Newspaper Page Text
Friday, October 7, 1960
THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE
Allanlan, Mary Tabachnick Writes Home About
Unique Experiences with l). N. Staff in Congo
Pag* Plva
Mary Tabachnick, former Atlantan, is now in the Congo
with the United Nations staff. Here are some highlights gleamed
from the fascinating letters she sends to her mother, Mrs. Na
than Karliek.
What does an Atlanta girl sta
tioned with the United Nations
Organization in the Congo wor
ry about 0 The usual things a
young woman worries about no
matter where she is. Where to
find a good hairdresser, engage
help for her apartment, shop,
get clothes repaired and cleaned,
make inflated money' go furth
er, and combine hard work with
some pleasure.
Mary Tabachnick, daughter of
Mrs. Nathan Karliek of Atlanta
has been in Leopoldville since
Aug. 8 where she first worked
with U N Military Logistics and
now with Military Information
In her breezy letters to her fami
ly and friends, she has been
supplying intimate details of
life in the Congo, details which
convey the excitement of a mod
ern city in the heart of Africa,
the problems of a transplanted
American girl attempting to
establish a semblance of comfort
for herself amidst havoc and
riot, the tragedy of beautiful
homes deserted and already sur
rounded by the lush growth of
the jungle, and the heart-break
of seeing in a land crying out for
education a modern university
closed because the professors
have fled
Mary poignantly describes the
contrasts of life in Leo as she
calls Leopoldville There is her
lovely apartment located in the
tallest building in the city It is
complete with modern bathroom
and kitchen facilities, huge
closets, a balcony from which to
view the city and its environs
Then there is Kitambo Hospital
(half military, half civilian)
staffed by only a few Belgian
doctors and about fifteen Nuns
where the wards are filled with
soldiers, milling natives, and
hundreds of pregnant Congolese
women, each seemingly carrying
at least one other infant on her
back Everywhere are flies, in
sects, filth, and disease.
Mary’s friends in the military
came to the rescue to help stock
her empty apartment which she
shares with three other girls.
They arrived with such valu
ables as ash trays, light bulbs,
insecticides, glasses, and 48 pint
cans of strawberry jam!
With an eye for the amusing
Mary tells of hiring “a little
houseboy who is about 5 feet
tall.” She instructs him in “her
fractured French” and with the
help erf pantomine he under
stands quite well. Then she
leaves him with her proudest
possession, a new iron, and a
bundle of clothes, and with very
s p e ci f i c directions “never,
never, never push the button to
the 115 volt position.” He ironed
only two towels and couldn’t re
sist the temptation of pushing
the button. Now the iron is burn
ed out and in the hands of the
Canadian Signals Squadron—the
only electrically trained person
nel in the city.
Mary reports, “It is difficult
to have anything fixed here as
most of the Europeans have left
and the Congolese were not
taught many trades. We haven’t
been able to find a shoe repair
shop or dressmaker. Luckily, we
Old Furniture — Good Furniture
Odds and Ends Some Antiques
AT
the Flea Market
3*63 PEACHTREE RI). 237 6126
Something Completely New
in Huckhead
Some Pieces Ready to Use
Some Pieces For The
Do-It-Yourself Fans
So New, You Must See It For Yourself
found a hairdresser, a Portu
guese, but he is leaving in Oct
Everything closes between 12:00
and 3 p.m so we can do noth
ing in our lunchtime, and when
we are through wjth work at
5:30 the shops are already
closed.”
In a more serious vein and
seemingly with a sense of isola
tion Mary writes, “I’m now
with Military Information which
is real pressure work but inter
esting I haven’t read an Eng
lish newspaper since I’m here
and we don’t have a radio I
leally haven’t heard any news
except for the happenings in the
Congo Working here. I’ll al
ways know what’s going on in
the Congo as my boss, a Swed
ish officer, monitors all the news
in French, English, and the na
tive dialects which are trans
lated and then given to me for
release.”
But there is a little time for
pleasure and Mary includes this
description of a romantic story
book afternoon. “Sunday I had
a few hours off and had a very
interesting experience. One of
the officers that I work with
took me on a little sightseeing
ride as I had hardly seen any
thing by daylight except the
Blvd Albert (the main street in
Leo) which leads right to the
Hotel Royale which is our of
fice. When we leave the office
it is dark Practically to the
minute, it’s dark at 6 p.m. We
went out to the residential area
and one home was more beauti
ful than the next with gorgeous
grounds and flowers. Many of
the homes have been deserted
and bush is beginning to take
over It is a very peculiar thing
that the flowers are so beautiful
yet there is no aroma in the air.
