Newspaper Page Text
The
A Weekly
Southern Israel*
Newspaper for Southern Jewry - '
^ ‘ A 0 ' VnVl
. g t V
XXXIV
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 195
Vatican-Pius XI
Had Planned
Denunciation
ROME, (JTA)—Pope Pius XI
was working on two speeches in
1939 in which he intended to de
nounce the Fascist racial laws
against the Jews but death in
tervened before he completed
or delivered the two addresses,
the Ossevatore Romano, semi
official Vatican organ, said here.
The paper declared that docu
ments covering the last days of
Pius XI’s life included notes he
had prepared for the speeches
to be delivered in connection
with the tenth anniversary of
the Concordat between the Vati
can and Italy. They established,
the paper declared, that he had
intended to condemn the legisla
tion, which Mussolini had just
annbunced was to be issued, as
a violation of the Concordat. The
legislation was enacted after the
Pope’s death.
The documents, Osservatore
Romano declared editorially,
should, once and for all, end
attacks “denouncing the Catho
lic Church as indifferent or ab
sent in the face of the barbaric
Nazi-Fascist persecution against
the Jews.” The second speech,
as projected in the Pope’s notes,
was to have condemned the pro
hibition of marriages between
"Aryans” and “non-Aryans” as
a violation of the Concordat, the
Vatican organ said. The two
speeches would have beep a
documentation of the stand of
the Pope and the Church against
the racial laws, it declared.
The role of Pope Pius XII, his
successor, and of the Church,
was brought into question re
cently by two books which ac
cused them of failure to have
done everything they could have
done to protect the Jews of
Europe from extermination by
the Nazis. An article in the offi
cial organ of the Union Italian
Jewish Communities expressed
conviction that the Vatican and
Pope Pius XII “could have done
much more for the Jews.”
New 20,000-ton
Tanker for Israel
Launched at Hamburg
HAMBURG, (JTA)—Mrs. Rose
Halprin, acting chairman of the
Jewish Agency, officated at the
launching here at the Deutsche
Werft of a 20,000-ton oil tanker
built for the Israel merchant
marine.
The new tanker, named the
Yafo, like its sister-ship, the
Haifa, will be operated by the
Zim-Israel Navigation Company.
It is the second tanker built for
Israel under the reparations
agreement and the 26th vessel
built in German yards for Israel.
The Yafo will probably be put
in tramp service rather than on
a regular run to and from Is
raeli ports.
World' Council
Of Synagogues
Constituted
KIAMESHA LAKE, N. Y„
(JTA)—The World Council of
Synagogues, formed provisional
ly two years ago, came into offi
cial being here this week with
the adoption of its constitution
and the election of Charles
Rosengarten of W a t e r b u r y,
Conn., as its president. The Coun
cil’s constitutional convention
was held here concurrently with
the biennial convention of the
United Synagogue of America.
Rabbi Philip Adler of Jeru
salem told the Council that
there was a strong religious re
vival in the kibbutzim in Israel.
He said that the Conservative
religious movement was gaining
more and more ground in Israel
despite the fact that Conserva
tive synagogues exist only in
Jerusalem and Haifa. He pointed
out that the Conservative con
gregations in these two cities
were still using temporary
places of worship and needed
ther own buildings.
Rabbi Henrique Lemle of
Brazil and Rabbi Guillermo
Schlesinger of Buenos Aires
stressed the need for rabbis and
Hebrew teachers in their coun
tires. B.B. Benjamin, the Indian
Jewish leader, officially affiliat
ed the 2,000-year-old Bene Is
rael community of India to the
World Council. He said that the
21,000 members of the ancient
Bene Israel community main
tained all the Jewish traditions.
However, he added t here was
no rabbi this week in the com
munity who could inspire the
Bene Israel youth to continue to
adhere to this tradition.
Dr. Max Gottschalk of Bel
gium and leaders from other
European countries emphasized
the need to revitalize Jewish
life in their respective countries.
Headquarters of the World
Council will be set up in the
Jewish Theological Seminary’s
American Student Center now
being built on the Hebrew Uni
versity campus in Jerusalem.
