Purely Commentary

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

'Not Once Have I Dripped' in Jerusalem:

An Incident in Non-Jewish Woman's Report

One of the most charming books about Israel was written
by a Christian lady, Mary Clawson, who was in Israel with her
husband and their children while he held a post there as an
adviser on farming potentials. Entitled "Letters from Jerusalem".
("A non-Jewish woman's love affair with Israel"), this volume
(published by Abelard-Schuman, 404 4th, N. Y. 16) contains so
many interesting comments, and relates so many interesting in-
cidents, that it will undoubtedly call for many reviews.
Preliminary to the review itself, there is one item that de-
serves special attention at this time. So many people ask about
the most suitable time to . visit Israel that_Mrs. Clawson's opinion
is worth quoting.
Our own advice is: go to Israel whenever you can. Every
time of the year has something valuable to offer in the land
of manifold contrasts.
Mrs. Clawson, having written under date of July 28, 1953,
reported that "we have had the taste of the very worst summer
weather Jerusalem can produce?' Then she proceeds to write,
to her mother:
"It is a common belief here that Jerusalem is hot in the
summer, and that during a hamsin, life barely verges on the
bearable. All I can say is, try a summer in Washington, D. C.,
New York, Chicago, Little Rock, or any one of a dozen other
places in the States. In Washington, I dripped, my clothes were
soaking wet soon after I put them on, my hair was plastered
to my head, perspiration would fall from my face on reports I
was writing, on hapless ironing or on food I was preparing to
cook. I would get up two or three times a night to dash cold
water on my face and most of the summer slept naked, without
even a sheet; many times our boys woke crying from the heat.
In San Francisco, on the other hand, as you know well, it is
actually cold most of the summer; you are apt to feel cheated,
as if summer had passed you by.
"Jerusalem has all the advantages of a summer hot enough
to leave you in no doubt as to the season, but not once have
I dripped, and never once have we slept without at least one
blanket.
"I had read and been told about the dreaded hamsins. They
are not pleasant, but they rarely last more than a few days.
`Hamsin' is an Arab word which has become part - of the Hebrew
language, despite valiant efforts on the part of newspapers and
purists to have • Israelis use instead the Hebrew. word `sharay.'
It is a hot, dry, southeasterly wind, supposedly blowing straight
off the desert in Saudi Arabia. You cannot mention summer in
Israel without highlighting the word hamsin it would insult
Israelis if you did. Any distressing break in a conversation can
be enlivened by discussing the latest hamsin, or the worst
hamsin in memory. and so on and so. on ... The .hamsinrs effects
on people's tempers is noticeable; it does have an influence on
the nervous system . . . You become more and more susceptible
to various illnesses during,. hamSins suspect it may be
they bother you more the further away you are from the hor-
rors of a Washington or New York summer . . • "
True, the hamsin is uncomfortable., But, as Mrs. Clawson
implies, it also is mighty uncomfortable in many parts of our
own country. And you drip more in Washington than you do
in. Jerusalem. Naturally, it is preferable to visit Jerusalem in
April or in October and November, but even in October we
experienced hot days in Jerusalein. Like Mrs. Clawson, we did
not drip.
Perhaps this single experience will serve at once to call
attention to an unusually fine description of Israel by this
interesting Christian woman. Her book is eminently worth read-
ing and having. More about it a bit later.

Federation's Annual Pre-Campaign
Budget Conference Set for Jan. 22

Judge Theodore Levin, presi-
dent of the Jewish Welfare
Federation, will preside at the
ninth annual Federation Pre-
Campaign Budget Conference,
10:30 a.m., Sunday, Dec. 22',
at the Ten
Mile Road
Jewish Corn-
munity C e n -
t e r - United
Hebrew
Schools Build-
ing.
Delegates to
the confer-
ence will allo-
cate funds to
be raised in
the 1958 Al-
. lied Jewish
Judge Levin Campaign into
four categO-ries (1) Overseas
and Israel; (2) Local-Operating
Funds; (3) Local Capital
Funds; (4) National Agencies.
Conference recommendations
will be presented to Federa-
tion's board of governors.
Samuel H. Rubiner, executive
committee chairman, will out-
line the needs overseas and in
Israel.
The chairmen of three Fed-
eration budget and planning di-
visions and the capital needs

