Yitzhak M. Levin; Rabbi Jay Kaufman, Bnai Brith Leader
Led Agudat Israel Member of Jewish and Civic Groups,
JERUSALEM (JTA) — Rabbi
Yitzhak Meir Levin, long-time
president of the Agudat Israel
Movement in Israel and a mem-
ber of . the Knesset since it was
formed, was buried here Sunday.
His funeral was attended by lead-
ing figures of Israel.
Rabbi Levin died Aug. 6 at the
age of 77, at the Shaarei Tsedek
Hospital, where he was admitted
Thursday after collapsing during
the funeral of fellow Aguda leader
Rabbi Yosef Naftali Stern. Rabbi
Levin's death was not announced
until the Sabbath was over, in ac-
cordance with Orthodox tradition.
Mourners at Rabbi Levin's fun-
eral included President Zalman
Shazar, Chief Rabbis Issaar Ye-
huda Unterman and Itzhak Nis-
sim, Knesset Speaker Reuben Bar-
katt, members of the Supreme
Court and cabinet ministers.
Because of the vast numbers
of persons present to pay their
last respects, the funeral proces-
sion proceeded on foot along the
ent:Ire route from Rabbi Levin's
home to the Mount of Olives—
more than three miles. This was
an imprecedented event since the
casket is not carried for more
than a few hundred yards and
then placed in a car for the rest
of the way to the cemetery:
Rabbi Levin was eulogized at
today's cabinet session by Pre-
mier Golda Meir.
Born in Cur, Poland, Rabbi Le-
vin WaS related to the Gur Hassidic
dynasty. At the age of 16, he was
married to the daughter of the
then Rebbe of Gur.
In 1912, Rabbi Levin's father-
in-law founded the Agudat Israel
Movement, to serve as an anti-
Zionist counterbalance to the in-
creasing influence of the mainly
secular Zionists.
R abbi Levin was made president
of the movement, and over the
years he gained a world-wide repu-
tation as a powerful Yiddish orator
and a strong political leader of
Polish Jewry, among whom the
Agudat Israel element was very
strong.
- He fled the German takeover of
POland and came to Palestine
`..„in 1940. Under the influence of the
Toloco.ust, Rabbi Levin's move-.
became non-Zionist rather
tati _ anti-Zionist, and cooperated
establishment of the state
-
- ;-yakibi Levin was a signatory of
4si-ael.'s Declaration of Independ-
ence
-arid. a cabinet member until
-
n, When his party left the gov-
4tnnient coalition because of dif-
:•::ferences over the conscription of
girls into the army and the way
to set up an Orthodox school
system.
The party has remained in the
opposition ever since, continuing
its efforts to give Israel a more
traditional, haiakhic character.
Rabbi Levin's Knesset seat will be
filled by the deputy mayor of Tel
Aviv, Rabbi Yehuda Meir Abra-
movitz, who is next on the Aguda
list.
WASHINGTON — Rabbi Jay
Kaufman, executive vice-president
of Bnai Brith, died Aug. 5 at
Washington Hospital Center. He
was 52. He had been chief ad-
ministrative officer of Bnai Brith
since May 1965.
Death was attributed to pneu-
monia. Rabbi Kaufman, who had
been ill for several months, was
admitted to the hospital 11 days
before his death.
His position with Bnai Brith in-
volved policy and operational re-
sponsibilities. He supervised a
staff of 500 specialists.
Previously he had served for
eight years in New York as vice
president of the Union of American
c
SAY
RABBI JAY KAUFMAN
Hebrew Congregations, sharing in
the executive direction of that
central body .of Reform Judaism
in the United States.
Rabbi Kaufman died as mem-
bers. of Bnai Brith's international
board of governors, its highest
ruling body, were arriving here
for their mid-year meeting over
the \veekencL The meeting was
cancelled.
In a career which led to one of
the highest executive posts in
Jewish communal life, Rabbi
Kaufman sought to diminish the
partisanships growing out of the
diverse, often competing, secular
and religious elements and. - ideol-
ogles in Jewish life. His concern,
he once said, was for "the over-
riding unity of purpose and hope
by which the Jewish people sur-
vives."
Born in Cleveland, and a former
Detroiter, Rabbi Kaufman was or-
lege in 1946 and held positions in
Laredo, 'rex.; Sandusky, Ohio; Nia-
dained at the Hebrew Union col-
gara Falls, N.Y.; and Philadelphia.
Rabbi Kaufman joined the staff
of the Union of American Hebrew
Congregations in 1948 as assistant
to the president and director of
UAHC's regional program.
When, in 1957, UAHC established
the professional office of vice
president, Rabbi Kaufman was
elected to the post.
By DR. MILTON STEINBERG
over mankind's long, weary pil-
grimage, what answer then will
be appropriate to our question as
to the game and the candle?
