Well I remember going down to meet Rabbi Wise in a synagogue. I had never
been in a synagogue before. I didn't know quite what a synagogue was. And I put
on that little hat and all the stuff and went down there. I don't know what the
occasion was.
And it wasn't a very big occasion. It was just kind of a private occasion.
Because then he took me aside and he said, "Now, young man. I knew your father
and I was a very good friend of your fathers" --which I knew was true--and he
says, "Now you are getting confused, you are being mixed up with the wrong type
of people. Let me tell you and steer you clear when you come on the Jewish
problem or you want to meet the right people, the responsible people. And we
can support you, we can do a good job for you in politics or in anything
else."
And he put the heat on me very, very heavy but very, very suave, very
indirect. He was quite the diplomat. He said I was killing myself with the
Jewish community. But I didn't care because after all I was going to be not
re-elected to Congress. I was going off to the Army. And I knew that I was
right. I knew that these people had to be saved and we, the rescue committee,
was a good committee.
He really didn't influence me very much although he tried very hard. He
just didn't know that I was unreachable on this particular issue.
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