The Jewish Home | MAY 12, 2022
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My Israel Israel My Home Home
Silence Was Silence Was Not an an Option Option Not by Gedaliah borvick by Gedaliah borvick
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OctOber 29, 2015 | the Jewish Home OctOber 29, 2015 | the Jewish Home
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y colleague recently marketa projectrecently in Ramot, situyedcolleague marketated Henry Morgened a between project in Ramot, situthau Street and Harry Henry Truman Street. ated between MorgenThanks to President Truman’s thau Street and Harry Trumansupport, Street. the United States voted in favor of the Thanks to President Truman’s support, 1947United UN Partition Plan. addition, the States voted in In favor of the Truman the first world leader to 1947 UN was Partition Plan. In addition, recognizewas thethe State of Israel Truman first world when leaderthey to declared their independence in 1948. recognize the State of Israel when they But who their was Henry Morgenthau and declared independence in 1948. whywho did he to have a Jerusalem But wasmerit Henry Morgenthau and street named aftertohim? why did he merit have a Jerusalem President Delano Roosevelt street named Franklin after him? wasPresident a dynamic and charismatic politiFranklin Delano Roosevelt cianawhom mostand American Jews adored. was dynamic charismatic politiThiswhom admiration was primarily due to cian most American Jews adored. Roosevelt’s New Deal – a series of proThis admiration was primarily due to grams and financial enacted to Roosevelt’s New Dealreforms – a series of procreate and jobs financial and revitalize theenacted U.S. econgrams reforms to omy following the Greatthe Depression, create jobs and revitalize U.S. econwhichfollowing helped improve the lives of many omy the Great Depression, Jewishhelped immigrants. recently which improveHowever, the lives of many uncovered material reveals Roosevelt’s Jewish immigrants. However, recently unwillingness during World War II to uncovered material reveals Roosevelt’s denounce Naziduring oppression, which to unwillingness World War led II to U.S. inaction behalf of Jewish refudenounce Nazion oppression, which led to gees inaction who were murdered U.S. onsubsequently behalf of Jewish refuin the Holocaust. gees who were subsequently murdered Henry Morgenthau, Jr. was the only in the Holocaust. JewHenry in Roosevelt’s cabinet as Morgenthau, Jr. and wasserved the only the Secretary of the Treasury. In JanuJew in Roosevelt’s cabinet and served as ary Secretary 1944, Morgenthau alerted Roosevelt the of the Treasury. In Januof evidence unearthedalerted by theRoosevelt Treasury ary 1944, Morgenthau that State Department officials delayed of evidence unearthed by the Treasury sending financial aid forofficials European Jews, that State Department delayed
suppressed information of the Nazi regime’s massinformation murder of Jews – which by suppressed of the Nazi rethat time totaled overof4,000,000 deaths gime’s mass murder Jews – which by – and obstructed rescue opportunities that time totaled over 4,000,000 deaths rescue European Jews. Using tact –toand obstructed rescue opportunities and strength, Morgenthau to rescue European Jews.successfully Using tact persuaded Roosevelt to right this wrong and strength, Morgenthau successfully and sign anRoosevelt executiveto order persuaded rightestablishing this wrong the War Refugee Board. and sign an executive order establishing the War Refugee Board.
The WRB provided funds and logistical assistance to underground groups and The WRB provided funds and logistical to individuals like Raoul Wallenberg, assistance to underground groups and a humanitarian hero who saved tens of to individuals like Raoul Wallenberg, of Hungarian total, athousands humanitarian hero whoJews. savedIn tens of the WRB of helped save approximately thousands Hungarian Jews. In total, 200,000 and 20,000 non-Jews the WRB Jews helped save approximately from January the non-Jews end of the 200,000 Jews1944 and until 20,000 war in May 1945. from January 1944 until the end of the war in May 1945.
He did not mince words when he wrote: He not mince wordswe when he wrote: “Asdid matters now stand, appear to be “As matters now stand, we appear to be treating the Jews as the Nazis treated them treating the Jews asnot theexterminate Nazis treated them except that we do them.” except that we do not exterminate them.”
