Compiled by San Diego Jewish World staff
Personals
Southwestern Jewish Press, February 17, 1956, Page 3
Charlie Juster wishes to express his appreciation for the kind wishes of his friends and organizations during his illness.
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Saul and Eve Chenkin are being wined and dined this month in honor of their 35th Wedding Anniversary. The Jolly 16 Club celebrated with them at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Nate Ratner on Feb. 121th. The next day their Sunday evening club honored them. Maxine Kreiberg, their daughter, her husband and family will be in San Diego, from Cleveland, to attend a hotel dinner for the family and close friends on Feb. 19th.
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Mrs. Isaac Domnitz and Mrs. Joe Richlin wish to thank their friends for their kind thoughts on the passing of their Mother, Mrs. Libby Zalkin, of Omaha, Neb.
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Sylvia Haffner did a bang-up job on a colossal undertaking, namely refreshments for the recent {Adlai} Stevenson rally. She received 600 cakes and 4,000 cups of coffee were served. Thousands were turned away because of lack of parking space.
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There was an overflow attendance at the dinner honoring Goldie Schusterman for her outstanding communal work. Everyone enjoyed the comedy routine of brother George Burns and the lovable Gracie Allen.
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Dr. David Miller recently took off his surgeon’s jacket and donned Navy blue for a two week cruise with Uncle Sam. His four children allowed Mother time off to meet Dad in Mexico Cty, where she shared his shore leave.
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Daniel, the twenty year old son of Mr. and Mrs. David Zwanziger, was appointed teaching assistant in Physics at Columbia University for the Spring semester.
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Mr. and Mrs. Harry Mandell are looking forward to a six week tour of South America. They will visit Panama, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil and Venezuela.
The Mandells expect to see relatives and friends along the way.
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“Tween Age Fashion Show” Presented by Women’s League of Center
Southwestern Jewish Press, February 17, 1956, Page 3
The Women’s League of the Jewish Community Center will hold their next hotel meeting on Friday, March 2nd, 12 noon. Chairman Ruth Bobrof announced that the program will consist of a “Tween-Age Fashion Show,” ages 12 to 14. Adele Cohn is program chairman.
Mitzi Spivak will be in charge of the following models: Ellen Spivak, Randy Selten, Ronnie Baranov, Marty Freedman, Arthur Vetter, Bartley Doctor, David Blakeman, Louis Adler, Marilyn Gelman, Marilyn Idex, Judy Lukin, Rosanne Nadler, Susan Miller, Marlene Tobin, Billy Elliot, Gail Bobrof and Deana Miller. Chenkins Youth Shop and other stores will furnish costumes.
Mothers attending the meeting are invited to leave their youngsters with the baby sitter at the Community Center on El Cajon Blvd.
For reservations phone Sylvia Rose, AT 1-7586 or J.C.C., AT-1-7744.
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Temple Sisterhood Sponsors Annual USO-JWB Purim Dinner
Southwestern Jewish Press, February 17, 1956, Page 3
The USO-JWB annual Purim Dinner and Dance, sponsored by Temple Beth Israel Sisterhood, will be held on Wednesday, February 29th, at 6 p.m. at Temple Center, according to Morrie M. Douglas, USO-JWB Chairman.
The program will open with a Purim service in the Temple conducted jointly by Chaplain E. H. Rickel and Auxiliary Chaplain Morton J. Cohn. This will be followed by a full course dinner in the Temple Center, prepared and served by the Sisterhood. Community singing and entertainment will lend to the merriment, after which tables and chairs will be removed and the dance will ensue.
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Cradle
Southwestern Jewish Press, February 17, 1956, Page 3
Mr. and Mrs. Louis Packer announce the birth of their second son, Jeffrey, on January 25th. Weight 8 lbs, 1 ½ oz. Their other son, Charles, is one and one-half years old.
Maternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Louis Schertzer of San Diego; paternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Julius Packer of New York City. A Bris was held on February 1st.
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When Dr. and Mrs. Earl L. Richmond moved into their new home at 4563 Patria Dr. they carried a precious bundle weighing 6 lbs 4 oz. Carefully wrapped was Mark Stephen who joined his brother, Charles, aged five years, on January 28th.
Maternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Jos. J. Smith of Brentwood; paternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Myer Richmond, of Los Angeles.
