The Menorah PRESIDENTS Official Publication of the B'nai B'rith Girls and B'nai B'rith Young Women Vol. III, No. 3 NOVEMBER, 1947 Send address changes to The Menorah, 1746 M St., N. W., Washington 6. D. C. Book Review Contest Aid to DP Children By ROSALIND BRENSILBER For All BBYO Members A book review contest open to all members of BBYO Is BBG, BBYW Project It's a funny thing that in BBG there are manuals for has been announced by BBYO Headquarters. The reviews "Service with heart and hand" is again the watchword everyone. There's a Pocket- may deal with any book of Jewish interest. Entries may book for Presidents, be submitted at any time between November 7 and of BBG and BBYW. This spirit of the two organizations a Pouch for Program Chair- December 15. is being expressed this year through a national project, men, Tips for Treasurers Four first prizes will be awarded, one each for the with every chapter in the United States and Canada doing and on and on. But-for best review by a member of AZA, BBYM, BBG or BBYW. its part to make life more pleasant for Jewish children the members there are no The prize for each of the in Europe. instructions. No one tells us four winners will be a year's how to be members. No one membership in the Jewish Jewish Children In Europe The project is to take the tells us what to say, when to Publication Society which form of gift parcels of say it or how to say it but means that each of the win- Require Additional Help recreational materials to be veryone ners will receive a total of utilized by displaced chil- wants us to six books published by the speak up. Society. Members may The children who will be receiving the gifts to be sent dren in homes in Europe for The Presi- choose any six books from by the BBG's and BBYW's in their national Community play, creative activity and dent and the Society's book-lists. All Service Project are survivors of the Nazi regime. Some are entertainment. Chapters Committee the books published by the orphaned, some are half-orphans and a few are fortunate have wide latitude in the Chairmen re- Society are in English. enough to have parents who also survived. All are in type of materials they send. ceive hints The BBYO Book Review need of help to reconstruct a normal life. While a list of suggested on how to be Contest is scheduled to coin- Reports from the homes to popular with eide with Jewish Book which the BBG and BBYW gifts articles is included in the the members Roz Brensilber Month, which begins on European Doctor Tells are going show that the toys and plans, chapters may send (and keep November 7. Members may creative materials will be a power- Of Need for Toys anything they feel will help them active) but we don't. enter in the national Contest ful factor in giving these children these Jewish children to en- We members really have reviews which have been a helping hand to the usual joys People in America can joy themselves, to develop our problems. We come to a presented at a chapter book of childhood, which they have help European Jewish their skills, and to forget meeting and listen to com- program or which have also been entered in missed for so long. mittee reports. Are we inter- orphans by sending play ma- unpleasant experiences. ested? No! The only review contests. At the home in Jassy, Rouma- terials and toys to help them Although this new com- solution for us is to join a Entries may be between nia, 135 children between the ages feel they are living in real munity service project is a committee, and assume some 300 and 600 words long, are of four and 12 are living. Most of homes rather than institu- national undertaking, each responsibility for the chap- to be submitted in triplicate, these children are survivors of the district will send its gifts to tional barracks. This is a ter functions. That's one and must be postmarked no pogrom of 1941 in which 12,000 a separate home for chil- later than midnight, Decèm- Jews were killed. The home is a statement made by Dr. way we'll make more dren. Each chapter is to send friends. ber 15, 1947. They are to be large modern-looking building Alberta Szalita-Pemowa, its parcels to a central The meeting progresses at accompanied by a statement former Medical Director of agency in New York for containing dormitories, classrooms its usual slow rate because giving the contestant's name, Union OSE, European Jew- transshipment to a home in and one large playroom. The chil- we members feel it is our address, age, chapter, and Europe. The chapter is to dren are under constant medical ish health organization, upon privilege to ignore the keep a list of these items and an assurance that the review supervision and are cared for at her arrival in the United President when she asks for is the work of the con- send copies of the list to their all times by a staff of teachers, quiet. The President asks if testant (form on Page 7 States to study Public Health District Project Chairman Those who are old enough attend anyone has new business to at Johns Hopkins University. and to the national office. may be used). Any con- school where they learn Hebrew bring up. We ask ourselves testant may submit as many and Yiddish in addition to ordi- While serving with OSE, Typical of the gifts to be why she wastes time with entries as he or she desires. stupid questions and we Entries will be judged as nary school subjects. Yiddish is Dr. Szalita-Pemowa helped sent to these European chil- dren are toys, art materials, drift back into our attitude their every day language. plan health programs in the soon as possible after the sewing materials and handi- of "she doesn't mean me" final date of the contest and The director writes that in ad- DP camps of Germany as craft materials. (always looking at our announcement of the win- dition