Look to the rock from which you were hewn Vol. 39, No. 1, Winter 2015
chicago jewish historical societ y chicago jewish history
Exhibition LINCOLN AND THE JEWS New York Historical Society March 20 – June 7, 2015 “Marking the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War and Lincoln’s assassination, this exhibition focuses on the significant, and hitherto unknown, relationships and interactions between Abraham Lincoln and his Jewish friends and associates.” Since there are many Illinois and Chicago connections in the exhibition, CJHS members might enjoy a post-blizzard-season excursion to enjoy the show and New York City’s myriad Jewish cultural delights. www.nyhistory.org. Companion book: Lincoln and the Jews: A History. By Jonathan Sarna and Benjamin Sharpell. Photograph taken by Jewish photographer-friend of (Thos. Dunne Books, Lincoln, Samuel Alschuler, who loaned Lincoln his own March 17, 2015). velvet-trimmed coat for the occasion. Urbana, Illinois, April 25, 1858. Courtesy of Library of Congress. Oil painting of photographer Samuel Alschuler. Collection of his great-granddaughter, CJHS Life Member Jean Soman. CJHS Open Meetings, Spring 2015 Lecture Northwestern University’s Jewish Theatre Ensemble HILLEL IN ILLINOIS: A HISTORY Presents “Toni & Markus” By Walter Roth Sunday, May 3, 2:00 p.m. featuring Jeff-Award-Winning Actress Roslyn Alexander Guest Speakers: Patti Ray & Rabbi Paul Saiger Directed by Grace Overbeke (‘18) Anshe Emet Synagogue A staged reading of excerpts from Roth’s memoir. 3751 North Broadway, Chicago Intimate and revelatory conversations between a child refugee of the Holocaust and his stepmother. Lecture Saturday, April 18, 6:00 p.m. THE SAUL BELLOW CENTENNIAL Fiedler Hillel Center, 629 Foster Street, Evanston Sunday, June 7, 2:00 p.m. Admission free – Refreshments – Q&A with the author Guest Speaker: Richard Reeder Venue to Come 2 Chicago Jewish History Winter 2015
President’s Column Look to the rock from which you were hewn
AS I WRITE THIS COLUMN IN LATE chicago jewish historical societ y FEBRUARY, Chicago’s temperature is minus 2015 10 degrees (with the wind chill factor). Officers & Board of Directors This morning I spoke with our Vice- Dr. Edward H. Mazur President and Program Chairman Jerry Levin President at his outpost on Marco Island, Florida. Jerry, Jerold Levin a native Southsider, is intelligent; I, a humble Vice President Humboldt Park native, am keeping the home Dr. Rachelle Gold fires burning and keeping ComEd prosperous. Secretary Chicago is experiencing the second coldest Marvin Dickman Z”L Edward H. Mazur. February in our City’s recorded history— Treasurer exceeded only by the winter of 1875. I claim no knowledge of that winter. My entire mishpocha resided in Leah Axelrod Bialystok at that time. But enough about the weather! I need space Rachel Heimovics Braun* to write my regular appreciation of Jewish holiday food. Dr. Irving Cutler Dr. Carolyn Eastwood Z”L PURIM AND PASSOVER Our Christian friends, especially those Herbert Eiseman who observe Fat Tuesday and Lent, may have their paczkis, but what Elise Ginsparg beats Purim hamentashen from a kosher bakery, with a choice of Clare Greenberg fruit or poppyseed fillings and soft or cookie dough? Dr. Adele Hast* The first Passover Seder is Friday evening, April 3, sandwiched Janet Iltis (no chometz please!) between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Jacob. M. Kaplan The most popular Passover Haggadah in the United States between Mark Mandle 1900 and 1925 was translated by a woman. Before Maxwell House, Dr. Stanton Polin there was Lillie Goldsmith Cowen (1851-1939). She was the wife of Joan Pomaranc the publisher of the Jewish weekly newspaper, The American Hebrew. Burton Robin In 1904, she published the Cowen Haggadah , the first mass- Muriel Rogers* produced translation of the haggadah into modern American English Walter Roth* vernacular. It became the most popular haggadah in the United Norman D. Schwartz * Z”L States in the first quarter of the twentieth century, with distribution Dr. Milton Shulman of 295,000 copies by 1935. But I digress. Back to food. Carey Wintergreen MACHINE-MADE MATZOS Let us consider the great matzo *Past Presiden t controversy, which revolved around the use of machines for baking Chicago Jewish History matzos. Two of the parties to the controversy in the 1850s, in Europe, were Rabbi Shlomo Kruger of Brody and Rabbi Yosel Shaul is published quarterly by the Nathanson of Lemberg (now Lviv). Kruger argued that the use of CJHS at 610 S. Michigan Ave., the machine would create additional financial hardships for the poor, Room 803, Chicago, IL 60605- who subsidize their meager income by baking matzos for Passover. 1901. Phone (312 ) 663-5634. Rabbi Nathanson argued that Jews did not prohibit the printing [email protected]. press because it put scribes out of work. Successor to Society News. Historians agree that one of America’s first steam-powered matzo Single copies $4.00 postpaid. baking machines was located at Cohen’s Bakery on Cherry Street in Editor/Designer Beverly Chubat Lower Manhattan. New York journalists wrote that while previous Editorial Board Edward Mazur, machines “were considered irregular by doctors of Jewish law, with Burton Robin, Milton Shulman. the march of improvement it has been allowed.” Currently, in the Send all submissions to Editor: Chicago area, most Orthodox and many Conservative Jews favor the electronically to e-mail address round, handmade shmura matzos for the seders. Machine-made or via standard mail to street matzos from Israel are popular, as are Manischewitz and Streit’s. address. If manuscript is sent via Continued on page 18 standard mail, enclose SASE. Chicago Jewish History Winter 2015 3 Jacob M. Kaplan Elected to CJHS Board of Directors Welcome, New Members We welcome Jacob Kaplan. He was elected to a three- year term at a meeting of the Board of Directors. of the Society He is a Chicago historian with a particular interest in Beth Hillel Congregation our city’s overlooked built environment. Kaplan is a Bnai Emunah co-founder and editor at Forgotten Chicago (forgot - Wilmette, IL tenchicago.com), a group set up to conduct research, Willa Bryer-Douglas write articles, and conduct tours and lectures focused Chicago, IL on Chicago’s overlooked history and architecture. Richard & Jackie Favish Jacob Kaplan is author of the recently released Mount Prospect, IL Jacob M. Kaplan. book, Avondale and Chicago’s Polish Village (Images of America , Arcadia Publishing), which recounts the Robert Goldman overlooked history of that multi-ethnic immigrant neighborhood on Highland Park, IL Chicago’s Northwest Side. He is an alumnus of Northeastern Illinois Warren G. Hamer University, where he majored in History and Political Science. Southampton, NY In addition to his history pursuits, Jacob Kaplan is the Executive Joseph Kolman Director of the Cook County Democratic Party. Jackson Heights, NY At our December 7, 2014, open meeting, before the start of the “American Rabbi Seth Limmer Heroes” program, an election was held. The following Board members were Chicago Sinai Congregation re-elected to a three-year term: Leah Joy Axelrod, Dr. Irving Cutler, Elise Chicago, IL Ginsparg, Dr. Rachelle Gold, Dr. Stanton Polin, and Carey Wintergreen. Susan Miller Jewish Theater is Alive in Chicago and Suburbs Chicago, IL As announced on our front page, Northwestern University’s Jewish Rabbi Frederick Reeves Theater Ensemble will present staged excerpts from Toni and Markus , KAM Isaiah Israel Congregation the memoir by CJHS President Emeritus Walter Roth. Featured with the Chicago, IL students will be a beloved doyenne of Chicago theater, Roslyn Alexander. Bob & Margie Rosenbaum Family Continuum Theater is new on the scene, but as its name shows, it intends in honor of Norman D. Schwartz to carry forward our city’s once-active Jewish performing arts life. Its mission Chicago, IL statement describes itself as “ an arts organization dedicated to sharing a wide David N. Rosenbaum range of Jewish theatrical, musical, and dance experiences with a diverse Pleasant Hill, CA Chicago audience. Our mission is to serve Jewish continuity by preserving Fred Rothschild our heritage, energizing our evolving culture, and building community Northfield, IL around a love for Jewish performing arts and Jewish learning. Continuum Theater incorporated in 2012 and is a 501(c)3 charity.” Coming up: Jeffrey Schesnol The Chicago Jewish Play Reading Festival Scottsdale, AZ Abby Schmelling Sunday, March 8, 7:00 p.m Sunday, April 12, 7:00 p.m. River Forest, IL THE LAST SCHWARTZ PARIS TIME Stage 773, Chicago Congregation Solel, Marcey Siegel Chicago, IL Tuesday, March 10, 1:00 p.m. Highland Park ESTELLE SINGERMAN Sunday April 26, 7:00 p.m. Laura R. Smith Temple Sholom, Chicago OH, GOD! Santa Cruz, CA Sunday, March 29, 7:00 p.m. Congregation Beth Shalom, Michael Traison CLOSE TO HOME Naperville Chicago, IL B'nai Yehuda Beth Sholom, For information and to buy tickets: Charles Wolf Homewood Online: Brown Paper Tickets Chicago, IL By phone (800) 838-3006 Nina Wolgel Devorah Richards is Executive Director. [email protected] Skokie, IL 4 Chicago Jewish History Winter 2015