committee will outline needs in Orleans, Judge Levin outlined
their respective areas of in- the following "Seven Major
terest. Erwin S. Simon is Benefits of Detroit's Pre-Cam-
health and welfare division paign Budgeting Procedure":
1. The Pre-Campaign Budget Con-
chairman. Education division
as a community-wide meet-
chairman is Morris Garvett. ference,
ing. serves as a major bridge re-
Jacob A. Citrin heads the com- lating budgeting to campaigning.
It makes it perfectly obvious to
munity relations division. Sid- the
people who participate that
ney J. Allen is chairman of the they can achieve more for the
causes in which they believe only
capital needs committee.
if more money is raised.
Following a 12:30 p.m. lunch-
2. It makes it possible to tell the
how
eon, delegates will discuss the prospects in our campaign
presentations a n d issue a I the i c • londectridtheyin a reoecdoizterrimbu,tifnog.
the Local, National and Overseas
budgetary recommendation.
Allocations for 1956-57 were: fields.
to
Overseas and Israel, 65.7 per the . blsgery and ae np s l t a task
deivgae ht.
!IVgbl divisions
of making
cent; local operating, 22.2 per their suet
bsein
to the specific agencies.
cent; local capital, 8.1 per cent; allocations
4. It provides an added incentive
national agencies, 4 per cent. - for fund raising.
5. It involves a large group of
Members of the Jewish Wel-
in making basic decisions
fare Federation board of gover- people
about the disbursement of Cam-
nors, the boards of the Detroit paign funds.
6. It helps to develop citizens of
Service Group, Women's Divi- the
corrununity with broader than
sion, Junior Division, budget single purpose interests and it
by actual practice that most
and planning divisions and shows
of our citizens have more than a
boards of affiliated local are in- ' single interest.
'7. Finally it demonstrates that
vited to attend.
interests which are sometimes
In apaper presented at the these
apparently
far afield fronieach
rl
e
offa
can be seen in harmonious
25th general assembly of the
pattern
as
the
total community pro-
Council of Jewish Federations gramwe are dedicated
to plan for
and Welfare Funds: in New and work for together.

Boris Smolar's

'Between You
. . . and Me'

Canadian Leader
Divorces Party From
Anti-Semitic Slurs

(Copyright, 1957,
Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)

