62 Friday, December 11, 1982
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Way International Described Texas Christians Organize
as Espousing Anti-Semitism Support for Israel, Jews
By DR. PHILIP
ABRAMOWITZ
C)
By BEN GALLOB
American Family Founda-
tion, The Way has affiliates
NEW
YORK (JTA) — A
Director of the Task Force
in every state and major project organized by two
' on Wiiionaries and Cults
city, and in 62 foreign coun-
(Editor's Note: "Up- tries. Its membership has women members of a Bap-
date: Cults" is a monthly multiplied over 100 times in tist church in Amarillo,
Tex., has been arranging
column distributed by the last decade.
gatherings of evangelical
the Jewish Community
The group was founded
Relations Council of New almost 40 years ago by and other Christians in
York's Task Force on Wierwille, who began to churches and public halls in
Missionaries and Cults, teach the Bible while pas- Texas cities which have
and the Jewish Board of toring at a local church. raised hundreds of dollars
Family and Children He initiated a fundamen- for Israeli causes and which
are forums for efforts to per-
Services Cult Clinic.)
talist biblical research suade fellow Christians
Recently, a number of class called "Power for that Jews must be protected
newspapers around the Abundant Living" as God's chosen people and
country have published in- (PFAL), ostensibly to that believing Christians
vestigative reports on The teach students how to must support Israel on that
Way International, a group have a "more than abun- basis.
that has been characterized dant life" through the
Charlsie Byrd and Vir-
as a destructive cult. A re- "Word of God."
ginia Chestnut described
cent article in Science Di-
Former members of The the project, "With Love to
gest, for example, described Way report that PFAL Israel," which Ms. Byrd re-
The Way as one of the five courses cost $100-$200, and ported the two had or-
largest cults in the United follow-up courses cost about ganized more than three
States today.
$20 or $30 apiece, which years ago.
Critics of The Way allege they contend brings in a
Ms. Byrd reported that
the group engages not only substantial profit for the she and Ms. Chestnut or-
in typical cult practices, but group.
ganized the project in
in paramilitary training as
An article in Westchester March 1979, when "God
well. Jewish groups are par- Illustrated quotes The Way awakened us and began to
ticularly concerned by The magazine as telling mem- reveal to us by His spirit.
Way's apparent anti- bers, "In case you don't what He desired us to do for.
Semitic beliefs.
know it, it doesn't cost $100 His chosen people."
While leaders of The Way for books and materials.
The letterhead on
are often quoted as declar- You don't have to tell people which she reported the
ing that they are not "anti- that. The $100 is for a com- project bears the slogan
anything," there appear _ s to mitment on their part. "With Love to Israel,"
be ample evidence to the What happens to the $100 beneath a reproduction
contrary. On the required after they put it down for of a Star of David, which
reading list for an advanced the class is none of their has in its center, two
course for Way members are business."
cupped hands in prayer
two blatantly anti-Semitic
Ex-members report that position. Within the cup-
books: "The Myth of the Six profits also come from cur- ped hands may be seen a
Million" (Anonymous) and rent members who are tiny geographical outline
"The Hoax of the 20th Cen- asked to contribute 10 per- of Israel. At the bottom of
tury" (Arthur Butz).
cent or more of their income the letterheads is verse
Furthermore, the to The Way.
40:1 from Isaiah: "Com-
founder of The Way, Dr.
The IRS and tax fort Ye, Comfort Ye, My
Victor Paul Wierwille,
People."
stated in a paid editorial authorities estimate The
Way's
property
assets
to
in the St. Mary (Ohio)
Ms. Byrd also wrote that
Evening Leader, "The be worth over $8 million,
"God then began showing us
myth of the six million according to The State
certain things to do and how
appears to have been Journal Register of to go about it. Our first proj-
political and nationalis- Springfield,
ect was to have a tree
The Way owns property
tic. The propaganda
planted" through the
machinery was used to in at least seven states, the Jewish, National Fund for
gain emotional and sym- article reports, including each of the nation's 50 gov-
pathetic support for their two colleges, a family ranch,
ernors. She added that a let-
and a camp. Other assets, as ter was sent to each gover-
intended purposes."
