Evening star., 1940-12-30
Jewish Social Work
Agency Dedicdtes
$4,000 Building
Senator King Delivers
Address; Civic Leaders
Attend Ceremony

Yesterday afternoon a blue cello
phane sheet across the door of the
new $4,000 Jewish Social Service
Agency at 1l31 Spring road was
ripped open with a gold KEY and the
building dedicated before hundreds
Of civic leaders.
Dedication of the building climaxed
so years OF social service activity by
the agency. was attended by Mrs.
Henry Morgenthau. wife of the Sec
retary OF the Treasury: Senator
King of Utah, who gave the didica-
ton address: Morris Cafritz. chair
man of the Dedication Committee,
who presided; Mrs. Charles A. Gold
smith. for II years president Of the
agency: Coleman Jennings. president
of the Community Chest; Mrs. Harry
S. Bernton. president of the Council
of Social Agencies; Rabbi Norman
Gerstenfeld, who pronounced the
dedicatory blessing, and many other
civic leaders.
Joseph A. Wilmer. president of the
agency, welcomed the group in the
hall of the Jewish Home for the
Aged. few yards from the
new building. where Introductory
speeches took place.
Senator King Speaks.
Senator King, chairman of the
Senate District Committee. in an
address broadcast over the Columbia
Broadcasting System. contrasted the
dedication of building constructed
for charity with the cruelty and
oppression in Europe.
The very contrast of our gathering
here to dedicate noble edifice-
expresses the fruits and benefits of
liberty and democratic institutions
which represent the American way
of life" he said.
Commencing the tolerance and
spirit of the agency. Senator King
declared that in building the first
private family casework agency in
Washington, 1t had also led the way
for other groups to follow.
among men, exempiined By the
social service agency, will some day
blot out the tragedy of war, the
Senator predicted. Responsibility
for the welfare of citizens in Amer
lea Is one of the highest expressions
of democratic spirit, he added.
Mrs. Goldsmith Talks
Mrs. Charles A. Goldsmith, active
in the agency for 80 years and pres
ident from 1922 to 1884, emphasized
the efficiency of the new building.
"All of the necessary accomplish
ments can be done there" she
stated.
Commencing Morris Klass, direc-
tor of the agency, for his part in
organization of the new building,
Mrs. Goldsmith concluded with
thanks to those who contributed
financially to the building and a
plea for continued support, espe-
cially among the youth.
Mrs. Cafritz cited as amazing
the work of the agency in the past.
Handicapped by lack of facilities,
he said, it had nonetheless cared for
100 families a month on direct
relief, and many more on partial
relief.
Mrs. Bernton, president of the
Council of Social Service and also
a member of the Dedication Com
mittee, brought greetings from the
council
The Jewish Foster Home. replaced
by the new agency, was closed at
the instigation of the council, Mrs.
Benton reported.
Keeping families together is bet
ter and less expensive" she said.
The new home cares for both fam
lily and child"
Jennings Praises Building.
Praising in brief address "the
extremely intelligently and we'll
devised building" Coleman Jennings
pointed out to the group the progress
of social service to a recognized
profession.
Also introduced to the gathering
by Mr.. Cafritz were Mrs. Morgen-
thau, former agency Presidents
Fred s. Gichner, Charles A. Gold
smith and Paul Himmelfarb, and
Hyman Goldman, chairman of the
Building Committee.
Rabbi Joshua Klaven gave the in
vocation and Abrasha Rabofsky sang
two solos.
At the conclusion Of the addresses
the crowd moved down the street
to the new building to hear q dedi-
catory blessing by Rabbi Gerstenfelo
and watch Morris Garf1nkle, vice
president Of the agency, break the
cellophane across the door He was