Compiled by San Diego Jewish World staff
Shavuos, “The Feast of Weeks”
Southwestern Jewish Press, May 11, 1956, Page 5
The observance of the Jewish festival of Shavuos, which begins at sundown, Tuesday, May 15, is a most joyous experience for the Jewish community.
According to Jewish tradition, the revelation on Mt. Sinai took place on Shavuos. That is why the festival is also designated as the birthday of the Ten Commandments.
The ceremony of confirmation has a special place in Jewish life as a symbol for young people who have completed their elementary religious education. The confirmants are welcomed into spiritual maturity by the congregation and the rabbi, who remind them of the need for moral purpose in their lives.
Although a new ceremony, relatively, the confirmation has become an important milestone in the life of our young people. It marks the end of Sunday School for them and the entrance into youth activity groups that are designed to keep and promote their interests in the Synagogue for many years to come.
We congratulate all the parents and the confirmants on this occasion and hope that this ceremony will strengvthen th bonds of Israel’s pact with God made on Mt. Sinai.
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As the Psychologist Sees You
Southwestern Jewish Press, May 11, 1956, Page 5
By Irving R. Stone, Psychological Consultant
Heredity
There is a peculiar factor about our topic of today in that people use it to explain many things, often too many, It is used to prove a point, to explain a failure, or deficiency, to spur a person on to greater effort, to condemn a person and to provoke others to resignation or the feeling of rejection. It is as much misunderstood as it is understood, and we do not know all there is to be known about it.
Heredity has been use to explain personality, intelligence, one’s appearance and physical defect. To some extent, heredity does play a part but it is only the part and not the complete answer. Perhaps of equal part is the influence of the environment which develops and modifies those characteristics which are inherited.
Often we expect children to bear a striking resemblance to their parents. However, heredity may also operate to produce differences. This is mainly due to some recessive genes, a factor of inheritance which causes a characteristic to appear not from the parents but from a trait which was present in some generations many times removed. When twins are born to parents they may be as different as any other two children because they are known as fraternal twins, not identical.
When a retarded child is born, each parent looks to some skeleton in the closet of his or her mate. Yet, we may have much to learn about mental retardation and many such births cannot be explained by our known facts of heredity. Nor do we know, as yet, whether specific characteristics of personality are inherited and much that is attributed to heredity is really based upon environmental conditions.
We inherit many potentialities such as those of physical characteristics and intelligence. However, unless the environment allows the body to develop properly, or the social experience to be enriching, nourishing and rewarding, these potentialities cannot develop.
While many of our research studies during the past thirty years have seemed to place all the responsibility for most of our emotional conditions, even those which were thought to be of a non-organic nature, the trend is toward further research to find whether we inherit some characteristics which might be potentialities for mental illness. Perhaps, if these potentialities are inherited, some unusual pattern of development in our environment might cause them to develop into causes for mental illness.
There is little that each of us, as ordinary individuals, can do about the hereditary problem that it is well for us to devote ourselves to making a happy, healthy, secure environment for ourselves and our children and leaving the hereditary factors to chance and the scientists.
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Ind. Oil Men Blast Big Combine Scheme
Southwestern Jewish Press, May 11, 1956, Page 5
Independent California oil producers today challenged the co-called oil and gas ‘conservation’ initiative as “a selfish and arrogant oil control scheme by major international oil companies to strangle competition and flood the State with Arabian oil imports.”
The blunt accusation was made in a statement by E. G. Starr of Los Angeles, president of the Association of Independent Oil Producers.
Starr charged that “Richfield Oil Corporation, Standard Oil Company and several other international importing oil companies owning vast Arabian oil concessions are pouring millions of dollars into a propaganda campaign to influence the voters in favor of the initiative.”
The charge that the “conservation” measure is a disguised oil control scheme was repeated today in statewide newspaper advertisements published by the Association urging the public not to be “stampeded” into supporting it.
Focal point of the attack by the independents, according to Starr, is the initiative’s provision for compulsory unitization—or control – of the California oil producing industry in the guise of conservation.
