20
—
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS -- Friday, July 7, 1961
'Detroit Conductor Herschel Leib,
Betsy Kanter Wed
Cantor's Son, Recalls Life of Music to Joel M. Cohen
By CHARLOTTE HYAMS
The Jews haven't had a coun-
try long enough to claim a
music of their own.
It is a mistake, then, to call
one month of the year "Jewish
Music Month," according to.
Herschel Leib, director of the
Detroit Concert Band. He con-
cedes that Israeli music is "go-
HERSCHEL LEIB
ing places," but "How can we
call synagogue music, or Yid-
dish songs, of Israeli composi-
tions, or anything by a Jewish
composer 'Jewish music?' None
of these really represents the
Jewish people. It's not authen-
tic."
Leib _is sure his view is not
a popular one, but with a musi-
cal experience of more years
than he cares to count, and an
extensive Jewish background
that stems from • his cantor-
father, he bases his judgment
on more than casual interest. -
Nevertheless, the Detroit
Concert Band conductor (the
name is a new one; it was
formerly known as the Sum-
mer Parks Band because the
eight-week concert series is
played each night at a dif-
ferent city park) speaks ani-
matedly of Yiddish and He-
brow melodies, and to illus-
trate their adaptability "to
any occasion" likes to hum
snatches of "Eli, Eli" or
"Havah Nagilah."
Although Leib's voice bears
Marilyn Lucas Wins
Music Scholarship to
Tanglewood Center
Marilyn Lucas, 18-year-old pi-
anist, has been named the recipi-
ent of the National Federation
of Music Clubs Scholarship to
Tanglewood at the Berkshire
Music Center in 'Lenox, Mass.
Miss Lucas, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Samuel B. Lucas, 19481
Mark Twain, started her piano
studies at four, made her debut
at 13, and has been on several
occasions soloist with the Jewish
Center Symphony Orchestra and
the Wayne State University Sym-
phony Orchestra. A piano major
at Wayne State University, she
is a former student of Julius
Chajes and is presently studying
with Eleanor Lipkin Rocchi.
Educational TV Award
Given to Bnai Brith's
ADL for Drama Show
ATLANTIC CITY, (JTA) —
The national "S c h o o 1 Bell
Award" for an outstanding edu-
cational television program was
presented here to the Anti-
Defamation League of Bnai
Brith for a full-hour dramatic
program, "A Question of Chairs:
The Challenge of - American
Education."
The program had been broad-
cast last January by CBS-TV
network in conjunction with the
ADL's annual meeting and is
now being shown before edu-
cational and civic groups
throughout the country. The
presentation was made at the
convention of ,the National. Edu-
cation Association.
no resemblance to the soprano
he once offered as a boy in the
choir of the famous cantor
Meisels. ("I offered him a ruble
to let me sing under him") he
still demonstrates the vocal
training his father gave him
back in the home town of Eka-
terinoslav, Ukraine, today
known as Dniperpetrovsk.
It was a town that boasted
great cantors, and there was
much competition among syn-
agogues, and even opera com-
panies, to win the favors of
the hazzan.
But the comfortable life came
to an end with a threatened
pogrom. Cantor Leibovitch left
for America to find a job, and
eight months later nine-year-
old Herschel, his mother and
six brothers and sisters, arrived
in New York, shortly before
an anti-Jewish riot killed a
number of their former fellow
townsmen.
`VAUDEVILLE-. SHOW'
In those days of mass im-
migration, Leib's education - was
not unlike that of many other
young musicians. He picked up
his formal education where he
could — in Birmingham, Min-
neapolis, St. Louis, Toledo,
wherever his father the cantor
happened to be called.
Leib continued to practice
violin, to sing in and direct
his father's choir. And he work-
ed in a butcher's shop to help
out at home.
They were hard years, and
Leib speaks bitterly of "the
vaudeville show" that used to
characterize the life of a can-
tor, hired for a short period and
then dismissed at will.
But Leib learned to love
synagogue music with all its
shades of meaning ("Do you
know why the Jews so love
the minor chord in their
music? Because the minor
key represents the tragedy
of their history")..
The son of the Orthodox can-
tor launched his first three-
piece orchestra in a burlesque
theater in Toledo. "Burlesque
wasn't then what it is now, of
course. I learned a great deal
about playing for musical
shows, and when I came to
Detroit in 1922 for the opening
of the Capitol Theater, I was
ready to play for- opera and
ballet." In the silent movie era,
he picked up a phenomenal
mental music library, playing
at the Fisher and Adams, State
and Fox theaters. "Music for
films was a big production,"
Leib said. "At the Fox in 1931
we worked seven days 'and
seven nights, 100 men in my
orchestra presenting a real
stage show."
Leib finally arrived at the
Niederlaenders' Shubert Thea-
ter and has been house leader
there and at the Riviera 'ever
since.
RUNS IN THE FAMILY
The family's- musical talent,
however, is not limited to Her-
schel Leib. His three brothers
distribute their interests like
so: Max leads the orchestra at
Northland and Cass Theaters;
Sam plays the bass; and Sol, of
California, is a cellist. Leib's
older brother, Isadore i now de-
ceased, played the violin, and
his daughter Bernice, who pass-
ed away three years ago, stud-
ied piano. Leib's wife, the form-
er Minnie Gordon of Canton,
0., while not a musician, comes
from a long line of cantors.
And as the tradition goes in
the Leibovitch family of Eka-
terinoslav, the musical talent
passes from father to son. Don-
ald Leib, 37, is a clarinetist
in the Belle Isle Band, teaches
music in the Livonia Public
Schools and plays under his
father in the theater. And
Leib's 21/2-year-old granddaugh-
ter?, "Why .of course she'll
study music."
