Jewish Heritage

By DONNA SILBERBERG

To the strains of klezmer music, more than 500 members and guests came to the union May 31 to be part of DC 37’s Seventh Annual Jewish Heritage Celebration.

At tables festooned with blue and white balloons, there was more than enough traditional food — including kasha, stuffed derma, corned beef and other kosher delicacies — to feed everyone.

Gerda Kreisel, a retired member of Local 436, brought her brother, Henry, who noted that “there’s always been a close relationship between Jewish heritage and the labor movement. Samuel Gompers, the first president of the American Federation of Labor, was Jewish. The right to strike is in the Talmud [Jewish laws] — and that’s almost 2,000 years ago!”

“My father was a survivor of the concentration camps,” said Ira Elias, a tax auditor with Local 1407, “so this occasion is important to me. I’m here to hear the sounds and music and pay tribute to my heritage. But I think it’s appropriate for DC 37 to recognize all cultures. We’re a melting pot. It’s nice.”

Ahmed Shakin, Secretary of Local 375, has been to all the Jewish Heritage celebrations. “I’m a Muslim,” he said, “and Jewish heritage is part of my religion. We also eat kosher. We believe in Moses. He is our prophet. I come every year because I enjoy learning about different cultures. We can live more peacefully the more we all know about each other.”

Deputy Administrator Zachary Ramsey welcomed the participants and said, “We in the American labor movement know better than most the significant part our Jewish sisters and brothers have played in improving the lives of working men and women in this country.”

The sound of the Golden Land Klezmer Trio took the audience to New York’s Lower East Side in the early 20th century, and they returned to 2001 with modern marimba soloist Jeremy Levine, the son of SSEU Local 371 Delegate Jack Levine.

“Jeremy is a fine example of the kind of young people we are working to get involved with the Jewish Heritage Committee,” said Vice Chair Linda Feldman.

Rabbi Alvin Kass, a city Chaplain and member of Local 299, delivered the invocation, and Committee Chair Larry Glickson of Local 371 was once again the master of ceremonies.

Rabbi J. Rolando Matalon of Congregation B’nai Jeshurun on Manhattan’s Upper West Side gave a keynote address on the importance of joining together for social justice.

“To work alongside with God to make this world a better place, this is the Jewish tradition. To make sure there is decent work for everyone at decent wages, this is the Jewish tradition,” he said. He also reminded guests, “Your union is so much stronger because of your diversity.”

David Napell, who chairs Mazon, the organization known as “the Jewish response to hunger,” thanked the committee for its donation.

The program ended in laughter, thanks to Lou Weiser, president of the Council of Jewish Civil Service Organizations, and “borscht belt” style comedian Mickey Marvin.