At the Navy Memorial in DC there is a big exhibit on him, or was the last time I was there. His story is somewhat ironic though, through his efforts the US Navy throughout the 19th century was very tolerant of other religions and ethnic groups, yet in first couple of decades of the 20th century that was all reversed.
larry -- Larry C. Lyons ColdFusion/Web Developer Certified Advanced ColdFusion 5 Developer EBStor.com 8870 Rixlew Lane, Suite 204 Manassas, Virginia 20109-3795 tel: (703) 393-7930 fax: (703) 393-2659 Web: http://www.ebstor.com http://www.pacel.com email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Chaos, panic, and disorder - my work here is done. -- > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Saturday, December 15, 2001 10:57 PM > To: CF-Community > Subject: RE: An Inspirational Chanukah Story that I hope is True. > > > Yes, Uriah Phillip Levy was his name. Also the first to fight > for freedom > of religion in the Navy and break the Old Boys Club there. > Look him up -- a > fascinating story. > > Judith > > >Actually Beth, one of the first admirals of the US navy was Jewish. > > > >larry > > > >-- > >Larry C. Lyons > >ColdFusion/Web Developer > >Certified Advanced ColdFusion 5 Developer > >EBStor.com > >8870 Rixlew Lane, Suite 204 > >Manassas, Virginia 20109-3795 > >tel: (703) 393-7930 > >fax: (703) 393-2659 > >Web: http://www.ebstor.com > > http://www.pacel.com > >email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Chaos, panic, and disorder - my work here is done. > >-- > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: Fleischer, Beth [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > > > Sent: Thursday, December 13, 2001 1:40 PM > > > To: CF-Community > > > Subject: RE: An Inspirational Chanukah Story that I hope is True. > > > > > > > > > Wow, I had no idea there were jews in the US in 1775. I will > > > send to my > > > mother right away!! > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > > > > Sent: Thursday, December 13, 2001 7:17 AM > > > > To: CF-Community > > > > Subject: An Inspirational Chanukah Story that I hope is True. > > > > > > > > The Chanukah Candle > > > > that Inspired George Washington > > > > > > > > Given to Rebbetzen Sternberg to type five years ago > > > > by Rabbi Yehuda Mandelcorn zt"l . > > > > May this be a blessing and inspirtation for you, in his Memory > > > > > > > > Chanukah (1775) 5537. > > > > > > > > A difficult winter. Terrible cold. We are sitting in Valley > > > Forge and > > > > waiting. Why? I don't know. Perhaps for better days than > > > these. I am the > > > > only Jew here. Perhaps there are other Jews among us, but I > > > haven't seen > > > > any. We hunger for bread. We have no warm clothing or shoes > > > to protect > > > > our feet. Most of the soldiers curse George Washington for > > > going to war > > > > against Britain. > > > > > > > > There are those who hope for his downfall, but I believe > > > that his cause > > > > is just. We must expel Britain from America. She wants to > > > put her hands > > > > in everything her eyes see. Although we are suffering here > > > terribly, I am > > > > loyal with all my heart to George Washington. More than > > > once I see him at > > > > night, passing through the camp, between the rows of > > > sleeping soldiers. > > > > He gazes with compassion upon the soldiers who are > > > suffering from the > > > > cold. And sometimes he approaches one of the sleeping > > > soldiers and covers > > > > him, as a father would cover his son. > > > > > > > > There are times when the hunger and the freezing cold > torture me to > > > > death. But I don't curse General Washington who is > fighting for the > > > > freedom of America. At moments like this I think of my > > > father in Poland. > > > > I think about all that he suffers at the hand of the cruel > > > "Poritz". I > > > > remember: I was a child then and I saw my father > dancing before the > > > > Poritz. What an awful thing to see! My father was wearing > > > the skin of a > > > > Polar bear - and danced like a bear before the Poritz and > > > his guests. > > > > What terrible pain! What great shame! My father dancing > > > like a bear - and > > > > the "Poritzim" laughing and rejoicing at the sight. I > > > decided then and > > > > there that I will never dance like my father before the Poritz. > > > > > > > > Afterwards, I escaped to America. > > > > > > > > And now I am lying in Valley Forge and shivering from cold. > > > They say that > > > > Washington is losing and that he can't win this war. But I > > > don't believe > > > > all that. I lie at night and pray for him. > > > > > > > > The first night of Chanukah arrives. On this night, years > > > ago, I left my > > > > father's house. My father gave us this Chanukah menorah and > > > said to me, > > > > "My son, when you light the Chanukah candles, they will > > > illuminate the > > > > way for you". > > > > > > > > Since then, the Menorah has been like a charm for me. > > > Wherever I go, I > > > > take it with me. I didn't know what to do - to light the > > > Chanukah candles > > > > here, among the goyim, or not. I decided to wait until > they were all > > > > asleep, and then I took out my father's Menorah. I made the > > > brocha and > > > > lit the first candle. I gazed at the light and remembered > > > my parents' > > > > home. I saw my father dancing like a bear before the Poritz > > > and I saw my > > > > mother's eyes filled with tears. My heart was filled > with pain and I > > > > burst out crying like a small child. And I decided then in > > > my heart, that > > > > for the sake of my father and mother, for my brothers > and sisters in > > > > Poland. I must help George Washington make America a free > > > country, a land > > > > of refuge for my parents and brothers who are subjected to > > > the cruelty of > > > > the Poritz. > > > > > > > > Suddenly I felt a gentle hand touching my head. I lifted my > > > eyes and it > > > > was he - he himself was standing over me and he asked, > "Why are you > > > > crying, soldier? Are you cold? ". > > > > > > > > Pain and compassion were in his voice. I couldn't bear to > > > see him suffer. > > > > I jumped up, forgot that I was a soldier standing before a > > > General, and > > > > said what came from my heart, like a son speaking to his father: > > > > > > > > "General Washington," I said, "I am crying and praying for > > > your victory. > > > > And I know that with the help of G-d we will win. Today > > > they are strong, > > > > but tomorrow they will fall because justice is with us. We > > > want to be > > > > free in this land. We want to build a home here for all > > > those who flee > > > > from the hands of "Poritzim", for all who suffer across the > > > ocean. The > > > > "Poritzim" will not rule over us! They will fall and > you will rise!" > > > > > > > > General Washington pressed my hand. > > > > "Thank you, soldier," he said. He sat next to me on the > > > ground, in front > > > > of the Menorah. > > > > > > > > "What is this candlestick?", he asked. > > > > I told him, "I brought it from my father's house. The Jews > > > all over the > > > > world light candles tonight, on Chanukah, the holiday > of the great > > > > miracle". > > > > > > > > The Chanukah candles lit up Washington's eyes, and he asked > > > joyfully, > > > > "You are a Jew from the nation of Prophets and you say > we will be > > > > victorious?!" > > > > > > > > "Yes sir," I answered with conviction. "We will win > just like the > > > > Maccabees won, for ourselves and for all those who come > > > here after us to > > > > build a new land and new lives." > > > > > > > > The General got up and his face was shining. He shook > my hand and > > > > disappeared in the darkness. > > > > > > > > My faith prevailed. Washington's victory was complete. > The land was > > > > quiet. My General became the first President of the United > > > States and I > > > > was one of its citizens. I soon forgot the terrible days > > > and nights in > > > > Valley Forge. But I kept the memory of that first night of > > > Chanukah in my > > > > heart like a precious dream. I did not relate it to anyone > > > because I said > > > > to myself: Who will believe me? I was certain that the > > > General forgot it > > > > completely. But that was not the case. He didn't forget. > > > > > > > > The first night of Chanukah (1776) 5538. > > > > > > > > I was sitting in my apartment in New York, on Broome > Street, and the > > > > Chanukah candles were burning in my window. Suddenly, I > > > heard a knock at > > > > my door. I opened the door and was shocked: my General, > > > President George > > > > Washington, was standing in the doorway (there > himself), in all his > > > > glory. "Behold the wonderful candle. The candle of hope of > > > the Jewish > > > > People," he proclaimed joyously when he saw the Chanukah > > > candles in my > > > > window. > > > > > > > > He put his hand on my shoulder and said, "This candle and > > > your beautiful > > > > words ignited a light in my heart that night. Soon you will > > > receive a > > > > Medal of Honor from the United States of America, together > > > with all of > > > > the brave men of Valley Forge. But tonight, please accept > > > this token from > > > > me." > > > > > > > > He hung a golden medallion on my chest and shook my hand. > > > Tears filled my > > > > eyes and I couldn't speak. The President shook my hand again and > > > > departed.... > > > > > > > > I came to, as if from a wonderful dream, then I looked at > > > the medallion > > > > and saw an etching of a beautiful Chanukah Menorah. Under > > > it was written: > > > > "A token of gratitude for the light of your candle - George > > > Washington". > > > > > > > > This is a true story. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Your ad could be here. Monies from ads go to support these lists and provide more resources for the community. http://www.fusionauthority.com/ads.cfm Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/cf-community@houseoffusion.com/ Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/index.cfm?sidebar=lists
