The Republic of Panama has issued a postage stamp showing the National Jewish Welfare Board’s Armed Forces Service Center in Balboa, Canal Zone. The stamp, a light blue 21-cent air mail, is one of a series of 20 commemorating “Liberated de Cultos” or freedom of religion. The building is identified on the stamp as the “Sinagoga de la Zona del Canal.”
The JWB Center has been since 1940 the focal point for religious, cultural and recreational activities for American servicemen stationed in the Canal Zone Rabbi Nathan Witkin, director, of the Center, who has served as JWB representative in the area since 1937, has been honored by the communities of the Canal Zone and of Panama for his work in fostering cultural relations among North Americans and the local residents, and most recently was awarded the Order of Balboa, the Republic of Panama’s highest decoration.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.