Itzik Manger, Noted Yiddish Writer

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

46—Friday, February 28, 1969

Israeli technological Boom

to Land of Science
From People of Book industries
provides jobs and re-

By ELIAHU SALPETER

(Copyright 1969, JTA Inc.)

JERUSALEM—Israel is now em-
barking on the development of
science-based industries as one of
the important elements in the in-
dustrialization of the country and
to maintain its position in the fore-
front of research and its practical
applications.
Most of the science-based indus-
tries are in the field of special
electronics, optometery, fine-chemi-
cals and reagents and the produc-
tion of special equipment for labor-
atories, etc.
The expansion of science-based

TEL AVIV (JTA)—Itzik Manger,
the Yiddish poet and essayist, died
here Feb. 20 at a private sanator-
ium after a long illness. He was

search opportunities for a growing
number of scientists. It is a key
factor in the process of binding
basic research to applied engineer-
ing.

Philadelphia, Tel Aviv
Honored on Medal as
Cities of Independence

PHILADELPHIA —"Sister Cities
of Independence" is the name of a

It is no coincidence that a large
part (probably most, although
the figures are classified) of Is-
rael's science-based industries
work primarily, if not exclusive-
ly, for the defense establishment.
But it is not only military consid-

erations that make for the encour-
agement here of science-based
industries and applied research in
general. Technological develop-
ments of the last two decades
make it impossible to remain a
modern industrial nation solely or
primarily on the basis of buying
and utilizing the research and dis-
rrznc MANGER
coveries of other, more advanced,
countries.
The proportion of students major- Saudi Arabia's Ex-King
ing in natural—and life—sciences
is higher in Israel than in Western Succumbs at Age 67
Europe or even in the United
ATHENS — The world's wealth-
States.
iest absolute monarch until he was
However, since Israel industry deposed, King Saud of Saudi Arab-
in general spends as yet, lament- ia, died Sunday at age 67.
ably little on research, a large
Saud, who ruled the oil-rich land
proportion of the scientists and from 1953 to 1964 was in exile here
engineers employed in private in- since his brother, Crown Prince
dustry do not really work in re- Faisal, deposed him.
search at all. They constitute a
Although he leaned toward the
considerable reservoir of un- West and away from Egyptian
tapped scientific manpower.
President Nasser, King Saud was
Moreover, with the growing num- a bitter foe of Israel. Thus, angered
ber of immigrants from Western by American aid to Israel, he in-
countries, the number of scientists formed the U.S. in March 1961 that
and engineers is on the increase. it would have to cease military
The new scientists and engineers operations at Dhahran airfield
number is estimated at 800-900 an- when the latest of a series of agree-
nually. In addition 100-150 Israeli ments would expire in April 1962.
On a visit to the United States
students return from abroad each
year with degrees in engineering in January 1957, King Saud got a
and natural sciences earned over- cool welcome from then Mayor Ro-
seas. Thus, Israel's supply of scien- bert F. Wagner, who said he was
tific personnel is increased by "anti-Jewish, anti-Catholic and an
upholder of slavery."
about 1.000 a year.

medal honoring the birthplaces of
American and Israel independence
—Philadelphia and Tel Aviv. The
two cities, in addition to their his-
toric links with their nations' inde-
pendence, are also joined in the
"Sister Cities Program."
The medal is being struck by the
Franklin Mint here. It will be is-
sued under the sponsorship of the
Journal of Israel Numismatics on
Israel's 21st anniversary of inde-
pendence, April 23. The municipal-
ity of Tel Aviv-Jaffa, whose 60th
anniversary in 1969 is also com-
memorated, has officially made
available the emblem of the city—
a lighthouse with arched entrance
symbolic of the city's gateway to
the Land of Israel—for portrayal
on the medal. The city of Philadel-
phia will be represented by a sculp-
tured rendering of historic Inde-
pendence Hall.
Medals will be struck in gold for
presentation to the mayors of the
sister cities. A limited issue of
numbered proof sterling silver and
bronze specimens of the medal will
be available to collectors.
Orders will be mailed after April
23. InforrnafloriAs available from
the Journal 410%0 -Numismatics.
Suite • 4012, - MM "United Nations -
Plaza, New York, N. Y. 10017.

