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February 24, 1967 - Image 30

Resource type:
Text
Publication:
The Detroit Jewish News, 1967-02-24

Disclaimer: Computer generated plain text may have errors. Read more about this.

30—Friday, February 24, 1967

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

`Blow-Up' Showing at Trans-Lux Krim

"Blow-Up," the first English language film of Michelangelo
Antonioni, rated by the National Society of Film Critics as "Best
Film of 1966," is now showing exclusively at the Trans-Lux Krim
Theater. The movie stars Vanessa. Redgrave, David Hemmings and
Sarah Miles.

Ben-Gurion in America

By DAVID SCHWARTZ

(Copyright, 1967, JTA, Inc.)

A great thing is happening again!
The coming of the 80-year-old
man who stands on his head!
In Israel, they do not call him
the old man of 80, but the two
young men of 40.
B-G !
One recalls the tremendous recep-
tion he received in America in 1951,
when he came to launch the first
campaign for Israel Bonds.
It was likened to the reception
to Lindbergh.
Lindbergh had crossed the ocean.
Ben-Gurion's coming also marked
the crossing of the ocean!
-An ocean of 2,000 years of float-
ing time, perhaps more formidable
than 3,000 miles of water and
space!
Close to two million people lined
the streets of New York to watch
the parade. Soldiers of the army,
3,000 New York policemen march-
ing, a 60-piece band and the con-
fetti rained down on Broadway as
33-G motored to City Hall, where
the Mayor received him. He could
recall that some 30 years before
he had gone to the same City Hall
to get a license to marry the woman
who became his wife. He had said
then "I do." No one now doubted
that he was a doer.
The impossible had been done,
and who could typify it better
than B-G? "When an expert tells
you anything is impossible," Ben-
Gurion once said, "it is time to
get another expert."
The experts had said the Arabs
would win. Field Marshall Mont-
gomery put it in his very graphic
colloquial English. "The Arabs,"
he said, "are sure to hit Israel for
six."
American General Marshall, a
friend and well-wisher of Israel,
sent notes to Ben-Gurion, almost
pleading with him not to take what
he regarded as the foolish step of
declaring independence. He was
certain the Arab armies would wipe
out the Israeli forces.
But Ben-Gurion said, as he told
Moshe Pearlman later, that his
reading about George Washington's
army led him to believe Israel
would triumph. Washington's army
was often underfed, scantily garbed
and short of arms, but they had the
stronger will. Israel was inferior
in numbers and woefully lacking
in arms, but it, too, had the strong-
er will, because with Israel it was
a question of total survival. With
the Arabs, it was simply loot. The
people who have the greater will
win, B-G believed.
When it came later to launching
the Israel Bond campaign, again
the experts advised against it, but
B-G said, "I don't know anything
about finance and bonds, but I think
I know my people," and again he
was proved right, and the experts
wrong.
Tell B-G something is difficult
and his interest is immediately
aroused. He sees an opportunity to
manifest the transforming power of
will. He went to live in Sdeh Boker,
because, of all places in Israel, it

seemed the most primitive and chal-
lenging.
Sdeh Boker means Cows' Mea-
dow, but even the cows found it
hard there. At any rate, the set-
tlers after trying to make it a
cattle country, turned to fruit-
growing, and now B-G is proud of
the plums and apricots and
melons grown there, and he also
wants to raise scholars and sci-
entists. He hopes to turn the
Midrasha college which he estab-
lished there, into a Negev Oxford.
Hard, unsolvable conditions can
sometimes be better endured, B-G
found, by making them harder.
He was in London at the time
of the German "blitz." It was no
joy, sitting in the bomb shelters,
waiting for the next bomb to come
whizzing from the skies. So what
did B-G do? He took up the study
of Greek. That helped him forget
the bombs, and, now, thanks to the
blitz, he can read Plato in the orig-
inal language.
For one condition, however, he
was long in - finding any relief. For
years, he suffered from crippling
lumbago attack s. The doctors
seemed unable to do anything for
him. Once he received a letter
from a physical therapist in Israel,
one, Moshe Feldenkreis, saying that
he could be cured by exercise. Ben-
Guridn was told the man was a
quack and the letter - was never
answered.
In 1941, B-G had to go to Wash-
ington, but the doctors _said he
couldn't travel. But, with the aid
of sticks, he managed to get to
the airport. Later, in 1951, going
to Washington to thank President
Truman for recognizing the State
of Israel, he had to travel with
the aid of sticks again.
One day in Jerusalem, there
walked into his home a scientist
from the Weizmann Institute. He
told B-G that he knew a man, who,
he thought, could help him. What
was his name?
Moshe Feldenkreis, the man
whose letter B-G had not answered!
He was called. He studied B-G's
posture and prescribed corrective
exercises. Also he advised him to
stand on his head for a few min-
utes daily. He explained that the
heart doesn't work so vigorously in
older people, but standing on the
head helps bring more oxygen to
the brain. Also, he advised B-G to
do a lot of walking.
Since then, B-G has not had a
recurrence of the lumbago attacks.
He doesn't stand as often on his
head as in the beginning, but every
day he walks not less than five
miles.
B-G does not seem to have a
sharp sense of humor. He appre-
ciates a story but never tells one.
However, his people tell more
stories about him than about any
other person in Israel.
A favorite is of the delegation
which called on B-G to ask his con-
sent to their naming him King of
Israel. He refused, according to the
story, because he could not tolerate
the idea of being called King
David II.

