Albert Hutler    Hutler Writings   List of honorees         Louis Rose Society         Jewishsightseeing home

Community Currents
Southwestern Jewish Press, December 1, 1950, pages 2, 15:

By Albert Hutler, Executive Director, United Jewish Fund

People Have Problems—People always have problems, but there is one group—The New Americans—who have several additional burdens; to find suitable employment; to adjust in America, and to create, through a new language and new customs, props which they may lean upon in time of need.  These fears, though, are being put to rest by the Jewish Communities of America. The efforts of the Emigre Committee of San Diego and the Jewish Welfare Society, are a typical example of how our communities are measuring up to their responsibilities, securing jobs for unemployed members so that they can live and work in dignity and happiness. It also is an example of coordination with agencies within the community, school systems, state employment service, and individuals interested in the problem. Another step has recently been taken in trying to solve some of the difficulties encountered. Some 12 to 15 mature young women have been invited by the Emigre Committee to become volunteer Welfare Aids to help solve the problems of adjustment of Emigre families in San Diego.  Under the leadership of Mrs. David Rubenstein, a volunteer worker with years of professional experience, the complete program is now being worked out with the hope that it will become effective by the first of the new year.

Returned from Israel—Morrie Kraus and I just finished a long discussion about his trip to Europe and to Israel.  Morrrie came back amazed at some of the things that he had seen. However, he did tell me that he was convinced that without the Joint Distribution Committee, which is part of the United Jewish Appeal, there would have been great starvation among Jews in Paris, and that the J.D.C. has done a tremendous job for Jews everywhere he went. In Israel he saw the U.J.A. program in action and though he saw people who were hungry, he said there certainly was no starvation. He did make the statement that he certainly did  not see how Israel and the immigrants in Israel could have become a reality without the United Jewish Appeal.

Community Center —Soon after the Annual Meeting of the United Jewish Fund, on the 17th of December, there will be a joint meeting of the Community Center Committee, the B'nai B'rith Center Committee and a committee of the United Jewish Fund to discuss what steps shall be taken in 1951 to insure the beginning of a Jewish Community Center for San Diego. There is one of the best modern dance and figure control classes meeting every Tuesday night at the Temple Center from 8 to 10 o'clock under the leadership of Lilo Berger. The class is cosponsored by the Jewish Community Center Association.  Plans are already under way to work very closely with the AZA and BBG, according to Harry Wax, their sponsor.

Federation—The time is here when local agencies who are a part of the Federation will begin to submit their budgets for the year 1951. Local needs are a necessity in San Diego just as they are in every other community, and without meeting our local responsibility, we will find that the Jewish community degenerates so that it cannot in any way assist Jews throughout the world who are in need of aid from American Jewry. There is a double job to be done—job to help Jews wherever they need help, and a job to help ourselves locally to make for the best type of Jewish Community. These are not in competition with each other, but are dual responsibilities of every Jew in San Diego. Our aged have to be taken care of, our young people must be made part of the community, and activities must be offered for their use; our sick, our needy, all are the problem of the local Jewish community.