Thursday, April 28, 2011

Betar USA Kinnus Artzi & Bet Sefer L'Madrichim 1948

The frist notice received was this:

Pictures from US Betar Camp activities and the 1948 Kinnus Artzi received by Steve Esrati from one of Iris Kreiner's sons.  They were taken in Camp Betar in the end of the fourties.   -  Steve A.

Then Ray Kaplan first wrote:

The last picture was taken in Pittsfield, MA in the summer of 1948 outside the hall where we held a Kinus Artsi to elect a new Natsiv Betar to replace Moshe Arens who was leaving for Israel in the fall. That summer, prior to the Kinus, we held a Bet Sefer L'Madrichim and set up a tent camp on the grounds of the estate of a Mr. Horwitz, a supporter of the American League for a Free Palestine. All the members of the Netsivut (still then in the States) were there, including Misha, Dave Krakow, Marty Marden (with his wife Jenny and baby daughter Judy), Seldon Bard, Tevia Shachori, and myself. We are all in that picture, along with Dr. Yisrael Lifshitz (an Irgun shaliach with a beautiful voice, who taught us many new Betar/Irgun songs). In addition, too numerous to name in the picture, were most of the the Mefakdim from New York and many from our out-of-town K'nanim. It was a wonderful Bet Sefer. I have an enlargment of that picture hanging in my den and can identify most of the wonderful Betarim, many of whom made Aliyah and sadly, some of whom are no longer with us.
Then Yitz Heimowitz wrote:

Picture 1 furthest front is Alter Heller, then Nanette Jaffe, Iris Nimowitz Kreiner, Lynn Sharon & Rita Gordon Kraushar in first row. In a row further back is Israel Klein (Izzy Ketani) next to a girl on his right. This is probably 1948.

In the picture of the Misdar, Seymour Simcha Rosenberg, who was Natziv, inspecting the misdar

In the mass picture No. 5 which was probably 1947, front row:
Dr. Israel Lifshitz, Dave Krakow, Reuven Kaplan, Gloria Strenger Heller,
2nd row: Miriam Krakow, Anita Kreiner over Dave Krakow's shoulder, Nanette Jaffe next to man in white shirt on her right
3rd row: Rita Gordon Kraushar is 3rd from left, Morty Dolinsky is next to her and Motel Kreiner next to Morty. Lester Hering is in the middle of that row.
First standing row includes Zvi Bubi Rintel and Tevya Schwartz Shachori
Those are all I recognize.   -  Yitzhak Heimowitz


But see the final note following the pictures.

Here they are:

1.  Hand-to-hand defense


I believe that the Betaria in the two 'self defense' pictures is Evelyn Levine (deceased), taken during WW2, in the early forties.  -   Ray Kaplan

2.  Bet Sefer L'Madrichim scenes

3.  Bet Sefer L'Madrichim scenes:


4.  The Kinnus Artzi photograph





The following is a detailed identification of the Betarim in the above named picture. Dave Krakow and I got together before the Chag and reviewed 'the picture'. The result is summarized in the attachment to this message. If I get any responses to identify the ' unknowns' in the picture, I will amend the list and let you know.


-  Ray Kaplan


The identification is by row, starting with the row up front and going from left to right. The results shown were compiled by a joint effort of Ray Kaplan and Dave Krakow. Unfortunately, we could not identify some of the participants, (some 63 years after this event took place) and have so noted in the below listing. If anyone reviewing this listing can identify those listed as ‘unknown’, please send the info to Ray Kaplan and we will make the appropriate modifications.


First Row

Dr. Yisrael Lifshitz* – Etzel Shaliach
Dave Krakow – Katsin HaNetsivut
Ruth Goldenberg – Washington Heights Ken
Ray Kaplan – Katsin HaNetsivut
Gloria Heller (nee Strenger) – Bensonhurst Ken

Second Row

Miriam Krakow (nee Arens) – Washington Heights Ken
Anita Mayo (nee Kreiner) – Crown Heights Ken
Unknown
Sarah Keren (nee Malina) – Boston Ken
Alma Harris – Boston Ken
Unknown
Unknown
Lynn Sharon (Roz Leader) – Lower East Side Ken
Nanette Hazan (nee Jaffee)* - Washington Heights Ken
Cantor Morris Levinson*
Lenny Stein* Bronx Ken

Third Row

Steve Esrati – Mefaked Boston Ken
Unknown
Rita Kraushar (nee Gordon)* Lower East Side Ken
Morty Dolinsky* Washington Heights Ken
Motel Kreiner* Crown Heights Ken
Unknown
Moshe (Mischa) Arens – Natsiv Betar
Lester Herring (Rabbi) – Mefaked Washington Heights Ken
Marty Marden* Katsin HaNetsivut
Unknown
Unknown
Jack Albalah – Bronx Ken
Unknown

Fourth Row

Moshe Volpe – Philadelphia Ken
Marvin Krakow – Mefaked Lower East Side Ken
Joan Johnson (nee Beck) – Washington Heights Ken
Unknown
Unknown
Herman (Zvi) Rintel* Washington Heights Ken
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Tevya Shachori (Teddy Schwartz)* - Mefaked HaTsirim
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown

Fifth Row

Unknown
Unknown
Ralph Bieber* - Bensonhurst Ken
Hymie Bieber – Bensonhurst Ken
Marilyn Weintraub – Boston Ken
Jenny Marden* Bogrim
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown

Lower Right Hand Corner

Betari taking a picture - Unknown
Notes:

1) Seymour Rosenberg* - Katsin HaNetsivut (not in picture) was elected Natsiv Betar in absentia. He was studying at the University of California, Berkley at the time of the Kinus. After he was nominated to be the next Natsiv, he was contacted by phone and agreed to the nomination. He was then elected unanimously.

2) * - indicates deceased

3) Some Betarim who attended the Kinus were not in this picture, including Seldon Bard* - Katsin HaNetsivut

^

1 comment:

Steve Esrati said...

My friiend (I'll explain later) Me'ir Kahane was at that Kinus Artzi and does not appear to be in the picture.
Me'ir and I tried (unsuccessfully) to cut the ties to the bankrupt and dormant United Zionist Revisionists and ally Betar with Menahem Begin's new Herut party. It got downright nasty at times. I called the Revisionists chair-polishers.
Me'ir and I were friends even though I smoked on Shabat and was (and still am) an atheist. In matters other than religion (at that time) we agreed.