August 18, 1944
Dr. Ade,
Education Section,
War Relocation Authority,
Bark Bldg.,
Washington, D. C.
Dear Dr. Ade:
We are writing to you at the recommendation of Mr. Harold James, Acting Director of the Emergency Refugee Shelter at Oswego, N.Y.
The Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch, Inc. ( - Hebrew, meaning Central Organisation for Jewish Education) is an organisation of national repute, devoted to all phases of Jewish education, and especially to girls’ education. We have established and are maintaining many schools for girls, of which some are regular Parochial schools, and the others afternoon classes for girls attending Public and High schools.
On Wednesday last, August 16th, our representatives visited Mr. James at Oswego, and conferred with him concerning the possibility of our opening a school or schools for the girls at the Shelter. We have also discussed the matter with Mr. Smart and members of the Advisory Councils of the refugees.
The preliminary discussions proved very satisfactory, and at the suggestion of Mr. James we are writing to you to ask you for an early appointment, so that we might meet with you and discuss the matter in detail.
As time is of the essence, we would be greatly obliged to you if you would kindly grant us an early opportunity to meet with you.
Very truly yours,
Rabbi Mendel Schneerson,
Chairman, Executive Committee
RMS:AZ
Notes and sources
The Fort Ontario Emergency Refugee Shelter, also known as "Safe Haven", located in Oswego, New York was the first and only refugee center established in the United States during World War II. The Shelter was established on June 12, 1944, by order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and was operated by the War Relocation Authority. In August 1944, the shelter received 982 predominantly Jewish refugees, many of them liberated from Nazi camps.
Immediately upon their arrival, the Frierdiker Rebbe and the Rebbe began to look for ways to assist the refugees. Rabbi Yehuda Leib Pozner recounts that while in Buffalo he received a late-night phone call from Rabbi Hodakov informing him that 1000 refugees had just arrived in Oswego, and requested that he travel there to assess the situation (he met with R’ Moshe Tzechoval).*
On the 22nd of Av, the Frierdiker Rebbe wrote several letters to the Refugees as well as the administrators of the camp. A few days later, on the 27th of Av, a Chabad delegation was sent to Oswego and met with several people including Mr. Harold James - the camp administrator as well as Rabbi Tzechoval.
Below are two letters written by the Rebbe as a follow-up to the visit.
* Rabbi Moshe Tchechoval, was very close to Chabad and considered himself a Chabad Chossid of sorts. He began corresponding with the Rebbe Rayatz and the Rebbe about the situation in the Camp.
Source: Secretarial Carbon Copy
Published: Rebbe Responsa Exclusive
Aid For Refugees (2)