Six Notable Women
ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM ASSOCIATE EDITOR
At 11 a.m. Nov. 20 the
American Zionist
Movement will host
"Remembering the
Dream — Dor L'Dor"
at Adat Shalom
Synagogue. The
program will honor six
of Detroit's leading
activists as Zionists of
the Year. All longtime
supporters of Zionism
the movement to
found the State of
Israel — the women
range from a Polish
immigrant who at 14
was driving women to
fund-raisers, to an
opera singer who
helped bring food to
pioneers helping clear
the swamps.
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Emma Schaver
Emma Schaver with Jerusalem Mayor Teddy
Kollek in 1967
mma Schaver was the
daughter of Zionists, the
cousin of Zionists, the niece
of Zionists.
"Everybody in my family
was a Zionist," she says. "I
came by it naturally."
She worked for years on
behalf of the Jewish state,
both alone and with her late
husband, Morris, one of the
leading figures of the Labor
Zionist Alliance. The two
raised money in the United
States, then brought food to
chalutzim, pioneers, work-
ing in the swamps in Palestine.
Mrs. Schaver's first trip to
pre-state Israel was in 1932. It
was the final stop on a journey
that included Italy and France.
"Those were beautiful, but Is-
rael was to me the most beauti-
ful," she says. "I felt it was mine
— that I belonged to Israel. I was
at home."
In the early days of the state life
was challenging, Mrs. Schaver
says. "But it also was filled with
idealism."
Mrs. Schaver, who worked as
an opera singer until she retired
at age 50, continues to be active
with the Labor Zionist movement.
"I'm part of the old guard," she
says. "But it's good to see a lot of
young people who will bring new
avenues."
Above, Esther LaMed in the early days
of her Zionist work
Right, Esther LaMed today
less — two parents and eight chil- before the state was established.
dren. One brother made his way One of her grandchildren made
to Palestine to join Zeev Jabotin- aliyah, and all of her two children,
sky, head of the first Jewish self- seven grandchildren, 13 great-
defense group in Jerusalem. grandchildren and two great-
Esther attended Central High and grandchildren are "close to the
became a teacher, then married Zionist movement," she says.
Louis Lamed in 1924.
Mrs. Lamed has been active in
By the time she was a teen, Es- Young Judea, Habonim and Pio-
ther already was a driving force neer Women, now known as
— literally — in the Detroit Zion- Na'amat.
ist community. At 14, she learned
to drive and began taking women
lue boxes have been part of
from throughout the community
Shirley Kraft's life for as
to Zionist fund-raisers. She also
long as she can remem-
sther Lamed might never made frequent trips to the Michi-
ber.
have come to the United gan Central railroad station to
She was born in Canada, then
States had her father fol- pick up visitors to the city, like a came as a young girl with her fam-
lowed the advice of a friend. young woman named Golda Meir. ily to Detroit. Her sister-in-law
"You shouldn't go to a treife
Mrs. Lamed's family has a long loved the Jewish National Fund
state," the acquaintance warned. history of support for Israel. A and suggested Shirley come to a
The family left Poland nonethe- brother-in-law immigrated years meeting.
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