Brevities

Two vocalists and 11 instrumen-
talists, all Wayne State University
students, have been selected to
perform with the WSU Symphony
Orchestra in a concert 8:30 p.m.
March 7 in the Community Arts
Auditorium. Valter Poole Will con-
duct the symphony orchestra. Ad-
mission is free, and the public is
invited.
*
*
JOSE GRECO'S SPANISH
DANCE TROUP, coming to the
Masonic Auditorium March 4, is
among the most varied and color-
ful in all the dance world, combin-
ing a wide spectrum of dances
with lavish costuming and scenic
background. For his current trans-
continental tour, Greco has assem-
bled the largest company of artists
representative of all the regions
and varied dance moods of Spain.
Tickets are on sale at the Masonic
Auditorium box office, Grinnell's
downtown and all J. L. Hudson
ticket centers.
* * *
FERRANTE AND TEICHER,
virtuoso piano team, will play at
the Masonic Auditorium 8:20 p.m.
March 11. They've been concertiz-
ing and recording as a team for 12
years, playing together in unison
since age 6 as prodigies at the
Juilliard School of Music in New
York City. Tickets are available
at the Masonic Auditorium box
office, as well as Grinnell's Down-
town and all J. L. Hudson ticket
centers.
* *
THE ROMEROS—Spain's royal
family of the guitar, will come to
the Masonic Auditorium 8:20 p.m.
March 10. Father Celedonio Ro-
mero and his sons Celin, Pepe and
Angel are proved virtuosi, whose
solo and ensemble playing have
made them box ofice winners in
the U.S. in three seasons. For
tickets, contact the Masonic Audi-
torium box office, Grinnell's down-
town or J. L. Hudson ticket cen-
ters, all stores.
* * *
THE NATIONAL BALLET, per-
forming at the Masonic Auditorium
8:20 p.m. March 3, has already
won wide critical acclaim and an
established reputation as a major
ballet company despite being only
in its fifth season. Tickets are on
sale at the Masonic Auditorium
box office, as well as Grinnell's
downtown and all J. L. Hudson
ticket centers.

People Make News

LEE FRANKLIN WEINSTOCK
is serving as 17th Congressional
District vice-chairman of the reso-
lutions committee for the State
GOP Convention this week-end at
the Sheraton-Cadillac Hotel and
Cobo Hall, where Sen. Charles
Percy of Illinois is keynote
speaker.