VANCOUVER, B.C. (JTA)—
The government of British
Columbia will "protect the UJA Convention:
..
rights of all citizens regardless
The annual three-day conference of the United Jewish Ap-
of race, creed .or color," Pro- peal, which opens today in New York, is different than all such
vincial Premier W. A.C. Ben- previous conferences ... It marks the entrance of the UJA upon
nett has assured a delegation its twentieth year of existence ... UJA has a tremendous story
from a number of Canadian to tell American Jewry It is the story of contributions which
Jewish organizations.
totalled more than $1,000,000,000 in the course of the last 19
The occasion for the assur- years ... It is the story of American Jews who have given time,
ance was a visit by represen- money, and energy in immeasurable quantity to serve as UJA
tatives of the Canadian Jewish leaders and key workers ... It is the story of 2,250,000 Jewish
Congress, Bnai Brith and the liVes saved or aided-An -nearly two decades ... Prior to the
Zionist Organization of British formation of the UJA, two attempts were made to unify the
Columbia to protest an attack efforts of American Jewry in behalf of Jews living overseas 'in
on Zionism and Jews at a re- need . In 1930 when a combined campaign was conducted
cent provincial conference of under the name of the "Allied Jewish Appeal,". - in which the
Joint Distribution Committee and the American Palestine Cam-
the Social Credit party.
In a statement after the paign were partners ... This partnership lasted only one year
meeting between the Premier and gave way to independent drives from 1931 thrOugh 1933...
and the delegatiOn, the former In 1934' a United Jewish Appeal, the predecessor of the present
issued a statement disassociat- UJA was organized ... It conducted campaigns for two years
ing his government and the in behalf of the JDC and the United Palestine Appeal and was
Social Credit League "from again displaced by independent campaigns in the following
anti-Semitism. and _ from any three years .. : At the end of 1938, the UJA was reactivated as
a result of discussions in which the Council of Jewish Federa-
form of racial bigotry."
He concurred in recent state- tions and Welfare Funds played an important role ... Since
*
ments by Solon Low, national then, UJA became the symbol of unity in American - Jewry
leader of the movement, and Today, the UJA is the third largest American fund-raising body,
Cooperation Among Israel's Scientists
others denouncing the remarks next to the Community. Chest movement—which has 60,000;000
A study of Israel's institutions of higher learning and by Percy Young, the Social .potential givers—and the American 'Red Cross ... There were
research reveals a remarkable spirit of cooperation. Technion Credit delegate who attacked some years when the UJA raised even more funds than
American Red Cross.
collaborated with other universities in studying methods of Jews and Zionists.
The Bennett statement
technology suitable for the country. The Hebrew University's
great scholars work in cooperation with the scientists at the stressed the record of his ad- .UJA Leadership:
It can safely be predicted that Morris W. Berinstein will be
ministration, noting that British
Weizmann Institute of Science in their research activities.
Columbia was _the first pro- elected general chairman of the United Jewish Appeal at the
Weizmann Institute scinetists are active in various fields vince in Canada to enact a UJA conference ... William Rosenwald indicated he does not
of activity involving Israel's search for oil and experiments in Fair Employment Practices intend to continue in this post after his second term—during
agricultural endeavors.
which UJA contributions went up as compared with previous
Act.
years ... Berinstein has displayed exceptional leadership qual-
Two of the great scientists at the Weizmann Institute—Drs.0
this year as UJA president ... He has been devoting much
-Israel Dostrovsky and Isaac Berenblum—are engaged in isotope
In the photo on the right, ities
and cancer research, and the professors of the Hebrew Uni- Dr. Danon is seen with the of his time and energy to addressing UJA meetings throughout
versity always are available to them, and to other scientists at Jewish News commentator the country ... He was especially active in effecting the UJA
the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot, in their research work.
and Julian Meltzer, noted Loan Project of 1956 which realized many millions of dollars,
in addition to the regular drive.
Two distinguished scientists at the Weizmann Institute, Dr. foreign correspondent, now
• As the United Jewish Appeal enters its 20th anniversary
the
Weizmann
Institute's
pub-
Leo Sachs and Dr. Mathilde Danon—the latter a Swiss non-
year, it finds young and dynamic 'Herbert A. Friedman----dts
lic
relations
director
(left)
Jewess—are at work in important research activities in the
and the prominent Zurich executive vice chairman—more ambitious than ever ...
field of medicine.
During the two years of his administration UJA campaigns
(Switzerland) banker, Walter
•
Exactly two years ago, an exciting bit of news came from Baer (right), at a recent yielded top level results . . . Now he is determined to make- the
Jerusalem—about "the diagnosis of sex before birth, using cells luncheon at the Weizmann anniversary year a "bigger and better year" for UJA T he
from the amniotic fluid." Dr. David M. Serr, a young physician Institute at Rehovot, given in driving force behind the UJA's outstanding achievements in the
of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the Rothschild- honor of Mr. and Mrs. Baer last two years, Rabbi Friedman is a hard worker, an excellent
Hadassah University Hospital in Jerusalem, did the clinical and Mr. and Mrs. Philip Slom- speaker, and always on the go ... A young man of 40, he,is
work in perfecting this diagnosis. The laboratory work was done ovitz. In the lower photo are considered one of the most gifted Jewish leaders in this country.
at the Weizmann Institute by Drs. Danon and Sachs. The cases Mrs. Philip Slomovitz and 0
for this study were obtained through the world-famous Prof. B.
Meyer Weisgal, chairman of
Zondek.
the executive board of the
Dr. Serr pointed out in his report on this diagnosis: "It Weizmann Institute, who was
has been proved that the genetic sex of the fetus is demonstrable host at that luncheon.
during the earliest stages of its development in spite of the
apparent bi-sexuality of the fetus at this stage."
The abstract of the report by Drs. Serr, Danon and Sachs
stated: "It seems that the only possible error in the present
method of diagnosis, and this can be ignored for practical
purposes, is in the rare case of an intersex in which the sexual
phenotype appears to be in contradiction to the sex chromosome
constitution."
Young scientists are performing these great research tasks.
Dr. Danon is under 30. The average age of the scientists at the
Weizmann Institute is 31. Meyer W Weisgal is the directorial
gerihIS Of the Weiiniann' Ihstitnte..

-