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| Affiliation | Democratic |
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0000-01-01 |
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| Name | Edward James Bloch |
| Address |
, New York , United States |
| Email | None |
| Website | None |
| Born |
April 17, 1924
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| Died | 00, 2014
(89 years)
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| Contributor | eddy 9_99 |
| Last Modifed | David
Jan 03, 2022 08:15pm |
| Tags |
Married - Marine Corps -
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| Info | Edward James "Ed" Bloch (Block) was born to Henry, a New York attorney, and Sylvia Bloch, in New York City on April 17, 1924. As of 2002, he is a devout Presbyterian living in a rural town in upstate New York, with his second wife, Naomi Finkelstein.
Known as either Ed or Jim to his family and friends, he lived in Scarsdale, New York until he attended college. At the age of seventeen, Bloch entered the US Marine Corps V-12 program, which encouraged college students to train for military service. Simultaneously attending Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, Private Bloch rose to Lieutenant Bloch in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves. Leaving Williams College between 1942 and 1943, he entered Dartmouth in Hanover, New Hampshire, to continue the V-12 program.
Military service between 1943 and 1946 interrupted his academic career. During World War II he was stationed in San Francisco, California, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Okinawa, and North China. Rising from a 2nd Lieutenant to a 1st Lieutenant, Bloch became Rifle Platoon Leader in the "L" Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines. While in Okinawa in 1945, he was shot in the right arm and leg. Months later, on September 30, Bloch's new assignment was the post-war occupation of North China. Interviewed years later, he recalled the atrocities committed against civilians here by a combined force of Marines and Japanese soldiers, who were ordered to prevent a further Communist infiltration in certain locations of North China. One such incident included taking part in the shooting of civilians under orders from a Japanese officer.[1] For his actions in World War II, Bloch was awarded a Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.
Finished with his military career, Bloch returned to Williams College, receiving an B.A. in 1946. The following year, he attended the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and obtained an M.A. From 1947 to 1949, Bloch taught science and coached basketball and wrestling at Robert College in Istanbul, Turkey. During this period, he also acted as a foreign correspondent for The Christian Science Monitor.
By 1950, the soldier turned teacher came home. Between 1950 and 1984, Edward Bloch dedicated his time to labor concerns and the labor union, United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE). Beginning as a chief steward and rising to a field organizer and international representative, Bloch collectively bargained contracts with companies, such as General Electric, Westinghouse, and ExCello. He helped organize the Local 332 branch of the UE just outside Albany, New York. For seventeen years, he served as an international representative for UE and worked in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Vermont, and South Carolina.
From 1975 to the late 1990s, Edward Bloch served as President of the Labor Action Coalition of New York. In this position he coordinated the political action of numerous local unions, fought to save jobs and obtain employee benefits. Bloch also worked with the Labor/Religion Coalition of the Capital District for similar means.
In 1984 and 1986, Bloch ran two campaigns for New York State's 24th Congressional District seat. As a Democrat in 1984 and 1986, he faced Republican Gerald Solomon and lost both times. In 1995-1996, Bloch ran as an Independent candidate for the 21st Congressional District seat and again failed in his bid for election.
Beside his political ambitions, Bloch volunteered much of his time in the late 1980s and 1990s to interfaith organizations. Between 1987 and 1995, he served as Director of the Interfaith Impact for the New York State Council of Churches. As director, Bloch represented a collection of religious groups determined to translate their religious and moral beliefs into mostly legislative action. After eight years, Bloch left Interfaith Impact for the Interfaith Alliance (TIANYS). The Interfaith Alliance was similar to the Interfaith Impact, demanding changes in public policy based on religious understanding. As of the late 1990s, Bloch continued his volunteer service with the Interfaith Alliance.
Throughout his life, Edward J. Bloch developed his own religious and moral understanding or philosophy of life. Fearing the cruelty of anti-Semitism in America after the first World War, Bloch's parents, both of the Jewish faith, tried to hide his religious identity. Seeing the horrors of World War II in combat and in the occupation of China, he changed his allegiance from capitalism to socialism in the post-war period. During the Vietnam War, he protested US military intervention in Southeast Asia through Veterans for Peace in Vietnam. As a labor leader, he dedicated more than thirty years to workers through the UE, even being investigated by the FBI for ties to Communism in his union. Finally, while observing Presbyterian values and beliefs, he still recognized the need for interfaith organizations.
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