Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By simmons on July 20, 2017

An autobiography of the life of Holocaust survivor Cantor Moshe S. Kraus likely would not exist if not for the help of members of the Cleveland Jewish community.

Krauss book, The Life of Moshele Der Zinger: How My Singing Saved My Life, tells the story of how Kraus survived the Holocaust and continued his life, and is the result of many hours of interviews with Rabbi Moshe Berger, scholar in residence at Young Israel of Greater Cleveland.In addition, Lyndhurst resident and Oheb Zedek-Cedar Sinai Synagogue congregant Larry Mervine was included in the acknowledgements section of Krauss book, and according to Kraus, helped make the book possible in all kinds of ways.

Berger was a rabbi at Sinai Synagogue, which was in Cleveland Heights and later University Heights, when he first met Kraus, after the latter came to visit the synagogue as a scholar in residence for a weekend after one of its members had met him elsewhere. Berger and other members of the community were so impressed with Kraus that they invited him to return.

Eventually, Berger asked Kraus to return again, this time staying with Berger and his wife at their home in University Heights and using a tape recorder donated by a member of the congregation to record Berger interviewing Kraus. Berger quickly discovered that even having a few hours each day of a week wasnt enough, so he asked Kraus to return yet again to finish the interviews. Berger provided the interviews, which became the basis for the autobiography, to Mitchell Rose, who transcribed the tapes.

We were delighted to have him, Berger said. Hes a real raconteur. I realized, hes a 'Wheres Waldo' of 20th century Eastern European Jewry. Hes been everywhere. Hes connected with famous rabbis, dignitaries; he was the first chief cantor of the Israel Defense Forces after the founding of the state of Israel. He was very close to so many important persons in Jewish history. Hes a historical treasure.

Berger said he wasnt necessarily proud to help bring Kraus story into the print format, but said he was thankful to have a hand in it and that he and his wife were in the right place a the right time to interview Kraus.

Hes a very valuable resource, Berger said of Kraus. Hes a delightful person, very good humor, really brilliant with an excellent memory and very inspiring stories. Hes compelling and I think that compelling element came through in the book.

Copies of the book will be available for sale at a special price July 30 at Oheb Zedek-Cedar Sinai Synagogue during the synagogue's Holocaust survivors tribute weekend.

Excerpt from:

Recordings come to life in cantor's autobiography - Cleveland Jewish News

Category: Synagogue
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