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Community Currents
Southwestern Jewish Press, August 31, 1951,  page 2

By Albert Hutler, Executive Director, United Jewish Fund

U.S.O-J.W.B. Reactivated—Word has been received that the U.S.O.—J.W.B. has been reactivated in San Diego and that, for the present, our lounge in the Temple which serves Jewish members of the Armed Forces will now function as a U.S.O. on behalf of the National Jewish Welfare Board. The committee must feel a sense of accomplishment since it has been striving for this recognition since U.S.O. was activated. Our grateful thanks go to San Diego U.S.O. Advisory Council which had a great deal to do with this designation. Another piece of good community relations was exhibited on August 1st as the first payment of the Community Chest grant to the Jewish Armed Service Committee was received. It has always been our feeling that this type of service, just as the Jewish Welfare Service, the San Diego Hebrew Home for the Aged and others are community functions, and should be supported by the entire community. In our armed service work, this has been recognized bythe Community Chest in assisting in the financing of this program.

A Dream About To Be Realized—Nothing stops the Hebrew Home for the Aged. They feel they need new beds to service the aged who might want home care and they go out and try to raise the money for it. My hat is off to Max Maisel as a loyal citizine (sic) of this community. The affair at his home, Sunday, July 29, was a honey and raised a great deal of money for the activities of the Home.  It all means that 12 more beds will be added in the very near future by putting up a new wing to the present house. While talking about the aged, it's about time that the Federation and the Home board began discussing a recreational and leisure time program for those over sixty years of age who live in our community and are not residents of the Home. Statistics now show that 7 1/2 percent of the people in the United States are over 65 and that by about 1960, the number will be 15 percent. It's not enough for the Old Folks Home Board to only think of the Home. They have the duty and responsibility to do a job for all old people in the community.

Back to Work—The Community Relations Council, under the leadership of Morey Levenson, has gone back to work. Several problems have arisen that they are going to tackle and try to bring to a successful conclusion in the next few months.  Don't be surprised if you hear a great deal about Community Center activities this fall. Those who favor a community center and its program are all "hepped up." The lack of activities in San Diego certainly proves the need of some directive force in the field of leisure time. It is our hope that the Center will lead the way. Other forces in the community have failed miserably to date.