Newspaper Page Text
UNIVERSITY OT GEORGIA
OCT 11 '58
LIBRARIES
The Southern hi
A Weekly Newspaper for Southern Jewry —
xxxra
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1958
NO. 41
A J C C Drama Director to Star Virginia Jews Discuss Coordination
Next Week in "inherit the Wind" With National Organizations
“Inherit the Wind,” the open
ing fall production of Theatre
Atlanta will be presented at the
C o m m u n i ty Playhouse, 1150
Peachtree St., N.E. October 13-
18.
Tickets can be secured at the
box office, or by calling TR. 5-
9301.
Directed by Walter Jensen,
the cast includes Frank Wittow,
Beryl Goldberg, Brenna Frye,
Ann Lewis, Perry Morris, Mar
vin Russ, Carroll Trafton and
Dan Santacroce. Mr. Goldberg
plays the role of Matthew Har
rison Brady, which is modeled
after William Jennings Bryan
(Ed Begly played the part on
Broadway). “Inherit the Wind,”
the highly successful Broadway
play, is based on the Scopes
Trial, which was called the
Monkey Trial. A school teacher
was accused of teaching the
theory of evolution in the
schools. Defending the teacher
was Clarence Darrow, portrayed
by Frank Wittow (role played
on broadway by Paul Muni.)
Brenna Frye plays Rachel
Brown, the girl in love with the
teacher on trial. Carroll Trafton
plays the part of the teacher.
Beryl Goldberg is a newcomer
to the Atlanta theatre scene. He
is dramatics director of the Jew
ish Community Center and dra
matics instructor at the South
eastern Academy of Theatre and
Music. Born in New Orleans, he
attended Tulane Univ. and stud
ied at the American Academy of
Dramatic Arts in New York. Be
fore coming to Atlanta, he lived
in New York, where for the past
six years he has been active in
the theatre and television and
radio circles. His off-Broadway
productions include “Three Pen
ny Opera” and “Brothers Kara
mazov.” Mr. Goldberg feels that
the calibre of plays “Off Broad
way” frequently are higher than
“On Broadway," and as a matter
of fact many actors who work
off broadway also work “on
broadway.” Mr. Goldberg said
it’s rather hard to make a living
in the theatre, but he would like
to. Only a small percentage of
actors belonging to Actors Equi
ty are employed. He said he
feels Atlanta is a fine place and
affords good opportunity for
theatre. He stated “It’s nice to be
in the same town with my bro
ther and his family (Beryl’s bro
ther is Leon Goldberg, regional
dierctor of the USO-JWB), and I
feel fortunate in my theatre af
filiation here.”
In New York, Beryl did radio
work on “The American Jewish
Caravan," and on television in
New York for a show called
“Great Jewish Stories." He also
appeared on “Omnibus" a few
times. His credits include sum
mer stock in Hampton, N. H.
and Monroe, N. Y. and Commun
ity Theatre work in “The Alley
Theatre in Houston” and "Gall
ery Circle” in New Orleans.” In
New York Mr. Goldberg had an
acting school called the “John-
Beryl school for young actors.’
He spent several seasons in sum
mer camp work as dramatics
director at Camp Ferosdel, N.Y.
KKK Circulates
AntiSemitic Material
In Latin America
NEW YORK, (JTA)—United
States action to stop Ku Klux
Klan circulation of anti-Semitic
materials in Latin America was
urged here this week by Dr.
Israel Goldstein, chairman of
the Western Hemisphere execu-
tve of the World Jewish Con
gress.
Reporting on his recent visit
to Latin America Dr. Goldstein
told a meeting of the executive
that he had found “anti-Semitic
literature circulated by the Ku
Klux Klan and mailed from the
United States to a number of
countries, including Argentina,
Uruguay and Chile.
“This is a matter which should
be investigated by the Depart
ment of State and the FBI,” Dr.
