NEW YORK (JTA) — Soviet
Premier Nikita S. Khrushchev
has invited Lord Bertrand Rus-
sell, the famous British philo-
sopher, to come to the Krem-
lin to discuss the situation of
the Jews in the USSR, accord-
ing to reports in the Yiddish
press here.
For the last year, there has
been an exchange of letters be-
tween Russell and Khrushchev,
stemming from the British
scholar's concern about fre-
quently published accusations
charging the Soviet government
with condoning persecutions
against the three million Jews
in the USSR.
In his replies, Khrushchev
had denied that there is any
anti-Semitism in his country.
In one of Russell's latest
letters, he expressed criti-
cism against the fact that a
high percentage of so-called
"economic criminals" convicted
in Soviet courts, and given
the death sentence, were
Jews.
Russell had also noted in his
letters that the Soviet press,
which is strictly controlled by
the Communist party, has con-
sistently highlighted the names
of Jews convicted, thereby fan-
ning anti-Semitism.
At the United Nations, circles
close to the problem surround-
ing anti-Semitism in the Soviet
Union expressed doubt whether
such an invitation had, indeed,
been sent by Khrushchev.
(Last week, in reply to charges
of Soviet anti-Semitism voiced
in the UN Subcommission on
Prevention of Discrimination
and Protection of Minorities, the
Soviet representative on that
subcommission, Boris S. Ivanov,
read one of the Khrushchev let-
ters to Russell, denying the
existence of anti-Semitism in
the USSR.)
Norwich Co. President
Resigns at 71; Denies
Link to Boycott Issue
LONDON (JTA) — Sir Rob-
ert Bignold disclosed that he
had resigned as president and
chairman of the Norwich Union
Insurance Co. and denied that
his retirement at the age of 71
had anything to do with the
forced resignation of a Jewish
baron, Lord Mancroft, from the
firm's London advisory board.
The resignation of Lord
Mancroft under Arab boycott
pressure last December sparked
worldwide protests and a for-
mal rebuke to Arab diplomatic
representatives in London by
the British government. Lord
Mancroft was subsequently of-
fered reinstatement but de-
clined.
DAYENU
Stamps Depict Israel Insurance
Four commemorative stamps honoring a decade of na-
tional insurance will be issued by the Israel Ministry of Posts.
Designed by E. Weishoff of Bat Yarn, the stamps depict in-
surance for (from left) employment injuries, large families,
maternity and old age and survivors. All are multicolored and
printed by photolithography on unwatermarked paper. The
post-office sheets consist of 15 stamps each with five descrip-
tive tabs adjacent to the bottom row. First day covers will be
availabe for 43 cents plus 23 cents postage. For prepaid orders,
write the Philatelic Services, Jerusalem, Israel. Minimum
order $1.00.
Museum's Awardto Habdalah Box
NEW YORK — The Jewish
Museum, 1109 Fifth Ave., an-
nounced the winner of its "Hab-
dalah" competition. The con-
test, early last fall, invited lead-
ing contemporary craftsmen to
provide modern interpretations
of a traditional object used in
celebrating the ceremony of
"Habdalah."
Miss Kathe Berl of New York
City, one of five finalists sel-
ected from 26 invited craftsmen,
was awarded the $500 prize for
her winning design, a spice box.
"Habdalah," which means
division or separation, is the
Hebrew name for the ceremony
held at sundown on the Sabbath
and other festival days. It marks
the separation of the holiday
Playwright Hellman,
Artist Ben Shahn Get
Arts Institute Medals
NEW YORK, (JTA) — Two
American Jews, artist Ben Shahn
and playwright Lillian Hellman,
were voted the gold medals of
the National Institute of Arts
and Letters, awards granted only
once in five years.
The special distinctions are
given to members of the insti-
tute, a group made up of 250,
which is the parent body of the
American Academy of Arts and
Letters.
Shahn, whose works have been
acquired by many major mu-
seums, is famous for his contribu-
tions to the graphic arts in many
media. He has often done works
with Jewish themes. One of his
achievements in the latter cate-
gory is a set of illustrations for
the Haggadah.
Miss Hellman has written
many plays that have been pro-
duced on Broadway and in lead-
ing theaters around the world.
BY HENRY LEONARD
•
"Then, gentlemen, it's agreed that our new Rabbi
should be a man with strong opinions, and with
the strength not to express them."
Copr.
