The New Zealand Jewish Community and WWII
Rabbi Astor with American Jewish Soldiers, outside the hospital. Image © Jewish Museum NZ Charitable Trust
by Dr Sheree Trotter
With the outbreak of World War Two, Jewish New Zealanders joined fellow citizens in contributing to the war effort by enlisting for service abroad or getting involved in local efforts to support those who had gone to war. While the Jewish community shared the general concern to fight the threat a Nazi-led Germany posed for the free world, they carried the added burden of worry for fellow Jews targeted by Hitler’s antisemitic regime. Community leaders and members had throughout the 1930s been deeply involved in advocating for Jewish refugees to be allowed entry into the country. They faced a herculean task in getting each refugee across the line, in the face of numerous bureaucratic hurdles and a general political reluctance towards their entry. In addition to the concern for the plight of Jews in Europe, the majority of the local Jewish community was also committed to the development of a Jewish homeland in then Palestine. While a British Mandate over the territory established at the end of WW1 evoked enormous optimism, by 1939 with the issuing of another British ‘White Paper’ seeking to limit Jewish immigration to the land, Jewish resolve was severely tested. While these were the larger issues with which the community had to grapple, a snapshot of Jewish involvement shows a community eager to fulfil their obligations and contribute to the war effort in meaningful ways.
Image © Jewish Museum NZ Charitable Trust
Jewish involvement in the War - from the archives
The community proudly supported their young men and a few women who served overseas. They would also find themselves in a position to care for the needs of Jewish soldiers stationed in New Zealand following the outbreak of war in the Pacific.
The community’s pride in the contribution of their young men is evident in this excerpt from The Auckland Judean, a monthly bulletin, edited by Rebecca Astor, the wife of Rabbi Alexander Astor.
It is good to know that our Jewish boys, many of them, are with the triumphant Anzac forces in North Africa. We share with Australia the thrill of pride and thankfulness that so much has already been achieved there with comparatively small loss of men in our forces. If this is indeed the turn of the tide and the beginning of the end of the tyranny and beastliness of the Axis powers, we are proud that Palestine, so near the scene of the conflict is playing its part with distinction.
( The Judean Bulletin, June July 1943, Vol 3 no.25.)
The war was not exclusively a male domain. The women’s contribution was significant and notable in a period when women’s activities centred to a large degree on the home. A few women went to the front line, such as Sister May Shenkin who was part of the NZ Army Nursing Service. Women also chose to participate in women’s associations where they proved highly effective in organising and leading projects. In 1942, the Jewish Women’s Council and Women’s International Zionist Organisation WIZO, succeeded in gaining recognition for the Auxiliary Territorial Service Palestine, ATS being a women’s branch of the British Army. NZ WIZO, established in 1920, enthusiastically supported the formation of the ATS in Palestine and voted to raise £500 pounds for an ambulance to be used by the service in co-operation with the British Army, in Palestine and the Middle East. Over the coming months NZ WIZO exceeded their fundraising targets for the ambulance, and other Jewish women’s groups, such as The Union of Jewish Women in NZ, also supported the ambulance appeal.
Sergeant Edward (Eddie) L Barnett
On the 15 April 1943, a fleet of twelve brand new ambulances were formally presented by the Hon Mrs Edwin Samuel in the name of the donating federations. They were lined up on a parade ground in Jerusalem, each inscribed with the name of the Federation which had donated it; from Canada (7), South Africa (1), Australia (2), New Zealand(1), Great Britain (1). Notably, New Zealand’s contribution was equal to that of much larger Jewish populations. The Jewish women of Palestine provided the “woman power" to drive the ambulances.
The Judean Bulletin, edited by Rebecca Astor, kept the community up-to-date with news from soldiers serving overseas, in a section called ‘Among the Servicemen’, snippets of correspondence were shared; news of those leaving or returning, wounded, missing or convalescing and the sadness of those who lost their lives.
