Paray to Conduct
Symphony Nov. 21
at ZOD's Concert
Paul Paray will conduct the De-
troit Symphony Orchestra at the
annual Balfour Concert on Nov. 21,
at Ford Auditorium.
Nathan Milstein, world-famous
violinist, will be the guest artist.
Dr. Alex Friedlaender, chairman
/of this year's Balfour Concert corn-
( mittee, stated this week that a
PAUL PARAY
sell-out seems assured for t h e
event. He urged early purchases
of tickets from the office of the
Zionist Organization of Detroit.
Paray gained fame during the
war as a participant with Mme.
Paray in underground anti - Nazi
activities in France. He has taken
a deep interest in Israel and has
conducted the Israel Symphony.
For Balfour Concert tickets, call
the Zionist House, 353-3636. Hours
are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays.
* c
ZOA Officer to Speak
at Open Meeting Here
1
?
Carmi M. Slomovitz, president of
the Zionist Organization of Detroit,
announces an open board meeting
8:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Zion-
its Cultural Center. All ZOD
members are invited.
Hal'ry Branton, national mem-
bership chairinan of the Zionist Or-
ganization of
America, w i 11 •
speak on "The
Zionist Chal-
lenge." Branton
has a long his-
tory of Jewish
organizational
work in Pales-
tine, Austria and
France. He is the
author of many
papers and publi- Branton
cations dealing with rehabilitation
and economic and social integra-
tion of displaced persons. Refresh-
ments will be served.
By CHARLOTTE HYAMS
When Isek Abraham died last
May at age 77, few Jews were
present to mourn him. His two-
line obituary notice carried a brief
"No Survivors."
But to the many humble Negro
neighbors who knew the venerable
gentleman at 3782 Humphrey and
who flocked to the funeral service
at Chesed shel Emes chapel, he
was Father Abraham.
To the two men who perhaps
knew him best, he was indeed a
patriarch—learned in the Bible, a
conscientious defender of his peo-
ple's traditions, generous in the
truest spirit of "tzedakah"—giving
charity without any possible hope
of reward. And, if what his fellow
Ethiopian Jews believe is true,
he was a descendant of King Solo-
mon.
Louis Rose of W. Outer Dr.
was president of Adas Yeshurun
shule on Linwood and Tyler
when he first met Abraham some
20 years ago. "I had never seen
a Negro in shule before and I
was quite surprised," Rose re-
calls.
"But he wore a yarmulka and
he dovened all the prayers. He
came with such great respect and
spoke so politely, he impressed us
all."
Abraham, with his small beard
and even features, would have im-
pressed anyone. Twenty years
later, he could still almost touch
the heavens with his gentle brown
hands, so straight and tall (6'2")
did he stand.
Rabbi Leo Goldman, now spir-
itual leader of Cong. Shaarey Sho-
mayim, came to Adas Yeshurun
after Abraham had become a regu-
lar worshiper. "We became cor-
dial friends. and I invited him
many times to our home, espe-
cially for the sedorim, when he
would stay with us."
When Rabbi Goldman asked
his origin, Abraham said he had
been born in Abyssinia (Ethi-
opia) and was brought to this
country at a very early age.
Orphaned when he was young,
Abraham was reared by his
Women's Clubs
grandfather in the Felasha (Jew-
ish Negro) community of New
York and then decided to seek
his fortune in Detroit. He did
some watch repairing here to
earn his keep.
"He was ready to do anything
to prove his Jewishness," Rabbi
Goldman said. His house was
completely kosher; he even went
through the entire procedure of
`becoming' a Jew although he had
been born one.
There was sorrow in Abraham's
life, but he rarely talked about it.
Rose said he had been married and
had two daughters. The girls came
to be of marriageable age, but
Abraham could find no suitable
match for them in Detroit.
He took them to New York, but
they left him. Abraham returned
to Detroit—alone.
There were other chances to
marry. In the Negro community
where he lived, Abraham became
a prominent citizen, a faith healer
of sorts. Any woman would have
been proud to be the wife of such
a striking, economically-comforta-
ble gentleman.
But Abraham was particular.
His wife would have to live up
to the standards of a true daugh-
ter of Israel, spending seven
months in preparation for her
role as a Jewish wife. It was too
much. Abraham remained alone.
As a "faith healer," Abraham did
well for himself. His formula was
a combination of massage, the
prescribing of "waters" and red-
tation of Hebrew prayers over the
ailing patient. He was always wear-
ing a yarmulka, of course.
It was a simple enough remedy,
but to the simple folk he treated
it was the work of "Father Abra-
ham."
"Had we accepted all his fol-
lowers," said Rabbi Goldman, "we
would have had a large Negro
Jewish population here. But it's
not so easy to convert. Abraham
would send some of them to ser-
vices and they would express the
desire to convert, but it was a
difficult thing to stick with. I can
say, though, that his followers
came closer to the true Jewish
belief than anyone else."
"Faith healer" or no, Abra-
ham would close his office doors
at noon Friday to prepare for
the Sabbath.
He never refused to give charity,
whether it be synagogue drives or
appeals from Jewish institutions
here and abroad. The sums he
gave were not small either: to
each he would give $5, or $25,
never expecting public recognition.
