In 1948 people like the Bluzhever Rebbe, Rabbi Joseph Elias, Telsher Rosh Yeshivas Reb Mottel Katz and Reb Elya Meir Blokh, and Mike Tress were on the board of the Haganah Religious Defense Corps
The IDF was just being formed and it was still called the Haganah at the time. Technically they were just collecting for the future IDF and not the actual Haganah organization. Also, the letter mentions kosher canteen and religious needs so it was a general appeal to help religious Jews in the army. Still a big chiddush....
Ach all my father's cronies. Mike Tress, Anshel Fink, Bernie Gross, Uncle Shlomo Zalman (Charlie) Klein, Rabbi O. Asher Reichel, neighbor R' Hillel Seidman, the Septimuses, Melech Terebelo, Herman Treisser, Duvid Turkel and Charlie Young, and most of the vice-chairman. What memories this list brought back! Interesting that my father ob"m wasn't involved in this.
The list -- and the letter -- makes it apparent (as just adding and anon 11/27 10:49 came close to implying) that this was actually an Agudah group providing for the needs of frum Jews serving in the nascent IDF.
Where is the Bluzhever Rov O"bm listed?
ReplyDeleteRabbi Israel Spira, New York
ReplyDeleteMichael G Tress? His name was Elimelech Gavriel. or Mike Tress. You sure this is the same guy?
ReplyDeleteMo T
ReplyDeletewhat else do you think the G stands for? Gavriel. ופשוט.
הלל זיידמאן
ReplyDeletewarsaw ghetto diaries fame
Zeidman is not a chiddush, כפשוט
ReplyDeleteThe IDF was just being formed and it was still called the Haganah at the time. Technically they were just collecting for the future IDF and not the actual Haganah organization. Also, the letter mentions kosher canteen and religious needs so it was a general appeal to help religious Jews in the army. Still a big chiddush....
ReplyDeleteAch all my father's cronies. Mike Tress, Anshel Fink, Bernie Gross, Uncle Shlomo Zalman (Charlie) Klein, Rabbi O. Asher Reichel, neighbor R' Hillel Seidman, the Septimuses, Melech Terebelo, Herman Treisser, Duvid Turkel and Charlie Young, and most of the vice-chairman. What memories this list brought back! Interesting that my father ob"m wasn't involved in this.
ReplyDeleteThe list -- and the letter -- makes it apparent (as just adding and anon 11/27 10:49 came close to implying) that this was actually an Agudah group providing for the needs of frum Jews serving in the nascent IDF.
ReplyDeletegood point
ReplyDeleteAgudah's offices were at 1123 Broadway.
http://www.ajcarchives.org/ajc_data/files/1944_1945_12_directorieslists.pdf
http://search.archives.jdc.org/multimedia/Documents/NY_AR_45-54/NY_AR45-54_Count/NY_AR45-54_00020/NY_AR45-54_00020_00063.pdf