The community also joined in celebrating the heroism of their “Jewish boys”. One such example was that of Sergeant Edward (Eddie) L Barnett who was awarded a medal of bravery. The following account was reported in The Judean Bulletin:
At Mityiria Ridge on the night of October 23-24, Sgt. Barnett was in charge of a section attached to the 6th New Zealand Brigade which laid and maintained a light line forward of defended localities and under heavy fire. During the night, Sgt. Barnett constantly patrolled the line, and his coolness and personal disregard for danger did much to steady his men and inspire confidence. During the battle Barnett laid a further light line from the forward area to an advanced dressing station. This line came under enemy mortar fire and was bombed repeatedly. Sgt. Barnett showed courage and determination in maintaining the line throughout the night.
( ‘War Service’, The Judean Bulletin, Vol 2. No.22, March 1943, P.86 )
The impact of the “American Invasion”
While the community followed closely the plight of their sons, brothers and husbands overseas, an influx of American soldiers to New Zealand between 1942 and 1944 provided an interesting diversion and in some ways, filled a gap keenly felt in many homes. It also extended the rabbis in Auckland and Wellington who went to enormous lengths to meet the spiritual needs of the Jewish soldiers stationed in camps in or near those cities.
Auckland’s Rabbi Alexander Astor gave himself fully to the task of caring for the Jewish soldiers. A report in the Auckland Judean, 1942 noted:
The Rev Astor, as Jewish Chaplain to the Forces, has given much attention during the past few weeks to the spiritual welfare of Jewish servicemen in the Auckland district. Apart from many personal interviews and visits to military hospitals, special services have been arranged in the camps. At one service held in the YMCA hut, about 70 Jewish soldiers attended. They joined in the reciting of the “Shema” and the singing of traditional hymns. Rev Astor in his address welcomed the men, and conveyed to them the cordial greetings of the Jewish people of NZ.
Arrangements have also been made for Jewish servicemen attending the Synagogue on Friday evenings and Sabbath morning to be given home hospitality. The response of the community to the recent appeal for help in this respect and for the general entertainment of Jewish troops has been very gratifying.
( The Auckland Judean, Monthly Bulletin No.19, 1942, )
In 1943 Rabbi Astor was still fully engaged in meeting the needs of these visitors:
Rev Astor acting as a voluntary Chaplain is still visiting regularly all sick and wounded American Jewish men in hospital. Chaplain Astor is also conducting services periodically in some of the larger camps and has made arrangement for home hospitality and Jewish contacts for a large number of these men The numerous letters of appreciation which have been received from men who have returned to duty or to their home in the US is evidence of the great value of this work.
( The Judean Bulletin, June July 1943, Vol 3. No. 25. )
Rabbi Astor would later write that his wartime service to Jewish soldiers was the most satisfying aspect of his career. He received many letters of gratitude from American soldiers, attesting to the impact he and his wife had on these Jewish men away from home.
A compilation of thoughts from these American soldiers was published in the 1943 Judean Bulletin. These reflect the enormous impact the experience in New Zealand had on these men.
Arrival in Auckland marks for us a return to organised religion. Most of us are quite amazed to find any Jewish community at all. The Synagogue too surprises us, especially when we discover that the congregation is older than many of our own…Here in Auckland a fuller meaning is given to our isolated experiences. We attend services at the Synagogue. We are entertained at so many NZ homes. We especially enjoy the Sunday night dances at the Communal Rooms and of course the many dates that follow. Six thousand miles from home, we find ourselves absorbed in a community life almost identical with that in which we were raised. It is now that we become aware that to all Jews there is a rich and common heritage that is limited neither to any time nor to any place.
Wellington’s spiritual leader from 1931 to 1944, Rabbi Solomon Katz (and grandfather of the late Roger Moses, founding Trustee of Jewish Lives NZ) also left a deep impression on the American Marines stationed in New Zealand during World War II. He was the official chaplain to American marines, as the representative of the National Jewish Welfare Board of America. He also received many letters from soldiers and their families, expressing gratitude for his kind hospitality.
