Purely Commentary

Justice Henry M. Butzel

A new generation in
Yorkville . . . Middle
East Cauldron Boils.

D

Dy rnilip

Slomovitz

brings to his new national position a rich background and a
devotion to the need for the advancement of adult educa-
tional programs.
Having added adult projects to its expanding educational
activities, Bnai Brith needs the type of guidance . which has
distinguished Rabbi Adler not merely as a preacher but also
as an educational planner.
Rabbi Adler has taken a strong position in efforts to elevate
the standards of communal programming and in giving encour-
agement to all vital educational activities. Bnai Brith is to be
congratulated on having chosen him for the commission's chair-
manship. While Rabbi Adler is honored by such a selection,
Bnai Brith and its educational programs will be the ones to
gain from his appointment.

Foy.a number of years, since his retirement from the Bench,
the late Justice Henry M. Butzel was a popular figure at many
Jewish and civic functions. Already in his eighties, he was
erect, • alert, active, and he substituted for his legal interests
a deep concern in community matters and a vital interest in
activities in the field of Jewish philanthropy and the social
services.
He seldom missed a Jewish Welfare Federation and Allied
Jewish Campaign meeting during the lastdecade—until
recent illness. which ended his participation in the movements
in which he became deeply involved.
Justice Butzel, who was one of our community's most
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generous contributors to the vital causes that have called for
major attention in Jewry, became deeply interested in Israel's When Is It Safe to 'Cut Down' on Aid Abroad?
needs and strongly advocated Jewry's participation in the causes
Edwin Wolf II is one of the ablest leaders in American
that aided the settlement of refugees and the rehabilitation of Jewry. He knows and understands the American Jewish corn-
the dispossessed
masses
from
many lands.
Indeed, he was
greatly
devoted
to our community's social munity and he is on the right track when he asks for priority for
and as a former president of the United Jewish Jewish education in our programming and planning.
service agencies.
When, however, in his zeal, he goes so far as to state that
Charities he dedicated himself to the needs and functions of
in order to provide greater support for cultural work "we may
the movements linked with it and with the Federation.
As a former president of Temple Beth El he continued a have to cut down on the dollars we send abroad," he courts
lifetime's interest in the religious activities and the educational danger.
We are a generous people. We have provided funds for the
projects of his congregation.
Justice Butzel had a keen sense of humor. Linked with it relief and rehabilitation of needy and for Israel's upbuilding in
was a warm humanitarian idealism. While he had spoken teas- the hundreds of millions„ But some givers are showing signs
ingly about the manner in which his late brother, Fred M. Butzel, of getting tired, of pleading for the time when it no longer will
had an open door for every "shnorrer," for the bearded and be necessary to send philanthropic dollars abroad. Those among
clean-shaven alike, it was always evident that he not only them who have an understanding of the needs will continue
to give and will not _be deterred by increasing needs abroad.
admired his brother's readiness to be of help to all who looked
him for assistance, but that he secretly entertained the hope of But there are some who might too readily yield to the suggestion
being a partner in that social mindedness. Indeed,' he carried that "we cut down on the philanthropic dollar." Too many of
on Fred's work when his brother passed away. Jointly, the them might use it as an excuse not to give at all—and then both
the charities and the educational media will suffer.
Butzel named lent glory to our community.
Justice Butzel was one of the giants in our midst. He
A good campaigner never proposes anything that might be
inspired respect and he won affection. His name will remain suggestive of the right not to give at all. That's what might
linked among the builders of our city's and state's great institu- happen if and when we approve of the mere hint of cutting the
tions and as one of the inspirational figures in Detroit Jewry.
charity dollar.
There is need for emphasis and for priority for educational
Judge Butzel's Help to Israel
activities. In aspiring for it, the idea must be realized by encour-
Justice Butzel was not a Zionist, but in the last decade he aging greater generosity rather than a cutting one way to increase
was most helpful in all efforts to assure security for the Jewish another medium.
There can never be a separation of the two—philanthropy
State and to prevent injustice to the Israelis.
On July 31, 1956, he contacted all- delegates and alternates and culture—in communal fund-raising drives. Too many consider
from Michigan to the Republican National Convention and even their giving to schools as being charitable. Even the most
appealed to them to support a resolution similar to the one ardent Zionists, who crave for higher goals than philanthropies,
that was adopted by the New York. State Delegation. It pro- have learned to be realists and to understand that tzedakah is
posed a Republican plank assuring American aid for Israel. often misapplied and often fails to serve in its real sense as
This was one of his many acts in defense of Israel, and his justice; but that when it is attained it fulfills the highest purpose
appeals in Israel's behalf at Allied Jewish Campaign meetings intended for it.
affirmed his convictions that the little State in the Middle East
It will be a great day for mankind when the charity dollar
needs
and should anew
be given
our
support.
sentiments
need
to be recounted
as we
review
the These
vital role
the noted
can be cut down and when education will be treated on its merits.
But until that day comes, let us beware of providing the oppor-
jurist played in our community.
tunity to cut giving by providing the suggestion for it.