The mitzvah of "aliyah," or read-
ing the Haftorah at services, came
to Abraham often. He paid willing-
ly for the privilege and chanted
his portion without faltering.
Abraham knew his was a pe-
culiar case. Being a Negro and
with no survivors, he could not be
sure of a Jewish burial. Should he
suddenly die, his well - meaning
Negro neighbors might not know
they should notify the synagogue.
Louis Rose told him of the ser-
vices provided by Chesed shel
Emes, the Hebrew Benevolent So-
ciety. Abraham bought a plot.
He even carried a card that indi-
cated if he should die, "notify
Chesed shel Emes."
That's what occurred. And, ac-
cording to his wishes, Father Abra-
ham was laid to rest with his peo-
ple — the descendants of another
Abraham.
• •
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• PLASTIC COVERS! Beautify
• •
WHILE PAMPERING YOUR FURNITURE
•
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•
E DWAR D'S
• •
headed the American delegation
attending the Tokyo conference of
the International Association of
Universities.
For reservations to the dinner,
call Herman A. August, dinner
arrangements chairman, WO 1-0282.
Dr. Haber addressed the 18th
biennial national convention of
Women's American ORT this
week. More than 1,000 delegates
representing over 480 chapters
attended the Pittsburgh con-
clave, addressed by such person-
ages as Associate Supreme Court
Justice William 0. Douglas; and
Dr. Vladimir Halperin, director
of the World ORT Union.
In commending the work of the
women's groups, Dr. Haber out-
lined the work of the ORT voca-
tional schools in North Africa,
France, Iran, India and Israel.
"What ORT brought into these
communities," he said, "was by all
odds the most revolutionizing ex-
perience. We have not just been
teaching trades and skills and live-
lihoods. We have been introducing
an entirely new outlook, wrench-
ing people's minds out of the tor-
por of ages past — and teaching
them to see, feel and think in a
modern context. We have helped
to form not just a new generation,
but a new kind of generation, in
these communities."
•
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Radomer Aid and Ladies Society
will hold a post Simhat Torah
dinner 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Work-
men's Circle Center, with proceeds
going to charity.
Entertainment, highlighted by
movies and games, will be fea-
tured. Sam Rubin is chairman.
Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Morrow of
Heyden Ave. announce the engage-
ment of their daughter Barbara
Jean to Richard Citron, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Jesse Rice of Cherrylawn
Ave.
Miss Morrow attends Wayne
State University. Mr. Citron at-
tended Michigan State University
and Tulane University and is a
member of Sigma Alpha Mu Fra-
ternity.
A Feb. 28 wedding is planned.
ORCH ESTR A
• •
• •
Radomer Aid Dinner
to Feature Films, Games
MISS BARBARA MORROW
CALL: LI 7-0896 or LI 5-2737
Ambassador Goldberg, Willard Wirtz
Send Messages to Dinner for Dr. Haber
Greetings by notable guests
and a message from UN Ambassa-
dor Arthur Goldberg will be on
the program of the dinner honor-
ing Dr. William Haber 6:30 p.m.
Sunday at the Pontchartrain Ho-
tel.
Dr. Haber, dean of the college
of literature, science and the arts
at the University of Michigan, is
president of the American ORT
Federation, of which the Detroit
Men's Chapter is sponsoring the
event. Dr. Harlan Hatcher, presi-
dent of U. of M., will deliver the
dinner address.
Among the special guests will
be Dr. Arthur M. Ross, newly ap-
pointed commissioner of labor sta-
tistics in Washington, who will
bring a message from Secretary
(More Clubs, Page 17)
of Labor Willard Wirtz. Paul Ber-
DETROIT CANCER FIGHTERS, nick, executive director of the
City of Hope, will meet 8 p.m. American ORT (Organization for
Monday at the home of Mrs. Abe Rehabilitation Through Training)
Feldman, 22120 Westhampton, Oak Federation, will also extend greet-
Park. The subject will be the ings, and the congratulatory mes-
Glamorama Fashion Show and sage from Ambassador Goldberg
Luncheon scheduled for Dec. 1 at will be read.
the Latin Quarter. The event is un-
Dr. Hatcher became the eighth
der the direction of Mrs. Charles president of the University of
Young, vice-president of fund- Michigan in 1951, having come
raising, who will present a report. from Ohio State University
* *
where he was a vice president.
JEWISH WOMEN'S EUROPEAN
Under Dr. Hatcher's leadership,
WELFARE ORGANIZATION will
meet noon Monday at Jericho the University of Michigan has
Temple. Plans will be made for the seen enrollment swell from 17,000
in 1951 to a 1965-66 figure of
Nov. 8 luncheon.
31,000.
Research expenditures during
Pioneer Nutritionist
Carl Oppenheimer, a German- the period have soared from about
Jewish biochemist, was a pioneer $6,000,000 in 1951 to a 1965 total
at the turn of the century in re- of $47,000,000.
As president of the U. of M.,
search in animal enzymes. His
major contribution was in the Dr. Hatcher has acquired an inter-
field of nutrition and metabolism. national reputation in educational
circles. He is immediate past pres-
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS! ident of the Association of Amer-
Friday,. October. 29, 1965-39 ' ican Universities and in September
I
Morrow-Citron. Vows
Slated for February
`Father Abraham'—Detroit's Scion of Solomon
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