CJFWF
Cultural
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Establish
Foundation, Council
SAN FRANCISCO, (JTA) —
Measures to establish a national
Jewish cultural foundation and
a council of Jewish cultural
agencies were taken here Sun
day at the concluding sessions
of the 28th general assembly of
the Council of Jewish Federa
tions and Welfare Funds.
The four-day parley, which
studied local, national and over
seas problems affecting the Jew
ish community adopted a series
of resolutions defining its posi
tion on these issues. Irving Kane
of Cleveland was elected sixth
president of the Council succeed
ing Herbert R. Abeles.
On domestic questions, the as
sembly voted reaffirmation of
the principle Of indivisibility of
equal rights, lauded efforts dur
ing the past year to strengthen
civil rights and called on Jew
ish community relations agen
cies and other groups “to help
secure the fact as well as the
principle” of equal justice and
equal opportunity for all.
On the international scene,
the assembly expressed concern
over the treatment of Jews in
the Soviet Union "denied access
Historic Lexington
Churches Aid New
Jewish Congregation
BOSTON, (JTA)—Two famed
old churches have come to the
aid of the newest Jewish Reform
temple in New England, extend
ing the use of facilities until the
new congregation has its own
home.
The two churches are in the
historic town of Lexington. The
First Parish Church, a Unitarian
institution founded in 1691, gave
its building to Temple I saiah
for holding services. The Han
cock Congregation Church has
put its classrooms at the dis
posal of the Jewish congrega
tion for its religious school and
has made its hall available for
regular Sabbath services.
to those facilities essential to
the exercise of their rights as
Jews.” It expressed hope that
today’s more cordial interna
tional atmosphere would be re
flected in fulfillment of guaran
tees in the Soviet constitution
of religious equality. The reso
lution also urged the Soviet
Union to permit Jewish resi
dents to be reunited with their
familes living in other lands as
a “humanitarian act.”
A two-part resolution on im
migration endorsed World Refu
gee Year and called for a major
effort to convince Congress to
abolish the national origins
quota system. It urged Congress
to liberalize the basic immigra
tion laws.
The delegrates applauded
United States economic aid to
Israel and the Middle East and
urged its continuance “to streng
then democratic iristitutions in
that strategic and vital area, the
stability of the region and the
peace of the world.” They called
for greater emphasis in spurring
private investment in Israel, as
“the basic underpinning of Is
rael’s movement towards self-
support” and stressed the urg
ency for such a program since
Israel faces the maturing of
bond issues and the termination
of German reparations.
To meet the “massive and
varied human needs—local, na
tional and overseas”—the dele
gates urged the communities to
take every possible step to or
ganize their 1960 campaigns at
the “earliest feasible time” to
assure maximum fund-raising.
National and local services also
require added support and over
seas needs will call for the full
est assistance for years to come.
Under the pressures of local, na
tional and overseas Jewish needs,
the resolution urged “a deliber
ate and intensive budget process
to assess carefully the relative
urgency of requirements.”
A series of resolutions dealing
with communal problems and
Atlanta Bond Group Drives For 150
New Israel Homes in Masse It Tribute
DR. ABRAM SACHAR, Brandeis
U. president, who will speak in
Atlanta Dec. 6. (See story on
page 9.)
The Atlanta Israel Bond Com
mittee will sponsor a Dinner on
Monday night, Dec. 7, at 7:00
p.m., at the Progressive Club to
honor Ben J. Massed, noted loc
al builder, philanthropist, civic
leader and outstanding builder
of Israel.
Max Rittenbaum, chairman of
the local Committee, announced
that the current Israel Bond
Campaign is organized to pro
duce sufficient sales of Israel
Bonds to build a community of
150 new houses in Israel in hon
or of Mr. Massed.
