Composite Romantic Story of Jews in Hawaii
By MILTON FRIEDMAN
(Copyright, 1959, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
WASHINGTON—Many inhabitants of Hawaii, the 50th state to
join the Union, fancy themselves descendants of the lost tribes of
Israel. They are a kindly, pro-Semitic people who have welcomed Jews
to the islands for over a century.
The original native culture, one of the most advanced of Poly-
nesian civilizations, included. some traditional Jewish features. The
Three
Important
Anniversaries
(Continued on Page 32)
HE JEWISH NEWS
Interesting
Israeli
Election Facts
Page 2
Commentary
language had points in common wth Hebrew. Circumcision was prac-
ticed. Hawaii's ancient "City of RefUge"--a temple known as "Heiau"
—was found to resemble the cities of refuge prescribed by Mosaic law.
Jewish scholars examined local culture and religion shortly after
Hawaii was annexed as a U. S. territory in 1898. A report submitted
to the American Jewish Historical Association, in 1903, found inter-
esting possibilities, but actual evidence so slight as to be of no
material value.
A Weekly Review
of Jewish Events
Michigan's Only English-Jewish Newspaper--Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle
VOLUME XXXV—No. 4
Printed in a
100% Union Shop
17100 W. 7 Mile Rd.—VE 8-9364—Detroit 35, March 27, 1959
Sholem
Aleichem
Anniversary
Responsibility
to Our Schools
Editorials
Page 4
$5 Per Year; Single Copy 15c
Allied Campaigners Set New
Record on Opening of Drive
On the basis of reports submitted. at the dinner meeting Mon-
day, which marked the official opening of the 1959 Allied Jewish
Campaign, heads of the drive expressed certainty that the total of
$5,000,000 raised in 1958 will be exceeded this year and that there
are possibilities of again approaching the all-time high of close to
$6,000,000, attained in 1957.
A new record opening total of $3,500,000 is being reported
today, at the first campaign report luncheon meeting to be held at
the Fred M. Butzel Building, and the remaining six weeks of cam-
paigning is expected to set another record in fund-raising by Detroit
Jewry.
Monday's meeting, in addition to launching the city-wide solici-
tations for this year's drive, served as a farewell by the Detroit Jew-
ish community to Abba Eban who is retiring from his post as Israel's
Ambassador to the United States - and to the United Nations at the
end of May, to enter the political arena in Israel at his country's
national elections in November.
The 600 guests at the dinner at the Statler-Hilton heard an
inspiring address by Mr. Eban, in which he outlined Israel's early
experiences and current needs.
In addition to the major address by Ambassador Eban, the cam-
paigners were given encouragement in their current philanthropic
efforts by Governor G. Mennen Williams and Mayor Louis C. Miri-
whd spoke briefly about the significance of the campaign.
Governor Williams congratulated the gathering on the high
purposes of the drive which, he pointed out, assists in solving very
difficult problems. Mayor Miriani said he viewed the campaign "as
a righteous cause representative of our American principles."
Irwin I. Cohn, chairman of this year's drive, presided at the
dinner meeting. He was introduced by Max M. Fisher, president of
the Jewish Welfare Federation. Participants in the program included
Paul Zuckerman, chairman of the pre-campaign activities; Leonard
N. Simons, the campaign co-chairman, and Jack 0. Lefton, chairman
of trades and professions.
. The amount reported as raised in pre-campaign activities, as -of
Monday afternoon, was $3,375,603, which is 68 per cent of the total
amount subscribed last year.
Among the leaders on the dais were four former campaign
chairmen --- Abe Kasle, Harvey Goldman, John Lurie and Louis
Berry. Among the guests at the dinner was the Israel Consul for the
Middle West, David Tesher.
Twelve representatives of the Windsor Jewish community_ were
at the dinner. Windsor's similar all-inclusive campaign in behalf
of local, national and overseas causes starts next week.
Ambassador Eban devoted his address to a review of Israel's
position, from the early days of struggle for international recogni-
tion to its current efforts of continuing "the ingathering of the
exiles," especially the expatriates from Eastern Europe.
The Ambassador placed special emphasis. on "the unique
partnership between Israel and the United States." He pointed
out that "both are so mysteriously alike—they are two nations of
immigrants, two nations devoted to the highest expressions of
democracy."
