In the early 1940's, Ben Hecht (1894-1964) was actively involved in the rescue efforts of the Bergson Group, trying to save as many European Jews as possible.
As part of his volunteer work, Hecht, in 1942, was trying to get several prominent Jewish Hollywood personalities to sign a telegram calling for a mass protest rally.
He approached David O. Selznick (1902-65), the renowned producer, and asked him to sign.
Selznick refused, baldly declaring, "I am not interested in Jewish politics. I'm an American, not a Jew!"
Seizing on that comment, Hecht now challenged Selznick. "If I can prove you are a Jew, will you sign the telegram?"
"How are you going to prove it?"
Hecht suggested calling any three Hollywood friends that Selznick would choose and pose the simple question, "What would you call David O. Selznick--an American or a Jew?"
Hecht then proposed that if any one of the three considered him primarily an American, then he'd be excused from signing the telegram. But if all three identified him as a Jew, he would sign it.
Selznick agreed, and named three close associates, all Gentiles--Martin Quigley, Nunnaly Johnson and Leland Howard.
As Hecht telephoned all three, Selznick listened on an extension.
All three readily identified Selznick as a Jew, with the last one, Howard, being the most emphatic. "For God's sake, what's the matter with David? He's a Jew and he knows it!"
True to his word, Selznick now acknowledged that he was a Jew and added his name to the telegram. He also contacted others and secured their support.
Selznick finally recognized that he must honestly identify as a Jew.
-Rabbi Murray Stadtmauer
From: Ben Hecht's autobiography, "A Child Of the Century," 1955, Paperback Ed., pages 505-506
We all need to wake up to who we are and what were born into.....
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