Relate Life Stories of Major Alfred Mordecai and
Emma Lazarus in Tt o Newest Covenant Books

_Aground the world...

A Digest

of World Jewish Happenings, from

Among the very great de- West ,Point and always retained acquaintance with her interest- Dispatches of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Other
News-Gathering Media.
velopments in book publishing respect for his Jewish loyalties. ing subject.
There is an interesting begin-
in the past two years was the
At 18, he was Assistant Pro-
ning
in
"The
Voice
of
Liberty."
Israel
joint project of the Covenant fessor at the U. S. Military
TEL AVIV—Negotiations continue between Israel and Great
Books—"stories of Jewish men Academy. Among his associates It starts with "The Greatest
and women to inspire young was Albert Sidney Johnston, Woman in the World" and in- Britain on a renewal of the deadlocked air transport agreement
people"—issued jointly by the who became a great general in troduces the Statute of Liberty, between the two countries. . . . The evening daily Yedioth Ahro-
Jewish Publication Society of the Confederacy. He was closely on the base of which is in- noth launched a campaign to raise funds from its readers to bring
America and Farar, Straus & allied with General Lewis Cass, scribed Emma Lazarus' poem, a shipload of immigrants from Eastern Europe. The plan was
Cudahy.
Secretary of War in President "The New Colossus." From that hailed by the Jewish Agency and by government leaders . . . Dr.
Six titles already have ap- Andrew Jackson's cabinet and point on the story moves Arieh Harel, newly-appointed Ambassador to the Soviet Union, left
peared in this series. The first one of the famous settlers in smoothly and at the same time for Moscow where, he said, he would attempt to bring about
"better relations between the two countries, including economic
four have already been re- Detroit, in the Michigan Terri- dramatically. * * *
relations." Dr. Harel, who was formerly Minister to Romania,
viewed in our columns. They tory.
Emma Lazarus' youth, the spent a month here in consultations regarding his new duties.
were "Silversmith of Old New
His close friends included
JERUSALEM—The Yemenite member of the Knesset, Yishay-
York, Myer Myers," by William George B. McClellan, who be- lures towards non-Jewish inter-
Wise; "Border Hawk: August came famous as a Civil War ests, her early poems, her sensi- ahu Sharabi, is being considered for Speaker, as successor to the
late Joseph Sprinzak.- at the election in Parliament on March 2.
Bondi." by Lloyd Alexander; general and later was Governor tive nature,
her increasing
. . . Dr. Zorach Warhafttig and Moshe Unna, deputies of the
"The World of Jo Davidson." of New Jersey.
interest in the
National Religious Party, introduced a bill in the Knesset to
by Lois Harris Kuhn," and
General Cass was the
Jewish peo-
exempt young women from service in Israel's military forces.
"Jubal and the Prophet," by
friend and adviser who en- ple, her activi-
. . . Finance Minister Levi Eshkol indicated that there is a pros-
Frieda Clark Hyman.
couraged Alfred Mordecai to
ties during
pect of higher rates for Israel's taxpayers to help finance the
The two newest Covenant pursue his courtship of pretty the Civil War,
absorption of the anticipated mass immigration into Israel this
Books, presently under review, Sara Ann Hays, daughter of the inspira-
year.. . . Egyptian newspapers admitted that the government
which came off the press last a prominent Philadelphia
tions that
radio is jamming Arabic broadcasts from Israel. Declaring that
week, are: "The Uncommon
Jew and niece of Rebecca
moved her to
"Egypt has finally succeeded in making listening to the Israeli
Soldier: The Story of Major
Gratz, who was the founder
poetry, are
radio impossible," the Cairo newspaper Al Akhbar called on other
Alfred Mordecai," by Robert D.
of the first Jewish Sunday
told in .a fash-
-Arab governments to take similar jamming measures.
Abrahams, and "The Voice of
School in America. The Mor-
ion that is cer-
ELATH—The first Roman Catholic mass in 800 years was
Liberty: The Story of1 Emma
decais had a happy Jewish
tain to keep
celebrated here on the shores of the Red Sea on Feb. 15. by Fr.
Lazarus," by Eve Merriam.
home and their son, Alfred
the
young
Jean Rogef, of Jerusalem.
* * *
Jr., enrolled in West Point
reader glued
Africa
Like their predecessors, the
and, like his father, had a
to the pages;
TUNISIA—Although the municipality of Tunisia and the
two new titles are very well
fine military career.
of this book.
local Jewish community still are involved in litigation to clear
written books, on two subjects
Unlike his father, who might
Her interest
the title to the Jewish cemetery here, in the case that is before
that lend themselves to drama- have become a general but in Dante and
tization. Both Major Mordecai sacrificed further advancement Heine and her Emma Lazarus
a Tunisian court, work has begun on the construction of a play-
and Emma Lazarus played im- when he quit the service during friendship with Emerson are ground on the cemetery site. and Premier Habib Bouguiba paid