(Continued on Page 3)
Smolar Exposes a Lie: Only 6 Romanians Remain
in Vienna; Settlement in Israel Not Forced
By BORIS SMOLAR
(Copyright, 1959, JTA, Inc.)
Are any Romanian Jews stranded in Vienna?
. .. Is it true, as the American Council for Judaism
claims, that 60 Romanian Jews have chosen to re-
main in Vienna rather than to proceed to Israel?
Is there any justification for the Council for Juda-
ism to raise funds among Jewish donors in the
United States for Romanian Jews in Vienna? . . .
I am being asked these questions following my re-
turn from Vienna, where I studied the refugee
situation from every angle . . . I investigated the
claim of the American Council for Judaism . . .
What is the truth? . . . The official figures I ob-
tained in Vienna can speak for themselves . . . They
show that, during December and January, a total
of 8,380 Romanian Jews reached Vienna . . . Of - that
total, only six remained in Vienna, and not 60 as
the Council for Judaism asserts in its fund-raising
appeal . . . To be more specific, five of them re-
mained in Vienna in December, and one in January
. . all of them remained due to the intervention of
the Jewish Agency office in Vienna . . . Without
such intervention with the Austrian authorities no
Jewish emigrant from Romania can remain in Vi-
enna, since Austria issues transit visas to Romanian
Jews only if they have immigration visas to Israel.
The office of the Jewish Agency is not objecting
to any of the Romanian Jews proceeding to any
other country outside Israel .. . On the contrary. I
found that the Jewish Agency does all it can to
help Romanian Jews who express the wish to pro-
ceed from Vienna to countries other than Israel ...
Official figures show that, among the 8,380 Jews
who arrived in Vienna from Romania during De-
cember and January, there were 60 persons who
were able to secure visas to Brazil,• Argentina, Bel-
gium and about 10 other countries . . . All of them
were encouraged by the Jewish Agency office in
Vienna, which co-operatees fully with the offices of
the Joint Distribution Committee and the United
Hias Service there . . . The American Council for
Judaism, apparently trying to justify its fund-
raising drive in the United States, sent $5,000 to
Vienna to help the "stranded" Romanian Jews . • .
However, the money was sent not to any of the
American Jewish organiations functioning in Vienna
. . . The $5,000 was sent to a non-Jewish agency
in Austria which feels itself very embarrassed, ap-
parently because there aren't enough Romanian
Jewish emigrants in Vienna requiring such a sum
. . . Furthermore, the non-Jewish agency is not
exactly happy about being utilized as a tool by the
Council for Judaism . . It is not in a position to
refuse acceptance of the Council's money, but it
sees no reason why the Council for Judaism cannot
channel its contribution through the JDC or Hias,
which represent American Jewish relief efforts in
Vienna.
The Jewish Agency in Vienna can well afford
to encourage Jewish emigrants from Romania to
proceed also to countries outside Israel, because
there are very few among the Romanian Jews who
think in such terms . Not even one percent of all
the Romanian Jews who so far have reached Vienna
have expressed themselves in favor of emigrating
to countries other than Israel . . . On the contrary,
I have myself spoken to two Romanian Jews for
whom their children—French citizens—have ob-
tained French immigration visas . . . The two in-
sisted that they do not want to proceed to France
. . . They preferred to go to Israel together with
the other Jews who arrived in Vienna with them
.. They argued that they have children and other
relatives also in Israel . . On the whole, all Jews
reaching Vienna from Romania are strongly Israel-
minded . . . They have dreamed about emigrating
from Romania to Israel for many years . . . They
are also impressed with the warm reception and
care given to them by the Jewish Agency in Vienna
. . . They do not know that the Jewish Agency gets
its funds from the United Jewish Appeal, but they
know that American Jewry is helping Israel . . .
They have confidence in their future in Israel,
especially those of them who come out from Ro-
mania with children . . . Some could perhaps secure
in Vienna immigration visas . to Latin American
countries and to Australia . . . However, to them,
these countries are strange and distant lands,
whereas Israel is a land close to their hearts . . .
Also, in order to receive visas to Latin America
and Australia, they would have to remain in Vienna
for some time to await the issuance of these visas
. . And the Austrian authorities, liberal as they
are in granting transit visas to Jews from Romania,
do not like to see them remain in Vienna for longer
than 48 hours.