chelseanow.com

Volume 2, Number 6 | The Weekly Newspaper of Chelsea | November 16 - 22, 2007

Chelsea Now photos by Jefferson Siegel

The Walkabout Clearwater Chorus opens the memorial for Penn South resident Moe Fishman by singing “The Last American Heros,” “Viva La Quince Brigada” and the Pete Seeger standard “Bring ’em Home” at Judson Memorial Church on Saturday.

Moe Fishman given a fond farewell at Judson memorial

By Jefferson Siegel

Several hundred friends, family members and comrades gathered on Saturday in Judson Memorial Church to remember the life and times of Penn South resident Moe Fishman.
The almost two-hour service opened with a welcome from Fishman’s niece Gaby Litsky and nephew Paul Litsky. “You are our extended family, all of you,” Gaby Litsky said to heartfelt applause.

A performance of songs by The Walkabout Clearwater Chorus followed, including “The Last American Heros,” “Viva La Quince Brigada” and the Pete Seeger standard “Bring ‘em Home.” When they sang the latter, they concluded with a chant, over and over, “Bring ‘em Home, Now!” a reference to the ongoing Iraq war.

A video of Fishman by B. Ritchey played to a hushed room, as Fishman’s vibrant voice and image appeared on the front wall.

Remembrances were offered by Fishman’s cousin Milt Okin before other musical selections were performed by the The New York City Labor Chorus. They belted out “Si Me Quieres Escribir,” “Die Gedanken Sind Frei” and “The Whole Wide World Around.”

More than a dozen members of the group Veterans for Peace then stood side by side on the stage. Peter Bronson, past president of the group, pointed to a paper attached to his hat bearing the number 3,860, representing the number of American troops killed in the Iraq war. “I think everybody should start wearing these numbers,” he said to applause.

Matti Mattson, one of two veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, slowly made his way to the stage. “We are surrounded by a wall of lies,” Mattson said. “The politicians are privileged to lie.”

Fishman’s partner, Georgia Wever, was the last to speak. “We met at a party for George Harrison,” she recounted. “Not George Harrison the Beatle, George Harrison the IRA gun runner!”

In closing, Wever advised the crowd to join her on Sunday, Veteran’s Day, for the parade. Our chant will be, “Moe Fishman, Presente!” and the crowd echoed her by replying, “Moe Fishman, Presente!”

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