The story began in 1855 with the manufacture, somewhere in Europe, of an ornate four-foot tall clock. It later ended up in the hands of a Jewish family - but did not remain there when the Nazis came to power, stealing personal property en masse. In 1972, the clock in question surfaced again when U.S. non-commissioned military officer Albert Cuppet purchased it from an American soldier. Cuppet barely noticed the Jewish Star penciled on back of his new property, and it hung in his house for decades.
The story's next development occurred in 2004, when Cuppet - a highly-decorated military man - was interviewed by IsraelNationalRadio's Tamar Yonah. Though the conversation was not directly related to Israel, Cuppet later said it made him begin to think about the Jewish People and their return to their homeland. He then remembered the clock on his wall and the Jewish Staron its back - and was hit with the realization that it was property stolen from Jews, and should be returned to them.
Cuppet contacted the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem, but was informed that though his gesture was appreciated, they could not guarantee that the clock would be put on display anywhere other than in a storeroom. He then phoned up Tamar Yonah once again, asking her to take the clock for her own home, and "at least it will be back in the hands of a Jewish family."
Tamar suggested, instead, that he give the clock to a Jewish school, "as that way, it will be seen by generations of students." Al liked the idea, and it was arranged that the clock would be donated to the Tzvia Girls Junior High and High School in Kochav Yaakov, just north of Jerusalem.
Tamar then put Cuppet in touch with Avi and Rivki Barr of Baltimore, who were about to make Aliyah [immigrate] to Israel and to Kochav Yaakov. "They graciously agreed to ship the clock over with their personal belongings at their expense," Yonah said.
The clock-hanging ceremony in Ulpanat Tzvia, Kochav Yaakov took place this past Thursday morning. Addressing the students were principal Rabbi Gilad Haleh, Mr. Cuppet himself, and Tamar's father, Holocaust-survivor Dr. Abraham C. Peter.
Rabbi Haleh noted that the ceremony was reminiscent of an account in the beginning of the Book of Ezra, which describes the surrounding nations bestowing gifts to the Jews upon their return to the Land of Israel. "Could it be," he asked, "that this deed of the Nations helping enable the Jews' return to Zion, with gifts and whatever else they need, will also occur in the End of Days? Is this indeed the start of the Nations of the World restoring to the Jewish People what was once theirs?"
Dr. Peter told of his Holocaust experiences, relating how the Germans forced him and his family to leave their home in Lodz, Poland, carrying only one bag of belongings each. (Click here to hear interview.)
One thing that remained in his memory forever was a giant grandfather clock that had been in his family for generations. "Often I would hear my father speak about that clock," Tamar said, "and I would wonder which German household now had possession of his family's heirloom."
Dr. Peter's father was later beaten to death by the Nazis. One of the girls at the ceremony later said, "I was crying as he told his story - and I saw that Al Cuppet had tears in his eyes as well."
Mr. Cuppet then addressed the girls, and told them his story and that of the clock. His written account of the story is framed and now hangs beneath it. "I am not Jewish," the letter states, "but my heart is with the Jewish People. I have donated this clock you see before you to your school as a reminder of the terrible crimes against G-d's Chosen People. In trying to right wrongs, I have donated this clock to your school. Please read the story below on the history of this clock of how it came into my hands."
The letter ends with a quote of the Divine promise to bless "all the nations of the earth" in the merit of Abraham. "May the return and display of this clock be a great and manifold blessing to many people around the world; and to Eretz Yisrael, and to the citizens thereof."
The story's next development occurred in 2004, when Cuppet - a highly-decorated military man - was interviewed by IsraelNationalRadio's Tamar Yonah. Though the conversation was not directly related to Israel, Cuppet later said it made him begin to think about the Jewish People and their return to their homeland. He then remembered the clock on his wall and the Jewish Staron its back - and was hit with the realization that it was property stolen from Jews, and should be returned to them.
Cuppet contacted the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem, but was informed that though his gesture was appreciated, they could not guarantee that the clock would be put on display anywhere other than in a storeroom. He then phoned up Tamar Yonah once again, asking her to take the clock for her own home, and "at least it will be back in the hands of a Jewish family."
Tamar suggested, instead, that he give the clock to a Jewish school, "as that way, it will be seen by generations of students." Al liked the idea, and it was arranged that the clock would be donated to the Tzvia Girls Junior High and High School in Kochav Yaakov, just north of Jerusalem.
Tamar then put Cuppet in touch with Avi and Rivki Barr of Baltimore, who were about to make Aliyah [immigrate] to Israel and to Kochav Yaakov. "They graciously agreed to ship the clock over with their personal belongings at their expense," Yonah said.
Rivki Barr with Albert Cuppet and the clock.
The clock-hanging ceremony in Ulpanat Tzvia, Kochav Yaakov took place this past Thursday morning. Addressing the students were principal Rabbi Gilad Haleh, Mr. Cuppet himself, and Tamar's father, Holocaust-survivor Dr. Abraham C. Peter.
Rabbi Haleh noted that the ceremony was reminiscent of an account in the beginning of the Book of Ezra, which describes the surrounding nations bestowing gifts to the Jews upon their return to the Land of Israel. "Could it be," he asked, "that this deed of the Nations helping enable the Jews' return to Zion, with gifts and whatever else they need, will also occur in the End of Days? Is this indeed the start of the Nations of the World restoring to the Jewish People what was once theirs?"
Dr. Peter told of his Holocaust experiences, relating how the Germans forced him and his family to leave their home in Lodz, Poland, carrying only one bag of belongings each. (Click here to hear interview.)
One thing that remained in his memory forever was a giant grandfather clock that had been in his family for generations. "Often I would hear my father speak about that clock," Tamar said, "and I would wonder which German household now had possession of his family's heirloom."
Dr. Peter's father was later beaten to death by the Nazis. One of the girls at the ceremony later said, "I was crying as he told his story - and I saw that Al Cuppet had tears in his eyes as well."
Mr. Cuppet then addressed the girls, and told them his story and that of the clock. His written account of the story is framed and now hangs beneath it. "I am not Jewish," the letter states, "but my heart is with the Jewish People. I have donated this clock you see before you to your school as a reminder of the terrible crimes against G-d's Chosen People. In trying to right wrongs, I have donated this clock to your school. Please read the story below on the history of this clock of how it came into my hands."
The letter ends with a quote of the Divine promise to bless "all the nations of the earth" in the merit of Abraham. "May the return and display of this clock be a great and manifold blessing to many people around the world; and to Eretz Yisrael, and to the citizens thereof."