THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Friday, November 21, 1980 Michigan Bell Boris Smolar's `Between You • . and Me' ** **************** S Editor-in-Chief Emeritus, JTA (Copyright 1980, JTA, Inc.) - Some interesting an d A GREAT INSTITUTION AT 80: The Workmen's Circle, known in Yiddish as "Arbeter Ring" — the great American Jewish fraternal order — is now celebrating its 80th year of existence against a background of a rich and colorful record. ;Very few national Jewish organizations can boast of u–dtioning 80 years. There are not enough in this country to count on the fingers of even one hand. Most of the leading organizations existing now were born after the Jewish pop- ulation in the U.S. reached its first million. The Workmen's Circle dates its birth to an earlier period. Its history goes back to the early years of Jewish mass immigration from East European lands, precipitated by Jewish poverty and anti-Jewish oppression. The very popular Workmen's Cir- cle is a product of the waves of Jewish emigration to this country at the end of the last century from Czarist Russia, Poland, Romania, Lithuania and Galicia, and which grew considerably larger after the notorious Kishinev pogrom in Russia in .1903. ONLY YESTERDAY: In the years when the mass immigration of Jews from East European countries started, the Jews from Germany in this country were the "aristo- crats." The constantly growing number of East European immigrants not being given any organized communal aid had to help themselves with the meager assistance which relatives or "landsleit" in this country — themselves poor managed to provide for them during the first days after their landing. The "Goldene Medinah" was not so good to them, they discovered. They had to work very hard, and very long hours in sweat shops to eke out a meager liveli- hood. They lived in crowded tenement houses with no run- ning water, gaslight instead of electricity, no fresh air. In the hot summer months many of them were spending a good many hours of the night on the flat roofs of their houses for rest. They needed encouragement. They also needed a friendly and warm atmosphere. They needed the "heimishkeit" to which they were used to in the "old Coun- try." They also needed a cultpral atmosphere to strengthen their morale._It was then that the Workmen's Circle was founded. THE WORKMEN'S CIRCLE OF TODAY: Today, the Workmen's Circle is part and parcel of the American Jewish community. No history of American Jewry can be written without giving a place of honor to the Workmen's Circle and its achievements. Its record of activities from the very first years of its formation is solid and colorful. Its leadership not only created an atmosphere of "heimishkeit" and human warmth for the many tens of thousands of its members, but also cemented them into one large family taking care of their social, medical and cultural needs. The Workmen's Circle also provided Jewish education for the children by establishing afternoon and weekend schools and opening summer camps. With the march of time the Workmen's Circle became a powerful part of Jewish life in many communities. ACTIVE ON ALL FRONTS: At its present age of 80, the Workmen's Circle continues to be an influential factor in Jewish communal life. It constitutes a strong pillar in communal activities for Jewish continuity. It helps espe- cially to perpetuate Yiddish culture through a network of schools, first-class Jewish concerts, strengthening the Yid- dish theater, sending lecturers and Yiddish actors to pro- vincial communities, publishing Yiddish textbooks, a Yid- dish magazine for children and other material, and encouraging the American-born Jewish youth to under- stand the cultural values that have been created in Yiddish treat writers, thinkers and poets. r The Workmen's Circle plays now an important role also in the fight conducted by American Jewry for the rights of Jews in the Soviet Union. It is in the forefront of the fight against anti-Semitic forces in the United States. It is the backbone of the Jewish Labor Committee which is recognized as one of the major central Jewish bodies com- batting bigotry and protecting civil rights of Jews. Most of its 57,000 members are now American-born as is its present leadership. It is now concentrating on attract- ing younger elements into its ranks through its English- speaking branches, and foresees for itself an active future for many years to come. helpful facts you may :: not know about your phone service. EQ UIpm2N MICHIGAN BELL EMPLOYEES DON'T WEAR UNIFORMS, SO ASK FOR IDENTIFICATION FROM THEM OR ANY OTHER SERVICE PEOPLE WHO COME TO YOUR DOOR. MICHIGAN BELL PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS GLAD TO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES. IF A MEME3ER OF YOUR FAMILY HAS A HEARING, SPEECH OR PHYSICAL HANDICAP THAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO U5E A CONVENTIONAL PHONE, ASK YOUR MICHIGAN BELL SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE ABOUT THE EQUIPMENT AND SERVICE OPTIONS BELL CAN OFFER TO HELP. jivi chOirdge? DO YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO WItEN YOU DIAL Pk WRONG NUMBER LONG DISTANCE?... JUST HANG UP AND DIAL THE OPERATOR RIGHT AWAY. EXPLAIN YOUR MISTAKE AND YOU WON'T BE CHARGED FOR THE CALL. Did you know that the woricli6 first international telephone communications were estab- lished in 1880 with a fine linking Petroitand Windsor? 7`he 1870:5, 9irls began replacing boy operators when a number of boys in Grand Rapids were discovered shooting marbles instead of tending - the switch- board. "TWO-PARTY BUDGET SERVICE" SAVES ! THIS SERVICE co5T5 A LoT LESS THAN 1 - 0R - 2 PARTY FLAT-RATE SERVICE. FOR A LOW MONTHLY CHARGE YOU SHARE A TWO - PARTY LINE AND HAVE A MONTHLY ALLOWANCE OF LOCAL CALLS. CALL YOUR MICHIGAN BELL BUSINESS OFFICE FOR DETAILS. Q uestions About Your Phone Service? HI, I'M ONE OF DOZENS OF MICHIGAN BELL SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES SERVING or CUSTOMERS LIKE YOU THROUGHOUT MICHIGAN. IF YOu HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR PHONE SERVICE, LOOK ON THE FRONT OF YOUR PHONE BILL FOR THE PHONE NUMBER .OF YOUR SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE. HE OR SHE IS READY TO HELP. " " American Jews Join Parley NEW YORK (JTA) — A spoke was attended by a spokesperson for the Inter- "cross-section of American national Conference for Jews." The conference "espouses P.E.A.C.E. (Preventing the Emergence of Another Arab the implementation of Sha- 01 Country in Eretz Israel), ron's proposal that Ameri- said its meeting Nov. 1 can Jewish communities Ow where Israel's Minister of adopt Israeli settlements," Agriculture Ariel Sharon the spokesperson said. • - 4.• S.1 7 1 •- • • ,e w 7 IT , •• Michigan Bell t• 1" S' 1- x-.. , 21