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On June 6th, 1944, Anne recorded the most momentous news she and her family had heard in years. She wrote, “’This is D Day,’ the BBC announced at twelve. ‘This is the day.’ The invasion has begun.” Her reaction to the news was jubilant, but tinged with disbelief. “Is this really the beginning of the long-awaited liberation? The liberation we’ve all talked so much about, which still seems too good, too much of a fairy tale ever to come true? Will this year, 1944, bring us victory? We don’t know yet.
The journal (in the painting) is headed Amsterdam... 6 Juin 1944... Anne FRANK.
La Journal: A painting by a friend in remembrance of Anne Frank.
#uplifting. "A Texas man befriends an elderly Holocaust survivor. She says she’s been touched by an angel"
We all honor our father in our own way. I just published Moe Fields - the special bond between fathers and sons…last week reaching Amazon’s “best seller” list in Jewish memoirs.
The story cuts across 5 decades, including dad’s early years as a boxer in Brooklyn (during the golden age of Jewish fighters 1925-1930s, who controlled every weight class). His boxing is a strong theme in the book, underscoring his response to anti-Semitism in WWII and his plumbing business in New Jersey.
My dad was proud to be a Jewish War Vet...and a lifetime supporter of Jewish Federations & JCCs. Here's a brief excerpt from his Navy service, where being Jewish saved the day.
Chapter 37 Heading to Yalta
The Catoctin left Naples on January 15, 1945. Much to the surprise of the crew, the ship headed east as they reached the Mediterranean Sea. After the Allies took back much of France, it was assumed the Catoctin would head west and north to support the final push in Europe.
Several days later, the Commander and his officers began briefing the men on their new mission. The Catoctin was bound for Sevastopol, a deep port on the Black Sea. It was off the coast of Crimea. The ship would serve as the headquarters for the planning of a war time conference at Yalta, between President Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and the Russian General Secretary Joseph Stalin.
Stalin had refused to travel further west than Yalta for a meeting with Allied leaders. The conference would be held at the Livadia Palace, which had previously served as a summer home for Nicholas II, the last Russian tsar. Stalin’s decision forced President Roosevelt on an arduous two-week journey, traveling eight days aboard the war cruiser, the USS Quincy, boarding an airplane for the 1,200-mile flight to Crimea and then driving 80 miles to Yalta, which took more than four hours over war torn roads.
The coastline around Yalta was not deep enough to accommodate military ships. Both the British and the Americans would send their command ships to a port at Sevastopol and be greeted by Russian troops. War ships like the USS Quincy and the destroyer, USS Murphy would remain at sea. The town of Yalta was a two to three-hour drive from Sevastopol, along the coast.
The Catoctin would reach its destination by January 26 and the crew needed to make the ship ready to receive a sizable advance party of military and non-military personnel. Aside from housing the planners for the upcoming conference, the ship would serve as an offshore hospital and provide food and transportation for various generals and dignitaries.
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Two hours after briefing the officers, the PA system rang out a familiar announcement, “Goldman to the quarterdeck. Goldman to the quarterdeck.”
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Murray reached the quarterdeck only to find that instead of his immediate XO, the Commander of the ship was waiting to talk with him. “Goldman, I just briefed the officers. The crew does not know it yet, but I’ve been informed by central command that President Roosevelt plans to visit the Catoctin and stay overnight after his meetings in Yalta.
Now, you may or may not know it, but the President is not well. At this point, he’s pretty much bound to a wheelchair. This is not to be shared with anyone. I need you to figure out how to build a bathroom on ship for the President and to get cool air pumped into his room. Can you do that for your Commander-in-Chief?”
Murray stood silent. He listened intently. There was nothing funny about this request from the ship’s Commander.
“Sir, I will do my very best to make the President comfortable,” Murray replied.
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The Catoctin reached Sevastopol on January 25, but the Commander waited until morning before allowing anyone to board or disembark from the ship. A Captain in the Russian army, with a contingent of soldiers, could be seen waiting at the port. The Russian army controlled all of Crimea. The Americans were now in their territory and they expected them to follow their direction.
The Captain boarded Catoctin and was greeted by the XO. Immediately, it was clear that neither one of them spoke the same language. The XO motioned for one of his subordinates. “Get him down here as quickly as you can,” said the XO.
Soon the PA system was as loud as it’s ever been, “Goldman to the quarterdeck. Goldman to the quarterdeck.”
Murray was working in the stateroom they were building for Roosevelt. His men were drilling holes when the PA system first rang out.
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Sid alerted Murray to the announcement and followed him up to the quarterdeck, where an impatient Captain of the Russian soldiers was pacing back and forth. Mayer knew Murray, one of the oldest sailors on the ship, could speak languages, at least enough to get through basic greetings and simple instructions. With a boat-load of young sailors from Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Nebraska, the guy from New York was likely the XO’s best option.
