THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, December 22, 1978 77
Golda Meir Memorialized at Special Service at Shaarey Zedek
More than 600 persons
paid tribute to former Is-
raeli Prime Minister Golda
Meir on Sunday, at a memo-
rial program at Cong.
Shaarey Zedek sponsored
by the Jewish Community
Council of Metropolitan De-
troit and its rabbinical
commission.
The 50-minute piogram
opened with a color guard
presentation by the De-
partment of Michigan
Jewish War Veterans and
brief remarks by John
hepherd, president of the •
community council.
Marian Sliiffman, vice
president of the council,
read excepts from Mrs.
Meir's autobiography, '"My
Life."
According to George
Zeltzer, president of the
Jewish Welfare Federa-
tion,, Mrs. Meir's "Contri-
bution to the coming day
of peace is inerasable.'
The monument to her
memory will not be mar-
ble or metal, but the fash-
ioning of a far better
Jewish life the world
over."
Frieda Leemon, national
president of Pioneer
Women, recalled her per-
sonal experiences with Mrs.
Meir and Golda's many con-
tributions to the people of
Israel.
A scriptural reading by
Rabbi Irwin Groner of
Shaarey Zedek preceded a
personal tribute to Mrs.
Meir delivered by Yigal Al-
lon.
"I was associated with
Golda throughout my life,"
-
* * *
Golda Meir's Encouragement
to ORT Recalled by Haber
Prof. William Haber,
president of World ORT,
this week. recalled the
encouragement the 1-ate
Golda Meir had given to the
ORT program as a vital
forte in the Jewish rehabili-
tation program.
Dr. Haber, in a tribute to
the late Israeli diplomat,
also recalled that his wife,
Fanny, was a classmate of
Golda Meyerson Meir in the
Milwaukee State Normal
School.
Haber recalled that Mrs.
Meir preferred to go by her
first name, Golda.
"It carried no flourish
of office or position. She
was, after all, a warm,
compassionate, kind,
sweet person. Her status
did not change when she
was minister of labor,
minister of foreign af-
fairs, prime minister or
occupied the highest
councils of the Israeli
Labor Party. You were
always greeted by a
warm handshake, a
wonderful smile and fre-
quently by a word in a
lighter vein.
"When (University of
Michigan) President and
Mrs. Fleming asked to ac-
company us to Israel some
years ago, Golda was prime
minister. We arranged for
her to see the president of
the University of Michigan.
She soon "took charge" and
with executive manner pro-
ceeded to explain the logis-
tical problems which Israel
faced.
left her desk and
anted to the map, indi-
cating that a mere nine
miles separated the Jor-
danianpositions from the
sea. A cannon on that
position could cut Israel
in two. A simple and
powerful illustration of
the importance of 'secure
and agreed boundaries.'
"I remember going to see
Golda in 1957. The Soviet
Union had just decided to
permit the repatriation of
many thousands of Polish
citizens who escaped into
Russia in advance of the
German armies during the
Second World War.
"It happened that among
those repatriated Poles
were about 15,000 to 20,000
Jews. The Polish govern-
ment knew that Poland was
a Jewish graveyard and
- that the prospect of repat-
riated Jews remaining in
Poland for very long was not
very good. The Polish gov-
ernment invited ORT,
which had been expelled
from Poland after the war,
to return and provide voca-
tional training to the repat-
riated Jews.
"Several delicate policy
questions were presented to
ORT. What, for example,
would the U.S. State De-
partment think of ORT
working in a Communist
country? What would the
government of Israel think?
I made inquiries in both-
places. The State Depart-
ment did not discourage us;
quite the contrary, ORT
would be 'another window'
through which to see what
is going on in Poland.
"In Jerusalem, I sought
the advice of Golda Meir,
Her immediate reaction
was one of excitement —
'God bless-you and ORT.
Go!' I observed that it
might cost as much as
$100,000 and that that
much less would be
available for the precious
ORT program in Israel.
She replied without de-
lay, `Go to Poland so that
the repatriated Jews will
know that they have not
been forgotten.' -
"A year later, Fannie and
I went through one of the
workshops where several
hundred men and women
were learning simple skills.
It was an exciting experi-
ence to hear two women
talking about us, that is,
ORT and the American
Jewish community, and
saying in Yiddish, `Sie hobn
uns nicht vergessen."They
have not forgotten us' — the
very words used by Golda in
urging us to go to Poland.
"Golda Meir was one of
the most admired women,
political and social leaders
of modern times. Her very
.entry into a meeting hall led
to a demonstration of re-
spect, love, affection and
admiration."
-
-
Allon said. "She was my
friend, comrade, teacher
and boss (Allon served as
Mrs. Meir's deputy -prime
minister)."
Allon said world
assessments of Mrs.
Meir's leadership were
often wrong. "She was
not tough — but a very
strong, extremely sensi-
tive leader. She was de-
eply concerned about the
social issues — helping
the underprivileged, im-
proving Jewish educa-
tion and aliya.
"This person, although
small in stature, was one of
the greatest leaders we ever
had." Allon said Mrs. Meir
never lost faith; even during
the darkest hours of the
Yom Kippur War. "She was
in complete command, even
when many of our strongest
leaders lost faith."
Allon said Mrs. Meir
summoned him to the hospi-
tal before she died.
Although gravely ill, she
wanted to discuss the pros-
pects. for a peace between
Egypt and Israel and she
wanted to hear from Allon
about a drive he was leading
to unify the kibutz move-
ment.
