Oil Firm Reports Sobeloff Praises Lurie ' s ' Heritage'
BY ISIDORE SOBELOFF,
thropy and its network of help-
Reviews Federation Growth, Find of Huge Gas Executive Vice-President, ing agencies have been taken for
granted. Efficiency, more demo-
Jewish Welfare Federation
in. Negev
' cratic participation and the satis-
of Detroit
Anticipates Future Planning Well
(Direct JTA Teletype Wire
From his vantage point of faction of Jewish aspirations, in
A 1 Lurie's 'Heritage Affirmed'
to The Jewish News)
For nearly a generation, many the staffs and the boards of the
TEL AVIV — An oil pros- more than a quarter-century of turn, have accounted for changes
people—lay and professional— established agencies, hostilities pecting company reported Tues- experience as the executive of in organizational structure. Incis-
looked to Harry L. Lurie for eased and differences vanished. day that a new fuel gas well the Council of Jewish Federa- ively, Lurie takes apart our so-
guidance in communal activi- Vestiges of the old conflicts re- in Mount Canaim in the north- tions and Welfare Funds, Harry cial mechanism, shows what
ties. He was, in a sense, the main in the memories of the east section of the Negev has L. Lurie, in "A Heritage Affirm- makes it tick and unfolds a pie-
dean of social workers. He was older members of the commu- begun to yield- an unexpectedly ed: The Jewish Federation Move- ture of our social organism that
well known to Detroiters, hav- nity and occasionally arise in large quantity of fuel.
ment in. America," published by is at once clear, informative and
ing assisted in many communal communal affairs. The effects
Officials of the Nochts Oil the Jewish Publication Society, instructive to all those who share
functionS here and in the pre- of both group hostility and con- Prospecting Company said that arrives at the' moderate conclu- t in our communal tasks whether
paratory work in the years pre- flict, and of the gradual easing the gas yield equals in energy sion that they have had "an in help for others or as mutual
ceding the formation of the of tensions, are some of the the entire output of oil at the eventful and on the whole suc- aid.
In a highly readable exposition .
Jewish Welfare Federation. His factors that have - determined Heletz field. The oil yield is cessful history".
early associations here, from the trends in American Jewish currently 400 tons of crude
Writing with an objectivity he reviews the simple beginnings
1915 to 1922, included member- welfare federations."
daily and the first measure- that, except for a modest auto- of individual Tsedakah up to its
ship on the staff of the Detroit
Lurie goes into detail in de- ments of the Canaim fuel gas ' giographical mite in the preface, ,present use of trained, profes-
Department of Public Welfare. scribing the developments in well indicate a yield of 15,000,- makes no mention of his own sional personnel; he analyzes the
He received his graduate federations organizations from 000 cubic feet of gas.
significant role in advancing this role of the giver • and the place
training in Ann ,Arbor- and was 1920 to 1930, which he describes
The new gas find - was located unique social institution, - he pre- of the functional agency on the
a teacher in sociology and eco- as the prosperous decade, t he in an area with indications of ! diets that, given an environment ;local scene. He describes the
nomics at the University of peri6d of the depression a nd other underground gas deposits of peace and prosperity, federa- struggle of forces . for prestige
Michigan. In
the era through the last war but company officials decided tions will function in the future I and power, the interplay between
addition to his
and the post-war periods. In to concentrate on the new well as a form of Jewish organization the local community and the na-
the nature
labors in be-
his evaluations he outlines the for the time being. The dis- adapted to serving Jewish needs tional agencies, . and
.
ity for assist-
half of the De-
functions of the local funds in covery reportedly opened large according to the needs of Amer- of
Israel and
ho e;
troit Federa-
relation to national agenci es; scale opportunities for Negev ica and of democracy.
sand the world. He ays atten-
tion, he also
the building and expansion pro- industrialization.
ed
Federations have appr
was connected
Officials also said prelimi- unity in a limited
grams and the federations links
. They tion to the role of v untarism
govern-
with philah-
with sectarian and non--sectarian nary plans had been made for deal with specific gr
interests in a world of increasi
ent resp and uts into
a six-inch gas pipeline to phos- and do not pres
thro- pic efforts
I welfare agencies.
o pre-empt
e as a
roper st
in Buffalo and
Drawing upon his personal ex- phate beds and further on to the entire field
Jewish co rm ()Ms
ovement.
sects
Chicago. He
periences, Lurie refers to many Dimona and the Arad area. munal activity. or many, F
ust" for
is
T
was associated
authorities in the federations Beersheba also was reported eration involv
erely a one
fining—and
hip
w
with the Bu-
field, and, he points out: "That under consideration as a ter- year donation. or some it is
and would-be
ew
reau of Jewish
the nature of Jewish community minal for the projected fuel gas a single agen in a constell
s more than a
ers; for
Social re-
organization is, determined in pipeline. , of agencies.
is, for all its
tually everybody
search in New
large measure by the conditions
ferences fro I the Kahal or e slo n tha
ederation and Feder-
H. L. Lurie
. York and from
of the American environment be sustained and will continue Kultusgemein , to some extent belongs
ngs to everybody.
