Jewish Bubba: How Israel's Birth Depended On A Haberdasher

Nadene Goldfoot

President Harry S. Truman and Chaim Weizmann, 1st President of Israel,
Zionist leader. 1948 Chaim was 10 years older than Harry.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was in office before I was born. He was inaugurated in 1933 and died in office in 1945 serving us in his 4th term from New York. Our 32nd President was born January 30, 1882 and died April 12, 1945. Someone came to our classroom door and told us and the whole class started crying. He was like a father-figure to us all. He happened to become the 1st president to be seen on TV, but not in our house. We didn't get TV until 1953, being much slower to get it out West. " A recently-discovered account of a 1939 conversation between President Franklin Roosevelt and then-Senator Burton Wheeler quoted FDR as saying, “You and I, Burt, are old English and Dutch stock. We know who our ancestors are. We know there is no Jewish blood in our veins …"”Though I'm still in shock from stumbling on this piece, I include it to emphasize the common anti-Semitic feeling prevalent at this period. I've even read that Bess Truman would not allow Harry to bring home any Jews. None had entered his house, not even his partner. I still can't believe it of Harry but can of Bess. Since they had been childhood sweethearts, I see him as condescending to her wishes but enjoying his partner very much. Because of that, he braved the arguments of his advisers and recognized Israel because of his convictions. You're a good man, Harry Truman.

Harry S. Truman
May 8, 1884-December 26, 1972

Harry S. Truman was his Vice President, a man from Missouri. They seemed to be such an unlikely pair, but Harry was only 2 years younger than Franklin. Both were Democrats. Harry was Franklin's 3rd Vice President. He had followed John Garner and Henry Wallace. How lucky for Israel that it was Harry who was president when they were ready to declare themselves their statehood! Harry took office on April 12, 1945 and Israel declared statehood in May 14, 1948. His term ended on January 20, 1953, finishing Franklin's and having his own term.

Jacobson was born in New York's Lower East Side. His parents, David (1851–1935) and Sarah Rubin Jacobson (1862–1941) were impoverished Jewish immigrants from Lithuania. Jacobson had three brothers and two sisters. The family moved to Kansas in 1893, settling in Leavenworth, before finally relocating to Kansas City, Missouri in 1905.

Harry was a Haberdasher and had a partner, a Jewish man and they got along swell. " During WWI, Truman became a captain in the army and upon his return to the US, he decided to quit farming and pursue a career as a haberdasher in downtown Kansas City, together with his military friend Edward “Eddie” Jacobson. Both had served in the 129th Field Artillery and while stationed at Camp Doniphan in Oklahoma, they operated the regimental canteen with such great success that they decided to go into business together once the war was over. Truman once remarked:

“We’d done so well in the canteen, we didn’t see why we couldn’t do just as well in civilian life, and it looked like we were a pretty good combination. I’d do the selling and keep the books, and we had a clerk part of the time, and Eddie would do the buying. Of course the way things turned out we both did everything, a little of everything.”

Jacobson and Truman in their store

As such, they started their Truman & Jacobson haberdashery on November 28, 1919, at 104 West 12th Street.

"1947–1948: Eddie urged President Truman to support the creation of a Jewish homeland in the British Mandate of Palestine – now Israel."

As one of Truman's closest Jewish friends, Jacobson lobbied the President in behalf of a cause that was very important to him: the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine as a refuge for survivors of the Nazi Holocaust in Europe. On a number of occasions, often at the behest of Jewish leaders who were aware of his close ties to the President, he corresponded or met with Truman to urge that the United States support this cause. During a memorable face-to-face encounter at the White House on March 13, 1948, it was Jacobson who persuaded Truman to meet with Dr. Chaim Weizmann, the leader of the Zionist movement. Two months later, on May 14, 1948, the United States became the first nation to grant diplomatic recognition to the new state of Israel.

Jacobson and his wife visited Israel in 1949, and his interest and involvement in the affairs of the new nation continued during the early years of its existence. Through a variety of tributes and honors, Israelis and Americans alike recognized his contribution to the founding of the Jewish state. His friendship with Harry Truman continued until Jacobson's death in 1955. Truman once wrote that Eddie Jacobson was "as fine a man as ever walked."

Harry spent a lot of his time dabbling in politics. He served as United States Senator from Missouri before being elected Vice-President of the United States in 1945.

Harry had been a Mason since 1909. while serving as the 33rd U.S. President, MW Truman was Master of the Missouri Lodge of Research. During his Masonic career he held the positions of Masonic ritualist, district lecturer, and Deputy Grand Master. He was buried with Masonic rites in Independence, MO in a televised ceremony.

If I did some complicated tracing of people correctly, Bess Truman, Harry's wife, was related to my mother. Wouldn't Bess be surprised! It was because of Harry having a good relationship with his partner, Eddie Jacobson, that he wound up backing Israel's statehood. The men in Harry's office were against the idea. Harry was determined to recognize this worthy state and did against their advice.

Descendants of Harry S. Truman, President

1 Harry S. Truman, President b: May 08, 1884 in Lamar, Barton Co., Missouri d: December 26, 1972 in Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri

.. +Elizabeth Virginia "Bess" Wallace b: February 13, 1885 in Independence, Jackson Co, Missouri d: October 18, 1982 in Independence, Jackson Co, Missouri

. 2 Mary Margaret Truman b: February 17, 1924 in Missouri d: January 29, 2008 in Chicago, Illinois

..... +E. Clifton Daniel, Jr. b: September 19, 1912 in Prob. North Carolina d: February 21, 2000 in New York City, New York

Being my mother converted to Judaism when she met and married my father, she was " connected to Bess through the Clarks, a very prolific surname " She may not have invited my mother in her house, either.

1/30/08 On the 1920 census she was married and living with widowed mother.

May 1953: trip to Honolulu, Hawaii for Harry age 68, Bess age 65, and Margaret age 35.