Jonah Bondi Wise's Life Work `Car-Crazy Girl'
Depicted in Cauman Biography Guide for Youth
Sam Cauman, a skilled research hours a week "at one mark per
scientist who had worked closely! hour" with a 'nice fellow' named
with the late Dr. Jonah B. Wise, Ben Jehuda." The biographer pro-
had obtained the fullest informa- , ceeds to explain that it was Ben
tion enabling him to produce a Zion Ben Jehuda, son of Eliezer
splendid biography of his friend Ben Jehuda and he refers here to
and associate in community labors. the Robert St. John biography of
His "Jonah Bondi Wise," pub- Ben Jehuda. It is evident from a
lished by Crown (419 Park S., NY later account in the book that
16), is an impressive record of an Jonah Wise "adhered loyally to his
eminent leader's labors as rabbi, father's views" and "he rejected
Zionism." Many years later, during
his JDC leadership, he assisted in
settling Jews in Palestine, and "the
question of Zionism became second-
ary" when he consented to the
merging of the United Palestine
Appeal with the JDC into the
United Jewish Appeal.
JONAH BONDI WISE
as creator of many community
functions and as head for many
years of the American Jewish Joint
Distribution Committee.
Son of the founder of the Reform
Jewish movement in America. Dr.
Isaac Mayer Wise. Jonah B. Wise's
background was in a spiritual
sphere and his biographer states
that he "helped bring American',
Reform Judaism to its full flower.'
ing." lie adds that he "performed
a shining service in the immense
task of saving Europe's Jews from
Hitler's murder camps."
Tracing the activities of Jonah
Wise's father, the emergence of
the Union of American Hebrew
Congregations and of Hebrew
Union College, the formulating
of a "minhag America" as a Re- •
form Jewish way of worship, the •
biographer credits the son with ;
having played a creative role in
his father's work and in con-
tinuing it.
While this is a personal docu-
ment, the important parts Dr. Wise
played in cultural and relief move-
ments inevitably turn the Cauman
record into an historical review of
the events that were significant
in the life time of the man de-
lineated in this story.
Like his father, Jonah was an
anti-Zionist, but he befriended
many Zionists, including Louis Lip-
sky, and he studied Hebrew three '
Actually, the Jonah Wise
story recapitulates many historic
American events, refers to his
father's role during the Civil
War and the biographer refers
to the articles the elder Wise
wrote in the Israelite of which
he was the founder and editor.
Among the notable comments
quoted is this one: "The weal-
thier classes of the South, who
plunged this country into the
horrors of the Civil War, are
now feeling the truth and force
of the old .adage, 'Sorrow track-
eth crime.'"
Jonah Wise's activities in war
relief, in the JDC, in behalf of
the sufferers of World War I and
then during the years of Hitler's
rise to power, form some of the
most important episodes related
in Wise's life story.
Of great interest is the array of
eminent personalities who pass
in review in this story — men and
women who worked closely with
Rabbi Wise in his manifold
activities.
Typical among those who sup-
ported his work, tirelessly, in addi-
tion to the chief officials of JDC
and of UJA was James N. Rosen-
berg, the noted artist and distin-.
guished lawyer who traveled widely
in support of JDC's projects.
Non-Jewish support as well was
enlisted by Rabbi Wise and under
his tutelage important chapters
were written in the story of Ameri-
can Jewry's philanthropic activi-
ties.
His home life, his spiritual guid-
ance of his congregation in Cin-
cinnati are described extensively
and the biographer pays great
tribute to him by stating:
"Jonah Bondi Wise carried for-
ward an important tradition in
American Judaism, and was him-
self a living symbol of it. He was
an ambassador of the air waves.
He was a savior of a multitude.
By any standard, he had a distin-
guished life."
Against Revolt
Teen-agers and their problems
are puzzling to many—to parents.
the community and to the youth
who often are believed to be re-
belling. Can their problem be
solved by the youth, or do they
need tragic experiences to shake
them out of their state of revolt?
Hila Colman, author of several
books for young readers, tackles
the problem skilfully in "Car-
Crazy Girl" published by William
Morrow Co. (425 Park, S., NY16).
It is a stirring tale about Dina and
her boy friend Stan—and primarily
about her possession of an automo-
bile given her on her 17th birthday
by her parents, and about the
tragedy that resulted from freedom
that led to drinking, speeding, the
death of an innocent person.
Not only the teen-agers about
whom this story was written and
to whom it is addressed, but the
parents as well—and the commun-
ity—play roles in this dramatic
account about a young girl.
Stan was her friend and she
listened to him most of the time.
But there were hang-outs and the
community shut them, and Dina
rebelled. There was drinking, Dina
speeded, a man was killed, she was
herself badly injured, there was a
trial and she was jailed—to go to
a state prison farm.
Apparently she learned her les-
son, for she began "to face the
future with confidence" as she
readied to receive her punish.
ment.
"Car-Crazy Girl" is a story with
a great lesson for the young, and
for their elders. It is a narrative
about teen-agers that should serve
as a guide for the youth not to
yield to temptations and to revolt
as easily as Dina did in the Hila
Colman story.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
14—Friday, October 6, 1967
Start Fifth High School
TEL AVIV (JTA)—Ground was
broken at Rosh Haayin near Petah
Tikva for the fifth of nine planned
high schools for which Israel Rogo-
sin, the New Jersey industrialist
and philanthropist, has contributed
$4,000,000 to the Israel Education
Financed by Rogoain Gift
Fund of the United Jewish Appeal .
Some $2,000,000 of Mr. Rogosin's
gift has been used for construction
in the four high schools made pos-
sible by his gift. The fifth school,
designed for Yemenite immigrants,
will be religiously-oriented.
BEE and HAROLD KALT
And Staff of the
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