Heroism of Polish Christian Family
Eni,iges in Story of Local Woman
Rabbis, Laymen
Join in !Honoring
Rabbi IDonin
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
16—Friday, May 28, 1971
Jesuit College Picks Rabbi
for Commencement Talk
Congregational circles in the De-
NEW YORK (JTA)—One of the
By CHARLOTTE DUBIN
troit Jewish community joined in
Its been four years since Abe
extending greetings to Rabbi Ilay- largest Catholic universities in the
Kashtan died, but his mother
im Donin, who will be honored United States, the Jesuit-sponsored
grieves for him still. That he was
with the Rabbi Herzog Gold Medal St. Louis University, has invited
not flesh of her flesh doesn't mat-
Award, to be presented to him by Rabbi Marc Tanenbaum to deliver
address on
ter; it is as though God had taken
the Religious Zionists of America the commencement
5
before
8,000
persons.
June
one of her own five sons.
(Mizrachi) at their annual dinner
This is believed to be the first
at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel., New
Helen, at 66, is one of those
time that, the Catholic university
York,
June
16.
He
will
be
honored
"typical Yiddishe mammas" every
"in recognition of his attainments has invited a rabbi t_o be its com-
man looks back upon with fond
in his devotion to Torah, Zion and mencement speaker.
memory — warm-hearted. devout,
Rabbi Tanenbaum, who is na-
the people of Israel."
emotional. She still carries the
tional director of interreligious
white and silver-engraved match-
The leadership of Bnai David affairs of the American Jewish
book from Abe's wedding in 1954,
as well as other friends of Rabbi Committee, will receive an hon-
and she weeps with the joy of re-
Donin are forming a delegation of orary doctorate of humane letters,
membering his sons' Bnai Mitzva,
Detroiters for a "pilgrimage" to He serves as a member of the
when she sat at the head table.
New York to share in this occasion. board of directors of St. Louis
The president of Bnai David named Divinity School. This is also be-
But Helen Chorazyczewski is not
a committee to make the proper lieved to be the first time that a
a Jewish mother. In Hamtramck,
arrangements. Heading this com- rabbi serves in this capacity on
where she and her husband Ignacy
The
faces
of
courage—the
Chorazyczewski
family—are
reflected
mittee are Jack Kraizman, chair- a Jesuit ecumenical seminary
live in a modest flat, she still is
man, Max Sosin and Gen. William board.
more comfortable in her native in this photograph taken a number of years ago. Shown are Helen
Polish than in English—although and Ignacy Chorazyczewski and (from left, front) their daughter Weinstein.
they came to this country in 1949. Stella and sons Johnny and Jimmy; (rear) a family friend, son
For information and reserva-
No man is weak by choice.
Her house of God is St. Ladislaus Mitchell and son Chester—the "brother" of Abe Kashtan, whose life tions, call Cong. Bnai David, 557-
—Vauvenargues
he
saved
in
wartime
Poland.
Not
shown
is
the
Chorazyczewskis'
Catholic Church.
8210, or the Mizrachi office, 398-
son Henry.
Indeed, God figures promi-
7180.
Eye Doctors
nently in Mrs. Chorazyczewski's
Prescriptions Filled
and
blew
out
the
candle
on
the
shunted
back
and
his
family,
was
past, as well as her present. In
Injunction Bars JDL
another time and place, when it forth among the neighbors. He was cake reserved for grandparents.
Even with Abe's death from a Harassment of Federation
meant certain death to be dis- with the Chorazyczewskis when
covered hiding a Jew, she did the Germans took them to a con- heart attack four years ago, his
PRESCRIPTION OPTICAL CO.
NEW YORK (JTA) — A tem-
wife and children still accept the
so—"for God, for Abe and for centration camp.
26001 Coolidge
543-3343
porary
injunction
barring
the
Jew-
me."
In 1943, she recalls, Poles re- Chorazyczewskis as family.
ish Defense League from staging
Things have not gone well for disruptive acts at the Federation
Without the help of the Chorazy- maining in the area were rounded
czewskis, Abe, his brother and at up and taken to camps in Germany Ignacy and Helen. Neither of them of Jewish Philanthropies of Great-
least two other young Jews could —Helen, Ignacy, their children and is physically able to work, and they er New York offices was made
not have survived the Nazi Holo- the Jewish boy among them. After have no income other than the permanent by State Supreme Court
several months of near-starvation upstairs flat which they rent out.
caust.
at
Neamark, the Chorazyczewskis Chester, who designed automobile Justice Samuel A. Spiegel.
Their paths crossed in peaceful
were
picked for the dubious honor models at the General Motors Tech
He also dismissed a $1,000,000
days when the Kashtan family
arrived each week to trade at the of working for a Russian turncoat Center, has been out of a job for suit by the JDL which had charged
Amsterdam - Copenhagen
Chorazyczewski farm in Perespa, a who had just acquired a farm in the past year, so is unable to help the federation with using "decep-
tive representation" in soliciting
Fjords - Oslo
small town near Berezhnitsev, Germany and needed cheap labor. his parents.
Round Trip Det. Exce. Accom.
Unpaid, overworked and under-
They are proud people—"what- funds.
Poland.
meals daily & more
There were no Jews living in fed, the Chorazyczewskis some- ever my problems, they are be-
Perespa, but Helen had known how survived—but not without tween God and me," she said—
many of them from Berezhnitsev, paying the price. Young Johnny, and have never sought recognition
Passport-Photos
age 1, suffered eye damage, and for their deeds of heroism.
with its sizable Jewish community.
