Compiled by San Diego Jewish World staff
Hadassah Launches Fashion Show With Three Designers
Southwestern Jewish Press, September 7, 1956, Page 9
The date for Hadassah’s Premier Membership-Luncheon has been changed to September 26 at the El Cortez Hotel. Three leading American designers will share the spotlight for a Fashion Show presented by Hafter’s. Each commentating on his own group of creations will be Mr. Rudi Genreich, recipient of the Sports Illustrated fashion award for 1956; Mr. Wayne Fuller, leading designer of casual dresses, and Mr. Michael Anthony, designer of elaborate cocktail and evening wear.
Membership co-chairmen Mrs. Sam Cohen and Mrs. Howard Hoffman, assisted by Mrs. Irvin Kahn, are making arrangements for an elaborate luncheon. Commencing with a “Social Sherry Hour,” at 11 o’clock, lunch will be served at noon. Musical entertainment will be provided by Donal Balestrieri, who is a scholarship winner from the Music Merit Foundation in San Diego.
All newly enrolled members are invited to attend this luncheon as guests of the chapter and reservations may be made with Mrs. Lew Weiss. Members may make reservations through Mrs. Weiss or any board member. Reservations are necessary.
During the month prior to this luncheon meeting, individual teas are being given in various sections of the city to acquaint prospective members with the work of Hadassah. If you have not received an invitation contact President Pearl Ruskin (AT-1-6802) who will be happy to refer you to the area hostess.
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Personals
Southwestern Jewish Press, September 7, 1956, Page 9
Newcomers but with plenty of friends to welcome them are Michael and Natalie Podell, formerly of New York City. Mr. Podell will be Assistant Director of Operations for the American Housing Guild and his wife will continue her studies at San Diego State College. Mr. Podell is a brother of Mrs. Martin Gleich.
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Talk about a close Mother-Daughter Team. Sarah Wyner and her daughter Delores Tepper were both hospitalized recently during the same week– had the same surgery by the same doctor. Friends will be happy to know they are both doing well.
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Cradle
Southwestern Jewish Press, September 7, 1956, Page 9
It will now be Bing-Bing-Bang at the Martin Gleichs. Asisting Cowboy Conrad, aged four years, in the noise department, will be brother Thomas, who arrived on August 25, tipping the scales at 9 lbs, 2 3/4 ozs.
Maternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Mac Podell of Long Island; paternal grandparents, Dr. and Mrs. Morris Gleich of New York City.
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Proud as rabbits are Sid and Renee Posen over the arrival of their son, Barry Meir, on August 25. Barry weighed 6 lbs 7 1/2 ozs at birth.
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Maternal grandparents are Dr. and Mrs. David Karpf and paternal grandmother is Mrs. Celia Posen of New York City.
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Mr. and Mrs. Milo Berenson announce the birth of a granddaughter, Katharine Sra, on August 13, in Berkeley, Calif. Parents are Mr. and Mrs. Bertram Berenson. Maternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Frank Wilson of Exeter, Calif.
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Lynn and Bert Epsten had an exciting evening last week. After attending the La Jolla Playhouse, they returned home in time to pack a suitcase and hurry to the hospital to await the arrival of Steven Harry, who was born at 4 a.m. on Saturday, August 25. He weighed 7 lbs, 5 1/2 ozs.
Steven’s “big” sister is Ellen, 51 weeks young.
Maternal grandparents are Mrs. H.C. Newman and Mr. Sam Trmah; paternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Harry Epsten.
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Roslyn Burdman Wed At Temple Beth Israel To Marvin Zepkin
Southwestern Jewish Press, September 7, 1956, Page 9
On September 2 at Temple Beth Israel, Roslyn Fae Burdman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Irving Burdman, became the bride of Marvin Zepkin, son of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Zepkin of Los Angeles. Rabbi Morton J. Cohn officiated, and Cantor Julian K. Miller was the soloist.
The bride wore a waltz length gown of imported chantilly lace over tulle. Her elbow length veil was held in place by a bridal crown of seed pearls, and she carried a bouquet of white orchids and stepanotis.