The ‘Wellington News’ section of the 1943 Judean Bulletin described impact of the American servicemen on the local community.
The Wellington Synagogue was crowded to overflowing at the Service First Day Passover, when Jewish USA servicemen were very much in evidence among the local worshippers.
At the conclusion of the Rabbi’s address, in which he made reference to the servicemen, he blessed the servicemen with the Priestly Benediction. The solemnity and the impressiveness of this scene, and the eloquent words of the Rabbi’s sermons left a deep impression upon the congregation and will long be remembered by the community.
Jewish homes were found which extended hospitality to nearly 150 Jewish USA servicemen for the first days Passover. Rabbi Katz secured the necessary leave for the boys for this period. He visited the various camps with Mr Goldsmith, contacted the Jewish servicemen and made all arrangements, assigning each one to his appointed home for the passover period. The scheme involved much work, energy and time, but its unqualified success and the expressed appreciation of the boys compensated fully for all the trouble taken by the committee over the arrangements. The boys were full of gratitude and the members of the community thoroughly enjoyed the company of our boys from overseas.
When Rabbi Katz sadly passed away in 1944, members of the Second Marine Division organised a plaque “in grateful tribute to the memory of Rabbi Solomon Katz.” Rabbi Silverman of Cleveland Ohio, wrote a moving letter which accompanied the plaque:
Chaplain A Astor presenting a marble memorial plaque to Mr B Van Staveren, President of the Wellington Hebrew C. On left is MR J.I. Goldsmith, Treasurer of the Congregation. Image © Jewish Museum NZ Charitable Trust
One day I arrived at the chapel at Kamuela (Hawaii) to find most of them down at heart and saddened by something I could not suspect until one of them showed me clippings from a Wellington paper telling of the death of Rabbi Katz. Their sorrow at this news was universal and profound, and I was stirred by the fact that these young men, hardened by battle, could so readily display the bereavement they personally felt. And so, without preparation, the service that afternoon became a memorial service, for they, as one, wanted to rise and recite the Kaddish in respect to his memory. Without my realizing it, there was no stir or commotion during the service, a large number of men attending it managed somehow to raise out of their pockets a sum amounting to 75 dollars—a considerable sum for a group of GIs unprepared for this spontaneous collection. Following the service, the men requested that the money be used to provide a memorial from them at the Wellington synagogue in Rabbi Katz’s memory … I know that Rabbi Katz served his God with dedication and distinction, but there is no greater praise of him and respect for him in the hearts of those men whom he lovingly served.
Staff-seargent Samuel Shaffer of the United Stated Marine Corps base would also write:
Jewish Leathernecks stationed in NZ will never forget the Passover holiday in the hospitable land on the other side of the globe. These marines, thousand of miles from their homes in the state, found places laid out for them at Passover tables in the homes of the Jews “down under”. To the Jewish families who acted as their hosts the Passover will long be a memorable one too. The Yanks were filling the seats of sons and brother now fighting on distant battlefields.
Rabbi Katz visited the camps, taking the time to speak at length with every Jewish marine about his problems, his hopes and the loved ones he left behind him. The morning after the first night of the Passover the Synagogue was jammed with marines. Individually they were invited to the altar, where the Cantor read to them portions of the Torah - the laws of Judaism, the very heart of the faith and strength of an ancient yet vital culture.
Rabbi Katz and Rabbi Astor rose to the occasion to look after these young Jewish men far away from home and so too did the local community. While their sons were fighting battles on foreign soil, those at home played their part by supporting the war effort overseas and caring for those who came to these shores. For the period of the war, the concerns for fellow Jews in Europe and Palestine continued, as a survey of The Judean Bulletin attests.
In the ensuing years, the larger questions that arose from the war; the impact of the Holocaust and the move towards establishing a Jewish state would continue to occupy the minds of the leaders and members of the community in New Zealand. However, for the period of the war, those questions, though not forgotten, had through necessity been put on the back burner, as the community rallied to attend to the most pressing needs.