Jewry's Role in
Human Affairs

THEY SERVED WITH COURAGE - I

Little is recorded of the gallantry and sacrifice of Jewish Americans
in our military since the nation's founding. This and the next column will
tell something of that story, citing a few by name and giving voice to the
nameless many others who have taken up arms to preserve freedom and
democracy.
Jewish military figures have also worn the uniforms of other
countries with distinction. Australian Sir John Monash was supreme
commander of his nation's forces in Europe during World War One. Major
General Alexander Von Eis won two of the Austro-Hungarian empire's
most honored military awards. A dashing British general, Stephen
Lakeman was the esteemed "Mazar Pasha" to his Ottoman troops.
Napoleon personally presented Captain Alexandre Marcquefoy
with a Legion of Honor. Lieutenant General Harvey Weinrub led Russian
defenders in the fierce battle of Stalingrad, a turning point in the war. Rear
Admiral Benjamin Samson took command of India's naval forces during
the 1965 war with Pakistan. Others were closer to home.

URIAH LEVY
(1792-1862) b. Philadelphia, PA Commodore
The distinguished naval officer began his career as
a boy serving in the nation's merchant marine. He
rose rapidly through the ranks with a growing
reputation for seamanship and leadership. At the
outset of the War of 1812, Levy took the helm of
the warship Argus which sank or captured 21
British vessels. He was later appointed to the
highest post in the U.S. Navy-flag officer in command of America's
Mediterranean fleet. Several other accomplishments place his name in
history. Levy led the struggle to abolish corporal punishment, such as
flogging, then in common naval practice. He is also credited with saving
Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson which had fallen into ruin. Levy
'bought the mansion and beqUeathed it to the government to restore and
preserve as a national monument.

MAURICE ROSE
(1899-1945) b. Middletown, CT Major General
The son of a rabbi who served overseas in World
War One, Rose entered the military as a young
officer who rapidly advanced in rank. As a
brigadier general and chief of staff of the Second
Armored Division, he helped defeat German
forces in North Africa and negotiated the
unconditional surrender of the enemy in Tunisia.
"Old Gravel Voice,' nicknamed as such for his gruff and crusty manner,
earned his second star on taking command of the Third Armored Division
battling its way through France, Belgium and Germany. Rose was tragically
killed in combat as the war drew to a close. Regarded among the most
heroic officers fighting the Nazis, he was given the Congressional Medal of
Honor--one of the highest ranking soldiers ever to win that award.

JUDITH RESNICK
(1949-86) b. Cleveland, OH Astronaut The
explosion of the shuttle Challenger in 1986 .ended
the life of the first Jewish astronaut to enter space.
She was not new to such a voyage, having earlier
logged 145 hours as a mission specialist aboard
Discovery. Her credentials were impressive. An
electrical engineering degree in 1970. Professional
experience as a design engineer and biomedical
engineer with major U.S. organizations. A Ph.D. before joining Xerox as
a senior systems engineer. Resnick was also a proficient classical pianist,
and one of six women chosen for space flight among more than 8,000
applicants. During her first mission, she was seen worldwide on TV
operating Discovery's long robotic arm. In testimony to her martyrdom was
the comment of a woman whose lifelong dream was to adventure in space
and "...to do everything there is to be done."
--Saul Stadtmauer

9/4
1998

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10 Detroit Jewish News

America At Last

A semester abroad for Mordechai Sher of Australia
was saved at the 11th hour.

Inc

LONNY GOLDSMITH
Staff Writer

ordechai Sher was all set
to spend the next five
months of his life study-
ing at an Orthodox
Jewish school in,- the United States,
except for one problem.
The Australian had nowhere to stay
because two prospective hosts had
suddenly become unavailable. But a
last-minute coincidence led him to
Southfield and a happy first day of
school.
"It took four months just to find a
place for me to live," said Sher, who
didn't find out until a few days before
he left where he'd be staying. "I was
almost resigned to the fact I wouldn't
be coming here."
On Aug. 25, his flight from
Syndey, via Los Angeles, brought him
to the Southfield home of Caren and
David Srolovitz. The next day, he
began 11th grade at Akiva Hebrew
Day School with the rest of the stu-
dents.
He started school Friday even
though Akiva's principal, Rabbi Karmi
Gross, said he could have waited until
Monday, said Mrs. Srolovitz, who
started as a teacher there this year.
Said the 15-year-old Sher, "I'm set-
tling in all right and I'm already pretty

well adjusted [to the time difference].
I got a lot of questions about whether
I had a kangaroo as a pet."
He is Akiva's first foreign student.
"He fit in right away," Rabbi Gross
said. "After five minutes, you'd think
he been here for four years."
Sher was inspired to come to the
U.S. by his sister, Tamara, who spent a
semester abroad.
In Sydney he goes to Moriah
College, an Orthodox high school.
The main difference between Moriah
and Akiva, he said, is that Akiva is
smaller, with a longer day and more
Judaic studies than his school at
home.
Sher is in the same class as 16-year-
old Aron Srolovitz, the Srolovitz's old-
est child. Their other children,
Miriam, 13, and 11-year-old Noam,
are ecstatic about Sher's stay at their
home.
"They're still excited about it,"
Caren said. "They like listening to
him talk."
Sher's route to the Srolovitz home
was circuitous, to say the least. His
trip was arranged through the EF
Foundation For Foreign Study in
Boston, which had two prospective
host families in Pennsylvania until just
before Sher was to leave.
Karen Conway of EF recalled that
AMERICA on page 12

Mordechai Sher is met at Detroit Metro Airport by his host family, Noam, Miriam
and Aron Srolovitz.

