SPECIAL COMMENTARY

A Worthy Stamp Of Approval

force behind the 1997 Wallenberg
Richboro, Pa.
U.S. commemorative stamp (also sup-
(forts to gain approval for a
ported by Senator Abraham). That
Holocaust-related U.S.
stamp, finally, was issued five years
commemorative postage
after its proposal.
stamp have cleared the first
Cynthia Pettus of USPS communi-
hurdle of the usually lengthy process
ty relations says the Bingham stamp is
of stamp selection/development.
"under consideration," but with no
Word from the U.S. Postal Service
specific time frame.
has come back encouraging,
With stamps taking about
though guardedly inconclu-
three
years from approval to
sive, after Sen. Carl Levin D-
issuance, those to be issued
Mich., and Sen. Spencer
for any given year generally
Abraham, R-Mich., along
are not disclosed to the pub-
with 34 colleagues, signed
lic until the fall of the pre-
onto a letter of support for a
ceding year.
U.S. stamp to honor an
American Holocaust hero, the
Unsung Hero
late U.S. diplomat Hiram
Meanwhile, the bipartisan
Bingham IV of Salem, Conn.
ILENE
senatorial letter, initiated by
Bingham, the only Ameri-
MUNETZ
Sen. Joseph Lieberman D-
can "righteous diplomat" offi-
PACHMAN
Conn., was sent to the
cially recognized by Israel,
Special to
USPS Citizens Stamp Advi-
jeopardized his life, as well as
the Jewish News
sory Committee (CSAC) in
his career, to help rescue
time for the April meeting.
between 2,500 and 5,000
(Convening quarterly —
Jews and anti-Nazi activists, while sta-
next, in July — the CSAC recom-
tioned between 1939-1941 in Mar-
mends stamps to the Postmaster Gen-
seilles, France.
eral.) A similar letter from the House
The American Jewish Committee
of Representatives, signed by 34 col-
describes Bingham as "America's Wal-
leagues, including U.S. Reps. David
lenberg," referring to the Swedish
Bonior, D-Mich., and Sander Levin,
Holocaust rescuer Raoul Wallenberg,
D-Mich., called the proposed stamp "a
who graduated from the University of
fitting honor to a great, and yet
Michigan's College of Architecture in
unsung, American hero."
1935. Senator Levin was a leading
Although Bingham discussed little
Ilene Munetz Pachman is a free-lance
with his family about his lifesaving
writer who has written for several
work, he played a pivotal role in the res-
Jewish newspapers. She was the pri-
cue of many Jewish scholars and notable
mary advocate of the Raoul Wallen-
artists, including a friend he greatly
berg U.S. commemorative stamp,
admired, painter Marc Chagall. The
which was issued in 1997.
extent of this humble Christian's valor

E

Study Up
On Vouchers

Thank you for bringing the complexi-
ty of the voucher issue and its impact
on the Jewish community to your
readers ("The Voucher Debate," June
9, page 6).
On its surface, the voucher propos-
al that will come before Michigan vot-
ers in November sounds like it will
offer educational opportunities to all
children, including children with spe-
cial needs. The proposal, however, is
silent on many key questions that per-
tain to some of our community's most
needy children. Here are some things
your readers may wish to consider:
• Will your child be accepted to the

school that you choose? Does the
school have to accept your child if it
accepts vouchers? Is there anything in
this proposal that would prevent a
school from discriminating against
special education student?
• Is there a guarantee of transporta-
tion for any child, including a special-
education student? Who will transport
your child to the school of your
choice?
• What will the $3,100 voucher
buy? Special education is the most
expensive kind of education. Will your
school of choice completely provide
for your child's needs? These could
include: speech and language services;
occupational and physical therapy;
social work and psychological services;

was discovered after
Loving Memories
his death in 1988.
,A decade after Bing-
Bingham disre-
ham's death, his three
garded the orders of
sons had the honor of
his superiors as he
planting a tree for their
secretly continued to
father at Yad Vashem in
issue visas and give
Jerusalem. "It was
lifesaving aid to
extremely loving, leav-
thousands fleeing
ing a memorial in Israel
from the Nazis
- to Hiram's moving
through southern
goodness," said attor-
France.
ney Robert Kim Bing-
Under the shad-
ham of Salem, Conn.,
ow of France's Vichy
the sixth of the diplo-
regime, Bingham
mat's 11 children.
harbored many of
Early in 1999 —
the most wanted
realizing the impor-
refugees at his diplo
tance of an American
matic residence. The
symbol to memorial-
summer of 1940 was
ize his father — Kim
a time when protect- Hiram Bingham IV
Bingham wrote to
ing Jews had become
the Citizens Stamp
not only a dangerous
Advisory Committee
act in France, but also, incredibly, a
to propose the issuance of a Hiram
violation of U.S. State Department
Bingham IV U.S. commemorative
policies. Nonetheless, Bingham assist-
stamp.
ed U.S. journalist-turned-rescuer Vari-
However, such proposals typically
an Fry implement daring escapes. (Fry
number 2,000 at any one time.
wrote that Bingham was his "partner
From these, the CSAC recommends
in the 'crime' of saving human lives.")
a limited number to the Postmaster
Luminaries trapped in France who,
General.
in large measure, .owe their lives to Bing-
Although the Wallenberg proposal
ham include: Nobel Prize-winning bio-
received overwhelming national, con-
chemist Otto Meyerhof, historical novel- gressional and interfaith support
ist Lion Feuchtwanger (also a German-
(including personal letters from Amer-
Jewish emigre), known for his damning
ican friends who were Wallenberg
literary attack on Hitler; and historian
classmates at the University of Michi-
Golo Mann, son of novelist Thomas
gan), some CSAC members did not
Mann (leader of Germany's anti-Nazi
embrace the stamp idea.
intellectuals). Golo Mann went on to
What was ostensibly the main
teach history in 1942-1943 at Olivet
objection to the stamp (to be a tribute
(Mich.) College.
to the "missing" Swedish "righteous
diplomat" and honorary U.S. citizen)
does not apply to Hiram Bingham.
Anyone memorialized on a stamp
issued by the U.S. must be dead. Wal-
lenberg's death has never been proven
(a matter of concern for purists on the
behavior management; adaptive equip-
advisory
committee).
ment and rooms for the deaf, blind
While
the CSAC continues to
and phyiically impaired children;
focus
on
its
stamp recommendations
skilled nursing care to meet the exten-
for
2003,
Kim
Bingham's goal is to see
sive medical and physical needs of
a
stamp
in
his
father's
memory by
some special-education students.
2003
—
the
100th
anniversary
of the
• Public schools currently have to
hero's
birth.
❑
comply with many state laws about

special education. Will voucher
schools have to comply?
Special education law in the state of
Michigan mandates that services be
available to our children from birth
through age 26. Will your voucher
school be able to appropriately provide
special education for your child?
Florence Hermann
Debbie Levin

Southfield

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