The Massachusetts Department of the Jewish War Veterans of the USA once again sponsored its annual Wills for Veterans program a few weeks after Veterans Day. With the joint sponsorship of the Massachusetts Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, this was the fifth such annual event. Nine estate planning attorneys from the Boston office of the law firm of Day Pitney LLP once again donated their services and office space to draft wills, trusts, durable powers of attorney, and/or health care proxies for eight veterans and two spouses from seven different Massachusetts cities and towns. Army, Navy, Marine and National Guard veterans were among the eight. One Vietnam veteran brought the yellowed carbon copy of his 1968 will, the original of which apparently still resides somewhere in Fort Meade, Maryland.
The experience was so meaningful to the estate planning attorneys that they offered to have a second Wills for Veterans day around Memorial Day. When performing pro bono legal work, lawyers usually get more out of it than they give.
Once again, those departments interested in a template of how to create and implement such a rewarding program, do not hesitate to contact PNC Harvey Weiner.
Livingston NJ’s 36th annual Veterans Day observance, hosted by Dan Michelson Post 740 at Temple Beth Shalom on November 12, 2023, featured a tribute to two World War 2 veterans – “bookends” with a local connection. Louis Schleifer and Murray Sklar were contemporaries growing up in Newark, but probably never knew each other.
Louis Schleifer (1920-1941)
Schleifer enlisted in the army shortly after his graduation in 1938 from Newark’s South Side High School. Long interested in aviation, he was assigned to an intelligence unit in the Army Air Corps, which in June 1941 would be redesignated as “the Army Air Forces.” By that time, he was serving in the 4th Reconnaissance Squadron, 5th Bombardment Group, Hickham Field, at the entrance to Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, and he loved his work.
But that peace was suddenly shattered on that infamous Sunday morning in December 1941, in an aerial assault that killed more than 2400 American servicemen, destroyed much of our fleet and our army’s air assets in the Pacific, and drew this country into war.
Most of the airplanes at Hickham Field that day had been clustered in the open, near the runway, because it was felt that the most serious threat to those assets was sabotage, not foreign invasion. Grabbing a helmet and his .45 caliber sidearm, Lou raced outside to help move the planes into their hangars. As he did so, Japanese Zeroes strafed the field. Standing his ground, he fired his handgun at a low-flying plane coming straight at him, and was mortally wounded.
Schleifer became the first son of Newark – and possibly the first New Jerseyan – to die in World War II. For his gallantry, he was posthumously awarded the Silver Star, our nation’s fourth highest military decoration.
Murray Sklar (1924-2016)
At the other end of that “bookshelf” stands Murray Sklar. Murray joined the Marine Corps after graduating from Weequahic High School in 1943, and was deployed to the Pacific in time for the Battle of Saipan. Soon after, he participated in the final – and perhaps bloodiest – battle of the entire war – Okinawa, in which more than 12,000 American servicemen died and three times as many were wounded. Murray was then tasked for the planned invasion of the Japanese home islands, which – it was estimated – would extend the war well into 1946, at a cost of a half million more American casualties and many millions of Japanese lives. But President Truman’s decision to use atomic weapons brought the war to a sudden and decisive end in August 1945, and Murray returned home the following year.
At about that time, the Jewish War Veterans commissioned a monument to the memory of Lou Schleifer, to stand in a memorial park named for him in Newark. On a stone base, with his ode engraved, would stand a sculpture of Pegasus.
In succeeding years, as the neighborhood changed and the meaning of the memorial park faded, Lou’s family looked for an appropriate new home for the monument. Temple Beth Shalom in Livingston raised its hand, and the monument was moved to its courtyard, probably around the late 1970s. The president of Temple Beth Shalom at about that time was Murray Sklar.
Murray was a leader in the local Jewish community, and active in veterans organizations as a member of the JWV and the Marine Corps League. He initiated Livingston’s Veterans Day ceremony in 1988, and personally conducted it until his passing nearly 30 years later.
