A caring investment
Some people are haunted by their past and unable to function properly for the rest of their lives.
Others have an amazing ability to overcome, to reinvent themselves and to do their utmost to make the world a better place for others. One such person is Holocaust survivor who like the late Elie Wiesel was born into a hassidic family in Transylvania, and as a teenager was taken to Auschwitz, then to Buchenwald and then on a death march to Theresienstadt. He was finally liberated in 1945 when he was all of 17 years old.
Prior to his captivity, Klein discovered art through a group of young artists who had a studio behind his childhood home.
Art later became a very important part of his life in his quest to restore beauty and kindness to the world. When he went from Europe to America, he visited many art museums, becoming increasingly passionate about art along the way. In 1951, after being drafted into the US Army, he was sent to Paris, where again he befriended many artists, and developed a close friendship with Spanish artist Edouard Cortès, about whom he eventually wrote a book. Seeking a job after his return to the US, he happened to find work as a substitute for the manager of a Los Angeles art gallery who had fallen ill. Klein developed a reputation for honesty and integrity and counted many Hollywood stars among his clientele.
After retirement he settled in Israel, where he made a practice of contributing to worthy causes, and where he became heartwarmingly involved with ESRA, the English Speaking Residents Association which has many different projects, most of them centered around giving youngsters of Ethiopian background the tools with which to maximize their learning and career potential. When Klein, now 89, started volunteering with ESRA in 2007, he wanted to help Ethiopian students who are experiencing financial problems while engaged in their university studies. He happened to know whose wife,
was at the time chairwoman of ESRA’s Welfare Committee. It was agreed that ESRA would choose a few students each month whose details were compatible
David Klein, Michael Hart, Adele,
with the criteria for financial assistance and that they would all meet in Michael’s office in Tel Aviv. Adele insisted that Klein be present at the interviews, because it was after all his idea to help the students in this way, and it was his money that was contributing to their ability to continue their studies.
His generosity has helped more than 350 students. If one thinks about it, that’s not just a gift for each of them, but a contribution to Israel’s economy and creativity. Even if less than a handful of these students turn out to be great doctors, scientists, hi-tech entrepreneurs or artists, the investment will have been more than worthwhile. As for the others, they will have the tools for any of the professions which demand certain educational standards, and when these young people get married and have children of their own, they will, because of employment opportunities acquired on the basis of their education and experience, be able to provide for those children without any philanthropic assistance.
Taking all this into account, ESRA’s executive thought that Klein deserved to be honored. The Harts naturally offered their home for the occasion, and among those who attended were ESRA Founder and Hon. Life President
Chairman immediate past chairwoman
and
Guttman, Tanaman, Brenda Katten Nina
Chairwoman
Zuck.
of
Merle Baruch
Projects
Klein was particularly moved by three of the students he had helped who came to explain to the 50 guests gathered in the Hart home how Klein had helped them and others. One of the students burst into tears as she explained how she was ready to drop out of her architectural studies as she could no longer pay the fees, when Klein came to the rescue. She was overwhelmed, not simply because of the financial help she is receiving but because a total stranger cared about her.
Klein has also given support to students involved in ESRA’s “Students Build a Community” project. These are students, carefully chosen, who in exchange for mentoring the youngsters on the block, many of them living in areas of severe deprivation, are provided with rent-free accommodation by ESRA. Two of these students also expressed their heartfelt thanks to Klein for enabling them to continue to study.
Adele Hunt made the point that during the interviews with candidates, Klein didn’t just sit silent. He was fascinated by the stories of each and every one of them, and brought with him his childhood friend and adviser They listened to the background stories of the students and asked about their ambitions and their dreams,, and on the basis of what they were told, decided not only who should be helped, but to what extent.
FOLLOWING THE short lived tenure of Netanyahu confidante
who was ousted for fabricating information on his curriculum vitae, Dr.
has replaced him as chairwoman of Channel 10.
