Serving
PacHic Northwettf.
Publisher and Editbr-in-Chief SAMUEL KAPLAN
Our 63rd Year
Since 1930 the only weeWy publication serving Jewry of the Pacific Northwest.
An independent Newspaper
Advertising Manager RON FREEpMAN
Assistant Editor ARIELA FRiEDMANN
News Desk ETHAN MINOVITZ
WEDNESDAy, OCTOBER 6,1993
Published 47 times per year by Anglo-Jewish Publishers Lid. 326B Heather St.^ Vancoiiver, British Columbia V5Z 3K5 Subicrtptidn in Canada: $40.00 per yeiir plus $2.80 G.S.T.
A series of articles in a recent issue of Afpment magazine paints a dreary picture of th^edispropor-tipnate number of Jewish adolescents and university age men and women being attracted to the various • cults. -'
One article draws attention to the plight of a set of parents Whose child became involved in a group in Israel, of all places, which taught that "cellular immortality" was possible. Other articles in the Moment series stress the anguish and nightnaare experierices parents go through trying to rescue their dear ones from the clutches of cults.
In assessing the allure of cults for young Jewish people, the authors dispel some of the more conventional myths about those who are susceptible, For one thingmost Jews who become involved are highly educated and willing to entertain alternative interpretations of life. This very attitude of tolerance makes them vulnerable to the teachings of the more radical cult fringes.
These young Jewish men and women may be highly educated but it is rare that someone who is highly educated in Jewish sources and learning would become involved in cult activity. People who
finish their Jewish education a^t the level of Bar-Mitzvah cannot be said to have any kind of mature grasp of Judaism.
Unfortunately, it is armed only ^yith that Bar-Mitzvah level of Jewish knowledge that many young Jews first encounter the sophisticated doctrines and approaches of both missionary groups and cult devotees. The result is often estrangement from one's Jewish parents and Judaism itself
It is not sufficient for the organized Jewish community merely to deplore this phenomenon. It is necessary on the one hand to strengthen Jewish education at the elementary and high school levels, and- on the other, to make available on the university level, the institutions which can provide Jewish answers to the deep spiritual questions of life.
Hillel Foundations and Chaba4 Houses are doing a laudable job in this regard, but given the magnitude of the challenges being faced, their overall resources are limited.
Meanwhile the Jewish community is not free to desist from the obligation to support Jewish education at all levels, as one vital means of combatting; the cult phenomenon.
By SIGMUND SOBOLEWSKI
FORT ASSINIBOiNE, Alta* — The most dramatic and the least recognized act of bravery: ciefiancp and self-sacrifice of Auschwitz prisoners was certainly the Revolt of the Jewish Sonderkommando in-Auschwitz 11-Birkenau.
On Oct. 7,49 years later> here in Alberta, Canada, we will meditate and recollect with Rabbi Rqsner and members of Beth Shalom Synagogue of Edmonton this event, so deeply imbedded in my memory.
As leader oiGruppe ZweioiHa^ftliri^^ (firebrigade); I sensed during this fateful Saturday^ Oct. 7, 1944; that something big washappeningas ourfiretruck was escorted by two SS outriders on motorcycles with machine gun mounted on their sidecars. This Was a very unusual procedure. Normally only one guard sat oh the side of the firetruck driver.
We delayed for about 10 minutes, socriti-cal in fire extinguishing: because our Kommando-fuehrer SS sergeant Georg Engelschall was franticany trying to obtain a SOBOLEWSKI special permit to enter this super-secret area of Birkenau, where 400,000 Hungarian Jews were murdered from June till September of 1944.
A huge column of black smoke was searing upwards and sporadic rifle shots were echoing as we drove inside the grounds of Crernatorium Nr. IV ina heavily wooded area of Birkenau, We quickly realized that this fire had already gone too far. The roof of the main building \yas collapsing, however the roof on the adjacent gas chamber wa^ only partly ^ damaged. ■■■ .
Apparently the rebelling Jews hads^prinkled with gasoline thie bales of human hair of murdered Jewish women: hair
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which was dried in the attic of the crematorium Nr. IV before shipment to a felt factory "Alex Zinkstill existing
today in Roth near Nuremberg, Germany. ^
NVe the Polish prisoners of the fire brigade were scared: We were afraid to even glance sideways as small groups of naked Jews were kicked towards a tall pine tree, still stahd-irig today, near the ruins of crematorium Nr. IV in Birkenau: Shouting and swearing, tH^'^guards forced these Jews to lay face down on top of a pile of about 40 bodies, and then SS sergeant Wilhelmi Claussen, (who oftenTtopped-in our barracks to haye his boots polished), administered the Genick-schuss in the back of their-heads.
