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A rabbi went down with his torpedoed warship in 1943. Today, his cousin ensures his story is not forgotten.
(JTA) — Mark Auerbach was not yet 5 years old when he noticed an unusual stamp in his father’s dresser. The well-worn three-cent stamp featured a drawing of a small group of men and a sinking ship, with the words “The Immortal Chaplains… Interfaith in action.” It piqued his interest, so he asked his father about it.
“Our cousin is on that,” Auerbach, who grew up in Brooklyn, recalls him saying, searching for an age-appropriate explanation. “He said he was a rabbi who died during World War II when his boat was torpedoed by the Germans. He made me promise to make sure that the story is never forgotten.”
It’s a promise that Auerbach, 75, who now lives in Passaic, New Jersey, has taken to heart. He’s made it his life’s mission to keep alive the story of the “Four Chaplains” — who included Auerbach’s third cousin, Rabbi Alexander D. Goode, along with Rev. George Fox, Rev. Clark Poling and Father John Washington. Eighty years ago today, they made the ultimate sacrifice when their ship, U.S.A.T. Dorchester, was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine in the North Atlantic in the pre-dawn hours.
Over the decades, Auerbach has amassed a trove of photos, clippings and memorabilia dedicated to the bravery and faith of these four clergymen — including preserving countless copies of that three-cent stamp, which was issued in May 1948. “It’s an amazing story,” said Auerbach of the chaplains’ heroism. “It just happens to be my family.”
The sinking of the Dorchester is considered one of the country’s worst World War II-era sea disasters: Of the 902 men on board, only 203 survived. As survivors and historians attest, the four clergy — all relatively new soldiers who had befriended one another at the Army Chaplains School at Harvard University — stood out for their calming presence throughout the pandemonium that occurred during the 18 minutes it took for the ship to go under. As the tragedy rapidly unfolded, survivors reported that the chaplains offered prayers, helped distribute lifejackets and, once those ran out, they selflessly gave up their own.
The three-cent stamp dedicated to the Four Chaplains was issued in 1948 and sparked Auerbach’s interest in the story. (Courtesy Mark Auerbach)
“The altruistic action of the four chaplains constitutes one of the purest spiritual and ethical acts a person can make,” reads materials from Four Chaplains Memorial Foundation, whose mission is “to promote Interfaith Cooperation and Selfless Service,” according to their web site. “When giving their life jackets, Rabbi Goode did not call out for a Jew; Father Washington did not call out for a Catholic; nor did the Reverends Fox and Poling call out for a Protestant. They simply gave their life jackets to the next man in line.”
But that’s not all they did. As the ship went down, survivors have said that they saw the four chaplains on deck, linked arm in arm together in prayer. “I could hear men crying, pleading, praying,” Private William B. Bednar, who was floating among the bodies of his shipmates in the freezing water, is quoted as saying in foundation reports. “I could also hear the chaplains preaching courage. Their voices were the only thing that kept me going.”
The four men became friends at chaplains school at Harvard. (Courtesy Mark Auerbach)
According to Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins, the author of “Rabbi Alexander Goode: The Story of the Rabbi and His Three Fellow Chaplains Who Went Down with the USAT Dorchester” in November 2022, the clergy were heard saying their respective prayers as the ship sank: Goode said the Shema; the Catholic priest the Ave Maria, while the two ministers said the Lord’s Prayer. (Exactly how survivors might have heard this is unclear, though Elkins confirmed that the Shema is the last thing a Jew is supposed to say before death.)
Goode was born in Brooklyn in 1911; his father, Hyman Goodekowitz, was also a rabbi. When his parents divorced, he moved to Washington, D.C. with his mother and siblings. Goode was a good student and excellent athlete, and “believed that it was God’s plan for him to pursue a religious calling,” Elkins said.
Goode graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 1934 and Hebrew Union College in 1937; in 1940, he got a PhD from Johns Hopkins University. “Education was very important to him,” said Auerbach. In 1935, he married Teresa Flax, who happened to be a niece of Al Jolson; the couple had a daughter, Rosalie, in 1939.
As a rabbi, his first assignment was at a synagogue in Marion, Indiana in 1936; in 1937, he transferred to Beth Israel in York, Pennsylvania, where he remained until he enlisted in July 1942. “He excelled in ecumenicalism — his congregation really praised him and loved him specifically for that,” Elkins said. “He had a wonderful reputation as a scholar, a beloved rabbi and ecumenical person.”
