Why Memorial Day Should Matter to the Jewish Community

Originally posted on jcca.org on May 19, 2020.

It was 4:30 a.m., hours before daybreak. Four of us marched to the waiting plane—the U.S. Secretary of Defense, a general, a colonel, and me. Climbing into the cargo bay, we stood before seven flag-draped transfer cases, each one bearing a beloved son, daughter, husband, wife, or parent—their lives abruptly cut short by war. We readied for one of the military’s most solemn responsibilities, the dignified transfer to bring home seven of our country’s fallen heroes.

With the true cost of war staring me in the face, I raised my voice in prayer. My words, composed especially for these seven souls, promised we would return them to their families, recommit ourselves to the pursuit of peace, and remember always their ultimate sacrifice to ensure all Americans’ freedom.

Approximately a decade earlier, in 1999, I had joined the U.S. Air Force Reserve as a chaplain candidate and later served as a chaplain. It was a time of peace and prosperity in our country, and the thought that we would have to mobilize for war then—or ever—was inconceivable.

Then September 11, 2001 happened.

In 2007, I transferred to Dover AFB in Delaware, where as a rabbi, I supported the mission of the military’s mortuary. More than that, I grew to understand the value of Memorial Day and my responsibility on this national day of mourning to remember each casualty of war as a person—with dreams, loves, hopes, and commitments left unfulfilled. Learning their stories, meeting their families, and honoring their values are essential if we are to remember them and keep their memories alive.

from USCJ https://uscj.org/blog/why-memorial-day-should-matter-to-the-jewish-community
via USCJ