He Wouldn't Fly Secession Flag
David Einhorn, Freedom Rider'1861
By DAVID SCHWARTZ
(Copyright, 1961, Jewish Telegraphic
Agency, Inc.)
MRS. JOEL COIIEN
Mr. and Mrs. Joel Mitchell
Cohen left for a Bermuda honey-
moon following their marriage
June 25 at Adas Shalom Syna-
gogue.
Rabbi Jacob Segal and Cantor
Nicholas Fenakel officiated.
The bride- is the former Betsy
Sue Kanter, daughter of Dr. and
Mrs. Norman Kanter of North-
lawn Ave. The bridegroom is the
son of Mrs. Ethel Cohen of Dex-
ter Blvd. and Nathan Cohen of
the Fort Wayne Hotel.
The gown worn by the bride
was ivory silk mist in princess
lines with rounded neckline and
empire bodice of appliqued peau
de lange lace. The dome-shaped,
floor-length skirt with garlands of
matching lace fell into a chapel
train. A tiara of heirloom orange
blossoms held her two-tiered fin-
gertip veil of illusion ivory silk.
Mrs. Alvin Buch was her sis-
ter's matron of honor. Brides-
maids were Audrey Kramer, Sue
Mandell and Gail Shapiro. Gail
and Marcy Greenbert were the
junior bridesmaid s. Robert
Cohen, brother of the bridegroom
was best man and seating the
guests were Dr. Harold Green-
bert, Alvin Buch, Sheldon Rock-
lin, Herbert Polk," Arnold Mon-
drow, Robert Wolfe and Larry
Edelheit.
Educator Says
. Is
Education in
adeq e'
`Tragicall
Ont., (JT •‘)
HALLIB T S
wish educator
--A lea g
ere at Jewish edu-
charge
cation n the United States
is "tr 'tally inadeq
an
is - "n furthe
ica
Was s ular ed
n of the c to
at the
x Baer, n o a dire
Dr.
ai Brith th Org
of the
tion, to the annual con
ere
Young A
of Bnai
drastic
st b
that there
overhauling o
it will
Jewish schools so
d of subject-
child-centered in
the needs of
centered, refle
today's youth of of their grand-
parents."
Baer sug sted a "coordin
approach t Jewis:Scoli
local corn nities."
New Y k's
3,00 t 000
Passes
NEW Y K, (JTA) —
of
ish Appe
United
k
d 19th6 e
Greater New
its
$23,000,000 ma
campaign during "Fat
elep one
Son Day" in th
eadquarters,
rooms at UJA
where 400 vo Leer workers,
o generations,
representing
special "person-
participated
icitations.
to-person"
vernor and ex .S.
Former
rbert H. Leh
Senator'
telet n.
headed t
gner,
Robert F.
rk
's
the New
unit
mit-
sectarian C
nor. He
of
tee, was a g
- made
was awarded
silver - plaque ins
eo-
notable service to Isra
ple„"
Want ads bring fast result
The chaplain of Yale Univer-
sity who was arrested along with
the Freedom Riders in Missis-
sippi, is married to the daughter
of the famous Jewish pianist,
Artur Rubenstein. The story of
this preacher reminded me of
Rabbi David Einhorn of Balti-
more, who did a little battling
for freedom back in 1861.
The pro-slavery forces were
strong in Maryland. It was there
that the abolitionist, Garrison,
first tasted prison. In 1861, the
anti-Union, anti-Lincoln senti-
ment there reached fever heat.
Mobs even dared attack Union
soldiers. David Einhorn however,
rose in his pulpit to attack slav-
ery. He was warned repeatedly,
but he did not waver.
Most of the ' churches and
other buildings flew the seces-
sion flag. Members of his congre-
gation said to him, "Rabbi, we've
got to hang that flag, too. Our
temple will be destroyed
wise." But David Einh
woul
not permit it.
The mob
gr w fiercer.
Einhorn w. told that his life
was in d
er. The Members o
his con gation, even
differe
ith his view
horn
great 're • -
Davi
Einh or was o- -
e ps
dozen f the -atest
Americ as see He w
ceptional
ebrew -
versed in
philosophy and a
nobility of char
Since the abbi woul
yield, so
of his
formed
oluntl
pro-
tect him om 'th
s()
it was
n that
y would
be able
shie
im.
night of
ril
, 18
Einhorn w
orced
more Severa
was more
Rabbi
orn
come b , but
his con gation
keep s
t on
slavery.
He ref d. He left Saltimor
going firs
Philadelphia
ally to N
ork.
mil G. Hirsc
e of Ein
horn that he belonged to the
great leaders of abolition along
with Phillips, Beecher and Garri-
son and would have been
bracketed with them in American
history except for the fact that
he preached in German. (The
great majority of American Jews
of that day were of German
origin.)
West Germany to Loan
$250 Million to UAR
BONN, (JTA) — A loan of
a billion deutschemarks ($250,-
000,000) will be granted by the
government of West Germany
to the United Arab Republic,
it was announced here by the
Economic Ministry.
After two days of - negotia-
tions by Vice Premier Boughadi
of the UAR, and Ludwig Er-
hardt, West German Minister of
Economic Affairs, it was de-
cided that West Germany would
finance the construction of the
Euphrates dam in Syria, as well
as other industrial projects in
the UAR.
Chancellor Konrad Adenauer
nuonced that 'he plans to visit
UAR next year.
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•
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N.A.D.A.—Registered Decorator Consultant
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