“This distinction has been
given to only two other Ameri
cans since the State of Israel
was established. Every citizen of
our commnuity should feel proud
that our beloved “Ben” has been
selected to join this exclusive
coterie who have been the re
cipients of this signal honor,”
Mr. Rittenbaum said. “We urge
every Atlantian to buy at least
one Israel Rond now to share in
this joyful and meaningful tri
bute. A new 2 Vfc room house
costs $3,000 to build and makes
a secure and attractive home for
the newly arrved ctizens of Is
rael.”
Mr Massed's energetic leader
ship has contributed to the suc
cess of a wide variety of Jewish
and communal causes in At-
BEN MASSELL
lanta and the Southeast, Mr.
Rittenbaum declared. His fore
sight, vision and courageous en
terprise has helped to build At
lanta into a great and bustling
metropolis. More than any other
person, Mr. Massed is credited
with the upsurge of Atlanta’s
and the State of Georgia’s eco
nomic growth. A member of the
Atlanta Real Estate Board and
a Fellow of Brandeis University,
he is also active in The Temple,
the Standard Club, the National
Conference of Christians and
Jews, the American Jewish Com
mittee and B’nai B’rith.
H is philanthropies are as var
ied as the many-faceted com
munity in which he lives. Be
sides being the largest contribu
tor to the U.J.A. and purchaser
of Israel Bonds, he gives sub
stantial support to such agencies
as the Community Chest, Red
Cross and every valued effort
in Atlanta. He helped establish
the Jewish Home for the Aged
and built the noted Massed
Dental Clinic. He has been, cited
by the Atlanta City Cbuhfcifc*'
Jewish War Veterans, Atlanta
Reiil Estate Board, B’nai B’rith
and. only recently, the Jewish
Theologcal Seminary in New
York He serves now as Georgia
State Chairman for Israel Bonds
and is a member of the National
Board of Governors of the Is
rael Bond Organization.
Reservations for the dinner
are available at the Committee
headquarters, 795 Peachtree St.,
N.E., Room 336, phone TR. 5-
8551.
developments was also adopted
by the assembly. They covered
such problems as recruitment of
young men and women for com
munal service, programs of non-
institutional care for the aged,
Jewish education and community
relations work.
Earlier, in a session devoted
to overseas needs and basic plan
ning, Israel Ambassador Avra-
Representing Atlanta at the
General Assembly In San
Francisco were Edward Kahn,
executive director, Jewish
Community Council and Jew
ish Federation, and Mr. and
Mrs. Meyer Balser, communal
leaders.
ham Harman told the assembly
that Israel faced two tasks: re
building a poor, ravaged country
and transforming a refugee pop
ulation into a rooted citzenry.
He expressed the hope that “the
turbulent period” in Israel’s brief
history was finished and de
clared that Israel was set for
“rapid progress to achieve an
economic balance and a living
standard to support a flourishing
human civilization.” He appeal
ed for “an additional spurt for
ward” among American Jewry
“to complete this noble humani
tarian undertaking.”
William Rosenwald of New
York, national chairman of the
United Jewish Appeal, said that
1960 “presents the United Jew
ish Appeal with a drama as in
tense and urgent as an armed
conflict.” He asserted that it
offered a greater opportunity to
be more constructive than any
recent years and said that “if
we make the most of these op
portunities we shall provide
hope for those who need rescue
now, discharge our responsibility
for those already rescued ' and
clear the road for those yet to
come to Israel and other free
lands.”
He said that World Refugee
Year was an opportune occasion
for “long overdue” passage of a
law by Congress to abolish the
national quota system in fed
eral immigration laws. He add
ed that “this must be the time
when we tell exclusionists that
at a minimum we must have
legislation permitting the entry
of 20,000 persons regardless of
quotas. World Refugee Year rep
resents a magnificent oppor
tunity to educate our people
and Congress toward a system
of immigration selection based
on humanitarian principles and
national needs.”
Joseph Willen of the Federa
tion of Jewish Philanthropies of
New York told the delegates that
the growing democratization of
American life was reflected in
the changing clientele and ad
ministration of health and wel
fare agencies.
MEYER BALSER. Atlanta, elect
ed president of the Southeastern
Section, JWR. (see page 9).