“We take the position that compulsory unitization, as proposed by these major international oil importing companies, would clamp a death grip on the competitive operations of small independents,” Starr asserted. “It would give them a free hand to pour into California from the Middle East wastefully produced with cheap Arabian labor.”
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USO-JWB
Southwestern Jewish Press, May 11, 1956, Page 5
By Claire Kaplan
The red velvet carpet at the Westside Jewish Community Center in Los Angeles was unrolled for two of our USO-JWB Hostesses, Misses Maxine Gerson and Arlene Mihlman, visiting the Northern Center last weekend. Traveling without portfolio, our local lovelies were given a royal welcome and enjoyed the friendly warmth and hospitality of the Center USO.
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Oh, how we miss you dept: Mr. Abraham A. Friedman, Director of USO-JWB, has planed East, and is at present attending the National USO Conference in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Although he will return to San diego immediately after the conference, Mr. Friedman and his family will be leaving our fair city for permanent residence in New York City in the middle of June. Unncle Abe (to umpteen Jr. Hostesses and Servicemen) will be sorely missed around these parts, and golly how we hate to see him go!
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We never thought it would happen, but it did! An oversupply of Jr. Hostesses at the USO Dance Wednesday night at Temple Center, made it one for the books. Such pretty girls, too. Regualar Sailors’ Heaven! Never did so few have it so good!
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It’s about the time of year when plan s are being formulated for our annual Jr. Hostesses “Reward” Luncheon … Held last year at the Marine Corps Officers Club (with General McQueen as guest of honor) the lunch was followed by a tour of the aircraft carrier the Shangri La… High hopes to top this affair with a submarine cruise, a destroyer tour, or a jaunt in a jet, are still in the simmering stage, but the wheels will grind shortly, and definite data will be in the mail in the near future.
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Lasker Lodge News
Southwestern Jewish Press, May 11, 1956, Page 5
By Henry Schwartz
Bowlers attention! The May 28th meeting will feature the presentations of bowling awards. Sam Bennett, chairman of the affair, says 26 trophies will be presented that evening.
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From time to time this column will carry pen portraits of the men who make B’nai B’rith. One of these is dark, suave, dynamic Edmund Herman, first vice-president of the Lodge. Mr. Herman entered this country as a member of the Maccabi Soccer Team of Tel Aviv… He was the first student to graduate from the Harvard School of Law who received his entire undergraduate work in a non-English college… In 1950, he moved to San Diego with his charming wife, Elsie, and served as Public Attorney for this city… In 1951 he hung out his own shingle. Ed Herman joined the Lasker Lodge in 1951 and in two short years reached the office of 1st Vice President. In his quiet, calm manner, he has the knack of analyzing a situation and cutting it down to size – a valuable asset to any leader.
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(Heart Fund)
Southwestern Jewish Press, May 11, 1956, Page 5
This community is one of the thousands across the country conducting Heart Fund drives this month to support the battle against the hart heart and circulatory diseases through programs of research, education and community heart projects. Help Your Heart Fund – Help Your Heart.
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Press Notes
Southwestern Jewish Press, May 11, 1956, Page 5
Cloud No 9 – After putting the last issue to bed, my ponder and I left the world of the landlocked and took off on Cloud No. 9, a Las Vegas Air Line plane. In spite of the heavy traffic of heavenly clouds, our trip was smooth, thanks to our two handsome navigators and their deHavilland Dove. One and one-half hours later we landed—smack on the green of a Las Vegas dice table. The fabulous city was crowded with golfers, gamblers and guys with dolls, all “tres gai.” As for m, I was content with swimming, sunning, resting and reading “The Story of the Baal Shem (Tov)!” the founder of Chassidism and Jewish mysticism. (For this you go to Las Vegas?)
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… Hats off to Princeton’s 100-year-old Whig-Cliosophic Debating Society for sticking to their guns and insisting that they have the right to invite controversial “figure of speech” Alger Hiss to address them on “The Meaning of Geneva.” In our book,t he whole story of the Hiss case is yet to be told. So sorry I won’t be around when Roosevelt’s papers are made public in about 38 years.
