Why I Support AIPAC
I want to thank Dr. Ken Stein for taking time out from his busy schedule to share with us his perspective on the historical ups and downs of the relationship between Israel and the United [...]
Harrison Report to President Truman on the Status of Displaced Jews, August 1945
Introduction: In my judgment (1) the abhorrent treatment of Jews following the end of World War II both in displaced persons’ camps or in their native countries such as Poland, Rumania, and Germany, (2) the [...]
The Pope (Pius XI) and Mussolini by David Kertzer
David Kertzer, a finalist for the National Book Award and professor of history at Brown University, provided a groundbreaking work on the relationship between Pope Pius XI and the Italian dictator, Benito Mussolini. It gave [...]
West of Hester Street (Galveston Movement) and My Family
Summary: The Galveston Movement operated between 1907 and 1914. Its intent was to divert Jews fleeing Russia and Eastern Europe away from crowded East Coast cities to America’s West. Faced with poverty and death, millions [...]
Six-Day War – June 5-June 10, 1967
June 5- June 10, 1967 “We shall not enter Palestine with its soil covered in sand. We shall enter it with its soil saturated in blood.” Egypt’s President Gamal Nasser Introduction: The perceived change in [...]
The Case for a Jewish State: Revised
Unfortunately, I have only seen scattering comments that refer to some concern on Rebecca Werlin’s part regarding the religious affiliation of Israel. Further, I understand that Rebecca feels that a theological state might not [...]
Nuremberg Trial: Established the Precedent of an International Tribunal to Review Crimes against Humanity
The Nuremberg Trials from 1945-1949 provide an understanding of the nature and causes of evil. Those who come to the trials expecting to find sadistic monsters are generally disappointed. What is shocking about Nuremberg is [...]
Rosella Werlin
Remembering my mother, Rosella Werlin Let me say at the outset, I owe so much to my mother, that I cannot separate my life from hers. She was not only an indispensible partner [...]
Jacob Werlin
Jacob Werlin. Photo courtesy of Ernest Werlin My grandfather, Jacob Werlin, represented a significant group of self-taught Jewish intellectuals bred in the poverty and virulent anti-Semitism of Eastern Europe. These men spent [...]
Historic Jewish Catholic Relationships
Request: To Katy White: I am writing this essay given your interest in the issue of historic anti-Semitism by the Catholic Church. I request that this essay not be sent to anyone. My reasons [...]
1935 Protest Against German Anti-Semitism
In 1935, the American High Commissioner for German Refugees, James. G. McDonald, resigned from the League of Nations to protest German anti-Semitic policies. The league found itself in an awkward position with regard to the [...]
A Safe Haven
By Allis Radosh and Ronald Radosh Dust Jacket “Even though I knew how the story would end, A Safe Haven still had me sitting on the edge of my seat, watching Harry Truman weigh the [...]
Paying Tribute to Elie Wiesel: A-7713 (Tattoo on his left arm)
Several weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to attend an 80th birthday commemoration for Elie Wiesel at the 92nd Y. In hindsight, I wish over the years I had attended more of his lectures because [...]
Imaginary Witness: Hollywood and the Holocaust (2004)
Personal Background: On reflection, I would not have written an essay about Hollywood’s failure to produce movies that focused on anti-Semitism and the Holocaust from 1930-1962 without the influence of both of my parents. [...]
Syrian-Israel Talks-Why Now
Introduction: Several major developments have coalesced to induce long-standing enemies Israel led by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Syria under “President” Basshar Assad to embark on peace talks in Turkey. First of all, the exorbitant [...]
Anti-Semitism in the Navy
The following entries are posted for those who may have a passing interest in some military history. I was doing some informal research on the late Admiral H.G. Rickover, who oversaw the USN nuclear power [...]
Churchill and the Jews
By Sir Martin Gilbert (Official Biographer for Winston Churchill) Introduction: Martin Gilbert wrote Churchill and the Jews for several reasons: First of all, Gilbert wanted to highlight Churchill’s moral courage. His fondness for Jews was [...]
Divided America: The Ferocious Power Struggle in American Politics
Introduction Two Brothers, Earl Black, professor of political science at Rice University, and Merle Black, professor of politics and government at Emory University provided an understanding or the regional divisions within the United States and [...]
