Friday, November 15, 195'7—THE DETROIT JEWISH NEW S-32

Purely Commenta ry. an

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The London Scene
d Supplementary
Reports on Israel

By Philip
Slomovitz

_Humor: Israel's
Strong Weapon

(Continued from Page 2)
(Continued from Page 2)
other good British items. Mr. and Mrs. Ben Morgan-
only Theodor Herzl, had participated in sessions in roth, who were in the Sealy Mattress Co. entourage, quired what the shouting was
that room. We were in the Nordau Room. We visited brought back with them to Detroit a miniature French all about, whether any one was
the .headquarters of the Jewish National Fund and white poodle. What a thoughtful gift for their son!
being murdered. When he was
had 'the satisfaction of planting trees from there in
A charming incident was told to us by Charles Lich- told that Weisgal was speaking
Israel in honor of Grandson Randy David and other tenfeld, brother of Walter Field. Mr. and Mrs. Lichten- to New York, - Weizmann said:
members of the family. We chatted with Barnett Lit- feld sailed for home from New York only three weeks "Why doesn't he use the tele-
vinof, whose biography of Ben-Gurion we reviewed a ago on the SS United States. At the same time, their phone?"
year ago and with other Zionist leaders.
niece and nephew, newlyweds Mr. and Mrs. Irwin Field
A waiter in a Haifa hotel is
It was a joy to meet with Rabbi Dr. Joseph Litwin, (children of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Field), took off from said to have prepared himself
the editor of Gates of Zion, a very scholarly monthly England on the SS Queen Elizabeth. As they literally to be able to tell foreign visi-
magazine. Dr. Litwin, who has semicha from world fam- met, midway on their ocean trip, they exchanged radio tors the time of day in their
ous rabbis, was professor of history at Moscow Univer- wireless messages of greetings.
countries. He carried
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Solovich, who were in the Sealy respective
sity from 1925 to 1931. He is the editor of the Zionist
watches that told time in Hong
Year Book and he is now working on a new Hebrew book. Mattress Co. group, utilized their Israeli and European Kong and in Greenland, watches
One of the highlights of the London visit was our tour to visit with distinguished relatives. They were that gave the time of day in
seeing the workroom and the historic cameo shop of guests in Israel of their cousins, Mr. and Mrs. Sigmund the' Pacific and Mountain areas,
Moyshe Oyved. He is a sick man now, and we met his (Leah) Ambach, the parents of Mrs. Abba Eban. In Haifa, Eastern Standard and Central
time; Greenwich Mean time and
brother. Moyshe Oyved himself can no longer be seen. they were the guests of another cousin, David Har-Even, South
African time. "What do
But he will be remembered in history as the King of brother of Mrs. Ambach. Har-Even is the chief engineer you do when some on wants
Gems—gems in poetry and short story ,writing and in for telephone operations in the northern district of Israel. to know Haifa time," he was
jewels. Queens and Kings had come to watch him at Another cousin, Har-Even's brother Harry, with whom asked. "For that," he replied,
work on the jewels' he molded, on the sculptures he they met in Tel Aviv, is the secretary to the UJA in "I must ask another waiter."
carved, the pictures he had drawn and painted, the South Africa.
A Yemenite boarded one of
Hebrew alphabet he illustrated.
The Soloviches did not have a chance to meet with the few double-decker buses in
What a pity that most of his works could not be their other cousin, Sir Hersch Lauterpaucht, Great Israel. There were no seats left
the lower deck and he was
retained in museums in Israel. A few years ago. how- Britain's representative at the World Court at The Hague. on
ordered to go up. Soon, he ran
ever Moyshe Oyved did present to the Tel Aviv Museum Sir Hersch has been acclaimed as Great Britain's most down and complained that he
distinguished legal authority.
about 30 of his best art works.
could not take the risk: there
The Ambachs—the parents -of' Mrs. Eban—have two was no driver above.
Josef Fraenkel related to us an interesting true
story about his friend Moyshe Oyved. A Christian other daughters. One is the wife of Colonel Herzog, son
The right to criticize is a
minister brought a Watch to him for repairs. Oyved of the Israel Chief Rabbi and Military Attache of the basic privilege in Israel. Is-
looked at it and commented: "This is a Jewish watch." Israel Embassy in Washington. Another daughter is raelis have had reason to
grumble over so many troubles
The man asked: "What makes you say that?" and married to M. Hasketh, Israel's representative at the that
peeves are taken for grant-
Oyved replied: "Es kreclit7t! It shakes, the time hands International Labor Organization (ILO) at Geneva.
ed. Everybody is peeved about
In
London,
we
were
greeted
by
the
