A Soulful Journey

        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...

A woman on a train walked up to a distinguished looking gentleman across the aisle.   “Excuse me,” she said, “but are you Jewish?” “No,” replied the man. A few minutes later the woman returned, “Excuse me,” she said again, “but are you sure you are not Jewish?” “I’m sure,” replied the man. But the woman was not convinced, and a few minutes later she approached him for a third time.   “Are you absolutely sure you’re not Jewish?” “All right, all right,” the man said.   “You win.   I am Jewish.” “That’s funny,” said the woman.   “You don’t look Jewish.”

The famous atheist, Berel Linda of Vilna, was brought to trial and sentenced to lashed.  When he came home, he was asked how he felt during the flagellation. "The pain was great," said Lidner. "Every lash left a burning sting on my back.  The only thing that gave me the courage to endure it was that I know they were hurting a Jew." We may doubt but we never doubt who we are born o be.

David Ben-Gurion met a Frenchman who described himself as “being a socialist, a Frenchman and a Jew” in that order.   Ben-Gurion responded by indicating that he fully acceded to this descriptive order and explained himself by saying, “Because you see, we Jews read from right to left.”   -J. David Bleich A bird cannot be a cat.  A squirrel cannot be an elephant.   We are what we are.  It always comes back to that.

On Kristallnacht Goebbels went out to view the wreckage of Jewish synagogues.   Goebbels, standing calmly on the street, watched the proceedings. Suddenly, a taxi driver dashed up to him and tapped Goebbels on the shoulder and said, “You’d better get out before they get you.” Defiant, Goebbels said, "Don’t you know who I am? I am Josef Goebbels, Nazi Minister of Propaganda.” The Jew, unmoved, replied, “Well considering I just warned the last three Goebbels to hurry up and hide I suggest you do the same.”   - Albert Friedlander In the final analysis, who can we depend upon but ourselves?

A Jew comes to an inn tired.   There were no rooms available.    Desperate, the man begged the innkeeper who finally admitted there was one room left but he would have to sleep on a cot sharing the room with a Russian army officer.   The Jew trembled.   " Don’t worry," he was told, "the Russian is a heavy sleeper." The Jew asked the innkeeper to wake him early so he could catch a train and avoid his roommate.   A few hours later he was awakened.   Dressing quickly, the Jew made his way to the train station. When he arrived people were saluting him.   When he climbed onto the train he saw his reflection in a mirror.   He was wearing an army uniform. “Darn! The innkeeper woke the wrong man!” We are different things to different people.  It is a matter pf perception.  Yet, one thing we must all strive to attain is consistence in self.  Be true to who you are.

Three Jews who had recently been converted to Episcopalianism were having a drink together in a posh country club.   They started talking about the reasons for their conversions. “I converted out of love,” the first one said.   Seeing the dubious looks on his friends’ faces, he added, “Not for Christianity but for a Christian girl.   As you know, my wealthy wife insisted that I convert.” “And I converted in order to succeed in the law,” the second one said.   “I never would have been appointed a federal judge if I hadn’t become Episcopalian.” “I converted because I think that the teachings of Christianity are superior to those of Judaism,” the third one said. “Whom are you trying to kid?” the first man answered with considerable heat.   “What do you take us for – a couple of goyim?”   -Charles Silberman You can never escape who you really are.