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Titanic's Jewish
Passengers

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"The Jewish contingency on the Titanic ranged from Russian Jewish
immigrants to middle-class Americans and Europeans to the well-to-do
and prominent," says Don Lynch, official historian for the Titanic
Historical Society.
Here's a sampling of some who were aboard ship that fateful night of
April 15, 1912.
*Dr. Henry Frauenthal, traveling with his new bride and brother,
was the founder of the New York Hospital for Joint Diseases.
Frauenthal, his wife and brother managed to get on one of the first
lifeboats and they all survived.
Benjamin Guggenheim, one of the seven sons of industrialist and
philanthropist Meyer Guggenheim and a famous playboy, was traveling
with his current mistress, Leontine Aubert; his valet, Victor Giglio; and
his chauffeur, Rene Pernot. When he found out there were not enough
lifeboats and he was going to die, he went to his room with his valet
and changed into formal attire. His valet did the same. Guggenheim
was heard to say: "We've dressed up in our best and are prepared to go
down like gentlemen."
*Edith Louise Rosenbaum, a writer for the Paris offices of Wornen's
Wear Daily, managed to leave on Lifeboat 11.
*Leila Meyer, daughter of Andre Saks, of Saks Fifth Avenue, was on
board with her husband Edward Meyer. She was sailing home to see
her sick father. He died the day the ship set sail. Leila survived, but her
husband perished.
*Emil Taussig was sailing with his wife and daughter Ruth. He
owned stock in the company that made the lifeboats on the Titanic.
Because there weren't enough on board, he perished. Mrs. Taussig and
Ruth survived.
*Probably the most famous passengers were Isidor and Ida Straus,
founders of Macy's department store. Ida refused to leave her husband
and insisted that her maid take her place in Lifeboat 8. Finally, think-
ing her husband was coming with her, she entered the-second-to-last
lifeboat leaving, but got out when she saw Isidor was not coming. She
was quoted as saying, "We have been living together for many years,
and wherever you go, I go."
--- Alice Burdick Schweiger

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Left to ri,,,aht: Dale Standish, Adam Heller, Kevin
Gray and William Parry appear in a scene which
depicts the attempt to signal other ships for help.

The
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arlitani

SUZANNE CHESSLER
Special to the Jewish News

hen Titanic: A New
Musical docks at the

Fisher Theatre Sept. 7-
26, it will not be carrying
all the high-tech equipment that it had
on Broadway, but that won't diminish
the emotional impact of the show,
according to the production ream.
Taking a cue from opera, the songs
are of primary importance in commu-
nicating the deepest feelings associated
with the tragedy The play introduces
characters who represent real people
from the 1912 ship that was supposed
to be unsinkable but also takes dra-
matic license with some secondary
characters, who become composites of
actual passengers and crew members.

"We couldn't put in the elevator
hydraulic system that we had in New
York on every stage we went to across the
country," says Susan Green, production
supervisor on Broadway and on tour.
"That's been rethought and
redesigned, but it doesn't change the
overall effect. The book and the score
really give us a sense of the experience,
the different kinds of people on the
boat and the boat itself. The score is
really beautiful."
Adam Heller, who plays ship owner
J. Bruce Ismay, agrees.
"I've worked on many musicals in
the last 15 years, and one of the most
beautiful scores is Titanic's," says Heller,
who came on board for the tour. "It's
not only a pleasure to sing the parts that
I get to sing but also to listen to all of it
TOURING on page 86

Taina Elg and S. Marc Jordan star as Ida and Isador Straus, founders of
Mag's department store who -went - down on the sinking ship together.

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Detroit Jewish News

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