Jewry's Role in
Human Affairs

THEY SERVED WITH COURAGE - II

instead on holidays, bible stories, his-
tory, life cycle events, modern Israel
and contemporary Jewish values. Club
leaders (JPI's term for teachers) and
students are on a first-name basis and
questioning is encouraged.
"What I've always been drawn to
about JPI is the fact that kids are
allowed to question and the program
doesn't give pat answers," said Wolfe.
Although JPI is secular in outlook,
children learn to under-
stand and respect all
streams of Judaism, Wolfe
said. After bar mitzvah (a
group celebration, follow-
ing a year-long research
project and social action
work), teens continue their
education one more year,
then become teaching
assistants for the younger
children. Many go on to
become club leaders.
"The curriculum is very
strong," said Jan Ellen
Moskowitz, a JPI graduate
and parent. "It's made rele-
vant to contemporary life. A lot of the
history the kids learn in regular school
they can tie in to what they learn in
Sunday school."
The curriculum and celebrations ---
all created by JPI members — have
evolved over the 50 years, with JPI
graduates and parents constantly
adding new features.
-."The materials have been passed on
to the generations, but with encour-
agement to keep adapting them," said
Jack Stein, one of the founding mem-
bers. "We never believed in any kind
of dogma. That's one of the reasons
for the creation of JPI."
The Yom Kippur ceremony, written
by JPI graduate Julie Gales, is a recent
development. The bar mitzvah pro-
_ gram started in the 1980s.
In addition to the new holiday
celebrations, the curriculum has
become a bit less ardently secular,
said Wolfe, who has worked for JPI
since 1979.
"Early members avoided the word
God, and when I first came we were
always dancing around it, trying to
avoid the word," she said. "Now we're
more relaxed.about that. We realized
it's impossible to teach Jewish history
and study the Bible without discussing
God."
According to Helen Stein, Jack's
wife, JPI's official policy is neither to
affirm nor deny belief in God.
For many JPI alumni and parents,
the organization has spawned long-

term friendships. The Steins are active
in a lively social group for founding
members called The 120 Club.
Younger participants also remain in
close contact.
"For me, it's been an extended
family," said Joan Zaremba, the
Steins' daughter, who has seen JPI
from all perspectives: as student, teen
assistant, club leader and parent. "I
still have a friend from JPI who I met

Top: Parents' meeting, 1965.
Above: Sukkot celebration, early 1970s.

when I was 8, and our parents are still
friends. I'm friends with the parents
of my son's friends. We share a lot of
memories and history."
Zaremba is hoping that the
anniversary celebration the weekend
of October 3 strengthens ties between
everyone who has called JPI home at
some point. "Hopefully as the new
generation sees some of the things
the old generation has done, they'll
be more inspired to become active,"
she said. ❑

JPI is exhibiting photos and
memorabilia from its 50-year his
tory in the Kahn Jewish
Community Center through
September 23. Call (248) 661.-
7636 for more information about
the display or about anniversary
events.

Since the days of our country's founding, America's
armed forces were indebted to the patriotism of Jews
who fought and died in our nation's wars, and who
were early in combat in defense of our values. Jews
had served in every Colonial militia during the
struggle for independence. At a time when their
population numbered under 2,000, more than 100
took up arms against the British.
Among the forty who rose highest in rank
were Colonel Isaac Franks and Lieutenant-Colonel
Solomon Bush of the Continental Army. Another
gallant officer, David Emanuel, was elected Govern-
or of Georgia in 1801 in a salute for his "daring
conduct" during the siege of Savannah. And in the
almost legendary Battle of the Alamo, Abraham
Wolf fought and died beside the fabled Davy
Crocket.
V
At the onset of the long and cruel Civil War, Jewish citizens living
in the north and south numbered about 200,000. Brother was pitted against
brother as 6,000 Union volunteers battled 1,200 of their Confederate co-
religionists. A surprisingly large proportion won field commissions as the
fighting progressed--nine generals, eighteen colonels, eight lieutenant-
colonels and over 600 officers of lesser rank. Ranged on opposing sides
were Abraham Myers, the Confederacy's first Quartermaster General, and
Lieutenant-Colonel Israel Moses, a Union surgeon whose new treatment
for gunshot wounds saved many soldiers' lives.
In the aftermath of the war, President Ulysses S. Grant honored
Joseph Seligman, a leading financier of the Union effort, by appointing
him Secretary of the Treasury.
"Remember the Maine!" was also a call to arms for Jewish
servicemen during the Spanish-American War; fifteen died when the ship
sank, and Sergeant Maurice Joost was the first victim of the army attack
on Manila. Many Jewish adventurers rode with the famed Rough Riders
led by Teddy Roosevelt who later remarked, "One of the best colonels
among the regular regiment who fought beside me was a Jew." As a
footnote, the Maine was previously commanded by Adolph Marix, our
first Jewish rear admiral.
The military forces mustered by the U.S.
during both World Wars were also populated by
many Jews who fought with valor. More than
250,000, enough to man eight World War One
divisions, were conscripted. Ten thousand among
them earned commissions. Almost 16,000 were lost
or wounded in action, and the decorations won by
Jews in the trenches included eight Congressional
Medals of Honor and 200 Distinguished Service
Crosses.
Perhaps a single event personified Jewish heroism and sacrifice
during World War Two. Days after the infamy of Pearl Harbor, Sergeant
Meyer Levin launched bombs from a Flying Fortress that sank the
Japanese battleship Haruna; he later died trying to save crewmates after a
crash in the Pacific. As in the previous great war, a quarter-million Jews
served in the U.S. military, and of them, more than 62,000 were casualties.
Saul Stadtmauer

also exemplified the spirit
Michigan ' , s own Lieutenant Raymond Zussman
and bravery of Jewish soldiers in World War Two. On foot with a carbine,
he killed seventeen and captured 52 enemy troops including a large cache
of weapons and trucks. Zussman fell soon after and was posthumously
awarded a Congressional Medal of Honor.

Visit many more notable Jews at our website: www.dorledor.org
COMMISSION FOR THE DISSEMINATION OF JEWISH HISTORY
Walter & Lea Field, Founders/Sponsors
Irwin S. Field, Co chairperson
Harriet F. Siden, Co chairperson

-

-

Detroit Jewish News

9/18
199

15