portant roles in American Jew- the Civil War in order not to among the interesting episodes a ceremonial visit to the site.
ish history, and knowledge fight against his native South, in the book. Her disappoint-
United States
about them and the periods in Alfred Jr.—he was the first ment at Emerson's ignoring her
NEW YORK—Dr. Joseph J. Schwartz, executive vice presi-
which they live help the young Jewish child to be born in when he prepared an anthology dent of the Israel Bond Organization, upon his return from
readers to become more in- Washington—became a briga- of great poems was a shock to Europe, said there is strong determination on the part of Jewish
timately acquainted with major dier general, fought on the her. But she later emerged with
communities in Western Europe to help large numbers of Jews
American Jewish events.
Union side in the Civil War a spirit of great zeal, and she from Romania and other Eastern European countries to reach
Interestingly enough, Major and established a memorable began to produce her memora- Israel, and that a program has been worked out for the participa-
Mordecai was a grandson of record for himself in the U. S. ble poems.
tion of Western European Jewish communities in a new $300.-
Myer Myers, the distinguished Army.
In the chapter "Who Am
000,000 Israel Bond issue. . . . Arriving in New York from Israel
* * *
silversmith who was the sub-
last Friday, Foreign Minister Golda Meir revealed that Israel
I?," Emma Lazarus is de-
ject of the first Covenant Book.
Abraham s' biography de- scribed as having found her- received 30,000 Olim-immigrants in 1958.
The two are linked in Abra- scribes Major Mordecai's suc- self as a Jewess. The en-
SAN FRANCISCO — Thanks to the efforts of Bnai
hams' biography. The Morde- cesses as author of military
Negroes and whites are bowling together for the first time in
couragement came to her
cais possessed a Yad— a Torah manuals, as emissary for the from Edmund Clarence Sted-
the history of the American Bowling Congress in an ABC-sanc-
pointer made by Myers, and U. S. Government in foreign
man, eminent critic, who ad-
tioned competition. Formation of the integrated bowling league
mystical powers were ascribed missions, as an active leader in vised her to turn to her
followed efforts of the Redwood Lodge of Bnai Brith, two teams
to it by the children. But there Jewish religious activities, as an
"personal history," to her
of employes of a San Francisco company, and other groups.
was a fire in the family home observant Jew, as friend of "J e wish heritage," to the
NEWARK. N.J. — The Newark Evening News reported that
in Warrenton. N. C., and its loss Jefferson Davis and many other
"deep and rich tradition in
several Summit real estate men argued that discrimination in
was never forgotten.
distinguished leaders of his the Hebrew past."
housing against Jews was controlled not by the real estate
The Yad was not the only time.
She met Dr. Gustav Gottheil, agencies but by the home-owners.
When he left the army, Major rabbi of Temple Emanu-El, who
Jewish symbol that remained
ST. LOUIS — The Missouri Supreme Court has handed down
ingrained in the heart and mind Mordecai organized the Penn- encouraged her to write some a decision at Jefferson denying a motion by the City of Creve
of Alfred Mordecai, the hero sylvania Canal Co. in Phila- original hymns. And when news Coeur for rehearing in the city's attempt to bar Temple Israel
of our story, who craved to be delphia, built railroads and came of pogroms in Russia from building a religious center in an area zoned as residential.
a soldier and whose desires other great projects.
she was stirred to action and
TRENTON, N.J. — Fifty Jewish leaders from 12 Jewish com-
He was 76 when McCellan became a defender of her peo- munities in New Jersey were told at a National Community Rela-
were fulfilled when he made
his mark as a West Point grad- came to him with an important ple, in magazine articles and in tions Advisory Council, that in every case where humane slaugh-
uate and as a teacher at West message: inviting him to de- her poems.
ter legislation had been enacted in various European countries,
*
Point. He remained loyal to liver the commencement ad-
•
it had eventually been used as a springboard by groups seeking
Jewish traditions and he was dress at West Point. It was a
Emma Lazarus began to study to outlaw Jewish ritual slaughter.
honored widely for his devo- mark of great recognition, and Hebrew. She became imbued
BOSTON — Governor Herschel C. Loveless. of Iowa. principal
it was a deeply moving experi- with a Jewish spirit that soon speaker at the annual land-for-Israel dinner of the Jewish National
tion.
Alfred's early Jewish studies, ence for him. Once again he became a guiding light for Fund of New England, declared that "the government and people
his preparation for his Bar thought of the Yad. He had many who read her inspired of Israel will be called upon to make greater and additional
Mitzvah and his family loyalties never forgotten his link with works.
