Tulsa Interfaith Community To Host Event About Holocaust, Ritchie Boys

The Tulsa Jewish community is collaborating with non-religious groups to educate about the Holocaust at a free event on April 20th.

This includes guest speakers and lessons on how some Oklahomans were a vital part of World War II.

Philip Sureck was born to Polish-Jewish parents who fled their homes because of religious persecution, grew up in Oklahoma City, went to law school and joined the army during World War II.

His nephew, Jay Shanker, said he is proud of his late uncle's service as one of the Ritchie Boys, a group of elite soldiers who trained at Camp Ritchie in Maryland.

"He understood and learned quickly to speak German and was thus, eligible to become an officer with Ritchie and his assignments," explained Shanker.

Sureck and other Ritchie Boys were assigned to different military units overseas to uncover important information for allied forces, saving countless lives.

"I think he came back with a healthy respect for law, justice, the integrity of judicial system and democratic processes,” said Shanker.

Recently, Sureck's dog tag landed in Tulsa. It is marked with the letter ‘H’ for Hebrew.

"What's special about that is oftentimes, Jewish soldiers were hesitant to have any sort of indication on them that they were Jewish because they knew what was going on,” explained Sofia Thornblad with the Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art in Tulsa.

Janet Dundee bought the dog tag from an online archives store.

She is a volunteer with the Tulsa Council for Holocaust Education, one of several groups organizing the 25th annual Yom HaShoah.

The April 20th interfaith Holocaust commemoration focuses on the Ritchie Boys.

“We have relatives of those soldiers who will be here to light candles in memory of their relative, so that will be very special for them as well," said Dundee.

As the group will uses its new candelabrum that was made by two local artists, it will honor the 300 Oklahoma Ritchie Boys, including six, like Sureck, who were Jewish.

Circle Cinema is also hosting a series of film screenings on the 2004 documentary titled, ‘The Ritchie Boys.’

For more information about the April 20th event at 7 pm at Temple Israel, CLICK HERE: