Compiled by San Diego Jewish World staff
Carmel Wines From Israel Imported Here
Southwestern Jewish Press, March 16, 1956, Page 5
The Jewry of Southern California will be able to choose for their Passover Seder table for the first time from nine distinct blends of Carmel Wines that have been imported from Israel.
Throughout Southern California Carmel Wines are distributed by the well known firm of Young’s Market Company, who are exclusive wholesale distributors of Carmel Wine. They are available in all better groceries, liquor stores and supermarkets.
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All Military Personnel Assured Passover Sedorim
Southwestern Jewish Press, March 16, 1956, Page 5
All Jewish military personnel and their dependents stationed in the San Diego and Camp Pendleton areas are assured attendance at traditional Passover Sedorim on Monday, March 26th, it was announced today by Morris W. Douglas, Chairman of the San Diego Armed Services Committee of the National Jewish Welfare Board.
A large military seder will be held in the Don Room of the El Cortez Hotel conducted by Chaplain Elihu H. Rickel. This seder will be served by a large committee of Junior and Senior Hostesses, headed by Mrs. Jennie Turner.
As in the past, all Jewish houses of worship in San Diego will play host to men and women in the military at their community sedorim. In Oceanside, the Jewish Community Center of North County will be host to military personnel at their community seder, conducted by Chaplain Stanley J. Schachter.
Special provision has been made for recruits at the U.S. Naval Training Center and Marine Corps Recruit Depot for special liberty and transportation to the military seder.
A number of servicemen who have requested keeping Kashruth L’Pesach have been provided with special JWB foods as well as eight days accommodations in Orthodox homes in San Diego for that purpose.
The United Jewish Fund of San Diego will play a large role in subventing the costs of the military seder.
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Camp Hess Kramer Hosts Youth Groups
Southwestern Jewish Press, March 16, 1956, Page 5
Camp Hess Kramer, near Los Angeles, will be host to a conference on Human Relations this weekend when colleges throughout the West Coast send delegates of all faiths.
San Diego State Cololege’s delegates consist of Herb Gross, Pres. of the Interfaith Council and Past Pres. of Hillel; Bruce Wier, Past Pres. of the Interfaith Council and Past. Pres of the Canterbury Club; Hans Dohlke, member of the Lutheran Club; Arthur Pogrell, Z.B.T. and Hillel member; Sonia Feldman, Hillel member, and Barbara Belovin, Hillel Secretary.
The theme of the conference this year will be “Human Relations in the Community.” A Saturday morning Jewish service and Sunday morning Catholic and Protestant services will be held.
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Hebrew Home To Hold Two Seders
Southwestern Jewish Press, March 16, 1956, Page 5
Residents of the Hebrew Home for the Aged are planning two Seders for the celebration of Passover, according to M.S. Berlin, Chairman of the House Committee.
Under direction of Harry Goodwin, Seder dinners will be held on Monday, March 26th, and on Tuesday, March 27th, Berlin announced.
Guests of the Home will participate in the planning for the celebration as well as in the actual Passover ceremony. It is expected that many members of their families will also participate at the opening Seder as well as members of the Senior Adult Group, which has its club room at the Hebrew Home.
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A Time for Sacrifice (Editorial)
Southwestern Jewish Press, March 16, 1956, Page 6
Israel is in danger today. Her very survival is in Jeopardy. Alone and threatened, Israel looks to American Jewry for aid, the kind of aid we gave in 1948. Eight years ago we faced a major challenge and responsibility by sending a record sum of money to show our solidarity with our brethren. Today the Jews of America must take very legitimate steps in Israel’s behalf.
The money we will give will enable Israel to carry on with essential work in immigration, rehabilitation and settlement. These funds will pay for vitally needed non-military preparations, such as stockpiling of food and fuel, construction of air raid shelters and defenses against the Arab attack that appears imminent. It is as simple as this: For every vital civilian project we finance, Israel will be able to assign a counter sum for defense needs.
Here are some facts to remember before you make your pledge in the coming United Jewish Fund Campaign.
1. The Nazis annihilated 6,000,000 Jews, more than one-third of the world’s Jewish population.
2. The gates of all lands were almost completely closed to the survivors.
3. Israel has not enjoyed a single day of peace since its birth. The Arabs are determined to destroy her.
4. Israel has been forced to stand by and watch arms being shipped to the Arabs by the same Western Powers who helped create the Israeli State.
