looking back

In 1956, Eleanor Roosevelt visited Congregation Shaarey Zedek, then located on Chicago Boulevard in Detroit, for an Israel Bonds affair. She is seated with
Dr. L. Sidlow, CSZ president, and Rabbi Morris Adler. Courtesy Professor Samuel and Lillian Levin Archives of Congregation Shaarey Zedek. Photo by Robert Benyas.

From the DJN

Davidson Digital Archive

R

eading the 1942 issues of the JN, it soon becomes obvi-
ous that World War II and Nazi atrocities dominate
the headlines as well as many articles. It also becomes
obvious that weekly content, such as tracking the achieve-
ments of “Jewish Boys” in the war, often focuses on men.
Well, women also played a huge role in
the war. There were those who joined the
military, those who worked in the factories
(“Rosie the Riveters”) and those who worked
hard in the home. To say the least, women
were deeply involved in the effort to win the
war.
There was a very interesting story on the
front page of the June 12, 1942, JN that dis-
cussed a different role for Jewish women
Mike Smith
Detroit Jewish News
in the war: “The Expansion of Women’s
Foundation Archivist
Training in Palestine by Conclave.” It focused

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June 8 • 2017

jn

on women who enrolled in the PATS (Palestine Auxiliary
Territorial Service). Like women in the United States and
other Allied nations, these women filled jobs in the civil-
ian work force for men serving in the military. In this case,
women in the PATS received regular British Army pay and
uniforms.
Jewish women from Detroit played a role in this endeavor.
On the editorial page of this issue of the JN, there was a piece
about Detroit hosting the National Convention of the Pioneer
Women’s Organization. It noted that this group was dedicated
to “guiding and training young women refugees in Palestine,”
and that many volunteers for the PATS came from their ranks.
This was sort of a “two-fer” for women: They helped win the
war and build the foundations of Israel at the same time •

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

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

