theater
Club in Tel Aviv provides delightful programs by
young Israelis. Some outstanding stars are certain
to emerge from this club's programs.
Interestingly enough, the frontier city of Beer-
sheba, which has grown in mushroom fashion, also
has a night club, known as "The Last Chance." Its
Hebrew name is "Hitdamnut HOachrona." There is
no entertainment here—as yet. But the club has an
interesting setting. Its enterprising owners, a
French Jewish couple, have utilized every available

article as - a 'decokation: old. shoes, bells, kitchen
utensils, sticks and ,stones. They have painted the

interior and the entrance, and the environment
lends itself .for a sandwich -and a drink, a chat with
a friend, some genuine sociability.
That's how Israel fuhctions: its people work hard
and build rapidly, and they also enjoy life. The
future holds a lot of good in store - for this interest-
ing people.

Guns

and a Question

EILAT—We were here on the day when U. S.
ammunition was being unloaded across the .Gulf
of Aqaba, at the Jordan part of the gulf that bears
the name Aqaba. The distance is short and every
movement was visible.
The Israelis were saddened. They did not display
fear, but they displayed a feeling of hurt, as if to
say, "Why does your country do this?"
But they were more outspoken in relation to
the Arabs and said seriously, "why do the Arabs

do this?"
"They are our neighbors and we crave friendship

with them," was the sentiment heard at every step.
"Would that we could convince them how both

stamps are those issued on the occasion of the
Jewish High Holy Days.
The Tribal Set, Youth Aliyah issues and the
Landscape Series are attractive collectors' items.
There are Technion, Magen David Adom and
Memorial Stamps in the- available series, , and the
collective popularity of the attractive designs attest
to the vision of the philately department. -

Aids in Water Research

.

REHOVOT—At the fabulous Weizmann Institute

of Science, the, foundation for which was laid by
Dr. Chaim Weizmann, the first President of Israel,
serious studies are now being made to ascertain
the movement of underground waters and the age
of subterranean reservoirs.

Water is one of the most important elements
in the life of Israel. It was the shortage of water
supplies that caused serious delays in the country's
upbuilding. The problem gradually is being solved,
and the Weizmann Institute, located in an area
of gardens that is- conceded to be the most beautiful
in all of Israel, plays a major role in the water
research efforts.
With the aid of 'a grant from the Ford Founda-
tion, the very rare isotope of hydrogen with radio-
active properties, known as Tritium, is used in this
study into Israel's water resources. The research is
done in the Department of Isotope Research by
skilled scientists. The Weizmann Institute scien-
tists explain. that' Tritium is continuously formed
in the atmosphere by the action of cosmic rayS
and is swept down by rain. Since Tritium decays
relatively fast, fresh rain water contains a much
higher concentration of this isotope than water
stored underground for many years. The scientists
point out that_ by measuring the Tritium content
it is possible to determine quite accurately the age
Of such water resources and whether they are being
renewed by rainwater or have been sealed off as a

static "pocket."
Location 'of sealed-off water resources is ex-
: pected to provide additional - water supplies for the
vast reclamation activities planned in the Hills of
-) Jerusalem and in other parts of Israel where new
settlers from_ Eastern Europe and Moslem countries
are being settled at the rate of 10,000 a month.
The Weizmann Institute, where research is
being conducted in. agricultural chemistry, bac-
teriology and synthetic and pharmaceutical chem-
istry, has had the interest of Detroit Jews for
nearly 15 years. During .a visit in Detroit by the
late Dr. Weiimann, before the re-establishment
of the Jewish State, the first Detroit Committee

for the Weizmann Institute was formed under

By Philip
Slomovitz

the chairmanship of Nate S. Shapiro. Leonard N.
Simons and Lawrence Michelson played import-
ant roles in behalf of the Institute.

Meyer W. Weisgal, the chairman of the Weiz-
mann Institute's executive council, under whose
_ leadership the scientific center has grown-to great
proportions so that it now compares equally with
" the institutes for advanced sciences at Princeton
University and Carnegie Institute, said that several
scientists from Michigan already have participated
in the research efforts here and that others are
expected to join in the Weizmann Institute's efforts
which are aimed to benefit not Israel alone but the
entire - Middle East.

