Page 3 - PGA Community News - March '24

March 2024 March 2024 PGA C.A.N.!, Page 3
From The Editor: Coincidence? …

Perah, along with her two they agreed to hide Perah and the children for a few hours. New York in 1905. Nancy extolled the Postmaster in Kiev
young children ages 4 and 6 Shortly before midnight they began a journey out of the who saved Lou’s grandmother, mother, uncle and aunt. As
on either side of her, entered city and traveled west. It was the last time Perah and the Nancy continued the story she noticed a tear form in Arthur
the Post Office in Russia children would see their hometown of Kiev. They left all Gunter’s eye. After a moment he said, “That Postmaster was
on the cool October day their possessions behind. my grandfather!! He told us that story also.” Eighty years
unaware of the life changing For three weeks, Perah, with her two children and unborn after the life shattering day in Kiev, Russia, Perah and the
experience that was about to child, traveled further west in the “underground” network Postmaster’s grandchildren met in Daytona Beach, Florida!!!
take place. It was Oct. 18, through Europe sleeping uneasily with the fear of being At a distance of 5,500 miles from the City of Kiev, Lou and
1905 and Perah visited the discovered. They were the lucky ones. Thousands of Jews Arthur recounted their grandparents’ stories of the tragedy
Post Office to check to see if were killed and their properties burned that year at the hands that befell them and the extraordinary act of bravery and
a letter had arrived from her of crazed mobs whose hatred was focused on the factories, humanity of the Russian Christians who saved their Jewish
husband in the United States shops and homes of the Jewish citizens in Russia. brothers and sisters.
with money he had earned and sent to her. He had moved Through the kindness of strangers, Perah and her children Some people view life’s experiences as coincidence.
there for work and was saving for the day when Perah and arrived in London and then boarded a ship to New York to Others call it fate. I believe people come into our lives for
the children would join him. Actually, Perah was pregnant begin their new life with their husband and father. They a reason and our lives are intertwined at present and in the
so there would be another mouth to feed in a few months. traveled in the bottom of the ship and Perah was violently hereafter. There are aspects of our lives that we can control.
Shortly after Perah entered the Post Office, the Postmaster ill throughout the trip. Max traveled from Kentucky to New We possess many freedoms in this great country. We control
noticed through the window crowds of people were running York to meet his wife, Perah, and his children when they our thoughts and actions and our government provides the
in a frantic state and buildings were on fire in the distance. He arrived. The immigration officials changed their names framework in which our freedoms can be expressed.
saw some of his Jewish customers being engulfed by groups because they couldn’t understand the foreign names. 105 years ago fringe elements of Russian society sparked
of men and the violence that ensued. He quickly ushered Within two months Perah now “Pearl” gave birth to a baby fear and hatred against a group of people they considered an
Perah and her two children to a second floor office that was girl. Every morning and night, Perah/Pearl included the enemy of their way of life. It happened again in the 1930’s in
not visible from the lobby and warned them to remain quiet. Postmaster in her prayers and asked the Lord to keep him and Germany. Let us make certain that it does not happen in the
Suddenly four men pushed open the main door to the Post his family safe. She knew she would never see him again to United States with the recent incidents of anti-Semitism. Our
Office with weapons in their hands and asked him if there express her gratitude in person for saving her family – while technology has advanced our society beyond what many of
were any Jews in the building. He quickly uttered, “No,” risking his life and the lives of his family and friends. us could have imagined just 30 years ago. News is available
while making the sign of the cross as the men brandished On a late summer day in 1985 Nancy Goldman and her 24 hours a day on television and the Internet. Facts are often
guns in his direction and admonished him to tell the truth or husband, Lou, were home in Daytona Beach when Nancy replaced with interpretation and misinformation by talk show
he would regret it. Once again, he responded, “No, did you received a phone call from her widowed friend, Thea, hosts and public figures that disseminate hateful speech along
see any Jews enter this building on your way here?” They in Atlanta advising Nancy that she would be marrying with video to millions of people in the space of few seconds
left while shouting their threats to his safety if he did not a neighbor, Arthur Gunter, a widower, whom she had around the globe – now via Twitter and Facebook. Emotions
participate in the Pogrom and kill the Jews and socialists. known for years. Nancy commented that Gunter was her can reach a fever pitch in a short period of time based on
He immediately locked the entry door to the Post Office, family name and joked “What a small world. We might conjecture, untruths or distorted facts and cloud judgment
placed the closed sign in window and lowered the shades to be related.” They made plans at a later date to meet in in response to perceived threats of a group of people.
avoid any further confrontations with the angry mobs. Daytona Beach. Nancy had not seen Thea for some time Let us each strive to be an extraordinary citizen like the
He opened the door to the office and could hear Perah and they were anxious to catch up on their lives and hear Postmaster of Kiev in 1905 whose instinct, love of humanity
praying with the children. He prayed that Jesus would help all about Arthur Gunter. When they met, the four of them and sense of reason allowed him to counter the hatred
him save this family. He did not want to alarm them so he exchanged pleasantries and spoke about their careers and and emotions of the reactionaries in society. Was Lou and
re-assured them that he would protect them. They shared their children. Nancy began to inquire about Arthur’s parents Arthur’s meeting a coincidence?
some food he kept in his office and waited until sundown. with the hope that they may share a common ancestor. They Until next month…
He opened the back door of the building to the outside realized they were not related. The conversation shifted James A. Cioffi, Editor
darkness and saw no one was in the street. They walked to to Lou’s family tree. Nancy related the story of Lou’s james@jcclaw.com
a nearby apartment building where his friend resided and grandmother, Perah/Pearl, and her journey from Kiev to

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