Newspaper Page Text
Unexpected ‘Recruits' at Camp Gordon
Cause Test of New JWB Policy
By ADOIJ»H ROSENBERG
"Hie Southern Region, Jewish Wel
fare Board, has around 400 unex
pected guests for Passover meals
this weekend.
Well, pretty close, though the spe
cific number isn’t so clear.
That's the way with Army logis
tics—but the figure is close enough
to have provided the first test for
new techniques and channels since
elimination of the Armed Services
Division per se, with its skilled pro
fessional staff.
News came Monday afternoon that
close to 200 Jewish recruits were
expected — unexpectedly at Camp
Gordon, Augusta 'Hie uncertain part
was that the post commander learn
■ ed suddenly he was getting in a
battalion or so of fresh recruits from
the New York and New England
area and that in all likelihood sev-
—turn to page 4
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•^00
The Southern Israelite
A Weekly Newspaper for Southern Jewry — Established 1925
Vol. xxxix
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 1964
NO. 13
Anti-Semitic Attacks
in So. African
Parliament
Unprecedented Court Injunction
Hot-Foots Historical Society
Delegates Elect
Pro-Move Officers
by ADOLPH ROSENBERG
CHARLESTON — The American
Jewish Historical Society will never
be the same after the convention
held recently in the city where the
first shot in the War Between the
States was fired.
It was the first time in 62 years
the group had come South for an
annual meeting.
The sessions, usually staid and
august with solemn scholarly dig
nity, exploded into fireworks and
forensic sparks so white hot that
members almost came to blows—
physically. Scholars often clash ver
bally, but rarely do matters reach
the other stage. On-lookers were
unsure whether any blows were ac
tually exchanged, but tempers reach
ed such white heat it was close.
The trouble was over whether the
Society would locate on Brandeis
University campus with a structure
made possible by a million-dollar
bequest, which stipulates that the
historians maintain complete auto
nomy over the Society.
So hot waxed the battle and so
furious that the convention in this
South Carolina coastal city began
under extraordinary circumstances
—an injunction from a New York
judge, restraining the delegates to
the meeting from taking definitive
action on the subject in question.
The matter was of such explosive
nature, that several learned papers,
scheduled for the Sunday morning
sessions had to be delayed or pos-
poned altogether, in order that del
egates could thrash out what could
or should be done. The* papers will
be published in due form and dis
tributed later.
The matter was of such oral voc
iferousness, that the president of
Charleston College, where the ses
sions were held, later remarked in
his welcome to delegates later that
day at a banquet “fellow politicians
... for the noise I overheard eman
ating from the sessions must have
come from the deliberation of pol
iticians.”
Dr. Abraham Sachar, president of
Soviet Orders Jews to Refuse
Matzot Parcels From Abroad
LONDON iJTA)—Local authorities
throughout the Soviet Union have
ordered Jews to refuse to accept
parcels containing matzot sent by
relatives abroad, it became known
here today from reports received
from the USSR
These steps are being taken in
spite of the fact that an announce
ment by a Soviet official in the
Washington Embassy stated a month
ago that matzot shipments address
ed to individual recipients in the
USSR would be permitted. The
Soviet official went so far as to
list five firms in the United States
specifically licensed by the Soviet
authorities to accept such shipments.
An article in an issue of Pravda
Vostoka, of Tashkent, Uzbekistan,
received here confirms the fact that
pressures are being applied against
local Jews in regard to matzot ac
ceptance. The article, in the issue
of March 17, stated: “Receipt of
parcels of matzot constitutes ideol
ogical sabotage against the Russian
people.” Pravda Vostoka, which is
an organ of the local Communist
Party in Uzbekistan, reports that
“protest meetings” against the im
port of matzot were being organized
“all over the country.” It was em
phasized here that no “protest
meetings” can be held anywhere in
the Soviet Union without official
Government permission and perhaps
encouragement.
