SEEDS: MILITARY
Jews have served in the US military in a larger percentage than their share of the population. Those who came to America and then to Orlando enlisted very often with the hopes of becoming “accepted” and to express patriotism in appreciation for freedom. While serving, these Jews maintained the traditions of their heritage, even when challenged by antisemitism.
Orlando’s Jews have served in all US wars and all military branches, some earning medals and some making the supreme sacrifice. Spanish-American War veterans buried in our cemeteries include Astor Hotel owner Philip R. Rosenberg, Rialto Theater manager Sol Samuels and Emil Feldman. Myer Shader, Isadore Shader, Eddie Asher, Saul Levy and Morris Levine served in WWI. Others served in WWII, Korea, Vietnam and the Gulf Wars.
The local Jewish community welcomed those serving. This prompted many to settle in Orlando and help spur the area’s growth.
Orlando Jews have served in all branches of the military and in many wars. As members of what is known now as The Greatest Generation, these proud Americans enlisted with the US Navy, Air Force, Army and Marines.
Clockwise from top left: Joseph Hara, Flight Crew Long Range Navigational Tech; Martin Segal, lieutenant, Office of Naval Intelligence; Irving “Bubba” Lippton, early flight instructor for the US Navy; M. Ervin Wahnish, with infant Alfred; Joseph Wittenstein, lieutenant, Guantanamo Bay Navy Base, whose deciphering of a message resulted in capture of a German submarine; Jerry Bornstein, 13th Air Force 5th Bombardment; Orwin Lieberman, US Air Force; Joe Lefkowitz (with wife Frances), Coast Guard; George Wolly, proud member of the Marines who attended military reunions his whole life; center L-R: Zelig Wise, lieutenant, US Army 71st Infantry, and his twin brother Abe Wise, PFC in the 345th artillery company, 87th division.
Clockwise from top left: Joe Hara, Collections of the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU, originated by Marcia Jo Zerivitz, LHD, Founding Executive Director, Joan Lippton Kimball, Roz Ettinger Fuchs, Joan Lippton Kimball, Joe Lefkowitz, Madeline Wolly; center: Daniel Wise
Orlando Roll of Honor plaque honoring members of the military, c. 1945.
The Jewish prophet Isaiah poetically described the Messiah as bringing an end to wars: “they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Isaiah. 2:4) Even so, Jewish law also instructs that when circumstances require war, Jews are obligated to participate. This military Roll of Honor has been displayed at Congregation Ohev Shalom since 1945 and proudly honors members who served our country during World Wars I and II.
Congregation Ohev Shalom
This Purple Heart was awarded to PFC Abe O.Wise, who suffered extreme frostbite during WWII, 1946.
Ellen Lang
PFC Abe O. Wise (right) was awarded the Purple Heart by Major O. M. Christie before being discharged from the US Army, 1946.
Private First Class Wise served in the 345th artillery company, 87th division. His unit saw 145 days of continuous action in the closing stages of the campaign. After the war, Abe settled in Orlando.
Ellen Lang
Ration books were issued to everyone during WWII, including infant Marilyn Ettinger [Crotty], 1942.
Processed, canned and fresh foods were rationed during the war. These items were needed for the military and transporting them required gas and tires, reserved for soldiers and supplies to the front. In order to fairly distributecertain foods in short supply, ration books were issued to regulate purchases and stamps were peeled off for the grocer. Monthly ration books were issued—even to babies. “If you don’t need it, DON’T BUY IT!”
Marilyn Ettinger Crotty
Dorothy Morrell sold War Bonds, 1941.
The War Finance Committee sold US Treasury Defense Bonds and then War Bonds after Pearl Harbor, as a voluntary loan system to help finance WWII. Bonds were purchased for as little as $18.75 and 10-cent savings stamps were saved in books. The government advertised through movie stars, cartoons and Norman Rockwell paintings. But mostly, patriotic citizens were relied upon to help raise funds. Honorary titles such as “Colonel,” as seen here, were awarded when large sums of War Bonds were bought. Over the course of the war, 85 million Americans purchased bonds, totaling approximately $185 billion.
Laurence Morrell
Rabbi Morris A. Skop (second from left) presents a Torah to Air Force Base Chaplain Pinchos Chazin while Base commander General Hume Peabody and Staff Chaplain Thad E. Son look on, 1943.
The Orlando Jewish community was happy to welcome Jewish soldiers from all over the country to the Orlando Air Force Base. Congregation Ohev Shalom invited soldiers to services and holidays and donated this Torah and other religious items to the base for use by the young Jewish soldiers away from home.
Collections of the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU, originated by Marcia Jo Zerivitz, LHD, Founding Executive Director
Congregation Ohev Shalom (COS) hosted a seder for military personnel, 1944.
The Jewish holiday of Passover is best celebrated with others, so COS invited personnel from the nearby Air Force Tactical Applications Center. More than 400 women and men attended. The meal was prepared from scratch by the women of the congregation, as no kosher food was otherwise available.
Collections of the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU, originated by Marcia Jo Zerivitz, LHD, Founding Executive Director
Navigator Lt. Col. Matthias “Matt” Beerman and his crew flew B-52 combat missions in Vietnam, 1967.