These two “bookends” to World War II were born in Newark about four years apart in the early 1920s. Lou died young, just four days after his 21st birthday, on December 7, 1941. Murray passed away 75 years later, almost to the day, on December 12, 2016. Each, in his time, was laid to rest, with full military honors, at the same Mt. Lebanon Cemetery, in Iselin, NJ. Two brave Jewish sons of Newark, now reunited for eternity.
https://www.jwv.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/placeholder-image-with-logo.jpg10231000Iryna Applehttps://www.jwv.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/jwv-logo-v4.svgIryna Apple2024-03-07 13:33:482024-03-07 13:37:55Veterans Day Ceremony Honors Two Jewish Bookends to World War II
On October 22, 2023, Jewish War Veterans USA Post 1 Life Patron Mitchell Mernick and his wife Helena Ross announced the marriage of their eldest son Ben Mernick to Dvorah Hofnung.
This wedding was hosted at an IDF Armor Battalion Command Base.
Ben grew up in New York City, but moved to Israel later in his life. He is an IDF reservist who was reactivated following the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7.
The couple had announced their engagement on October 7.
The wedding was planned with 20 hours’ notice. It was attended by Ben’s entire platoon, friends, and some family from Israel.
As Ben and Dvorah stated in their emailed wedding invitation in Hebrew: “It is with an excited and thrilled heart that we have decided to announce in a loud voice that ‘The Nation of Israel lives’ and the mitzvah of the hour is to build a new home in Israel.
https://www.jwv.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Ben-Mernick-and-Dvorah-Hofnung-wedding.jpg417626Iryna Applehttps://www.jwv.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/jwv-logo-v4.svgIryna Apple2024-03-07 12:19:432024-03-07 12:19:43Wedding Bells in Wake of October 7 Attack
NC Barry Lischinsky attended a White House breakfast hosted by President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden. NC Barry Lischinsky and NVC Gary Ginsburg, along with NED Ken Greenberg and wife Janet, Jodi Harman, and Bryn Garick attended the Official National Veterans Day event on November 11. NC Barry Lischinsky, NVC Gary Ginsburg and Jodi Harman attended the reception hosted by the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Museum President Elaine Bernstein (PNP JWVA,) and PNC Michael Berman laid a wreath at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.
On Wednesday, December 6, Robert Max was honored as one of the nominees for the Cobb Collaborative Jack Vaughn Jr. Human Services Award. The Georgia Cobb Collaborative engages and empowers local organizations to improve outcomes for families in Cobb County. Robert was nominated by Helen Scherrer-Diamond for his tireless work with the Jewish War Veterans. Robert has been the Commander of the Department of the Southeast of the JWV for over eight years and served concurrently for several years as Commander of Atlanta’s Post 112.
Robert has been with the Atlanta JWV Jewish War Veterans Post 112 for over 40 years. He is a proud leader and proud supporter of all military branches and reservists of all faiths. Robert has attended most National JWV organizational events. He is very personable, proud, and professional. Robert has brought in many new members, both Patrons (non-military members) as well as those who served in all military branches and/or in the reserves. Robert represents JWV at many other organizations’ events to honor those who served. Robert still works at Novelis as a Senior IT Manager. He has helped JWV with many presentations, bringing in military presenters and using his skills with social media. He has developed many new programs and initiatives in concert with the Atlanta Post Board. Board Meetings and member meetings are consistent and well attended and professionally handled. Robert is a very well-known, well-respected, generous, and kind Leader.
The Jewish War Veterans Post 112 has volunteered at the Veterans Atlanta Medical Center by hosting pizza parties and games. They have donated holiday gift cards to veterans in need, identified by the Atlanta VAMC Community Outreach Department. They donated a new big screen television to the VA Nursing home in Milledgeville. The JWV Post has raised funds for Veterans Support Organizations including the United Military Care (UMC) and the Veterans Empowerment Organization (VEO). Post members include holocaust survivors, veterans, active-duty servicemen and patrons. They organize placement of U.S. Flags at the Jewish Sections of Georgia Cemeteries and coordinate Poppy “Sales” at several Kroger locations on Veterans and Memorial Day holidays to honor those who have served. The post participates in the Yom HaShoah programs every year, held at Greenwood Cemetery, to honor holocaust victims. This program is sponsored by Eternal Life Hemshech. Robert also attends and staffs a volunteer table at the annual Atlanta Kosher BBQ Festival event at Brook Run Park in Dunwoody, representing his organization and donating his time and money. He meets and greets the 4,500 people that attend and who visit the JWV table. The JWV also attends the ‘We Care Veterans” at the Cobb County Civic Center each year and donates time and money. In the last two months, JWV Post 112 has recently raised funds for donations both to Israeli Defense Forces to purchase protective equipment and the VA Medical Center’s Community Outreach Veterans in Need.
