Friday, June 13, 1980 23
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Mrs. Pregerson's Aid to Inmate
Recalled in a Magazine Tribute
Tribute was paid recently
to the late Sara Hope Pre-
gerson, a former teacher in
the Detroit Public Schools,
by a young woman con-
victed of a crime with
whom Mrs. Pregerson
corresponded and later bef-
riended.
Wishing to remain
anonymous, the young
woman, who this month will
graduate magna cum laude
from Yale's law school and
who had graduated summa
um laude with highest de-
partment honors and two
degrees from the University
of Southern California, pub-
lished her tribute in For-
tune News, edited by David
Rothenberg.
It was through the publi-
cation that the two became
pen pals.
In a note accompany-
ing a copy of the article,
sent to relatives and
friends of the late Mrs.
Pregerson, the young
woman wrote:
"As my law school
graduation comes near,
there is nothing I wanted
more than to share it with
Sara — to have her and Mil
(husband, Milford) here by
my side to experience it
with me. I truly believe that
if it were not for her love and
friendship, I would not be
here today. Since this was
not to be, I will graduate
alone in body . . . but Sara's
spirit and love will remain
forever with me."
Following is the young
woman's article, by-lined
Jane X, "When Hope Was
More Than a Name," as it
appeared in Fortune News:
"In 1973, a woman named
Sara Hope Pregerson came
into my life at a time when I
had reached the depths of
utter hopelessness. My
association with her began
when I was in a women's
prison in California and she
wrote to me to express her
feelings about a poem I had
written which was printed
in the Fortune News.
"Sara was a former
teacher from Detroit, a
devoted wife and mother
of two children and a be-
liever in the goodness of
people. She brought to
our relationship caring,
understanding, stability
and hope.
"I was a compassionate
and idealistic person, but
one with no goal or direc-
tion. For two years we wrote
often, sharing pieces of our
lives and ourselves and
weaving the intricate pat-
tern that forms a lasting re-
lationship. I shared my
hopes and my dreams with
her and gradually she
helped me to formulate a
goal.
"I was greatly troubled by
the problems in the crimi-
nal justice system, many of
which I was experiencing
from a vantage point which
was previously totally un-
familiar to me.
"With Sara's encourage-
ment I decided to go to col-
lege and then apply to law
, school,. .I, received a schol-
arship to USC and was
graduated summa cum
laude with highest de-
partmental honors and two
degrees in 1977. From USC
I came to Yale Law School
where I am currently finish-
ing my final year. The fu-
ture for me is bright with a
judicial clerkship and sev-
eral law firm jobs to choose
from.
"After I was released
on parole in early 1975
our correspondence did
not cease, but rather it
took on new form as
phone calls were added
to the letters. Like a great
sculptor, Sara helped me
mold and shape the con-
tours of my future. She
was more than just a
pen-pal — she was a
friend, a confidante, the
mother I never had. I
grew to love her very de-
eply.
"In December of 1975,
driving back to Los Angeles
after a semester in Wash-
ington, D.C., I took a detour
and went to Detroit to meet
her. She was everything I
had expected her to be —
vibrant, alive, involved. As
I returned to school and took
on the additional responsi-
bility of raising and sup-
portinemy two young sons,
she provided me with emo-
tional support in times
when I was ready to say,
can't make it.'
"You may ask 'What is so
different about Sara that we
should pay her tribute?' I
am sure that many mem-
bers of the Fortune Society
are pen pals. I will tell you
what made Sara special.
"In 1977, Sara was diag-
nosed with cancer of the hip
and her life began to be
plagued by the pain and suf-
fering that is characteristic
of this dread disease. As
chemotherapy failed and
the cancer spread to her
spine, she never wavered in
her commitment to our
friendship.
She struggled to sur-
vive much as she strug-
gled to make this life a lit-
tle better for others, but
she had every bad break.
Because of her experi-
ence with cancer I be-
came interested in the
plight of the terminal
cancer patient and am
now involved in indi-
vidual and group meet-
ings with them after
completing Internal
Medicine 147, 'The
Chronically Ill Patient' at
Yale Medical School.
"The last time I saw Sara
was when I flew to Detroit
in August of 1979 and spent
a day with her. It was an
emotional day, but a time
that made many beautiful
memories for us both. She
introduced me to several of
her friends and she was not
ashamed of my background
nor did she feel she had to
make excuses for our
friendship. This was a feel-
ing I had never before ex-
perienced with anyone else.
"On Jan. 10, 1980, Sara's
fight with cancer was ended
but the good she did all her
life lives on in the memories
Performance Poll
Tapper's does
APPRAISALS
JERUSALEM (ZINS) —
According to a recent poll by
the Public Opinion Re-
search Institute, 40 percent
of Israelis do not believe
that a Labor government
could have done better than
Likud in handling Israel's
problems.
Some 34.4 percent
thought Labor would have
done a better job.
Jewelry Appraisals Done While You Wait
$15 for the first item
$5 for every other item
We purchase your unwanted precious Gems,
Antiques and Gold Jewelry for immediate
cash.
Peace Necessity
SARA PREGERSON
and actions of all thosS
whose lives she touched. I
write this tribute not only so
that her family and friends
will have one more sign of
the beautiful person she
was, but also to inspire some
Fortune Society members
who may think that 'just
being someone's pen pal
can't make a difference.'
"I know that it can, for I
truly believe that if Sara
had not entered my life I
would not be where I am to-
day. Not every corre-
spondence will work or will
develop into a lasting rela-
tionship such as Sara's and
mine, for Sara belonged to a
circle of very special and
caring people, but the effort
is worth it.
"Even at her funeral,
her family and friends,
most of whom I had never
met, accepted me into
their intimate circle . of
mourners as if they
somehow understood
that my grief and my loss
was as deep and as pain-
ful as their own.
"During the eulogy, her
rabbi characterized her as
an artist; I believe she was
an artist of human relation-
ships. Sara was an inspira-
tion to us all. She was
friendship and kindness
and love; but most of all
Sara Pregerson was aptly
named, for she was HOPE."
Besides her husband,
Mrs. Pregerson is survived
by a son, Bernard; a daugh-
ter, Rhoda; a brother, Man-
dell L. Berman; a sister,
Mrs. Bert (Toba) Smokier;
and one grandson.
.
Family Has
Another Rabbi
NEW YORK — Keeping
a family tradition, Debra R.
Hachen was ordained at the
Hebrew Union College-
Jewish Institute of Reli-
gion, June 1.
Miss Hachen is the
daughter of Rabbi David S.
Hachen of Cleveland and
the great-granddaughter of
another rabbi, the late Sol-
omon Kory of Vicksberg,
Miss. Miss Hachen's father
was ordained by the college
in 1952.
UJA Director
NEW YORK — Thomas
T. Sarkany, formerly staff
supervisor for the National
Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., has been ap-
pointed director of research
at the National United
Jewish Appeal.
CAIRO (ZINS) —
President Anwar Sadat of
Egypt has told the maga-
zine October that normal re-
lations between Israel and
Egypt are "a vital neces-
sity," and that there are no
restrictions on travel to Is-
rael or accepting invitations
from Israelis.
Ara" Mentzel: Gem Appraisal Consultant
Tapper's, the source.
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