The Atomic Bomb: The Role of Espionage in the Soviet Atomic Bomb Project
In the New York Times article “A Spy’s Path: Iowa to A-Bomb to Kremlin Honor” the newspaper highlighted that Soviet President Vladimir Putin had posthumously given the highest Russian award to a Soviet agent, George [...]
Why Hitler Invaded the Soviet Union rather than Pursue a Mediterranean Strategy?
History Buffs have always been fascinated about the rationale for Hitler’s disastrous invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941 rather than pursue a Mediterranean Strategy. I am currently reading a book called Fateful [...]
Scottsboro Boys “Justice Delayed is Justice Denied” Samuel Leibowitz was no Gregory Peck
In my course at Fordham, Currents in Courage, we read To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize winning book. The infamous persecution, trial, and lifelong suffering of nine innocent black boys, accused falsely of [...]
Hitler’s Jewish Soldiers: The Untold Story of Hitler’s Racial Laws
By Bryan Rigg, a Cambridge University Researcher While many of us have heard the phrase, “Love and War make strange bedfellows,” many of us are not aware that many Jews served in the German army. [...]
American Jewish Demographics
Last week, I had the pleasure of listening to Scott Say, the author of Getting Our Groove Back. Mr. Shay articulated rationally the dramatic decline in the number of Jews in America, the negative [...]
Jean-Marie Lustiger: Jewish French Cardinal (1926-2007)
The New York Times reported the death of Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger, who was until the age of 13 Jewish. Cardinal Lustiger converted to Catholicism in 1940 over the objections of his Jewish parents. After the [...]
Truman’s Recognition of the State of Israel
About a decade ago, I was intrigued by the prospect of somebody writing a play about Truman’s decision to recognize Israel. Over the years, I have reflected repeatedly about the strange sequence of events [...]
Hitler’s Military and Political Blunders: May 1940-Jan 22, 1942
Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this Island or lose the war. If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be free and the life of the world may [...]
Presidential Elections: Anti-Catholic Prejudice
Today, the prejudice against Catholics is limited to a fringe element of our population. However, before the presidential election of John Kennedy, most political pundits felt that only a Protestant could win our highest office. [...]
Arab-Israeli Relations
I wanted to express some of my personal thoughts after hearing the most articulate Palestinian woman in the last class. First of all, my primary point is that while I will spend my efforts challenging [...]
Paperclips: Attempt to Understand the Holocaust
The recently released documentary, Paperclips, provides another compelling Holocaust project that seeks to create a legacy of tolerance through examination of the Nazi extermination of 6 million Jews, including some 1.5 million children below the [...]
Black Confederate Soldiers: A Surprising Fact
The existence of Black Confederate soldiers almost sounds like an historical contradiction. Given that the South initiated the Civil War to preserve slavery, it is hard to imagine that (1) Southern leaders would utilize black [...]
Eugenics: Psuedoscience Designed to Eliminate “Inferior” Human Beings
I am always troubled when our country does not live up to its wonderful ideals. Fortunately, over time we have confronted our errors and terminated errant policies; however, mistaken policies have caused needless hardships for [...]
Justice Hugo Black, A Great Supreme Court Justice (1886-1971)
Justice Black during his long career on the Supreme Court, some 34 years, displayed a lifelong reverence for the Constitution. Perhaps no other man in the history of the Court so revered the Constitution as [...]
Deadly Embrace: Nazi-Soviet Non Aggression Pact
Deadly embrace: Hitler, Stalin and Nazi-soviet non-aggression pact. I want to talk about the Nazi-soviet non-aggression pact, because this shotgun wedding changed the world forever. To cut to the quick, it jump started World War [...]
Theodore Herzl (1860-1904), Father of Modern Zionism
“In Basle I founded the Jewish State. Maybe in five years, certainly in fifty, everyone will realize it.” Theodore Herzl was the visionary of Zionism. Born in Budapest in 1860, he was a thoroughly assimilated [...]
Election of 1940 vs. Plot Against America
Introduction: I am watching the series, Plot Against America that is based upon Philip Roth’s novel. Roth created an alternative history in which Charles Lindbergh, an admirer of Nazi Germany and an isolationist, defeated Franklin [...]