Yorkville's New Look

Latin American
Body of Jews
Gets WJC Support

Dr. Maurice L. Perlzweig
(left), director of the World
Jewish Congress, Department
of International Affairs, is
shown here presenting to Dr.
Jose A. Mora, secretary-gen-
eral of the OAS, a resolution
on human rights adopted by
the recent Congress of Jew-
ish Communities in Latin
America. The spokesman for
the Organization of American
States said the body wel-
comes the support of the
WJC particularly "in these
moments when the protection
of these rights has become
a matter of vital concern."
The resolution expressed
deep concern over the revival
of Nazi activity in the Ameri-
cas.

High UN Secretariat
Post Goes to Israeli

UNITED NATION S, N.Y.,
(JTA)—Arthur A.C. Liveran of
Israel was appointed by Secre-
tary General U Thant to the
highest Secretariat post ever
held by an Israeli, being named
as secretary of the Joint Staff
Pension Board. The body has
! jurisdiction over all staff pen-
sion systems of not only the UN
itself, but also of the United
Nations specialized agencies, like
the World Health Organization,
the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organi-
zation and Food and Agricul-
ture Organization.

Pre-lierzlian Zionist Projects, Story of
American Zionist Struggles in 11939-43 by
Rabbi Parzen in Newest lierzl Year Book

