looking back: the 1950s

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THE UNITED STATES emerged as the
world’s strongest military power after
the war. The economy was expanding
rapidly, as evidenced by the purchase
of new cars, suburban houses and
other major consumer goods.
It was also a time of great conflict:
The war in Korea, the emergence of
the Civil Rights Movement, the Cold
War between the U.S. and the Soviet
Union and accompanying “McCarthy-
ism” were challenging and chang-
ing the world order and the face of
America.
The construction of the interstate
highway system provided avenues for
city dwellers, manufacturers and the
families of “baby boomers” to locate
further from urban centers and into
less expensive areas.
In the early 1950s, the city of
Detroit's population peaked at about
1.8 million residents, and the metro-
politan area’s Jewish population was
estimated at 100,000. The Jewish
community’s size, relative affluence
and ongoing commitment to Israel
made it one of the most respected in
the diaspora.
The pages of the Jewish News
captured the trials and tribulations of
the nascent Israel. Of particular focus
were the events leading up to the 1956
Sinai Campaign, when Israel, France
and Great Britain responded to Egypt’s
nationalization of the Suez Canal by
reclaiming the vital shipping lane and
the Sinai Peninsula. Eventually, under
U.S. pressure, the canal and the Sinai
were returned to Egypt.
Also notable on the pages of the
Jewish News were stories reflecting
the continued movement of the Jewish
community into — and out of — the
northwest portions of Detroit. While
the construction of Sinai Hospital on
Outer Drive and the Jewish Commu-
nity Center at Meyers and Curtis were
major investments in infrastructure, the
Jewish presence in Oakland County’s
Oak Park and Southfield was also
expanding.
The growing utilization of a branch
of the Jewish Community Center in
Oak Park, to be known as the Jimmy
Prentis Morris facility, was a reflec-
tion of these demographic shifts and
changing communal needs. •

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July 18 • 2017

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