Hero of the Battle of the Bulge
By Cliff Cohen
My uncle, Emanuel Winston, died on Oct. 21, 2023, at the age of 98. Many Kansas Citians knew Manny as a successful businessman, devoted husband and father and devout Jew who was a constant supporter of Kehilath Israel Synagogue, where he was a gabbai for 20 years. What few people know is that he was also a decorated World War II veteran who was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge, Bronze Star Medal, a Presidential Unit Citation and the French Legion of Honor.
Manny served in northern France and Germany and was in combat 209 days without a break during the Battle of the Bulge. His Army Presidential Unit Citation was awarded to his unit for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy.
Manny enlisted in the Army on Aug. 4, 1943, at age 17 and was discharged Feb. 11, 1946. On March 22, 1945, on his unit’s approach to the Rhine River, Manny’s sergeant was killed, and he led his squad across an open field, under artillery fire, while firing at a German machine gun emplacement in which all the enemy were either killed or captured. After the successful defeat of the machine gun emplacement, Manny discovered that a German bullet had hit his rifle stock. But he was not injured. Very fortunately, his only injury in combat was frostbite of his feet which required him to remain in a hospital in Thionville, France, for a month.
When the doctors announced he could return to his unit, he asked where they were and was instructed to just start walking toward the last location he could recall. After asking other Army units if they knew where Company A, First Battalion, 376th Infantry Regiment, 94th Infantry Division might be, he was ultimately directed to cross the Saar River, which he did in a row boat. To his great surprise, when he climbed up a steep embankment on the far side of the river, he saw a convoy of American generals including his division commanding general followed by General George Patton. He then spent the night in a captured German pillbox and rejoined his company on Feb. 28, 1945.
A highlight of Manny’s time in Europe was the opportunity to join with his cousin, Captain Stan West, in December of 1945. Their Polish cousins, Rose Bachman and Rita Bachman, who were living in a displaced persons camp in Landsberg, Germany, had escaped Poland in 1939 and went East into Azerbaijan for the rest of the war. Their entire family in Poland perished. Stan West and Manny Wicenstowsky located Rose and Rita and were able to move them to an apartment in Stuttgart, Germany. They later emigrated to the U.S.
The History of the 94th Infantry Division in World War II cites the heroism of Private First Class Emanuel Wicentowsky at the Battle of Friesenheim on March 22, 1945, wherein “Whiz” Wicentowky “took charge of the small force and hastily organized another assault. Using marching fire, they advanced in the face of enemy weapons and gained the edge of Friesenheim.”
Cliff Cohen is a community member and nephew of Emanuel Winston (z”L).
Out of darkness, there is light
By Jay Lewis
Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City
The Oct. 7 massacre in Israel forever altered our lives here in the Kansas City Jewish community. The initial shock turned quickly to anger, mourning and fear. On a daily basis, we struggle not just with the horrific images from Israel but also rising antisemitism locally that necessitates increased security at our Jewish institutions.
Scrolling social media makes us as Jews feel more alone than ever as we see so much hatred in the world. We are pained by non-Jewish friends who have not reached out. It feels like there is so much darkness in the world right now.
And yet, out of the darkness, there is so much light. We need to see the light… we need to feel it… we need to internalize it. And we need to retain our optimism that no matter how much darkness exists, the light will always prevail. It has to.
Every single day at Jewish Federation we see so much light. In four short weeks, this community has donated $2.6 million to the Israel Emergency Campaign. There have been huge donations, including a $10,000 gift from the Church of the Resurrection in the earliest hours of our campaign. And there have been so many smaller ones too, over 600 in total, all of which have made a difference.
We have had teenagers walk into the office with envelopes of cash they earned from soccer refereeing. We received over $2,000 from a group of kids who held a bake sale for Israel. Every single day we receive multiple letters and phone calls from non-Jews with donations accompanied by a message that they don’t want the Jewish community to feel alone and they wish they could give more.
We are definitely not alone.
We can’t let social media give us a disproportionate view of just how many people support Israel and the Kansas City Jewish community. Jewish Federation is inundated with calls from Jews and non-Jews alike expressing their support. Elected officials, from Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas to Congresswoman Sharice Davids to Senator Jerry Moran and Governor Laura Kelly, have not just reached out but have shown up at meetings and events to help our community know we are not alone in this moment.
The past month has been very tough, and yet I am so proud of how our community and its leaders have responded. I am continuously in awe of the generosity in our community to support Israel. I am so appreciative of our community’s investment in infrastructure to keep our institutions safe. I am blown away at how we have rallied together to support Israel and one another. Crises like this provide strong reminders of the importance of community, the incredible work of our community organizations, and the strength and resilience of the Jewish people.
These are hard times for Israel and the Jewish people, but this month has also been a phenomenal reminder of the strength and generosity of the Kansas City Jewish community.
Unfortunately, the Jewish people have developed a tremendous amount of resilience throughout our history and in recent times. This is not the first time we have been faced with tragedy and an existential threat. Time and again we have not only survived… but thrived. This moment will be no different.
Am Yisrael Chai.
Jay Lewis is the president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City.