Miss Elaine Burdman was the maid of honor. Mrs. Myron Ladon and Miss Marsha Franks were bridesmaids. They were similarly gowned in ballerina length gowns of pink lace and chiffon with halos of sweetheart pink rosebuds. They carried nosegays of pink and white roses.
Joseph Zepkin, brother of the groom, was the best man. Ushers were Edward Feigenbaum and Robert Sheldon.
Following the ceremony a reception was held at the Mission Valley Country Club. The bride’s mother received in a dress of powder blue lace. The bridegroom’s mother chose a gown of dusty rose lace.
After their honeymoon in Las Vegas, the young couple will reside in Los Angeles.
The bride graduated from U.C.L.A. and was president of her sorority, Delta Phi Epsilon. The bridegroom is attending U.S.C. School of Pharmacy and is affiliated with Rho Pi Phi Fraternity.
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Unveiling
Southwestern Jewish Press, September 7, 1956, Page 9
The family of Ida Lipinsky wish to inform friends and relatives that unveiling services will be held at 2 p.m. — immediately following the annual Memorial Services, Sunday, September 9, at the Home of Peace Cemetery. Rabbi Monroe Levens will officiate.
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Press Notes
Southwestern Jewish Press, September 7, 1956, Page 10
By Julia Kaufman
‘None is Poor but he who lacks knowledge’ — Talmud
One hundred years of Adult Education will be observed by California in September and October of this year. It all began in 1856 when John Swett established the first evening school in California. The first class, formed for adults who wanted to learn to read and write, met in a San Francisco basement and this began the century-long fight against illiteracy, a crusade that has made California one of the bright spots in American education. (Mr. Kenneth S. Imel, Director of adult and Extension Education in San Diego was kind enough to supply me with the answers to many questions.)
Prior to 1916 adult education in San Diego was under the jurisdiction of the elementary schools. In that year the San Diego Night School was established and in 1917 the name was changed to San Diego Evening High School. Then, the enrollment was 4,029 adults. Last year it was 25,000 and the daytime classes started at the Midway Adult Center last year widened the opportunities of the program.
I was interested in learning which age groups make up the largest number in attendance. The last survey was taken in 1951 and at that time adults between the ages of 25 and 38 years headed the list, 38-45 years came next, then 18-25 years and last 45 years and over. Twice as many women as men enroll, and the most popular courses (in order of their enrollment size) are: Language and Speech Arts, Homemaking, History-Civic Education, Crafts, Industrial Arts, Science and Mathematics, Business Education, and Fine Arts and Music.
The reasons for adults returning to school are as varied as the courses offered. With household chores becoming less time consuming and working days growing shorter, more and more adults are taking advantage of adult Education to catch up with a few dreams. Some seek high school diplomas to obtain better positions or to continue their education in college; others wish to acquire a greater understanding of the many fields of endeavor comprising the live around them. A knowledge of the skills required for a successful home life is one of the major objectives of adult education.
This year over three thousand students attended Americanization classes in San Diego Adult Schools. Among the countries represented were Mexico (with the greatest number of students), Italy, Greece, Germany, Japan and China. After completing their course many of them know more about San Diego city and county government than does the average citizen.
The Adult Education Department will also open a Reading Improvement Center in September with classes designed to help you to read with increased speed and comprehension.
The myth “Too Old to Learn” has been dispelled–grandmothers no longer make headlines when they receive college degrees. Congratulations to the educators and civic leaders in California who have the good sense to keep pace with changing times.
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Al Hutler was in Jerusalem when a gift from San Diego arrived — two sea lions from our famous Zoo.
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An invitation to debate the issues of this campaign on television was sent to Senator Thomas Kuchel by candidate Richard Richards. It is encouraging to see a trend in the direction of the Lincoln-Douglas tradition. Hope the senator accepts the challenge.
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All ye tired housewives and mothers please note that Tolstoy’s wife in addition to caring for her home and large family, copied the voluminous novel, “War and Peace,” six times before it was printed.
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Stories on New York cabbies have become legendary. Here is a new one brought to light by Meyer Berger in the N.Y. Times. For many years an editor had been picked up almost every night after his daily stint by Bernard Rubin, a cab driver who operates out of Times Square. Occasionally the editor’s wife would be with him. A few months ago the cab driver learned that the wife was gravely ill and might not recover.