NEW YORK (JTA) - Gus Hall,
leader of the Cpmmunist Party of
the United States, and an editorial
in the Morning Freiheit, pro-Com-
munist Yiddish daily newspaper,
condemned as “anti-Semitism” the
notorious pamphlet "Judaism With-
New Scope
JWB’s Holiday Program to Reach Isolated
Jews With Peace Corps, State Dept. Missions
LONDON (JTA)—Anti-Semitic at
tacks by members of the South
African Nationalist Party in the
House of Representatives of South
Africa’s Assembly reached a peak
this week forcing a Jewish mem
ber of Parliament, former Johannes
burg Mayor Alec Gorshel, to shout
"go to Hell,” at the Nationalist, the
Guardian of Manchester reported
this week from Capetown.
South Africa’s House was debating
amendments to the Bantu Laws, a
move designed to strengthen the
Government’s apartheid policy, when
Nationalists started jeering at Mr.
Gorshel’s opposition to the measure.
The Nationalists referred to Mr.
Gomel's “race," dragged Israel into
the discussion, and otherwise baited
the Jewish members of Parliament,
according to the Guardian report.
When two other Jewish members,
Hymie Miller of the United Party
and Mrs. Helen Suzman, of the
Progressive Party, rose to try to
get the floor. Nationalists shouted
“Look how the Jews are getting
up.”
Douglas Mitchell, leader for the
United Party in Natal, protested,
vigorously against the Jew-haiting,
pointing out that not one of the
senior members of the Nationalist
Party had risen to defend other
members from calummy. This was
the second time in two weeks that
Mr. Mitchell had voiced such a
protest.
The Guardian stated that the Na
tionalist tendency to deride the Jew
ish members with anti-Semitic jibes
has increased “markedly” in the
last two weeks. Two weeks ago,
Mr. Gorshel, after a heated argu
ment with Nationalists, was ordered
out of the chamber while National
ists yelled “go back to Israel.” The
Nationalists in the House have re
peatedly accused the Jewish pop
ulation here of “devoting them
selves to undermining the country.”
NEW YORK — American Jews
serving with the Peace Corps in
Pakistan, Liberia and Ethopia and
with State Department missions in
Thailand, Vietnam awl India will
observe Passover thousands of miles
from an organized Jewish commun
ity because of arrangements made
by the National Jewish Welfare
Board (JWB). Passover, the world’s
oldest festival of freedom begins at
Sundown March 27.
JWB has included these isolated
civilians in planning its world-wide
Passover activities ’ for 100,000 Jew
ish GIs on duty with American mil
itary forces at home and abroad
Passover food packages and Hag-
gadahs and other Passover religi
ous literature provided by JWB to
Jewish servicemen and their de
pendents and to hospitalized vet
erans were also made available this
year, on request, to a limited num
ber of Jewish civilians on duty with
American missions abroad, through
the JWB’s Women's Organizations'
Services.
Passover services, sedarim on
base in synagogues, Jewish Com
munity Centers and other commun
ity facilities, home hospitality, and,
at many installations special Pass-
over meals for the entire eight days
of the holiday have been organized
at home and overseas by the 370
full and part time Jewish chaplains,
regional JWB consultants and over
200 local JWB Armed Services Com
mittees.
Jewish chaplains will officiate at
Passover services in Vietnam,
Korea, the Philippines, Japan, Oki
nawa, France, Turkey, Alaska,
Canal Zone, Great Britain and Ha
waii. Jewish GIs trained by the
chaplains will preside at Passover
festivities in Guantanamo Bay,
Greenland, Spain, Greece and North
Africa.
Two civilian rabbis will fly to
bases in the Atlantic on special Pass-
over military missions. Rabbi Isaac
Neuman, of Temple Judah, Cedar
Rapids, Iowa, will preside at Pass-
over services to be held at Lajes
Air Force Base, Azores. Rabbi
David Max Eichhom, director field
operations, JWB Commission on
Jewish Chaplaincy, will be at Kind
ley Air Force Base, Bermuda, on
a similar assignment.
On-base Passover services or home
hospitality in nearby communities
will also be held for Jewish military
personnel at hundreds of domestic
installations and Veterans Acknini-
stration hospitals.
out Embellishment” published re
cently by the Ukrainian Academy of
Science at Kiev. The Freiheit edi
torial called upon Soviet authorities
to “punish” those who resort to
anti-Semitism in the course at the
Soviet Union’s campaign against all
religions.