World Jewish Congress

NEW YORK (JTA) — The Rab-
binical Assembly, international or-
ganization of Conservative rabbis.
has accepted an invitation to join
the World Jewish Congress.
Its president, Rabbi Ralph
Simon of Chicago, said this week
the assembly becomes the first
rabbinical body to join the organ-
ization. The decision to accept
WJCongress President Dr. Nahum
Goldmann's invitation, received
late last year, was made without
a dissenting vote by the asembly's
executive council, Rabbi Simon
said.
The assembly, he said, believes
it can be valuable to the WJCon- I
gress because it is now a "truly
international organization" with
1.000 rabbinical members. "Since
our concern is international now,
we want to function with inter-
national Jewish agencies."
The assembly has members in
the United States, Canada, Mexico.
South America, Europe, Britain,
Israel and Asia.

TEL AVIV (ZINS) — Rabbi

Abramovich, assistant mayor of
Tel Aviv. appealed to the city ad-
ministration to take steps in edu-
cating the public to the importance
of the natural increase of the Jew-

ish population.
Statistics show that the largest
city in Israel has the lowest birth
rate: In 1957 there were 19 births
for each 1000 inhabitants; 1967
showed a sharp drop to slightly
over 13 births per 1000. -Statistics
also reveal that the population of
Tel Aviv is gradually getting older,
because the youth is deserting the
city.

-'Snaps' by Cruz

NEW YORK—Industrialist Alex-
ander Konoff, vice president of the
American Technion Society, died
last Friday at age 85.
From poor beginnings as one of
nine children in Russia, he went
on to achieve great success, and

through the Technion Society gave

$1,500,000 to the institution. His
only formal education was in a

religious school
He left home at
12, went to Berlin
at age 18 and

came to the Unit-
ed States in 1909
with $1.15 in his
pocket. The He-
brew Immigrant
Aid Society
(HIAS) sheltered
him that first

night.
By 1914, Mr.
Kama
Konoff had es-
tablished his own machine shop
and later earned a fortune as
founder of a company manufac-
turing the first movable eyes for
dolls. His business interests
branched out.
Mr. Konoff denied that he was a
Zionist, but was a great friend of
Israel, devoting his time and ener-

gies to the Israel Institute of Tech-
nology. The institution presented
him with an honorary degree in

mechanical engineering in 1949.
Mr. Konoff was a member of its
international board of governors
and chairman of its technical
equipment committee, which help-
ed procure advanced scientific and
engineering devices and machines
for laboratory use.
He and his wife endowed numer-
ous technological programs and
projects at the school. A junior
technical college was dedicated in
their name in 1959. In addition,
Mr. Konoff was a founder of the
United States-Israel Plastics Corp.

"Snaps," by Victor Hernandez
Cruz, published by Random House,
is a unique collection of poems.
Themes of a challenging nature
are included in this most impres-
sive work that is the -result of in-
spiration by a niitive• of Puerto
Rico who was brought to New
York in 1954 at the age of 5.
Lovers of modern poetry will be
delighted by this collection of in-
in Israel.
, spired works.

WHEEE! TAKE A
LOOK AT THIS
NEWSPAPER
... IT HAS
EVERYTHING!

Conservative Rabbis Join

Tel Aviv Birth Rate Low

67. He settled in Israel two years
ago. Born in Romania, he came to
the United States in 1951. He had
fled from Warsaw to London when
World War II broke out. He bad
visited Israel a number of times
before deciding to settle there. An
adaptation of one of his major
works, "The Megila" was perform-
ed recently in New York City. He
has written more than a dozen
books of Yiddish poems and essays.
His poems bad been translated into
more than a half dozen languages.
(A play by Mr. Manger based on
his story of Esther recently was
given its premiere performance in
Poland by the Warsaw Yiddish
Theater.)
An anthology of all Manger's
works written until that time was
published in 1954 under the title
"Poems and Ballads." He subse-
quently published a book of essays
and a collection of poetry, "Stars
in the Dust." Among his best known
books of poetry were "Poems From
the Humash " "Stars Over My
Roof" and "Clouds Over My Roof."
He wrote several plays based on
Yiddish folk themes.
President Zalman Shazar headed
a list of government officials, mem-
bers of the Knesset and other dig-
nitaries who paid last respects to
Mr. Manger. Among the 2,000 per-
sons at his funeral were leading
Israeli writers and artists of the
stage.

Alexander Konoff,
Technion Friend

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