Synagogues
Jewry's Role in
Human Advancement

TRAILBLAZERS IN THE WORLD OF CHEMISTRY
Not until the mid-19th century were Jews active in the chemical sciences
which were then fledgling fields of speculation and study. The first such
noted researcher and teacher was Adolph von Baeyer (1835-1917) who
won a Nobel Prize in 1905 for helping pioneer organic chemistry.
Following in his footsteps, Adolf Frank (1834-1916) almost single-
handedly created a major German industry by compounding and supplying
potash to manufacture fertilizers. And Jews soon found places in Europe's
burgeoning chemical laboratories.
The work of Heinrich Caro (1834-1910) was central to launching
the fast-growing dye industry in Germany. Richard Willstatter (1872-
1943) was yet another German-born Nobel Prize winner in 1915, largely
recognized for his landmark discoveries in biochemistry. Jews continued to
make great strides in specialized areas of chemistry well beyond the turn of
the century, as exemplified by these Nobel Laureates of genius.

HENRI MOISSAN
(1852-1907) b. Paris, France Chemist In 1900--
four years after discovering the chemical element
fluorine--the brilliant son of a poor railroad worker
gained the post of professor of inorganic chemistry
at the Sorbonne in Paris. He had, as well, earlier
invented a spectacular electric arc furnace for the
laboratory conversion of carbon into synthetic
black diamonds. Whether he accomplished that 40it
ambitious goal is generally disputed. However, the furnace which bears his
name came into widespread research use for preparing and studying heat-
resistant oxides and for vaporizing metals that were thought to be infusible.
Regarded as the father of high-temperature chemistry, Moissan also inquired
into the theoretical nature of electricity and devised an economical method
for producing acetylene gas. His Nobel Prize for Chemistry was earned in
1906.
FRITZ HABER
(1868-1934) b. Breslau, Prussia Chemist During
the first decades of this century, German Jewish
scientists were respected by fellow citizens and
were often honored by their government as loyal
patriots. Such was true for Fritz Haber, a foremost
chemical technologist of his generation. He was
best known for the economical, large-scale
--- synthesis of ammonia from atmospheric hydrogen
and nitrogen--a World War I achievement that freed Germany from its
dependence on nitrate imports from Chile for producing nitrogen fertilizers
and munitions. The Haber Process was later adopted by industrialized
nations the world over. Equally reputed for making fundamental
contributions to electrochemistry, he was awarded a Nobel Prize for
Chemistry in 1918. Haber had served as director of Berlin's prestigious
Kaiser Wilhelm Research Institute during the war. Staying on in that post
after Germany's defeat, he lifted his institute's status to that of world
leadership in physical chemistry. Driven from his position in 1933 by Nazi
anti-semitism, it was said he died of a broken heart one year later.
SIDNEY ALTMAN
(1939- ) b. Montreal, Canada Chemist Profound
insights into the origins of life, as science would
claim them to be, might be credited to a young
American researcher who shared a Nobel Prize for
Chemistry in 1989. A naturalized U.S. citizen
since 1984, Altman had attended M.I.T. and the
University of Colorado before becoming a full
professor at Yale University whose biology depart-
ment he eventually headed. Working independently with an associate, he
discovered a revolutionary new role for RNA. It was previously believed
that all enzymes with biochemical activity were necessarily formed from
protein molecules. But he proved otherwise: that RNA (a nucleic acid)
could act like an enzyme, and both store and mobilize genetic codes within
living cells. The breakthrough finding that RNA could doubly serve as a
catalyst in processing such information helped explain how life on earth
might have begun and evolved. Altman succeeded in obliging research
scientists in the field of biotechnology to seek new theories of how cells
actually functi-on. -- Saul Stadtmauer

11/14
1997

48

COMMISSION FOR THE DISSEMINATION OF JEWISH HISTORY
Walter & Lea Field, Founders/Sponsors
Harold Berry & Irwin S. Field, Co chairmen
Harriet F. Siden, Secretary

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BETH ISRAEL (FLINT)

G-5240 Calkins Road, Flint, 48532,
(810) 732-6310. Rabbi: Paul Reis.
Cantor: Sholom Kalib. President: Dr.
Brian Beck. Services: Friday 6 p.m.;
Saturday 9:30 a.m.; weekdays 7:30 a.m.,
6 p.m.; Sunday and legal holidays 8 a.m.,
6 p.m. Kiddush follows services.

Sunday 8:30 a.m. Bar mitzvah of Brian
Lee Brodsky, son of Stacy and Jeffrey
Brodsky. Aufruf of Kelly Rogers and
David Victor. Camp Ramah 50th
anniversary Shabbat.

SHAAREY ZEDEK
B'NAI ISRAEL CENTER

2000 Washtenaw Ave., Ann Arbor,
48104, (313) 665-9897. Rabbi: Robert
Dobrusin. Services: Friday 6 p.m.;
Saturday 9:30 a.m.; weekdays 7:30 p.m.;
Sunday 5 p.m. Please join the congrega-
tion for kiddush following services.

