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THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Leave Everything to Us
By BEN G. FRANK
(Copyright 1978, JTA, Inc.)
WEST POINT, N.Y. —
Hanuka certainly will be
well represented at the
United States Military
Academy just north of New
York City. For not only will
the candles be lit by Jewish
cadets, officers, enlisted
men and their families, but
on a massive stone mantel
in the academic board room
of the academy there are
statues of the nine greatest
warriors the world has even
known. Of the nine, there
are three Jewish heroes and
one is Judas Maccabeus.
(The other two are Joshua
and David.)
In the long span of the
history of the Republic Jews
have been prominently
Wyn & Harold Landis.
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WISHING ALL OUR FRIENDS AND
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identified with West Point.
For example, the first
graduating class of the mili-
tary academy in 1802 was
50 percent Jewish: that
class consisted of two cadets
and one, Simon M. Levy,
was Jewish.
Early American figures
whose careers were associ-
ated with the academy in-
clude Maj. Alfred Mordecai
Sr., class of 1823, one of our
nation's outstanding ex-
perts on ordnance; Col.
David Salisbury Franks, a
distinguished military offi-
cer and diplomat; Samuel
Noah, soldier of fortune and
West Point's 30th graduate
and Col. Isaac Franks,
quartermaster with George
Washington.
After the Civil War, the
number of Jewish
graduates from West
Point showed a marked
increase. Nearly 100
Jewish West Pointers
commanded units in
World War I and it is es-
timated that the number
of Jewish graduates in
World War II exceeded
several hundred.
Of course, a modern
American Jewish Maccabee
is the late Col. David "Mic-
key" Marcus, a graduate of
the military academy, who
is buried at West Point and
was known for his military
contributions to the Israel
Defense Forces in the
Jewish state's war of inde-
pendence. Col. Marcus was
killed in the battle for
Jerusalem.
This Hanuka of 5739
there are 46 Jewish cadets
— a part of the West Point
Jewish "family," which to-
tals more than 100. And for
a small Jewish community
there is much activity in-
deed, activity which sig-
nifies pride in Judaism
among the Jewish cadets.
Varied activities include
the building, decorating of a
sukka and praying therein;
Friday evening services,
Bnai Mitzva, weddings, a
Jewish cadet choir which is
often on tour; and, of course,
a highlight for the whole
academy, the community
Seder, which is usually
attended by many officers
and officials at the
academy, including the
Superintendent, Lt. Gen-
eral Andrew J. Goodpaster.
There are also lectures on
Jewish themes, folk singing
and dancing.
But Jewish cadets,
trained to serve, give of
their time to perpetuate
Judaism. Over the years,
they have set up a Sun-
day school, with courses
taught by the cadets and
hosted by faculty wives.
Heading the Sunday
school this year is Cadet Jeff
Jacobs, class of '79 of Fair-
fax, Va., the son of a mili-
tary officer. Jeff's Jewish
education is deep and in-
cludes a year of study in a
yeshiva. With the advice of
his former synagogue offi-
cials at Olam Tikvah in
Fairfax; Va., and the receipt
of materials from the Na-
tional Jewish Welfare ,
Board and various publish-
ing houses, Jeff planned the
curriculum. Today, these
future officers of America
teach the youngsters of par-
ents stationed at this post
how to read Hebrew: they
impart knowledge of Jewish
customs, Bible and holidays
and they involve the adults
themselves in the organiza-
tion of the school.
Both Jeff and Col. D.
Peter Gleichenhaus, deputy
director of physical educa-
tion at the academy and
coordinator of Jewish ac-
tivities at West Point, stress
that since the number of
Jewish cadets is relatively
small, those who are Jewish
in effect "become more con -
scious of being Jewish."
Involvement of Jewish
cadets, therefore, might be
much greater here than at
other universities, accord-
ing to Col. Gleichenhaus,
whose son, Joseph — in-
structed by Cadet Jacobs —
will celebrate his Bar
Mitzva this month at the
academy. Although services
are now voluntary for all at
the academy, attendance
among Jewish cadets is
usually more than 50 per-
cent, adds Col.
Gleichenhaus.
It is in the area of reli-
gious services that a
major breakthrough will
be made. In the early
years of the academy,
when chapel attendance
was compulsory, Jews
attended services in the
cadet chapel which is a
non-sectarian chapel, but
in practice always has
been considered Protes-
tant. Later, Jewish
cadets attended their
own services in cadet
chapel. (At the turn of the
century, a Catholic
chapel was built.)
Today, Jewish services
are held in a chemistry hall.
Jordan Leder
litasager
Friday, December 22, 19T8 59
The newly elected president of the United Israel
Appeal, Jerrold C. Hoffberger, left, and former UIA
president Max Fisher of Detroit, center, present retir-
ing president Melvin Dubinsky with a plaque at the
recent meeting of the United Israel Appeal in New
York.
Best Wishes to All our
Friends and Patrons
for a
Happy Hanuka
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