114 years ago, April 15, 1914, the Titanic, the luxury White Star Passenger liner, on its maiden voyage from Southampton, England to New York, struck an iceberg and sank.  Of the 2,224 people on board, 1500 died in the freezing waters of the Atlantic Ocean.  There were not enough lifeboats…

Passengers Isidore Staus, the Jewish Chairman of New York’s Macy’s Department store, former Congressman, philanthropist, and his wife, Ida, were last seen near the stern of the ship.  Survivor witnesses said they were embracing.  The ship’s band could be heard playing Nearer My God To Thee as the “Unsinkable” Titanic slipped beneath the dark waters.

The White Star Line did not particularly want to attract Jews of the lower “classes”, especially Eastern European Jews, as third-class/steerage passengers.  They felt, like other trans-Atlantic passenger carriers, that the Jews were far too disruptive.

Business was business.  The Titanic was built with a kosher kitchen. A mashgiach was hired, and separate meat and milk dishes were part of the manifest. As estimated, sixty-nine Jews were on the Titanic.

There are many stories of those who were on board the Titanic. One story was the most significant of all.

Nathan Straus was the brother of Isidor Straus.  Originally, Nathan and his wife, Lena, were going to accompany Isidor and his wife, Ida, on the Titanic back to New York. Because of pressing needs in Palestine, Nathan and Lena changed their plans.  They would not be able to sail on the Titanic.

Nathan and Lena first visited Palestine in 1904.  They were smitten with the land, the Zionist ideals, and the desperate needs and poverty they encountered.  Nathan, like Isidor, was a........

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