Rav Aharon felt that hakaras hatov for Eisenhower’s lifesaving act warranted a Mi Shebeirach
Legendary lay leader and Vaad Hatzalah activist Yitzchok Meir (Irving) Bunim and his son Amos traveled to Lakewood each Yom Kippur to daven alongside Rav Aharon Kotler at Beth Medrash Govoha. Prior to Krias HaTorah on Yom Kippur in 1955, Irving Bunim approached Rav Aharon and suggested that a Mi Shebeirach be recited on behalf of President Eisenhower, who had recently suffered a heart attack. Rav Aharon nodded his head in assent. As the Mi Shebeirach was recited, those present looked on with surprise as this was not a common occurrence at the Yeshiva, especially for a non-Jew.
More than a decade earlier, with World War II raging across Europe, Rav Aharon was given word that the Nazis intended to separate American Jewish POWs and deport them to concentration camps. Rav Aharon immediately contacted Irving Bunim and made plans to petition government officials in Washington to prevent this atrocity. Bunim arrived at Rav Aharon’s house to find him weakened and running a fever. He suggested they postpone the trip until Rav Aharon felt stronger.
Rav Aharon would not hear of it, firmly stating, “There are lives at stake and we are going!”
Bunim drafted a memorandum on the train, and Rav Aharon reviewed the statement upon arrival in Washington at the home of their host, Rav Yehoshua Klavan.
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