Follow up on the “Niseis” letter, reprinted in the last issue, is a news item from a L.A. paper indicating that identical letters were sent to synagogues and Jewish community centers all over the country. The matter was turned over to the FBI. It is the opinion of the Regional Director of the Japanese-American Cultural League that “the letters are the work of someone both anti-Jewish and anti-Japanese.”
…The menu of the Gourmet Dinner, mailed to us by the Palms restaurant in Escondido, reads like an epicurean’s dream. We aren’t surprised that reservations must be in by Thursday for these Saturday night dinners.
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“The Shamrock and the Star” is the name of the transcript from the Congressional Record, forwarded to us this week from the House of Representatives. It contains the speeches of ten congressmen, made on March 15, 19856, in commemoration of St. Patrick’s Day. Surprisingly enough, it has some of the best reasons for helping the State of Israel. For those falling for the line that to support Israel means dual loyalty, we recommend reading this transcript. “Begorra” and you can still be a good American and fight for freedom whether it be for Ireland or for Israel.
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“Par Avion Italiana,” we quote from Mac & Tibby Podell’s card: “Just back from a trip to Israel with a stopover in Greece. The Greeks had a word for it but we couldn’t understand it – everybody belongs to a fraternity. When it Rome we did as the Romans did – ate pasta. Both Rome and Greece stress their old ruins but Israel stresses the future. It was thrilling and its people are full of courage and resourcefulness.”
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Not Even Close to a million Arab refugees, is the opinion of John J. Smertneko, Exec. Vice Chairman of the Committee to Save the Middle East from Communism. More like 380,000. In 1948 there were 500,000 Arabs in the area which is now Israel. Of these, slightly more than 100,000 remained in that territory and about 20,000 returned to it after the invasion of Israel by the Arab States. Immediately after the war, the Arab press, which is not noted for understatement, announced that there were 300,000 refugees. Could it be that the handouts of the United Nations Relief Agency has attracted the underprivileged Arabs throughout Araby, or is the 1,000,000 figure a figment of the Arab propaganda agency to win world sympathy?
… Since this is the time to come to the aid of the party, we are happy to learn that our friend Assemblyman Sheridan Hegland has been endorsed by the Allied Health Professions comprising representatives of the legislative committees of Calif. Medical, State Dental Assoc., Hospital and Pharmaceutical, Opticians and Public Health League.
Dr. Corey of the California Teachers Association, says “One of the most notable achievements was enactment of the Hegland bill establishing State scholarships for deserving young college students. For this measure alone he should have the eternal gratitude of the people of California.” We first met Hegland when he was executive director for the S.D.U.S.O. Council. If you live in the 77th Assembly Dist. You can keep a good man in office by placing an “X” next to his name on the ballot June 5.
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With The Guardians
Southwestern Jewish Press, May 11, 1956, Page 6
By Morrie Pomeranz
Seated behind his highly polished desk, Dave Stotsky (wearing a gray flannel suit) carried on a casual conversation with a friend who had dropped in from the ninth floor of his building. As the two reminisced about Gene Littler’s achievements, a man burst into the office and with the brisk assurance that accompanies success, quickly and unhesitatingly outlined his insurance problems to Dave. “I want my new home insured for $38,000—my personal belongings for another 4 grand—my car for 42 hundred and, oh, another 3 for burglary –what’ll my premiums be?” Efficiently, Dave told the stranger the correct amount. The man, pen in hand, wrote out a check for the total figure and, as he started for the door, turned to Stotsky and asked: “Oh, just one more thing –if my house and belongings should burn tonight—how much do I get?” Dave’s friend rose slowly from his chair and said: “Oh, about 7 years.” For the third party quietly and listening is a claims adjust whose specialty is arson.
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Hi-Lites of May 3rd Dinner Meeting – Tremendously noisy gathering – Guardians can never be criticized for their lack of enthusiasm – but this spirited camaraderie becomes inexcusable during the business portion of the dinner—the door prize—a beautiful clock radio donated by our amiable Doyle Kahn—the “smart money” boys at Vegas would unquestionably say that the odds would be rather prohibitive at what happened – but happened it did –Stu Penter drew the winning ticket which was held by his dad Its. Guests included: Harry Aronson, brought by his brother-in-law Abe Sklar – Sam Portger, hosted by Sam Resnick – Sandy Berenson (a new member) and guest of Harry Snyder – Dick McKee and Philip Marshall—both brought by Julius Kahn.
