History of Detroit Buildings Delineates
Synagogue Structures by Albert Kahn

W. Hawkins Ferry, an honorary
curator of architecture, member
of a pioneer Detroit family, has
written an impressive work, "The
Buildings of Detroit," published by
Wayne State University, and has
incorporated in his study the major
structure in the city.
Shaarey Zedek and Bnai David
especially are given impressive
representation and the many crea-
tions of Albert Kahn Associates
receive due recognition.
With reference to the Shaarey
Zedek, mention is made of the in-
fluence of Frank Lloyd Wright's
ideas, and the author states:
"The Wrightian formula has
found monumental expression in
the Congregation Shaarey Zedek
synagogue in Southfield (1962)
by Albert Kahn Associated
Architects and Engineers, and
Percival Goodman, associate
architect. The sanctuary juts out
like a giant Hebrew tabernacle
or tent on Si bluff overlooking
Northwestern Highway. Stained
glass windows symbolizing the
burning bush follow the slope of
the roof. On the interior of the
sanctuary is a 40-foot marble
ark of the scrolls."
There are impressive photo-
graphs of both the Shaarey Zedek
and Bnai David structures. About
the latter, the author explains:
"The most recent religious
edifice to have been built in the
Detroit area is also the most
radical departure from familiar
models. The Congregation Bnai
David synagogue (1966) in
Southfield is a square building,
on each side of which is a sweep-
ing segmental arch springing
from the corners. The roof line
is made up of similar arches

n

reversed. Seen through the
lower arches is the cylindrical
sanctuary whose walls are a
continuous stained glass window

LATE ALBERT KAHN

tary defense loan into fiscal 1969,
which begins April 1, was present-
ed in the Knesset and is assured
of passage. The loan amounts to
$86,000,000, of which Israeli banks
are expected to subscribe one-third
and the general public the remain-
ing two-thirds. The sum is about
the same raised last year.

Chicago Hospital Gives
Parents Birth Control Aid

CHICAGO (JTA) — Every preg-
nant woman receiving pre-natal
care at the Mount Sinai Hospital
Medical Center is informed that
the hospital has a family planning
clinic, and after delivery she is re-
minded that at her six-weeks
checkup, she will have the chance
to start a family planning method
of her choice.
Dr. Irving Siegel, coordinator of
medical education in the hospital
department of obstetrics and gyne-
cology, also reported that those
patients who do not want to use
birth control pills are provided
with an intra-uterine device, or
given foam, a medication. The
family planning clinic was opened
in December 1966. Dr. Siegel said
that from an average of five pa-
tients at the start of the program,
the clinic now treats up to 80 pa-
tients a week. Birth control pills
are dispensed on prescrition by
the hospital pharmacy, a three-
months supply at a time.

heavy defense expenditures.
Sharef stressed the need to
maintain present price levels in
order to give Israel's exports a•
better chance on the world mar- Canadian Jewish Congress
kets. He said that no new taxes
or tax increases were contem- Is Building in Montreal
plated.
MONTREAL (JTA) — Official
A bill to extend Israel's volun- ground-breaking ceremonies have

4 03 61

anachronisms. Therefore he was
not satisfied until one was spe-

ranging in color from cool
cially made that suited his taste
greens and blues to warm yel-
and consequently would not lead
lows and oranges. The architect
his daughter astray in the for-
was Sidney Eisenshtat of Bev-
mation of hers. Such scruples
erly Hills, Calif."
over a doll's house were indica-
Among the many interesting
tive of Kahn's interest in dom-
structures, reference is made to
estic architecture."
the Alan Schwartz summer resi-
Writing about the house of Edith
dence (1961) near Plymouth.
There are references to the Stanton Newberry, who was presi-
Shapero Hall of Pharmacy, the dent of the Detroit Symphony So-
Richard Cohn Memorial Building, ciety, Ferry states that "Ossup
the Shifman Medical Library and Gabrilowitsch and Bruno Walter
the Charles Grosberg Religious were frequent guests" there.
Center at Wayne State University.
There are some omissions: the
In the list of the buildings at Beth El buildings are not men-
WSU, there is comment on Yama- tioned. In its entirety however,
saki's work on the Meyer and this is an excellent history of De-
Anna Prentis Building which troit buildings. —P.S.

