Dr. Stephen S. Wise today celebrated his 75th birthday. Congratulatory messages were received by him from numerous Jewish and non-Jewish dignitaries, as well as from Jewish communities in Europe, Latin America, Australia and other areas.
The American Jewish Congress, of which Dr. Wise is president, announced last night the establishment of four annual Stephen S. Wise awards of $1,500 each “in recognition of outstanding service or for the encouragement of creative contribution” in the “development of Israel and Israeli-American relations, the defense of the rights and status of Jews in other lands, the enrichment of Jewish cultural and religious life and the guarantee of full civil rights in the U.S. for all persons.”
Dr. Wise’s birthday celebration will be marked at a Golden Jubilee dinner on Sunday evening at the Hotel Biltmore here tendered by the Free Synagogue, which he founded. Outstanding leaders will pay tribute to the venerable Jewish leader for his lifetime of service to the Jewish people. Speakers will include U.S. Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, Bishop G. Bromley Oxnam, Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Eliahu Elath, U.J.A. general chairman Henry Morgenthau Jr., and many others.
In connection with the dinner, a message from President Truman to Dr. Wise was made public today. It reads: “The religious life of the community has been enriched by your eloquent words; you have been a source of encouragement in times of darkness and an inspiration when energies had to be rallied for great causes. Democracy needs the voice of the pulpit to clarify its goals and illumine its ideals. This has been your great contribution regardless of faith or race. I am happy to join the Free Synagogue in saluting you on your 75th birthday and wishing you many more years of health ant fulfillment.”
Hadassah announced today that it will name the apprentices building in the Brandeis Vocational Center in Jerusalem in honor of “America’s leading Zionist.” The building was scheduled to be dedicated today in Jerusalem by Israeli Minister of Commerce Dr. Fritz Bernstein, Hadassah’s announcement added.
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.