Mr. Hall issued the following
statement: “I have not read the
pamphlet. I have only seen repro
ductions of parts of the pamphlet,
and I don't know whether the copies
circulated in this country are forg
eries. There is no doubt in my mind,
however, about the anti-Semetic cha
racter of what 1 have seen. Such
stereotyped, libelous caricatures of
the Jewish people must be clearly
condemned without ambiguity — no
matter where they come from. Cer
tainly they can have no place in
Communist or progressive litera
ture.”
Referring to the anti-Semitic car
icatures in the Ukrainian pamphlet,
Mr. Hall said: "Whatever the in
tention might be of the artist who
drew those cartoons, such stereo
types have a specific, outspoken,
anti-Semitic meaning, and their use
has precisely the same effect that
they would have if used by those
who are permeated with the grossest
anti-Semitism.” The Communist
leader declared that, regardless of
what may be learned about the
origin of the pamphlet, the existence
of the booklet must not be used as
a "smoke screen” for anti-Soviet at
tacks.
The Freiheit revealed, in its edi
torial, that it had queried its cor
respondent in Moscow, who is on the
staff of Novosti, an official Soviet
Government news agency, asking
whether such a pamphlet had indeed
been issued in Kiev, and about
details in connection with the book
let The inquiry, stated the news
paper, was cabled three weeks ago
—tmrm to page 8
Brandeis U., was on hand to re
assure the delegates that his insti
tution had no ulterior motive, and
would in no way interfere with
“complete autonomy” by the So
ciety.
Delegates who could not approach
the subject frontally because of the
injunction elected a pro-move slate
headed by Dr. Leon J. Obermayer,
a Philadelphia attorney. He succeed
ed Dr. Abraham Kanof, a New York
City pediatrician.
The delegates heard papers on Sa
vannah Jewry, the Jews of Virginia,
and on Pioneer Jews of Los Angeles.
Citations were presented to mem
bers affiliated with the Society for
35 years or more. Arthur Hays
Sulzberger, chairman of the board
of the New York Times, was one
of those receiving the citation. Dr.
Philip D. Sano of Chicago was elect
ed chairman of the executive corn
ed
At the brilliant ceremony planned
for the rededication of the Coming
Street CWhetery, the rain came
down in torrents, drenching those
who braved the downpour. Among
the notables on hand were General
Mark Clark and Bernard Baruch,
who placed a wreath on the grave
of an ancestor buried in the ceme
tery.
The banquet Sunday evening was
welcomed by South Carolina Gover
nor Donald S. Russell and by U. S.
Senator Strom Thurmond, Senator
Thurmond made favorable ref
erences to the State of Israel.
From where some delegates sat
at Charleston, it seemed the New
York courts would have the final-
say-so in the matter of the Brandeis
University location and not members
of the Society.
It was a sore spot for a group
which had worked together so har
moniously in matters pertaining to
the past. Now that the Society tun*
to its own future, trouble is brew
ing. i
Zagayski Collection
Of Rare Ritual
Objects Sold in NY
NEW YORK (JTA)—The Jewish
Museum of New York was the heav
iest purchaser here last weekend at
a public auction of the Michael M.
Zagayski collection of rare Jewish
ritual objects. The auction, which
was held at the Parke-Bernet Gal
leries here, brought a total of $347,-
640. Mr. Zagayski is known as one
of the outstanding collectors of rare
Jewish religkxK art.
the purchase, which totaled $3
was financed by friends of the
eum. Among the itenw acq
w«re a cast bronze "cholent"
(used for the preparation of fa
ditional Sabbath meal) tat $4,5
pair of wrought and repousse i
Torah finials for $9,500; a pa
wrou K ht and gilded silver 1
finials for $8,000; a pair of p,
KUbded Ajoure silver
Torah finials for $8,000; .
wrou *ht and repousse parcel-
silver Hanukah menorah for 1