It is worth taking a second look at Yorkville, New York's
upper East Side Manhattan area.
During the Hitler regime, Yorkville was the center of pro-
German, anti-Jewish and often outspoken pro-Nazi activities.
But a new generation now living in that area hates the very
memory of the Nazi era, and when an. anti-Semitic group, the
There are numerous historical ; venture is given by Dr. Oscar faced the Zionist idea, Rabbi
National Renaissance Party, sought to propagate hatred of Jews, records of attempts to establish K. Rabinowicz.
Parzen describes how Ameri-
charging "Jewish domination," the residents joined with Jewish
can Zionists finally "achieved
a homeland for Jews, and
The
new
Herzl
Year
Book
War Veterans in rebuking the bigots. When the neo-Nazi leader Christians as well as Jews fig-
a resilient united front for
commences with a description 1 attaining the Zionist objec-
of the anti-Semitic party began to speak, the new look in York-
• • ,
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ville became evident: rotten eggs and tomatoes were the remu- ured in • projects to provide of an early Christian Zionists) tive" at the Biltmore Confer-
labors. It is the story of Charles ence in 1943.
nerations pelted at the Nazi for invading what is now a very havens for the persecuted.
decai M a n u e 1 Noah's Henry Churchill, by Dr. Franz i 1
Mordecai
.
.
peaceful area.
Does this mean there is less hope for the neo-Nazis in this Ararat scheme at Buffalo was Kobler. Here we read about the I Documents revealing Herzl 's
country? Judged by the manner in which the • appearance of one. of them ,- and there were activities of an ancestor of Win- . i dealings with Rev. William
ston Churchill who sought the i Hechler, the German Emperor
George Lincoln Rockwell, the head of the American Nazi party,. many others.
the Duke of Baden are
was greeted in Detroit this week, Nazis won't have such an easy . Describing two such attempts, help of Sir Moses Montfiore in
time in America—as long as there is an awareness of the authoritative essays in the a Zionist idea that preceded I contained in documents found
Herman and Bessie Ellern.
dangers that lurk in their propaganda and as long as there are ' ,, Herzl Year Book," Volume 4, Theodore Herzl by more thanlby
They were translated and ap-
published by Herzl Press, , half a century.
enough people to form a strong blockade . against them.
pear in this volume with an in-
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arouse a new interest in Jewish
Included in this volume is troduction by Harry Zohn.
,
national
redemption.
the essay by the former De:
Iran and Yemen, Threats from Nasserism
Other significant essays in
An attempt to overthrow the rule of the Iranian Shah is • JOsef Fraenkel's "Paul Fried- troiter, Rabbi Herbert Parzen,
being traced to Nasser. The rioters in Teheran were quelled, mann's Midian Project" de- on the subject "American this volume are: "Religion and
but if the Egyptian dictator had a hand in the new Middle scribes one such unusual under- Zionism and the Quest for a Herzl: Fact and Fable" - by
Eastern uprisings, we can expect more _trouble soon in Iran. . taking that is an all-but-forgot- Jewish State, 1930-43." Con- Joseph Adler, "Stefan Zweig
Naturally, Jews everywhere have reason to be concerned ten chapter in pre-Herzlian fidential minutes of the Am- and Die Welt" by Tovia Pres-
erican Emergency Committee chel, "Zionism in India" by
over what- had just occurred. Iran (ancient Persia), Turkey and Zionist history.:
for Zionist Affairs and other Walter J. Fischel and "Zionists
Fraenkel's is a thorough
Cyprus are the only territories in the entire Middle East that
material served as a basis for and Non-Zionists Under Nazi
account,
replete
with
docu-
are on friendly terms with Israel. Because of that friendship,
this study. Describing the ten- Rule in the 1930s" by Kurt
ments,
accompanied
by
a
the Jews in those countries feel secure, unlike the status under
sions that existed as dangers Grossmann.
which the few remaining Jews live in all Moslem countries. photograph taken of the
An uprising in Iran can be very harmful to Israel and can Midian pioneers in 1892, de-
scribing the attempt that was Blaustein Subsidizes Sculpture in Memory of
destroy . the freedom of the Jews of that country.
In viewing the situation as it develops in Iran, one must made by a German Christian
to establish a Jewish settle- Dag Hammarskjold at UN Secretariat
begin to wonder how the United States Government will react
to the new uprisings. A similar situation existed in Yemen, our ment east of the Sinai Penin-
UNITED NATIONS, N. Y., grant for the memorial was con-
sula. The project, undertaken
Government gave a free hand to Nasser 'on condition that he
(PTAl A grant of $85,000 from summated in an exchange of
remove troops that were then estimated to number approxi- by Paul Friedemann, who the Jacob and Hilda Blaustein letters between Mr. Blaustein
mately 12,000, and now that he has had his way Nasser arrogantly was of Jewish descent, was Foundation to cover the cost of and Secretary General U Thant.
aimed at further aggression and territorial aggrandizement and undertaken in 1891. A ship , a memorial to the late Dag
The late Hammarskjold had
his troops in Yemen are reported to number more than 28,000. named "Israel" was pur- Hammarskjold, Secretary Gen- often
expressed to his friends
chased
and
it
sailed
through
How long can we be fooled by such tactics? It isn't enough
eral of the United Nations, was the wish that an appropriate
for the Kennedy administration merely to be annoyed by what . the .Suez to Midian. The ven- announced here.
piece of sculpture might some
has taken place. There - must be an avoidance of increased ag- ture, understandably, failed,
The memorial, which will be day adorn the circle in front of
hilt
it
forms
most
exciting
gression. If a state like Iran that has a kinship to the
chapter_ in early Zionist his- a 21-foot high bronze sculpture the Secretariat building and
is to be rescued from an expanding dictatorship, we
mounted on a granite plinth, that it might be executed by
tory.
must hope that our Government will- not fall prey to the. mis-
will
be installed in front of the Miss Barbara Hepworth of Eng-
Then there is an account of
representations which have drawn the Middle East into -a -cess-
Secretariat
Building.
land, whose work he admired.
for
pool of dishonor and of constant threats of conflicts that could efforts • to secure Cyprus
Miss Hepworth has already com-
Jacob
Blaustein,
a
f
o
r
m
e
r
•
Jewish
colonization
and
the
ac-
easily develop into another world war.
tivities of the sponsor of that member of the United States pleted a cast of the sculpture,
movement, Davis Trietsch, delegation to the United Na- which has been titled "Single
Rabbi Adler's Bnai Brith Assignment
at
which
were continued in the tions, and honorary president Form." and the work is now
A high honor accompanies the selection of Rabbi Morris Zionist movement. In "Davis of the American Jewish Com- a bronze foundry. It is expected
Adler for the chairmanship of the Bnai Brith Commission on Trietsch's Colonization Scheme mittee, was a close friend of to be unveiled in the spring of
Adult Jewish Education.
of that the late Secretary General. The 1964.
One of the best qualified men for this vital role, Dr. Adler in Cyprus" an account

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