50 YEARS AGO...
Social Services
Meet Challenges
SY MANELLO SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
I
he war's impact on
the organized Jewish
community was il-
lustrated in the three
main articles on the open-
ing pages this Friday 50
years ago. The Jewish Vo-
cational Service plans were
set forth by M. William
Weinberg, executive direc-
tor. The implications of the
aging population were stat-
ed by Myron Keys, chair-
man of the board of the
Jewish Home for Aged. The
demand for foster homes
was discussed by Clarice
Freud, executive director of
the Jewish Children's Bu-
reau. Other items covered
the efforts of the Jewish So-
cial Service Bureau, the
Jewish Community Center,
the North End Clinic and
the Hebrew Free Loan As-
sociation.
In an interesting item
from New York, readers
were told of two young men
who were given 30-day jail
sentences for attacking Jew-
ish air wardens in Brooklyn
for no reason other than
they were Jewish. This was
noted as the first blow by
New York courts against the
increasing anti-Semitic
hoodlumism and vandalism
in the city.
Detroit branches of na-
tional organizations were
busy with plans. The meet-
ing of the National Jewish
Labor Committee was at-
tended by Detroiters Alex
Belkin, Max Lieberman, So-
phie Sislin. William Hordes,
president of the Jewish Na-
tional Fund Council, an-
nounced the upcoming
national JNF convention to
be at the Book-Cadillac Ho-
tel.
There was, of course,
strong interest in stopping
rumors and disinformation
related to the war. As a re-
sult, WXYZ presented a dai-
ly program with Harry
Suffrin called "Kill That Ru-
mor." Its aim was to en-
lighten people and help to
differentiate between truth
and falsehood.
Local congregations were
busy with plans to celebrate
Chanukah. Cantor David
Katzman of B'nai Moshe
was readying for a concert
at the synagogue.
Dan Frohman, leading
the choir of Temple Israel,
was preparing for a
Chanukah family service at
the Detroit Institute of
Arts. Students at Temple
Beth El were planning par-
ties and two plays under
the direction of Blanche
Romm.
In concert news, Bronis-
law Huberman, founder of
the Palestine Symphony
Orchestra, was scheduled
to appear at the Masonic
Auditorium; Emma Shever
was also on the program.
On stage, a cast of Yiddish
actors reopened Littman's
People's Theater with a pre-
sentation of The Verdict.
And for dancing delight,
Rudy Ross' orchestra was
featured at the Intermedi-
ate Dance at the JCC with
a note that their specialty
was "jive" music.
The advertisements were
geared to the coming holi-
day season as well as the
onset of winter. Harpur
Inc. in the Fisher Building
was offering men's all wool
sweater vests for $5. Janet's
on 12th St. suggested quilt-
ed satin housecoats with
contrasting linings for only
$7.95. Scholnick's had
men's overcoats starting at
$50; while Russek's on
Woodward was showing the
latest in foot wear: a gabar-
dine platform pump at
$14.95.
This was a busy social
season also. Several cou-
ples announced their en-
gagements. Among them
were Evelyn Kaufman and
Murray Sedly, Irene Snider
and Wilfred Roberts, Eve-
lyne Holzman and Philip
Feigenson. D
This column will be a
weekly feature during The
Jewish News' anniversary
year, looking at The Jewish
News of today's date 50
years ago.
Fresh Air Makes Changes
For Next Summer's Campers
ALAN HITSKY ASSOCIATE EDITOR
W nth snow flurries in
the air, summer
camp may seem a
long way off. But
Detroit area Jewish parents
are being asked to think
ahead by Camp Tamarack
and Camp Maas staff, with a
variety of activites and plans
for the summer of 1993.
The Fresh Air Society has
mailed out its 1993 catalog
and is enticing parents with
new options and last year's
rates if children are
registered by the end of
December.
The Jewish community's
camping agency has adopted
a three-tier pricing system
for next year in an effort to
attract early registration.
Last summer's campers who
re-register before the end of
December will receive last
year's rate. Old and new
campers registered in
January will receive a dis-
count, and a new rate
schedule will go into effect in
February.
Early registration will
provide a saving of $100-
$300. A 20-day session at
Tamarack in Brighton (for
2nd-5th graders) next
summer will cost $1,125
under the new rate (plus a
$50-$77 activity fee). A 26-
day session at Camp Maas in
Ortonville (6th-9th grades)
will be $1,650 (plus activity
fee).
The camps are allowing
parents to charge fees with
credit cards this year, and
persons applying for sub-
sidized fees will use a
streamlined process. Only
those who disagree with the
reduced rate offered in re-
sponse to their application
will be asked to come in for
an interview.
Parents will have more
time options to choose from
in 1993, from one-week spe-
cialty camps to eight-week
programs, instead of the tra-
ditional two-to-four week op-
tions.
"We're getting camp set
up for the '90s," said Harvey
Finkelberg, Fresh Air
Society's executive director.
"There are different needs in
the community. We'll keep
our core programs, but we
expect to see six-week pro-
grams, one-week programs,"
and others that reflect
changing demand.
Among the new programs
at Camp Maas:
• Water skiing for all
campers, using an easy-to-
use boom instead of a rope to
teach beginners. Kayaking
has been added.
• Garden Brothers Circus
performers will work with
campers for four weeks on
juggling, clowning, trapeze,
tightrope and trampoline.
Weekly shows will be put on
by campers and staff and
Brighton campers will par-
ticipate at Maas.
• A camp radio station
that will be heard through
electric lines and broadcast
camp shows.
• More concentration on
skill development with the
Parents will have
more time options
to choose from in
1993, from
one-week
to eight-week
programs.
camp's canoeing, sailing and
land sports programs.
In addition, camp is star-
ting a new counselor-in-
training program for 11th
and 12th graders. Eight to
16 youngsters will spend
eight weeks at camp, in-
cluding a week in a spe-
cialty, a week-long hiking
and canoe trip, a travel trip.
a week at Silverman Village
for kids with disabilities,
and the participants will
also write and produce a
play.
The cost for the CIT pro-
gram is $995, and those who
successfully complete the
program will be guaranteed
a job at camp the following
summer.
A visitors' day has been es,-
tablished for families of
youngsters who will spend
the whole summer at camp.
For the first time, camp also
is offering a laundry service '
instead of sending laundry
home to parents.
Mr. Finkelberg said camp
has used a grant from trio
Bargman Fund to improve
or install lighting for out-
door floor hockey, tennis and
volleyball. The Berman
Field baseball diamond has-
been redone and half-court
basketball added ant
Rodecker Beach.
Fresh Air is offering
winter camp programs Dec. I
27-29 at Brighton and Dec.
29-31 at Ortonville. In addi-
tion to five family camp
weekends, Jewish Exper),
ences For Families is help-,)
ing 10 synagogues offer -`
family weekends during the
year.
Fresh Air staff are calling
the families of every campef'-',
who participated last
summer to discuss the new
programs and changes at
camp.