54 January 30, 1976
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Lewis Rosenstiel, Schenley
Liquor Company Founder
NEW YORK — Lewis
Rosenstiel, founder of
Schenley Industries, Inc.,
the giant liquor coporation,
died Jan. 21 at age 84.
Institute in 1958 and in
1959 led a successful in-
dustry-wide drive to
change. the federal liquor
tax laws in a way that
would benefit the distiller.
A noted philanthropist,
Mr. Rosenstiel donated
more than $100 million to
education, charitable and
philanthropic institutions,
including Brandeis Univer-
sity, the University of Notre
Dame and the Mount Sinai
Hospitals here and in Miami
Beach where he had made
his home for the past -10
years.
Communist Party
Loses at Elections
LEWIS ROSENSTIEL
Born in Cincinnati, Mr.
Rosenstiel started out as a
$3.50-a-week belt splicer for
his uncle's distillery. When
he retired in 1968 from
Schenley, his salary was
more than $250,000 a year
and he was a multimillion-
aire.
He was instrumental in
organizing the Bourbon
TEL AVIV (JTA) — Com-
munist hopes to repeat their
victory in the recent Naza-
reth municipal elections fiz-
zled last week in the largely
Moslem village of Kufr-
Kanna near Nazareth where
they were soundly trounced
in the.balloting for a new
town council.
The list backed by Rakah
won only 21 percent of the
vote against over 70 percent
for lists connected with the
Labor Party.
Why Israel Will Survive
"Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: I will set my eyes
upon them for good, and I will bring them back to this land."
Jeremiah 24:5,6
Rabbi Isser Unterman Dies, Former Israel Chief Rabbi
JERUSALEM (JTA) —
Former Ashkenazic Chief
Rabbi of Israel Isser Yehuda
Unterman died Monday at
Shaare Zedek Hospital at
age 90.
Rabbi Unterman was
Chief Rabbi from 1964 to
1972. Although regarded as
a rabbi of "the old school,"
Yohanan Simon,
Renowned Artist
TEL AVIV (JTA) — Yo-
hanan Simon, the world fa-
mous painter, died Jan. 18
at age 70.
A native of Berlin, he
studied at the University of
Berlin and at the Ecole des
Beaux Arts in Paris. He set-
tled in Palestine in 1936 and
spent many years as a ki-
butz member at Gan
Shmuel.
His works are on display
in museums all over the
world, including Israel, and
he was the recipient of
many awards. Among them
were the Dizengoff Prize
,(1946, 1953, 1961), Histadrut
Prize (1960), Congress for
Jewish Culture Award
(1951) and Home and Gar-
den Award. From__1948 to
1951 he served in the Ha-
gana.
Charles Reznikoff,
Objectivist Poet
he was held in high esteem
and considered a moderate
until the end of his tenure
when he sided with local
rabbis who banned the mar-
riages of an Israeli brother
and sister — the Langers —
to their fiances on grounds
that they were of illegiti-
mate birth.
Marines Publish
Jewish Songbook
WASHINGTON (JTA) —
The U.S. Marine Corps has
published a Jewish song-
book with 81 selections
which a Pentagon state-
ment said represented the
first Jewish publication ever
issued by the armed services
of the United States.
The Pentagon said the
booklet, which will be of-
fered to American Jewish
military personnel through
military chaplains, also is
available to the general pub-
lic through the Government
Printing Office.
The publication, "Sing
And Be Joyful," was com-
piled by Navy Captain Sam-
uel Sobel, who retired last
August after 30 years in un-
iform, most of that time
with the Marines.
The public outcry
against the decision,
which was viewed by most
Israelis as a prime exam-
ple of the rigidity of the
Chief Rabbinate, led the
government of Premier
Golda Meir to support the
then army Chief Chaplain,
Rabbi Shlomo Goren
against Rabbi Unterman
in the 1972 elections for a
new Chief Rabbinate.
Arizona U. Adds
Judaica Courses
TUCSON, Ariz. (JTA) —
The University of Arizona
has added two new courses
to its area of Judaic studies
for the current spring
semester.
One is the history of the
Jews in the United States
and the other is on archeol-
ogy and the Bible.