to proper food and cloth- well\ as in Jewish com- Chapters have been urged watches) ners made immediately after ing, "soap, tooth brushes and munities in France, Belgium, to combine activity on this Did you know that it's a the judging. Winning re- combs are also short. Toys and Switzerland, Italy and project with other chapter pretty good feeling to be the views will be published in games for indoor and outdoor OC- Poland. Dr. Szalita-Pemowa. activities. Examples of this one who an'offer new busi- The Shofar and The cupation are lacking badly. Sweets, a specialist in the treatment type of combination are a ness? Or new ideas about Menorah. naturally, are an unknown lux- of nervous disorders, said: Chanukah affair to which old business. All you have Entries are to be sent to ury. Help from our brethren "If the future generation each guest brings a to do is spend a little time the Program Department, overseas could be a marvelous help of European Jewry is to be Chanukah gift for the thinking about your BBG BBYO, 1746 M St., N. W., to make life easier and hap- a healthy and happy one, to- project or a sewing session chapter. Then make the sug- Washington 6, D. C. pier day's children must receive at which each member sews gestions that come to your Complete rules for the Similar reports are received skilled care in a proper a simple article of clothing mind. You've thought of new BBYO Book Review Contest from the other homes. The "Casa psychological environment." for herself but brings along wrinkles for meetings and are printed on Page 7. dell'Infanzia" in Rome is operat- After describing an a duplicate of everything she parties (during those odd ed on a somewhat different basis. orphan's home in Italy in is to use for shipment over- moments when you felt Here, the home provides day care. Daisy Mae Pursues which food and clothing are seas. "all's right with the world") "We take the anemic and feeble adequate but where the The two national Project but you just haven't said Abner in Succah children of the 'Ghetto' of Rome, rooms are bare and cheer- Chairmen, Lillian Schiff of who live in unhealthy conditions anything about the ideas to less, she urged that Ameri- Chicago for BBYW and your chapter. Take advan- That Jewish and American pat- and damp dwellings," writes the cans send items which will tage of "new business" to terns of living can be combined, is director, "and give them plenty of Janice Lekoff of Phila- air and sun, the proper medical relieve this aspect of the delphia for BBG, have al- a basic belief of those who be- introduce your ideas. lieve in Judaism and in America. care, decent food, and an atmo- children's lives. ready issued releases for All your ideas may not be The Lina Straus BBG, of Los An- sphere where such little ones may distribution through district God's gift to BBG but some thrive." geles, Calif., proved this in a novel Each day, 250 such children Children Cry for Them chairmen urging all chap- of them will surely be met way. ters to participate in' this with approval. You know, During the festival of Succot come or are brought to the home. "When are you coming again?" endeavor. Each morning they are given a when you'r the one who's they ran a Sadie Hawkins dance medical examination and change was asked by so many of the young The gifts will be dis- doing the talking you forget in a Succot atmosphere. The dance into clean clothes provided by the patients at the National Children's tributed in homes operated to look at your watch, glare included square dancing of all home. The rest of the day is spent Cardiac Home, that the Debbs by OSE, a medical organ- types. Refreshments consisted of at the chairman and start in listening to stories, classes, BBYW had to promise a repeat ization devoted to child care, fruit (traditional food for this group games, singing, sports, visit. putting your clothes on. Jewish holiday) and punch served health and hygiene among drawing, needlework and other The occasion was an entertain- You're too busy having fun. under a hut made of palm leaves Jews throughout the world. such activitiy. Their meals are ment presented at the hospital by Let's remember that Man- (the "succah" from which the holi- provided by the home. Before re- 18 members of Debbs. The BBYW Full details of the project uals will not help our Presi- day derives its name) turning to their own homes, they members performed in a skit, ran are given on page 2. dent or Committee Chairmen are again washed and re-dressed. an amateur hour in which some if we don't go to meetings, make our thoughts material- "If we are to be efficient," the of the patients participated, and don't pay dues, and don't ize. report continues, "we have to re- played children's records. Miami Beach I Named really care about our chap- We members have the ceive material assistance from out- The National Children's Cardiac Best BBG in Area ter. Let's spend a little time power in BBG because we side." Home is an institution for children have the spirit. Spirit comes Similar reports are received from 5 to 13 years old who are each day giving Miami Beach BBG 1 received thought to our chapter's from within us. By putting from all seven institutions to which suffering from heart disease. the Clara Landau Memorial the BBYO girls are sending their our thoughts into action we Because of the children's pleas future. Sooner than we know Trophy for having the best all- help. Information about some of for a return visit, the Debbs have around program of any chapter we'll be working side by side get spirit and make our the other homes will be printed promised to be back with a spe- in Greater Miami at an Award with the other members to chapter the best in BBG. in future issues of The Menorah. cial program during Chanukah. Night last month,