Public Employee Press

Jewish Heritage
Fighting for the dignity of labor

The union's 17th annual Jewish Heritage Celebration recalled a rich history of fighting injustice and defending the dignity of labor.

Members, retirees and guests gathered June 2 at DC 37 headquarters to mark the Jewish community's key role in the growth of U.S. unions.

"Jewish people helped found the labor movement," said Jewish Heritage Committee Chair Dr. Leonard Davidman, the president of Psychologists Local 1189, in his welcoming talk. "Tonight is about celebrating our heritage and our future.

"Tonight we celebrate a rich Jewish culture that goes back many years in the movement," said DC 37 Secretary and Local 1070 President Clifford Koppelman, speaking on behalf of DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts.

Koppelman thanked the committee members for organizing the event, which was dedicated to former SSEU Local 371 President Charles Ensley, who died last year. The celebration featured comedian Freddie Roman, known as the "King of the One-Liners." Roman had the crowd in stitches with his jokes about being Jewish, elderly and married. The HaZamir North Jersey Jewish Teen Choir performed six songs.

Rabbi Alvin Kass, a Local 299 member and Sr. Chaplain at the New York Police Dept., gave the invocation.

A dedication to solidarity joins the Jewish people and the greater labor family, said Kass. "Jewish tradition, Jewish heritage and DC 37 come together," he said.

Solidarity is more important than ever today, Kass suggested, alluding to the vicious, concerted political and legislative attacks on public employees and their unions in states like Wisconsin. "I never thought I'd see the day where the right to collective bargaining would be challenged," he said.

Twelve days later, on June 14, many of the participants at the event joined tens of thousands of workers at DC 37's massive Fightback Rally outside City Hall.

— Gregory N. Heires
with reporting by Joseph Lopez