On Memorial Day, Honoring a WW II Chelsea Hero Who Refused to Go Down with the Ship
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MAY 21, 2020 – 27 IYAR 5780 JEWISHVOL 44, NO 22 JOURNALJEWISHJOURNAL.ORG On Memorial Day, honoring a WW II Chelsea hero who refused to go down with the ship By Steven A. Rosenberg JOURNAL STAFF Saul Gurman will soon turn 97, and he spends his days at the house where he has lived for 62 years overlooking Lynch Park in Beverly. But at some point this Monday, on Memorial Day, Gurman will pause and remember the muffled cries of the wounded, the faces of the dead, and the darkness that fell on the cold waters of the Mediterranean where he clung to life one late November eve- ning 77 years ago. The son of a kosher chick- en dealer, Gurman grew up in Chelsea and began plucking feathers at his father’s shop as a child. After graduating from Chelsea High School, he joined the Army and was trained as a propeller specialist. By late “I looked up and I could see Swastikas on the planes,” said November 1943, he was aboard Saul Gurman. the HMT Rohna, a British coal- Gurman was awarded a Purple burning cargo ship that had mess hall aboard the Rohna. Heart during World War II. picked up 2,000 U.S. Army sol- The meal was mostly watery diers in Algeria and joined five canned chicken and weevil- radio-controlled bomb that other troop transport ships en filled bread. “The funny part slammed into the Rohna and route to India. His final destina- was some of the guys were sing- blew up seconds after it landed tion would be China, where the ing ‘Eat, drink, and be merry in the vessel’s engine room. “It U.S. planned to station its new for tomorrow we die,’” Gurman felt like a hand lifted the whole B-29 bomber, which would be recalled. After the meal, the ship out of the water,” Gurman used to attack Japan. food was cleared and the sol- recalled. “It was timed not to go “We didn’t have anything diers climbed aboard the tables off on impact. About 300 offi- close enough in the Pacific to that served as their beds. cers were killed right away in the make the round trip to drop The following day was upper portion of the ship.” Gurman in his garden in Beverly. bombs on Japan,” said Gurman. Nov. 26, 1943, and everything Gurman climbed up to the On their second day of the seemed normal until around 4 “I looked up and I could see in for it.’ Those were his exact deck and began helping soldiers voyage, Gurman and the other p.m. Gurman was on the bow Swastikas on the planes, and words.” put on their lifebelts, telling 2,000 U.S. soldiers celebrated of the ship and noticed German then a British officer said, ‘You Around 20 minutes later, them to take off their helmets, Thanksgiving in a makeshift planes flying toward the vessel. better get below Yank, we’re at 4:30, a Nazi plane guided a continued on page 15 ADL REPORT: ANTI-SEMITIC INCIDENTS SOARED IN 2019 BOSTON– According to new data released this month in 2018. by the Anti-Defamation League, anti-Semitic incidents in The majority of 2019 incidents reported to the ADL Massachusetts remained historically high in 2019, with in Massachusetts involved harassment (61), followed by 114 recorded incidents – 128 percent higher than the total acts of vandalism that convey anti-Semitic messages for 2015. The data was part of ADL’s audit of anti-Semitic (52). Harassment incidents increased by 3 percent; this incidents. figure represents a larger national trend of increasing inci- Across America, the ADL recorded 2,107 acts of anti- dents of harassment (1,126 incidents nationally, a 6 per- Semitic hate, the highest number since tracking began in cent increase from the 1,066 reported incidents in 2018). 1979. Incidents in public areas in Massachusetts increased ADL’s audit classifies incidents into three categories: by 14 percent, reflecting a national trend (655 nation- assault, harassment, and vandalism. Of the total incidents ally, an increase of 38 percent from the 476 incidents in reported in Massachusetts in 2019: 2018). In addition, the audit found that anti-Semitic inci- • Harassment: 61 incidents of anti-Semitic harassment, dents in Jewish institutions and schools also increased cases where one or more Jews reported feeling harassed by 36 percent. by language or actions, were recorded last year, a 3 per- Included in the statewide count are multiple arson Photo: Fall River Police/Twitter cent increase from 59 in 2018. attempts targeting Chabad houses in Arlington and Gravestones were knocked over, and police found swas- • Vandalism: 52 incidents of anti-Semitic vandalism, Needham, the vicious desecration of a Jewish ceme- tikas and anti-Semitic phrases on tombstones at The cases where property was damaged