[Jewish refugees singing in front of a portrait of Theodor Herzl, probably the offices of the U.S. Army Jewish chaplain, Rabbi Mayer Abramowitz, American sector of Berlin]
Rabbi Mayer Abramowitz provided services to more than 100,000 Jewish Displaced Persons (DPs) living in the American sector of Berlin in 1947, when Vishniac took this photograph. Many Jewish DPs hoped to immigrate to Palestine, which would soon become the independent State of Israel, and Hebrew classes were common in the camps, as well as lessons in Hebrew songs (shown here), literature, and theater. Abramowitz established a large school at the Schlachtensee Displaced Persons camp and held a weekly teacher’s seminar for Jewish instructors. After returning to the U.S., Abramowitz became the rabbi of Temple Menorah in Miami Beach, where he is currently Rabbi Emeritus.
For all uses of photographs by Roman Vishniac contact ICP at: vishniac_archive@icp.org.
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