The question is—will Israel survive in 1956 or will she be wiped off the map after her courageous people are slaughtered.
A part of the answer is within our determination – yours and mine. If we give sacrificially to the Campaign in 1956, we will show Israel and the world that we are backing her and that American Jewry demands that the Republic of Israel shall live.
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Book Review
Southwestern Jewish Press, March 16, 1956, Page 6
The Third Pillar by Soma Morgenstern (Farrar, Strauss and Cuday) 151 pp-$3.00. Translated from the German by Ludwig Lewisohn
As time passes, we not only tend to forget the unforgettable but it is no longer even “fashionable” to write or think about the Nazi Crime. Dr. Soma Morgenstern, who had a distinguished career in Central Europe, has now been an American citizen for many years, and has written a very strong and moving novel, “The Third Pillar.” It is my belief that he succeeds in turning his writing about the “greatest crime in all history” into a majestic testament wherein he achieves an impact and meaning which is inescapable.
The book opens with a quotation from Exodus “And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; that they might go by day and by night…” The third pillar which Morgenstern presents is the slaughter of thousands of Jewishu children by Hitler, the pillar of blood.
At the beginning of the tale Morgenstern creates an atmosphere of suspense and growing horror. World War II is over; in a small Polish town, the Germans have just been driven out by the advancing Russians. Three publicans, emerging from the ruins discover a wooden box which has somehow been preserved intact from the devastation. Thinking it contains food or treasure, they carry it to the town’s abandoned synagogue as a place of refuge. With every possible means and effort they try to open the box, but it becomes as “tight and heavy as the world” and it will not give an inch. As they debate the meaning of this strange occurrence the other actors in the drama begin to arrive in the synagogue –two priests, a troop of SS men cut off from their fleeing comrades, a messenger whom none has seen before, the Rabbi, and finally the members of the Court which begins a trial of the puzzled, defiant group gathered in the ancient building, a trial in which they mysterious box has a part to play. It is a magnificent trial in which accused and accuser meet.
Eleven hundred thousand Jewish children were destroyed in a maddening, unspeakable fashion….”A round number? Numbers and figures have neither heart nor eyes… but these children had eleven hundred thousand faces, they had eleven hundred thousand hearts; they had twice eleven hundred thousand eyes. How much light has been extinguished! There is now space for a darkness great enough to hide this entire continent in an eternal night.”
The wonder and miracle is that the Jew does not have it in his heart to hate … At the end of the trial the seventeen-year-old Jewish Nehemiah speaks for All his people: “Creator of the world, redemption has begun … let us, while there are still oppressors and oppressed, be among the oppressed and NOT among the oppressors, among the hunted and NOT hunters—among the slain and NOT the slayers… let us continue to side with the humble and not with the arrogant. We know that this world will be saved from evil. Should this not be true, may we know nothing further, for nothing further will be worth knowing.”
The Third Pillar is a true account of history superbly written by a man of literary stature and significance.
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2011 editor’s note: The byline for this book review was omitted in the 1956 newspaper.
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As the Psychologist Sees You
Southwestern Jewish Press, March 16, 1956, Page 6
By Irving R. Stone, Psychological Consultant
The Juvenile Delinquency Problem…
As I sit before my typewriter, contemplating the words which will eventually be spelled on the printer’s press, I have before me a pamphlet which is dated 1949. It was published by the Children’s Bureau of the Federal Security Agency and was devoted to the topic of this issue. One would imagine that with … subject so pressing for so many years, and the problem was ancient even when the pamphlet was written, some progress would have been made and some solutions made workable.
Unfortunately, “The Juvenile Delinquency Problem” is no nearer solution even though many words have been written about it and much money spent in the attempt at correcting the situation. Even this week, this month, and throughout this year there will be many meetings held in the attempt at finding out how to improve a condition that defies improvement. Perhaps we have not been able to hit at the heart of the problem, the cause. Only when we find the cause can we attempt to find the cure.
It has been said that juvenile delinquents are not born—only made. This I believe. It has also been said that there are no problem children—only children with problems. This too I believe. Something happens between the time of birth and the time these children get into trouble which so mars them that they are unable to adjust to the society about them, to the requirements placed upon them as growing boys and girls.
