Children Lead in Boosting Subscriptions for Detroit Allied Jewish Campaign

The Prophet Isaiah, in Chapter XI of the Biblical work so often quoted by peace advocates, prophesied that the coming of the millenium would be led by a little child.

This prophecy—”And a little boy shall lead them”—found realization Sunday evening, at the dinner which opened the Detroit drive for $305,000 for the Allied Jewish Campaign.

The audience, the most representative that ever gathered for a Jewish cause in Detroit, had just heard a masterful address by Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver of Cleveland, and contributions began to pour in. Within not more than 10 minutes close to $150,000 was donated to the fund, and there was a temporary lull in the enthusiasm of giving.

Just then one of the volunteer workers announced from the floor that three boys wished to make personal contributions: James Wineman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Wineman, who head the campaign; Fred Finsterwald, son of Mr. and Mrs. Adolph Finsterwald, associate campaign leaders, and Elliott M. Lipson, son of Mrs. Rose Marshall Lipson, gave $10 each to help swell the fund.

And that started it: One after another mothers and fathers announced from the floor contributions in the names of their children. It stared with $25 per child and swelled to from $50 to $100 per child. Grandparents were not to be outdone, and soon contributions ranging from $25 to $100 per grandchild were made in addition to the regular gifts.

As a result of this new “stunt” in fund-raising, within a very short time there was added to the contributions a sum approximating $10,000.

The first day’s canvass for the $305,000 Allied Jewish Campaign resulted in subscriptions of $14,738, bringing the total subscribed, with the $175,670 contributed at the opening dinner Sunday evening, to $190,408. Clarence H. Enggass, chairman of the general solicitations committee, reported these figures at a luncheon of workers.