Record
Billion 'War Budget' for '69
Submitted to Knesset; 37 Pct. Defense

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Finance
Minister Zeev Sharef submitted a
record $2,243,000,000 national budg-
et for fiscal year 1969 to the Knes-
set Monday. He called it a "war
budget" to emphasize that Israel's
number one priority this year is
security although only 37 per cent
is earmarked for direct military
expenditures. .
The budget for the new fiscal
year, which starts April 1, is $350,-
000,000 higher than the 1968 budg-
et. Its second item, in order of
priority, is immigration, Sharef
said. Third place was given to
social advancement, including in-
creasing the level of education and
improved living standards.
The finance minister, who also
holds the cabineLportfolio of corn•
merce and industry, said that bet-
ter living standards depended on
increased productivity. He was
optimistic, pointing out that Is-
rael's gross national product rose
14 per cent last year, the highest
in the country's history.
Sharef said that despite in-
creased output, wages and
prices had remained unusually
stable. Israel's foreign currency
reserves fell, however, by $100,-
000,000 and the current dollar
reserve of $600,000,000 was ex-
pected to decrease during the
next fiscal year due mainly to

houses the school of business ad-
ministration. The author adds: "An
archway on the ground level leads
one through the Prentis Building
to a courtyard where the Helen A.
DeRoy Auditorium (1964) seems to
be moored in the middle of a la-
goon. Here Yamasaki tried to
conceal an interesting building by
means of applied ornament."
The work of Albert Kahn is
very extensively reviewed and
many of the creations of the
eminent architect and his firm
are commented upon. There is
interesting reference to his
daughter, Lydia Kahn Winston.
and the author comments with
regard to one item: "That Albert
Kahn was a man of conviction is
borne out by an amusing anec-
dote concerning the provision of
a doll house for his daughter
Lydia. None of these miniature
dwellings on the market at the
time conformed to his idea of
simple straightforward architec-
ture p u r g ed of extraneous

been held here to mark the start
of construction of the Canadian
Jewish Congress Museum and
Archives building, to be known as
the Samuel Bronfman House.
Bronfman, honorary president of
the Congress, was guest of honor.
The building is scheduled to be
completed in the fall of this year.

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

10—Friday, January 10, 1969

— —

--------------------------

I

My Boss Says O.K....

so I'm celebrating the
birth of my first baby

by offering

Andy Gochman

$100 more for your trade-in

Or a Box of Gold Label Cigars
If I can't do better than
your best price on
ANY

1969 CHEVROLET

1. IMPALA
2. CAMARO
3. NOVA
4. CHEVELLE

JEFFERSON CHEVROLET

2130 E. JEFFERSON
LO 7-5750

"Atem Y'holim Liftoach bi"
You Can Place Your Trust in Me!
AARON (ANDY) GOCHMAN

ANNUAL DONOR TEA

Women of The Jewish National Fund

TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 12:00 NOON
TEMPLE ISRAEL, 17400 Manderson

Mrs. Wm. Levin, president

Mrs. Larry (hanin,

JNF Office: 22100 Greenfield Rd.

399-0820

.
--7 F4111119:BESTIESES
. r"'

- Featuring

Mrs. Morris Adler

Guest Speaker -

and

Marci Lyn Rose

Singing Star of

"Carousel" and "The Fantastics"
Accompanist: Grant Wolach

dik. a. Atka.

CORACICJIL

by perpetuating your name, organization or the memory of
a loved on permanently on the "Pillars" in Gadot, Israel.