The WRB consisted of Morgenthau andThe two other cabinet of members, but WRB consisted Morgenthau Morgenthau rancabinet the show. Funded priand two other members, but marily from ran Jewish organizations, the Morgenthau the show. Funded priWRB was by two of Morgenthau’s marily fromled Jewish organizations, the Treasury andofhad a relatively WRB wasmembers led by two Morgenthau’s small butmembers dedicated staff carried Treasury and hadthat a relatively out operations in Europe Midsmall but dedicated staff and thatthe carried dle operations East. Understanding thethe urgency out in Europe and Midof their the staff employed all dle East.mission, Understanding the urgency means its disposal – including bribof their at mission, the staff employed all ery and documents means at producing its disposalforged – including brib– toand protect refugees fromdocuments the Nazis. ery producing forged
One month after Nazi Germany surrendered, Morgenthau to hear One month after Nazi began Germany surcomplaintsMorgenthau about Holocaust rendered, begansurvivors to hear being mistreated camps controlled by complaints aboutinHolocaust survivors the Allied military. Morgenthau and the being mistreated in camps controlled by WRB staffmilitary. persuaded President Truman the Allied Morgenthau and the that attorney Earl Harrison should visWRB staff persuaded President Truman it Germany to should surveyvisthe that attorneyand EarlAustria Harrison camps, itsituation. GermanyAfter and touring Austria thirty to survey the Harrison’sAfter report strongly criticized situation. touring thirty camps, the military’s treatment of thecriticized displaced Harrison’s report strongly persons. He did not mince words when the military’s treatment of the displaced he wrote:He “Asdid matters now stand, appersons. not mince wordswe when
pear to be treating the Jews as the Nazis treated them except thatas wethe doNanot pear to be treating the Jews exterminate them.” Harrison’s report zis treated them except that we do not resulted in athem.” dramatic change toward exterminate Harrison’s report Jewish displaced persons, who were resulted in a dramatic change toward soon moved to their own camps and Jewish displaced persons, who were granted far better treatment. soon moved to their own camps and Afterfar leaving Treasury Departgranted betterthe treatment. ment, Henry Morgenthau, Jr. became an After leaving the Treasury DepartardentHenry supporter of the fledgling State ment, Morgenthau, Jr. became an of Israel and served as chairman the ardent supporter of the fledgling of State United Appeal and as the of IsraelJewish and served as chairman offirst the chairman of Israel Bonds. United Jewish Appeal and as the first Now weofunderstand why a Jerusalem chairman Israel Bonds. street inunderstand addition towhy thea Israeli vilNow–we Jerusalem lage Moshav Tal Shachar, which means street – in addition to the Israeli vilMorning Dew, the German Morlage Moshav Talafter Shachar, which means gen Tau –Dew, was named in German honor of MorHenMorning after the ry Morgenthau, Jr., asin hehonor took aofcouragen Tau – was named Hengeous stand during one theadarkest ry Morgenthau, Jr., as heof took couraperiods of world history to the support the geous stand during one of darkest Jewish people. periods of world history to support the (I wrote this article based on numerJewish people. ous(Iarticles, butarticle my primary was wrote this based source on numeran eye-opening book by Rafael Medoff ous articles, but my primary source was called, “The Jews Should Keep Quiet.”) an eye-opening book by Rafael Medoff called, “The Jews Should Keep Quiet.”)
Gedaliah Borvick, founder of My Israel Home, will be in NY/NJ the of week May Gedaliah Borvick, founder My ofIsrael 15th running For Home, will behome-buying in NY/NJ theprograms. week of May morerunning info, or to schedule a private meeting, 15th home-buying programs. For pleaseinfo, contact at gborvick@gmail.com more or tohim schedule a private meeting, or via Whatsapp please contact himatat+972-54-623-0099. gborvick@gmail.com