Northeastern Illinois University CJHS Colleagues of 20th Annual Asian and Asian- Norman Schwartz American Heritage Conference Share Their Memories A Special Presentation by Professor Xu Xin Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Nanjing University People’s Republic of China
Norman D. Schwartz (1922-2014). John Grunsfeld. NASA photograph. Spertus Institute. Norman was a Mensch Hall of Fame Honor I first met Norman in 1976, at the for Astronaut with Museum of Science and Industry Chicago Jewish Roots exhibit celebrating the United States Bicentennial, where the idea of a A Chicago native of the Hyde Park “Chinese Perception of new Chicago Jewish Historical neighborhood and a graduate of Society was first conceived. It was a Highland Park High School, John Jews: Why Chinese are privilege to know Norman all these Grunsfeld, will be inducted into the interested in Jews and years. He was a real mensch . I'll Astronaut Hall of Fame this spring, [Our] Culture” never forget his integrity and strong officials with the Kennedy Space values. He worked tirelessly on Center have announced. Thursday, April 2 causes he believed in. Norman was He is the grandson of architect 12:15 – 1:30 p.m. loyal, faithful, and kind. He was Ernest Grunsfeld, Jr., designer of the self-effacing, not ego-driven. original building of Chicago’s Adler Golden Eagles Room Mark Mandle Planetarium and also the Jewish Student Union Member, CJHS People’s Institute (JPI) on Douglas Northeastern Illinois Board of Directors Boulevard; philanthropist Julius University Campus, Rosenwald was the architect’s uncle. 5500 North St. Louis Avenue The astronaut’s late father, Ernest An analysis of Chinese knowledge Errol Magidson will make (Toby) Grunsfeld III, was a noted a presentation on the history of architect of North Shore homes. and attitudes toward the Jews of the 20th century. Most Chinese people Beth Torah Synagogue John Grunsfeld’s space resume at the Ridge Historical Society are fascinated by the Jews—how we includes eight spacewalks, three trips 10621 South Seeley Avenue, Chicago survived, were revived, and have to repair the Hubble Space Sunday, June 14, at 2:00 p.m. Telescope, and flights on the achieved so much in modern times, Magidson tells CJH that the Chicago Endeavor, Atlantis, Discovery, and even though we have been Department of Buildings has documen - Columbia shuttles. persecuted through the ages. The tation that the Beth Torah synagogue, image of the Jews in the Chinese See him on YouTube—as a child in which had been sold to the Chicago his Chicago snowsuit and on a mind serves as an “other” which Public Schools at the end of 1974, was Hubble Space Telescope repair remains a mirror for the Chinese to not torn down until 1999. This means mission. Read more about him in judge or construct themselves, and that the Spertus 1983 exhibit of the Chicago Tribune , February 18, as a model for them to learn modern - buildings that were former synagogues 2015, and in CJH Summer 2009. ization without losing one’s traditions. in Chicago missed Beth Torah. Chicago Jewish History Winter 2015 5
Norman D. Schwartz: One example of his efforts was his Chicago Mikvah The Chicago Jewish Archives “Go-To Guy” Project. In 1999, he researched and photographed the I remember Norman Schwartz as my “go-to guy” for exteriors of all known mikvaot in Chicago and recorded Chicago Jewish history, my “if-all-else-fails” resource their addresses. He donated the resulting collection of that I knew would come through for me. Back when I photographs to the archives, together with a copy of the first arrived at Spertus, I was fresh out of grad school. I articles of incorporation of the Chicago Mikvah had training in history and library science, but I was a Association (1974) and an article by the founder of complete beginner where Chicago Jewish history was Mikveh Education International. His efforts preserved concerned. I did not grow up in Chicago, and had to information that might have been lost forever, and he learn the neighborhoods along with the history. created a resource that will be valuable to future I fielded many calls from researchers who were historians. trying to trace their family’s involvement with Norman Schwartz, as part of the CJHS, was an synagogues that were now closed and largely forgotten. essential community partner of the archives. Without I quickly learned the value of the CJHS two-volume his knowledge, dedication, and generosity, much of the database, Synagogues of Chicago , to which Norman archival evidence of Chicago Jewish history would have contributed, and which we kept handy at the reference been lost. His willingness to share his knowledge helped desk. When more was needed, I phoned Norman at me guide the researchers who came to the archives. Our home. He’d consult his notes and clippings file and tell conversations were a pleasure and an education for me. me what he knew, while I scribbled as fast as I could to Historians who never had the privilege of knowing get it all in my notes. He generously shared his Norman Schwartz will be in his debt. I hope that we knowledge and recounted many stories and tidbits of will all be inspired by his story to continue his efforts to history in our conversations. I would tell our document and preserve Chicago Jewish history. researchers, “I’ve consulted with our local expert,” and Joy Kingsolver they were as appreciative of his knowledge as I was. Director of the Chicago Jewish Archives Norman had contacts all over Chicago, and he was Spertus Institute, 1996-2008 always on the lookout for synagogues that were about to close, or personal papers that might be available to save Norman and Moselle Schwartz: An Epic Pair for the archives. Many times he called to alert me to a My great-great-grandfather, Ignatz Jacob Kunreuther collection we needed to acquire. I would start arranging (1811-1884) was Chicago’s first rabbi and shochet . to pick up boxes of files and photographs, grateful for When Norman and Moselle Schwartz learned that I was the tip. Sometimes we walked through a building unable to find his grave, Norman started “digging.” The together with others from the CJHS, looking for death certificate said Graceland Cemetery, but that was forgotten papers and photographs. Many of the small wrong. Norman located the grave at a different historic collections in the archives were collected in this way. Chicago Jewish cemetery, Mount Mayriv, at Addison Norman often brought in material that he had Street and Narragansett Avenue. collected, or that someone else had sent him. He would Moselle took a photograph of the gravestone, sit in the library office and open a manila envelope, a pedestal upon which was an open bible with the spreading out his finds and telling me the background inscription in Hebrew and English, “I know that my story. He brought in yearbooks, programs, High redeemer liveth” [Job 19:25]. And Norman wrote my Holiday tickets, photographs, synagogue histories— name on a cemetery index card. archival material of every type. Later I would add the A few months later, a gentleman came looking for new material to the archives. The donations were always the Kunreuther grave, found my name, and gave it to recorded with the original owner’s name, and with Steven Kunreuther in New York City. Steven contacted Norman’s name, on behalf of the CJHS, as the me to say he was organizing a family reunion to take facilitator of the donation. The material he brought to place the following summer. My daughters and I the archives filled in many gaps in the collections, and attended. We met family from Israel, Europe, England, added pieces of history we never anticipated. South America, and all over the USA. He not only collected documentation of Chicago What a wonderful sequence of events, initiated by Jewish history—he created it as well. He traveled Norman and Moselle’s skills, interest, and kindness! through the neighborhoods of Chicago to photograph Janet Iltis synagogues, former synagogues, and other buildings. Member, CJHS Board of Directors 6 Chicago Jewish History Winter 2015
Report: CJHS Open Meeting Sunday, December 7, 2014 AMERICAN HEROES: Chicago Jewish Veterans of World War II The open meeting was held at Beth Hillel Congregation Bnai Emunah, 3220 Big Tree Lane, Wilmette. Program Moderator Fred R. Rosenberg is now editing a video of the slide lecture he gave. The book discussed by author Cyndee Schaffer, Mollie’s War: The Letters of a World War II WAC in Europe , can be purchased online. The panel of Chicago area World War II veterans were allotted too short a time to fully speak of their experiences, so we are presenting the memoirs of Irving Cutler (U.S. Navy) and Allen H. Meyer (U.S. Army) here. We hope to publish Sidney Brichta (U.S. Army Air Corps) and Joseph Groner (U.S. Army) in our next issue.