The current Post 112 Commander is Henry Levine. He and Robert can be contacted at (jwvpost112@gmail.com) for further opportunities to join the JWV as a member or patron, to participate in the excellent work, and attend presentations offered by the Atlanta Jewish War Veterans.
https://www.jwv.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Robert-Max-Cobb-Collaborative-Dec-6-web-scaled.jpg20481856Iryna Applehttps://www.jwv.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/jwv-logo-v4.svgIryna Apple2024-03-07 11:37:302024-03-07 11:37:30JWV Member Honored by Atlanta Community
JWV is in a unique position to have a special focus on antisemitism. JWV opposes all forms of discrimination and bigotry but is especially outspoken on antisemitism. During 2023, JWV leadership participated in numerous roundtables and called out individuals for hate speech and antisemitism. JWV will continue to be a strong voice to combat antisemitism wherever and whenever it occurs.
As the only Jewish VSO, we’ve previously issued statements condemning antisemitic events and speeches. As instances of antisemitism across the country increase, especially following the terrorist attacks of October 7, JWV has continued to remain dedicated to the cause issuing a statement to Amazon regarding antisemitic product sales. JWV continues to remain active in the fight against antisemitism, monitoring and reporting on instances of antisemitism across the nation. These instances and JWV updates regarding them can be found in the information below. JWV direct action is marked blue and awareness is marked yellow.
JWV asks all Americans to be vigilant, learn, and educate our fellow citizens.
House Congressional Hearing on Campus Antisemitism
On December 5, 2023, the House Committee on Education & the Workforce heard from three university presidents regarding the rise in antisemitism on college campuses. JWV has continued to monitor the widespread instances of antisemitism on college campuses. Details related to actions of University of Pennsylvania, and Harvard are below.
University of Pennsylvania’s President and Chair Resign
In September 2023, JWV wrote to University of Pennsylvania’s President Elizabeth Magill and Chair Scott Bok regarding Palestine Writes Literature Festival. Following the Congressional Hearing, University of Pennsylvania’s President, Elizabeth Magill, and Chair, Scott Bok, submitted their resignation on Saturday, December 9, 2023. Julie Platt, the chair of the Jewish Federations of North America, was named the interim chair of the board of trustees of the University of Pennsylvania.
Harvard President Retains Support Following the Congressional Hearing
More than 500 Harvard faculty members supported University President Claudine Gay in a letter to the school’s board December 10, following intense blowback from a congressional hearing about the rise in antisemitism on campus, where Gay failed to clearly state whether calls for the genocide of Jews violated the Ivy League school’s rules.
New York Governor Releases Letter Condemning Antisemitism
JWV commends Governor Kathleen Hochul of New York on her strong statement on antisemitism. JWV urges it members to contact their Governors and ask them to make similar statements against antisemitism in their states and educational institutions.
JWV, Auxiliary, and Museum Leaders Call on Amazon to Remove Items Expressing Hatred November 6th, 2023
Dear Mr. Jassy:
The Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America, (JWV), National Ladies Auxiliary (JWVA) and the National Museum of American Jewish Military History (NMAJMH) write to express concern on the critical issue of terrorism, hatred, bigotry, and antisemitism. Now more than ever, Americans must demonstrate solidarity and unity in standing against all kinds of expression of hatred. Officials from government, corporations, universities, nonprofits, and individual citizens are leading the effort.
We call on Amazon and its leadership to recognize a product that is offensive to many in your customer base and in the world. JWV, JWVA, and NMAJMH urge Amazon to stop selling and distributing offensive merchandise, including apparel, stickers and items on your website and commercial platform. The merchandise contains the phrase “From the River to the Sea Palestine Will be Free” and its meaning calls for the destruction of Israel and annihilation and elimination of the Jewish people. The attached is a sample from your website.
While we recognize the First Amendment provides for freedom of speech, terrorism and hatred are never justified. The slogan appeals to hatred, incites violence and bigotry and is deeply offensive across the global community. This is especially true since the terrorist attacks by Hamas on October 7, showing atrocities of innocents being beheaded, whole families randomly being executed, women being raped, and people being kidnapped and held hostage. All entities and individuals have a responsibility to prevent and not facilitate hatred and violence.
