"PM Ike on Self Defeating Behavior A Mixed Blessing From A Woman's Will JOSEPH AARON SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS Noted Author, Lecturer & Psychiatrist Dr. Abraham Twerski Director, Gateway Rehabilitation Center, Pittsburgh will be in Detroit to offer his uniquely Jewish perspective on drug and alcohol abuse, as well as his compassionate insight into the mind of a person-driven to self destructive behavior. A colorful and unusual personality, Dr. Twerski is a member of a prominent Chassidic dynasty, and a founder of one of society's most successful rehabilitation programs. Monday, February 5 8:00 pm Free Admission Maple/Drake JCC A program of the The Daniel Sobel Friendship Circle Co-sponsored by the JCC and The Jewish News TH E DETRO IT JE WISH NEWS THE JEWISH NEWS For information about the lecture or the Daniel Sobel Friendship Circle please call Rabbi Levi Shemtov at (810) 855-1212 DANIEL SOUL FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE ,04tao‘qzusawalsowt. - Lorna Sakalovsky • Distinctive • Collectible • Charming Available at: Tradition! Tradition! (810) 557-0109 Alicia R. Nelson id you ever feel like you don't know how to feel about something? I've felt that way the last couple of weeks. That's because of the story of Anne Scheiber. In the parlance of the news biz, Anne Scheiber is one of the best "human inter- est" stories to come along in quite awhile. For me, it's a story that has evoked more mixed emotions than any in quite awhile. You've probably heard the ba- sic facts by now. Ms. Scheiber was a spin- ster who lived in the same rundown Manhattan stu- dio apartment for decades and who spent her career working as an auditor for the Internal Rev- enue Service un- til her retirement in 1943. From that point on, she basically did nothing but play the stock market. She began with $5,000. By the time of her death a year ago at the age of 101, she had amassed a fortune of $22 million. Ms. Scheiber's story, incredi- ble enough on its own, made the news because in her will, she left all $22 million to Yeshiva Uni- versity in New York, a school she never attended, a school she nev- er had any contact with. In her will, Ms. Scheiber spec- ified that the $22 million be used exclusively for scholarships and loans to female students. Why? Because she believed the IRS had discriminated against her because she was Jewish and a woman. Ms. Scheiber's stockbroker said she did little else but play the market and spent virtually none of the money she made. She wore the same cheap black coat and hat, never bought furniture, lived in a rent-controlled apart- ment where the paint peeled from the walls. Indeed, Ms. Scheiber didn't even spend mon- ey to follow the market. She'd go to the library to read the Wall Street Journal. Which is where my ambiva- lence begins. On the one hand, what a testament to the gen- erosity of the Jewish people, to the idea of tzedakah, to helping Joseph Aaron is the editor of the Chicago Jewish News. fellow Jews, to helping make the world a better place. And yet, I must admit I found myself cringing while reading about the story. Time magazine, for instance, included with its sto- ry a red box that read, "She would visit the library to read the Wall Street Journal without pay- ing for it." Now, I know the natural Jew- ish reflex here is to blame the me- dia, call it anti-Semitic, biased against us. But I don't think it's that at all. The stories were fair, accurate and treated the whole thing with just the right touch of be- musement that such an odd, intrigu- ing story called for. What made me, and perhaps other Jews, uncomfortable is that it so ties in to stereotypes about us. Yes, on the one hand I am proud that Anne Scheiber gave all her mon- ey to tzedakah, that she wanted to do something to make sure young Jewish women won't be discriminated against like she was. But her single-mindedness, her frugality convey an image of Jews I'm not exactly thrilled about. I'm ambivalent, too, about Anne Scheiber herself. On the one hand, you've got to respect her financial acumen. And I admire what she did with her fortune. Admire that she didn't spend it on lavish things for herself, but gave it to tzedakah. And gave it in such a noble way: She gave it away when she could no longer bene- fit personally from it. And she gave it to help Jewish women, a great cause too often overlooked in the male-domi- nated world of fund-raising and fund-giving. While in death, Anne Scheiber acted very Jewishly. But I'm not sure she's much of a role model in having lived a life that, in so many ways, was not very Jew- ish. She never married, never had children. Family; as we know, is at the heart of what being a Jew is. Ms. Scheib sr was a loner, had contact with almost no one ex- cept her attorney and her stock- broker. That is not a Jewish life.