Irving Cutler n 1942, at the age of 19, and in my junior year at the University oIf Chicago, I enlisted in the U.S. Navy V7 Officer Training Program. After receiving months of training at various naval facilities in such subjects as navigation, gunnery, damage control, recognition, and anti-submarine warfare, I was sent to the Columbia University Midshipmen’s School in New York. After three months of very intensive training there, I graduated and was commissioned an Ensign, later upgraded to Lieutenant (J.G.). The graduates were known as the “90-day wonders.” I was assigned to the destroyer USS Stewart DE 238. escort USS Stewart (DE 238). equipment we were able to pick up When we would return to the Arriving on the ship, I was any submarines. United States with a convoy we amazed by its size—slightly longer With the newly invented radar would usually spend a couple of than a football field, although we were able to keep the ships lined days practicing chasing submarines smaller and lighter than a destroyer up properly and not running into off our northeast coast. —with eight officers and a crew of each other during fog and night After 1943, we practiced by 201. As a civilian, my previous boat blackouts, although there was one chasing Italian submarines manned experience had been in a rented collision, when we had to board a by Italian crews, as Italy had rowboat in the Douglas Park lagoon. freighter to put out a fire. surrendered, and the U.S. Navy The USS Stewart through the En route we would change obtained some of their submarines. years, in conjunction with three course frequently as Naval We would try to locate the similar destroyer escorts and a Intelligence was good at locating the maneuvering subs and pretend to destroyer, helped to safely escort German submarine wolf packs. drop depth charges on them. numerous convoys, each consisting Sometimes, in mid-winter, we would On the Stewart, I served as of about 60 ships loaded with troops be sent north to near Iceland, in gunnery, recognition, and recreation and supplies, across the submarine- very rough seas. That’s where I saw officer. I taught groups of crew infested Atlantic Ocean to the an almost-frozen lookout with icicles members to recognize enemy ships European war zones. The naval ships hanging from his nose. The ship and planes by flashing their photos formed a semicircle in front of the would tilt almost 90 degrees, but on a screen—interspersed about convoy, and with our sonar always snap back. every tenth slide by a photo of a Chicago Jewish History Winter 2015 7
nude woman to keep the men attentive. Allen H. Meyer As recreation officer, I was able For over a year I have spoken of my WWII service on a number of panels to organize a ship’s library, with the of veterans, resulting from my having been a member of a unit which was men getting library cards, and also awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2010. The medal is awarded to arranging for movies almost every persons “who have performed an achievement that has an impact on night when we were at sea. At American history and culture that is likely to be recognized as a major various ports I would take our achievement in the recipient’s field long after the achievement.” whaleboat with a couple of men and esterday [December 6, 2014] I enjoyed my 89th birthday. As I had go to places where we could get all just turned 16 the day before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, I had the books and movies that we tYwo years in which to decide my role, if any, in the war effort. wanted for free. On land, I often The following June I graduated from Senn High School, having arranged for baseball games. I was behind me seven semesters of Latin, two semesters of Spanish, and the umpire. membership in the Greek Club, all preceded by an Orthodox cheder Being about the same age as education in Hebrew and a light exposure to Yiddish. My dad’s most of the sailors, I got along very graduation gift to me was a German Grammar/Dictionary and a book of well with the crew. For years German short stories. I spent the summer of 1942 studying them. afterwards I remained in contact That fall I entered Harvard College, qualifying for Intermediate with some of the crew and officers, German, in a class full of boys expecting to serve in Europe in some but most are gone now. As far as I capacity. Then one day the following spring my life was changed. Our know, I was the only Jew on the instructor interrupted the class to introduce a colleague who told us, in ship. I never experienced any anti- effect, “I know why you are studying German, but there is an even greater Semitism while I was in the Navy. need for other languages, in particular, Japanese.” He urged us to hen the war ended in consider the change. The man was the scholar Edwin O. Reischauer, later Europe, the Stewart was sent to serve as United States Ambassador to Japan. tWo the Pacific war zone, as part of a That summer, back in Chicago, I attended DePaul, studying Physics flotilla around the cruiser Baltimore, and Chemistry. Two or three nights a week I traveled down to the to prepare for the invasion of Japan. University of Chicago to study Japanese with a young lady recently When the atomic bombs were released from the internment camps. As I progressed, she suggested that I dropped ending the war, we were enroll in the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor for full-time language sent back through the Panama Canal study until I turn 18, because that was the location of the Army’s to be decommissioned and Intensive Japanese Language School. I took her advice, and with another mothballed, with numerous other 17-year-old, Burke Peterson, studied language alongside those already in ships, in the St. Johns River in the service until we joined the Army in early 1944. Florida, south of Jacksonville. Naturally, the Army sent us to the Infantry! The head of the Decades later, while on a Language program found where Burke and I had been sent and pulled us vacation trip to Miami, I returned to back to Ann Arbor. We entered late, into a class of over 120, which that site, only to find there were no ultimately graduated and commissioned only 70. longer any ships there. Most had After intensive months in Ann Arbor and more Infantry training in been sold as scrap. Alabama, we were sent to Fort Snelling, in Minnesota. As the war was By chance, of the 85 destroyer winding down, we were being trained in the areas of counter-insurgency escorts of the same class, the Stewart and, hopefully, a peaceful Occupation. One of our challenges there was at is the only one to survive, and the radio shack, listening to wire reels of uncoded Japanese Naval remains basically intact and is in the messages so scrambled and scratchy that linguists in Washington and Seawolf Park in Galveston, Texas. Hawaii were unable to make sense of them. On a few occasions, some of It is listed on the U.S. National my classmates, sons of missionaries, with a knowledge of both street slang Register of Historic Places. If I’m and polite phrasing, were successful where others had failed. ever in that area, I plan to visit my A sidebar on anti-Semitism in the Army: certainly we Jews were called old ship, aboard which I spent most vile names during Infantry training, where our cadre tended to be battle- of World War II, about three years, hardened Southern backwoodsmen, but we acceptd that as part of our O until I was discharged in 1946. Continued on page 8 8 Chicago Jewish History Winter 2015
Continued from page 7 n incident with a Jewish aspect is worth Allen H. Meyer mentioning. Pre-Surrender, one of Japan’s most training, to harden our psyches. But in Alabama, by nAationalistic organs was TOA RENMEI (All the world which time we were already ranked as Corporals, when under one roof), a propaganda source for booting the the Nisei feared repercussions by violating the local white colonizers out of the Far East. While in training morés—were they “White” or “Colored”?—we Jews had we were exposed to some of their publications. During them join us in our Enlisted Men’s facilities, whether the week or so between the Emperor’s request to on-base or in Anniston (a Klan stronghold at the time). surrender and the actual Surrender on the Missouri, Earlier, in Ann Arbor, we Jews had no problems, groups like this destroyed their records, closed their because we constituted a portion of the student body offices, and disbanded. well above our three-percent of the US population at However, TOA RENMEI issued a final newsletter, the time, and we happened to become some of the top stating that “Japan made a fatal mistake by siding with students in the program. Hitler, when we should have emulated the Jews, who ur group arrived in Japan in early 1946. The had a history of 3,000 years of survival.” GHQ must Surrender had taken place in September, but we have known of this, but for some reason, didn’t surpress wOere still in the early stages of the Occupation. Even on it. We surmised that the head of Intelligence (G-2), the Home Islands there were incidents of unrest and General Charles Willoughby, had bigger fish to fry. disbelief that their leaders had surrendered in a conflict Born in Prussia, but a member of MacArthur’s they had been led to believe they were winning. innermost circle, Willoughby was later known to be an A few dozen of us came over on a troopship along anti-Semite. However, in January, a reporter for the with a like number of Nisei, and we all settled into the Christian Science Monitor published the article in the NYK building, facing the Palace, four short blocks from States. It