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Mr. and Mrs. Martin Venis announce the birth of their first child, Karen Lynn, on January 22nd. Weight 6 lbs 4 ozs. Maternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Meyer Rimland of San Diego; paternal grandparent is Mrs. Edith Venis, of Toronto.
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It is a girl for Mr. and Mrs. Richard Silberman. Big brother, Craig, aged three years, happily welcomed petite Karen Anne, weiht 5 lbs. 10 ozs. to the family circle.
Maternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Ted Rosenfeld; Paternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Isadore Silberman; Great grandfather, Mr. Henry Weinberger; Greatgrandmother, Mrs. Fanny Rosenfeld.
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Card of Thanks
Southwestern Jewish Press, February 17, 1956, Page 3
Goldie Schusterman wishes to publicly thank the sponsors of her testimonial dinner held on Sunday, Feb. 12. They were Mr. and Mrs. Leo Beck, and the members of her Wednesday Club: Etta Barin, Anna Bobrof, Jennie Bloomfield, Lillie Goldbarg, Betha Rassin, Marian Resnick, Helen Sparber, Bess Siegel and Sophie Ulansky. To all who participated, she says, “Thank You!”
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A Personal Disgrace (Editorial)
Southwestern Jewish Press, February 17, 1956, Page 4
By Cornelia Otis Skinner
This is published in the interest of Brotherhood Week, February 19-26, sponsored by the National Conference of Christians and Jews
The fact that racial and religious prejudice should, in any form, exist in a great democracy, is an incredible mockery of the very word democracy. It should be considered in the light of a personal disgrace to every citizen of that same democracy. A disgrace as shocking and as tragic as that of the discovery that a near and dear member of one’s family has become a hardened criminal. For prejudice is a crime. It is a crime against the democratic ideal, a crime against the teachings of Christianity, Judaism and the other great religions, a crime against human decency and a crime against just plain common sense. Furthermore, it is a crime for which every American citizen directly or indirectly is responsible, if not for its inception, at least for the continuance of its presence in our world today.
We are responsible because of our apathy in side-stepping the issue, because of our outmoded give-it-time-it-will-cure-itself attitude, because of our kidding ourselves with the preposterous fable that it is a special problem to be solved by the special persons affected. The problem is our problem, and, as long as prejudice exists in our land, we are the persons affected.
The solving of it must be done by us all, each and every man, woman and child of this nation, of every walk of life and of every race, creed or color. It must be solved by our actions, by our words, and by our thinking. And if we and our children are to survive as living creatures worthy of the name of human beings, it must be solved not in the theoretical future, not tomorrow, but now, this very instant.
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Hillel News
Southwestern Jewish Press, February 17, 1956, Page 4
With the start of a new semester at State College this month, Hillel has made some plans for a season full of activities, including a Passover Token Seder, to take place at Scripps Cottage on April 1st.
Newly elected officers for this semester are David Unterman, Pres.; Bob Tuchin, V.P., Barbara Belovin, Sec., and Glenda Pollack, Treas.
A short meeting and Purim social will be held on Monday, Febvruary 27th at 7:30 p.m., at the Jewish Community Center.
Herb Gross, Past President of Hillel, has accepted the job of President of the Interfaith Council at State College for 1956.
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Synagogue Group Set Valentine Dance
Southwestern Jewish Press, February 17, 1956, Page 4
The next event being planned by the United Synagogue Youth of Tifereth Israel Synagogue is a Valentine dance to be held Saturday, February 18, from 7:30 to 11 p.m. in the Vestry Room at the Synagogue. The dress will be casual. Circulars containing all the information will be mailed to high school kids.
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Book Review: “Satan in Goray”
Southwestern Jewish Press, February 17, 1956, Page 4
By Ida Nasatir
Satan in Goray, by Isaac Bashevis Singer. Translated from the Yiddish by Jacob Sloan. The Noonday Press, $3.00… 239 pp.
It is a long time since a book as vivid and frightening as Isaac Singer’s “Satan in Goray” has crossed my path. Throughout the centuries men, in their painfully slow moral and intellectual progress, have listened to and followed “false messiahs.” The irony of history is that time and again, the “messiah” was in fact none other than a satan! The ability of such “messiahs” to convince untold numbers of avid followers of their “mission” is indeed frightening. Hitler’s success is a point of illustration.