Goldstein said. “Race hatred is
an article which must not be
tolerated either for domestic
consumption or for export to
foreign countries.” The material,
bearing a Waco, Texas, post
mark, is in both English and
Spanish.
RICHMOND, (JTA) — The
charge that national Jewish lead
ership lacks understanding of
local Jewish problems in Vir
ginia in connection with the
school segregation issue was
voiced here this week, revealing
that discussions on this subject
are now taking place between
representatives of the national
organizations and local Virginia
Jewish leaders.
Professional staff members of
one national Jewish group met
with Jewish community leaders
of 10 Virginia cities to discuss
the impact of the school inte
gration crisis on the Jewish
population in the state, it was
learned here. At the same time,
it was also learned that all re
gional activities connected with
the desegregation issue conduct
ed by another national Jewish
organization must from now on
receive prior approval from the
B’nai B'rith Speaker
Dr. E. D. Harrison, president
of Georgia Tech, who will speak
at 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 13, be
fore a joint meeting of Atlanta
B’nai B’rith groups at the May-
fair Club (See story on page 4).
local leaders of that organization
in Virginia.
Asserting that the Virginia
Jews are acting to ensure their
own safety, it Was decided that
the Virginia program of the re
gional office here of a leading
national Jewish organization is
to be examined for approval by
leader said he thought national
Richmond. The same applies also
to civil rights pamphlets and ma
terials distributed by the re
gional office.
Generally, a better understand
ing of national and state views
on the Jewish role in the deseg
regation crisis emerged from
meetings held in both New York
and Richmond. One Virgihia
leader said he though national
professional staff workers now
more fully understood the "peril
ous position of Jews in Virginia
and the need for prudence.” He
said Virginia Jewry benefitted
from the exchanges by a realiza
tion that they could not legiti
mately insist on national groups’
silence on desegregation provid
ed statements are made outside
the South.
Within Virginia views have
been exchanged by Jewish com
munity leaders of various cities
and towns on techniques of com
batting segregationist and anti-
Semitism. Indications of boycott
of Jewish merchants came from
various parts of the state.
It appeared that in some way
segregationists obtained names
of Jewish businessmen who re
sponded in years past when ask
ed by Negro customers for dona
tions to the NACCP. In Danville,
a Jewish merchant was con
fronted and condemned by a
customer known to be a member
of the state-wide segregationist
front, “The Defenders of State
Sovereignty. The segregationist
had obtained information that
the merchant gave a small con
tribution to the NAACP several
years ago.
Norfolk Jews were reported
studying a plan for Jewish chil
dren to receive temporary in
struction through a pooling of
facilities of synagogues and tem
ples. Junior and Senior high
schools in Norfolk were closed
last month by Gov. Almond to
prevent Negroes from attending.
Several hundred Jewish young
sters are among the many thou
sands of Norfolk children affect
ed.
N.Y. Supreme Court
To Rule on Nativity
Plays in Schools
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., (JTA)
—Twenty-nine residents of near
by Ossining went to court this
week in a second attempt to bar
a nativity scene from school
grounds at the Ossining High
School. The residents claim, in
a suit in the State Supreme
Court, that erection of a creche
during the Christmas season
violates the principle of separa
tion of church and state.
Last December, a judge of the
same court ruled against the
petitioners on the grounds that
the constitutional prohibition
does not insist that “every ves
tige of the existence of God to
be eradicated. The second suit
is being heard by another judge.
Louis Rothschild
Resigns High Post
In Dept, of Commerce
WASHINGTON, (JTA)—Louis
S. Rothschild resigned this week
as Under Secretary of Commerce
for Transportation and Presi
dent Eisenhower accepted the
resignation with "very much re
gret.”
Mr. Rothschild, who has been
in federal government service
for the past five years, said he
wanted to return to personal
and family affairs. He was presi
dent of Rothschild & Sons, Inc.,
of Kansas City, Mo., before en
tering government service.