was then picked up by the Japanese media and MacArthur’s headquarters in the Dai-Ichi Building. came to the desks of a few of us in different newspapers. Our building was exclusively for linguists assigned to At this point, it could no longer be suppressed. ATIS (Allied Translator and Interpreter Service), where We all reported on it, it made the summaries, and the we lived, worked, and ate our meals. It was truly bigger Japanese papers began to show an interest in the “Allied.” British, Dutch, Chinese, and Australians were subject—Jews. Some of the Japanese at my table had among our roommates. never heard of Jews and explored the subject with me at My first few months’ assignment was to translate length, even though I was by no means an expert. periodicals. My team consisted of six or seven Japanese My team brought our discussions home to their university students, almost fluent in English. Each families and friends and came back with more questions morning, at 8:00 a.m., our round table was handed a than I could adequately answer. We could not oblige fresh load of newspapers flown in overnight from all their desire to meet one of those people known as Jews, over Japan. We were concerned with political, because Willoughby was adamant that his non-Japanese economic, social, and editorial features. If any of us Americans not fraternize with the Japanese. spotted anything unusual, we would all discuss the article, analyze the nuances, and I would bring it to the Sidney Mashbir officer in charge of our floor (consisting of about 25 ATIS, a small part of Willoughby’s G-2, was headed by similar tables). He would alert the interpreters on the Sidney Mashbir, a Jew from New York, who joined the 2nd floor, who would summarize our findings. Army in 1910, became a linguist, was sent to Japan as a By early afternoon, articles with significant Military Attaché after WWI, and became widely problems would be carried over to GHQ for further recognized as a friend of Japan at the time of the analysis. Yes, it was a form of censorship. Our table was disastrous earthquake of 1923, when he was in the dealing with the same daily newspapers, and forefront of humanitarian aid to the victims. occasionally, a few days after our report, we would find More than 20 years later, MacArthur brought him a retraction or an editorial review of what we had to Australia to head ATIS for the nexr four years. highlighted. Mashbir made radio broadcasts to Japan, urging After about three months of this, I was moved up to surrender, because his name was still well-known there. the 2nd floor to work on summaries of the daily output. At the Surrender, if you recall motion pictures of the Quite a job for a 20-year-old who barely understood ceremony, he is the short officer in the cocked hat those issues in his own country. leading the Japanese delegation up the stairway to the Chicago Jewish History Winter 2015 9
surrender deck on the USS The First Seder understood that interruptions were Missouri. After the Surrender, In a lighter vein, a few weeks later, appropriate—and we never got Willoughby prevailed and selected a when Joe and I were relaxing in the beyond The Four Questions. successor. No Jew ever headed ATIS Officer’s Lounge after dinner, our For example, when Joe got to again during Willoughby’s tenure. new chief, Colonel Austin, a non- the charoses , one Japanese guest Mashbir returned to the States, linguist whom Willoughby had commented that he couldn’t resigned his commission, and wrote chosen to succeed Mashbir, made a understand the connection with a book entitled I Was An American rare visit to our off-duty facility, mortar. Mr. Eisenberg, in Japanese, Spy (Vantage, 1953). He drifted into normally frequented by officers of then offered an explanation that oblivion. He no longer fit in that Japanese-American descent. Austin included the ingredients his mother inner circle. If you refer to your looked around, walked over to us, had used in Germany; Joe then Hebrew-English dictionary and look and asked, “Do you know enough described the contents his mother r c a n up , you’ll find that it is a Jewish language to help out at a favored in Brooklyn. Then Mr. Hebrew word meaning “crisis.” dinner in a few weeks?” Eisenberg looked at me, asking how we made it in “Al Capone’s city.” arly in the Occupation, Joe He then gave Joe the phone I had to admit that my bubbe never Klein and I took out an ATIS number of a Jewish chaplain. had occasion to discuss her charoses Jeep for our first trip into the It turned out that a Passover E recipe with me! Hakone Lakes region, on the way to Seder was to be performed for an The chaplain summarized the Mount Fuji. From our Army studies audience of certain members of the rest of the Seder, and Joe and I we knew it to have been a popular Japanese Diet—probably motivated translated his comments into vacation spot for foreigners during by the Christian Science Monitor Japanese. A merry, informative time the pre-WWII period. Our first stop article I mentioned earlier. The host was had by all. Joe and I never had was to be Lake Ashi. As we was to be a Mr. Eisenberg, a Jew further contact with our host or the approached it we saw a sign in who escaped Germany when Hitler chaplain, so we never realized how Japanese directing us to the Hakone came to power, found refuge in legendary that Seder became. Hotel. However, the hotel was now Tokyo, where he developed a In 1973, my wife and I visited surrounded by a fence. successful business and married a Japan on a pleasure trip, and while Japanese woman. After Pearl Harbor The MP we approached told us in Tokyo, went to the new Jewish he was kept under house arrest with that the current occupants were all Community Center to attend a his wife and their au pair servants. Nazis awaiting transport back to Friday evening service. We arrived He taught the three of them Germany. As we sauntered down early to learn more about the German and a little Hebrew, and in toward the Lake for a better view of community from Rabbi Marvin hopes of converting them, wanted to Fuji, one of the prisoners, still in a Tokayer. He was amazed to meet introduce them to a Passover Seder. Nazi uniform, pointed at us and someone who had participated in None of the four knew any announced to his comrades, with a that first Seder after the Surrender English, but the chaplain gave us strange and gutteral “J”—“ Jude .” 27 years earlier. Joe, who had been a Brooklyn some Maxwell House Haggado t to high school teacher and an athlete, help us, and to supply the other ne last anecdote about Jews: was ready to jump the fence, but he guests, a few Army officers well I was working at Ports, doing was pushed back by our MP to above us in rank. Joe was to read a rOepatriation work, which occupied avoid an incident. few lines in Hebrew, then I would most of my 19 months in Japan. How odd! We were two Jews in read the English and translate into As of September 1945, there US Army officers’ uniforms who had Japanese, then we would reverse were over seven million Japanese, come halfway around the world to roles. The chaplain began by military and civilian, located outside Japan only to be insulted by Nazis, explaining (in English and Yiddish) Japan. The Documents of Surrender whom we had thought we were that questions and interruptions dictated by MacArthur directed that intended to fight, but who were were appropriate. Joe repeated his repatriation be handled by the were already imprisoned under the remarks in Japanese. Home Ministry, using Japanese ships protection of our Military Police! Our 25 or so attendees truly and personnel. Their fleet had been Continued on page 12 10 Chicago Jewish History Winter 2015
ED MAZUR’S acquainted with one another. The meeting will be held at Mr. M. Abrams, secretary of the eight o’clock in the evening at the PAGES FROM Executive Committee, Knights of Chicago Historical Society THE PAST Zion, will be the honored speaker, Building, Dearborn and Ontario and will speak in the Hebrew Streets. For the benefit of those y source for these selections is language. A Zion Council of each present, the rich museum of the M the Chicago Foreign Language Chicago Gate is being represented Society will be open from seven Press Survey Microfilm Collection at by three delegates. This meeting is until ten-thirty, enabling the Chicago Public Library Harold for the sole purpose of Zionist everybody to view the antiques Washington Library Center. publicity in the city.