Friday, March 14, 1958—THE DETROIT JEWISH NEW S-2

Purely Commentary

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

Amphitheater at Cam Tamarack to Honor
Sixtieth Birthday of Sidney J. Allen

When friends of Sidney • J.
Allen, industrialist and chair-
man of the board of Allen In-
dustries, Inc., whose 60th birth-
day is March 10, learned that
he frowned on a testimonial
dinner and speeches of praise,
they hit upon a way of by-
passing his modesty and, at
the same time, providing the
community with a facility that
would stand as a tribute to
his record of generosity and
philanthropic ability.
- Instead of the birthday
party, his friends quietly as-
sembled a fund of $30,000 and
have made it available as a
contribution for the erection
of Camp Tamarack in Orton-
ville, Pich., of an outdoor audi-
torium to be known as the
Sidney J. Allen Amphitheater.
The gift tribute was made
through ,the United Jewish
Charities, property-holding cor-
poration of the Jewish Welfare
Federation, of which the camp,
on a 714-acre tract, is a mem-

'Wake Up and Read'—National Library Week
A news release from the Michigan State Library in Lansing ,
calls attention to the current celebration of National Library
Week—"as an emphasis, a concentration, through all channels
of communication, to get Americans to 'Wake Up and Read.' "
We gladly join in this "concerted effort to awaken Ameri-
cans to the rewards of reading." But we do so by admonishing
the sponsors of National Library Week that this is not a new
experience for us. We have been
attempting to awaken our people for
many years to the enjoyment of
reading rewards.
While our appeals have pri-
marily been directed to the "People
of the Book"—to the inheritors of
the legacy of the "Am HaSefer"—
we have always been cognizant of
the fact that when there are short-
comings for one group they usually
are ascribable to all. "Wie es
christelt zich so judelt sich" under
normal conditions- Christians and
Jews act alike, and suffer alike from
NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK
progression as well as retrogression.
The problem of the decline - in
March 16-22, 1958
book-reading and book-buying is the
nation's to face. It affects all of us. It's a pity that it should
become necessary to inspire reading habits by means of a
National Library Week. But we hope such promotional schemes
will bring results. As long as we think of such needs, as long as
we talk about them, we shall speed the solution and attain the
results we seek.
We acclaim the NatiOnal Library Week. May it "revitalize
Joshua Almog, private secre-
reader interest in the daily life of every American."
tary to President Ben-Zvi of Is-
rael and an expert on Middle
Eastern policies, will speak at
An Honorary Doctorate for Yiddish Writer Leivick
Few news items of recent times thrilled us as much as the a labor Zionist rally in behalf
news that the Reform Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of the Allied Jewish Campaign,
of Religion will honor H. Leivick, the distinguished Yiddish 8:30 p.m., Monday, at the Labor
Zionist Institute. He also will
poet, with the honorary degree of Doctor of Hebrew Letters.
be the guest of the apparel
Never before, to our knowledge, has a Yiddish writer been trades section of the campaign's
honored in this fashion. Leivick is one of the most interesting mercantile division at the sec-
personalities in Jewish life. He has labored for the advancement tion's annual dinner meeting at
of - the highest values in Jewish life. He has well earned the the Statler hotel the following
honor to be accorded him the end of this month.
evening.
It has become too commonplace to award honorary degrees
In his present post since 1955,
to the opulent. Now a doctorate will be conferred upon a man Almog has had a notable career
whose major distinction is his learning, his ability to write very in Israel's foreign service and
able, even—and perhaps especially—if he writes in Yiddish. as soldier, educator o . Jewish
Congratulations therefore are due not only to the recipient youth, Zionist orga
-r and
-r
of the honor but also to those conferring it for their wisdom publicist. He serve
a land
in .making so excellent and deserving a choice.
negotiator and fund raiser for

-

—

SIDNEY J. ALLEN

ber agency. The camp afford
day and overnight facilities for
campers from pr e-s chool
through golden age.
Allen's friends plan to have
the amphitheater overlook
Lake Tamarack, with its stage

