r Sinai Hospital Celebrates 40th 50 YEARS AGO... Aid To Victims As Resistance Grows KIMBERLY LIFTON STAFF WRITER SY MANELLO SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS r. Gerald Mandell was a young med- ical student in 1951 when con- struction workers laid the first bricks for Sinai Hospital. He was excited about the prospect of working for a Jewish hospital. Though he knew he could find an internship, he knew that a choice posi- tion might not be avail- able for a Jewish doctor. Two years later, Dr. Mandell joined the first group of interns at Sinai Hospital, which begins celebrating its 40th anniversary year this .week. "Many of us thought the opportunity to make a contribution to a new institution like Sinai -- would come once in a lifetime," Dr. Mandell said. "We wanted to sup- ort this hospital that had no sense of religious discrimination." Choosing Sinai was a risk for the 11 original interns. At the time, no internship program was approved, and each could have fallen behind by a year in their respective careers had the authori- ties failed to recognize the institution. "We were willing to cast our lot with the idea of starting an education- al program at Sinai, even though the internship was not yet approved," Dr. Mandell said. "I never really had any doubt that the hospital would survive," he added. "It has always been a major representa- tive of the Jewish com- munity. The promise made 40 years earlier has been fulfilled and continues to be fulfilled in terms of patient care and excellent teaching." All week long, Sinai has been toasting its suc- cess with displays in its dining room that include a 1950s era hospital room, original photos and medical break- throughs. On Tuesday, candy in the gift shop sold for the anniversary price of 40 cents each. On Wednes- day, many employees dressed in 1950s fash- ions. And today, Sinai's first baby, Lisa (Lezell) Levine (born on April 21, 1953, to Maurice and Hilda Lezell) will fly into town from Virginia, where she is a teacher, for the hospital's cake- cutting ceremony. "My mother always talked about the photog- raphers who came to take pictures of us," Ms. Levine said. "I didn't have much hair, but somehow the nurses managed to put a bow in it anyway." Dr. Hugh Beckman, chairman of the ophthal- mology department, has been around the hospital for 36 years. He is credit- ed with helping muster support from the hospi- tal's doctors when Sinai faced closure a few years ago. "I feel really good about the hospital," he said. "Now I am savoring its success. I've always been really proud of its Jewish ethic and proud of being a Sinai doc- tor."❑ Super Week Events To Boost Campaign RUTH LITTMANN STAFF WRITER I he director for the Allied Jewish Cam- paign says he is opti- mistic, but uncertain, about reaching the target goal of $27.5 million by the end of this year's Cam- paign in early June. Campaign Director Allan Gelfond said the 1992 Campaign did not increase the dollar amount of its pledges, which has remained at $26 million for two consecutive years. The cost of services, how- ever, has increased year by year, and many recipients of Campaign monies were forced to cut back. According to Mr. Gelfond, the money Jewish Detroiters have pledged thus far this year bodes well for meeting the 1993 target. "Currently we're ahead of last year and two years ago in terms of dollars raised and increased," Mr. Gelfond said. "We're hope- ful. We're optimistic, but I can't tell you whether or not we're going to do it." To date, the 1993 Campaign has brought in more than $18 million. The upcoming Super Sunday, a pho. nathon that will involve hundreds of volunteers on Jan. 24, is expected to bring in anoth- er $1 million. Linda Lee, co-chairman of Super Sunday with Dr. Mark Diem, said more than 6,000 potential con- tributors are called during Super Sunday. Four thou- sand pledges are usually secured in one day. This represents more than 20 percent of all Campaign contributors, she said. Federation leaders say the need for contributions this year is greater than ever. Doreen Hermelin, Campaign co-chairman with Norman Pappas, said Campaign planners are trying new strategies in an attempt to defy slackening contributions due to hard economic times. SUPER WEEK page 16 A t least 100 refugees daily were crossing the border from Nazi-held France to Spain. Despite their illegal entrance, the Spanish government was not returning them. The United States govern- ment was considering special consideration for 300 refugee children in Spain to emigrate. From occupied Poland came a story of heroic resistance. Jewish wo- men in the small town of Lublin.etz attacked Ger- man soldiers who plun- dered their property and forced them to flee. Jews in the township of Adamov killed all the Nazi gendarmes, aided by the local non-Jewish population. A truly tragic report came from Warsaw; nine- ty-three Jewish girls and young women, pupils and teacher of a Beth Jacob school, chose mass sui- cide to escape being forced into prostitution by German soldiers. A report from 20 years earlier noted that Adolph Hitler, identified as leader of the National Socialists in Munich, planned a review of 200,000 armed Facists; Jewish groups expressed fear of anti-Semitic attacks. Little did we know! The General Assembly of the Council of Federa- tions was planning its 10th meeting in Cleve- land. Among the Detroit delegates were Abraham Srere, Isidore Sobleoff and Irving Blumberg. A full page was devot- ed to a tribute to Abba Hillel Silver at 50. A por- trait in words of this Jewish leader was pro- vided by Dr. Solomon Freehof. Birthday festiv- ities were planned for the following week in Cleveland. Benjamin Kaufman, national commander of ' the Jewish War Veterans of the United States and a Congressional Medal of Honor winner, was hon- ored by a weekend of activities in Detroit. Throughout the com- munity, groups were continuing efforts to raise funds by selling war bonds. The Gamma Kappa Chi fraternity of Wayne University pur- chased $200 worth of bonds with proceeds from their annual dance. Henry Yudoff, newly elected president of the Greater Detroit B'nai B'rith Council, inaugu- rated the sale of $1,000,000 worth of bonds.. The war and its effect on our lives was the topic, in varied forms, of several talks that were heard in the community. "Marriage in War Time" was the discussion sub- ject at a meeting of the Young People's Society at Congregation Shaarey Zedek; Rabbi Morris Adler delivered a talk on "How Shall We Treat the German People After the War?" For those whose "sav- age breast" could be soothed by music, the following items were in the column on music notes. William Galman sang songs in Yiddish and English at the Halevy Singing Society; Henry Hermann spoke on Frederic Chopin at the Music Study Club followed by a flute duet played by Dorothy Picard and Joanne Seitz. Among the community members being mourned at this time were Peter Vass, Detroit merchant and former president of Congregation B'nai Moshe and Abraham Rabinowit'Z, janitor at the Crosman School for 18 years. Mr. Rabino- witz was granted a dis- tinct honor in the planti- ng of 19 trees in his name in Palestine by the faculty of the school. To offset the sadness of the passing of loved ones, the community took note of new life in the community in the forms of Sanford Jerome Sulkes, Ellen Ruth Shapiro, Frances Rhoda Fried and Joel Michael Heitman. ❑ .