For the Young Single and Jewish,
Social Life Has Its Ups and Downs
12—Friday, July 16,1971
By CHARLOTTE DUBIN
Whether it's posed by anxious
mothers, or by the singles them-
selves, the query varies little
'from year to year: Where can
Jewish young adults meet?
social situations are compounded.
One young man, who attends
Wayne State University and the
Beth Midrash of the Yeshiva, de-
scribed Detroit social life as fairly
sterile for young Orthodox.
Each time someone calls atten-
tion to the dearth of social activity
in a Jewish milieu, there is a mad
scramble to correct it. In the past
decade, the 'Detroit Jewish com-
munity has seen numerous organi-
zations spring up—many formed
by synagogues, others by Jewish
agencies (notably the Jewish Cen-
ter) and still others by private
individuals- Few have survived. A
directory of such activities is ob-
solete as soon as it is printed.
What spells doom is a com-
bination of factors, but it gen-
erally boils down to a lack of
continuity from year to year.
When the energetic, involved
nucleus dissolves—either through
marriage, lack of interest, job
change or whatever—the organi-
zation crumbles.
Ironically, if the leadership lasts
too long, another problem arises:
Young people who attend functions
regularly complain that they al-
ways see the same faces. There
is a built-in self-destruct tendency.
Where do young adults go when
there is no Jewish outlet? They go
to non-Jewish places where Jews
gather. No matter what the mar-
riage statistics say. most young
adults want to be with their own.
Few would admit that they seek a
Jewish mate. More commonly
they indicate they feel more co _ m-
fortable with other Jews.
Thus, they cortgregate at the
Steering Wheel, the Traffic Jam,
the Side Door. Older singles meet
at the Scotch and Sirloin.
Private parties also provide a
setting, the invitation no more
formal than the grapevine. Al-
though several synagogues and the
Jewish Center have bent over
backward to bring in young adults,
many say they are turned off by
an "institutional' environment.
One 23-year-old, describing
himself as a loner who likes to
give his own parties, said he
belonged to Bnai Brith Young
Adults, a group which is now de-
funct "because it was too for-
mal, it had too many rules and
regulations and was tied up with
a religious grouping. Formal or-
ganizations among this age
group just don't work any more."
Yet. he, too. conceded that while
he objects to "religious groupings"
sponsoring organizations. he wants
to be with other Jews. He joined a
Jewish off-camnus fraternity, Sha-
lom Achim, which died a fairly
auick death last year. and instead
joined a Jewish fraternity at
Wayne. •
An off-campus Jewish sorority,
Sigma Gamma Sigma, which has
had better luck in the past four
years, consists of both college and
working girls age 20-26. It holds
parties in addition to its regular
meetings every other week (once
a month in summer) at members'
homes. (For information, call Judi
Ptn sen, 352-4375).
-Ile Michigan Association of
Jewish College Students—a loosely
constructed organization that was
sponsored by the Jewish Center—
was not refunded for next year,
but a small discussion group re-
mains. About a dozen, participants
meet every other Wednesday eve-
ning at the Center during the sum-
mer. The Center also offers a
summer pass to college students
at a reduced rate. (For informa-
tion, call the Center group serv-
ices division, DI 1-4200).
Perhaps a word should lie said
about the • special problems of
Orthodox young adults, for whom
He said he meets girls at 4:30
p.m. "when I'm coming to school
and they're on their way home."
Most young adults run to New
York where there is a more hos-
pitable environment. In some Or-
thodox circles, the shadhan —
matchmaker — is still considered
an important means to the desired
end.
To continue a 70-year tradition
of including the Detroit Jewish
community in estate planning, in-
creasing numbers of people are
declaring their
intent of endow-'?" '
ing the future,
according to Mil-
ton J. Miller ,
chairman of the
endowment pro-
gram of the Jew-
ish Welfare
Federation, in a
letter circulated
this week.
Miller
United Jewish Charities, trustee
of investments, legacies and en-
dowments for the community, is
now administering 144 endowment
funds, according to Irwin Green,
president.
The "letter of intent" does not
affect the individual's primary re-
sponsibility of an annual gift to
the Allied Jewish Campaign, said
Miller. It expresses his intentions
to continue to support the leader-
ship and programs of tomorrow
through his estate planning.
Nearly 50 people recently have
signified their intentions of in-
cluding a legacy or trust insur-
ance policy, with Jewish Welfare
Federation --aS the beneficiary, in
their financial planning. A large
number of these have translated
the "intent" into testamentary
documents.
Miller stated that members of
the endowment committee would
be glad to assist anyone interested
in signing a letter of intent and/or
setting up a fund or bequest. C.
Kenneth Sarason, secretary of the
committee, may be reached at the
Jewish Welfare Federation, WO-
5-3939.
Generally, however, it is not
collegians who need the social
environment; no matter how in-
tense the academic schedule,
there is still opportunity to meet
others of the same age and in-
terests. It is those who do not
elect to attend college or who
have already graduated who
find themselves isolated and in
the often awkward position of
having to "market the mer-
chandise," as one girl put it.
But there is hope.
At least one synagogue-based
g r o u p, PGASP (Post-Graduate
Adas Shalom Presents) is hoping
to make a comback for the 23-33
single set. The first event, a
"Bowling Gig" Sunday drew 20
participants. (For information, call
Mel Katz, 557-4347).
Another, Bnai Moshe Young
Adults (age 21-30) has been draw-
ing almost 100 persons to its
monthly social meetings and many
more to its larger parties off syn-
agogue premises. Thirty attended
a recent beach party at Pontiac
Lake, and the steering committee,
which meets twice a month, is
planning weekends and ski trips.