NEW YORK — Charles
Reznikoff, a poet and found-
ing member of the Objectiv-
ist school of poetry, - died
Jan. 22 at age 81.
According to the New
York Times, Objectivism
meant stripping the verse of
all those elements that do
"They shall dwell in the land where your fathers dwelt
not contribute organically
that I gave to my servant Jacob; they and their children and
to the objective image or
their children's children shall dwell there forever; and David
idea.
my servant shall be their prince forever. I will make a covenant
Husband of Marie Syrkin,
of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with
emeritus professor of hu-
them; and I will bless them and multiply them, and will set my
TEL AVIV (JTA) — Fu-
manities at Brandeis Uni- neral
sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. Then the nations
services were held
versity, Mr. Reznikoff
will know that I, the Lord, sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary is
Sunday
at Hulda for Pinhas
earned a law degree from
in the midst of them for evermore." Ezekiel 37:25,26,28
Lavon, a veteran Labor
New
York
University
but
"Why? — because it is the Lord's will
Party and Histadrut leader
— From the Christian Bible Student's Publication never seriously practiced
who, as defense minister in
law.
He
did
some
law
writ-
Harvest Magazine.
1954 became the central fig-
ing and contributed to a law *tire
in Israel's most pro-
-encyclopedia, while writing
Sen. Church Backs Research Projects
longed and bitter political
poetry. He printed his
dispute that led to the resig-
Israel Sovereignty in West Germany
works, setting the type and
nation of Premier David
NEW YORK — "We must
BONN — For the ninth doing the press work.
Ben-Gurion.
leave the PLO and its sup- time the Cologne Library
Mr. Lavon, who was 72,
porters in no doubt that for the History of German
died Jan. 24 at the Gedera
David
Homsky,
some things are not negotia- Jewry, Germania Judaica,
Hospital for the disabled
ble, specifically Israel's has published a brochure
Israeli Poet, 63
where he had been confined
right to exist."
listing all research projects
for several years, paralyzed
TEL
AVIV
(JTA)
—
Sen. Frank Church made on the history of the Ger-
and in a coma.
David
Homsky,
a
poet
and
his remarks Jan. 18 at the man Jews and anti-Semi-
Born Pinhas Lubianiker
secretary
of
the
Israeli
annual Palm Beach Scopus tism currently in progress.
in Poland, Mr. Lavon at-
Writers
Union,
died
here
Award Dinner of the Amer-
According to this publica-
tended Lvov University and
Jan. 20 at age 63.
ican Friends of the Hebrew tion, some 125 such projects
Immigrated to Palestine in
-Mr.
Homsky
was
born
in
University.
are being carried out at var-
1929 at the age of 25.
Minsk,
Russia,
and
came
to
In his „address Sen. ious institutes and universi-
Palestine
in
1936.
He
served
He founded the Gor-
Church warned that the ties-in the Federal Republic
in Hagana and later in the donia Labor Zionist youth
United States must stand and West Berlin alone.
Jewish Brigade that fought movement while still in
firmly behind its stated
under the British Army Poland and after coming
Israel
Ships
Fruit
principles when dealing
command in World War II. to Palestine was one of the
with the threat to Israel's to West Germany
After_ the war he traveled to founders of Kibutz Hulda
existence posed by the Pa-
Poland and South America near Ramla. He also
The
growing
BONN
—
lestine Liberation Organiza-
tion and with Arab govern- importance of Israeli agri- on missions for the Jewish founded the Ichud Hakvut-
Agency.
zot Vehakbutzim, the
ments demanding that the cultural exports to the Fed-
He published many vol- united Mapai-sponsored
eral
Republic
is
underlined
U.S. comply with their boy-
umes of poetry for which he kibutz movement.
by the fact that Agrexco has
cott demands.
was awarded numerous lit-
chartered a Pan Am Boeing
Mr. Lavon's leadership
Rabbi Eliezer says: "A 747 freight jet which every
erary prizes.
abilities and talent as a
man does not enjoy a holi- Monday brings 90 to 100
speaker helped him rise rap-
day unless he either feasts tons of freshly harvested
In Judaism, love toward idly in Labor ranks. He be-
or studies." Rabbi Joshua fruit and flowers to Frank-
God is never a mere feeling; came secretary of Mapai
says: "Let him divide the furt's Rhein-Main airport.
it belongs to the sphere of and secretary of Histadrut.
day, one-half for feasting Flowers and strawberries
ethical activity.