4200 Walnut Lake Road, West
Bloomfield, 48323, (248) 681-5353.
Rabbi: Leonardo A. Bitran. Services:
Saturday 9 a.m., 5 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m.;
Monday and Thursday 7 a.m.; Tuesday,
Wednesday, Friday 7:15 a.m.; daily and
Friday 5 p.m. Join the congregational
family for kiddush/lunch following ser-
vices.

BETH SHALOM

REFORM

BETH ISRAEL (ANN ARBOR)
CONGREGATION

14601 W. Lincoln Road, Oak Park,
48237, (248) 547-7970. Rabbi: David A.
Nelson. Cantor: Samuel L. Greenbaum.
Ritual director: Rev. Samuel Semp.
Services: Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m.,
5:30 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m., 5 p.m.; week-
days 7 a.m., 6:30 p.m. Kiddush follows
Shabbat services. Shabbat morning Torah
study group, 8:45-9:30 a.m. Haftorah,
Jeremy Minkin. Aufruf of Harry Nelson
and Dorit Naftalin. Minchah bat mitzvah
at 5 p.m. of Erica Bloom, daughter of
Janis and William Bloom.

BET CHAVERIM

P.O. Box 871262 Canton, MI 48187-
6262; (313) 480-8880. Rabbi: Peter
Gluck. Services: 7:15 p.m. the third
Friday of each month. Services are at
Cherry Hill United Methodist Church at
Ridge Road and Cherry Hill Road in
Canton. Visitors are welcome. Religious
school available.

TEMPLE BETH EL

146 South Ave., Mt. Clemens, 48043,
(810) 465-0641. Services: weekdays 7:15
a.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. with kiddush fol-
lowing; Sunday 8 a.m. with breakfast fol-
lowing. Hebrew Sunday school 9 a.m.-
noon.

7400 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills,
48301, (248) 851-1100. Rabbis: Daniel
B. Syme, David Scott Castiglione. Rabbi
emeritus: Richard C. Hertz. Cantor:
Stephen Dubov. Services: Friday 8 p.m.;
Saturday Torah study 9:15 a.m., services
10:30 a.m. Hertz Institute will host Dr.
Walter Jacob, speaking Friday and
Saturday.

B'NAI MOSHE

TEMPLE BETH EL (FLINT)

BETH TEPHILATH MOSES

6800 Drake Road, West Bloomfield,
48322, (248) 788-0600. Rabbi: Elliot
Pachter. Cantor: Earl Berris. Cantor
emeritus: Louis Klein. Sexton emeritus:
Shalom Ralph. Services: Friday 6 p.m.;
Saturday 9 a.m., 4:45 p.m.; Sunday 8:30
a.m.; weekdays 7 a.m. Kiddush follows
Shabbat services. Learning minyan for
adults, 10:15-11 a.m. Shabbat Minchah
followed by se'udah shlishit, rabbi's class,
Ma'ariv and Havdalah. Aufruf of
Jonathan Liebman and Mindy Rochwerg;
Kelly Krueger and Lawrence Buckfire.
The aufruf of Jessica Wilson and Dr.
Gary Kwartowitz took place on Nov. 8.

ISAAC AGREE
DOWNTOWN SYNAGOGUE

1457 Griswold, Detroit, 48226, (313)
961-9328. Rabbi: Noah Gamze. Cantor
Israel Idelsohn. Services: Monday-Friday
5:15 p.m.; Saturday 8:30 a.m.

SHAAREY ZEDEK

27375 Bell Road, Southfield, 48037-
2056, (248) 357-5544. Rabbis: Irwin
Groner, Stephen Weiss. Cantors: Chaim
Najman, Sidney Rube. Services: Tuesday,
Wednesday, Friday 7:45 a.m.; Monday
and Thursday 7:30 a.m.; daily and Friday
5 p.m.; Saturday 8:45 a.m., 5 p.m.;

501 S. Ballenger Hwy., Flint, 48532,
(810) 232-3138; Rabbi: Mark B.
Goldfarb. Cantorial soloist: Aleksander
Chernyak. Services:Friday 8 p.m. On
the second Friday of each month there is
a special service and dinner starting at
6:30 p.m.; 10:30 a.m. first and third
Saturdays.

BETH ISAAC

2730 Edsel Dr., Trenton, 48183, (313)
675-0355. Services: Friday 7:30 p.m.
Congregational leaders conduct services
throughout the year. Visitors are welcome.

TEMPLE BETH EMETH

2309 Packard Road, Ann Arbor, 48104,
(313) 665-4744. Rabbi: Robert D. Levy.
Chazzan: Ann Zibelman Rose. Services:
Friday 8 p.m.

TEMPLE EMANU-EL

14450 W. 10 Mile Road, Oak Park,
48237, (248) 967-4020. Rabbi: Joseph P.
Klein. Cantor: Norman Rose. Rabbi
emeritus: Dr. Milton Rosenbaum.
Services: Friday 8:15 p.m.; Saturday
10:30 a.m.; Tuesday, Thursday 5:30 p.m.
Sunday 9:05 a.m.
Friday, Rekindling Shabbat service at
6:15 p.m. Saturday bar mitzvah of