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Memory's Guardian

Orthodox rabbi will lead Holocaust Memorial Museum board.

JULIE WIENER
Jewish Telegraphic Agency

R

The subsequent ouster of the muse-
um's director, Walter Reich, proved to
be another public relations disaster. It
was quickly followed by a barrage of
criticism over the museum's decision to
hire Holocaust scholar John Roth to
head its Center for Advanced
Holocaust Studies. Roth was assailed
for controversial writings about Israel

abbi Irving "Yitz"
Greenberg, an influential
scholar and religious leader,
is about to take another
national position — as President Bill
Clinton's appointee to head the volun-
tary council overseeing operations
at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial
Museum in Washington, D.C.
A longtime council member,
Greenberg is an Orthodox rabbi
best known in the Jewish commu-
nity for his writings on the
Holocaust and his leadership at
two organizations that promote
Jewish pluralism and learning: the
Jewish Life Network and CLAL -
National Jewish Center for
Learning and Leadership.
Rabbi Greenberg said it would
be "inappropriate" to comment on
the expected appointment at this
point, but added, "For anybody, it
would be an honor and privilege"
to be named to such a position.
"This is an extraordinary institu-
tion and it obviously has accom-
plished a certain standing in
American life," said Rabbi
Greenberg.
The 66-year-old rabbi would
replace Miles Lerman, who recently
resigned after six years as chairman
of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial
Council, saying the organization
needed "young blood."
Since 1978, Lerman — who is a
Holocaust survivor and nearly 80
years old — was a driving force
Rabbi Irving "Yitz" Greenberg
behind the museum's creation.
Under his tenure, the museum
enjoyed a great deal of success. In its
and ultimately turned down the post.
six years of operation, it attracted near-
A study conducted last year, which
ly 14 million visitors, 80 percent of
had been ordered by a congressional
whom were not Jewish.
subcommittee, concluded that the
But it also experienced a number of
museum has been stifled by "excessive
well-publicized controversies that tar-
involvement" of the museum's govern-
nished the federal institution's reputa-
ing council in day-to-day operations.
tion. The museum came under fire
The study specifically criticized what it
two years ago for Lerman's on-again,
called Lerman's tendency to "act uni-
off-again invitation to Palestinian
laterally," suggesting that he and others
Authority President Yasser Arafat to
let go of the reins and allow the direc-
visit the museum.

tor to assume greater responsibilities.
The museum's current director is
Sara Bloomfield.
According to the New York Jewish
Week, Lerman recommended Rabbi
Greenberg as his successor. However,
Lerman declined to comment on the
appointment until it is officially
announced.
The appointment is expected
to be made official after a back-
ground check.
Although unwilling to speak of
his own vision for the Holocaust
museum before the appointment
is official, Rabbi Greenberg was
full of praise for Lerman, saying
that "the focus on controversy in
the past year has obscured his
contribution to the museum."
Rabbi Greenberg is not a sur-
vivor himself, but said the
Holocaust has played a large role
in his thinking. He is the author
of Clouds of Smoke, Pillars of Fire
as well as other writings on the
theological implications of the
Holocaust.
Like other American Jews, he
lost members of his family who
had remained in Europe.
He vividly recalls a time when
he was a teenager and his parents
got a visit from distant cousins, a
mother and daughter who had
survived Nazi mass shootings by
German Einsatzgruppen by
falling into a pit with corpses,
then climbing out later.
"I remember my parents going
to the other room to talk, and -
when they came out my mother
clearly had been crying," he said.
The fact that the museum
attracts such a large number of
non-Jews is a tribute to the "wisdom"
of the American people," said Rabbi
Greenberg.
"This is not just a Jewish experi-
ence, but about the challenges of
modernity and the dangers of
power," he said. "The whole
American people senses they have to
learn these lessons to prevent
pathologies from destroying a cul-
ture." Ell

Remember
When •

From the pages of The Jewish News
for this week 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50
years ago.

'Fe<

sktftlOi „
Barbara Grant, local NCJW presi-
dent, announced the forming of
Hakol, a social-consciousness com-
mittee for women aged 25-40.
Louis H. Golden established the
Louis H. Golden Fire Prevention
Project in Ma clot, Israel, under the
auspices of the Jewish National Fund.

k---
miweinvzoowvvwvNs
RogJmilt
,:„„M:, Wvzzamm.
The Israeli Olympic Committee
postponed for a month the decision
to boycott the Moscow Olympics;
Israeli athletes continued to train
for the games.
Dr. Richard Bayles was installed
as the chairman of the Livonia
Jewish Congregation.

Apkwm.WW.:7VWN
Premier Chou en Lai of Red China
pledged his support for the Arab
cause and denounced U.S. plans to
send arms to Israel.
The Rev. Herman Roth returned
to Detroit after a 13-year absence
and became the sexton at
Congregation B'nai David.
Mrs. Herbert Schein chaired the
seventh annual art show put on by
the Sholem Aleichem Institute.

Efforts are under way in Illinois to
. induce state election officials to
make special arrangements for
Jewish voters to participate in the
spring primary, which falls on the
first day of Passover.
France's President Charles de
Gaulle accepted the credentials of
the new ambassador from Israel,
Walter Eytan, and expressed hope
for the nations to continue close
and friendly political, economic
and cultural relations.

„V \:'
Myron Joyrich, a Detroit Cass
Technical High School graduate, cli-
maxed his three-year, all-A record, by
receiving the only Wayne University
scholarship made available at Cass by
the Detroit Board of Education.

— Sy Manello,
Editorial Assistant

JN

2/4
2000

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