After the state of Israel was
and one-half for study." have first priority, then
— Leo Baeck founded he entered the Cab-
melons and aubergines.
(Pesachim 68.)
"I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they
shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall
plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gar-
dens and eat their fruit. I will plant them upon their land, and
they shall never again be plucked up out of the land which I
have given them, says the Lord your God." Amos 9: 14,15
According to Halakha as
interpreted by Israel's Or-
thodox rabbinate, children
allegedly born out of wed-
lock may marry only other
illegitimates or converts to
Judaism.
RABBI UNTERMAN
Rabbi Unterman who had
defeated Rabbi Goren in
1964, was in turn defeated
by the younger candidate.
As Chief Rabbi, Goren ar-
ranged to have the Langer
decision reversed. There-
after, Rabbi Unterman re-
tired from public life but
continued to teach at the
rabbinical seminary he
headed.
Rabbi Unterman was
horn in Brest-Litovsk. Rus-
sia and attended the yeshiva
there. He was ordained at
the Volozin Yeshiva-and in
the 1920s took a pulpit in
Liverpool, England where
he served for about 20 years.
Deeply involved in Zionist
affairs and a leader of the
Mizrachi, he settled in Pal-
estine in 1947 when he was
invited to become Chief
Rabbi of Tel Aviv. He was
persuaded by the National
Religious Party to stand for
election as Ashkenazic Chief
Rabbi in 1964 and beat the
Labor-backed Goren by
three votes.
Rabbi Unterman and
Sephardic counterpai
Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Nis- •
sim, had their differences
but never quarreled pub-
licly as do their succes-
sors, Rabbi Goren and
Sephardic Chief Rabbi
Ovadia Yosef. Rabbi Yosef
defeated Rabbi Nissim in
the 1972 elections.
Rabbi Unterman's book of
halakhic responsa, "Shevet
Miyehuda," established him
as one of the leading ha-
lakhic authorities of the
post World War II era and
also as a lenient and com-
passionate "posek" (ha-
lakhic judge). But that im-
age was marred by his
position in the Langer case.
Rabbi Unterman was the
father of six sons and a
daughter, Esther, who died
recently. One of his sons is
Rabbi Maurice Unterman of
the Marble Arch Synagogue
in London.
Pinhas Lavon,Former Israel Minister,
Sabotage Case Figure, Dies at 72
inet as minister of agricul-
ture.
He also served for a time
as a minister-without-port-
folio. When Ben-Gurion re-
tired temporarily in 1953 to
his Sde Boker home, Mr. La-
von took over the defense
portfolio previously held by
the premier.
The plan was to have
these terrorist acts attrib-
uted to Egyptians. But it
misfired. The agents were
caught and exposed. One
committed suicide, two
were executed and five
sentenced to long prison
terms.
The incident rocked Israel
and seriously compromised
its relations with the U.S.
and Britain. The govern-
ment of the then Premier
Moshe Sharett had not been
consulted about the opera-
tion and Mr. Lavon said he
had no knowledge of it.
But Col. Binyamin Gibli,
chief of military intellig-
ence, insisted that Lavon
had given the orders to pro-
ceed with the plan. A com-
mittee of inquiry reached no
conclusions.
Lavon resigned from the
government but was suts-- --,
quently elected secret
general of Histadrut. in
PINHAS LAVON
1961, evidence emerged that
The famous "Lavon Af- appeared to clear Lavon of
fair" of the 1950s centered complicity in the Cairo inci-
over whether Lavon, as min- dent.
ister of defense, had issued
The government issued a
the orders for an abortive statement absolving him of
attempt by Israeli agents in responsibility against the
Cairo to turn the U.S. and protests of Ben-Gurion who
British governments against was once more premier.
Egypt by trying to bomb Ben-Gurion contended that
U.S. libraries in Cairo and the exoneration of Lavon
Alexandria and Egyptian was a miscarriage of justice
theaters that showed Bri- and resigned, bringing down
tish and American films.
his government.