We then took the road to Matadi
(the seaport) and on one of the
high spots stands the imposing
monument of Stanley overlook
ing the city of Leo and the Con
go River with its whirling rapids.
"We then drove on to a lovely
restaurant atop a small moun
tain which is all terraced and
where you dine gazing out at the
magnificent view. It was the
first relaxation I’ve had. The
food was delicious. The menu
consisted of cold sherry bouillon,
broiled steak with a wonderful
sauce made of onions and gar
lic, French fries, tomatoes, rad
ishes, rose wine, and mousse
chocolate and coffee. I thought
it was very unique that the Con
golese waiter brought the check
on a plate surrounded by exotic
purple flowers. I presume this
is to lessen the shock when the
diner discovers the dinner’s cost
will doubtlessly empty his
pockets!”
In closing our Atlantan travel
er indicates her appetite is just
whetted for more such adven
tures. She hopes to visit Israel
before returning to New York . .
“It all depends on my finances
of course. Unfortunately, we’re
paid in Congolese francs and
even if we were able to save
anything out of our per diem
(the cost of living is extremely
high) we cannot convert it nt
the end of our tour.”
Save for peace of mind
SEE FIRST FEDERAL FIRST
Savings received pn or before the 10th earn from the 1st
first federal Savings
AND LOAN ASSOCIATION OF ATLANTA
t •* - 'sir •• f • Pin^our u cmsn «f woe «o»c • list mm' • »n »sm
William K. Noland, Manager, Piedmont Office
COURSES IN JEWISH LIVING
ANI) THINKING
An Unusual Opportunity
For All Adults!
REGISTER NOW!
ATLANTA INSTITUTE
OF JEWISH STUDIES
Conducted by the Atlanta Bureau of
Jewish Education
Every Wednesday Night for Nine Weeks
October 19, 1960 - - December 14, 1960
COURSES OF STUDY—FALL TERM
First Hour
8:00 - 9:00 P. M.
Jewry in a World of
Ferment
Rabbi Abraham Ohrenstein
The rise and development
of the Haskalah, the Chas-
sidic and Zionist move
ments.
Methods and Materials
for the Sunday
School Teacher
Mr. Sam Steinberg
The proper use of audio
visuals, textbooks, work
books and other materials.
Growing Up In An
Anxious Age
Dr. Edwin Krauser
The mental and emotional
growth of children and the
need for an early build-up
of a clear and positive
feeling of belongingness to
the Jewish group.
Modern Jewish Social
Problems
Mr. Frank Fierman
Selected writings in the
fields of community or
ganization, social service
and education will serve as
a basis for a better under
standing of the current
scene.
Second Hour
9:00 - 10:00 P. M.
discussed in the light of
Jewish sources.
The Prophets of Israel
Mr. Shimon Gottschatk
The Twelve Minor Pro
phets and their histories,
their times and their teach
ings will be studied and
discussed.
The Songs of Our
People
Cantor Philip Rosenblatt
Traditional Sabbath Table
Songs, Yiddish and Israeli
Folk songs.
Aspects of Jewish Life
and Thought —
A Series of Lectures in
three parts.
I— The Middle East
(3 Sessions)—(a) Its Lands
and Peoples; (b) Islam;
(c) Islam, Pan-Arabism
and Israel.
Mr. Sanford Bederman
II— Jewish Attitudes
Toward Medicine
(3 Sessions) —(a) Faith,
Prayer and Healing; (b)
Jewish Law and Medicine;
(c) Controlling the Crea
tion of Life: Eugenics,
Sterilization, Contracep
tion.
Drs. Irving L. Greenberg,
Alfred A. Weinstein,
Heinz Bauer.
III— The Jewish Writer
In the Modern
World
(3 Sessions) — (a) Franz
Kofka-Selections; (b) Ber
nard Malamud—The Mag
ic Barrow; (c) Saul Bellow
Seize The Day.
Dr. Walter Strauss
Jewish Religious
Thinking
Mr. Samuel H. Rosenberg
Essential elements of the
Jewish religion will be
8:00 - 10:00 P. M.
Hebrew For Beginners—
Basic elements of reading and writing—emphasis
will be placed on conversation Mr. Pinhas Schwinger
Hebrew' For Second Year Students—
Continued emphasis on conversation and reading
with comprehension—selections from the Prayer Book
Mr Shmuel Nechama
Hebrew For Third Year Students —
Conversation, reading with comprehension and selec
tions from the Prayer Book and the Book of Genesis
Rabbi Joseph Cohen
Registration Fee $5.00
Sessions At The Atlanta
Jewish Community Center
REGISTER NOW -- CALL BUREAU OFFICE
JACKSON 5-4825