As Elkins writes in his book: “In his new community, Alex made great efforts to spread interfaith understanding. He presented a regular radio program on religious matters. When one of the local churches burned down, he offered to host the congregation’s religious services.”
“He was an extraordinary person, [in addition to] what he did on the Dorchester,” Elkins added.
According to an account from a Dorchester survivor, Petty Officer John J. Mahoney, courtesy the Four Chaplains Foundation, Goode acted selflessly at least one more time that awful morning: He thwarted Mahoney from a foolhardy attempt to return to his cabin for his gloves. Instead, Goode gave Mahoney his gloves, assuring him he had two pairs.
In retrospect, “Mahoney realized that Rabbi Goode was not conveniently carrying two pairs of gloves, and that the rabbi had decided not to leave the Dorchester.”
For a time in the postwar era, the story of the chaplains’ bravery was a popular one, including among children. (Courtesy Mark Auerbach)
During the postwar era, for a while, at least, the story of the Four Chaplains was a popular one. In addition to laudatory articles and the commemorative stamp — plus assorted memorabilia designed to draw the attention of children — memorials were constructed “in nearly every state,” according to Elkins; stained-glass tributes can be found at the Pentagon, the National Cathedral and elsewhere. In Philadelphia, President Harry Truman dedicated a memorial chapel to the Four Chaplains on Feb. 4, 1951. According to a JTA report at the time, some 10,000 “Americans of all faiths” raised $300,000 for the chapel’s construction and furnishings; at the ceremony, Goode’s father read Psalm 96 in Hebrew.
On Dec. 19, 1944, each of the chaplains was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Distinguished Service Cross. In 1998, the 55th anniversary of the Dorchester disaster, Feb. 3 was deemed Four Chaplains Day by Congress. And yet, as World War II fades into distant memory, few people today seem to be familiar with the heroism of these men.
“It’s such an important story, such an inspiring story, it needs to be better known,” said Elkins on the impetus for his book.
“This guy certainly was a great role model,” Elkins said of Goode in particular. “We need more Alexander Goode type of people for our youth to look up to, to say, ‘I can be honest, intellectual, committed to my faith and my people, the heritage of Judaism, and I can do honorable things.’”
On Sunday, as he does every year on the Sunday closest to Feb. 3, Auerbach and other chaplains’ family members will attend a memorial mass at St. Stephen’s Roman Catholic Church in Kearny, New Jersey, where he’ll also display his collection of photographs and memorabilia. “The story is so ecumenical that it crosses all kinds of barriers,” he said. “It’s the ‘Golden Rule’ in reality. Every clergy person worth their salt — whatever day their religious observance is, whether its Saturday or Sunday — every one of them is preaching be kind to your brother, your sister. Everyone talks about it, few know about it. This is something for people to grab onto.”
Elkins concurs. “These guys are role models for all of us,” he said. “It doesn’t mean you have to give up your life. There are all kinds of ways people can do great things.”
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German Lawmakers, Jewish Leaders Push for Mandatory Imam Certification Amid Rising Antisemitism
Ali Erbas, president of Diyanet, speaks at a press conference following an August 2025 gathering in Istanbul, where 150 Islamic scholars called for armed resistance and a boycott against Israel. Photo: Screenshot
German lawmakers and the country’s Jewish community are calling for a mandatory certification process for all imams amid a surging wave of antisemitism, including multiple cases of religious leaders promoting anti-Jewish violence.
“Mosques must not be places where hatred against Jews is spread. It is our responsibility to ensure that Jews in Germany can study, work, celebrate, and pray in safety,” Klaus Holetschek, a member of the Bavarian State Parliament in southern Germany, told the German newspaper Bild.
With more than five million Muslims in Germany, many turn to imams for spiritual guidance.
Most of these religious leaders are trained abroad — especially in Turkey — and brought to local mosques by large Muslim organizations on multi‑year contracts, shaping the religious education and messaging that reaches the community.
“We must ensure that imams are trained in Germany without the influence of Islamist associations, or that they complete an integration course before assuming their duties,” Holetschek said.
Amid Germany’s push to train more imams domestically and curb the import of foreign clergy, Holetschek emphasized that the effort is not an attack on Muslims, but “a key measure for effective prevention.”
“Many of the people who have reached out to us over the years come from countries where antisemitism is state-sponsored and children are taught to hate Israel in schools,” the German lawmaker said.