JWV, JWVA and NMAJMH have a long and extensive history of combatting antisemitism, hatred, and bigotry, advocating for America’s veterans, service members, their families, caregivers, and survivors since 1896 and supporting Israel. We urge Amazon to join us in combatting hatred and bigotry, advocating for veterans and service members, and supporting Israel, the lone democracy in the region.
Thank you for your attention and consideration. We look forward to working and partnering with you in the future.
Questions should be directed to our National Executive Director, Mr. Ken Greenberg by email at (kgreenberg@jwv.org) or 202 265 6280, extension 406.
Sincerely,
COL Barry Lischinsky, USA, Ret.
JWV National Commander (2023-2024)
Shirley Zak
JWVA National President
Elaine Bernstein
NMAJMH President
Veterans Affairs Lawyer Under Fire for Mocking Israelis November 2023
JWV was alerted of behavior of a VA employee in the Office of General Counsel that was posted on Instagram and has been circulated in the Jewish press.
Shakeba Morrad, the employee in question, serves as an appellate attorney at Office of General Counsel for U.S. On November 12, 2023, Morrad posted a video on Instagram where she can be seen mocking Israelis pleading for the return of their citizens being held hostage by Hamas. The video was later deleted.
A Veterans Affairs spokesman confirmed to the Free Beacon that the agency is investigating the incident and that it does not tolerate antisemitism.
“We are aware of this incident, are investigating the matter, and will take any appropriate action,” said Terrence Hayes, the department’s press secretary. “There is no place at VA for antisemitism or any expression of bigotry or hatred.”
JWV Suspends Use of X (Formerly Twitter) Following Antisemitic Remarks November 2023
JWV recently suspended use of the social media platform, X, formerly known as Twitter. This comes after X’s owner, Elon Musk, gained notority for public antisemitic comments.
On November 15, 2023, Musk agreed with a tweet that said, “Jewish communities have been pushing the exact kind of dialectical hatred against whites that they claim to want people to stop using against them” stating that the user was telling the “actual truth.” His response to this antisemitic tweet continues his ongoing support for the Great Replacement conspiracy theory, as well as providing implicit support for Nazism.
Coalition Building
JWV is strengthening our efforts by partnering with organizations like the Jewish National Fund, Anti-Defamation League, Hadassah, Hillel, as well local JCCs and Synagogues by reaching out and expanding our message of combating antisemitism, sharing the legacy of Jews in military service, and telling the stories of 18 Jewish Medal of Honor recipients.
We also partner with VA and DOD officials on Holocaust Remembrance Day and Jewish American Heritage Month programs to educate their employees and constituencies and conduct programs at our Museum highlighting the service of Jewish veterans and service members.
JWV is a resource in helping to educate Americans. Education is the key to reducing antisemitic actions and incidents in America and around the world and in preserving the legacy of Jews in the military.
JWV is in a unique position to have a special focus on antisemitism. JWV opposes all forms of discrimination and bigotry but is especially outspoken on antisemitism. During 2023, JWV leadership participated in numerous roundtables and called out individuals for hate speech and antisemitism. JWV will continue to be a strong voice to combat antisemitism wherever and whenever it occurs.
As the only Jewish VSO, we issued statements condemning antisemitic events and speeches at the University of Pennsylvania “Palestine Writes Literature Festival,” the City University of New York law school graduation, the Goyim Defense League hate flyers on Long Island and remarks by a Member of Congress in Chicago. As instances of antisemitism across the country increase, JWV asks all Americans to be vigilant, learn, and educate our fellow citizens. JWV’s full statements are provided in this article.
JWV Calls on University of Pennsylvania Leadership to Prevent Hate Speech on Campus September 20th, 2023
The Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America (JWV) remains deeply concerned that the Palestine Writes Literature Festival will be held on campus September 22-24, 2023. The festival coincides with the Jewish High Holiday of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, and takes place next to the location that Jewish students will be holding high holiday worship services. JWV National Commander retired US Army Colonel Barry Lischinsky stated, “University leadership should be sensitive to the needs of Jewish students and faculty and not provide a venue or platform for hate speech of any kind on campus.” Lischinsky made clear, “The University must be responsive to its students and increase security around Jewish activities and move the festival to a different location, preferably off campus grounds.”
