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PAGE 20 — THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE, August 29, 1975
May The New Year Bring You "Mazal'
MINK-REXALL DRUGS
4510 Roswell Rd„ N. Phone 255-6133
Atlanta, Ga.
Vivid Personalities Mark
Singapore’s Jewish Life
by JOSEPH POLAKOFF
High Holy Day Greetings
BAUGH & McELVEEN, Inc.
Prescriptions - Drugs - Cosmetics
876-8836
810 N. Highland Ave„ N.E., Atlanta, Ga.
Gracious Greetings
For The New Year
CHARLIE WEEKS
HARPER METHOD
BEAUTY SALON
75 Ponce de Leon Avenue,N.E.
Atlanta, Georgia
Telephone: TR. 2-5121
HAIR STYLING SCALP TREATMENTS
HAIR COLORING SKIN TREATMENTS
HARPERCOLD PERMANENTS HAND TREATMENTS
Our Most
Cordial Greetings
nelson FARBERfranson
GENERAL CONTRACTORS
NFF INCORPORATED
FIXTURE MANUFACTURER!
ATLANTA
FASHIONS INC.
4350 Canmwre* OcW. S.W , AtUrrt., Ga. 30334 (404) 691-65AO
The decision of June Linowitz
and her bridegroom, Gabriel
Gerstenblith, to make their home
in Singapore doubtlessly is bright
news for the dwindling Jewish
community in that little island
which shelters some of the most
historic Jewish landmarks in
Eastern Asia. June’s father is Sol
M Linowitz, former chairman of
Xerox and U.S, representative to
the Organization of American
States who now practices law in
Washington. Gabriel, of
Searingtown, L.I., is regional
systems coordinator for the NCR
Corporation in Singapore.
In the mid-thirties, Singapore’s
Jewish population was between
3000 and 4000. The ravages of
World War II caused many to
emigrate, mainly to Australia and
California. It now numbers
perhaps 600, many of them old,
poor and without work. In a larger
sense, they are somewhat like the
remnant of Jewry in Penang, once
also a British stronghold in
Malaysia. Now Penang has only
about 20 Jews who help maintain
their identity by selling off bits of a
cemetery the community acquired in
about 1835 when the Jews of that
time bought a tract from money
found in the effects of a Jewish wom
an who died upon arrival in Penang
and wanted to be buried in a Jewish
grave.
Among the numerous Jews of
Singapore who received acclaim,
Sir Manasseh Meyer who died at
an advanced age in 1930 stands
ouOThis Orthodox and pious .tew
of Sephardic origin made a fortune
in the export-import trade and
devoted much of it both to
Singapore and Judaism. On the
grounds where he lived with his
wife and seven children, he built a
magnificent synagogue and a per
manent Sukka. There, too, is a
community center and school
named for his youngest son.
Within the mansion are numerous
symbols of Judaism.
Whenever he traveled he took
with him for a companion a Jew
from Cochin in the south of India
who slaughtered chickens and
prepared his meals. A youngster
when he arrived in Singapore, he
returned to Baghdad to find his
bride. He took all his children to
what was then Palestine to help in
culcate in them a love for Israel.
Singapore's only knighted Jew,
he is associated with Singapore in
countless ways. His name leads all
individuals on the marhle slab
listing benefactors for Raffles
College, now the University of
Singapore. Meyers Chambers, a
prominent building on Raffles
Square, bears his name below a
Mogen Dovid on the keystone over
its main doorway.
A JTA reporter visiting
Singapore three years ago found
(he last of Sir Manassch's children
who survived him living in the
family mansion and referred to a i
“the uncrowned queen of
Singapore.” In her eighties, Mrs.
Mo/.elle Meyer Missitn*
second child among the seven,
sought to maintain the traditions
her father had nurtured, including
aid to the poor. Her only ornament
was a bracelet with three charms
— one with the Ten Com
mandments in Hebrew; a mode} of
a Torah, and a heart-shaped b«na-
Other Jews prominent in
Singapore include David
Marshall, who was Singapore's
Prime Minister in 1955 and sat in
its Parliament as an independent.
In two long conversations with
him, the visitor heard from
Marshall that his father’s name
was Mashal and his parents had
conic in 1900 from Baghdad. A
lawyer, he did not hold public of
fice before becoming Singapore’s
— TURN TO PAGE 21
Whistlers
Saul Bros. & Co., Inc.
820 Spring St., N.W., Atlanta, Ga. 30308
DAVID SAUL ALVIN SAUL HARRY GORDON
A UPSTAIRS CLOSET
MIRVIS AND FOX, Inc.
TEXTILES
SAUL E. FOX - STANLEY A. MIRVIS
340 Patton Dr., S. W.
696-2474
ATLANTA 3, GEORGIA
Our Very Best. . .
This New Year
Season And Always
Interior Detigm By
David
INCORPORATED
3150 Piedmont Road. N. B.
Atlanta, Georgia 30305
237-1*34
«l I 1/1 «lll, diiu u irvui i.Tiiujtwi wmia- i