looking back
Children at the Jewish Community Center nursery school collect Chanukah gelt for Israeli children, 1985. •
Courtesy Leonard N. Simons Jewish Community Archives (JCC.79.2)
Historic photos are curated by the
Jewish Historical Society of Michigan.
From the DJN
Davidson Digital Archive
S
eventy-six years ago this month, there was only one big
story: the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941,
and soon after, Hitler declared war on the United States.
But this event was not noted a year later in the Dec. 4, 1942, issue
of the JN. There was no need to remind Americans about the war.
Indeed, the main headline read: “Nazi Mass
Murders Arouse World Protest.”
There was also, however, an uplifting story
on the front page — a large photo of a Jewish
soldier on the front page, holding a little girl
in his arms as he lit the menorah to begin
Chanukah, the Festival of Lights. Part of the
caption read: “These lights strengthen our faith
in ultimate victory of right over might.”
Mike Smith
Indeed, the reports on page 2 demonstrated
Detroit Jewish News
that Jews did their part toward the “ultimate
Foundation Archivist
58
December 14 • 2017
jn
victory.” At the top was this statement: “Hanukah, 5703, Finds
Jews Repeating Maccabean Heroism on All Fronts,” but a sub-
headline was more succinct: “Jews Fight Back.” Three great
stories were presented on this page. One of them, “Fear not,” is a
lengthy story from a war correspondent following Jewish soldiers
fighting the Germans in the North African desert. This is dra-
matic reading, to say the least.
Another interesting little bit buried deep in this issue caught
my eye. It said that the Allied forces had ordered a large quantity
of oranges from Palestine. Once the State of Israel was estab-
lished in 1948, its chief export at that time was the orange, par-
ticularly Jaffa oranges. I assume this was one of the first major
orders for this essential commodity. And, for a soldier in the field,
a fresh orange was a luxury of the highest order. •
Want to learn more? Go to the DJN Foundation archives,
available for free at www.djnfoundation.org.