Philip Slomovitz, editor of
the Detroit Jewish News, and
Mrs. Slomovitz have been visit-
ing in Israel. This is another
of his special reports for the
Free Press.
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor, The Jewish News
REHOVOT, Israel — 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 ascer-
tain the move-
ment of under-
ground waters
and the age of
subterranean re-
servoirs.
Water is one
of the most im-
portant elements
Slomovitz
in the life of
Israel. It was the shortage of
water supplies that caused seri-
ous delays in the country's
upbuilding.
The problem gradually is being
solved, and the Weizmann Insti-
tute, located in an area of gar-
dens 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 Foundation, the
very rare isotope of hydrogen
with radioactive properties, known
as tritium, is used in this study
into Israel's water resouces. The
research is done in the Depart-
ment of Isotope Research by
skilled scientists.
The Weizmann Institute scien-
tists explain that tritium is con-
tinuously formed in the atmos-
phere by the action of cosmic
rays and is swept down by rain.
Since tritium decays relatively
fast, fresh rainwater 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 ac-
curately 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
sources is expected 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 up to 10,000 a month.
The Weizmann Institute
where research is being con-
ducted in agricultural chemis-
try, bacteriology and synthetic
and pharmaceutical chemistry,
has had the interest of Detroit
Jews for nearly 15 years.
During a visit in Detroit of the
late Dr. Weizmann, before the
re-establishment of the Jewish
State, the first Detroit Committee
for the Weizmann Institute was
formed under the chairmanship
of Nate S. Shapero.
Leonard N. Simons and Lawr-
ence Michelson played important
roles in behalf of the Institute.
From THE JEWISH NEWS issue of November 1, 1957
Detroit Womanhood's Contribution to Israel
By ANNA G. SLOMOVITZ
TEL AVIV — Jewish women in
Detroit worked for Israel's up-
building for more than 49 years.
Yet, those who visit here and have
an opportunity to see what has
been attained with the contribu-
tions towards the rehabilitation of
persecuted peoples froni all part
of the globe would be amazed at
the chain of installations made
possible by De- F.
troiters.
The Ladies'
Auxiliary of the
Jewish National
Fund, whose an-
n u a 1 functions
have resulted .in
g i f ts amounting
to over a quarter
of a million dol-
lars during t h e
past decade, have Mrs. Slomovitz
financed the establishment of an
entire settlement near Jerusalem.
It is one of the major gifts of De-
troit's Jewish womanhood to Is-
rael.
This, however, is only one of
many Jewish women's contribu-
tions to Israel. For more than 40
years, Hadassah has helped to
send health missions to Pales-
tine, and since Israel's establish-
ment Detroit Hadassah has set
up many installations there,
chief among them being a wing
in the Beersheba Hospital in
honor of Mrs. Joseph H. Ehrlich.
The Pioneer Women of Detroit
have financed the building of a
home for children at Kfar Saba.
Recently, Pioneer Women, through
their mother organization in Is-
rael, the Moatzot Hapoalot, have
built a second home in Rishon Le
Zion. They have financed an agri-
cultural training school in the
south desert area, in the Negev.
Besides, they have shared in the
creation of border settlements for
new immigrants.
At Raanana, half way between
Tel Aviv and Haifa, the North-
west Child Rescue Women of
Detroit have established a kitch-
en and recreation center for
children.
The Orthodox Women's Mizra-
chi Organization of Detroit also
has many installations to its credit.
They have financed the Kfar
lage) Batya at Raanana and are
assisting the training of immigrant
children in agricultural pursuits.
They also established the Mosad
Aliyah Model Children's Village
at Petach Tikvah, to provide voca-
tional training for youngsters in
addition to financing a school there
for their religious education. The
Youth Center at Haifa, financed
by Detroit's Mizrachi Women, now
is nearing completion.
Tree planting in the Jerusalem
Corridor is among the major tasks
of all the Detroit woman's Zionist
groups, and the new reclamation
schemes count the Detroit Jewish
women among the chief support-
ers of Israel's upbuilding efforts.
Thus, the work of our women
is greatly in evidence in Israel
wherever one turns. Begun by the
pioneering efforts of Henrietta
Szold and Hadassah, the work has
spread, so that our "women of
valor", wherever they may be, are
sharing in the historic tasks that
are once again elevating Israel as
a spiritually great and industrially
creative nation.
JaqUtIOAON
Ford Foundation Grant
Aids Israel Water Study