The Way's virulent anti- of 1980, include a publish- nor "exhorting them to pray
Semitism is not limited to ing company, and a for Israel 15 minutes a day
denials of the Holocaust, stockpile of gold and silver and support" Israel and the
however. A spokesman at valued at $2 million.
Jews "every way they
Critics of The Way assert
The Way's world headquar-
could."
ters is quoted by the Kansas the PFAL courses produce
Reporting that 28 of the
City Star as saying, "Per- an effect similar to- brain- governors had responded,
haps the people who claim washing.
Ms. Byrd also reported that
After completing the trees were planted for
they are Jews today cannot
prove that through their PFAL course, new members President Reagan and First
are expected to "under- Lady Nancy Reagan and for
bloodlines."
shepherd" other members
Vice. President and Mrs.
In the same article, an into The Way. Many leave George Bush.
ex-Way member asserts, their previous pursuits to
She also wrote that the
"Wierwille and (Way become ambassadors in The newest activity of "With
leader) Martindale are Way's missionary program,
Love to Israel" was the
adamant about the com- called WOW (Word Over sending of a letter and a
plete invalidity of the the World).
JNF tree certificate to each
Jewish faith and are vehe-
Others become mem- member of Israel's Knesset
mently anti-Semitic."
bers ,of the Way Corps, a and that planting of seven
Estimates place The tough leadership train- trees had been arranged
Way's world membership ing program. A former each for Premier Menahem
between 30- and 50,000. Ac- member told the Houston Begin and President Yit-
cording to an article in The Chronicle that the Way zhak Navon.
Adviser, a newsletter on Corps is comparable to
Ms. Byrd reported that
cults published by the Marine Corps boot camp. the San Jacinto Baptist
_ •
,
Church, to which she and
Ms. Chestnut belong, and
of which the Rev. David
Walker is pastor, "is one
hundred percent behind
us as we take on different
projects to show our love
and concern for Israel."
Ms. Byrd stressed that
"With Love to Israel" had
been developed not "to pro-
friote anything but to love
and pray for Jews
everywhere and Israel daily
and to get church members
enlightened in how they can
be a blessing to Israel."
She estimated total col-
lections for the JNF
through "With Love to Is-
rael" efforts as about
$4,000.
Gertrude Ungar
Gertrude (Glasier) Un-
gar, a teacher in the Detroit
Public Schools for more
than 20 years, died Dec. 10
at age 73.
A native Detroiter, Mrs.
Ungar was an active
member of Cong. Shaarey
Zedek and its sisterood. She
also was a teacher in the
Shaarey Zedek Sunday
School.
She was the president of
the Sue Group of Hadassah,
a vice president of North-
east Chapter of Women's
American ORT and member
of National Council of -
Jewish Women.
When she lived in
Youngstown, Ohio, Mrs.
Ungar organized its
Women's American ORT
group and was its first
president. Mrs. Ungar
also was president of the
Youngstown NCJW. She
also was president of the
sisterhood of the congre-
gation with which she
was affiliated in
Youngstown.
She leaves two sisters,
Mrs. Alfred (Lillian) Kus-
chinski and Mrs. Morris
(Elizabeth) Ruskin; nieces,
nephews, grandnieces and
grandnephews.
Frieda Zager
Frieda Zager, a member
of Jewish women's and
communal organizations,
died Dec. 14 at age 67.
Born in Detroit, Mrs.
Zager was a member of
Women's American ORT,
Bnai Brith Zager Chapter,
Hadassah, Adat Shalom
Synagogue and its sister-
hood.
She leaves her husband,
Nathan; two sons, Allan
and Michael; a daughter,
Mrs. Sam (Marcia) Bell; two
brothers, Albert Singer and
David Singer; a sister, Mrs.
Morris (Dorothy) Weinhart;
and seven grandchildren.
Katharine Waldhorn Dies
Directed Public Library
Katharine Hannah Wal-
dhorn, director of the Yp-
silanti area public library,
died Dec. 12 at age 59.
A resident of Ann Arbor,
Mrs. Waldhorn was affil-
iated with the library for 18
years.
Previously she was the
director of publicity and
publications at the Dear-
born Public Library. She
had been a research libra-
rian at the Municipal
Tuberculosis Sanitarium in
Chicago, Ill., and was affil-
iated with the Michael
Reese Hospital of Nursing
in Chicago.