The director, Sy Kaplan, and its
adviser. Larry Goulson, are hardly
older than the membership of the
six-month old group. (For infor-
mation, call the synagogue, LI
8-9000).
The longest-lived organization of
its kind, Jewish Center Young
`Masada Complex'
Label Hit by Golda
TEL AVIV (JTA) — A charge
published in Newsweek magazine
that she has a "Masada complex"
—a feeling of beleaguerment— re-
cently was rebuffed by Premier
Golda Meir.
Speaking at the Weizmann In-
stitute of Science in Rehovot,
she said that "those who want to
reeducate us, telling us that geo-
graphy is unimportant, they who
now strive to persuade us of the
insignificance of the history of
the Jewish people and want us
to forget Masada — they may
soon tell us to forget the Holo-
caust." At that time, site said,
Israel will be accused of hav-
ing a "Holocaust complex."
Masada was the Dead Sea
strong-hold manned by 960 Jew-
ish zealots who committed suicide
in 72 A.D. rather than surrender
to the onrushing Romans.
Mrs. Meir, accepting an honor-
ary fellowship from Institute pre-
sident Dr. Albert W. Sabin,
stressed that the persecution of
the Jews by other nations through
the ages reached such dimensions
that it would be disastrous for
later' ''. generations 1'6" "think that
Jewish history began..in 1948, the
year of Israeli .independence.
She added that the :prime goals
of the Jewish statd . vdre-to bridge
the social gap caused by increased
immigration and to create one
unified nni .
Adults (age 18-28) has been hold-
ing Wednesday evening lounge pro-
grams for several years, with at-
tendance going as high as 150-
There also are monthly Sunday
brunches and occasional parties
and outings to Camp Tamarack.
(For information, call Center
group services, DI 1-4200).
Parents Without Partners of
the Jewish Center has disband-
ed, but a nonsectarian South-
field group of PWP draws a
large Jewish attendance to its
meetings, the first and third
Friday of the month. The mem-
bership, which crosses age lines,
includes divorced and widowed
parents, but also draws the
"never-marrieds" to its gather-
ings—parties, outing s, bridge
games and discussion groups. .
There is even a legal adviser
and children's activities, spon-
sored by the organization. For
information, call the answering
service, 861-7277.
(There also are at least two
active groups for older Jewish
singles: Detroit Socialites and Cri-
terion Club. They meet for social
and cutural events on a regular
basis.)
Geared toward community serv-
ice, but offering a social milieu
of another kind, the Jewish Wel-
fare Federation's Junior Division
(age 18-30) is concerned primarily
with fund raising for the Allied
Jewish Campaign and with educa-
tion programs. There also is a
volunteer summer tutorial project
for inner-city youngsters. (For in-
formation. call Lillian Bernstein
at the JWF, WO 5-3939.)
For those interested in activity
other than strictly social gather-
ings, a recent local phenomenon is
the increasing interest in Soviet
Jewry among young adults, who
were instrumental in forming the
D e t r o i t Action Committee. on
Soviet Jewry. There is no age re-
quirement for membership in this
volunteer action group, but the
core of leaders are in their 20s.
(For information, call Fred Rose
at the Jewish Center, DI 1-4200).
Among another segment, too,
politics becomes an acceptable
cutlet for young adult energy-
Democratic a n d Republican
party gatherings draw their fair
share of singles. but those who
aren't serious about the matter
come election time are quickly
smoked out.
It is the pure and simple social
group. however, that generally
has the last word among young
adults. Service and education are
fine, but the name of the game is
meeting the opposite sex. One new
group that makes no bones about
it is Shalom (age 21-39), a pri-
vately run organization which
holds a dance once a month and is
planning future trips.
Marlene Brown (474-0096) or-
ganizes the parties and other
events that have drawn as many
as 300 at a time to Alvaro's in
Royal Oak. She has placed ads in
The Jewish News to draw new
people to her parties, and she
sends out questionnaires to those
who respond. There's a mailing
list of 700.
Dues of $15 a year cover the
costs of the hall, refreshments,
band and prizes.
Flushed with success, Marlene
has set her sights on a new chal-
lenge: the 40-and-up age group.
The Continental Swingers will hold
.its first party Aug. 15 at Alvaro's,
and the director will be Marlene's
mother, Mrs. Betty Eason.
Nonprofit party giving didn't
start out to be a full-time job for
Marlene, but it's turning into just
that. "I wouldn't mind if it were,"
she said. "Even if I were mar-
THE DETROIT 'JEWISH NEWS
Federation Endowment. Program
Ensures Jewish Community Stability
Through the years, the be-
quests and contributions have
ranged from amounts under
$1,000 to a major estate of $500,-
000 and keep alive the fam-
ily names of Wineman, Heaven-
rich, Krolik, Ginsburg, Osnos,
Butzel, Simons, Frank, DeRoy,
Agree and Joshua Cohen, to
name a few.
In seeking individuals who want
to help ensure the future finan-
cial stability of the Jewish com-
munity, the "declaration of intent"
program of the Federation's en-
dowment fund is proving success-
ful, according to Miller.
Chairman Miller, assisted by
Louis C. Blumberg, Merle Harris,
Seymour Israel, Joseph H. Jackier
and Samuel Schiff, vice-chairmen,
have issued a plea to members of
the Jewish community to consider
participation in the endowment pro-
gram.
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