-

Detroiters as Settlers

EIN DOR—If it is true that Detroit has led the
way"in fund-raising in behalf of Israel, it is equally
true that young Detroit Jews are among the largest
contingents of American youths in this country. .
You'll find Detroiters in the border settlement
of Sasa (Israel Stashefsky; Eli Segal and his mother,
Elsa Segal, w _ ho for several years made chocolates
in Detroit).
They are in Urim, and Mishman Halmek, and
Gesher Haziv, and Ein Hashofet and many more
centers.

The most interesting group is in EM Dor, in
the Galil. Here you meet Max and Shoshanah
(Mary) Harris, Sarah (Levin) and Ben Kutnick,
Hillel Grossman, Abba Salter, Miriam (Levin)
and David Niemoff, Zvi Fenstenstein and Niem-
off's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Max Niemoff.

The Max Niemoffs joined their children here
about eight years .ago _and the elder Niemoff has
attracted interest in wide Israeli circles with his
hobby: the training of canaries.
Invariably, when you ask a Detroiter in an Israel
Kibutz (collective colony) what is "the best product
in the farming settlement," the answer is: "our
children." Then he talks about the crops and the
chickens. Two of the Detroit couples at Ein Dor
already have four children each.

Supermarket Experiment

HERZLIAH—From this model city, located 12
miles from Tel Aviv, has emanated a controversy
that hai created one of the most exciting economic
disputes in Israel.
In the section known as "Shikun Olei America*
—the residential section of settlers from America,

there are three families of Detroiters—those of Her-
bert Hordes, Alan Feinberg and David Crohn. Crohn
is manager - of the Tel Aviv Mortgage' Bank. A Uni-
versity of Michigan graduate, who has earned
decorations as a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army
in World War II, he is deeply interested in Israel
and is assisting the country economically in his

present capacity.
Hordes and Feinberg were in Detroit several
months ago and conceived the idea of establishing
supermarkets, patterned after those in their native
city, for the Israelis. They felt that through such
an effort they could help solve Israel's food prob-
lems and assist in reducing the cost_ of living.
They enlisted the support of men well known

in the supermarket industry in Detroit—John
Lurie, Nathan Lurie and Sam Frankel, of the
Wrigley chain; Tom Borman and Abe Borman,
of Food Fair; and Irwin Cohn, all of Detroit, and
Bertram Loeb of MontreaL
Israelis in the main were enthusiastic about

their scheme, and' they were heartened by the en-
couragement they received from the Minister of
Trade and Industry, Pinchas Sapir.
The middlemen's newspaper. Haboker and the -
rightists'- Herut gives the plan strong backing. But
the labor daily Davar is critical of the idea. It fol-
lows the line of the Tnuva, the Israeli food, dis-
tributing cooperative organization, which desires to
share 'in the plan by having control of the food
distribution.
Hordes and Feinberg seek independence from
Tnuva. They have made arrangements with inde-
pendent cooperative settlements to supply them. with
food, and they hope to be able to retain indepen-
dence from- the Tnuva, which is controlled by the
Histadruk the Israel Federation of Labor.
The hornet's nest has been stirred, and the con-
troversy goes on. Predictions as to the results of this
dispute vary in accordance with one's political views,
but in the- main Israelis appear to be sympathetic
to the idea.

A chief objection to the plan comes from- the
small grocerymen, of whom there are untold num-
bers wherever one turns in. Israel. Wherever a
new settlement arises, there immediately spring
up these small groceries; and some fear that
supermarkets will drive too many of them out of
• business.
Meanwhile, Hordes and Feinberg have come
to an agreement with Rassco—the Rural and Sub-
urban Settlement Co.—for the construction - of the
first supermarket. Rassco has undertaken to build
a nine-story structure on --Beth Yehudah street, one
of Tel Aviv's main thoroughfares. A 10,000-foot
square supermarket will be provided the Detroiters
on the ground floor and the balance of the building
will be used for office space to be rented to knee-

hungry Israeli industrialists. -
The two Detroiters plan to pattern their' busi-

ness after that of Detroit's supermarkets, and they
also plan to use the differing methods 'of SWitzer-
land and England that are applicable to Israel,
_ _
(Continued on Page 46)