Isaac Bashevis Singer, brother of the famous I.J. Singer is a powerful writer. In this novel (ably translated from the Yiddish by Jacob Sloan) he records in a terrifyingly clear manner first the hysteria, and then the disillusion generated by the messianic movement. That the faith of the Jewish people was able to survive this disillusion is itself a vast miracle, a testimony to its remarkable and eternal strength.
Garay is a typical Jewish shtetl of 17th century Poland, isolated in its medievalism from the rest of the world. Like so many other Polish Jewish communities of the period, it had just b een laid waste by the terrible Chmielnicki massacre. This pogrom, one of the worst in history, appeared to the Jews of Europe as a visitation of the Lord, and to the Cabbalists and mystics it signaled the end of the world. The exhausted people were ready for a “messiah” who would lead them from their miserable exile “straight to the Garden of Eden,” but alas, the one who posed as their deliverer, Sabbatai Zevi, the one they followed and accepted turned out to be human satan. Because Goray was too remote for this “messiah” to personally visit, he sent his emissaries. Chief among these was Reb Gedaliya, an extreme radical demagogue. Gedaliya’s heaven was a Turkish delight, an unlimited field for the gratification of the senses. (Twoards the end, Sabbatai Zevi himself became a Moslem and was gifted with a hjarem by the Turkish sultan!)
Rabbi Benish, the leader of the town, courageous, learned, and honest, tired to lead the people away from the Sabbatai Zevi sect, but once hysteria had been released, he was unable to stem the tide. Goray became a mad wild place of visionaries and psychopaths, First asceticism, and then abandoned license and perversion seized the town… for it was not the Messiah who had come, but Satan.
The “heroine” of the novel is Rechele, daughter of one of the town’s leading citizens. It is she, beautiful but epileptic who is chosen as the devil’s bride.
Isaac Singer captures the spirit of the Polish village as have few other writers. His knowledge of its superstition, its magic, its poverty, beauty and sordidness is astonishing. His “moral” is: “patience, “Let none attempt to force the Lord: To end our pain within the world… The Messiah will come iin God’s own time…”
Once read, this book will not be easily forgotten. Its impact is tremendous.
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With the Guardians
Southwestern Jewish Press, February 17, 1956, Page 4
By Morrie Pomeranz
Hi-Lites of the Feb. 2nd Meeting
A record turnout crowded the dining area – in fact some of the Guardians were heard to complain that too many of the Mission Valley Club members were beginning to use their club’s facilities and thereby limiting the space available for regular non-members—an announcement was made during the dessert that some member had failed to purchase a dinner ticket—but Irv Kahn just doesn’t embarrass that easily – the winning raffle ticket was drawn by A.J. Kahn—and the gift, a beautiful clock donated by Sam and Bud Fischer, was won by Lou Moorsteen … Lou was seated next to A.J. – immediately following the drawing, the “inquiry” sign was posted… Entertainment was furnished by the Harlem Five, a jive combo featuring their own original number entitled “Disorder at the Border.” …. As the entertainment progressed, more and more impatient members disappeared from the dining room –no formal adjournment had been entertained –Sam Fischer properly assessed each guilty member $1.00 for this juvenile delinquency – guests were Paul Israel, Marlin Reid, Fred Sherman, Jerry Krasne and Duke Molnar.
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This story concerns our Guardian who has suffered the excruciating miseries which accompany chronic insomnia—late for work daily – out of sorts – pepless—and above all, a boss critical of this inertia. After much persuasion by the employer, our hero took his first sleeping tablet. Our boy took the pill—came to work in the morning—fully refreshed, vibrant, and bubbling over with new-found enthusiasm. “Man, a wonderful night’s sleep—sure feel fine.” “That’s nice,” answered the boss, “but where were you yesterday?”
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In the current best seller, “The Search for Birdie Murphy,” a professional hypnotist, through careful questioning, permits his subject to reveal another life at a much earlier date. Open now are the gates for those who believe in age regression and reincarnation – the possibilities are overwhelming. As a service, this column reveals for the first time those Guardians who under hypnotic influence have disclosed a much different existence many years before their present birth. Murray Goodrich: “I was a Rabbi for a Chinese FBI.” George Burnett: “I was an apprentice cabinet maker with Chippendale.” Dave Stotsky: “I was Cyrano de Bergerac.” Sam Addleson: “I K.O’d Jack Johnson in Cheyenne.”
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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