I want to share another timely story from my book Not for the Faint of Heart. This one is about courage. 1/15
55 years ago, September 1963, Rosh Hashanah service at Baltimore Hebrew Congregation. Rabbi Lieberman spoke about what it was like to liberate Dachau as an army chaplain. 2/15
Having recently been arrested for trying to integrate an amusement part, all he could think about were the Christian clergy in Germany and what they said and did as Jews were rounded up. 3/15
Lieberman asked his congregation, “Can Jews stand by as blacks in Baltimore get systematically discriminated against?” 4/15
Dad went to the rabbi and asked him what he could do to help. “You’re a real estate broker. You’re more powerful than any priest or rabbi.” 5/15
“You can open up neighborhoods and make it possible for everybody to live wherever they want to live.” 6/15
Lieberman told him to advertise his properties as “open housing” to any race. “If I do this, I will be run out of town,” Dad said. 7/15
“Well, you asked what you could do,” Lieberman said. 8/15
Dad was tough. He fought at Guadalcanal. Was severely injured. But this was really tough. He and Mom talked it over. 9/15 
The following month he announced he would sell to all individuals regardless of race, creed, or color. In 6 months he lost 60% of his business. 10/15
He made up some lost business with referrals from the NAACP and others. He even got hired to find Oriole star Frank Robinson a home. 11/15
Still, Dad’s business did not survive. We had to move to a smaller house. But my parents never questioned their choice. 12/15
Real change, they knew, almost always comes at a price. Real courage, especially today, is sometimes hard to find. 13/15
On this Rosh Hashanah, I am buoyed by the courage I do see from so many Americans. Women running for office this fall. Journalists speaking truth to power. The tributes to John McCain. The voice of Serena Williams. By EVERYONE who refuses to back down. 14/15
It’s not easy to make a courageous decision. It comes at a cost. But doing the right thing, always does. 15/15
