At least 40,000 Allisd Jewish troops in Italy – including the Jewish Brigade of the British Eighth Army – celebrated Passover yesterday at front-line services and at the American Army rest center here. Throughout the Mediterrancan area, commanding officers were instructed to allow Jewish soldiers time off and provide transportation to the nearest Passover services, if they could not be apared for any length of time, or to go to Rome if possible.
Special planes brought Jewish troops here from every sector of the Italian front to participate in the united Allied services. Bearded infantrymen, mud-spattered artillerymen, medical corpsmen and flyers filled the American rest center’s largest hall. The traditional “four questions” were asked by 18-year-old Pvt. Ray Fox, who is training for the infantry at a replacement depot. Captain Jacob Hochman, Jewish chaplain who conducted the services, replied in accordance with the ancient rituale.
On the Eighth Army’s front, which is now dormant under pouring rains, the Jewish Brigade held their Seder services in the front lines. They ate matzohs and drank wine from the colony of Rishon L’Zion in Palestine, whose wines are famous throughout the world.
This correspondent was aboard a special plane which carried 24 American front-line soldiers to Rome for Passover. Few had ever been in a plane before, but although the weather was rough and the transport pitched and tossed, the men were composed. They came from craek American division, such as the 34th, the 91st, 88th, and 85th, which have been fighting for a long time.
Troops of the U. S. 5th Army who could not get to Rome for services had their own at the unit’s rest camp. Here Chaplain Aaron Paperman officiated, with Liout. Gen. Lucian Truscott, 5th Army commander, as guest of honor. Chaplain Robert Katz, of Steubenville, Ohio, officiated at the 85th Division’s service; Chaplain Harold Goldfarb, of Cleveland at the 88th Division; Capt. Morris Shapiro, of Rochester, N. Y., at the 16th Evacuation Hospital; and First. Sgt. Harry Grossman of Chicago, at the 8th Evacuation Hospital.
Civilian refugees throughout Italy were not neglected. About 50,000 pounds of matzohs, as well as other supplies, were distributed to them.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