JWV urges alumni and others to write University President M. Elizabeth Magill to disapprove of the “Palestine Writes Literature Festival” and to prevent the University from providing space to those that promote hate speech, bigotry, and antisemitic remarks and events on campus. Lischinsky reiterated that “JWV will continue to stand against hatred, bigotry, and combating antisemitism wherever and whenever it occurs.”
Background
Most “Palestine Writes Literature Festival” speakers have little to do with celebrating Palestinian literature or promoting the culture of Palestinian writers and artists. Guest speakers have published antisemitic statements in the past which conflict with the University of Pennsylvania’s antisemitism policy. Speakers have previously given anti-Jewish speeches which are clearly “hate speech” and are again in violation of the university policy and the U.S. Constitution related to freedom of speech.
Members and patrons of the Jewish War Veterans and others have fought, and many have given the ultimate sacrifice, to preserve the rights covered by the U.S. Constitution. While there is nothing illegal about the University of Pennsylvania event itself, the event speakers’ anti-Jewish hate remarks should not be allowed on campus.
Antisemitism Curricula in California Schools
JWV signs and stands in support of the coalition letter the AMCHA Initiative wrote to the California Legislative Jewish Caucus asking for their help in preventing the implementation of widespread antisemitic curricula in California high schools.
JWV Denounces Antisemitic Remarks by Representative Jayapal July 17th, 2023
The Jewish War Veterans of the USA (JWV) expressed outrage at the remarks of U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA) given on Saturday in Chicago stating that Israel is a “racist state.”
JWV National Commander Colonel Nelson L. Mellitz, USAF (Retired) denounced the comments of Congresswoman Jayapal (WA) as “insensitive, hurtful, and just wrong.” As antisemitism is on the rise, remarks like hers only fuel the fires of hate and bigotry. “JWV continues to stand in support of Israel as we have since its rebirth as well as vehemently oppose antisemitism, wherever and whenever it occurs, as we have since our founding in 1896,” said Mellitz.
JWV Calls on New York Law Enforcement to fully Prosecute Individuals Responsible for Goyim Defense League Hate Flyers June 19th, 2023
“Flyers recently distributed by the Goyim Defense League in Nassau County, New York are extremely antisemitic and filled with hate. They are despicable and threats to any Americans must be dealt with swiftly,’’ said Colonel Nelson L. Mellitz, USAF, retired, National Commander of the Jewish War Veterans of the USA (JWV).
The flyer singles out current and former Jewish Members of Congress and contains a weapon in the upper left corner with a Star of David placed on the foreheads of elected officials from several states. Mellitz “implores New York law enforcement officials to fully prosecute the individuals responsible for the flyers.” Law enforcement confirmed the flyer was found at a Jewish house of worship and at several residences in the Plainview, NY area.
JWV Condemns CUNY Law School Speaker’s Comments and Calls on CUNY Leadership to Denounce Antisemitic Remarks June 4th, 2023
Jewish War Veterans National Commander Colonel Nelson L. Mellitz, USAF, Retired, expressed outrage at the hate filled graduation speech delivered at the City University of New York (CUNY) Law School graduation by Fatima Mohammed.
Jewish men and women have served in the U.S. military in greater numbers than their percentage of the total population, since the founding of our great republic to preserve the right of free speech. The Fatima Mohammed anti-Jewish hateful graduation speech is a direct attack against what we have fought so hard to preserve for almost 250 years. “Her comments are extreme, inflammatory, filled with anger and have no place in any setting in the United States,” said Mellitz.
JWV calls on CUNY and the law school leadership to take immediate action to denounce her antisemitic remarks and assure that students are not provided a forum to promote hatred and antisemitism in the future.
Coalition Building
JWV is strengthening our efforts by partnering with organizations like Combating Antisemitism Movement (CAM), the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism (FCAS). They are more commonly known as Stand Up to Jewish Hate or #BlueSquare. We have carried our message to Congress and asked Members to join us in combating antisemitism targeted at veterans and military servicemembers. We partnered with CAM and six Jewish Community Organizations for a forum with ten Members of Congress on Capitol Hill. We are working with FCAS to expand outreach to include Jewish Federations and JCCs across the county. We connected with StandWithUs, to take our efforts to combat antisemitism on college campuses. JWV is a resource in helping to educate Americans. Education is the key to reducing antisemitic actions and incidents in America and around the world.