Shall not Jewish dreams and
ideals, hands and hearts, blood
and anguish have contributed to
this 'end so long desired and
prayed for? Will it then be a little
thing—will it not rather be ac-
counted a very great thing—to
have played a part, not the largest
perhaps but not the meanest either,
in the building Of the Kingdom
of God on earth'
Gloomy penintence is only mad-
ness turned upside down.
--Samuel Johnson.
YE
H
W E N TO
ASKED
Join B'nai B'rith
Numbers Speak Louder at UN
SINGERS
WANTED
Must be able
to read music.
Call
Cantor
H. J. Adler
557-7425
557-6842
Friday, August 13, 1971-21
Congregation B'nai Israel
143 Oneida Road
Pontiac, Michigan
Leonard H. Berman, Rabbi
Stuart E. Allen, President
"A Conservative Congregation Affiliated with
The United Synagogue of America"
Announces the offering of a limited number of memberships,
special consideration to young marrieds. Inquires cordially
invited.
The congregation offer:
A complete Hebrew School and Sunday Religious School Pro-
gram. Daily and Sabbath Services (late Friday Eve. and Sat.
Morn.) High Holy Days Worship (tickets available to non-
members). Youth activities program (affiliated with United
Synagogue youth).
Beautiful Auditorium for social events and "simchas".
For information please contact
Mr. Stanley Elbing, Membership Chairman
MA 6-2757
YIDDISH
The rich man's follies pass for
wise sayings, in this world.
—Cervantes.
Vision of the Future
I see in sum a Jewry which in
is inner left has made of Judaism
what it is intended to be, what it
is now in some measure, and what
, it can become in indefinitely great-
er degree—that is to say, a source
of blessing.
I see this set in a new,
bade and free world which Jews,
1.;..together with all men of good will,
have helped to set free, laboring
as individuals but also as Jews,
as members of a fellowship conse-
crated from the womb to the ideal
of a new, brave and free world.
Should that day arrive, should.
a better ordering of human af-
fairs be won, and from its eleva-
tion a backward. glance be . cast
He spent a sabbatical leave in
1961 in Israel to assist in the
establishment of institutions of
liberal Judaism in that country
He had served on the boards
of many national Jewish groups,
including the Synagogue Council
of America, the National Jewish
Welfare Board and the Labor
Zionist Organization of America.
He had been a member of the
National Community Relations ad-
visory Council, Histadrut and the
governing body of the World
Union for Progressive Judaism
and chairman of its Committee
on Israel.
President Nixon appointed him to
chair the committee of the National
•Center for Volunteer Action.
He was a founding member of
the Conference of Presidents of
Major American Jewish Organi-
zations and chairman of the Jew-
ish education committee of the
World Conference of Jewish Orga-
nizations.
For the last six years, he has
lived in Washington D.C.
He is survived by his wife,
Aviva; two sons, Gideon, and
Joshua; a daughter, Abigail; his
mother, Mrs. Hannah Kaufman of
Seal Beach, Calif.; a sister, Mrs.
Gustave Pollet of Los Angeles, and
a brother, Albert, Kaufman of
Detroit. Interment Washington D.C.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
has not
ABANDONED
DETROIT!
WORKMEN'S CIRCLE SCHOOLS
KE
7-5440
Sunday Classes
18340 W. 7 Mile Rd.
Detroit, Mich. (19)
KE
7-5440
An Urgent Call to
Congregations, Organizations and Individuals .. .
Help Provide Necessary
High Holy Days Assistance
Funds For Needy in Israel
SUPPORT THE MIZRACHI GIFT PACKAGE CAMPAIGN
Read the facts in this reprint from The Jewish News of August 6, 7971
Detroit Mizrachi Continues Israel Aid
Program With Holiday Gift Packages
Plans to expand its pro-
gram of economic aid to Is-
rael by means of sending
food packages to needy in
Israel, for the Holy Days,
were announced this week
by Mizrachi Organization of
Detroit.
Food packages, at $15
each, will be sent to the
many hundreds of families
who are in need of such pro-
visions, it was announced by
Zvi Tomkiewicz, executive
director of Detroit Mizrachi.
The $15 package will in-
clude fish, meat, poultry, in-
stant coffee, wine, sugar,
eggs, chocolate, oil, cocoa,
honey, prune s, sardines,
nuts, jam, desserts and oth-
er food items.
"Because we have been
able to arrange for Super-
Sol Markets in Israel to do
the packaging and delivery,
we can render special serv-
ices to the needy in Israel
at this time," Tomkiewicz
said. He added: "Through
such a program we not only
assist needy families, but
we also contribute toward
strengthening Israel's econ-
omy, with American dollars
given for the food pack-
ages."
Contributions toward the
distribution of the $15 food
packages are now being,
solicited by Detroit Miz-
rachi and checks can be
mailed to the Mizrachi of-
fice, 23125 Coolidge, Oak
Park, phone 398-718O.
Mizrachi, 23125 Coolidge, Oak Park, Mick, 48231
Contact Mr. Zvi Tomkiewicz or phone 398-7180
.