Page 13 - Jewish News_November-2020

FEDERATION NEWS November 2020 13A

Changemakers prepares a new generation Harbor from the Holocaust Mazel tov to our very own

of Jewish leaders By Sigmund Tobias During the war, malnutrition was a Difference Maker

fter receiving a very positive
reaction to its first showing of constant threat, and in July 1945 an Staff Report
Athe documentary Harbor from American air raid killed 31 refugees hearty mazel tov to David Mill- Officer. He has also been heavily in-
the Holocaust, the local PBS station, and many Chinese people. Long after A volved in our Heller Community Rela-
stone, board member of The
WEDQ, will show the film again on the war, we learned that Gestapo Col- Jewish Federation of Saraso- tions Committee.
Sunday, November 15 at 10:00 p.m. onel Josef Meisinger, the notorious ta-Manatee, who was one of 18 peo- This year’s class showcased a di-
The Jewish Federation of Sarasota- “Butcher of Warsaw,” had been sent by ple nominated for the 2020 class of the verse group of professionals, including
Manatee is a proud sponsor of the film. Germany to pressure Japan into anni- Cleveland Jewish News’ 18 Difference executive-level personnel, nonprofit
The documentary, in which I par- hilating us. Fortunately, they resisted Makers. leaders, partners, attorneys, a physician
ticipated, tells the story but forced us into a ghetto Nominated by readers, the group and a rabbi.
of how 20,000 Jews, in- in the poorest part of Shang- exemplifies the mensch-like qualities How wonderful to know that Da-
cluding my family, fled to hai during the war. Many that define Difference Makers: com- vid is making such a difference in his
Shanghai for safety from refugees died, filling three munity-mindedness, honor, integrity hometown as well as his adopted home
Nazi persecution in Eu- cemeteries, but most of our and generosity. of Sarasota. Our many thanks to David
rope. When Germany’s community survived. David, who is a Cleveland snow- for his heartfelt belief in tikkun olam
oppression of Jews inten- When the war ended, we bird, sits on the executive committee and creating better opportunities for
sified, many were frantic heard about the Holocaust. of our board as Secretary/Governance one another. Kol hakavod!
to leave. Of course, Is- Horror rattled through the
rael, which now readily ghetto. Many of my rela-
admits Jews fleeing from tives remained in Poland and
persecution anywhere in Sigmund Tobias Germany. One aunt and her
the world, did not exist. The U.S. and family fled from Poland to the Russian
the rest of the world claimed to be op- lines and were interned in Siberia but
posed to the Nazi regime but denied survived, as did one cousin who was
entry to Jews who desperately sought imprisoned in seven Nazi slave labor
to immigrate. The sector of Shanghai camps. All my other relatives were
controlled by Japan was an exception killed in the Holocaust. I had lived,
and permitted entry to anyone. laughed and cried with all of them and
Shanghai was governed by three never would again. Other refugees in
nations until the late 1930s. Great Shanghai also lost relatives, some more
Britain ran one part, France another, some less. Even though life in Shang- David Millstone (at right) interviews Abe Foxman, former Anti-Defamation League National Director
and China controlled the remainder. hai was difficult, we were fortunate to
In 1937, Japan conquered the sector be there because few of us would have
controlled by the Chinese. The Jap- survived had we remained in Europe.
anese offered to impose visa control That story, along with that of oth-
over Shanghai’s entire waterfront, but ers, is described in detail in the WEDQ
Britain and France refused to concede re-broadcast of Harbor from the Holo-
caust.
that. Therefore, no visas were needed Sigmund Tobias, a retired professor Guiding investors and their
to come to Shanghai immediately be-
fore World War II. My parents and I, now living in Sarasota, had a produc-
among other Jewish refugees, entered tive academic career in America with families for over 20 years.
and lived there for more than a decade numerous publications and presenta-
starting at the end of the 1930s. After tions. He was invited to return to Chi- Ally Zemelman, CRPC ®
Financial Advisor
the war began, Japan took over all of na for a month in 1988 to lecture at the Vice President – Investments
Shanghai. Shanghai Institute of Education. His
Once we arrived in Shanghai, we book Strange Haven: A Jewish Child- 1819 Main St., Ste. 230, Sarasota, FL 34236
had to cope with diseases such as tu- hood in Wartime Shanghai (University 941-361-5812
ally.zemelman@wellsfargo.com • wfadvisors.com/ally.zemelman
berculosis, typhoid and dysentery to of Illinois Press, 1999) describes that CA Insurance # 0C84346
which Europeans had little resistance. story and his life in China.
Investment and Insurance Products: u NOT FDIC Insured u NO Bank Guarantee u MAY Lose Value
“Stories from Shanghai” Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate
On Tuesday, November 17 at 2:00 p.m., join Sigmund Tobias and another of Wells Fargo & Company. © 2011, 2013, 2016 Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC. All rights reserved. CAR-0620-02418 IHA-6800235
Jewish refugee from Germany to Shanghai, Doris Fogel, for “Stories from
Shanghai,” a Heller CRC follow-up to the incredible documentary on WEDQ,
Harbor from the Holocaust. At the event, moderated by David Grace, Sig and
Doris will tell stories that didn’t make the cut of the documentary. L’Dor SERVING THE JEWISH
COMMUNITY SINCE 1978
To register for this Zoom program, visit jfedsrq.org/events. To learn more Charter Members of Temple Sinai
about the Heller CRC or Holocaust programming, contact Jessi Sheslow,
Director of Community Relations, at jsheslow@jfedsrq.org or 941.343.3109.
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