National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism
In a High Holidays call with American Jewish leaders before Rosh Hashanah, President Joe Biden reaffirmed his commitment to “condemn and combat antisemitism at every turn” and said his administration had “started aggressively implementing” the National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism it unveiled in May of this year. VA’s representative is Under Secretary for Benefits Joshua Jacobs and he continues to consult with JWV leadership for issues related to the veteran and military community.
At our Convention in Jacksonville, Karen Barall Associate VP of the Jewish Federation of North America briefed JWV on the National Strategy. She highlighted four pillars of the document that focused on:
Increase awareness and understanding of antisemitism, including its threat to America, and broaden appreciation of Jewish American heritage.
Improve safety and security for Jewish communities.
Reverse the normalization of antisemitism and counter antisemitic discrimination.
Build cross-community solidarity and collective action to counter hate.
Chet Edwards Speaks Out on Jacksonville Shooting
“JWV is uniquely powerful and an important voice in the fight against antisemitism in our country. Thank you for being that voice. America is a better country today because of your voice and we will be a better country tomorrow. As we are here in Jacksonville, I would be remiss not to say what we all know. What happened here three days ago was an unspeakable, unconscionable, tragic assault, not just on African Americans in Jacksonville. It was an assault upon our country, the very soul of our country, very heart of our country. I think it’s also important for all Americans to understand that that young terrorist, that the killer had etched Nazi swastikas on his A-15. I think that is a message that needs to go out across this country. Let me also add that as a lifelong Methodist and the son-in-law of a Baptist minister, I feel a responsibility to be a partner with you in the fight against bigotry and antisemitism. All Americans of all faiths and backgrounds must join in the fight against antisemitism because antisemitism diminishes our country and what you were willing to give your life for. So, when I leave this convention today, I will double my effort to be a voice with you against antisemitism.” August 29th, 2023
I recently became a life member of the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America. JWV is “a Jewish voice for veterans and a veteran’s voice for Jews.”
Whether or not you served in the military, you can join and support JWV.
JWV “defends the rights and benefits of all service members and veterans, fights anti-Semitism, and supports the State of Israel,” provides educational scholarships for veterans and family members, participates in memorial events and educational activities, and in other ways “affirms that Jewish men and women serve honorably and heroically in the military forces of the United States during peacetime and war.”
My younger son, Nick Israel, recruited me to JWV membership. He is a U.S. Army Armor and PSYOP veteran. He enlisted after college, completed basic training and officer candidate school, learned to operate tanks, speak Russian, and jump out of airplanes, and deployed to the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Nick eventually returned to Michigan and now serves in the Air National Guard.
Before Nick recruited me to JWV, I didn’t know I was eligible.
I was in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1969 to 1975. I became adept at typing with two fingers and driving a Jeep and won a medal for exemplary attendance. During basic training at Fort Knox, I achieved the distinction of getting KP—“kitchen police” duty—four times. The average basic trainee got KP twice. Nick may be an accomplished soldier, but he never learned to peel potatoes, scour pots, empty grease traps, and mop up mess halls. The Army did away with KP and mess halls. They now have culinary contractors and DFACs—“dining facilities.”
It turns out that I was eligible for JWV membership. In fact, everyone is eligible—those who serve or served on active military duty in any branch, or who serve or served in the reserve or national guard, and anyone else who wants to be part of JWV’s good works. There are veteran and non-veteran JWV membership categories and various participation and support opportunities.
Jews serve in the military in numbers well above their percentage in the U.S. population. Jews have made immeasurable contributions to the American military before and since the Revolutionary War. Two (of many) cases in point: Raymond Zussman and Sidney Shachnow.
Raymond Zussman (1917-1944) was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for valor in France during World War II.
Zussman graduated from Detroit’s Central High, attended Wayne, studied metallurgy at DIT, and was a Teamsters Local 337 steward. He joined the Army in 1941, became a tank commander, and saw combat in North Africa, Italy, and France. His selfless and heroic actions against the Germans on September 12, 1944, detailed in his Medal of Honor citation, were “above and beyond the call of duty” and saved American lives. He was killed by German mortar fire days later, on September 21, 1944. He is buried in Machpelah Cemetery in Ferndale.
