Flooded
North Dakota synagogue survives waters,
evacuates congregants in time.
LYNNE MEREDITH COHN STAFF WRITER
The 40 families who worship at
B'nai Israel Synagogue in Grand
Forks, N.D., were safely evac-
'— uated during massive flooding
two weeks ago, but the sanctu-
ary will not emerge unscathed.
The synagogue, which is lo-
cated in the city's downtown
area where some of the worst
flooding occurred, was deluged
with water, according to Rabbi
Larry Raphael of the Union of
American Hebrew Congrega-
/ tons (UAHC). The sanctuary is
on the shul's first floor, and it
will be weeks before the extent
of the damage is known.
During the weekend of the
flooding (April 18-20), Elana
Stein, the student rabbi from
Hebrew Union College-Jewish
Institute of Religion who leads
the small congregation, flew into
Grand Forks as scheduled. She
was evacuated from her hotel,
yet was able to hold Shabbat
services at the Grand Forks Air
Force Base, where many con-
gregants had been evacuated.
On Monday, April 21, Dan
Halpern, a member of the
Chicago Federation Board who
lives on the Air Force base, pro-
vided a seder for the synagogue
members who spent Passover
there.
Donations can be sent to the
UAHC Disaster Fund, 838 Fifth
Ave., New York, N.Y. 10021-
7064. ❑
Correction
The correct address for the Teen Unity Mission/March of the Liv-
ing Web site is http//www.nfty-mi.org\motl.
The correct spelling of the new assisted living facility in the for-
mer Prentis Manor is Elan Village. ❑
THE HUNT page 3
helped the Nazis carry out their
programs of murder and op-
pression may not claim the priv-
ilege of U.S. residence," he said.
Mr. Hammer could not be
reached for comment. His at-
torney, William Bufalino II, did
=not return telephone calls to his
office.
The OSI, in its prosecution of
the case, was able to prove dur-
ing Federal denaturalization
proceedings last May that Mr.
Hammer served as an armed
Nazi Waffen-SS guard at
Auschwitz, Sachsenhausen and
Flossenberg death camps. List-
ing his name, birthdate and
--tank in the Waffen-SS's Death's
Head Battalion, duty rosters
also placed Mr. Hammer on
prisoner transports between
camps.
Prosecutors also showed how
Mr. Hammer had obtained an
entry visa to the United States
and eventual citizenship by sup-
plying erroneous information
,_about his wartime activities.
/---) For example, when Mr. Ham-
mer applied for the visa, he
wrote on an application that he
was in the German army from
1942 to 1945. Later, on a citi-
zenship application, he stated
that he was in the "Germany
Army SS" during that same
time period. The German army
was separate from the Waffen-
SS, an elite guard and intelli-
gence arm of the Nazi Party.
Despite the evidence, Mr.
Hammer maintained that he
was a Waffen-SS soldier battling
on the Russian front, not serv-
ing as a concentration camp
guard. However, U.S. District
Judge Horace Gilmore found for
the prosecution and stripped Mr.
Hammer of his citizenship.
Mr. Hammer had a chance to
appeal Judge Gilmore's decision
but did not.
At a deportation hearing held
late last month before Immi-
gration Judge Michael Creppy,
Mr. Hammer again maintained
that he was a soldier on the
Russian front, not a death camp
guard. He said his activities
with the Waffen-SS, a volunteer
organization, were performed
under duress, including the
threat of death.
Judge Creppy, in his ruling,
found Mr. Hammer's testimony
not credible and at times con-
tradictory. ❑
Classic.
Unusual.
hitt:ate.
Historical.
Valuable.
Distinctive.
End
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