…. and valuable articles which are to In the autumn of 1936 the Rabbi Saul Silber of Anshe be found there. Chicago Foreign Language Press Sholom and Mr. Max Shulman will Dr. Otto L. Schmidt, Survey was organized under the Works speak on the question of getting president of the Illinois Progress Administration (WPA) of the Persians and other Jews united. Centennial Commission and Vice Illinois. The purpose of the Survey was President of the Chicago to translate and classify selected news Daily Jewish Courier, articles appearing in Chicago’s foreign , May 17, 1914 Historical Society, will address the meeting on the very language press from 1861 to 1938. ENGLEWOOD IS ACTIVE Financial curtailments in the WPA interesting theme: “The Jewish Dear Editor: Kindly insert in your program ended the Survey in October Pioneers Whom I Knew." newspaper the following report on 1941. The Chicago Public Library The well-known Jewish published the work in 1942. The collections from the Englewood banker, M.E. Greenebaum, has project consists of a file of 120,000 War Relief Committee. This agreed that his father, Elias typewritten pages from newspapers of organization was launched January Greenebaum, the oldest Jew in twenty-two different foreign language 27 of this year, and since then the Illinois, should be the honorary communities in Chicago. Committee has collected, from president of the Jewish Historical Yiddish is the foreign language monthly subscribers, the sum of Society. Mr. Elias Greenebaum is of the Jewish press in the Survey. $2,840.72. This is the total ninety-five years old. English language periodicals are also amount collected during the six- All those who are interested included, as well as the publications month period ending August 1. in Jewish history in general, and of charitable institutions, communal The president of this organization the history of Jews of Illinois in organizations, and synagogues. is Mr. Whithall; Mr. D. Levin is particular, are invited to the vice-president; and Mr. Herman meeting. PERSIAN JEWS IN CHICAGO IN Liebovitz is treasurer. Daily Jewish Courier, ZIONIST GROUPS Thanking you in behalf of the April 30, 1918 There is a large collection of Englewood War Relief Committee, MASS MEETING TO PROTEST THE Oriental Jews in Chicago who I remain POGROMS IN EUROPE mix or assimilate very little with Rabbi Jacob Levinson other Jews. This is mostly on Daily Jewish Courier Negotiations are underway to account of the difference in August 18, 1916 have the Jewish Welfare Board language. Not being able to PERMANENT JEWISH HISTORICAL use its influence to have the converse with one another, there SOCIETY IS BEING FOUNDED IN Commander of the Great Lakes cannot exist anything in common Naval training Station free all CHICAGO TODAY This evening, between them. Jewish sailors on Wednesday so a permanent Jewish Historical The modern Zionist is that they may participate in the compared to the legendary Elijah, Society will be founded, which will mourning and the mass meeting the Prophet whose aim was to contribute to the century jubilee of for protest against the pogroms. unite the Jews of the entire world. our State. [A printed account will The sailors and soldiers will form The leaders of Zion here in the be made] of the contributions of separate divisions. city have arranged a meeting for Jews to the success of the State of A second large division will the purpose of getting better Illinois in these few generations. be that of Jewish women, a third Chicago Jewish History Winter 2015 11 will be that of children. Jewish his sojourn in Lithuania and HISTORY OF THE CHICAGO JEWS women desirous of assisting in Poland, and which are now being The history of the Jews in this holy work are requested to carefully distributed to the Chicago for the last seventy-five attend a meeting tonight in the addressees, are further proof of years has at last come to light. Workers Institute. All Mothers how great the need is there…. The material for this history was League branches have decided to Besides dictating letters, Mr. compiled by the Jewish Historical gather in the Institute tomorrow Horwich is formulating an appeal Society, which will give it to the at 1 P.M. and there organize a which should reach every Jew in public in connection with the division for the procession. Chicago that the ship of food for celebration of the day, seventy- The Joint Board of the Cloak the starving, which was decided five years ago, when the first Jew Makers decided that all cloak upon at the conference, shall be came to Chicago. makers should stop work at sent on its way as soon as The History of the Jews, which 1 P.M. so that they may possible. The plan is to send a has been published at much effort participate in the march and ship laden with flour, oil, beans, and expense, owes its appearance meeting. Information as to where rice and condensed milk.…. to the untiring work of Mr. and when the cloak makers will Daily Jewish Courier, Hyman L. Meites, who spent five meet to form their own division, July 15, 1919 years at the difficult task, in the will be announced tomorrow. Jewish Historical Society, an The Jewish grocery stores of MAX SHULMAN ELECTED organization founded in 1918 for the West Side have decided to PRESIDENT OF THE COMMUNITY the purpose of writing it. The close their stores from 2 to 4 P.M. STATE BANK At the last meeting Society’s first president was Julius Jewish Watchmakers will gather of the board of directors of the Rosenwald. This position is now Wednesday at 1:30 P.M. on the Community State Bank, 1637 occupied by S.J. Rosenblatt. corner of Wabash Avenue and West Roosevelt Road, Mr. Max Only three thousand copies Madison Street and from there Shulman, the well-known Jewish of the book will be published. they will march to 12th St. and lawyer, Zionist leader, and one of The history contains all the Robey St. where they will join in the most popular Jews in activities of the Jews from the the procession. Chicago, was elected president of time of the first Jew settling in All Jewish children will the West side financial Chicago until this day. Copies participate in the demonstration institution. Mr. Shulman will will be distributed to all members against the Polish pogroms. take over his new duties right of the Jewish Historical Society Forward, after the holidays. With him at at our meeting next Monday May 19, 1919 the head, the directors plan to night, as well as to news-paper enlarge the bank building and publishers, libraries and colleges. B. HORWICH AT HIS DESK IN THE arrange the various departments Very few copies will be sold. RELIEF OFFICE Returning from in such a way that the depositors President Rosenblatt declared his travels in Europe to his shall get faster and better service. that the task of writing this book position as president of the … Some prominent Jewish was a very difficult one, but that United Jewish Relief Committee businessmen have entered the the results are worth the trouble.” with offices at 720 Roosevelt bank together with Mr. Shulman. “I feel,” said Rosenblatt, “that this road, Mr. B. Horwich busied The Community State Bank book will be kept sacred by all himself yesterday dictating letters is established as a state bank in its Chicago Jews because it is a to the various agents of the own building. Mr. Jacob memorial to their marvelous organizations composing the Gurwitz, a well-to-do busines- participation in the growth of committee. He asked them to man with a fine reputation, Chicago. continue with renewed energies remains, as before, its vice- Forward , to secure aid for the unfortunate president. January 21, 1924 Jews in the war-torn countries. Daily Jewish Courier, The regards and letters which October 1, 1921 Our CJHS is proud to have Mr. Horwich brought back from reprinted the book in 1990. 12 Chicago Jewish History Winter 2015
Allen H. Meyer democratic Japan. had tried to indoctrinate—to join Continued from page 7 This may have fallen on deaf Communists like Tokuda and ears (the officers were still armed), Nozawa, who had returned early in decimated during the Iwo Jima and but a few did walk up to us to the Occupation. Okinawa campaigns, so the process identify some bad guys among the n December 1946, about 150 started very slowly. Ports were a low passengers, many of whom looked linguists gathered in Kyoto. priority for our linguists, who were upon our Nisei as “traitors to our About half were to go to Maizuru kept busy in Tokyo or spread out to race,” and as rural emigrants who I (and its established Naval base). The assist Military Government and had left one or two generations ago. rest would be sent to Hario, a small CIC units. So the eight of us, unarmed, were island off Sasebo, where Army When GHQ realized that not inclined to do any interrogations engineers were dumping Quonset potential war criminals and trouble - or search for diaries, but waited until huts on clay to form a new base. makers were beginning to return we were ashore and could ask the Soviet and Japanese ships began undetected, ATIS organized small Demobilization staff to help us arriving at Hario and Maizuri, teams to be sent to the 10 ports. locate the potential war criminals bringing back the Japanese they had Seven Nisei and I were sent to Uraga among the 6,000 men. been using as slave labor for the past (the closest port to Tokyo for The return of the war criminals 11 months. The Japanese had built repatriation) from Spring 1946 off- from Europe and the the armed an industrial giant in Manchuria and-on through the end of the year. troops aboard the Katsuragi were from 1931 to about 1942. In a few considered newsworthy by the wo incidents attracted media months after August 1946, the Japanese media, our Stars and attention. One involved a ship Soviets used Japanese to dismantle Stripes , and foreign correspondents, cToming from Europe, carrying mid- and accompany the plants and but no mention was made of the level diplomats, whose diaries we equipment to Siberia, which they eight of us. All credit was given to started to translate and confiscate for then reassembled throughout the the First Cavalry, which actually had use in War Crimes Tribunals, linking area and west to the Urals. no connection to either event. Yet Japanese to the Nazis. Another was It was a massive project, but we were pleased that they were a the arrival of the Katsuragi, an once it was done, the POWs became presence in the region, for counter- aircraft carrier which sailed from a drain on the resources of the insurgency was always a possibility, Singapore and picked up Imperial USSR, and shiploads of Japanese especially among those recently soldiers from the Dutch East Indies. began returning. (It would take returned to Japan bereft of their ill- These men were still armed, having them