Jewish Post, Indianapolis, Marion County, 22 August 2001 — Page 9

NAT 4 Aueust 22. 2001 Obituaries

Peter Bergson dies at 86, fought Hitlerism early

TEL AVIV — Peter Bergson whose name was so well known in the days when Jews were fleeing Hitlerism, died here at the age of 86. His death recalled sharply the time when millions of Jews were dying under Hitlerism, although the big totals were hardly known then, and he led the fight to rescue as many as possible. Vladimir Jabotinsksy sent him to the U.S. to secure funds to set up a Jewish army to contend with Hitlerism. He and Ben Hecht set up the Emergency Committee to save the Jews of Europe in 1943 when real understanding on what was happening in Nazi Germany was not that well known. The New York Times account of his death noted that "On Nov. 25, 1942 a small article appeared on page 10 with the first official news that up to that point two million Jews had been killed in Europe...and... from then on Mr. Bergson's talents at fund raising and garnering publicity were devoted to the campaign to rescue European

Jews."

He and his family had fled Europe when he was 10 years old and he joined the Irgun Zvi Leumi as he grew up. His fight was not only to provide safety for numberless Jews but to alarm the world about what was happening to Jews under Hitlerism. He and Ben Hecht set up the Emergency Committee to Save the Jews of Europe in 1943 when even Jews held considerable doubt about the terrible news coming out of Ger-

many.

Rabbi Pam dies, widely mourned

But in a rally in 1943 in Madison Square Garden with Edward G. Robinson and Marlon Brando as attractions 40,000 Jews crowded the meeting. Full-page advertisements in major newspapers also spread the word but not all Jews were aroused. Even Rabbi Stephen S. Wise took issue with their approach to alarm the world at what was happening in Germany. In a march on Washington of 400 rabbis two days before Yom Kippur in 1943 to try to alert Mr. Roosevelt of the enormity of what was happening the president refused to accept representatives of the marchers when told that the committee did not represent the mainstream of American Jewish opinion. At the time David Ben Gurion said the the group was made up of "self-appointed people who represented nobody but themselves." After the war as Hillel Kook he returned to Israel in May 1948 and was elected to the Constituent Assembly but he later resigned in a dispute with Mr. Ben Gurion over a constitution. In 1951 he returned to the U.S. and withdrew from politics. In 1970 he went back to Israel where he campaigned for an Israeli constitution marking a strong division between synagogue and govern-

ment.

His first wife died in 1964 and he married 11 years later, Nili Haskell who survives him as do two daughters, Rebecca Kook of Israel and Astra Zemko of London, two granddaughters and a grandson.

FLATBUSH, N.Y. — Rabbi Avrahom Pam, dean of Yeshiva Torah Vodaath here, died at the age of 88. Thousands of mourners made his funeral a special one. He was active in various projects for

young people in the U.S. and Israel and he lectured widely on Talmudic subjects. He was widely sought after for addresses to Orthodox audi-

Rabbi Ben Kahn, headed Hillel SILVER SPRING, Md. — director of its Hillel FoundaRabbi Benjamin M. Kahn, ex- tions, died at the age of 87. ecutive vice president of B’nai A graduate of Harvard he B'rith from 1971 to 1978, who was ordained by the Jewish had served as international Theological Seminary. Rabbi H.J. Wei** being mourned SARASOTA, FI. — Rabbi Bluff, Ark. and Temple Herbert J. Weiss, who served Emanuel here, is being Temple Anshe Emeth of Pine mourned.

Rabbi Richman, Hillel director WINCHESTER, Va.— Rabbi Milton Richman who served Temple Hesed, Scranton, Pa. for 31 years, is being mourned. He was Hillel director at Purdue University and universities of Buffalo and Scranton, SUNY, the Lord Fairfax Community Center and Shenandoah University. Dr. H. Barnett succumbs at 87 NEW YORK — Dr. Henry L. Barnett who founded the International Study of Kidney Disease in Children, died at the age of 87. He witnessed the first test of the atomic bomb as resident pediatrician of the Manhattan Project in Los Alamos, N.M. After the war he became assistant professor at Cornell University Medical College and later launched the pediatrics department of the Einstein College of Medicine. Ruth Blumberg, museum head NEW YORK — Ruth Blumberg, past president of the Volunteer Association of the Jewish Museum, is being mourned. She served as president of the 180-member Association from 1993 to 1997. Museum chairman Robert J. Hurst noted that for over a quarter of a century she devoted "her energy to sharing her passion for Jewish culture and ideals with others." Milton Gabler succumbs at 90 NEW YORK — Milton Gabler, who operated the city's most comprehensive jazz record store, died at the age of 90. He as one of the first to make recordings of Broadway shows and according to the New York Times was a midwife at the birth of rock 'n' roll. Ken Krakauer of Kansas City KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kenneth Krakauer, former president of the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and of the Committee for County Progress, died at the age of 82. He was vice president of the Menorah Medical Center and was a veteran golfer. He was a director of Barstow School Visiting Nurses Association, Blue Cross and Blue Shield Nurses and a number of other civic organizaTions.

Rabbi Roy Rosenberg, of many intermarriages

BROOKLYN — Rabbi Roy A. Rosenberg, who founded the Temple of Universal Judaism on Park Avenue in Manhattan and was known for performing thousands of marriages between Jews and nonJews, died from a heart attack while driving his car on the way to perform another. The car crashed into a tree slightly injuring his wife, Ruth. He had just performed an

interfaith marriage in State College, Pa. and was on his way to perform another in Brooklyn. He was an Army chaplain in Arizona and France, following which he served congregations in Rochester, N.Y., Honolulu, New Orleans and Brooklyn. After 22 years as rabbi of the Temple he retired in 1997.

E.M. 'Manny’ Rosenthal was life veep at UAHC FORT WORTH — E.M. "Manny" Rosenthal, noted philanthropist, died at the age of 79. He was a past president of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and a former officer of the Modern Arts Council. He contributed $1 M. to the Bass Performance Hall which named its dome for him. hi Jewish life he was past president of Beth-El Congregation and of the Jewish Federation. In World War II he served as an Army officer. He had served as honorary life vice president of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations and was a member of the national cabinet of the UJA.

Faiga Teitelbaum dies, long obit in NY Times NEW YORK — Faiga Teitelbaum who died at the age of 89 was featured in a long obituary in the New York Times as having achieved unusual influence among the Satmar Hassidim. The headline over her obituary noted that she was "regarded almost as royalty." Her husband. Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum, was considered the grand rabbi. She was described as the closest thing to a female Hassidic rabbi and she was accorded by the New York Times with one of its longest obituaries ever for a female. She and her husband were passengers on the Kastner train for which payment was required of $1000 to Adolph Eichmann for the trip to Switzerland.

Mrs. S. Garber taken by death

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Mrs. Sydelle Gerber, wife of Rabbi Israel J. Gerber, who was active in the Jewish and general community, died at the age of 83. She received a long obituary in the local daily press which included that she had served on various inter-

faith groups and was named one of the best dressed women in Charlotte. She co-chaired the local interfaith committee for many years. She chaired the Sick and Loan Chest Committee of B'nai B'rith Women for a number of years.

Mrs. H. Milstein succumbs at 72

BURLINGTON, N.J. — Henrietta Milstein, who helped found the Burlington Coat Factory, died here at the age of 72. In 1972 she advised

her husband to buy a former coat factory outlet in Burlington and offered her savings to cover the down payment of $75,000.