[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 77 (Tuesday, June 4, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E781]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING RABBI ZVI DERSHOWITZ

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BRAD SHERMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 4, 2013

  Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Rabbi Zvi 
Dershowitz of Los Angeles, on the occasion of his 85th birthday. On 
this happy occasion, it is a privilege for me to honor Rabbi 
Dershowitz, who I came to know through his leadership in the Los 
Angeles Jewish community and whose life-long contributions have made 
their mark in so many areas--Jewish youth and adult education, the 
struggle to free Soviet Jewry, advocacy on behalf of Iranian Jewish 
immigrants fleeing Iran, and more. Through his years as teacher, camp 
director, rabbi, counselor, and human rights advocate, he has touched 
many thousands of lives.
   Perhaps it was his own experience as a refugee that influenced so 
much of the work Rabbi Dershowitz would later engage in on behalf of 
those fleeing oppression. When Zvi, whose Czech name was Hugo, was 10 
years old, Germany invaded Czechoslovakia. Young Zvi's grandfather 
Sholem gathered the family and said, ``Hitler is different. You have to 
leave.'' The family left the country on the last day of 1938, thirty-
three days before Hitler's forces marched into the industrial city of 
Brno, the city where he was born and enjoyed his childhood. On February 
2nd, 1939, with his parents Aaron and Ruth and sister Lili, the family 
moved to Williamsburg, a neighborhood in the Brooklyn borough of New 
York City. There he grew up, learning English, studying, and playing 
kickball.
   Zvi spent his spare time working to support the nascent State of 
Israel. In 1949, he spent a year of leadership training, working and 
studying in Jerusalem. Zvi helped refugees from Yemen and elsewhere 
settle into the newly independent State of Israel.
   Inspired by his parents' love for Israel and Judaism, Zvi came back 
to Brooklyn and attended Mesivta Torah Vodaath and received his 
rabbinical ordination in 1953.
   Rabbi Dershowitz is married to Tova. He met his bride of nearly 60 
years recruiting for staff for Camp Soleil in Ithaca, New York. 
Guitelle Tova Russekoff, originally from Scranton, Pennsylvania, was a 
student at Jewish Theological Seminary Teacher's Institute at the time 
they met. They married and settled in Morristown, New Jersey.
   Rabbi Dershowitz held several pulpits, at Congregation Beth Shalom 
in Kansas City and Temple of Aaron in St. Paul, Minnesota. During that 
period, Rabbi Dershowitz was recruited to become director of Herzl Camp 
in Wisconsin. One of his campers was Bobby Zimmerman, who later changed 
his name to Bob Dylan. Rabbi Dershowitz laughs when he recalls telling 
the teenage Bobby to ``stop banging on the piano.'' Years later, Dylan 
would become a guest at Rabbi and Tova Dershowitz's family Passover 
seder.
   At camp, Rabbi Dershowitz's philosophy was to focus on creating an 
atmosphere in which campers would feel the joy of Judaism. The number 
of campers at Herzl Camp doubled during his tenure. In 1961, he 
accepted an appointment from renowned educator Shlomo Bardin to direct 
the Brandeis-Bardin Institute in Simi Valley.
   Once in California, Rabbi Dershowitz pursued his love of Jewish 
education particularly with young people, at Camp Ramah in Ojai, where 
he served as director from 1963 to 1973. During that period, he was 
invited to build the adult education program at Sinai Temple in Los 
Angeles, one of the most well known synagogues in the country. He 
eventually became Associate Rabbi at Sinai Temple, a post he held for 
some three decades and where he now serves as Rabbi Emeritus. Rabbi 
Dershowitz's tenure there witnessed much growth and vibrancy, but also 
leadership transitions. Throughout these challenging years for the 
synagogue, Rabbi Dershowitz was the glue that held the congregation 
together and he saw it through many achievements.
   Rabbi Dershowitz has contributed to Jewish communal life in diverse 
ways, including serving often neglected populations. For several years 
he led services, singing and discussions with Alzheimer patients at an 
old age home, bringing joy and meaning to a special population. To this 
this day, Rabbi Dershowitz conducts religious services at a home for 
the elderly while maintaining a hectic schedule, which includes 
teaching weekly classes at the University of Judaism, now American 
Jewish University.
   Rabbi Dershowitz and Tova have traveled to many places around the 
world. At each place, they would meet with the Jewish community, become 
enriched by their experiences and seek to do whatever they could to be 
helpful. One visit to the former Soviet Union was different from their 
other travels, however. It was on this trip that they were able to take 
in a large load of books that would help Jews in Russia learn Hebrew, 
something that at the time was not permitted. Rabbi Dershowitz's 
advocacy in support of Soviet Jews continued for many years thereafter.
   During his time at Sinai Temple, the synagogue witnessed an influx 
of Jews fleeing the Iranian Revolution. Many Jews had difficulty 
getting out of Iran but Rabbi Dershowitz worked with Congress and the 
Executive Branch and helped secure visas for countless Jews who today 
make up a significant and wonderful part of the synagogue. For the work 
he did to help them enter this country and for the work he continued to 
do to help integrate them into the Los Angeles community, he has become 
well-known and well-loved among the Persian Jewish community.
   Rabbi Dershowitz remains highly engaged with Sinai's membership, 
officiating at the lifecycle events of many of its members.
   While his professional work is rich and rewarding, his wife, 
children, grandchildren and great grandchild remain the top priority 
for Rabbi Dershowitz--and he and Tova consider them to be their 
greatest achievements.
   It is a privilege to pay tribute to Rabbi Dershowitz, who has been 
an inspiration to so many in his community and around the country.

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