The BiG Story

;children of Israel ... that continued

I forty years in their different camps
under the guidance and regulations o
1 the wisest general that ever lived."
Washington's most notable associa-
tion with Jews was his letter to the
I Hebrew Congregation of Newport,
Rhode Island. When the president vis-
ited that congregation on Aug. 17,
I 1790, he was presented with two let-
1 ters. In response he wrote to the syna-
gogue, stating the famous words
(which actually appeared in one of
1 the letters the Hebrew Congregation
I had presented him), "... The govern-
! ment of the United States ... gives to
I bigotry no sanction, to persecution no
'assistance."

HARRY TRUMAN
(1884-1972): 33rd.
president of the Unit-
ed States; Democrat

Economist, diplomat
and author John Ken-
neth Galbraith called
I Harry Truman "the best president of
the decade" because, he said, Tru-
1 man was a man who knew how to
make decisions.
One of the most important decisions
I Truman made for the Jewish communi-
ty was when he gave U.S. recogni-
1 tion to the new State of Israel, a deci-
1 sion for which the statesman Chaim
Weizmann said, "God put you in
1 your mother's womb."
Truman was an avid reader, always
optimistic, and decidedly outspoken
1 (after the polished, restrained manner
i of FDR, both foreign diplomats and
U.S. government aides were taken
aback by Truman's straightforward
approach. When told the Russians
1 might disapprove of an impending
presidential action, Truman replied, "If
they don't like it, they can go to
hell."). Truman also was a fiercely
loyal friend, and one of his longest
friendships was with Eddie Jacobson,
with whom he became close when
the iwo served together in World
I War II.
Jacobson, in fact, has at times been
credited as the man really responsible

2/18
2000

66

who should be appointed to office.
greatest political scholar and theorist,
for the U.S. decision to recognize
Madison believed firmly in the equali-
Israel. He talked Truman into meeting
THEODORE
ty of all men. Long before almost any
with Weizmann, who in turn was
ROOSEVELT (1858-
of his colleagues, he began question-
able to convince the president of the
1919): 26th presi-
ing the validity of slavery, and he sup-
wisdom of supporting the new state.
dent of the United
ported religious freedom.
Yes, Jacobson did play a part in the
States; Republican
Madison holds the honor of being
story — but friendship alone does not
Admirers described
the first president to appoint a Jew to
explain Truman's actions.
him
as youthful,
a diplomatic post. That was his long-
No doubt when Truman gave sup-
happy-go-lucky. Critics said he was a
time friend Mordecai M. Noah,
port to Israel he was motivated in
child.
named counsel-general to Tunis.
some ways by compassion. The
One British diplomat (who belonged
Nazis had just murdered 6 million
to the former category) summed up
RUTHERFORD B.
Jews, and now many were left strand-
Teddy Roosevelt this way, "You must
HAYES
(1822-1893):
ed and homeless.
always remember that the president is
19th president of the
But there% another issue. Truman
about 6."
United States;
was — even according to his many
Roosevelt, once the puny kid who
Republican
detractors — exceptionally educated
loved
science and history, appointed
Political pundits had
on the subjects of American and
the first Jew to serve in a presidential
little regard for Hayes,
world history. Though he made politi-
cabinet. In 1906, Roosevelt named
a former law student and five-times
cal decisions quickly, he never did so
Oscar Straus his secretary of corn-
wounded soldier with the Ohio
without spending countless hours
'
merce
and labor.
infantry during the Civil War.
researching the matter. Certainly he
Roosevelt also made a substantial
Henry Adams, a grandson of John
i recognized the value of having Israel
donation
to the National Jewish Wel-
Quincy Adams, commented: "[Hayes
as America's ally in the Middle East;
1 fare Board from monies he received
is] a third-rate nonentity, whose only
I ultimately, his decision was based on
e after being awarded the Nobel
, recommendation is that he was
what was best for the United States.
I Peace Price for his efforts to end the
obnoxious to no one."
In recognizing the State of Israel,
Russo-Japanese War.
Hayes, in his diary, promised to
Truman was supported neither by
Furthermore, Roosevelt stepped for-
show them all a "grit that will aston-
1 many in his own State Department
ward
to publicly condemn one of the
ish."
i (except Clifford Irving) or even the
most horrendous actions against Jews
And, in some ways, Hayes did
American population, which had
in recent history: the Kishinev pogrom.
show true grit.
doubts about antagonizing the Arabs.
Speaking before Congress in 1904,
In 1877, Hayes named a Jew, Ben-
But then, Truman was always the kind
I
he
said, "I have felt a degree of per-
jamin Peixotto, consul to the court of
1 of man whose actions weren't about
sonal sympathy and personal horror
St. Petersburg. Hayes directed Peixot-
doing what was popular, but doing
1
of
this dreadful tragedy as great as
to to report on any incidents of anti-
1 what was right.
can exist in the minds of any of you
semitism against American-Jewish citi-
gentlemen yourselves.
zens living and working in Russia —
JAMES MADISON
"Exactly as I should claim sympathy
a move that ultimately led to the dis-
(1751-1836):
from
any of you for any tragedy that
missal of the Russo-American commer-
fourth president of
happened to any Christian people, so
cial treaty.
the United States;
I should hold myself unworthy of my
Even more important, however, was
Democratic Repub-
present position if I failed to feel just
Hayes' decision to guarantee the right
lican Party
as
deep horror over an outrage like
of government employees to observe
"James," you might
this done to the Jewish people in any
religious holidays — specifically the
have written him •
part of the earth."
Jewish Sabbath.
(assuming you were his close friend),
The issue came to the forefront after
Na lishtot cafe etee," (please have
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
the Department of the Interior was set
coffee with me) and, by golly, he
(1809-1865): 16th
to reject a candidate because he
would have understood. To this day,
president of the
refused to work on Saturday. Hayes
Madison is believed to be the only
United States;
himself stepped forward to intervene
American president who actually read
Republican
Hebrew. He learned it while a student on the young man's behalf, saying
Just months before
that anyone who saw religious convic-
at Princeton, where he was studying
his death, Lincoln was
tions as more important than a politi-
to become a minister.
described thus in an editorial in the
cal post was exactly the kind of man
Regarded in his time as the country's

