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the torah over berchtesgaden In the following account, Chaplain Oscar M. Lifshutz describes a Torah Convocation held in Berchtesgaden for Jewish servicemen stationed in Europe. The Com mission on Jewish Chaplaincy of the National Jewish Welfare Board (JWB) encourages Jewish chaplains to organize Torah Convocations as occasions for pro viding instruction in Judaism. The JWB Commission, which recruits, endorses ecclesiastically and serves Jewish chaplains, provides materials and guides for use in setting up Torah Convocations. The Commis sion is composed of representatives of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, Rabbinical Assembly of America and Rabbinical Council of America. — THE EDITOR By CHAPLAIN OSCAR M. LIFSHUTZ BERCHTESGADEN, Germany The Torah Convocation is over and the* men are beginning to leave. From all parts of Europe they came to participate. I welcomed over 400 Jewish servicemen and their wives and found myself living m a garden spot of Jewish activity Every thing was Jewish the chapel, the men. the meals and now it is all fading away like a dream. In the morning it was a thrill to watch them trotting to the chapel to get there on time. I remember the little group that remained outside one morning and when I asked them. “Fellows, why don’t you come in?” one of the men answered for the embarrassed group, "We forgot to bring our skull caps with us." Improvisa tion is a great thing, and in practically no time at all yarmelkes were "manufactur ed” on the spot. Not exactly aesthetic but they solved the problem. Thanks to the National Jewish Welfare Board, there were talisim for the men as well as prayer books and Bibles. The little "JWB mezuzahs" were “gobbled" up by them. Our little Torah was also furnished b> the JWB. The men rushed eagerly for ward to kiss it when it was brought into the chapel. The meals were a delight all in them selves. My wife Miriam had arrived earl ier to arrange the kosher menus A com plete kitchen of new dishes and utensils was furnished by the Army and the kosher meat was u n d e r my personal “hashgacha" (supervision). Instead of the usual Army chow, the men were eating Hungarian goulash “like Mother makes." rolled cabbage - the sweet and sour kind - potato latkes and a lot of other things that can be found only on a Borsht Belt menu. Remember—this was Berchtesgad en, Germany, and not the Catskills, U S A A kosher snack bar served hambui. ers during the “meat hours,” during the “mil- chig hours” it served everything from kosher pizza to pickled herring in sour cream. Our Oneg Shabbat has the local yokels peering through the fence watching our men dancing boras where Goering and his Nazi comrades once stood Overhead on top of the mountain was the infamous Eagle’s Nest looking down. Here was the Jewish soldier dancing and praising G-d. observing the Sabbath and living once more in an area where destruction had been plotted and planned. Far into the night the men sang. It was a pleasure to watch their brightened faces as they felt a kinship with one another. They were home far away from home - but at home! At the Sabbath service. Chaplain Harry Schreiner from Orleans. France, eloquent ly described our duty to the martyrs of European persecution. The men won't forget his message. The next morning when I conducted the Sabbath morning service I found the chapel too small for the congregation. Even those who stood 18 outside took pride in attending a Jewish service with Standing Room Only. There was William M a n d 1 of Long Beach. California, and Dave Citron front Brooklyn, who flew in from Tripoli. They and two others represented the approxi mately eight men stationed at the Willis Air Base in North Africa There was Saul Karen of Baltimore who came in from Bauntholder and Gerald Cohen, also of Baltimore, currently stationed in Frank furt: Jerry and Judy Spitz from New York City, together with Joseph Itzco- vit and Sol Dresdner. both of Brooklyn, and Pvt. Leonard E \ is were among our large Munich family attending. From Salz burg we had Gloria and Bert Zweibon. an attorney in Manhattan. Arnold Skopp and Irvin Rubin of Brooklyn were there also. From Bad Kreuznach we had Arnold Alexander, who makes his home in New bury. Mass. Our Leghorn. Italy, contin gent included Alan Brand. Leon Marcus. Sydney Brown. William Roth and several others. This list could be extended but this is not a roll call. The manager of the hotel section in Berchtesgaden said to me, "Never have I seen a more wonderful bunch of men. Where do they get all the enthusiasm 0 ’ I smiled for in my heart I knew that they were not only soldiers in uniform but soldiers of G-d as well. Yes. the Torah Convocation is over here in Berchtesgaden but the Torah will live in the units and installations to which the men have re turned. They have been refreshed from the Tree of Knowledge and will find re newed strength and vigor to serve G- and country. The Southern Israe