1935 to 1954 he was the execu- is 'a frequent theme of federa- to require large amounts of derivative of
se earlier social ation
tive director of the Council of tion leader-Ship in analyzing the philanthropic funds.
forms. It is,
some respects,
Jewish Federations and Wel- nature of federations." As au-
Lurie's evaluation of the fed: but an arm of t
ynagogue;
fare Funds—the over-all body thority he quotes Isidore ISohe - eration's role in the develop- by virtue of its
d
that supervises activities , of loff4 executive vice president of ment of American Jewish com- nature, it is able, in the main, to
Jewish Federations throughout the Detroit Jewish Welfare munal life is -an -affirmation of a avoid schisms on doctrinal mat-
the land. He also held posts Federation, as follows:
heritage that includes 'many ters and to serve, in those areas
—FO R-
in public Welfare organizations
"Jewish community organi- facets and which presently is where it is free to operate, as a
WEDDINGS
• PARTIES
•
and in the U. S. Department of zation has characteristics being fused into practically super- unifying force for all Jews.
MITZVAHS
• ETC.
BAR
•
Labor.
Lurie
wisely
points
out
that
the
vised
efforts
that
point
to
greater
which are peculiar to the
Thus, he became a leading conditions of the American efficiency and an all-inchisive- preyailing idea in group living
Phone
authority on Jewish communal environment: Israel and its ness that provides for. Israel, so- seems to have been to reproduce,
WO 3-4096 TY 8-9120
questions, and his experiences developing society may fur-. cial services and education. "A as far as American conditions
Evenings: LI. 7-3912
are recorded in the newest book dish- us with an enriching Heritage Affirmed" is the work permitted, the extension in mod- -
issued by the Jewish Publica- factor, but its influence for of an authority who is fully ac- ern-day terms of the communal
KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS
tion Society under the title "A us may 'not be dominant. One quainted with the topic he has life that existed in earlier days
15787 Wyoming Ave.
`around the synagogue. Philan-
Heritage Affirmed." In this of America's major aspects - developed.
work, he tells the story of the has been an expanding and
Jewish Federation movement in open economic and social sys-
this country, evaluating the tem permitting Jews as indi-
philanthropic ideals, growth and viduals to achieve greatly in
achievements of the movement. almost every field of endeav-
Boston's Federated Jewish or. Another feasible factor
Charities was the first Of the has been the pattern of vol-
formally organized Jewish fed- untary association, involving
erations in, America. It was a high degree of free choice
formed April 29, 1895. The in the selection of social, cul-
need for organization first was tural and -civic activities. As
outlined in--1900 by Max Senior a result of these conditions,
of Cincinnati, at the first Na- the group life of Jews in
tional Conference of Jewish America has not been restrict-
Charities. The movement began ed to any, particular mold,
to grow, and while it was slow either by external pressure or
in gaining momentum, it soon by internal authority. Ameri-
became nationwide.
can Jewry will go where it
Lurie points to the forerun- will wish to go and those who
ners of federations, the diver- will not wish will. fall away,
- sity of Jewish communal or- but those who live together
ganizations. Much research in- and organize together will
to Jewish communal registers continue to live by compro-
is in evidence in his compila- mise and by accommodation."
Federation activities today,
tion. He explains in his book
the activities of overseas relief their structure and forms of
agencies, pointing to the variety community organization, receiv
of causes that served the Jewish thorough analysis.
.Lurie anticipates that Jew
communities.
Defining the federation federations will continue to
idea, in practice and in its velop under conditions that
historical aspects, Lurie ex- include: 1: A continuing ex
plains how the kahal — the sion of philanthropic inter
traditional Jewish community health, educational and w
, —had emerged; the idea of agencies under Jewish aus
hree generations of Jewish housewives have put
tzedakah—charity; the relig- 2. the quality of services a
ious precepts in welfare pro- able under Jewish auspices
their fullest confidence in Diamond Crystal Kosher
grams; the influence hostili- have to rheet increasingly hig
Salt for quality and purity. Its use for Koshering is
ties among Jewish factions; of standards; 3. a diminished use
European ideologies on Amer- of agencies solely of ethnic
rewarding, not only in family enjoyinent at the table
ican Jewish life; Zionist and identification can be expected;
other aspects, whith have "led 4. the importance of the medi-
but also in preparation of the meals.
to a rapproachement between cal center and of organized
the new immigrants and their counseling and guidance serv-
descendants and existing com- ices will increase; 5. improving
munal welfare organization." economic conditions and in-
He thereupon points out that: creased leisure will add to the
When you cook, season with Diamond Crystaj Kosher
"There has been an easing of demand for recreational Cen-
hosility as the second genera- ters; 6. we may expect a greater
Salt. Its complete purity brings out the finest flavors
tion took on characteristics of interest in the -arts and in
in
foods. Makes crispier salads, too, because it is
the settled population in eco- scholarship, but philanthropic
nomic status, types of occupa- contributions to such projects
coarse and doesn't melt" greens.
tion and cultural practice. As may come much more from in-
the new immigrant population dividuals and foundations than
and its descendants grew to 10 from communal funds; 7. help
times the number of Jews of from federal funds will be es-
the older migration and began sential; and 8. interests in Is-
to occupy important roles on rael and in overseas needs will
l
HALL
AVAILABLE
COMP ' E ENJOYMENT OF MEAT AND FOWL
FOR THE FINEST .FLAVORS SALT BRINGS OUT IN FOOD
•
Get a fresh new box today <> ■■ Diamond
Crystal Salt Company
Ot1