The program concluded
with the chanting of El Mole
Rachamim by Cantor Jacob
Barkin of Shaarey Zedek; a
congregational recitation of
Kadish led by Rabbi Israel
Halpern of Cong. Beth Ab-
raham Hillel Moses; and a
brief benediction by Rabbi
Richard Hertz of Temple
Beth El.
In New York on Sun-
day, a similar memorial
service was conducted at
the New York Hilton by
the Labor- Zionist Al-
liance, the World Zionist
Organization - American
Section, the American
Zionist Federation and
the . Conference of
Presidents of Major
American Jewish Organ-
izations.
In Washington, a memo- -
rial service was held at
Adas Israel Congregation
and the Israeli Embassy
opened a registry of condo-
lences.
At a memorial service in
Atlanta, . Coretta Scott
King, the widow of slain
civil rights leader Rev. Mar-
tin Luther King Jr., called
the late Golda Meir one of
the "most effective leaders"
in- the cause for human
rights.
Mrs. King said, "People
who believe in and work
toward human rights have
lost one of their most effec-
tive leaders. Golda Meir
was more than just a prime
minister of a courageous na-
tion. She was an inspiration
to all who believe in peace
and the dignity of human-
ity. She was a symbol of de-
termination and persever-
ance. She was a beacon of
strength and, at the same
time, she was a leader who
kept in touch with the needs
of her people.
"It is not just Israel which
has lost a leader. The world
has suffered a loss of one of
its most outstanding citi-
zens . . . ."
Stamps Cite Leaders, Flowers
The Philatelic Services Division of Israel's Ministry of Communications
has issued two new sets of- commemorative stamps. The first set honors
prominent figures in Israel's modern history, from left, Max Nordau, Berl
Katznelson and Menahem Ussishkin. The second set shows protected wild
flowers, including from left, Iris Nazarenes, Iris Haynei and Iris Lortelli.
Bernard Edelman's Poetic Books Stress Human Factors
Edelman
Bernard
emerges in a new role — as
poet and philosopher.
Active in real estate, the
name Bernard Edelman
was not limited to his busi-
ness activities. It was read
often, signed to statements
in behalf of Israel, in con-
demnation of bigotry, in de-
fense of human rights for
all.
Now the name Bernard
Edelman appears on a
series of books, revealing
his accomplishments, in the
privacy of his life and now in
print, as the author of six
books issued simultane-
ously. They are filled with
poems and they express the
philosophic and social atti-
tudes of a public spirited
citizen.
The books are now
available' in local book
stores. The six are titled:
"Sidewalks of My Mind,"
"No Sun Without Shadows,"
"Poems of Life and Times,
Love and Hope, Anxiety and
Fulfillment, Yesterday and
Tomorrow,". "Shadows and
Dreams," "The Edge of
Things" and "Mood and
* * *
The Wedding Day
Lay choll doe dee nay kross kallo, pen-nay shabos nay kabalo
Come my beloved with a chorus of priase to welcome the
bride on this happiest of days
Our hearts are filled with mixed emotions, stirred by
memories of the past
God gave us this precious hour and side by side we stand
.steadfast
The dawning of this day brings forth, our little girl — now
grown up
To speak the ageless golden words and sip the wine from
nature's cup
But like a pair of book ends that hold the gone-by days
Our thoughts return us to the past in oh so many ways
Only yesterday a child with broken toys beneath her feet
Her magic laughter built a bridge between the bitter and the
sweet
With spirit shining in her face and no day void of bliss
The sweetness of her girlhood is surely to be missed
Dry your tears my beloved, memory is such a fragile thing
We'll keep the image in our minds and wait to see what new
dreams bring
Go forth dear child, open wide the doors to life
Love rules all the world — you are his wife
Hebraically oriented,
with a love for the Jewishly
traditional, this poem gives
evidence of numerous
others in his inspired works.
Another notable drawing
of a lad in prayer accom-
panies this poem "Coming
of Age" about a Bar Mitzva
boy:
BERNARD EDELMAN
Rhythm."
Each of the books is filled
with illustrations and the
drawings are by author
Edelman.
They are exemplary of the
multiple skills of author-
artist and his books are at-
tractive as art and litera-
ture.
As the titles of his
books indicate, they deal
with love and life, with-
the human factors of
everyday experience.
There are a. number of
poems which indicate the
Jewish interests of the
author. A typical example is
his drawing of the Shaarey
Zedek of Detroit, in South-
field, and on the page oppo-
site it is his poem "The
Wedding Day":
* *
Coming of Age
An era has passed — a milestone in life
Our hopes, our dreams are being fulfilled -
Our boy a scholar of our faith's holy laws
The torch of ages, eternal light will guide his life
Our culture from antiquity will weigh on his soul
Today he has crossed the threshold to manhood
His boyhood life stops short — adult life calls out to him
Like a fresh leaf, he is the future tomorrow
Yet he belongs to people thousands of years old
He strides with his ancestors, proud and invincible
Nourished by the roots that feed us from the past
He comes of age into a world we barely know
We stand here — our hearts beating loudly
The years have been very short
So many precious memories we hold
Wrapped in dreams of yesterday
But now
,
Our child is a man
The servant of God's plan
It is evident that the Ber-
nard Edelman poetic works
are labors of love. That dis-
tinguishes the author who
has turned an avocation in
poetry and art into books of
notable attraction.