‘Heartwarming’ response to appeal
LAST week, The AJN put out a call on behalf of Florida resident Sidney Goldman to find out more about Jewish Sydneysiders who entertained his US serviceman father Perry (pictured) for a week during World War II.
LAST week, The AJN put out a call on behalf of Florida resident Sidney Goldman to find out more about Jewish Sydneysiders who entertained his US serviceman father Perry (pictured) for a week during World War II.
No sooner had our paper hit the shelves, the replies started rolling into Goldman’s inbox. Six members of our community with ties to people mentioned in Perry’s diary have come forward so far to help complete the picture for his son.
Sidney described the timely responses as “a surprise and also heartwarming”.
“All the respondents seemed happy to be involved in this history as is reflected by the rapidity of their replies,” he told The AJN this week.
“I was gratified to receive these frank answers and reminded of the closeness of the Detroit Jewish community where I grew up and where my dad practised medicine.
“I remember how many of us welcomed a large influx of Russian Jewish immigrants during the ’70s.”
Respondents include the youngest daughter of Joe Goldberg and sister of Maxine Goldberg, both who feature in Perry Goldman’s diary. She has also confirmed that Joe Goldberg’s address of 10 Cross Street was in Mosman.
The grandson, niece and great-nephew of Maurice Chester all also replied, as did the daughter of Colman and Norma Goldstein.
“The new information will be incorporated into my final document,” Goldman said.
He plans to publish two versions of the diary, one with commentary based on the new information he has learnt and one in pure chronological order.
“My dad and his Jewish service mates found heaven in their furlough to Sydney after six months in the jungle. His diary reflects his gratitude to [Maurice Chester], Joe Goldberg and Monty Goldstein,” he added.
Goldman is still hoping to make contact with Maxine Goldberg, who at age 90 is now living in a war vets care facility on the Northern Beaches.
“That would be my best reward for this effort,” he said. “His [Perry’s] most poignant entry was when he danced with Maxine.”
He said his father seldom spoke to him about his war years in detail.
“Reading and transcribing the diary gave me new insights as to his character and reinforced my high opinion of him as a gentleman and solid human being,” he said.
“He always told me that he could avoid stress by disregarding situations over which he had no control. I think he was able to do that during the war and carried that trait as a positive character value on return to civilian life.”
GARETH NARUNSKY
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