She was voted in unanimously last week by the Channel’s Board of Directors. A partner in the firm of Nahum Kadmon Advocates, Kadmon Sella is a law graduate of Tel Aviv University and Stanford University, and holds a PhD from Colombia School of Journalism. Kadmon Sella specializes in all legal aspects of media, journalism and content representing producers, performers, format creators and broadcasters. She is a former vice president of the Keshet Media Group Council, in addition to which she is a classically trained pianist and a recreational DJ who performs on a monthly basis at the Abraxas Bar in Tel Aviv
Sadan, a political lobbyist, allegedly made disparaging remarks about Shas leader
who threatened to quit the coalition unless Sadan was fired. Although this situation caused a storm in a teacup, the reason that Sadan was given the boot four months after his appointment, was essentially because he had provided false information in his CV. the public’s representative on the Channel 10 Board, was also given his marching orders for failing to impart the information that he had been a Yesh Atid candidate in the Tel Aviv City Council elections. In announcing the reason for the two dismissals, the Second Authority underscored the importance of credibility, integrity and accuracy of candidates for public office.
Rami Sadan Sella Deri, Eitan Singer, Pinye. Zohar Kadmon Arye
WHEN THEIR son came into the world, prize winning Jerusalem-born
Natalie Portman Benjamin
actress and her husband,
named him Visibly pregnant with her second child last Sunday when she attended the Hollywood Film Awards where she received the Best Actress Award for her portrayal of Jacqueline Kennedy in the film Jackie, Portman a vegetarian since childhood, has for the duration of her pregnancy gone a step further and become a vegan. A point of interest: If baby number one was named Aleph, will baby number two be named Bet?
Millepied, Aleph.
WITH THE exception of a few rednecks and skinheads, Poland has been happy to accept the large groups of Israeli students who have to learn Holocaust history by going to the cities where Jews once lived in relatively large numbers and visiting the German death camps and labor camps set up on Polish soil by the Nazis.
Similarly, Poland has welcomed families and groups of Jews on roots visits to search out what is left in the villages, towns and cities of their Polish forebears. What Poland doesn’t like is the frequency with which the word Polish is used in reference to the camps. They were not Polish camps. They were Nazi camps on Polish soil, and while there was undoubtedly a great deal of antisemitism in Poland, there were also thousands of decent Poles who risked their lives to rescue and hide Jews, and who in some cases also paid with their lives. Curiously, even though the Lubavitcher rebbe instructed his disciples not to set foot in Poland, calling it the largest Jewish graveyard in the world, Chabad is flourishing in Poland, and is quite influential with the Polish authorities. Today there is a Chabad House in Warsaw, there is Shabbat and holiday hospitality, classes, ritual baths and much more. There are similar services plus a kosher store in Krakow. Why are they defying the rebbe? Because conditions have changed. There were very few Jews in Poland when the rebbe issued his instructions, and even fewer who openly identified as such.
With the end of communist rule there were signs of a revival of Jewish life in Poland. Many Jews who had previously kept their religious identities secret came out of the woodwork. In addition many wealthy Jews of Polish background began investing in Poland, and came for periods of a week or a month while they inspected construction sites and properties they wanted to buy. Some of the investors were religious and brought with them instant soups and cans of tuna. This is no longer necessary. They can eat in Chabad restaurants in Warsaw and Krakow and they can have kosher food delivered to their hotels.
Poland is today one of Israel’s greatest friends in Europe, but there are still many time-worn negative perceptions that will not go away. Polish Ambassador
will speak
Jacek Chodorowicz
on “Legacies of the Past, Challenges of the Present: Poland, Jews and the State of Israel” at Tel Aviv University’s Ambassador’s Forum on Wednesday. The event will take place in the Naftali Building at 5 p.m.
Chodorowicz interrupted his preparations for the government to government talks between Israel and Poland that will take place on November 22 to host a reception for Polish Armed Forces Day. Next week he has his lecture at the Ambassador’s Forum and after that and the G2G he is off to China for a change of pace.