PURELY COMMENTARY
DETROIT'S
HIGHEST
RATES
Minimum Deposit of $500
12 MONTH CERTIFICATE OF DEPOSIT
8.00070
8.14370*
Effecfive Annual Yield
Compounded Quarterly.
This is a fixed rate account that
is insured to $100,000 by the
Savings Association Insurance
Fund (SAIF). Substantial Interest
Penalty for early withdrawal
from certificate accounts.
Rates subject to change
without notice.
FIRST
SECURITY]
SAVINGS
BANK .s.
L
MAIN OFFICE
1760 Telegraph Rd.
(Just South of
Orchard lake)
.....
cluat .0usaK.
OPPORTUNIT Y
48
PHONE
33811700
35211100
HOURS:
MON.-THURS
9:30-4:30
FRI.
-7.7/ 9:30-6:00
FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 1990
Self-Help Mirage
Continued from Page 2
contributed in rubles an
amount equal to the dollar
payments of the society
toward the industrializa-
tion and agricultural col-
onization programs for
Jews.
The Agro-Joint projects
resulted in permanent im-
provements and not mere
palliative measures. The
work which began in 1924
and which for all practical
purposes was concluded
by 1938, affected nearly the
whole Jewish population
in Russia. The scope of the
program included not only
farm settlement, but in-
dustrial projects and other
activities for the Jews
dwelling in the cities, small
towns and villages.
Brown's study mission was
especially devoted to the
ideas proposed for Jewish col-
onies in the Ukraine and the
Crimea. The results of it were
summarized in Brown's
20-page (40 columns) report
that appered in the 1925
Michigan Jewish Yearbook. In
a cable to Felix M. Warburg,
then the national JDC chair-
man, was included and con-
tained the following impres-
sions of his mission by Brown:
Have just returned from
visit to colonies, Ukraine
and Crimea; am impressed
with the great work Rosen
and associates have ac-
complished. Believe that
Jewish colonization in
Russia is most construc-
tive work accomplished
through the use of funds so
generously given by
American Jewry.
Over 4,000 families
already settled on land,
and with additional funds
25,000 families can be settl-
ed by end of 1927. Over
400,000 acres of land under
cultivation at present,
which will be increased by
600,000 by fall of this year.
Applications from Jews
all parts of Russia are
pouring in and believe
wonderful opportunity to
do great piece of Jewish
social reconstruction work
in Russia that will make
history. Marvelous spirit of
the hundreds I have talked
with right in the colonies
makes me feel that the Rus-
sian Jew has a great love
for the land, is taking ad-
vantage of first opportuni-
ty ever given him to work
on it.
F ail on Mauretania
twenty-third; will present
whole subject in full upon
my arrival.
From the early opinion it
would be impossible to arrive
at any basic conclusion about
the Agro-Joint. But the
ultimate failure of it is ap-
parent in the report about it
in the Encyclopedia Judaica.
The resulting appeal for
funds was not successful. The
more revealing Encyclopedia
Judaica report indicates that
the dream for the proposed
tasks proved unattainable.
That encyclopedic account
asserts:
In 1919-20 the JDC sent a
staff of social workers,
directed by Boris D. Bogan,
to help the Jews fleeing
from Polish and Ukrainian
pogroms: it spent $22.7
million setting up health
and child-care institutions
for them.
Two JDC emissaries,
Israel Friedlander and
Bernard Cantor, were
Brown's mission
was devoted to
Jewish colonies in
the Ukraine and
Crimea.
murdered by a White Rus-
sian gang in 1920. In
1921-24, $24.5 million were
spent, mainly in Russia,
first within the framework
of the American Relief Ad-
ministration under
Herbert Hoover, the JDC
contributing $4 million to
the $100 million expended,
and then independently,
after an agreement had
been concluded between
Joseph A. Rosen, the JDC
representative, and the
Soviet government in 1922.
Medical stations, loan
cooperatives, and voca-
tional training schools
were established.
Rosen's efforts in settling
Russian Jews on the soil,
first in the Ukraine and
then in the Crimea, were
unique; in 1924, with full
Soviet support, the
American Jewish Joint
Agriculture Corporation
("Agro-Joint") was founded
to serve as JDC's agent in
this work.
