The Phoenix Jewish news., 1962-03-23
The World Over

This 9-year-old addition to the
Seder ritual has added greatly to
the meaning of the Passover cels-
bration for families like our own
all over the country.
1t is for today. 1t is history,
but it has a special meaning be-
cause we actually lived through
it. Now we are passing it on to
eur children, so that they will
also treasure the memory of our
heroic dead, and gain a personal
awareness of a facet of Jewish
experience which has been un-
known to them.
And for the millions who died
many of them unsung and un-
mOurned, because there were
none left alive in their families to
mourn them-it is a yearly me-
mortal from our hearts.
We feel that our Seder is not
complete without these few para
graphs, and so 1 urge you to add
it to your celebration as well.
Write to the Seder Ritual Com
mittee, Is E. 84th ST., New York
%, NY. The ritual can be pur-
chased for 10 cents a copy, and
orders of 25 copies or more are
requested. There is 25-cent mail
ing charge. and a discount is given
for orders over 25 copies.
IN THE ALPHABETICAL Jungle,
U.S.O.M. is a creature of a differ
ent stripe.
The letters stand for United
States Operation Mission, and, as
is often the case with the initiated
committees, administrations, and
agencies, the name hardly de-
scribes the program.
U.S.O.M. began in 1851 to bring
American technical and economic
aid to Israel. 1t supervised the dis
tribution in Israel of surplus US.
commodities, such as fodder and
grain. 1t gave technical assistance
with funds matched by the Israel
government. 1t provided aid to
agriculture, industry, irrigation
projects, electric power, road and
bridge building, etc.
There have been 4 directors of
U.S.O.M. in Israel. One of these,
the late Lincoln Hale, was buried.
at his own request, on the shore
of Lake Kinneret.
Another, Bruce Mcdaniel, the
first director, is now in Israel TO
wind up U.S.OM.' s work, the term
ination of the program having been
agreed upon by both the United
States and Israel.
In an interview with Philip Gil
lon of the Jerusalem Post, Mr..
Mcdaniel said, "When / came to
Israel just over a decade ago to
inaugurate the U.S.O.M. pro-
gram, l was optimistic, but
must say that 1 never dreamt
that within a decade Israel would
be engaged in technical hssist-
ance programs in other lands"
$50 much for the Soviet claim
that '1srael's programs of eco
n0mic aid of African countries
are being provided at the behest
of the United States for political
aims ~
Mr.. Mcdaniel recalled the grim
conditions when he took up his post
in Israel in November 1851. Food
was rationed more severely than
it had been in Britain during the
"blitz." Destitute immigrants were
arriving at the rate of thousands a
month.
ION top of everything else, the
country was completely isolated
it was surrounded by enemies and
had no ships and air services.
"YET / FOUND in Israel that
there was no fear that the country
would fall on its face. They turned
out statesmen and diplomats, who
had had no previous experience,
and who have proved their ability
to hold their own against the top
men in the world. . :"
Considering, the U.S.O.M. pro-
gram in Israel one of the most
successful ever undertaken by the
United States, Mr.. Mcdaniel be-
lieves it should be studied as a
prototype.