a few years to send back the gotten gains and embittered by the been used by the Dutch and British more than 800,000 survivors.) loss of a war they came to feel to fight the insurgents who Moscow quickly learned what should be blamed on someone ultimately liberated Indonesia. we were doing at Hario and among their allies. The more than 6,000 men Maizuru—learning of heretofore aboard looked down in wonderment nlike European war criminals, unknown military bases, airfields, at the eight of us, reaching from our who tended to melt into roads, caves, communities, new fishing boat for the rungs to climb cUommunities around the world, industry, and population shifts, and to the base of the stairs, carrying Japanese could not disguise finding out who they had dictionaries and papers on our themselves in alien regions, and indoctrinated. Moscow had no idea backs—but no weapons. most of them were rounded up with how cooperative these repatriates When we finally arrived at the relative ease. But by the end of were in all important aspects. flight deck, some 700 officers were 1946, repatriation work was about Granted, a small number had called to attention, and the adjutant to take a new course. The Cold War been successfully indoctrinated, but of General Kunomura (famous for was coming to Japan and was a cause we now knew who they were, and by his role in taking Singapore) offered for concern at GHQ. our friendlier approach were able to me his sword. I demurred, thanking The Soviets were holding a influence some of them to consider him, and stating that demobilization million Japanese nationals, primarily a non-Communist way of thinking. would take place as they as slave labor in Siberia, and they disembarked; we were there to were beginning to allow some of welcome them back to a new and them to trickle back—those they Chicago Jewish History Winter 2015 13
CJHS “AMERICAN HEROES” PROGRAM Birobidzhan Sunday, December 7, 2014 One day, a few of us noticed a strange phenomenon. Beth Hillel Congregation Bnai Emunah, Wilmette, IL There was an upswing in favorable comments about the Reds in a particular area. The POWs were being treated like human beings by the inhabitants. It was a forested area. The POWs were being used, under horrible conditions, to help the indigenous population in cutting down the trees and loading the wood onto nearby trains. The local Russians treated the POWs as fellow-sufferers, bound to jump whenever the soldiers yelled, and the two groups empathized with each other. We had no idea who these people were until we superimposed a map printed in English over the Japanese maps, and Moderators Cyndee Schaffer Schwartz and discovered that this region north of the river was the Col. Fred R. Rosenberg. small Jewish Autonomous State to which Henry Ford had urged the world to isolate all Jews. [See other sources for a comprehensive history of Birobidzhan.] The POWs didn’t understand who the compas - sionate people were until one of them recalled that the soldiers occasionally ordered their fellow laborers around by spitting out the pejorative Russian slang word for Jew. When two of us identified ourselves as Jews, some of the POWs flocked to us to describe everything they knew about their earlier locations of servitude in Siberia. Fortunately we never had to engage in war with Panelists (left to right): Irving Cutler, Allen Meyer, the USSR, but if it had happened, our GHQ now Sidney Brichta, and Joseph Groner. knew of a small pocket in the taiga where the US might find friendly inhabitants. O
RUSSIA
President Ed Mazur conducting the Q&A. Photographs by Doug Schwartz.
ALLEN H. MEYER After his 19 months of service in Japan, Allen returned home to graduate from college and law school. He recently retired from law practice after 63 years. He married Suzanne Novak in 1952. They have three Birobidzhan children and four grandchildren. In the summer of 2000, Allen guided our summer tour: “Living Waters: a Tour of Jewish History in North Central Illinois,” and we published his narration in the Year-End 2000 issue of our journal. Sue and Allen Meyer reported on our “Catskills of the Midwest” tour in the Fall 2005 issue. They are longtime members of the Society. 14 Chicago Jewish History Winter 2015 Jewish Spain and Portugal: A Visit to Our “Older Neighborhoods” BY EDWARD H. MAZUR An important part of our Society’s historical mission is conducting tours of Chicago’s old Jewish neighborhoods. Last November, my wife Myrna and I traveled farther afield to explore some earlier dwelling places of our People.
n 1492, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain expelled the Jews of their country. In 1497, King MIanuel I, the ruler of their Iberian peninsula neighbor, Portugal, expelled the Jews from his land. Currently, both countries, members of the European Union, proclaim the lengthy saga of their Jewish denizens. When Myrna and I visited both countries, we were surprised by the activities being supported, and sites being visited, by our co-religionists. Our journey took us to Barcelona and Girona in Spain; and to Lisbon, Myrna Mazur, Rabbi Dovid Lieberson, and Ed Mazur. Porto, and Ghimaraes in Portugal. In each of these cities La Rambla, Barcelona, Spain. tours of the Jewish areas are offered. There are Rabbi Lieberson explained that in 1996, an synagogues or vestiges of synagogue structures, Jewish excavation in a warehouse building revealed a stone that museums, kosher restaurants, or available kosher food, had the Hebrew word chai inscribed. This initiated the and small, but growing, Jewish communities. momentum for the organization of a group called Barcelona From the late fifteenth century until Associació Call de Barcelona that began to develop the the beginning of the twentieth century, reportedly there site of the former Sinagoga Mayor (Main Synagogue). were no Jews in Barcelona. Currently, the city has a In 2002, a museum opened on the site. It is population of approximately 4,000 Jews (about 1,000 currently staffed by Israeli students and Barcelona families), and one “Jewish” school, from pre-school residents, Jewish and non-Jewish. The synagogue/ through the 5th grade. Barcelona has four synagogues museum consists of two small rooms whose walls date located in the city’s suburbs. Two are Orthodox and two from the thirteenth century. are Reform. The second room is the focal point of this medieval The main street for strolling in central Barcelona, synagogue. By our standards it is a small space, approxi - for visitors as well as natives, is La Rambla. It reminded mately 4 by 20 feet, to conform with what the Spanish us of shpatsiring down Roosevelt Road, Lawrence authorities permitted at that time. Originally, the Avenue, and Devon Avenue in their Jewish heydays. synagogue had two large open windows in the southeast Within two blocks of our hotel, on La Rambla, we wall that direct the visitor’s gaze toward Jerusalem. This found the Maccabi Kosher Restaurant. We looked room has a large menorah of forged iron, donated to the inside, studied the menu, and observed that every seat synagogue by a Majorcan artist, Ferrain Agullo, in was occupied. memory of his ancestors. It was there that we met Rabbi Dovid Lieberson, a In the last decade, archeological researchers have native of Venezuela, who, in addition to being the uncovered the names of Jewish owners of vineyards and Chabad Rabbi and mashgiach of Barcelona, is also the the location of the city’s Jewish cemetery on a community mohel . The restaurant’s owner is an Israeli mountainside called Monjuic (Hill of the Jews). Today, Jew who also owns two adjoining restaurants: one the cemetery site is home to an amusement park and proclaims that it is halal ; the other is “Mediterranean.” public walking and viewing areas. Rabbi Lieberson invited us to join him for a nosh, and then took us on a tour of the oldest Jewish area, the Sign at the entrance Call . These quarters in Catalan cities contained to the Call , the oldest synagogues, mikvaot , bakeries, slaughterhouses and Jewish area of other institutions of Jewish life. Barcelona, Spain. Chicago Jewish History Winter 2015 15
Girona Rabbi Lieberson urged us to visit the nearby building that had a large sign announcing that it was walled city of Girona, a well-preserved medieval town the future home of the Jewish Museum of Lisbon. about 36 miles from Barcelona. Girona’s Call is a tiny In Lisbon proper, there is one Chabad synagogue/ area approximately four blocks long and two blocks meeting place. Even in medieval times, the city did not wide that that houses the Museum of Jewish History. have more than four synagogues. As we wandered the museum, we met a group of From Lisbon, we journeyed to Porto, the Israeli tourists from various moshavim, who gathered in Porto second largest city in Portugal and the departure point the courtyard proudly displaying the Israeli flag, taking for Douro River cruises. After cruising for seven days photographs, and singing. They were guided by a (and drinking more Port wine—ruby, tawny red, white, transplanted university student from Tel Aviv. and vintage—than anyone should), Myrna asked our The galleries in the museum took us through the boat concierges, Paulo and Sonia, if there was a Jewish history of Jewish Catalonia, with rooms dedicated to the presence in Porto. Sonia told us that her family had intellectualism of Jewish Spain, the Kabbalah Circle of recently discovered that they were conversos . She said Girona, Nahmanides( Ramban ) and other important that she would be delighted to arrange for us to meet thinkers who lived there. Nahmanides was born in with members of the Porto