Ben-Zvi's Secretary Speaks Here
at LZO, AJC Mercantile Rallies

i

Sabbath Day Issue: We Oppose All Blue Laws -
There are Sabbath observers, not only among Jews but also
other faiths (Seventh Day Adventists and others). Therefore it
should have been viewed- as a natural right for observers of
Saturday as their Sabbath to be permitted to conduct their
businesses in New York under the Sunday closing law. But
when the New York City Council conducted its "showdown" vote
on March 6. to request the State Legislature to permit Jewish
merchants to do business on Sunday, the measure was supported
by the 11 Jewish members who were backed by the three
Protestant members. The seven Roman Catholic members who
were present—three were, absent—voted against the request
to the Legislature.
Thus, "some of the religious feeling that has marked in-
formal Council discussion on the Sunday law behind closed doors
came to the surface," according to the New York Times reporter.
Minority Leader Stanley M. Isaacs criticized the Catholics for
their pressure against the measure and called "unworthy" the
actions of Jewish rabbis who picketed City Hall on March 5
for the law. This resentment is understandable. Even issues in-
volving religious differences should be discusSed on the merits
of the respective problems, without bitterness or inspired
prejudices.
. In the instance of the propagated Sunday closing laws, which
are being proposed also in Michigan, there is involved a basic
principle: that of Blue Laws which hardly represent progress in
a free country. If there are to be days of rest—we have always
boasted about the fact that Judaism has enriched mankind with
the idea- of a Sabbath day—they must be accepted and adhered
to through the conviction of the observer of its necessity and of
its spiritual value. The moment a rest day is imposed through
Blue Laws, we shall surely see a repetition of the fallacies that
were created by Prohibition.
We are against all Blue Laws, much as we would like to
see adherence to Sabbath days, in accordance with the principles
of various religious faiths. But the least those who would im-
pose Sunday closing laws upon the entire population can do is
to grant the right to interchange Saturday for Sunday by those
observing the traditionaly Sabbath day.
observing the traditional Sabbath day.
The only way to fight such problems is to fight against
*
*
*
The Late Abraham Nusbaum
. While Abraham Nusbaum had devoted himself primarily to
orthodox affairs, the entire community is impoverished by his
passing. He was a very generous man and he was untiring in
his efforts in behalf of every worthy Jewish cause. He was always
ready to be of help to the less fortunate and he believed in
tzedakah be-seser—charity in secret. As a result, many people
have been aided by him, with loans, some having been enabled
with his aid to establish their business. All of it was done without
fanfare.
His name will be linked especially with Mizrachi and Bar-Ilan
University.
All the tributes that are being paid to his memory were well
earned.

JOSHUA ALMOG

the Jewish Agency and the Jew-
ish National Fund in Palestine
and other Middle Eastern lands.
One of his most fruitful as
well as dangerous assignments
came when Almog joined the
Land Department of the JNF
in 1946 and went out into the
field for the long and tortuous
work of purchasing land from
the. Arabs for future settlement
by Israelis. It was followed by
recruiting and training young
Jewish volunteers for service in
Haganah, the Jewish defense
force, in France and in North
Africa. At one point he was ar-
rested for "Zionist activities" in
Constantine, Algeria, but was
released.
After the War of Liberation
he was sent on a mission to Iran
to train young Jews for pio-
neering in Israel and to raise
funds among Jews in dozens of
communities.
He was born in Jerusalem in
1918 and studied at St. George's
College, the Hebrew University
and at the American University
in Beirut, learned Arabic and
traveled extensively in the Arab
world, making many friends
among the Arabs. In 1943 he
joined the British Army as an

educational officer with the
rank of Lieutenant. Upon his
graduation from the American
University in 1945 and his dis-
charge from the British forces
he taught Hebrew and econom-
ics at the British Institute in
Jerusalem.

