HAKOL Tiferet Israel: The Glory of Israel e Home of Traditional Judaism in Dallas July 2017 Tammuz/ Av 5777 Volume XXV, Issue 7 LIES LEON TOLD US by Rabbi Shawn Zell Like so many others who came of age in the 1960’s, my understanding of the Jewish State was formed in no small part by Paul Newman, Eva Marie Saint and Sal Mineo as they successfully made their way to pre-state Israel, despite the efforts of the British to prevent them from doing so. If only it was as easy as Leon Uris the author portrayed it in his 1958 novel Exodus, which was soon turned into an epic movie. The real ship Exodus was quite a differ- ent story. It was not some rickety, barely sea worthy vessel acquired by a Cypriot procurer by the name of Mandria who was sympathetic to those Jews who sur- vived the Holocaust. The real ship Exodus began its life as a packet steamer known as the SS Warfield. It was owned by the Baltimore Steam Packet Company and was used to carry passengers and freight between Baltimore Maryland and Norfolk Virginia. During the war years it served both the British as well as the American navy. Once retired, it was purchased by the Haganah through a third party. It was then fitted with metal pipes on its outside designed to shoot out steam and boiling oil in an effort to thwart the Brit- ish who were sure to attempt to inter- cept the Jewish refugees on board as it neared the coast of Haifa. Lower decks were covered with nets and barbed wire to prevent entry by British soldiers. The refugees were quite a different sto- ry as well. Unlike the depicted 611 refu- gees whose escape was arranged from the Karaolos Detention Camp, the real Exodus ship left Sete in southern France carrying over 4,500 Jews, including 1,600 men, 1282 women and 1672 children and teenagers. It claimed Honduran regis- try and listed Istanbul as its destination. There were 35 crew members, the vast majority volunteers from the United States. Yitzchak (Ike) Aharonovitch, the ship’s captain was born in Poland, but at the age of 10 immigrated with is parents to what was to become Israel. He was 23 years old when he took the helm of the Exodus. Contrary to what many were led to believe, the purpose of the Exodus was never to clandestinely carry a cargo of war ravaged Jews in the hope of sneaking them onto the shores of Hai- fa. Why, there was a British RAF plane circling overhead the Exodus and a British Royal Navy warship waiting a short distance out at sea even before the Exodus steamed away from the dock at Sete! The purpose of the Exodus according to Israeli historian Aviva Halamish, was to dodge and evade the British blockade until it was able to beach itself on a sand bank, where its passengers could disembark and safely make their way onto dry land. As for the British, they forcibly boarded the Exodus on July 18, 1947 a short dis- tance from then Haifa shore. About ten Exodus passengers and crew members were treated for injuries resulting from the British boarding the ship. Second of- ficer Bill Bernstein, a volunteer from the United States died after being clubbed to death in the wheelhouse. Initially, the British planned to transfer the passengers onto three deportation ships and ship the passengers of the Exodus back to France. When the three ships arrived at Port-de- Bouc, the French government made it quite clear that it would permit disem- barkation only if it was voluntary. Not one Jew disembarked; not one Frenchman cooperated with the British. A hunger strike ensued. Left with no other option, the British transported all the refugees aboard the exodus back to Germany. Seventy years ago this month, in their quest to exercise authority, the British reminded Jews throughout the world and especially those aboard the ill-fated Exodus, that our safety, our wellbeing and our future is best left to a govern- ment of our own in a country of our own. Rabbi Zell July Torah Topics July 1: Chukat - Usurping the serpent July 8: Balak - Tension and tents July 15: Pinchas - Inherent inheritance July 22: Matot-Masei - Landscaping and escaping July 29: Davarim - Shabbat Chazon - Brace for a trace Did you Know? The eating of meat is prohibited during the nine days that lead up to Tisha B’Av (this year July 23-31) except for Shabbat and a se’udat Mitzvah such as a bris?
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HAKOLTiferet Israel: The Glory of Israel
� e Home of Traditional Judaism in Dallas
July 2017Tammuz/ Av 5777
Volume XXV, Issue 7
LIES LEON TOLD US by Rabbi Shawn ZellLike so many others who came of age in the 1960’s, my understanding of the Jewish State was formed in no small part by Paul Newman, Eva Marie Saint and Sal Mineo as they successfully made their way to pre-state Israel, despite the efforts of the British to prevent them from doing so. If only it was as easy as Leon Uris the author portrayed it in his 1958 novel Exodus, which was soon turned into an epic movie.
The real ship Exodus was quite a differ-ent story. It was not some rickety, barely sea worthy vessel acquired by a Cypriot procurer by the name of Mandria who was sympathetic to those Jews who sur-vived the Holocaust. The real ship Exodus began its life as a packet steamer known as the SS Warfi eld. It was owned by the Baltimore Steam Packet Company and was used to carry passengers and freight between Baltimore Maryland and Norfolk Virginia. During the war years it served both the British as well as the American navy. Once retired, it was purchased by the Haganah through a third party. It was then fi tted with metal pipes on its outside designed to shoot out steam and boiling oil in an effort to thwart the Brit-ish who were sure to attempt to inter-cept the Jewish refugees on board as it neared the coast of Haifa. Lower decks were covered with nets and barbed wire to prevent entry by British soldiers.
