Bottom L to R: Mona Amilani, Frada Roseff, Marilyn Kassenoff, Historical Society Co-Chair Lenore Turteltaub and Eta Estomin.  Top L to R:  Debbie Troy-Stewart, Reuben Silverman, Maurice Kassenoff, and Historical Society Co-Chair Richard Turteltaub

                                                                                                                            The Jewish Historical Society of Ocean County is celebrating Israel’s 60th birthday in a unique way. On Sept. 21, the society is hosting eight panelists from the Ocean County area, all of which had a part in the founding of the State of Israel.
“All the speakers are related to Ocean County; it’s strictly local people,” said Historical Society chairman Richard Turtletaub. “Either they (the speaker) or their parents were involved in the founding of Israel.”
The speakers are almost all people who lived in Israel at the time of the founding.
“A number of speakers will talk about the exodus from Europe to Israel,” Turtletaub said. “There’s going to be some discussion of gun running from the U.S. into Israel at the time of the independence. The emphasis will be on the people who came out of Europe. One of the speakers was involved in helping the refugees out of Europe by bribing border guards to let them through.”
One such person involved in the founding of Israel is Manchester resident Henry Shery. Shery arrived to Israel on the first Aliyah, called Aliyah Alef, from Europe in 1946. He was immediately put on kibbutz Ramat Yochanan, where he worked half of the day, learned half of the day, and trained to defend the kibbutz in case of an attack at night. In 1948, the Ottoman Empire attacked the Kibbutz, kicking the training into action.
“I was part of the Hagana, the fighting force that fought for the state during its creation in 1948,” Shery said. “After the fighting, I brought new olim (immigrants) to the state from the Displaced Persons camps in Europe.”
“These are fascinating stories with people who are related through Ocean County have to tell,” Turtletaub said. “This program is to commemorate, reminisce about, and relive the founding of the state of Israel 60 years ago. As a Jewish historical society, we should do something to tie I the residents of Ocean County and the State of Israel.”
“And if you want to hear more,” Shery said, “you have to come!”
The program is taking place at Lakewood’s Municipal Building, 231 Third St. It goes from 2-4 p.m. Refreshments will be served. Admission is free and all are welcome to hear these fascinating stories.