There is a Zussman playground in Detroit and a Zussman park in Hamtramck. My reserve unit was based at the Raymond Zussman United States Army Reserve Center in Inkster. Nick trained at the Zussman Urban Combat Range at Fort Knox.
Sidney Shachnow (1934-2018) was a highly-decorated Vietnam veteran and a legendary special operations commander. He retired as a major general in 1994 after almost 40 years of Army service as an enlisted soldier and later as an officer, as a paratrooper, ranger, and green beret.
Shachnow was born in Lithuania. When the Germans invaded in 1941, Shachnow and his family, with all 40,000 local Jews, were confined to the Kovno concentration camp. Shachnow was seven. Against all odds, he and family members escaped after three years and survived. Most Kovno Jews were murdered by the Nazis and Nazi-collaborators. Shachnow came to the U.S. as a teenager in 1950, attended school for the first time, enlisted in the Army, and went on to a storied military career.
Shachnow died in 2018 at 83. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. His autobiography—Hope and Honor (2004)—tells his inspiring life story.
My wife Cheryll and I met the gracious Shachnow at Nick’s graduation from the JFK Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg in 2014. Shachnow was at one time the JFK commandant and maintained a connection with the center and school after his 1994 retirement.
Shachnow posthumously received the U.S. Special Operations Command’s highest honor, the award named for Col. Arthur “Bull” Simons (1918-1979), a celebrated special forces pioneer, also a Jew. Simons is memorialized by a 12-foot bronze statue on a granite base facing the JFK center. The statue depicts Simons in action in Vietnam, pressing forward. One side of the statue’s base is inscribed with the passage from Isaiah 6:8 which ends with this answer to a call to service: “Here I am; send me.”
JWV was founded in 1896 by Jewish veterans of the Civil War to honor and support service members and veterans and, in particular, the many American Jews who, before the Revolutionary War and since, have answered the call to military service.
For information about JWV membership categories, support opportunities, and activities, go to jwv.org, mharrison@jwv.org, or call (202) 265-6280.
The 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War occurred this year. The war was launched in 1973 in a surprise attack by Syria and Egypt on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. Even though the signs of an imminent attack were noted by the Israeli intelligence, the Israeli government decided to ignore them for political and strategic reasons. Consequently, the country’s borders were very sparsely defended, creating a dangerous void on the front. The invading armies outnumbered the Israelis at a ratio of more than a hundred to one in manpower and ten to one in armor and artillery.
Because the bulk of the Israel army is comprised of reservists, it took two days to mobilize and deploy the forces. During these critical days it was up to the vastly outnumbered soldiers on the front and Israeli pilots in the sky to hold the line and stall the attackers. It was the heroism and determination of these men and women that saved the country. Their devotion and sacrifice compensated for the woeful lack of sufficient equipment and supplies. The strategic depth of the Sinai desert and Golan Heights also provided the country with the time needed to mobilize the reservists.
This war posed the most serious threat to the existence of Israel in modern history. Even though Israel was eventually able to achieve a military victory, the country paid a steep price, both in lives lost and in the citizenry’s confidence in their leaders and themselves. Almost three thousand soldiers gave their lives — a ratio of one death per one thousand Israelis, a painful price for a nation of three million. Over ten thousand individuals were wounded in the 17 days of fighting. Almost every household and neighborhood were affected. The pain and sorrow felt at the time continues to this day among affected families and the broader Israeli society. Deep within the psyche of the nation, this conflict shattered the conventional wisdom of Israel’s invincibility. It also illustrated the importance of having secure and defensible borders, while highlighting the urgent need for a lasting peace between Israel and its neighbors. An important outcome of the Yom Kippur War was the creation of the 1979 peace agreement between Israel and Egypt, ending more than thirty years of conflict between the two nations.
Assistance from the United States was instrumental in Israel’s victory. Ammunition, spare parts, armor, and fighter jets reached the country at a critical moment, replenishing heavy losses and enabling Israel not only to repel the attackers but to go on the offensive, ending the war 65 miles from Cairo and 25 miles from Damascus. Moreover, the political and military commitments from the United States countered the Soviet Union which had threatened to intervene in the crisis on behalf of their Arab allies.
