Purim Lessons, Intermarriage and Miscegenation Issues Commentary Page 2 Vol. XLII I, No. 2 JEWISH NEWS „„.1-11.4-4 A Weekly Review of Jewish Events Urgent Need to Support School Proposals Editorial Page 4 Michigan's Only English-Jewish Newspaper—Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle Printed in a 100% Union Shop 17100 W. 7 Mile Rd. VE 8-9364 — Detroit 35, March 8, 1963 $6.00 Per Year; Single Copy 20c Claims Conference Asks Bonn End Protractions, Speed Up Indemnification Legislation NEW YORK, (JTA) — The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, meeting here Sunday, appealed by formal resolution, directly to the government and parliament of the West German Federal Republic, to redress injustices to victims of Nazi persecution, and to speed up the enactment of basic amendments to the German indemnification law "which are long overdue." The resolution expressed the hope that the German government would bring to the closing chapter of the indemnification program "the same degree of understanding it showed in making the Luxem- bourg Agreement and in enacting the original legislation for in-. demnification." The step was taken at the opening session of a two-day meeting, attended by more than 40 Jewish leaders from North and South America, Europe, Israel, Australia and South Africa. They represented 23 national and worldwide Jewish organizations of the Claims Con- ference, and they decided on the allocation of $10,000,000 scheduled to be received this year. Dr. Nahum Goldmann, president of the Claims Conference, re- ported to the board on the outcome of discussions held by him at Bonn with German Chancellor Adenauer and with Federal Finance Minister Rolf Dahlgruen. Dr. Goldmann voiced deep distress at "the protracted delays in framing the necessary legislation," although he acknowledged that certain objective factors have played a limited role in the delays. He , pointed out that the wrongs for which indemnifica- tion payments are made arose under the Nazi regime, which came to power 30 years ago. Nazi victims, in the scores of thousands, who have already waited decades for compensation, have grown deeply embittered, said Dr. Goldmann, while thousands of others have died over the course of years without receiving a penny in compensation. He expressed the hope that the proposed draft legislation will be compiled in the course of the next month, so that it could serve as a basis for • early discussion and negotiation. Over 600,000 claims for indemnification were still pending on Dec. 31, 1962, the date on which adjudications under the Federal in- demnification law were scheduled to be completed, Dr. Goldmann said. The basic amendments for which the Conference was pressing were aimed at speeding up the adjudication of claims, and at extend- ing the benefits of the law to groups of Nazi victims who were now excluded or whose claims were inadequately compensated. Dr. Goldmann singled out two groups whose claims were particu- larly meritorious: claimants for damage to health, and the so-called post-1953 group. Over 10,000 claims in the first category were still —Photo by Herbert S. Sonnenfeld. Courtesy Jewish Education Committee of New York Purim 5723 Purim spells joy for Jewish households everywhere. As we celebrate the downfall of the Haman of old, we gather strength in our faith that his counterparts in our own time will fail in their efforts to thwart justice or to undermine Israel's security. Continued on Page 5 Allied Jewish Campaign to Be Launched March I9; 3,000 Workers Are Active The 1963 Allied Jewish Campaign will open officially with a dinner meeting, 7 p.m., Tuesday, March 19, at the Jewish Community Center, 18100 Meyers Road. Campaign Chairman Charles H. Gershenson called the campaign opening a time for leaders and workers to come together in a massive show of strength in behalf of the 55 local, national and overseas causes the campaign serves. He reports that the 1963 campaign has enlisted an army of more than 3,000 workers who will solicit the gifts of 26,000 contributors. _ Gershenson said advanced units of campaign workers have been soliciting contributions to the 1963 campaign since the first of the year, and plan to have reached the $2,000,000 mark by the campaign opening. He said big gifts chairman Irwin Green and A. Alfred Taubman will have dramatic announcements to make at the meeting. He listed eight areas of greatest need—four in Detroit and four in the area of overseas aid. He called for increased generosity on the part of all contributors to provide: 1. Expanded services for the a g e d. 2. Counseling for children and troubled families. 3. An enlarged program of Jewish education. 4. Resettlement of refugee fami- lies in Detroit. Gershenson said that overseas the United Jewish Appeal must help tens of thonsands of Jewish refugees in transit reach Israel and other . free areas; 200,000 youngsters, infants to teen- agers, are being aided by UJA-supported programs throughout the world; on arrival in Israel, immi- grants need clothing, medical care, housing and job training to enable them to become self-suffi- cient citizens of a free land; for their daily needs in France this year, more than 160,000 North African Jews, who have fled the chaos of Algeria and Tunisia since July, 1961, depend on UJA supported Joint Distribution Committee welfare, aid. As the campaign nears its official opening date, the seven trade and professional divisions, the women's, metropolitan and junior divisions have scheduled planning meetings for their • workers. The mercantile division, furniture section, Continued on Page 3