The refugees were quite a different sto-ry as well. Unlike the depicted 611 refu-gees whose escape was arranged from the Karaolos Detention Camp, the real
Exodus ship left Sete in southern France carrying over 4,500 Jews, including 1,600 men, 1282 women and 1672 children and teenagers. It claimed Honduran regis-try and listed Istanbul as its destination. There were 35 crew members, the vast majority volunteers from the United States. Yitzchak (Ike) Aharonovitch, the ship’s captain was born in Poland, but at the age of 10 immigrated with is parents to what was to become Israel. He was 23 years old when he took the helm of the Exodus. Contrary to what many were led to believe, the purpose of the Exodus was never to clandestinely carry a cargo of war ravaged Jews in the hope of sneaking them onto the shores of Hai-fa. Why, there was a British RAF plane circling overhead the Exodus and a British Royal Navy warship waiting a short distance out at sea even before the Exodus steamed away from the dock at Sete! The purpose of the Exodus according to Israeli historian Aviva Halamish, was to dodge and evade the British blockade until it was able to beach itself on a sand bank, where its passengers could disembark and safely make their way onto dry land.
As for the British, they forcibly boarded the Exodus on July 18, 1947 a short dis-tance from then Haifa shore. About ten Exodus passengers and crew members were treated for injuries resulting from the British boarding the ship. Second of-fi cer Bill Bernstein, a volunteer from the United States died after being clubbed to death in the wheelhouse. Initially, the British planned to transfer the passengers onto three deportation ships and ship the passengers of the Exodus back to France. When the three ships arrived at Port-de-Bouc, the French government made it quite clear that it would permit disem-barkation only if it was voluntary. Not one Jew disembarked; not one Frenchman cooperated with the British. A hunger strike ensued. Left with no other option, the British transported all the refugees aboard the exodus back to Germany.
Seventy years ago this month, in their quest to exercise authority, the British reminded Jews throughout the world and especially those aboard the ill-fated Exodus, that our safety, our wellbeing and our future is best left to a govern-ment of our own in a country of our own.
Rabbi Zell
July Torah TopicsJuly 1: Chukat - Usurping the serpentJuly 8: Balak - Tension and tentsJuly 15: Pinchas - Inherent inheritanceJuly 22: Matot-Masei - Landscaping and escapingJuly 29: Davarim - Shabbat Chazon - Brace for a trace
Did you Know?
The eating of meat is prohibited during the nine days that lead up to Tisha B’Av (this year July 23-31) except for Shabbat
and a se’udat Mitzvah such as a bris?
~ Jewish Life Around the World - Russia ~
Young families gather to greet Shabbat at Tiferet Israel
Young families welcomed shabbat at Tiferet on June 16 with a fun dinner and sing-a-long led by Hanna Lambert and Naomi Sanit. Many thanks to our volunteers and staff: Debby Rubin, Esther
Hazan-Cohen, Faye Lavi, Andrea Hopkovitz, Friedel Marx, Fredell Shulkin, Sarah Pailet, Roxy Diamond, Marta Menjivar and Jennifer Williams.
Calendar of Events - July 2017July 4: Independence Day. OFFICE CLOSED.July 9: Women’s Rosh Chodesh Program: Dal-las Museum of Art - Mexico Exhibit - 1:00 PM. Meet at Tiferet Israel. Carpool to DMA for a docent guided tour of the special collection from Mexico. $19 per person. DMA members are only $5. RSVP by Friday, June 30. Volunteer drivers needed, preferably with DMA membership.July 11: Book Club - 7:30 PM. Featuring the book, “The Tenth Song” by Naomi Ragen. July 15: Shabbat with Shirah - immediately
following Kiddush, in the library.July 16: Programming Meeting - 9:30 AMJuly 18: Executive Committee Meeting - 6:00 PM.July 24: Board of Directors Meeting - 6:00 PM
Rosh Chodesh Women’s Project: Learn to Bake Challah with Debby - 6:30 PM. All skill levels wel-come! From start to fi nish learn the art of making challah! Please RSVP. [email protected] or 214-691-3611.July 31: Erev Tish B’Av
Tiferet Israel 10909 Hillcrest Rd. Dallas, TX 75230
Phone: 214-691-3611Fax: 214-361-0011
You may dial “0” to reach the secretary or dialthe following extensions:
Rabbi Shawn B. Zell Ext. 5Caprice Kerner, Accounting Ext. 3Jennifer Williams, Offi ce Mgr. Ext. 2
www.TiferetIsrael.org
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Featuring - Peru
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