sacrifices, to provide land and water resources for the settlement
are described in detail, in a his people, a link that is so well
When Madame Ragozin's of the mass exodus of Jews now streaming into Israel from Ru-
style that will enchant the emphasized in Abrahams' fine anti-Semitic article appeared in mania." Just returned from a visit to Israel, the Governor stressed
young reader. But every move biography. * * •
The Century, she was infuriated that his observations stemmed "from my personal observations
made by Alfred was accom-
and demanded the right to and meeting the people during my recent visit to Israel."
Equally
interesting
and
excit-
panied by his reiterated wish
write an answer and "readers
ing
is
Eve
Merriam's
"The
Europe
to become a soldier. When Sen-
were impressed with the power
VIENNA—In response to a request from the Jewish Agency,
ator Macon visited Alfred's Voice of Lib e r t y," Emma and conviction of her argu-
the Austrian government has agreed to make available the
father, Jacob, and offered to Lazarus' story. Mrs. Merriam's ments."
appoint the young boy. who "Emma Lazarus: Woman with a
Then began the large im- Kaiserebersdorf hostel near Vienna for Romanian Jews in transit
was then 15, to West Point. the Torch," was reviewed in The migration of oppressed Jews to to _Israel.
Jewigh News upon its appear- this country, and the young
ROME — The West should endorse and facilitate the "path
elder Mordecai yielded.
• * *
ance two years ago. It was an poet's verses again delineated of active neutralism" which the Arab States are now pursuing,
Then began the interesting outstanding biography, and the the tragedies that caused the according to Alberto Folchi, Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs,
career of Mordecai. He excelled present effort, on the same sub- migrations and; the hopes that who, addressing the faculty of the Catholic College of Nazareno,
declared that Israel is a political reality which the Arab coun-
in French and in mathematics, ject. specifically for younger awaited them.
was named an instructor at readers, attests to the author's
Emma's sisters did not ap- tries must acknowledge.
PARIS — The Israel government will soon award a contract
prove of her work. They ridi-
culed her Jewish loyaltiei. But for construction of the country's third sugar refining plant, at
Emma ignored them. Then a cost of about 58,250,000. Bids for the job have been put in by
I firms from France, West Germany, Netherlands and Belgium.
HAIFA — A sub-sonic wind to conduct experiments in areo- came the great triumph—the
BONN — Against the opposition of Arab students who tried
acceptance of her poem "The
dynamics
at
winds
up
to
180
tunnel, to-be used both for re-
miles per hour, using plane New Colossus" for the Statue to break up the meeting, 30 German students at Bonn University
search and for students instru- models whose wing span does of Liberty. "James Russell founded a new organization, the German-Israel Student Group,
tion, was formally inaugurated not exceed 30 inches. The re- Lowell expressed the senti- devoted to "the improvement of relations between the Federal
here in the Bender Aeronautical sults of such tests are applica- ments of many," Mrs. Merriam Grman Republic and Israel," and university chancellery imme-
Engineering Laboratory of the ble to actual flights at speeds of writes, when he wrote to Emma diately issued a charter to the new organization.
LONDON — Seventeen Israeli youths, members of various
Lazarus: "I like your sonnet
Technion, Israel Institute of up to 400 miles per hour.
Since this is the only aero- about the Statue better than collective settlements, arrived in England for a two-month train-
Technology.
ing course in the use and maintenance of British-made tractors
Representatives of the Israel nautical wind tunnel of its type the Statue itself . . "
Emma Lazarus carried the and farm equipment. . . . Barnett Janner, president of the
Air Force, El-Al, the Ministry in Israel, the Technion will
of Trasnport and the Ministry make it available for use by banner_ high, in her pleadings Board of Deputies of British Jews, met with the Czechoslovak
of Defence attended the cere- other institutions_ and agencies for liberty and justice, for fair- Ambassador to Britain for a discussion of a Board complaint that
which require wind speeds for ness to her people. She died many Jews are still in Czech prisons- on charges of alleged
mony.
The new propeller operated various tests. In recent years at the age of 38 and left a great Zionist activities. A Board report also charges that Czechoslovakia
wind-tunnel will enable scien- the department has executed a legacy, as is so well told in "is the only Communist country which, after the anti-Semitic
tists of the aeronautical engi- number of research projects for "The Voice of Liberty" by Eve outbursts of 1951-52, culminating in the Rudolph Slansky trial,
i has not done anything to rehabilitate those sentenced."
Merriam.
neering department at Technion the U.S. Air Force,

Technion Opens New Wind Tunnel