in a manner that tery in Fall River where 59 headstones were vandalized, Hebrew Cemetery of Fall River last year. harmed or intimidated Jews, were recorded in 2019, and a proliferation of online anti-Semitism targeting down 37 percent from 82 in 2018. recorded statewide. The alarming manifestations of anti- Massachusetts middle and high schools. • Assaults: one incident of assault, cases where individ- Semitism in 2019 instill fear and are stark reminders that Sixty-one cities and towns in Massachusetts recorded uals were physically targeted with violence accompanied much work remains to be done. ADL is committed to at least one anti-Semitic incident last year. Massachusetts by evidence of anti-Semitic animus, down from three in focusing on confronting anti-Semitism through educa- recorded the fourth-highest number of incidents per state 2018. tional programs and resources, community outreach, and in the country (114), topped by New York (430), New Jersey • Anti-Semitic incidents took place in a wide variety law enforcement engagement.” (345), and California (330). of locations, including places of business, private homes, “The data tells the story that anti-Semitism contin- Incidents public areas such as parks and streets, Jewish institutions, ues to permeate American society,” said Robert Trestan, and schools. ADL New England regional director. “People are feeling In 2019, the ADL recorded 114 anti-Semitic incidents • Incidents at Jewish institutions and schools: 15 (up increasingly emboldened to let their hate come out of in Massachusetts. Despite the 21 percent decrease from from 11 in 2018). the shadows and display their anti-Semitism in public. 2018, incidents remain historically high in the state. In • Incidents in public areas (parks/streets/transit/build- Particularly concerning is the specific targeting of Jewish 2016, incidents spiked from 50 to 125. This alarming trend ings): 24 (up from 21 in 2018). institutions and schools and the 61 cases of harassment continued with 177 incidents in 2017 and 144 incidents continued on page 15 The Jewish Journal is a nonprofit newspaper supported by generous readers, committed advertisers and charitable organizations. Email [email protected]. 2 THE JEWISH JOURNAL – JEWISHJOURNAL.ORG – MAY 21, 2020 COMMUNITY NEWS Even in a pandemic, locals flock to the deli By Bette Keva His staff of four is work- JOURNAL CORRESPONDENT ing hard to keep up with the demand for cooked food Neither rain, nor sleet, nor because “people aren’t going wind, nor, apparently, a pan- out to eat, but they’re buying demic, can keep Jews from their cooked food.” deli. They come in single file, Sales are stable even while sporting a hunger for the com- his eight counter stools stand fort food of their childhood, and empty. wearing masks that in another Begun in Chelsea in 1976, time would have gotten them Levine’s moved to Peabody in tossed out on all fours on suspi- 1990, totaling 44 years in the cion of robbery. business. Best know for their But today, Jews still must quality knishes, Levine said he have their corned beef, their always has trouble keeping up pastrami, their white fish, kugel, with the demand. brisket, tongue, and a nice bagel “It’s like a puzzle. We used with salmon spread. Every day to have a normal routine, now is like a bar mitzvah at Larry it’s day by day. I never know Levine’s Kosher Meats & Deli in until the truck pulls up what Peabody and Evan’s New York merchandise is coming,” said Style Deli in Marblehead, only Levine. there are no bar mitzvahs on Evan Madoff has also the horizon. changed the way he does busi- Both deli owners, Todd ness. Curbside delivery takes Levine and Evan Madoff, exude more time and can be frustrat- pride for their profession and Evan Madoff Todd Levine ing, but he’s happy to be open. for keeping the traditional Evan’s is known for the corned Jewish cuisine alive and mouth- Marblehead 14 years ago and Todd Levine who works from to deliver meals curbside to beef Reuben (sauerkraut) or watering for patrons from the then moved it to Humphrey his West Peabody shop in the customers idling in their cars Rachel (coleslaw) with Swiss, North Shore and beyond. These Street in Swampscott, worries Lowe Mart Shopping Center and being unable to nosh while Russian dressing on toasted are strange times, but both about supplies from Hebrew agrees. “If a company had 100 working because of the mask, is pumpernickel. The homemade businesses are rolling with the National, and other vendors. items on their product list, now healthier than taking a Zumba pastrami knish continues to be punches, keeping their eye Pickles haven’t been available they are only making 50,” he class, not that any are open. a top seller.