appearance
of
the
first
are bent and they wobble." Whereupon the owner of
something. People in Israel
of "The American Abroad," an impressive new periodical.
the watch said: "It is true. This watch was given to issue
The first issue reveals excellent editorial judgment and good joke about the sanity tests that
me by Nahum Sokolow. My name is Reverend Hech- make-up. Americans who travel abroad will find a good link were given to people applying
ler." He was none other than the Rev. William H. between them, in the various countries of Europe, and with for certain jobs. One man com-
plained about Israel's food, in
Hechler who played an important role as an associate America, through the fine periodical.
the course of an examination,
of Theodor Herzl in the latter's quest for public recog- _Addenda to Israel Reports
but he was passed. Others
nition of his Zionist ideals. .
To cover everything in Israel would require writing an entire grumbled about clothing, hous-
ing, the government, and they,
Joseph Fraenkel had a number of distinguished history of a great human experiment.
You can't overlook Histadrut and its allied efforts, the Morta- too, were given clean bills of
scholars as his teachers, among them the famous Vien-
zot -Hapoalot, Solel Boneh and other aspects of an impressive health and mind. Then came
nese Zionist leader, Dr. Zvi Peretz Chajes.
another applicant, who said
One of Fraenkel's tasks is the preparation of a Press program.
The Sachnut—the Jewish Agency—is, of course, a major about everything asked regard-
Survey for the World Jewish Congress. Last week he factor in Israel's upbuilding. Israel Bonds do a' great job. ing Israel's status: "Yi-ye toy"
was congratulated on the 2,000th issue of these surveys. Malben, of JDC, is vital. So are the efforts of ORT and other —"all will be well;" he was
In London. too, the synagogues were of major in- movements. One would have to write volumes about the work sent to an insane asylum.,
terest to us. We were reminded that Nazi bombs had of Hadassah in Israel.
Visitors in Israel love to
Since it is impossible to continue to write volumes, it be- gather Up funny stories, but
destroyed the Great Synagogue in Duke's Place. The comes
necessary to describe one's impressions in paragraphs. some of their personal experi-
destroyed house of worship was built in 1772, and the
A task of great merit is that of the America-Israel Cultural ences are, in a sense, more
congregation's history dated back to 1690. Most of the Foundation. Reuven Dafni, former General Consul of Israel in fascinating than the humor
important events of English Jewry took place in that New York, now is the Foundation's director in Israel. The they hear..
synagogue. Nov the historic house of worship is but a Foundation's most recent outstanding achievement was the com--- Detroiter Aaron Burg relates
of the Tel Aviv Cultural Center. It also was responsible
memory. But the name and the existence of the syna- pletion
for the Sokolow Center, the impressive headquarters of the that on his recent visit in
gogue will be perpetuated: plan. already are under foot Israeli journalists—a building where important concerts and Haifa, while searching for rela-
to reconstruct this synagogue.
tives in the Carmel area, he
lectures are given periodically.
We did have the satisfaction of seeing the fam-
The America-Israel Cultural Foundation has enlisted the suddenly realized that he and
ous 257-year-old Congregation Saar Asamaim Bevis interest and support of outstanding personalities not only 'in his wife were late for an ap-
pointment, and there was no
Marks. It is situated in the Whitechstipel District—the the United States but also in Israel. On important occasions, taxi
in sight. He saw a repair
Israeli ladies guide visitors through important instal-
first and the last areas to be bombed by the Nazis. charming
rations. The charms of Israel are enhanced by the ability and man on a pole and asked for
But the Bevis Marks Synagogue survived and was un- courtesy of those who guide and welcome you. help. In less than five minutes
affected by the blitz onslaught. Isaac Duque, the syna-
Histadrut is inseparable from the most advanced Israeli a taxi drew up. "I couldn't get
gogue's secretary. supervisor, Hazan, Baal Koreh—he activities. One hears criticisms of this dominating force in Israel. as good service in Detroit,"
did not object to being called "Kol Bo" by your Corn- Histadrut's role as an employer as well as the organization of Berg shouted to the repair man.
is unlike that of any other labor union movement Herman Frumin was at •
mentator's wife: in fact, he welcomed it—Isaac Duque employees
anywhere in the world. Histadrut protects the status of the Ramat Gan and was introduced
who has been honored with the title "Hamsabil workers. It provideS socialized medical facilities for its members to a man as a Detroiter. Where-