The Conference of European Rabbis (CER) has joined the new initiative, praising it as a vital step toward combating antisemitism and promoting safe, inclusive communities
“The impact of hate preachers and foreign-controlled extremist networks in Europe has long been underestimated,” CER’s president, Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, told Bild.
“Imams must demonstrate a clear commitment to democracy, the rule of law, equality, religious freedom for all, and social cohesion — and embody these values in their daily practice,” he continued.
Last year, amid a rising wave of anti-Jewish hate crimes, the German government urged the country’s main mosque association to publicly break with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s antisemitic and anti-Israel rhetoric, citing the association’s close ties to him.
According to local reports, German authorities told the Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs (DITIB) — the country’s largest mosque network — to formally break with Erdogan’s hateful statements or risk losing government support and cooperation.
For years, the German government has supported DITIB in training imams, as well as helping to foster community programs and religious initiatives.
In 2023, then-Interior Minister Nancy Faeser signed an agreement with the Turkish government’s Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) and DITIB for a new imam training program.
By sending imams from Turkey and paying their salaries, the Diyanet oversees DITIB and its hundreds of communities across Germany, shaping the ideological direction of more than 900 mosques and influencing the training of their imams.
Under a new program, the Diyanet no longer sends imams directly from Turkey. Instead, Turkish students are trained in Germany in cooperation with the German Islam Conference (IKD).
With this new agreement, imams live permanently in German communities and have no formal ties to the Turkish government. Still, experts doubt that this alone would curb the Diyanet’s political influence.
In the past, DITIB has faced multiple controversies, with some members making antisemitic remarks and spreading hateful messages.
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North Carolina Democratic Party Muslim Chair Says Zionists Are Nazis, and a ‘Threat to Humanity’
In May, Students for Justice in Palestine poured red paint which resembles spilled blood on the steps of the South Building, an office for administrative staff and the chancellor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Photo: UNCSJP/Screenshot
Elyas Mohammed, president of the North Carolina Democratic Party’s (NCDP) Muslim Caucus, recently posted on social media, “Zionists = Modern day #Nazis.”
Mohammed, also a member of the NCDP’s State Executive Committee (SEC), posted, “#Zionists are a threat to #Humanity.” He has publicly referred to Israel as “IsraHell.”
The Muslim Caucus was founded in 2024, is in the review process, and seeking final approval by the party.
Jibril Hough, first vice president of this same caucus, publicly said, “Zionism is a branch of racism/white supremacy and must be fought with the same intensity.” He has described Zionists as the “worst of humanity.”
Numerous leaders and members of the NCDP are out of step with the Democratic Party’s platform, which expresses its support for Israel nearly 30 times, prominently leading with an endorsement of Israel as “a Jewish and democratic state.”
I contacted NCDP leadership for comment on Mohammed’s posts, including Governor Josh Stein and his Communications Director; State Party Chair Anderson Clayton; and First Vice Chair Jonah Garson. None responded.
The NCDP’s acquiescence and silence concerning the extreme and hateful remarks made by some of its leaders about Israel is anticipated at this point. The NCDP has been targeting Israel for years instead of focusing on statewide issues. For example, on Saturday, June 28, 2025 — during Shabbat — the NCDP’s State Executive Council passed six anti-Israel resolutions.
Rather than publicly clarify these actions, the NCDP quickly removed information about the resolutions from public view. This decision, or coverup, has left many with the impression that the party is attempting to bury the issue. Before the resolutions were taken offline, I made a copy.
One of the resolutions that passed, titled “Resolution for Democratic Unity,” actually claimed that Israel had taken “Palestinian hostages.”
Just a few months after this resolution passed, Mohammed shared a grotesque post on Facebook, suggesting that the hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7 could or should be considered “prisoners of war.” The post continued, “If they [the hostages] were CIVILIANS, ISRAEL IS GUILTY OF A WAR CRIME FOR PLACING THEM THERE.”
Many Democrats have left the party over its obsessive focus on Israel. Former Raleigh City Council member Stefanie Mendell recently switched her party affiliation to Unaffiliated, telling me:
While in my heart I am a Democrat, after the anti-Israel resolutions passed at last year’s NC Democratic Party convention, I am no longer comfortable being associated with the party. I feel like they bent over backwards to focus negatively on Israel when there were so many more critical issues that North Carolinians care about — the cost of living, education, healthcare, etc. I will vote for, campaign for, and support individual Democrats, but I will no longer contribute to the party itself until and unless they stand up to this extremist fringe that seems more intent on virtue signaling than on electing people who can positively impact the people in our state.