In 1928 the American
Society for Jewish Farm
Settlements in Russia was
organized to solicit
subscriptions for the ven-
ture on a business basis;
an agreement to this pro-
gram by the Soviets was
signed in January 1929. A
total of $7 million was
subscribed (in addition,
Julius Rosenwald promis-
ed to subscribe five-eighths
of any sum up to 15
million).
Only $4,857,563 of these
subscriptions was paid in
by 1933, when all payment
ceased because of the
depression; thereafter, the
Agro-Joint's work was cur-
tailed considerably and
finally ceased in 1938.
In all, some 14,000
families were settled on the
land, thus saving them
from privation and the loss
of civil rights, the lot of all
but workers and peasants.
By 1938, however, large
numbers left the colonies,
attracted by the cities, and
most of those remaining
were murdered by the Ger-
mans. One predominantly
Jewish colony still exists in
the Crimea.
In the interest of positive
historical recollections ap-
plied to current needs, the
Agro-Joint story is unforget-
table. It serves as proof that
proposal for agricultural and
similar settlements have
validity only when they are
supported by the realism of
Israel sponsorship. In the
strange environments like
Russia they are difficult to at-
tain. Therefore the validity
and realism of the new exodus
from Russia and the inspira-
tion it retains from the
Zionist idealism. Therefore
the duty to assure total suc-
cess for the task now confron-
ting us — to provide triumph
for the settlement of hun-
dreds of thousands of Russian
Jews into the progressive
Israel homeland.
The Remnant
Continued from Page 2
the horizon of diaspora
Jewry adds beauty and
enriches Jewish life in the
diaspora.
We do not desire a Jewish
pope to dictate to us how to
live, how to observe. "Let Us
Debate" said the Lord. We
can afford a Spinoza and a
Satmar Rebbe, there is a
place for Lubavitch and for
Mordecai Kaplan's
philosophy in our midst.
We shall debate and re-
main One people.
The school of Shammai
and the school of Hillel
debated, quarreled and
married each others'
children; together they
created the Talmud that
molded our people.
The Israel political scene
may look confusing to us. A
so-called Unity Govern-
ment that is the most divid-
ed and incapable of gover-
ning . . . that is the way it
looks to us.
And yet, Israel is One. In
essence it might prove to be
the classic democracy.
American Jewry might
dream of a different
political structure in Israel,
we might prefer a two-party
system, but look at Israel's
achievements in 40 years,
five wars, absorbing three
million exiles, building a
mighty army and remain-
ing a democracy.
Israel is One, the diaspora
is at One with Israel. No,
our faith, our culture, the
Hebrew civilization cannot
stand uniformity.
And should the situation
demand, we shall lower the
volume and rise to the oc-
casion by saying: Hazak,
hazak, Let us be strong,and
strengthen each other.
Indeed, like all other
peoples, we undoubtedly will
always have differing views.
At times they may prove
destructible. We have debated
and always will enter into
disputes ideologically in rela-
tion to Jewish survival.
There will always be the
remnant. We have shearit
that holds the banner high.
That's genuine survival. That
is a concept for comfort and
confidence. Perhaps it will also
spell a great measure of uni-
ty. In times that demand ac-
tion there is always the
response that creates the uni-
ty that is never ending. ❑
NEWS
rs
Campaign Trail
Starts In Zion
Jerusalem (JTA) — A
Bible-quoting Christian
fundamentalist from Florida
declared in Jerusalem Sun-
day he would seek the
Republican nomination for
governor of that state, even
though he disagrees with
President Bush's criticism of
Jewish settlement of east
Jerusalem.
Arvin Moore, a 52-year-old
member of Florida's Repub-
lican State Committee, said
he chose Jerusalem to
declare his entry into the
gubernatorial race because
he is a "Godly man" who be-
lieves in Jerusalem's sacred
status.
Moore, who sells real
estate in Florida, said that
while he supported Bush in
the 1988 presidential race,
he believes the president
made a mistake when he
said March 3 that Jewish
"settlements" in east
Jerusalem are counter-
productive to peace.
Moore said he supports
Israel "100 percent," be-
cause "you can't get any
higher authority than that
God gave this land to Israel
and that he states clearly, in
his words, where the boun-
daries are to be."