a number of articles and books,
including the prize-winning "Leg-
acy of Suppression: Freedom of
Speech and Press in Early Ameri-
can History." A former dean of
the graduate school and dean of
the faculty of arts and sciences
at Brandeis, Dr. Levy is currently
chairman of the graduate program
* 4: *
in the history of American civiliza-
Maurice A.
tion at the university.
* * *
Betman, CLU
has been ap-
DANIEL LITVIN, son of Mr.
pointed M e t r o-
and Mrs. Paul Litvin of Mount
politan District
Clemens, recently was awarded a
agent for T h e
degree of master of physics from
Northwestern
the Technion, Israel Institute of
Mutual Life In-
Technology. He plans to continue
surance Co. Betman
his studies in the field of mathe-
*
*
matical crystallography at the
Dr. LEONARD W. LEVY, the Technh,n.
Earl Warren Professor of Ameri-
* * *
can Constitutional Studies at Bran-
MAXWELL GURMAN Associ-
deis 1.Tniverity, has been appointed ates has been appointed public
by President Johnson to servP on relations
and promotion represen-
a national commission planning tative in the
metropolitan Detroit
the celebration of the 200th anni- area for Expo
67, the Montreal
versary of the American Revolu-
tion in 1976. Dr. Levy, an authority World Exhibition opening April
on constitutional history and the 28. The appointment was an-
Colonial period, is the author of nounced by Robert B. Wolcott
Associates, Inc., of New York and
Los Angeles. Gurman is a veteran
in handling special events, includ-
Michael Stavitsky, 72 ;
ing the Detroit International Free-
Noted Philanthropist
dom Festival, which he produced
EAST ORANGE, N. J. (JTA) — and managed during its first three
Michael A. Stavitsky, 72, nationally- years.
* *
known leader of Jewish philanthro-
Rep. DANIEL S. COOPER,
pic, educational and social welfare
endeavors, died Feb. 17 at the New Democrat of Oak Park, has been
appointed to the State Law Revi-
York Hospital in White Plains.
His most recent post was that of sion Commission, created to
national chairman for the High examine the common law, statutes
Holy Days for the Israel Bond and current judicial decisions with
drive. Among other national posi- an aim to discover defects and
tions, Mrs. Stavitsky had been anachronisms and suggest neces-
president of the American Associa- sary reforms.
* * *
tion for Jewish Education and ex-
STANLEY H. LOWELL, former
ecutive committee member of the
World Federation of Young Men's deputy mayor and chairman from
Hebrew Associations and Jewish 1961 to 1965 of the New York
Community Centers; national field City Commission on Human Rights,
secretary of the YM-YWHA; na- has been named co-chairman of
tional director of field work of the the commission on international
National Jewish Welfare Board; a affairs of the American Jewish
member of the national sponsors Congress. Lowell's appointment
of the Albert Einstein College of was announced by Rabbi Arthur
Medicine; and vice president of J. LelyVeld of CleVeland, president
the United Synagogue Council of of the Congress.
* * *
America.
Mr. Stavitsky was born in Rus-
State Basketball Chairman Jer-
sia, attended New York University ome C. Wetsman announces that
and Columbia University, and the final game of this year's tour-
served as a second lieutenant in nament to determine the STATE
World War I.
AMATEUR BASKETBALL CHAM-
In Essex County, NJ., he was PION will be held at Clarenceville
three times the general chairman High School, Livonia, 1:30 p.m.
Eichmann Prosecutor
of the United Jewish Appeal. In Saturday. Participants will be the
Hits Austrian War Trials 1955, he received the Frank L. Lutomski Post squad of Detroit and
LONDON (JTA)—The prosecu- Well Award of the National Jewish the Knecht's team of Lathrup
Village.
tor of Adolf Eichmann said here Welfare Board.
that while he favored study and
investigation of a mass psychosis
that could pervert a whole people,
he opposed treating individual war
criminals as anything but t h e
murderers that they were.
By BENNETT CERF
Gideon Hausner, who, as attor-
ney general of Israel, prosecuted
BEFORE
he rose to make an after-dinner speech, a
JUST
Eichmann, came to London in con-
publisher I know was handed a note from his wife that
nection with the publication here
read, "KISS! Phyllis." "How dear of your wife to remind
of his book on the Eichmann case.
you of her love," beamed
He criticized the conduct of war
the lady at the speaker's
crimes trials in Austria, asserting
right. "Why do you seem
that it might have been better if
so displeased?" "Y-o u
they had not taken place. He was
don't know the code to
especially critical of the treatment
which my wife and I
given witnesses in war crimes
cases in Austrian courts, asserting
sometimes resort," an-
that often they were treated as
swered the speaker.
though they had been the crim-
"What this note means is
inals.
`Keep It Short, Stupid.' "

Try and Stop Me

* * *

Rabbi Berl Aronovitz

MIAMI BEACH (JTA) — Rabbi
Berl Aronovitz, former dean of the
Hebrew Theological College of Chi-
cago, died here Feb. 16 at age 73.
He was born in Vilna and was a
descendant of the famous Gaon of
Vilna.
Rabbi Aronovitz served as dean
of the Chicago college for 25 years,
before his retirement six years ago.
He was the author of works on the
Bible and Hebrew grammar.

UNICEF provides u r gently
needed supplies, training stipends
and other practical assistance to
help governments establish or ex-
pand their own services for chil-
dren.

In the heat of a spirited.

election campaign, a. visitor

to the Williamson home de-
claimed, "I will never vote
for a mud-slinging candi•
date." The Wiiiinynsons' 4-
year-old daughter seeming-
ly was paying no attention whatever to the remarks' of the
grownups, but the following afternoon her mother caught her
and a playmate in the back yard slinging handfuls of mud at
each other. 'What on earth are you two doing?" demanded AirS.

Williamson. Her daughter explained, "We're playing candidate.'*

* •
QUICKIES :
Historians finally have hit upon the reason that Robin Flood
stole only from the rich. The poor didn't have any money.
The self-made father who used to tell the kids how he trudged
five miles to school every day has changed his tune. Now he
tells them how he has to trudge five miles to his office. The
kids drive the car to school.

0 1967, by Bennett Cerf. Distributed by King Features Syndicate

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