COMMUNITY VIEWS

Miracles Do Happen

officer of the 85th Field Hospital was
n my return from the third
Major Eugene Sole. We all appreciated
Michigan Miracle Mission, I
the warmth and humanity of this gen-
thought about two miracles
tle man.
in my life, one recent and
As we boarded the Army troopship,
one from 54 years ago.
the General Harry Taylor, the
On April 2, I read an obit-
headline in the Army news-
uary in the Jewish News. A
paper Stars Stripes shout-
Dr. Eugene Sole, 94, died
ed "Atomic Bomb Dropped
March 26 in Lynbrooke,
On Japan." On successive
N.Y. I thought back to June
days came the second bomb,
1945.
the Russians declared
After six months.in the
against Japan and the Japan-
European Theater of Opera ,
ese surrender. Still we sailed
tions, my outfit, the 85th
on.
Field Hospital, got orders to
On Aug. 15 at 3 p.m.,
leave for eventual transport
HARO LD W.
about two days east of the
to the Philippines, We were
Panama Canal, the voice of
ROSSM ()ORE
to support combat troops in
the ship's captain boomed
Spec ial to
the invasion of Japan. Our
from speakers, "Attention,
the Jew ish News
total personnel (160 plus)
attention, all hands. Watch
and equipment were loaded
the shadows on the deck of
onto 40 or 8's trains (World
the ship move while we slowly turn
War I vintage 40 men or 8 horses) and toward New York."
headed for Marseilles.
We arrived in New York on Aug.
We arrived on June 15 (incidental-
18 to an emotional and tumultuous
ly, my 20th birthday) and stayed until
greeting. A tugboat alongside had the
Aug. 7. During that time, we were
Paul Whiteman band and the
immunized and lectured "don't wear
Andrews Sisters singing, "Happy Days
your Red Cross arm bands; the Japan-
Are Here Again," the first group to
ese don't recognize the Geneva Con-
arrive fully equipped and ready for
vention."
war, not peace.
Most important to me at that time,
Shortly after docking, we were
our martinet of a commanding officer
boarded by a variety of visitors,
was replaced. The new commanding
including representatives of the press.
At 20, I had sufficient chutzpah. An
AP reporter and photographer were
Harold W. Rossmoore of West Bloom-
looking for groups of four from differ-
field is professor emeritus of biological
ent U.S. cities. I offered to help if I
sciences at Wayne State University.

0

ing but can't talk with instruments in
my mouth.
Finally, I am able to tell Dr. Tessler
about my connection with "a Major
Eugene Sole." He is sure- it is the same
person. He added two things. One,
when he told his father about meeting
Dr. Eugene Sole, another connection.
The Hungarian-speaking Dr. Sole was
Mr. Tessler's Lodge doctor (they were
a Hungarian-Jewish lodge) and for the
present and most important, a second
son of Dr. Sole was an opthalmologist, —,
Dr. Gary Sole, practicing locally.
He was contacted by Dr. Tessler
who called me and confirmed that the
could be in the New York City group.
New York Post photo I mentioned ear-
The first one I thought to add to my
lier was of his father, my CO. A week
group of four was my new CO,
or so later, he said to me, "You know
Eugene Sole. That picture is framed,
I'm much older than you." My reply
hanging on my office wall.
was that was also true 54 years ago.
The end of Miracle 1.
His voice seemed to bring back many
This past February, under the gen-
memories. The whole sequence was to
tle hands of periodontist Dr. Warren
me another miracle, Miracle 2.
Tessler, I was regaled with stories of
But, sadly, perhaps no more than a
his New York origins before his family
week after this call, I read the obituary
eventually settled in Michigan. He
I wrote of at the beginning of this
returned to New York to attend the
story. I offer my heartfelt condolences
dental school of NYU. Oddly enough,
to his family, especially Dr. Michael
this urban school had a dormitory and
Sole, whose friendship with Dr. War-
Warren's roommate was a Michael
ren Tessler built the bridge that result- c/
Sole from Brooklyn. Warren reported
ed in the calls that his brother, Dr.
this to his mother. Her comment,
Gary Sole, made to me. I am sad-
"His name sounds Italian; couldn't
dened, too, for the sudden passing of
they give you a nice Jewish room-
a man, although not seen by me for
mate?"
54 years, who had come back into my
Come Thanksgiving, Michael
life for much too brief a time.
invites Warren home to Brooklyn,
Both of our families know of the
where he meets the family, including a
photo that forever ties us together. Fl
Dr. Eugene Sole. By now, I am burst-

We all
appreciated
the warmth
and humanity of
this gentle man.

LITTERS

Hostility And
MATCKH

I am deeply troubled by your critical
comment about Mothers Against
Teaching Children to Kill and Hate
(MATCKH) and its president, Molly
Resnick ("The Wrong Lesson," June
4).
MATCKH and its president have
made significant contributions to the
reduction of hostility between the
Palestinian and Israeli communities.
The connection between Littleton,
Colo., tragedy and the hate propagan-
da of Palestinian hatemongers is not as
far-fetched as you claim. There are
common elements.
When children are exposed to vio-
lence-promoting video games and

6/25
1999

movies, we are dealing with an equiva-
lent of propaganda. Mrs. Resnick and
her group deserve credit for their
efforts to oppose the teaching of hate
to children throughout the world.
Dr. Emanuel Tariay
Eastport

Council Leads
In Many Areas

As a current board member and vice
president of the Jewish Community
Council, I wish to thank your publica-
tion for the article on the organization
("Voices For A Community," June 4).
As pointed out, the Council has pro-
vided valuable leadership to our com-
munity and has traditionally attracted

extremely capa-
ble professional
and lay leader-
ship as exempli-
fied by David
Gad-Harf and
Kathleen Straus.
I would like
to point out
some issues of
great impor-
tance to the Jewish community in
which the Council has provided sig-
nificant leadership. Under the auspices
of the Jewish Community Council, .
various community and educational
organizations were pulled together for
a superintendents' symposium that
enabled school superintendents, prin-
cipals and other school staff to become
more familiar with the diverse cultures

that populate Oakland schools. In
light of the many religious and cultur-
al issues that confront our students,
this initiative has provided significant
sensitivity and awareness in school dis-
tricts that previously had little contact
with Jewish and other non-Christian
cultures.
This year, the Council engaged all
elements of our community in a frank
study and dialogue regarding school
vouchers. This process enabled Ortho-
dox, Conservative and Reform Jews,
well as diverse political affiliations, &I: \
exchange perspectives on this signifi-
cant current issue.
Several years ago, the Southfield-
Lathrup Multi-Cultural Coalition tha
was formed by Council, brought
together all of the major business, go'
ernmental and community organiza-