Dr. Heller to Visit Atlanta
In Behalf of Bonds for Israel
Board of Virginia Synagogue
Ignores Threat of Segregationists
ALEXANRDIA, (JTA) — The
executive board of Temple Beth
El cancelled plans for a meeting
this week to discuss an anti
segregation Yom Kippur sermon
by Rabbi Emmet A. Frank as
important non-Jewish elements
rallied to defend the Rabbi. Vir
ginia’s most powerful segrega
tionist organization had voiced a
virtual ultimatum to Northern
Virginia Jewry to “move quick
ly to refute and condemn Rabbi
Frank.”
Mayor Leroy Bendheim of the
city of Alexandria is president
of Temple Beth El’s board of
trustees. The Mayor had pre
viously indicated that a special
meeting was being called to dis
cuss the sermon. As the situation
developed, however, the board
cancelled plans for such a meet
ing and said “no meeting for the
purpose of discussing the Rabbi’s
sermon is contemplated.”
Mayor Benheim said this
week: “The executive board of
the Temple is an administrative
body. Any religious or spiritual
matters are solely the province
of the Rabbi.” Rabbi Frank said
he was pleased by the board’s
decision. He served notice "I
intend to continue my sermons
on this issue of equality for all
people.’’
Informed sources reported
that while displeasure still ex
ists among some members of the
Temple’s board, a firm determ
ination developed to avoid any
action against the Rabbi that
might give an impression of
capitulation to the segregation
ist attack on the Jewish com
munity. The segregationists turn
ed on the Rabbi after he told
his congregation that Sen. Byrd,
Gov Almond of Virginia, and
Gov. Faubus of Arkansas have
wrought more disunity to the
nation in the last few years than
Communists have done in years
of organized effort.
The “Defenders of State Sov
ereignty” demanded that Jews
of Northern Virginia repudiate
the Rabbi. They said that if he
had purposely contrived to de
stroy relations between Chris
tians and Jews “he could not
have been more effective.” It
was then that the board of Tem
ple Beth El scheduled the meet
ing, plans for which have now
been abandoned.
The Washington Post devoted
a special editorial to support the
Rabbi whom it described as a
"courageous clergyman.” The
Post said that “as part of the
community conscience members
of the clergy ought to feel free
to discuss segregation and other
public issues . . . many Virginia
ministers have defied ostracism
to do what they felt was their
duty. Most members of Rabbi
Frank’s congregation must find
satisfaction, whether or not they
agree with him, in this indica
tion that their rabbi is as coura
geous as he is conscious of his
obligations as a good citizen.”
Dr. James G. Heller, chairman
of community relations for the
State of Israel Bond Organiza
tion and an eminent religious
and educational leader will visit
Atlanta next week, it was an
nounced by A. J. Weinberg,
chairman of the 1958 Israel Bond
Campaign.
In anticipation of the Testi
monial dinner for Mayor William
B. Hartsfield which will be held
Sunday, Nov. 9, at the Progress
ive Club, Dr. Heller will speak
at three meetings next week.
Only recently returned from
Israel where he attended the In
ternational Mobilization Confer
ence of the Israel Bond Organ
ization in Jerusalem, Dr. Heller
will report on the conference
as well as on recent develop
ments in Israel.
Dr. Heller will speak first at
a meeting Tuesday evening, Oc
tober 14 at the home of Dr.
Irving L. Greenberg, 1730 Don
caster Drive, N.E. The following
evening, he will address a dinner
at the Mayfair Club which will
co-sponsored by Mr. and Mrs.
Abe Goldstein, Mr. and Mrs.
Meyer Balser and Mr. and Mrs.
Barney Medintz. On the third
evening of his visit, Dr. Heller
will speak to a group of leaders
and key figures of the Atlanta
DB. JAMES HELLER
Zionist District at the home of
Harold Karp, 1710 Merton Rd.,
N.E.
A former national chairman of
the United Jewish Appeal, chair-
an of the United Palestine Ap
peal, and past chairman of the
Administrative Council of the
Cont. on Paso S