Jewish community at the Girona around 1194. Towards the end of his life, he Sinagoga Kadoorie Mekor Haim. went to Israel, from where he wrote letters expressing That afternoon, upon returning to our cabin aboard his longings for Girona. He died in Akko around 1270. the Queen Isabel, we found a printed invitation to meet The entire top floor focuses on the Inquisition. with the Vice-President of the Jewish Community of The museum is home to the Nahmanides Institute Porto at 6:30 p.m. Oy vay! This would be Saturday for Jewish Studies, funded by the Girona Cultural night, and by this time in our trip our clothing was Council. The Institute is basically a library that offers rather wrinkled. I did not have a jacket or tie—but this lectures and discussions. was an opportunity that no self-respecting scholar, Surrounding the museum there are several stores historian, and Chicago Jew could let pass. offering an abundance of Jewish ritual and ceremonial ur taxi deposited us in front of the synagogue. O Waiting for us on a dark, rainy Motzaei Shabbat was Mr. Hugo Miguel Vaz, of the Communidade Israelita Do Porto , who proceeded to give us a private tour of the synagogue. We spent several hours talking about the history of the Jews of Porto and of Portugal. We learned that Porto has several synagogues, but other than the Kadoorie, all are located in the outlying and suburban areas. The synagogue had 5,000 visitors in 2013 and almost 10,000 in 2014. The Kadoorie Mekor Haim is the largest synagogue on the Iberian Peninsula and the center of the Porto Israeli tourists at the Museum of Jewish History, Jewish community. It was established by Jews of various Girona, Spain. nationalities in 1923 under the guidance of Artur Carlos de Barros Basto and the Community of giftware. Nearby, a recent archeological dig has led to Portuguese Jews in London, England. the discovery of the remains of the water drainage Ironically, the synagogue opened in 1938, the very system and other components believed to be part of same year that Kristallnacht was perpetrated on the Jews Girona’s Jewish ritual baths. of Germany. The closest neighbor to the Kadoorie Lisbon The capital of Portugal has an estimated Synagogue was a German school. The Portuguese Jewish population 1,000. During World War II, authorities quickly planted large trees between the Portugal was neutral and attracted numerous refugees synagogue and the German school. fleeing the Nazis. Our time in Lisbon was limited, and Kadoorie is the surname of Jews from Hong Kong we could find only one Orthodox synagogue. But as we who donated the funds needed to complete the wandered the narrow and winding streets of the Alfama building, and it is named in honor of a deceased family district, in the oldest part of the city, we encountered a Continued on page 16 16 Chicago Jewish History Winter 2015
Spain and Portugal December 1496, the Edict Continued on from page 15 of Expulsion of Jews from Portugal was signed by King member, Laura Kadoorie, who was Manuel I. It appears that descended from Portuguese Jews. Ferdinand and Isabella of Mekor Haim in Hebrew translates as Castile and Aragon “source of life.” Laura’s husband, Sir demanded the expulsion of Elly Kadoorie, who died in 1944, is Jews in return for allowing still named Honorary President of their daughter, Elizabeth, to the Jewish Community of Porto. marry the Portuguese King. The synagogue is Orthodox and Scholars estimate that includes a main prayer room, a approximately twenty museum, a schoolroom, a mikveh, a percent of Portugal’s library, a community dining room, a population was Jewish at kitchen, a pantry to hold kosher that time. food, and a patio on which a sukkah The general forced is built for the Sukkot holiday. conversion that followed the There is an apartment for the Edict of Expulsion officially rabbi, Daniel Litwak, a native of ended the Jewish presence Argentina, who divides his time in Portugal until the between Porto and a synagogue in twentieth century. In fact, Ashdod, Israel, and for the shamash the former Jewish Quarter of the synagogue. If a mohel is became, and is designated needed, they contact the Jewish today, as Vitoria (Victory), community in Golders Green, a possible allusion to the London, England. “victory” of Christianity The current synagogue president over Judaism. is a woman. She sits in the women’s A Court of the balcony during services. The Inquisition was active in synagogue will celebrate both a bar Porto between 1542 and mitzvah and a bat mitzvah this year. 1544, and during this period there were two r. Vaz told us that the earliest autos-de-fe (public penance documentary references to ceremonies), and an JDews in Porto date back to the estimated 100 New Exterior (above) and Interior (Holy Ark and Bima), twelfth century. At that time, to live Christians were punished Kadoorie Mekor Haim Synagogue, in Porto, Jews needed an authori - for maintaining Jewish Porto, Portugal. zation from the Bishop of Porto. practices. The number of crypto-Jews at that time was certainly much Over decades, a high-walled area higher. In 1618, an Inquisitorial Visitation led to the detention of 150 New came to form the Jewish Quarter. Christians. Historian Cecil Roth has written that “a new generation had The inhabitants could not leave grown up without the knowledge of the traditional language of the prayers without special permission. The and without literature to guide it.” houses within it had no exit from the Quarter. The Call had its own Artur Carlos de Barros Basto In 1920, Captain Basto, a officers and a certain degree of career Portuguese army officer, a veteran of the trenches of Flanders during autonomy, including its own courts World War I, and a poison gas attack survivor, who was of Crypto-Jewish to resolve Jewish issues. descent through his father, and the son of a Catholic mother, converted to In 1492, thirty families of Jews Judaism before a Rabbinical Court in Tangier, Morocco, was circumcised, expelled from Spain, led by Rabbi and decided to reside in Porto. In 1910, when the Republic of Portugal was Isaac Aboab settled in the Jewish established, Barros Basto had raised the Republican flag in the city. Quarter by royal order of the Prior to moving to Porto, Basto had lived in Lisbon and married Lea Portuguese King Joao II. In Israel Montero Azancot, a member of Lisbon’s Jewish community. Chicago Jewish History Winter 2015 17
Their granddaughter, Isabel Ferreira on foot, or on horseback determined ceremonies of the students of the Lopes, is the current vice-president to bring crypto-Jews into the fold. Israelite Theological Institute of of the Jewish Community of Porto. He founded numerous Jewish Porto. The incident would become When Basto was young, his communities in rural areas. known as the “Portuguese Dreyfus dying grandfather revealed to him Cecil Roth called him the Case.” The Supreme Council of that he had Jewish ancestors. In “Apostle of the Marranos.” Military Discipline asserted that 1904, Basto became aware of the Basto’s mission faced enormous Bastos “had no moral capacity for existence of other Portuguese Jews problems—from the fears of crypto- the prestige of his function and the when he read a newspaper article Jews to the fury of Catholic priests. decorum of his uniform.” Basto was about the inauguration of the Shaare disgraced and left without resources. Tikva Synagogue in Lisbon. The Jews felt that they had lost their Years later, when, as a soldier, he leader and feared for their future. was ordered to attend a course at the With the growing virulence of anti- Escola Politecnica de Lisboa , Basto Semitism in Europe, many returned attempted to become a member of to clandestine religious practice. Shaare Tikva. The synagogue leaders n the run-up to, and during did not grant him permission. World War II, Basto found a new In 1921, he returned to Porto cIause. Jewish refugees from Western with his wife. There they found and Central Europe were arriving in approximately two dozen Jewish northern Portugal in desperate merchants who had immigrated straits. He organized a Committee from Lithuania, Poland, Germany, of Moral and Material Assistance to and Russia. aid them in rebuilding their lives in In 1923, under Basto’s leader- Porto. Many of the handwritten and ship, the Jewish Community of printed documents from this period Porto and the Israelite Theological are located in the Kadoorie Mekor Center were organized with the Haim Synagogue and in the United main purpose of reviving the public Barros Basto and Lea Azancot, n.d. States Holocaust Memorial Museum practice of Judaism. So, ironically, in Washington, D.C. the prayers were offered primarily For example, in the eyes of the Basto died in 1961. Efforts by not by Sephardim but by Church, any action that would his wife, daughter, granddaughter, Ashkenazim. “steal” its baptized children was and other supporters, led to the The group rented an apartment considered sacrilegious. Portuguese Parliament’s unanimous and transformed it into a synagogue. In the early 1930s, the Jewish declaration on February 29, 2012: Within weeks, they were besieged by community began building a numerous Portuguese citizens synagogue. Local journalists referred Barros Basto was separated seeking membership. Barros Basto to it as “a piece of Palestine” carved from the Army due to a traveled from town to town by car, into Porto. The synagogue was general climate of animosity dedicated on January 16, 1938, with towards him, motivated by Jewish representatives from Lisbon, the fact that he was Jewish Braganca, and Covilha in Portugal, and not hiding it, but, on and London and Berlin. the contrary, showing an aptain Barros Basto, a energetic proselytism, C republican, was considered converting Portuguese persona non grata by the dictator Marrano Jews and their Antonio Salazar, who ruled Portugal descendants. Inquisition mark inscribed on homes at the time. The Army stationed him Abraham Israel Ben-Rosh (Barrox of New Christians who were suspected far away from Porto as punishment. Basto’s Hebrew name) is commem - of secretly practicing Judaism. In 1937, Basto was dismissed orated on a plaque on Porto’s Guimaraes, Portugal. from the military for allegedly Rua da Vitoria . O participating in circumcision 18 Chicago Jewish History Winter 2015