Mrs. Waldhorn held a
BS degree in education
S. Sarasohn
.
Sidney Sarasohn, scion of
one of the most prominent
Orthodox Jewish families in
America who pursued his
Jewish interests as an
active leader in Reform
Judaism, died Dec. 8 at age
81.
Mr. Sarasohn, whose long
association in Temple Beth
El included president of the
Detroit Reform temple, was
a member of the family that
included the founder of the
long-defunct Yiddisher
Tageblatt as well as the
Yiddish magazine, the
Americaner.
A manufacturer's repre-
sentative, Mr. Sarasohn
earned bachelor's and mas-
ter's degrees at the Univer-
sity of Michigan, where he
was a member of Zeta Beta
Tau fraternity. .
He was a manufac-
turer's representative for
Campus Sweaters and
Sportswear in Cleveland
for 40 years.
At Temple Beth El, he
also was a former member of
the board of trustees.
He is survived by a sister,
Mrs. David (Myra) Sachs of
Washington, D.C.
Maurice Layne
Maurice G. Layne, a
teacher in the Detroit Pub-
lic Schools for more than 45
years, died Dec. 9 at age 78.
Born in New York, Mr.
Layne was graduated from
the Detroit Teachers Col-
lege and attended Columbia
University. He earned a
master's degree at the Uni-
versity of Michigan.
Mr. Layne was a member
of the Wayne State Univer-
sity and U-M alumni asso-
ciations.
He leaves his wife, Mollie;
a son, Michael of Jenkin-
town, Pa.; a daughter, Mar-
cia Vecchione of Bristol,
Conn.; three brothers, Al-
bert, Herman and Samuel,
all of California; two sisters,
Fritzie and Lee, both of
California; and three
grandchildren.
"Over 65 years of traditional service in the Jewish community with dignity and understanding.
'
HEBREW MEMORIALCHAPEL
"
from the University of
Tampa (Fla.), a Bachelor
of Library Science de-,
gree from the University
of Wisconsin at Madison
and in 1963 received an
advanced master's de-
gree in library science at
the University of Michi-
gan.
She did' graduate re-
search work in medieval
linguistics and literature at
U-M. Mrs. Waldhorn also
studied public administra-
tion at Eastern Michigan
University and library
computer science technol-
ogy at U-M.
At Wayne State Univer-
sity, Mrs. Waldhorn did
radio and TV production
work.
She was a member of the
American Library Associa-
tion, Michigan Library
Association, Special Li-
brary Association, South-
eastern Michigan Library
Directors Round Table,
Huron Valley Library Sys-
tem board of directors, the
American Institute of
Graphic Arts and the
Michigan Humane Society.
Mrs. Waldhorn is sur-
vived by her husband, Syd-
ney; her mother, Mrs. Anna
Wohl of Milwaukee, Wis.;
and a sister, Mrs. .Gerald
(Lena Miriam) Mintz of
Milwaukee. Services 12
noon today at Hebrew
Memorial Chapel.
,
Joseph Tanzman
Joseph Tanzman, retired
retail clothing merchant,
died Dec. 14 at age 83.
Born in Poland, Mr.
Tanzman lived 55 years in
Detroit. He was a pioneer,
first president and active in
the development of the
Association of the Jewish
Retarded (now Jewish
Association of Retarded
Citizens).
He was a member of Bnai
Brith and a member and
past president of the Jewish
Community Center
Businessmen's Club.
He leaves his wife, Anna;
a son, Arnold; a daughter,
Mrs. Paul (Elaine)
Russman; a sister, Rose of
Rochester, N.Y.; and seven
grandchildren.
Ida Last, 70
Ida Last, a member of -
Jewish communal organ-
izations, died Dec. 14 at age
70.
Born in Russia, Mrs. Last
was a former officer of the
Beth Aaron Sisterhood and
a life member of Hadassah.
She leaves her husband,
Dr. Marvin A.; a daughter,
Mrs. Raymond (Beverly)
Greenspan; a brother, Alex
Rubin of Vancouver, Wash.;
a sister, Mrs. Edward
(Yetta) Feuer; and three
grandchildren.
543-1..622'
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Alan H. Dorfman
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