Passionate Jewish Support for
One Nation Under God

by Admiral Jeremiah Denton

One of the finest men I ever met was Sol Feinstone. The time frame of our first meeting was 1974 or 1975.  He was a most generous contributor to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and to other important institutions such as the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge.  Sol told me a story I never forgot. 

I met Sol and his lovely wife at West Point on the occasion of a Founder’s Day Speech which he sponsored .  Sol had expressed a strong desire that I be the speaker that day.  The superintendent of West Point (I believe his name was Lt. General Berry) had invited me, but I had declined, pleading fatigue from giving so many speeches.  But in the end, Admiral Thomas Moorer, then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, ordered me to make the speech because Mr. Feinstone was so strongly insistent.

That day after my speech, the Feinstones and I had a long visit together.  At that time they were in their eighties and I was the Commandant of the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, VA.  I had been making many speeches, expressing my thoughts about the cultural shock I experienced upon returning to the United States in 1973.   After eight years away from the United States, I was shocked by the remarkable cultural degradation of our country which had occurred in the interim.  In my talks, I often referred to the stunningly obvious movement away from morality by a nation which had called itself "One Nation under God."

In our meeting after my typical speech, Mr. Feinstone expressed agreement with, and admiration for, my theme and told me a story which I shall here greatly condense.

Sol talked of coming from the old country when he and his wife were very young and landing in America with other immigrants, most of whom were equally poor.  He said he had one dime on him when he stepped off the ship! 

But he loved America.  He worked hard and achieved great success in business -- accumulating a vast fortune.  He, too, had noted the cultural decline of our country and not only spoke about it, but donated substantial sums of money to causes working to arrest the moral deterioration.

He related this story as an example of his efforts:

Mr. Feinstone was visiting the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge for the purpose of speaking with them about the prospect of his making a substantial financial contribution.

His host, the Chairman of the Foundation, took him out to show him the centerpiece of their beautiful estate, a great monument of marble statuary.  It consisted, if my memory serves, of a bottom block of marble on which was engraved the Preamble to the Declaration of Independence, then above that were quotations from the Bill of Rights, then on top was the Constitution or a summary thereof. 

Mr. Feinstone was fascinated by the monument and looked it over for almost a half hour.  Then he turned to the Chairman and said:  "Sir, I will set up a __ million dollar endowment for you on one condition."

The Chairman breathlessly inquired what the condition was.

 Mr. Feinstone replied, "I will give you the endowment.  But you must first alter the monument.   I would ask that you put a single piece of marble beneath it with this inscription:  'ONE NATION UNDER GOD'."

 The Chairman immediately agreed, and Mr. Feinstone smilingly shook his hand.