I was a battalion physician during the Yom Kippur War. Like thousands of Israelis, I joined my battalion which had been assigned to supply the armored corps with ammunition, fuel, water, and food. These soldiers risked their lives, replenishing tanks with fuel and ammunition under enemy fire. I watched them overcome countless difficulties and perform their mission, despite constant danger, many of them paying the ultimate price. It was a daily struggle for survival, requiring resourcefulness and performance despite the constant presence of fear and anxiety. This war articulated my personal definition of courage: the performance of one’s duty despite one’s fear.
For Jews who lived through the Yom Kippur War, the holiest of the High Holy days will never be the same. For us, it stands not only as a day of atonement but as day of gratitude to God for the miracle of survival. It is also a time for remembering those who paid the ultimate price for preserving and protecting Israel and will always commemorate a renewed commitment to preventing Israel from ever experiencing such a peril in the future.
Dr Itzhak Brook is a Professor at Georgetown University and the author of the book: “In the Sands of Sinai- A Physician’s Account of the Yom Kippur War.” The book can be read free and/or obtained at: yomkippurwarphysiciansaccount.blogspot.com/
https://www.jwv.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/front-cover-Sands-Sinai-web-copy2-1.jpg375250Iryna Applehttps://www.jwv.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/jwv-logo-v4.svgIryna Apple2024-01-05 09:29:202024-01-05 09:42:4650th Anniversary of the Yom Kippur War
Ralph Hockley, born Rudolph Martin Hockenheimer, was a Holocaust survivor and Post 256 Jewish War Veteran member. Hockley was born on October 17, 1925 into a Jewish household in Karlsruhe, Germany. When Hockley was only eight years old, Hitler rose to power in Germany. In 1935, Hockley’s family escaped to Marseilles, France where Hockley learned French and excelled in school. Shortly after France was invaded, Hockley’s father was arrested for being an “enemy alien” and held in various concentration camps.
At only 14 years old, Hockley was expelled from school. Hockley became an interpreter for the American Friends Service Committee office (AFSC). Hockley used his connections in this position to secure his family, including his father, United States visas.
Ralph went to the draft board on his 18th birthday and began active duty on December 29, 1943. Hockley was a “Ritchie Boy” and was in Paris to celebrate the official end of World War II in Europe. Shortly after this, Hockley completed his service, but remained in the Army Reserve.
Hockley attended Syracuse University earning in BA in Soviet Studies in 1949. Following his degree, he returned to the U.S. Army before the start of the Korean War. Hockley served in seven campaigns in Korea where he earned a Bronze Star with a “V” device for Valor for service.
Hockley relocated to Dallas, TX where he became a member of Post 256. He published a book called Freedom is Not Free. This book detailed his experiences in Nazi Germany, and his service throughout the Korean War and the Cold War. In 2021, Hockley was awarded the Légion d’Honneur, France’s top civilian honor, in recognition of his heroism and service with their units in Korea.
Starting in 2022, Hockley began working closely with the Dallas Holocaust and Human Right Museum sharing his story with adult and student groups.
On November 8, 2023, Hockley passed away at 98 years old. He is survived by his wife, Carolyn, and his children, Cliff and Denise, stepchildren Kris, Heidi, and Kirk, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He is predeceased by his first wife, Eva Frankel.
https://www.jwv.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/placeholder-image-with-logo.jpg10231000Iryna Applehttps://www.jwv.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/jwv-logo-v4.svgIryna Apple2024-01-04 11:10:112024-01-04 11:12:04JWV Member and Holocaust Survivor Shared Story
and expanding our message of combating antisemitism, sharing the legacy of Jews in military service, and telling the stories of 18 Jewish Medal of Honor recipients.
JWV is strengthening our efforts by partnering with organizations like Combating Antisemitism Movement (CAM), the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism (FCAS). They are more commonly known as Stand Up to Jewish Hate or #BlueSquare. We have carried our message to Congress and asked Members to join us in combating antisemitism targeted at veterans and military servicemembers. We partnered with CAM and six Jewish Community Organizations for a forum with ten Members of Congress on Capitol Hill. We are working with FCAS to expand outreach to include Jewish Federations and JCCs across the county. We connected with StandWithUs, to take our efforts to combat antisemitism on college campuses. JWV is a resource in helping to educate Americans. Education is the key to reducing antisemitic actions and incidents in America and around the world.