Beerman flew a total of 100 combat missions in three wars—WWII, Korea and Vietnam. His wife Helen was active at Congregation of Liberal Judaism and served as the unofficial historian.
Collections of the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU, originated by Marcia Jo Zerivitz, LHD, Founding Executive Director
Commander Bernard Brender (second from right) brought the US Naval Training Center to Orlando, 1968.
“Bernie” Brender joined the Navy at age 17. Stationed at Pearl Harbor, he narrowly survived when the Japanese torpedoed and capsized his battleship. While working at the Pentagon in the 1960s, Brender won congressional approval for Orlando as one of three US Naval Training Centers. He was named First Commander of the Orlando Recruit Training Command, where more than 650,000 naval recruits received boot camp training over the next 30 years. Captain Brender also served as first president of the Maitland Art Center (1970–73), cochairman of Orlando’s Bicentennial Committee (1976), and chair of the B’nai B’rith Community Relations Committee.
Collections of the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU, originated by Marcia Jo Zerivitz, LHD, Founding Executive Director
Rabbi Rudolph Adler carries the Torah in a processional during religious services for enlisted soldiers at the Naval Training Center, 1974.
In 1963, Rabbi Adler was appointed by the Jewish Welfare Board as chaplain for the Orlando Air Force Base. He also served for many years at the Naval Training Center. He conducted weekly services and invited many young servicemen to his home.
Collections of the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU, originated by Marcia Jo Zerivitz, LHD, Founding Executive Director
Lieutenant Commander Barbara Fieldman served eight months in Iraq, 1990.
In 1990, Barbara Fieldman was a dietitian and mother of three young children. But when the call came to join General Norman Schwarzkopf in Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, the US Navy reservist shipped out, leaving her husband Steve on the home front. Fieldman coordinated blood supplies for the US forces in Saudi Arabia. After Iraq’s Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, the US led the Desert Storm coalition forces from 34 countries. This was the largest call up of US soldiers since Vietnam and included Marc Forman, David Skurow, Brandon Berk, Rabbi Maurice Kaprow and several others from the Orlando Jewish community.
Collections of the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU, originated by Marcia Jo Zerivitz, LHD, Founding Executive Director
Rabbi Maurice “Moe” Kaprow visiting troops at sea by helicopter, 1990.
During the Persian Gulf War, Rabbi Kaprow served as navy chaplain on the USS Saratoga. He traveled by helicopter (known by some as the “Holy Helo”) to visit navy troops on nearby ships. When there was insufficient landing space, Rabbi Kaprow was lowered and lifted back to the helicopter by electric winch. Rabbi Kaprow retired with the rank of commander in 2010 and, in 2016, was elected as president of the National Association of Jewish Chaplains.
Rabbi Maurice Kaprow
Lt. Ryan and Sivonne Stone marry in a Jewish military wedding, May 16, 1999.
Lt. Stone, a graduate of the US Naval Academy in Annapolis,served as a naval submarine officer for five years after graduating and was honorably discharged as a lieutenant. He entered the Naval Academy in 1992, one of 37 people accepted early out of a class of 1200. Lt. Stone attended Lake Brantley High School. He served as president of Smart Sky Networks, a next-generation aviation communications provider focused on launching the first US airborne 4G beam forming-based network.
Susie and Mark Stone
Rabbi Joshua “Josh” Sherwin (pictured with his sister Naomi) served as navy chaplain on the USS George H. W. Bush aircraft carrier, the first ship of this kind with a Torah and permanent ark on board, 2011.
Rabbi Sherwin, the first fourthgeneration Jewish Theological Seminary rabbinical graduate, was also the first rabbi in 13 generations of his family to serve as military chaplain. As battalion chaplain at Camp Lejeune Marine Headquarters, he tended the spiritual needs of more than 2,400 marines of all faiths. Deployed three times to Afghanistan, he also served as rabbi for the Naval Academy. Rabbi Sherwin was honored with the 2013 National Bible Association Witherspoon Award for Excellence in Chaplaincy, reserved for one chaplain from each branch of the military. His proud father is Rabbi Rick Sherwin.
Heritage Florida Jewish News
Sgt. Harrison Leventhal, US Army 82nd Airborne Infantry Jump Master, was based in Kandahar during his tour in Afghanistan, 2014.
Harrison Leventhal graduated from Lyman High School and then UCF with a degree in International Relations. From 2009–2010 he served in the Israeli Defense Force. He has been serving in the US military since 2013. Sargent Leventhal is working towards a master’s degree in International Relations and Conflict Resolution from the American Military University. In August 2017, he participated in a jump in honor of the 100th anniversary of the 82nd Airborne.
Roslyn and Stuart Leventhal
While serving in Afghanistan, Sgt. Bradley Freed received an oversized lollipop from students at the Jewish Academy of Orlando, which he attended, 2015.
Sgt. Freed, in the military from October 2011 to April 2016, first served in the US Army Airborne and then the Ranger Brigade. When he was injured jumping out of an airplane, Sgt. Freed was assigned ton the Infantry.
Vicki Freed Peisner