President’s Column Conservative and Reform rabbis The formula included traces volunteered to give up their wine- of grain alcohol. Anything Continued from page 2 making permits, claiming that grape derived from grains is potentially WINE OR GRAPE JUICE juice could be substituted for the chametz . (I really did pay In addition to the matzo “real drink” without violating Jewish attention at Yavneh Talmud controversy, there was the so- law. Some Orthodox rabbis agreed Torah, corner of Rockwell and called “Grape Debate.” Wine at that under certain circumstances Hirsch Streets, directly across the seder is associated with grape juice could be substituted for from Von Humboldt Grammar freedom. Slaves were not wine, but stated that wine was School.) So Coca-Cola could permitted to drink wine. The preferred for healthy adults. not be certified Kosher for four cups of wine are associated When some Reform Jews asked Passover even after the original with four expressions of freedom that permits be abolished, saying formula was changed to include and redemption. “Let the Orthodox drink grape vegetable glycerin. When the 18th Amendment juice,”—Orthodox Jews accused Eventually, the chemists at went into effect in January, Reform Jews of betrayal, and worse. Coca-Cola experimented and 1920, Prohibition threatened to With the end of Prohibition in found that, during Pesach, they eliminate this symbol of 1933, the diverse American Jewish could substitute sweeteners religious freedom from Jewish communities muted their differences produced from beet and cane ritual life. Jews in Chicago and and banded together to face Nazism. sugar without compromising elsewhere in the United States, COCA-COLA AND KASHRUTH Coke’s taste. This Kosher for found themselves embroiled in a (Growing up in a kosher household, Passover Coca-Cola is battle both with the U.S. the favorite libation of my child- manufactured with new sugars government and with each other. hood was limited to fizzy drinks that several weeks before Passover Sacramental wine would be came in an Old Colony bottle.) The each year and is sold in special permitted for Jews, but the new formula for Coca-Cola ranks with bottles with yellow caps. law required special government the most zealously kept secrets. HOLOCAUST permits to make it, and, in some Tobias Geffen of Atlanta, an REMEMBRANCE DAY cases, to import it. Orthodox rabbi, who served Atlanta This year, Yom ha-Shoah is These permits became a Jewry from 1910 until his passing in Thursday, April 16. One of the major target for organized crime. 1970, is responsible for Coca-Cola most unforgettable experiences Congregations that existed only being kosher. Geffen, a native of in my life was when I was on paper applied for permits. Kovno, Lithuania, became rabbi of visiting my daughter Amanda in This received substantial congregation Shearith Israel in Israel when she was a student at negative press and became a Atlanta, the headquarters of the Tel Aviv University, and I was source of concern and Coca-Cola Bottling Company. He there on Holocaust Remem- embarrassment for the Jewish was asked by rabbis from around the brance Day. In Israel, a siren is community. Chicago’s Jewish United States if the drink was sounded at 10 a.m. for two newspapers regularly filled kosher. minutes throughout the country. columns with editorials, articles, In 1935, Geffen contacted the The entire population stops and reports about these company and asked for a list of whatever they are doing. mysterious congregations and Coke’s ingredients. He did not Everybody pauses to remember their leaderships. realize that the formula was such a the victims of the Holocaust. Much of the attention by the closely guarded secret. Eventually, authorities was directed at small WITOLD PILECKI Coca-Cola made a corporate Very few of us are familiar with immigrant congregations and decision to allow Geffen to access shtibel shuls. Blame was laid the name Witold Pilecki. He was the list of ingredients. He was an officer in the Polish resistance squarely at the feet of required to give them his word to Orthodoxy. This led to one of to the Nazi regime who never reveal the secret to anyone deliberately let himself be American Jewry’s interdenomi - else. Rabbi Geffen agreed. national crises. captured by the Germans in Chicago Jewish History Winter 2015 19 Remembering Marvin Dickman 1940 so that he could gather information about The members of the Board Hitler’s concentration camps. Inside Auschwitz, of Directors of the CJHS Pilecki set up resistance cells even as he almost died mourn the passing of our of starvation, torture, and disease. He helped build treasurer, Marvin J. a radio transmitter, and, in 1942, he broadcast to Dickman, B.S., M.A.S., the outside world accounts of atrocities inside M.S., on January 19, 2015. Auschwitz, as the guards frantically searched the Although the Board had the camp looking for the transmitter. He worked to privilege of his professional expose the Nazis’ depraved medical experiments, expertise and camaraderie as savage camp punishments, and the crematoria, a colleague for too short a in hopes that the world would act. time, Marvin and his wife, Susie (nee Merlander), In April 1943, Witold Pilecki escaped from were active members of our Society for many years. Auschwitz and wrote an eyewitness report laying His professional achievements, commitments to out the horror of the extermination camps. He the community, and educational enthusiasms were campaigned unsuccessfully for an Allied attack on many. He spent his entire career of 35 years as a CPA Auschwitz. Eventually he was tortured, and at Arthur Andersen & Co. He was admitted to the executed—not by the Nazis, but after the War, in partnership in 1976, using his expertise in small 1947, by the Communists. They then suppressed business and tax. Upon his retirement from AA&Co, the story of his heroism for decades. His account he studied for a degree in Jewish Studies at the was finally published in 2012 as The Auschwitz University of Chicago. He then taught Jewish History Volunteer: Beyond Bravery , translated by Jarek at several synagogues and JCCs. Garlinski (Aquila Polonica). Marvin was a former member of the Board of “THE PASSENGER” Lyric Opera of Chicago is Directors of the Juvenile Protective Agency, The currently staging a production of composer Museum of Broadcast Communications, Olin Sang Mieczyslaw Weinberg’s “The Passenger,” at the Ruby Union Institute, Congregation B’nai Jehoshua Civic Opera House. Joining the cast for the final Beth Elohim, The National Board of URJ, (formerly opening night curtain calls was Zofia Posmysz, the UAHC), and Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute 91-year-old Polish author and Auschwitz survivor of Religion Board of Overseers. He served as president on whose novel of the same name Weinberg and of the Board of Jewish Education of Metropolitan his librettist, Alexander Medvedev, based their Chicago 1989-1991, and on the Illinois Humanities 1968 opera. Council (appointed by Gov. Quinn). 2015 is the 70th anniversary of the liberation A student of Jewish history, he was a member of of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camps. Perhaps The Ezra Consortium of the American Jewish the best way to honor past victims of atrocities is to Archives. A devotee of the theater and an aspiring stand up against slaughter today, with concrete playwright, he was a board member of Chicago efforts. Our world leaders are excellent at giving Dramatists. An old-time radio enthusiast, he enjoyed eloquent “never again” speeches, but rarely offer presenting public readings of vintage program scripts. much beyond this lip service. Humanitarian crises Rabbi Emeritus Mark Shapiro of BJBE recalled: rarely offer good policy choices, but we seem all too “He was ethical, absolutely. His children were taught eager to embrace the worst option—paralysis. I that you didn’t cut corners. He wanted to learn more think that the basic lesson for us to consider is that and more, studied with our clergy here, took the humans are capable of astonishing evil, and that HUC para-rabbinic program, went to Ulpan Akiva , some individuals respond with heroism—while too where he fulfilled his desire to be more at home in many in our world find it is too easy to acquiesce. modern Hebrew. He and I studied Hebrew novels I WISH YOU ALL A MEANINGFUL together.… May God grant us leaders and teachers PASSOVER And I look forward to greeting you at with Marvin’s backbone and Jewish neshama .” the Society’s upcoming open meetings on Sunday, He is survived by wife Susie, daughters Alyssa May 3, and Sunday, June 7, when this winter will Dickman and Rabbi Reni Dickman ( Aaron Nessel ) have given way to a warm and sunny springtime. who serves Sinai Temple, Michigan City, Indiana, and grandchildren Gabriel and Tori. Look to the rock from which you were hewn Non-Profit Org. 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