Compiled by San Diego Jewish World staff
Jewish Center Tenth Annual Meeting: The Program of the Jewish Community Center
Southwestern Jewish Press, March 2, 1956, Page 5
By Irving Mortin, Asst. Dir. J.C.C.
The word Community in the Jewish Community Center has a great deal of meaning. The community is People; human beings, living organisms acting and reacting to each other. Without people there is no community. Our program, our very existence is people, individuals, in groups, standing, sitting, talking, listening, playing, working, doing. We work with the muscle and sinew of the community, its people. What we do with people, in our program, will determine whether we will contribute to the social uplifting of the community or not. We should not overlook the fact that a Jewish Community center adds to the already existing cultural, recreational and educational resources, of which any community has not enough.
The word Jewish in the Jewish Community Center is the unique feature of our agency. No other social recreation agency in San Diego can claim this distinction. The word Jewish to the Center means living, ageless values. Jewishness is attitudes – attitudes toward life, toward our fellow men, toward are families, toward our brothers throughout the world. These attitudes provide the Center program the plus factor that our friends in the Y.M.C.A. and the Boys’ Clubs of San Diego have in their own unique way. Although we are unique in our way, we share with the Y.M.C.A. and the Boys Clubs, many other goals and objectives common to social agencies in a Democracy. Let me spell out some of these goals:
1. To make people happy while engaging in wholesome and uplifting activity.
2. To help people mature to the greatest of their capacity.
3. To help people understand and practice the Democratic precepts within which maturity of the individual and wholesome values can blossom.
4. To enable each to contribute to the best of his ability to the society in which he lives in the area of social living, human relationships, recreation, economics and politics, too.
There are many other goals we share with social agencies in the community.
Some of the goals we in the Jewish Community Center have above and beyond those cshared – and which make us unique, include:
1. Positive Jewish identification. A knowledge of Jewish history and contributions down through the ages. An appreciation for the modern day application of Jewish values built up through the years and in some areas incorporated in our American life scene
2. Positive Jewish Preservation. Continuing the positive traditions and values to the present and coming generations by developing positive motivations and sincere feelings for things Jewish in our members.
3. Helping our member adjust and contribute as a minority group to the majority life and culture. By being stronger and better Jews, we are better able to adjust in the American scene, handle situations that may arise, and to make our contributions to American life as wholesome Americans.
The way we aim to achieve our objectives is by the use of Social Group Work. We try to employ the latest techniques and lessons of social scientists from the fields of Psychology, Sociology, Education, History, Social Work and Group Dynamics.
Why are we building a new Center? To help us reach these objectives. Therefore we are not a “poor man’s country club” but a home for all our people regardless of economic status or religious affiliations. Therefore we are not building an edifice for the glorification of our egos.
The physical building must reflect this. The program must reflect our goals. The activities must reflect our objectives. The budget must reflect our needs. The methods must complement our values. The personnel must exemplify the attitudes, training skills and personality which would help to motivate our members toward our goals. The Board of Directors must be devoted to the Center movement. The content of programs must clarify and focus our reason for existence.
Although almost all of you are pleased at what we have been able to create in the way of program with our limitations, we must be honest with ourselves and admit that our program today falls short of our objectives and goals. Although many nice things are happening in our program and many individuals are gaining from their participation, we have been able to achieve only a small part of what we ought to have. We may look forward to a much greater degree of goal reaching in the near future.
And now we build will enable us to take a long step forward. A building contains mortar, wood, steel and glass. However, we are building for the community. We are building for Jewish identification. We are building for democracy. We are building for our goals and objectives. We are building for people.
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Annual Report by Albert Hutler, Executive Director, J.C.C.
Southwestern Jewish Press, March 2, 1956, Page 5
There are many here who after ten years of striving against apathy, lack of understanding and even hostility from some quarters, are seeing a dream coming true.
The theme of this meeting, “And now we build” rings boldly with the sounds of years—years spent in planning, sweating and striving – years well spent as we see the dream coming true.
What we will build is not important. The concept and philosophy of what we are about to build; and the relationships which we carry on with others within the community is important.
What are we building? Not alone bricks and plaster – not alone meeting rooms, a gymnasium, nursery school, and swimming pool – but a real welding force within the community. As a concept and symbol, what we are building has a great potency since it has already demonstrated that it can enlist the interest of practically all sections of the population that are concerned with their Jewishness. In the Jewish Community Center we have an organization for all Jews and their friends – for all to meet on common grounds – for Orthodox, Conservative and Reformed – for Zionist and non-Zionist – for religionists and non-religionists. Here is a common ground also on which we can meet our Christian friends and neighbors.
The philosophy of the Jewish Community Center can be best expressed in one short paragraph:
“The Jewish Community Center is dedicated to the principles of American democracy and Judaism. It serves people of all ages, both sexes, and from all walks of life. It is a meeting place for the bridge between Jewish groups, and those who are unaffiliated, and seeks to unite them around common interests without imposing conformity. It offers people the opportunities to acquire a knowledge and appreciation of and identification with the traditions and ethical and cultural values of Judaism and American democracy.”
The Jewish Community Center is not an island within itself. It belongs to the entire community – not to one segment, group or sect. Here in San Diego its leadership has rightly and intelligently determined that vested interest must not flourish in the Center. Brought into being by the United Jewish Fund; nurtured and financed for the last nine years by the Fund and the Federation of Jewish Agencies; and financed starting with this year by the Community Chest, the Center has a responsibility to these agencies, and to the community as a whole to use the monies wisely, and to serve the people of San Diego to the fullest.
