Community Currents
Southwestern Jewish Press June 12, 1953 Page 2

By Albert Hutler
Exec. Director United Jewish Fund

During the campaign period, there was not enough time to write some of my rambling thoughts in this column.  I am glad to be back.


The Great Picnic Mystery

An editorial in this paper last issue raised a question of “Why the three separate Sunday School Picnics,”(cq) which have taken place this year in our community.

It’s become a controversial subject with a great deal of discussion centered around it; with a great many statements both pro and con being made by people who are not too sure of their facts; and in some cases the whole discussion became much too intense for the good of the community.

As is usual in this type of controversy those who are doing the most talking are those who have not asked the $64 question, or even considered it—the question of “Why.”

Perhaps we ought to go deeper into the problem—what has happened to the “Kashruth Commission” organized by two of the Synagogues—what has happened to the “Institute of Jewish Studies” originally organized by the United Jewish Fund and the three synagogues—what has happened to the harmonious relationship and fine cooperation that existed in the community just three short years ago?

Many of us feel that in its place there has been substituted a festering suspicion.  A suspicion of each other; a suspicion of community leadership; a suspicion of the organization or the temple or the synagogue to which we do not belong. 

Suspicions that bode no good for our efforts to establish a fine Jewish community for ourselves and for our children.  A sore that only hinders our service to Jews in Israel, in Europe, in the United States, and right here in San Diego, who may need our assistance.

“Good” community leaders are those who can see the overall problems and the challenges offered by the Jewish community.  These leaders are disturbed by what has happened in San Diego in the last few years.  The only encouraging sign is that they are disturbed; that they recognize the danger signals, the damage being done; and the indications that they are going to try to do something about it, whether the “professionals,” both rabbinical and lay like it or not.

To be a good leader one must necessarily also be a good follower.  This is something that some of our leaders have not as yet learned.  Leaders both professional and lay must, in the best interest of the Jewish community and of its children, not inflict on the community their personal philosophies if that community does not desire to follow their dictates.  Such leaders should be willing to move slowly for the sake of the best interests of those whom they serve.  Otherwise they want totalitarianism and dictatorship in Jewish community life.

If professional leadership, whether it be rabbinical or lay, is not willing or able to follow the majority of the community until such time as their ideas are acceptable to the community such leaders on principal should give up their leadership.

This statement is not written to arouse controversy, but is a prayer and an appeal that we will, in the very near future, be

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mature enough and broadened enough to be able to compromise.  This does not mean there should be no differences, but it does mean that differences should be resolved.


Day Camp

The 7th season of Camp Jaycee is going to open on June 29 for a period of 8 weeks under the direction of the Community Center with Sidney Posin as director.  Head counselors for the camp are Nathan Naiman, principal of Jefferson School; Dave Anfanger, a teacher at Euclid, and Dave Murphy, who also teaches at Euclid.  Activities will be very similar to those in the past.  This year I certainly would suggest that anyone intending to send their children, register immediately because registrations are pouring in very rapidly now.  You can do so by calling T.1-7744.

I saw a story in the Oakland newspaper which was headlined “Day Camp Registrations Happens in Temples and Centers.” It was pleasing to read that one of the camp directors for the Jewish Community Center Day Camp was a Rabbi of one of the synagogues.  It seems that in Oakland all of the Rabbis are interested in the Jewish Community Center Day Camp and make use of it as if it were their own.  This is good community organization and perhaps someday we may achieve it in all of our local synagogues.



The Birds Have Returned To The Desert

This is an expression of my appreciation for having been invited to the Hadassah Donor Luncheon last week.  It happened to be a very hectic day for me because immediately after the donor luncheon, I was due at the American consul’s office in Tijuana on an immigration problem; Mrs. Rubenstein and I were contacting a family that needed assistance in Tijuana; and that evening Mrs. Nasatir was to address a meeting there on behalf of the United Jewish Fund.  Yet I would have been very disappointed if I had missed the Hadassah Luncheon.

The decorations were simply magnificent, the meeting was streamlined; Mrs. Karp was a tremendous speaker; and the honored guest who had appeared on the television program, “This Is Your Life” was most impressive.  All in all, I think the women of Hadassah and its leadership do a magnificent job in San Diego, not only for the causes of Hadassah, but for all other causes that are good for the community.


Jews In Mexico

The Camiels, Ida Wax, the Domnitzes, the Nasatirs, Leanore and myself spent an evening in Tijuana and we are doing everything we possibly can to help them.  We enjoyed a good glass of tea and some very fine homemade Jewish goodies during the evening.  It is our sincere hope that the Jews of Tijuana and the Jews of San Diego will, because of this meeting and others to follow, become much more closely associated than ever before.


Campaign

San Diego Jewry can look forward to the following local fund raising campaigns which may take place in the near future for building projects.  Congregation Tïfereth Israel in August and September; Temple Beth Israel sometime during the summer; and Beth Jacob Congregation in December.  There will be no Jewish Community Center Building in 1953 but we can look forward to it in the year 1954.  The San Diego Hebrew Home for the Aged will probably have a building campaign also in 1953.