Dayenu Productions
from the working days of the
week. Central to the ritual is
a blessing of various spices,
these kept in a special container
which is usually as fine a piece
as the family can afford.
Miss Berl translated the tradi-
tional tower form of the Jew-
ish spice container into, in her
words, "today's architectural
`tower vision'—a high and slen-
der silvery box, its glass cur-
tains reflecting the sky and the
sun in vibrating shades of
color."
The winning entry, once
executed from design, will be
on view in the Jewish Muse-
um's "Habdalah" exhibition
opening Feb. 29. The Museum,
under the auspices of the Jew-
ish Theological Seminary of
America, has in its collection
several hundred spice boxes,
representing the various styles
prevalent in the places where
Jews have lived since the 16th
century.
The basic box of Miss Berl's
design is silver, enameled in
transparent greys shading from
darkest on the bottom to bright
silver at the top. Over her box
are suspended a series of blue-
green enameled silver "glass
curtains." The overall effect is
reminiscent of the 'glass tower'
office buildings of midtown
Manhattan.
Works by Children of Nazi Camps Are in
Showing at Rome; Notables at Exhibit
ROME, (JTA)—A somber ex-
hibit of 250 drawings and
poems done by the doomed
Jewish children in the There-
sienstadt concentration camp in
occupied Czechoslovakia was
inaugurated here.
Among those attending the
inaugural Jan. 22 were Chief
Rabbi Elio Toaff of Rome, offi-
cials of the Rome Jewish Com-
munity and the Italian Union of
Jewish Communities, Sen. A.
Fenaltea, Sen. Feruccio Parri
and many other leaders in
Italian public life.
"One would not be able to
resist losing all faith in hu-
manity but for the fact that
against this evil a resistance
arose and won," Sen. Fenaltea
said in an address at the in-
augural. The exhibit, which was
shown in many towns in north-
ern Italy last year, will be dis-
played in other cities after the
Rome showing.
IF YOU TURN THE
lr'S°11
UPSIDE DOWN YOU WON'T
FIND A FINER WINE THAN
Wade& ,d,
r
Milan Wineries, Detroit, Mich.
best wishes
from friends
ON THE OPENING
OF THE
FRANKLIN SIDEN GALLERY
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1964
213 DAVID WHITNEY BUILDING
Congratulations to
Mitchel D. Fishman
Sen. Keating Urges
LBJ Visit to Israel
NEW YORK (JTA) — Sen.
Kenneth B. Keating of New
York has called on President
Johnson to consider making a
state visit to Israel as part of
a three-point program to pre-
vent N a s s e r's expansionist
plans from "setting the Middle
East ablaze."
In accepting an award of the
Jewish War Veterans, Senator
Keating said, "The United
States must act now while the
initiative is still in our hands."
He urged that the following
steps be taken without delay:
1. A direct and forthright
statement should be made by
the President that America is
determined to maintain Israeli
independence — and block any
threat to that nation's indepen-
dence;
2. The U.S. Government
should join with England and
France in a tripartite guaran-
tee of Israel;
3. The President—just as the
Pope has done—should con-
sider paying Israel a state visit.
"A personal visit by the
President would do two things,"
he said. "It would be a symbol
to the Israelis of our country's
interest and concern. It would
be a 'hands off' warning to the
Moslem nations.
"It would be a convincing
gesture, to say the least of it.
So far, we have obviously not
been convincing enough to
Nasser and his bully boys that
we do — in the last resort —
mean business."
MITCHEL D. FISHMAN
The Great-West Life Assurance Company's Detroit
branch, which is under the management of Robert
W. Bogart, congratulates Mitchel D. Fishman on
attaining membership in the Masters Section of the
Company's 1964 President's Club.
The President's Club is composed of leading rep-
resentatives of the Company in the United States
and Canada who, in 1963, distinguished themselves
through outstanding sales accomplishments and
maintenance of high standards in the conduct of
their business. Membership in the Masters Section
of the Club is the highest award for selling achieve-
ment offered by the Great-West Life and is re-
served for representatives who place one million
dollars or more of new business in a single year.
Mr. Fishman's office is located at:
8418 West McNichols Road
Telephone: UN 2-1335
THE
Great-West Life
ASSURANCE COMPANY
AF.A4) OFFICE • WINNIPEG, CANADA
1 1—THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS—Fri day, January 31, 1964
Khrushchev Invites
Bertrand Russell to
Discuss Jewish Issue