According to the NCDP Plan of Organization, SEC members, such as Mohammed, are expected to uphold the values of the Code of Conduct.
The “Code of Conduct for the North Carolina Democratic Party Officers and Leaders” clearly states that leaders are expected to act in ways that do not “negatively impact other members … or the party’s reputation” and “to be sensitive to other people’s feelings.” When communicating electronically, the Code of Conduct encourages leaders to ask, “Am I acting in the party’s best interest?”
Leaders are also asked to consider, “Is what I am doing in line with our Plan of Organization and the Spirit of the Party Platform?”
According to a document recently posted to the NCDP’s website, “The Muslim Caucus is being recommended for Conditional Approval until the Summer SEC Meeting.”
I firmly believe that the Muslim community, as with any religious group, should be robustly represented and included in government and political parties. The question I ask is: What will the North Carolina Democratic Party do concerning caucus leaders who are making hateful and divisive statements that contribute to Democrats leaving the party?
Lisa Jewel, president of the NC Democratic Jewish Caucus, told me:
We understand that Mr. Mohammed is resigning his position as Chair of The NCDP Muslim Caucus. It is our hope that, under its next Chair, as the Muslim Caucus works its way through the approval process — and beyond — it will pivot its focus and efforts, to uplifting democracy here in North Carolina.
Last summer, Democratic Gov. Josh Stein, Lt. Gov. Rachel Hunt, and former Democratic Gov. and senatorial candidate Roy Cooper expressed their opposition to their party’s anti-Israel resolutions. It is now the moment for Democratic Party leaders at the state level to announce a reset and reclaim the party from the divisive, anti-Israel extremists within it.
The North Carolina Democratic Party needs to decide if they want to represent all Democrats in the state or just those Democrats who hate Israel.
Peter Reitzes writes about antisemitism in North Carolina and beyond.
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Anti-Israel Activists Prepare New Flotilla to Break Israel’s Gaza Blockade
A Palestinian flag is seen as people gather at the port of Ermoupolis before the departure of two sailing boats, Electra and Oxygen, part of the Global Sumud Flotilla aiming to reach Gaza and break Israel’s naval blockade, on Syros island, Greece, Sept. 14, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Giorgos Solaris
Organizers of a pro-Palestinian flotilla said Thursday they will make a renewed attempt next month to reach the Gaza Strip with more than 100 boats, once again challenging Israel’s blockade of the war-torn territory.
During an event at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in South Africa, the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) announced that it will embark on a new “mission” to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza in late March, with speakers urging the international community to prevent Israeli forces from intercepting the operation.
The anti-Israel flotilla represents the latest attempt by activists to defy Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza, even as Israel has reopened the Rafah crossing to allow Palestinians to travel to Egypt for medical care.
Before the war, the Rafah border crossing with Egypt served as the only direct exit for most Gazans and a crucial entry point for humanitarian aid. The crossing has been largely closed since May 2024 and remains under Israeli military control on the Gazan side.
COGAT, the Israeli military unit responsible for humanitarian coordination, said the crossing will reopen in both directions for Gaza residents on foot only, with operations coordinated alongside Egypt and the European Union.
The GSF described its latest initiative as a “coordinated, nonviolent effort to challenge the illegal Israeli siege on Gaza, confront global complicity, and stand alongside Palestinians.”
According to organizers, more than 1,000 activists — including medical doctors, war crimes investigators, and engineers — will take part in the flotilla. A land convoy is also expected to bring thousands more from countries such as Tunisia and Egypt, while the boats depart from Spain, Tunisia, and Italy toward the enclave.
“This time, we expect hundreds of thousands to sign up and to mobilize entry through Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, and every other feasible border to reach occupied Palestine and Gaza,” Mandla Mandela, grandson of the late South African president and anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela, said in a statement.
“We want to mobilize the entire global community to join forces with us,” he continued.
The anti-Israel campaigners have also organized previous flotillas carrying symbolic humanitarian aid, including a similar mission last year that Israeli officials repeatedly denounced as a publicity stunt.
About 50 vessels carrying 500 activists took part in last year’s mission, but all were intercepted by Israeli forces and deported, including Mandela, climate activist Greta Thunberg, and European Parliament member Rima Hassan.