v'Navon—another way of saving "Kol Bo"—com- through Kupat Holim. But it also employs workers. It controls upon the Israeli produced a
mented, when asked whether this historic .synagogue Solel Boneh, Tnivah and other industrial and cooperative proj- letter he had just received
was damaged in any way in the war: "No! Else I would ects. It is because it is • so dominant in so many fields that it from Detroit and asked Frumin
invites criticism. Yet, history must, as it will, acknowledge the to take to Rabbi Rosenzweig,
not be here. I never left this place."
good it has done for Israel. at 2738 Richton, regards and
There are seven large chandeliers, symbolizing the basic
From north to south, from the . Emek to the Negev down photographs of his family.
seven days of the week, in the Bevis Marks. There are to Eilat, from east to west, scores of factories whose rise is i Frumin also had the joy of
four .candelabra on the Almemar and six at the Oren attributable to the ingenuity of Histadrut, attest to the great meeting Dr. and Mrs. Reuben
Kodesh, totalizing the Ten Commandments. Everything good this amazing movement has done and continues to do Katznelson, who told him that
in that synagogue is 257 years old, except the central for Israel. many years ago they knew
It is impossible to study the economic development of Israel, his grandfather, Fishel Koby-
,chandelier, which was brought from Amsterdam 30 years the great
contributions of Kupat Holim to Israel's health efforts, lanski, who was one of the few
earlier. The entire synagogue is a replica of the famous the defense mechanisms, without admiring Histadrut. Therefore Jews in Volhynia to be granted
Amsterdam Synagogue: Duque appeared, very proud of this labor federation has earned the support American Jews honorary citizenship by the
this fact.
give it in annual campaigns such as the one now being launched Czar of Russia.
Isaac Duque explained the position of the Ilaham in Detroit.
Many humorous stories are ,
Hadassah's story is well known, yet it can never be com-
when he speaks to the congregation: objecting to any- pletely
told. The women of Detroit can be justly proud of all related in association with the
one's sitting backwards to the Oren Kodesh or to the the attainments of this great movement. It does more than pro- development of the Hebrew
Congregation, the Haham is so situated that he always tect the health of new settlers: it assists in the establishment of language as Israel's spoken
faces them. For that reason the seats of the congegants new medical .centers, in advancing the dental schools and labo- tongue. Many foreign words
are so located that many of them sit sideways when ratories, in promoting a child welfare program. have crept into the Hebrew of
There are many important names associated with Israel. modern Israel. For instance,
praying or listening to a sermon, but their backs are Hamburg,
the California desert farmer who introduced cotton "sendvich" is commonly used.
never to the Torahs.
into Israel. The undertaking met with many crises, and their Typically American slang has
In the House of Lords, we had just missed hearing defiance is due primarily to the vision of this interesting and been adopted. Chemical, medi-
an address by Lord Samuel, who was the first High tough man. Israelis were lukewarm at first to his proposals. cal and mechanical terms have
Commissioner of Palestine in the days of British Man- But Sam Hamburg virtually commuted from his home in Los been taken over from English.
datory rule. We saw Clement Attlee, and we listened. Banos, Calif., to Israel for a number of years to press his ideas, In sports, many accepted terms
insist upon the fulfillment of his dreams. They have come will be recognized by Ameri-
to several scholarly addresses on finance problems. We to
true. The cotton plantations, the cotton (Kutna) plants, the cans — such for instance, as
also were witnesses to the drooping eyelids of a number new market which promises to elevate Israel cotton to a stand- "pendle" for penalty.
of the aged Lords who alternated between good snoozes and above the best in the world are tributes to the vision of
Automobile parts are referred
and hearty "hear! hear!" comments on their colleagues' this Californian. It is no wonder that his name has become a to by their English terms, but
addresses.
byword in the south of Israel. The fantastic story of Sam Ham- the corruptions are interesting.
It is worth reporting that the immense shopping burg was told a short time ago by Ruth Gruber in the Denver Thus, the back axle has be-
Her article was reprinted in the Reader's Digest. It was come Bekexle," and by the
that goes on here—the English people should love the Post.
an excellent account about a truly great farmer whose name same token a front axle is often
Americans!—is not limited to sweaters and shoes and will always be linked with a new, great industry in Israel. referred to as "front Bekexle."
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