Business ‘marriage’ Between Jewish Merchant and Black Worker Aided by Jcrc

A “business marriage” was arranged this week by the Jewish Community Relations Council when a kosher meat and grocery business was sold by its Jewish owner to a black meat cutter. The “marriage” was an accommodation for both parties. This was the second such sale arranged by JCRC since the release of its survey “Jewish Businessmen Operating in Selected Inner City Areas of Philadelphia.” Three more sales are pending. The former owner, Harry Band, and his father had come to America in 1949, the sole survivors of a Polish-Jewish family that had been exterminated by the Nazis in World War II, Because of his father’s ill health and the changing neighborhood, Mr. Band had decided to sell and approached JCRC for help. Wilbert G. Saunders, the black meat cutter, was interested in buying but needed help in securing the necessary financing. Mr. Band referred him to JCRC. A loan was secured through the Job Loan Corp. with the aid of the Small Business Administration. Mr. Band will work with Saunders for six weeks until he becomes accustomed to the store operation. Mr. Saunders said he would continue the line of kosher foods now carried in the store since there was a lot of demand for Jewish rye, bagels, smoked fish and kosher salami even though the neighborhood was now 90 percent black.