David H. Lieberman
DAVID H. LIEBERMAN, an ardent Zionist who for over five years administered the affairs of THE MACCABAEAN, passed away after an illness of two days, on March 29, at his home on Forest avenue, the Bronx. Mr. Lieberman was comparatively a young man. His death will be mourned by a large circle of friends and admirers, and in the Zionist organization his presence will be sadly missed.
Mr. Lieberman became interested in THE MACCABAEAN through Mr. Gabriel H. Mayer of Philadelphia, and Mr. J. Goodman, at one time business manager of the publication. When Mr. Mayer retired, Mr. Lieberman was persuaded to become the Federation representative in the corporation. Although one of the first members of the old B'nai Zion of New York, Mr. Lieberman had not participated in Zionist work until called upon to help our publication. Through his efforts, THE MACCABAEAN corporation was reorganized, a number of new members were elected, and with the aid of his partner, Mr. Louis D. Livingstone, he succeeded in reducing a large deficit to proportions that made future growth possible.
Mr. Lieberman brought to bear upon the problem of THE MACCABAEAN finances a business sagacity and talent of a most unusual character. He was keen, far-seeing, an excellent accountant, a shrewd judge of values, and in less than a few months, he had mastered the entire situation. He got to know to a cent the assets and liabilities of the corporation. He assembled statistics that enabled him to judge, at a moment's notice, every fact that was of value to an immediate survey of the situation. Expenses were reduced, system was introduced, and THE MACCABAEAN was placed upon a basis of rock-bottom resources. Having cleared the field, he was soon enabled to work forward, with great caution, enlisting this and that active Zionist, improving the magazine wherever possible, and arriving at a condition where the pub-
lication involved only a slight deficit on the year. He had complete physical possession of the magazine, conducting its affairs from his own offices, and personally supervising all details. He had ambitious projects in mind, a number of them of great value, but he found himself involved in a one-man struggle to administer the affairs of the magazine, and thus was prevented from realizing them. He once told the writer of a plan to start a publishing society in connection with THE MACCABÆAN, and had all the details in hand, but lack of intelligent co-operation killed his hope. Not a man of large means, he gave generously of his time and advanced money time and again to enable THE MACCABÆAN to keep its head above water. During the five years he controlled it, the Federation was not called upon to contribute to the support of the magazine. Business complications of his own obliged him to withdraw from the corporation, although to the day of his death he maintained his interest. He was a man capable of splendid devotion. Without exaggerating one whit, THE MACCABÆAN owes its present existence to him.
As a member of the executive committee, he also displayed the same traits of character he showed in his work for THE MACCABAEN. Without pretensions, simple-minded and simple in his conversation, he had rare good sense on all matters relating to our propaganda. He was indefatigable in his self-sacrifice when his services were required. He ably managed the first Tannersville convention, the Atlantic City convention, and it was he who enabled us to hold them without financial loss. In matters of finance, he was keen and wise, his conservative views serving as a balance to other views more adventurous than his. He was ready with his contributions to our various funds, and his word was as good as his bond. He lent wisdom and far-sightedness to the discussions of our executive committee, and never was petty or