PURELY COMMENTARY r"--- Landsmanshaften Continued from Page 2 Our Home Equity Loan Is First Rate. CURRENT APR MAX. LOAN TO VALUE Franklin Savings 12.25% 80% National Bank of Detroit 12.50% 75% Manufacturers 12.50% 75% Standard Federal 12.50% 75% Comerica 12.50% 75% Michigan National Bank 12.50% 75% LOWEST RATE & HIGHEST LOAN LIMIT The chart says it all. Even the largest financial institutions in Metro Detroit don't offer the LOWEST RATE and the HIGHEST LOAN LIMIT like Franklin Savings Bank. PLUS ... There are NO ANNUAL FEES or closing costs that can cost 100's of dollars at other banks. *Applications now being accepted for our variable rate home equity plan adjusted monthly according to prime + 1.75% to a maximum Annual Percentage Rate of 18.0% effective 11-26-89. + Other offers may apply based on first mortgage relationship. CALL (313) 358-5170 Franklin Bank S AVINGS SOUTHFIELD GROSSE POINTE WOODS BIRMINGHAM FDIC - Insured Fine Catering Flowers, Decor Table Settings Complete Planning 40 FRIDAY, JANUARY 26, 1990 Theodor Herzl and his "Judenstadt" the World Zionist Congress and the commencement of the political Zionist movement. In more than one sense, the Landsmanshaften were at the same time a manifestation of self help that demands the dignity and respect of self liberation. Now it is the fami- ly of communities that adheres to this expressed ideal. In striving to escape from the ravages of anti-Semitism in the many European persecuting countries, his idealism in the history- shaping pamphlet "Auto- Emancipation," had begun to propagate the idea of Jewish statehood. "Auto-Emancipation" was the advocacy of self-help. The Landsmanshaften also were the embodiment of it in the migration to the U.S. Fully to appreciate that history-making element, its achievement and the creativi- ty of its devotees will remain one of the most fascinating and also most dramatic chapters in American Jewish history. Memorable in all aspects, its major thesis is tackled as follows in the New Standard Jewish Encyclopedia: Landsmanshaften are societies or associations, the membership of which is composed of persons from the same town or pro- vince in the country of origin. Such were set up in the U.S. and elsewhere (England, S. Africa) to help solve the social, economic, and cultural problems caused by the vast influx of Jews from Europe, especially in the latter part of the 19th century. Many landsmanshaften also had synagogues with members drawn from the same city (as was the case also in Salonica and elsewhere after the expul- sion from Spain). These societies fulfilled three basic functions: they satisfied the gregarious in- stincts of the immigrants; they served as media for maintaining contact with, and later, for providing assistance to, the former home town; and they helped create resources and experience for mutual help through loan funds, etc. In most cases, the language of the societies has been Yiddish, and their warm spirit has helped members endure adverse circumstances and low economic standards. Hundreds of these groups existed as independent local organizations, though some banded together to form loose national associations. A similar phenomenon has sprung up, for exam- ple, in Los Angeles among Jews who have moved there from other U.S. cities, such as Chicago. The landsmanshaften have been variously known as mutual, benevolent, frater- nal, social and aid associa- tions, and many have had ladies' auxiliaries. Many of these landsman- shaften, having lost their original motivation, are now social organizations seeking an outlet for their accumulated funds. Simi- lar societies have been founded in Israel. Landsmanshaften entered upon the American scene with a passion for action, The family basis for rescue must be replaced by the communal. with basic and highest goals rooted in self-help. Lands- manshaft adds important fac- tors to the current movement that is basically a continua- tion of the Jewish emancipa- tion commitments. Like Romanian rescue efforts, the present massive Russian aims depend almost entirely upon the worldwide Jewish communities, chiefly upon American Jewry. In achieving the goal of rescuing the cap- tives from the anti-Semitic scourge, self-emancipation has a share in acquiring the desired freedoms.- In the totality of such efforts, the Landsmanshaften retain a most glorious libertarian share. An appendix is vital at this point to define this thesis. The reason for emphasis on the Landsmanshaften as an element in emancipation is to recognize the need for deepest commitments to all rescue ef- forts. They begin with the in- dividual — therefore the self- help inducement. ❑ University Roles In Preservation udaica departments in American universities have become sup- porters of archival tasks in the presevation of valuable historic Jewish documents. Encouragement of Jewish studies and the scholars j supervising them add significance to such com- mitments to academia as the educational compulsion on an unrestrictive basis of concern to all faiths. When a university acquires valuable documents on a na- tional scholastic basis it becomes an interfaith evaluation. This has just become ob- vious with the announcement from Providence, R.I., that Brown University has shared with the Wayne State Univer- sity library a gift from Detroiters Joseph H. and Elsie Deutch. It is microfilm inventory and exhibition catalogues relating to the Rabbi Baruch Korff Archives. The Korff Archives include papers covering more than 50 years of Nazi and Soviet persecution, the Holocaust, the revival of Israel, relations with the Middle East and the struggles for survival of Euro- pean Jewry. Rabbi Korff's background has a special interest in this regard. Soon after his arrival in the U.S. he became an ad- viser to the majority leader of the U.S. House of Represen- tatives, John McCormack, the Union of Orthodox Rabbis of the U.S. and Canada and the War Refugee Board. He directed the rescue activities of the Emergency Committee to Save the Jewish People of Europe. He was a founder of the Political Actions Commit- tee for Palestine. He con- ducted several clandestine missions to the Middle East under several U.S. ad- ministrations. He remained most widely known for his role as architect and chief spokesperson of the National Citizens Committee for Fairness to the Presidency in 1973-74 in defense of Richard M. Nixon. The Korff Archives were presented to WSU by Joseph and Elsie Deutch in memory of their son, Harvey Alan Deutch, who died two years ago at the age of 39. Their son was a 1970 WSU graduate who had a deep interest in Yeshiva Gedolah of Oak Park. Harvey had an active role in many other Jewish causes and in the Israel Tennis Centers. He made a signifi- cant impact in the business world. He is memoralized by the JNF afforestation pro- gram in Israel. The Korff documentaries are now available for study and research at the Wayne State University library. That's how Judaic programs are advanced by universities' research facilities, with en- couragement given by com- munal interest. ❑