looking back

Bendetson Netzorg (1888-1953) was born in Mecosta, Mich. By age 7, he was studying the piano. As a young man, he studied for four years
in Berlin. Returning to Detroit is 1915, he later established the Netzorg School of Piano in the city. A frequent soloist with the Detroit Symphony
Orchestra, Bendetson Nertzog also served as the director of music for the Works Progress Administration in Wayne County during 1935. •

Pictured are members of Bendetson Netzorg’s faculty, June 1932: Edith Davis, Rebecca Katzman, Edith
Kirby, Clara Waldron, Florence Gallagher, Rose Busin and Miriam Horwitz. Photo by Bendetson Netzorg.
Netzorg and Robinove Family Collection (2015.002). Rabbi Leo M. Franklin Archives at Temple Beth El.

Historic photos are curated by the Jewish
Historical Society of Michigan.

From the DJN

Davidson Digital Archive

T

his week, you will find a new feature on the Detroit Jewish
News Foundation’s website (djnfoundation.org). “Top
Stories” replaces the “Special Features” button at the top
of the site. Previously, there was a story on the 50th anniversary of
the assassination of Rabbi Morris Adler — a tragic affair, but a “Top
Story” nonetheless. Today, we added another
important story to this new feature.
It is the story of Soviet Jewish emigration to
the United States, Michigan and Detroit. The JN
published an article on the 25th anniversary of
Operation Exodus on April 28, 2016, but this story
has deep roots and a long history. Indeed, one can
find reports about the plight of Soviet Jews in the
earliest issues of the JN and the Jewish Chronicle in
Mike Smith
the William Davidson Digital Archive.
Detroit Jewish News
There are stories about the impact of World
Foundation Archivist
War II on Jews in the Soviet Union, the efforts

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February 2 • 2017

jn

they made to come to the United States, the support they received
from Detroit’s and Michigan’s Jewish communities, and how they
resettled in this area. The whole wave of emigration made for great
stories.
To get started, just click on the “Top Stories” page. There you
will see a reprint of the 2016 JN Operation Exodus story as well as a
folder with selected pages from past issues of the JN.
Most important, you will have an opportunity to add your per-
sonal memories to the historical record via the written word or
through audio and video submissions. Your input will then become
part of the Foundation’s archives of Jewish Detroit.
Look for many more “Top Stories” coming this year as we begin to
celebrate the JN’s 75th anniversary in March . We hope you will like
the stories and will contribute your personal stories to the site. •

Want to learn more? Go to the DJN Foundation archives, available for free at
www.djnfoundation.org.