Someone else said that there is only one cause for delinquency –insecurity. What is it about our society, our stands of living, our troubled existence that makes these boys and girls insecure? Is it too much money or too little; not enough freedom or too much; not enough discipline or too much; not enough parental supervision or too much? The answers lay in the individual situation and not as a rule for all.,
At each of the meetings which have been held to try to find workable solutions, there have been many findings and recommendations made. Some laid the blame on the parents; others on the schools; others on local governments; and still others on the children themselves. Some called for better coordination between youth agencies; some for more discipline; some for more jobs for youth; some for more playgrounds; some for more police; and some for greater interest in their children by parents.
These findings and recommendations are the same as those which were presented in that seven year old pamphlet. We can only ask ourselves whether we still are in the stage of using words to find solutions but leaving actions neglected. We can only hope from these meetings we can find a means of saving lives –lives of the boys and girls who should be happy but are only insecure.
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With The Guardians
Southwestern Jewish Press, March 16, 1956, Page 6
By Morrie Pomeranz
Hi-Lites of the March meeting: Tables peculiarly arranged through two winding rooms –effective for decorative purposes, but pretty rugged on the presiding officer – however, Sammy Addleson managed to maintain some semblance of decorum – fine turnout – door prize, two bottles of liquid refreshment jointly donated by Sy Krauss and Bunny Jacobson, was won by Dave Block (in absentia, the nerve of some members)—a little informal skit was presented by three members (Sam Rassin, Doyle Kahn and a third person whose name escapes us for the moment)—adequately received by all – including one enthusiastic member, who, in an uncontrollable desire to partake of the festivities, threw two glasses of cold water at the participants – among the guests were Cecil Roper and Bruce Witte—both hosted by Ralph Hosenpud – Eddie Harper was brought by Harry Mallen – Al Lehman, cousin of Art Glickman (no record of who picked up the dinner tab on this pair.)
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Lou Lipton, the genial Matire D’, walked by the “blue chip” table, and in his friendliest manner, said, “Hi, Label.” To the surprise of all concerned, the four Guardians answered in union – Lou Steinman, Lou Moorsteen, Lou Karp and Leo Beck –all bearing the Yiddish name of Label.
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Two Guardians, both veteran members of the Book of the Month Club, were discussing the merits of a current best seller. “What do you think of ‘The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit’ asked Abe Sklar of Dave Stotsky. Stotsky, a man of few words and a severe literary critic, replied pointedly: “I don’t like the material.”
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Sam Fisher hastens to assure us that the following is true – in a recent c rap game (Sam was not a participant), one of the players came out with three dice – all fives; one of the other kneelers, completely unperturbed, removed one dice and handed the remaining two to the flutered throwers with this simple instruction: “Go ahead, your point is 15!”
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San Diego Hotel Gets ‘New Look’
Southwestern Jewish Press, March 16, 1956, Page 7
The San Diego Hotgel, long a favorite meeting place for organizations, has gotten a “new look.” Mr. Bert Fisher, owner of the hotel, states that he will go “all out” for private parties, organizational dinners, luncheons, dances and other events.
The striking new interior of the Continental Room, plus the remodeling of the lobby, make the San Diego Hotel an ideal place for any large or small affair. Another innovation will be the Bull Pen, a semi-private men’s grill, which will feature an unusual cuisine. Admission will be by key.
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Message From Mayor Dail
Southwestern Jewish Press, March 16, 1956, Page 7
In joining the Christian Committee Charles C. Dail, Mayor of San Diego, issued the following message:
“The United Jewish Fund of San Diego is launching its combined Jewish Appeal for Israel, overseas and national needs, on April 8, 1956. In doing so, the Jewish citizens of our community are demonstrating in action their support of a great philanthropic effort of which all of us are proud.”
Monies raised in the coming campaign will provide critically needed humanitarian funds for hundreds of thousands of distressed and endangered men, women and children in many lands. It will help Israel keep its doors open to Jewish refugees. The United Jewish Fun is giving to all of us an inspiring example of how a free people can voluntarily support a humanitarian cause.
To my Jewish friends and neighbors I say this appeal deserves your maximum support and the consideration of our community regardless of their religion.
My very best wishes in your 1956 effort. You are assured of my utmost support.”
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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.