The Center is part of the central community organization of both the overall community and the Jewish community. It is therefore part of a social planning process whose objectives are 1) to strengthen and render more effective existing social services, and (2) to help stimulate and develop new services which are needed.
Center leadership must be community leadership and community minded, or the Center will fail in its primary purpose. They must understand that the total community approach is desirable for many reasons. In the first place many programs require joint efforts of two or more existing functional agencies. We see this even today in our program for the aging—a joint effort of the Center – the Home—the Home Auxiliary—Jewish Social Service Agency, and the National Council of Jewish Women—brought together by the Federation. We see this every day in the operation and planning processes of the Community Welfare Council.
The Central Community agency is effective in bringing together all facets of the community to a greater degree than otherwise possible by direct negotiation and between the agencies. Frequently agencies on their own are reluctant to consider the problem, and wish to remain within the confines of their own narrow viewpoint.
Again, without Central Community organization, agencies have a tendency to become static and vested interests tend to build up. The Central Agency gives to each functional agency the necessary balance so needed if the functional agency is to do a vital job in the community.
Without the Federation and the United Jewish Fund the dream could not have come true in 1956. Without the planning of San Diego’s fine Community Welfare Council, the broad concepts and relationships in recreation and leisure time activity could not have advanced in our community. Without the community chest the struggle to operate this year would have been much greater; and without the Jewish Community Center a tremendous gap in Jewish community life would still exist.
We Jews in San Diego have made many contributions to life in our community. We have lived here since about 1854. In return, we have received very much from San Diego. And tonight as we say “And Now We Build” we have an opportunity to make a worthwhile contribution to the life of the city which has done so much for us and our children. We are planning to give to our city an edifice for use by all of its people. We are making our contribution in a way that can be seen and used by Jew and non-Jew.
May I express the silent prayer that the Jewish Community Center and its leadership will always remember their responsibilities, and to the best of their abilities carry out the trust that has been placed with them by their community.
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Beth Jacob News
Southwestern Jewish Press, March 2, 1956, Page 6
Beth Jacob Sisterhood, in conjunction with the Auxiliary, will hold its annual Rummage Sale at the Center, 4473 30th St., on Monday, Tuesday, Wedensday, Mar. 5-6-7. Chairman Goldie Schusterman, AT 2-9328, will appreciate any old articles or items.
The Congregation has resumed open house every Thursday evening in the Center. Everyone is cordially invited to attend for a social night.
The Religious School will hold a model Seder conducted entirely by the children on Sunday, Mar. 25 at 10:30 a.m.
The community Passover Seder has been set for Monday, Mar. 26. Deadline for servations is Mar. 19. If you are planning to attend, please act now. Call AT 4-9523.
The Shule conducts to minyonim daily, at 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. On the Sabbath and holidays service sbeing at 9 a.m. On Sundays at 8 a.m.
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USO-JWB
Southwestern Jewish Press, March 2, 1956, Page 6
By Claire Kaplan
House parties are being hosted by members of USO-JWB and various individuals to assure representation of San Diego at the JWB Biennial Convention, April 5th to 8th at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York. A session on pre-induction orientation will be led by our own Mickey Fredman.
Operation VOGMA (Vocational Guidance-Military Advisement) is well underway with eighteen young men enrolled in planning their careers in both civilian life and the Armed Forces. The pilot study is being supervised by Dr. Daniel H. Harris and Lester E. Tokars and being coordinated by USO-JWB Director, Abe Friedman…
Serving USO-JWB at the Naval TrainingCenter were Mrs. Byron Sharpe, Jack Spivak, David Cohen, and Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Friedlander, all representing the Yo-Ma-Co organization. … Not enough can be written to express the enjoyment the Sunday Brunches have brought to the boots at the Base. Seeing the gratitude of these Jewish boys is ample reward, indeed, for skipping an extra hour of Sunday morning beauty sleep … Volunteers – let’s keep those bagels rolling.
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Hilltop Quire To Sing For Sisterhood
Southwestern Jewish Press, March 2, 1956, Page 6
“When Good Friends Get Together” could be the theme song of the Hilltop Quire when they appear for the Temple Beth Israel Sisterhood meeting on Wednesday, March 14th, at 11:45 a.m., in the Temple Center. This will be the sixth consecutive annual appearance of the one-hundred and thirty four members of San Diego High School acapella quire under the direction of Maxwell E. Harrison. The musical numbers offered will be representative of many cultural and religious backgrounds.
Luncheon chairman will be Mmes Mack Freedman and Sidney Goldstein.
A comedy skit, “Uniongrams Fashion Review,” will be an added feature.
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Tifereth Israel Sisterhood to Present Cantata
Southwestern Jewish Press, March 2, 1956, Page 6
On Tuesday evening, March 13, at 8 o’clock, at the Synagogue, Tifereth Israel Sisterhood will present an inspiring musical evening in celebration of Jewish Music Month.,
Members of the Sisterhood will make up the cast and will present a Cantata, entitled ‘The Seven Golden Buttons’ by Judith and Ira Eisenstein. This musical masterpiece will be under the directin of Cantor Joseph Cysner.
The Cantata is based on a story about the famous Rabbi Baal Shem Tov, who lived in the middle f the 18th century.
The public is cordially invited to this musical event.
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Adventures in San Diego Jewish History” is sponsored by Inland Industries Group LP in memory of long-time San Diego Jewish community leader Marie (Mrs. Gabriel) Berg. Our “Adventures in San Diego Jewish History” series will be a regular feature until we run out of history. To find stories on specific individuals or organizations, type their names in our search box, located just above the masthead on the right hand side of the screen.