r

will
built over the water..
have .a seating acapacity of
more than 400 and will be
suitable for such varied activi-
ties as concerts, dramatic pres-
entations, water ballet and
campfire community singing.
Its design will incorporate fa-
cilities for use as a place of
worship.
Word of the unique testi-
monial by his friends was kept
as a confidence by his ad-
mirers and first knowledge of
the complimentary donation
reached Allen via a special
'lelivery letter from Abe Srere,
president of the United Jew-
ish Charities, at his • Palm
Beach vacation home,- on the
morning of his birthday.
Srere, commenting on plans
for Allen's birthday obServ-
ance, said: "This gift could
not be more appropriate. Mr.
Allen, a member of our board,
is a vice-president of the Jew-
ish Home for Aged and Sinai
Hospital. He is chairman of
F ederation's capital needs corn-
m ittee. His interest in - our
co mmunity has extended to all
ag groups. The amphitheater,
whi ch will be built in his
hon or on the beautiful wooded
shor e of Lake Tamarack, will
be e njoyed by the very young,
the very old and all age
group in between. Providing
faciliti es for constructive use
of leisu re time is a project to
which Sidney Allen has been
most de voted."

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Boris Sm olar's

'Betwee You
and Me'

...

(Copyright, 19 58,
Jewish Telegraphic Ag ency, Inc.)

Summit Talks
.
Israel diplomats are following with utmost interest the tug-
of-war going on between the United States and Soviet Russia
over the summit conference proposal . . . It is obvious that at
such a conference the Middle East situation will be one of the
main points under discussion • . Such a discussion could lead to
a decision imposed on both Israel and the Arab countries 'against
their wills . . . Since the Soviet Union is said to advocate Israel's
withdrawal to the 1947 partition borders—and since Britain is
flirting with the same idea—Israel has every reason to be con-
cerned over what may take place at - the summit conference,
if it takes place .. . On the other_ hand, a summit onference
may also bring a West-East understanding which 'may result in
Russia's abstaining from further excitation of Arab hatred against
Israel and in the halting of arms . shipments to Arab countries
. .Israel's interest in the summit deliberationS is, th erefore,.
understandable either way . . . Although not ekpected to partici- .
pate in the summit conference, the Jewish State will wish, to have
her interests suitably represented there . Israel will have to
depend to a great extent on the United States and France which—
unlike Russia and Britain—have indicated that existing Arab-
Israel borders must be maintained . . . There was considerable
satisfaction in Israel when Secretary of State John Foster Dulles
resisted Turkish-Iraqi pressure at the recent Bagdad Pact Council
Meeting on the Arab-Israel issue . . • American policy has been
that no attempt can be made to solve the problem without some
degree of assurance in advance that both parties agree to the
solution . . . This, it is hoped, will also be the United States
stand at any summit conference.

*

*

*

Communal Trends
The eyes of Jewish leaders in a number of communities are
directed toward an experiment in Chicago where . - the Jewish
Federation of Chicago has started an aggressive promotion cam-
paign to have Chicagoans include the Federation in their wills• .
It is preparing a handbook :which will be mailed to Jewish laW-
yers, selected non-Jewish lawyers, and trust officers of banks . • .
Letters will also be sent to people of means asking them *for
endowments and legacies for the Federation and its agencies
. . . Actually, the idea of securing such contributions goes back
to the late Chicago Jewish philanthropist Julius Rosenwald •.
It was he who first urged friends and associates to include Jewish
Federations in their wills . . . Since then the Chicago Federation
has made good progress in security bequests . . . Its endowment
funds which in 1938 stood at about $3,000,000 have now reached
a total of over $9,300,000 • . . This is book value, not market
value . . . In the last two years the Federation was especially,
successful in securing legacies and endowments ... The interest-
ing fabt is that while a good number of the bequests are sub-
stantial, there were also many small bequests ranging from $100
to $5,000 . . . In addition to bequests to the Federation, the
Chicago institutions affiliated with the federation—like hospitals,
homes for aged, children's institutions—together have another
$7,000,000 in legacies and endowments .. . The idea of naming
the Jewish federations as beneficiaries in wills is still in its early
stages in a number of communities, but it is becoming increas-
ingly popular . . . Especially with Jewish donors who are not
certain that their children will continue to contribute to Jewish
charitable institutions• after the parent's death.