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During the meeting, Harry Snyder, as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, announced plans for the coming Dinner Dance to be held at the Mission Valley Country Club. From early indications (and appraisals must be conservative) this should be the outstanding event of the year. At the dance, some lucky San Diegan will cash in on a 50 to 1 longshot; for 100 tickets (and no more than this) will be sold at the donation price of $100 each—the winner to be awarded a 1956 Cadillac for $5,000 in cash – 53 tickets were sold immediately. For additional information regarding tickets, dates and tax possibilities, contact either Harry Snyder, Al DeSure, Dave Schissel or Laury Cantor.
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Sam Feller, in the furtherance of his building activities, wined and dined a prospective client at the Grill. As the blue haze of expensive cigars screened the luncheon table, Sam inquired: “Now, how would you like to see a beautiful model home?” The contented prospect replied eagerly: “Sure, pal, what time does she get off?”
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Bills for D.D.D. Being Mailed Today
Southwestern Jewish Press, May 11, 1956, Page 6
First mechanically-prepared statements for telephone calls placed through Direct Distance Dialing equipment are being mailed local telephone subscribers.
Times of all long distance calls were recorded manually by operators before the DDD cut-over April 15. They will continue to handle person-to-person, collect and other calls not place thru the new system.
DDD calls are recorded automatically on tape by an electronic device. The machine fees the information to a series of machines which write the bills automatically.
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Jewish Center News
Southwestern Jewish Press, May 11, 1956, Page 6
Friendly Social Club Presents
Saturday night, May 19, marks the first public performance of a group of talented artists of the Friendly Solcial Club, an affiliate organization of the Jewish Community Center of San Diego.
Lilliam Baume, chairman of the Friendly Social Club, announced “An Evening of Entertainment “ will be held in the Jewish Community Center, 3227 El Cajon Blvd., at 8:00 p.m. with assistance from the National Council of Jewish Women. Headlining the show will be Jimmy H. Lesser, popular master of ceremonies and sleight of hand artist, plus a gala array of outstanding San Diego talent.
The Friendly Social Club is a Senior Adult Activity with clubrooms located in the Hebrew Home for the Aged, 4075 54th Street.
Wamus Social Club – The Wamus Social Club (for single adults 30 to 55) will hold their next session on Sunday evening, May 20, at 8:00 p.m. with a planned variety of activities. A film that is both timely and interesting followed by a discussion will open the program. Dancing, refreshments and games will feature the lighter side of the evening’s program. Exciting plans are under way for future get-togethers. All those who attend will have the chance to vote for their favorite activity and recreation. Friendship and fun are the objectives of the club. New members are always welcome. RSVP Mrs. Betty Husted, AT 1-9284, or the Center, AT 1-7744.
Advanced Square Dance Group Meet—The J.C.C. Advanced square dance group will meet this Saturday, May 12, at 8:30 p.m. All couples interested and familiar with the square dance are urged to join in the fun Refreshments are served between sets.
Ground Breaking and Bazaar – Ground breaking ceremonies for the new Jewish Community Center building will take place on Sunday, June 10. An all day Bazaar organized by the Women’s League and participated in by almost every major Jewish organization in the county is expected is expected to draw thousands of people to the new building site. Dozens of groups and organizations are busy preparing the materials needed for their booths. Foods of all kinds, nick-nacks, game booths, skills booths and a brightly colored midway will be part of the gala celebrations. Profits from the booths will go toward the new Center Building Funds.
Center Closed During Holiday – In keeping with its tradition, the Jewish Community Center will be closed from 5:00 p.m., Tuesday, May 15, to 7:00 p.m., Thursday, May 17. The Jewish Community Center wishes everyone a happy Shavuoth.
The Center will be closed all day Wednesday, May 30, Decoration Day.
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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.