The cabbie and a friend recently toured Canada and while there visited some of the great cathedrals. The other day the editor received a postcard from Bernie Rubin. It told how he had lighted candles for the editor’s wife in St. Joseph’s in Montreal and in the Shrine of St. Anne de Beaupre in Quebec. The editor was moved, almost to tears.
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??? I have a particular warm feeling for the employees of our Public Library who courteously accept and attempt to answer all questions. Spelling–grammar–statistics on people and places–if the answer is in a book, they’ll find it for you. A friend recently remarked that Sylvia Sydney was married to Bennett Cert. All who heard her said that she was wrong. After a month of questioning everyone she met — only one person agreed with her but this still didn’t convince anyone, so she phoned the Public Library. Bennett Cerf was married to Sylvia Sydney for six whole months and my friend is happy again.
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More Thought and Ethics Should Have Role In Political Decisions
Southwestern Jewish Press, September 7, 1956, Page 10
By Paul Kaufman
It hardly suffices, this Rosh Hashono, to pause briefly on our way and snatch at the fleeting issues of foreign and domestic affairs–lump a few into an insoluble mass and then regretfully leave them by the way-side.
Now is a time for organizing thoughts and this should be done in a manner which enables us to cope with daily problems by relating them to more fundamental conflicts facing us as Americans and Jews. One can always be accused of undue reification when an attempt is made to peel back the more empirical surface phenomenon and expose “ideas” as the solid core of things. Yet, larger issues constantly rumble about beneath us, infrequently rising to the top and then only when the world suffers a major upheaval. In times of relative peace we can, in the light of reason, examine some of the issues.
Karl Mannheim (“Diagnosis of Our Time”) states in question form one of the main problems that face democratic societies. “Is there a possibility of planning which is based upon coordination and yet leaves scope for freedom?”
Planning and freedom — these two concepts are the nucleus of a cluster of problems facing citizens of a monistic state. (The overt political argument is really no longer one of monism vs. pluralism, but of varying degrees of monism.)
We demand much of our state; originally an agency to protect us from violence, it is now increasingly an agency of justice and welfare. To quote Prof. Leslie Lipson (“Great Issues of Politics”) “But, after insuring the conditions that make life possible, the state must proceed toward the goal of good life. It is precisely this changeover that presents a supreme challenge to the architects of government… The concept of welfare is a broad one. It embraces economic prosperity, moral well-being, and the whole system of values that compose what we call a civilization. Such considerations transfer the issue of politics from the starting point of physical safety to the terminus of an ethical ideal.” The manifestation of this ideal, ie social security, civil service, public works or business regulations are generally approved frequently without consideration of their possible long run effects — unwieldy bureaucracy, even totalitarianism. We should be forever cognizant of the problem of long-run effects and carefully weigh the social and political consequences of endeavors by the federal government, no matter how apealing they are at the moment.
As the democratic leveling process grinds on, the need for values becomes more pressing. As the majority will increases in importance–so must we more vigorously champion minority opinion. As we legislate to protect large groups–so must we also legislate to protect the individual.
The increasing occurrence of the religious and moral themes in public life is partly politically inspired, however, much of it is traceable to the individual’s attempt to strengthen his identity in our mass socity.
The Jews, as a minority, should also reaffirm their values — a reaffirmation similar, in a sense, to the recent Evangelical upsurge.
“…The Jewish minority in America,” says Reismann (“Individualism Reconsidered”) “must discover what are the ethically significant themes relevant to its present situation, which in turn requires reinterpretation of Jewish tradition. Adherence to majority ethics may be a help in social climbing, or in rationalizing one’s acceptance of the values of the culture that happens to be dominant. But, the experience of many Jews in America must be that this adherence is emotionally precarious and that it easily becomes self destructive once things do not go well for oneself or one’s group.”
Of course, while we search for these values, the political process races on and the pressure remains constantly upon us to deal with the obvious necessities of live. But, when choice must be made it is only democratic that we pause to look behind the slogans and labels to explore our own bias — so that the decisions we make each day are compatible with our ethics and in the best interest of the country.
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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.