After speaking to the XO, Murray looked at Sid. He walked over to the Russian and smiled. The Russian did not smile back. He was a large barrel-chested man, maybe six-foot inches tall and 240 pounds. He had a large mustache. Murray figured he better get on with it.
“Sprechen Sie Deutsch?“ Murray asked.
The Russian Captain just stared at Murray. A harsh frown grew across his face.
Murray tried again, “Capite italiano?”
The soldier very slowly shook his head no.
“Parlez-vous français?
Nothing.
At this point, Murray turned to Sid Mayer.
‘Sid, you have any ideas ?’ Mayer shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.
Murray turned back to the Russian and figured he’d give it one last try.
‘Farshteyst Yiddish ?’ Murray asked.
The Russian soldier perked up. His eyes opened wide.
Murray repeated his question, ‘Farshteyst Yiddish?’
The Captain began to smile. He then reached out and grabbed Murray by his arms and gave him a big bear hug.
Sid Mayer started laughing. He turned toward the XO and told him not to worry, the Russian soldier was Jewish. Murray had found a common language between east and west, and it was Yiddish.
U.S. War Crime Complicity in the Destruction of Gaza and Occupation of Palestine – Alan Singer on Daily Kos
Dear Friends,
I had planned to be sharing information today about the May 9 Sousa Mendes Foundation presentation for which I will be speaking about my beloved friend, former partisan, Faye Schulman. Instead, I am heartbroken to share news of her passing on 4/24/21.
I was honored and privileged to know Faye, to love her, and to be swept up by her extraordinary eyes, fierce spirit, and warm heart.
I am so grateful for her trust in sharing her extraordinary story with me for inclusion in my book: "Women of Valor: Polish Jewish Resisters to the Third Reich."
What a joy it was to have her sit next to me at the book-signing table after our presentation to the Toronto Jewish Genealogy Society a few years ago. Faye was able to autograph her chapter for enthusiastic book purchasers.
On May 9, The Sousa Mendes Foundation will be presenting a Zoom program on Faye. We had hoped she would have been able to join us. How she would have loved to know that 100s of people will be learning about her--and keeping her story alive.
Joining me on the panel will be Mitch Braff, Founder/CEO of JPEF, as well as acclaimed documentarian, Shelley Saywell, whose marvelous documentary, "Out of the Fire," chronicling Faye's joyous and poignant reunion in Poland with her former partisan comrades, will be available to registrants May 7-10.
If the day/time are inconvenient, please register anyway so you'll have access to to the film and the recording of the panel discussion.
Please join me in sending condolences to Faye's loving family, and continuing her legacy of fighting fascism in all its forms.
Be safe and be well.
Every year, mid April, I post this small video project (this is a new version 2.0) as a tribute to my late father, in honor of the Holocaust victims.
On April 15th 1945 Bergen Belsen Concentration camp was liberated. My father volunteered and was a part of the British relief team. He assisted the medic staff.
72 Y later it appeared Lilian Berliner, a surviver of the camp remembered him so well!
The discovery Lillian Berliners book/memoir was the chance of one of the most surreal, memorable and heartwarming encouters in my life: meeting Lilian.
In 2019 my daughter and I visited the musieum in NY.
The Brandeis School 8th Grade Class in Lawrence NY remembers the 1.5 million children whose lives were taken.
NEVER FORGET.
Please enjoy this original song.
IN THE MASS GRAVE
My brother, can you see, can you hear me
There we stand on edge of the mass grave all alone
But we all stand together and pray for a second
Then they'll shoot as , yes they'll shoot us, shoot us down
My brother, My brother, can you hear me
And maybe the bullets will miss our hearts
And if you'll survive tell my mother that I loved her
Remember me, don't forget, the place where I died
So cold in the winter of an unfinished dreams
Cold in the winter the Death in the wind
Carried away with a smoke -so high above
My brother, My brother, can you hear me
I'm a ghost, Am I dead? so deep down inside
And where was the world when they shot us? can't remember
Yes so far away , they just didn't care, yeah nobody tried
Climb there outside of mass grave at night
in the forest of death you'll be running so fast
you are barefoot and hurt, you are naked cold
Doesn't matter
Running away, oh you'll never stop,
got to live for ones that were shot in the snow
when they they fell on each other the earth lost its promise Forever
My brother, My brother, can you hear me
We fell down to the pit from above
We fell on each other , the bullets are bleeding
I feel your last heart beats- they're fading away... in the snow
So cold in the winter of an unfinished dreams
Cold in the winter the Death in the wind
Carried away with a smoke -so high above
So cold in the winter the nightmare of dreams
Cold in the winter the ice falling tears
Nobody heard all the screams, the silence too over
