CLOSE-UP INTERIOR DESIGN Stormy Seas FOR THOSE .. . Continued from preceding page rus, but the British reverted to their pre-war policy of re- turning illegal ships to their port of departure. Upon re- turning to France, the French offered citizenship to anyone who voluntarily came off the ship but refused to allow the British to forcibly remove anyone. Few left. Planes flew overhead in Sette harbor, dropping candy bars and flowers to the refu- gees. Monks were allowed aboard with freshly-baked loaves of bread. Many of the monks were Haganah men in disguise and the loaves of bread contained messages and words of encouragement. Haganah ordered Weinsaft off the ship along with two other crew members. A diversion was created at night as Harry and the others jumped overboard. Weinsaft returned to the United States to help raise funds and make appeals for the refugees, whom the British finally took to Ham- burg, Germany and placed in a displaced persons camp. WITH DISCRIMINATING TASTES. located within Claire Pearone Somerset Mall Hours: Mon., Thurs., Fri. 10-9 Tues., Wed., Sat. 10-6 Sun. 12-5 2773 W. BIG BEAVER • TROY • 643-7771 Ceresnie & Offen Furs Presents Their The voyage of the Exodus was an important event in the world and Israeli history. "It was the straw that broke the camel's back," Marks said. "Soon after, they (the British) gave up the man- date." The Exodus is credited as a major factor in making the world realize the need for a Jewish state. Marks remembers, "I was told, 'Everything from now on in your life goes downhill.' The aliyah — the ships — that was the high point in my life." Marks continued to help bring ships and people to Is- rael. After the War of Inde- pendence he returned to Cin- cinnati, where he lives now, and owns a real estate firm. Weinsaft continued to help Israel raise funds and buy arms during the War of Inde- pendence, returning to the United States in 1950 to re- sume his private life. He went to Israel in 1956 and again in 1967 to help fight for her survival. ❑ Personal Postscript A Partial list of our Exceptional Values: RE Dye-added $ 4000 Ranch Mink Coats Natural Coyote $ 4200 Coats Brightner•added $ 4600 Silver Raccoon Coats Ranch or Lunaraine Mink Coats Fox Tuxedo Fronts Brightener-added Blue Fox Jackets Embossed Leather Jackets, Opossum Zip-out lining Natural Ranch Mink Sections Coats Natural Tanuki Strollers Natural Long-Hair Beaver Coats '4800. '1695 '1995 '2195 $ 229 5 All furs labeled to show country or origin. While quantities last. 9:30-9:00 All 3 Nights September 4, 5 & 6 South of Maple, Next to the Birmingham Theatre All Major Credit Cards Accepted 642-1690 Fine Furs for Sophisticated Ladies 18 Friday, September 5, 1986 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Born and raised in Vie- nna, Austria, Harry Wein- saft witnessed the deter- iorating situation of the Jews. Early in 1939 he went to the United States Em- bassy, where he stood in line to get into the phone room with its telephone books from the entire United States. Harry knew of a Weinsaft in Kansas City, but he needed the ad- dress to ask the unrelated American to sponsor him so that he could apply for a visa. Unable to help, the American Weinsaft sent the letter to another relative, who showed it to Tom Pen- dergast, the Democratic party political boss of Kan- sas City. Pendergast offered to send it to his "boy in Washington," Senator Harry Truman. Weinsaft received his visa, signed by Truman, soon after. He emigrated to the United States in 1939. In 1940 he joined the U.S. Army and became a citizen in 1942 in Denver while training for the ski troops, part of the 10th Mountain Division. Following the Exodus mission, Harry worked for the speakers bureau of the United Jewish Appeal and the Jewish Agency for Palestine, helping to raise money and procure arms. Returning to the United States in 1950, Weinsaft worked as a representative of a national paint company for the Detroit region, and later opened his own paint store. In 1965, after admir- ing art all his life, Weinsaft became an art auctioneer, opening his art gallery at the Kingsley Inn which he still owns and operates. When Otto Preminger was filming Exodus in Is- rael, he contacted Weinsaft and crew members who were in Israel to read the script and work as technical advisers. But the "advisers" found the screenplay did not tell the true story of Exodus 1947. Preminger felt they didn't appreciate what the story was going to do for the Jewish people. Sub- sequently, none of the crew worked on the film. In 1967, fearing another outbreak of fighting, Wein- saft went to Israel to help, staying at Kibbutz Ofakim where his sister and parents lived. Today, Weinsaft lives in Detroit near his two daugh- ters and their families. ❑