The bond that grew between Ignacy malnutrition from that
+ $15.00 tax & service
In fact, their story would not
for $ 3.95
young Abe and Chester, the eldest year's work. With surgery, have come to light now, were it
call Harvey Glassman
Chorazyczewski boy, was more Johnny later regained his sight, not for an element of chance. David
Back Door
than a passing friendship. They but Ignacy has never quite re- Silver, who has had a store in
Galleries
were like the biblical Jonathan covered. Since coming here, he Hamtramck for many .years, first
Travel
and David, their relationship as has undergone 15 operations and met Helen when she came to him
28631 Southfield
has never been able to work long to translate some Hebrew letters
S of 12 Mile
close as brothers.
352-4116
358-3300
Mrs. Chorazyczewski grows ex- enough to be eligible for Social sent by friends in Israel
cited at the telling of it, but pieced Security.
With each letter he translated,
together it appears that with the
After their stay with the Rus- their friendship grew. An article
invasion of Poland, the Kashtans sian farmer, the Chorazyczewskis last December in The Jewish. News,
sought shelter at the farm. Occa- were "employed" by Germans. It which related the exploits of a
sionally, when all appeared quiet was here that their young Jewish Polish Righteous Gentile, Rornualda
on the outside, they would return ward ran away, said Helen, and Ciesielska, started Silver to think-
ALL ACCESSORIES REDUCED
to Berezhnitsev.
she doesn't know whether he sur- ing. Here was a Righteous Gentile
On the day that the Germans vived.
right in his own backyard.
found out that the Kashtans had
A few years after liberation, the
When he was in Israel several
been staying in the Chorazyczewski
PLUS A SPECIAL
home, 15,000 Jews were rounded Chorazyczewskis were enabled to months ago, Silver met Mrs.,
come to this country by a Catholic
tip in Berezhnitsev and shot, said relief organization. They settled Chorazyczewski's friends, wlio
DISCOUNT ON THE
corroborated her story.
Helen.
first in Louisiana and then, in 1950,
NEW CHEVROLET
In
answer
to
the
same
question
Abe, his brother and two other came up to Detroit.
asked of Mrs. Ciesielska, Mrs.
young men managed to escape,
OF YOUR CHOICE
In all that time, Helen didn't Chorazyczewski gave the same re-
swimming a river to the Chorazy-
know
what
had
become
of
Abe—
ply.
Knowing
what
could
happen
czewski farm.
had he perished like 40 of her to her and her family if caught
j.3 -Vader_.
"Abe was the first to reach own relatives? And if not, where by the Nazis, why did she do what
me," Helen recalls. "He faint- was he?
Div.
Group Sales
she did? "My heart and my con-
ed, and when he woke up he said,
science
told
me
to,"
she
said.
"And
While shopping one day in a
`From now on, you're my par-
there had been other boys like
.- ents and my whole family.' " neighborhood market, Helen recog- if
During the day, the boys hid in nized a face from Berezhnitsev- Abe who had come to me for help,
I would have done the same thing
the surrounding forests; at night, Oscar Bakalar, one of the few Jews for
14501 W. SEVEN MILE RD. w 341-6900, 477-2059
them."
:they came to the Chorazyczew- who had survived. In response to
her excited questions, Bakalar said
ski farm for food.
he didn't know what had become of
After Chester had taken the Abe Kashtan, but he would try to
others to safety, in a forest bunker find out. With the assistance of:
with 70 other young Jews, Abe immigrant aid agencies, Kashtan
remained with the Chorazyczewskis was located in Silver Spring, a
Your second set of tires is your first real
for more than a year.
suburb of Washington, where he
During the early days of his stay had opened a store.
choice and when you discover that
with them, Abe was hidden in the
Recollection of their reunion
attic, his presence unknown to the
younger children, for fear that they brought tears to Helen's eyes—and
might even unwittingly reveal his to those of her listeners. "He came
Costs no more than ordinary tires there's only one
whereabouts. Eventually, however, to my door—in Hamtramck—and
Ignacy and Helen felt they could he kissed me and called me mother.
choice to make . . . Dunlop total performance
let the youngsters in on the secret. I can't tell you how wonderful it
tires at ordinary prices.
was."
They never betrayed it. Abe later
In 1954, when Abe married, five
made a safe departure, joining the
members of the Chorazyczewski
partisans in the forests.
New Sunday Hours
Others came to the Chorazyczew- family were sent tickets to attend
Alignmern
1
DYNAMIC TIRE SALE
skis for food and help, and they the wedding in Silver Spring. They
Wheel Balancing
Sat. 9-3
3826
N.
Woodward
at
131/2
were never refused. As the police posed together—as a family.
Mile Road
Truck Tire
Mon. thru Fri.
returned again and again, looking
Sales and Service
Royal Oak, Michigan
9-6
When Abe's two sons were Bar
Phone: 549-7350
for contraband humanity, one little Mitzva, Helen and Ignacy Chora-
Master Charge BankArnericard
boy, who had been separated from zyczewski sat at the 'leafl table
—
-
2 Week Tour
Aug. 4-18
SCANDINAVIA
'795.00
2
Book Couzens
CHEVROLETS?
20%
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