I \yill never forget this horrendous scene of mass execution of Jews, which I Witnessed, only a few feet away from where 1 stood, y [-^.r-, .'■ '-^^
Sigmund Sobolewski, former prisoner Nr. 88 — K.L. Auschwitz; lives in Fori Assiniboine, Alberta. He is a founder and member of ^ the Auschwitz Awareness Society.
When I visited this area of Jewish revolt of Auschwitz-Birkenau infallof 19891 wasdisgusted to find it overgrown, waste deep in weeds, and out of bounds to visitors. Ever since then our society of Christians arici Jews of Alberta in Canada is pressing the director of Auschwitz Museum for a proper recognition of this historical act of bravery of Jewish prisoners. In June of 1990 we delivered a bronze memorial plaque to be erected in Birkenau.
It is painful for ine, a practising Catholic to admit, but my Roman Catholic brothers, who run the State Museum of Auschwitz in Poland, erected several memorial plaques for non-Jews. However our Canadian plaque for the 452 murdered and nameless Jewish Herpes of the Sonderkommando Revoh is still languishing in the museum's basement.
Rej^fies to^^
Dear Shaiom Vancouver:
I grew up in the Conservative movement in Toronto and am presently living in Vancouver. I married a non-Jewish girl \yho does not wish to convert to Judaism. AVe are expect^ inga son in two months and I want, this child to be Jewish. My wife has no objection to his becoming Jewish and we are wondering what is required to accomplish this.
'V ■*.■■"• David ■
^bearDavid;^;?'
There is no obstacle to your son being convertejd to Judaism provide^ youare both in agreement that he will he raised as a Jewislf child and given a good Jewish education.
Since you are living in Vancouver and grew up in the Conservative movement, you might wish t<s^ consult with R,abbi Wilfred Solomon of the Conservative Beth Israel Synagogue in Vancouver, who would give you further pertinent information. The conversion ceremony, conducted by a rabbi, take^ at a. Mikvah. .
Shalom Vancoiiver
Cartoonists & Writers Syndicate
(UiMG
SAViMG THAT RABINJ IS A TRAITOR!^
PAt€STilOIANS AR£ CAtti MS
D6ATW."
Dear Mr. Kaplan:
On behalf of the Jewish GenealbgiCal Institute of British Columbia I would like to thank TTie Bulletin and its staff for the interest and excellent coverage afforded our recently formed organization.
These reports in your circulation have made the community aware of our presence in Vancouver, which is partly responsible for the growth in our membership.
Our institute Works to encourage genealogical research; to collect and disseminate information on genealogical resources and techniques; to assist and educate our members and the general public in the "how-to" of finding one's Jewish roots; and to promote the preservation of and access to Jewish records and resources:
We jare members of the Association of Je wish Genealogi^ cal Societies; which is an umbrella group representing 54 societies worldwide. Through the interaction of pur affiliates, requests for information are sent to us by genealogists in the riever-ending iquest into their ancestry: The following recent enquiries are both for families who, at one time, lived ■ in Vancouver:
Dr. Victor Bloom, 1007 Three Mile Drive, Grosse Point Park, Michigan, 48230 USA is looking for information abouthis late father Hyman(Chaim Nota) Bloom, whowas born in 1871 in Minsk and was in the meat (butcher) business in Vancouver from 1915 - 1925:
Dr. Henri Claude Mars, La Safourniere, 63500, Issoire, France, requires information and date of death of Pr: Emil Silbernagel who died in Vancouver sometime in 1943.
Possibly among your readers there might be someone able to supply some answers to the above requests. I Can be reached for further information at 321-9870.
CISSIE EPPEL, President, JGIofB.C,
Dear Mr. Kaplan: ,
I found myself immensely disappointed withthe selection of articles regarding Israel's recent agreement with the PLO in the Sept, 23 edition of 7 ff^5 .The majority of the articles, inCludingihe "analysis," presented the reader with countless reasons Why this agreementis unacceptable, why it is against Jewish law and why Jews will be bettej^ff protecting Jerusa-lem than working for peace.
I find these types of analyses painful to read, especially when I am not presented with a variety of viewpoints. The Rabin government and Yasser Arafat have finally given Israelis and Palestinians a chance for a future where Children will not grow up being trained to kill each other.
I am embarrassed that the newspaper of my Jewish community does not feel that having a positive report with regards to this issue is a priority.
TRILBY SIVflTli
Lottea rppnaent writers' opinions, not The Bulletin. Right of reply rectifies Inaccuracies. Letten must be signed, with day phone cohr tact, and typed or printed, up to 250 words. VIEWPOINT exists for longer pleceSi up to 750 words.
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