it's too much to ask that we pitch in
a little. To that end, I'm honored to
be a board member for the Michigan
WWII Legacy Memorial to be built
in Royal Oak's Memorial Park.
To Linda's point, there are so
many ways you can honor our WWII
veterans. If you're a descendant of
a WWII vet (or anyone who served
the military), sign up for a JWV
post or the auxiliary today. We want
you! Imagine what a mitzvah and
memory it would be to join WWII
veterans, not just at their meetings,
but on their annual Christmas-time
trips to visit their comrades in area
Veterans Administration hospitals
or visitations to nursing homes. It's
a small investment of time that pays
huge dividends.
I also encourage you to look into
providing meals and clothing to shel-
ters that house homeless veterans,
or contact your synagogue to learn
about an existing veteran's program
or introduce a new one. Your involve-
ment can even be as simple as being a
supportive presence in the crowd at a
community Memorial Day dedication
ceremony or walking in a Veteran's
Day parade. I've done it and, take it
from me, you feel like you've been
thrust right into a Norman Rockwell
painting. It feels great.
In years past, I've introduced my
children to our Greatest Generation's
sacrifices when together we chaper-
oned WWII vets on an Honor Flight
to Washington, D.C. Here at home
we've laid flowers at the resting
places of our fallen heroes. Find your
comfort zone and get to it!
Extra Benefits
To redouble her efforts, this year
Linda added another activity to
her roster. She followed in her late
mother Elaine's footsteps and joined
the Raymond Zussman Auxiliary
333, the one remaining local wom-
en's auxiliary from WWII.
Originally started by the mothers
of soldiers, the groups later included
the wives of our beloved warriors.
Linda's membership led to a chance
meeting that reconnected her with
Mona Gubow, an old classmate of
hers, who attends functions with her
mother, Estelle. It was beshert.
"This is precisely what I was envi-
sioning," says Linda, "meeting some-
one like Mona, who like me, wanted
to carry the torch for our veterans so
that their legacy would endure for
generations to come."
Mona says, "Because of my parents
involvement, Jewish War Veterans
have always been a part of my life,
even in my youth. For years, I've
attended meetings, hospital visits,
parades, volunteer work; even some
of our family vacations were sched-
uled so that we could attend JWV
conventions."
She fondly remembers being
taught how to play checkers by the
veterans during the Auxiliary's hos-
pital visits.
"For me, being a member of JWV
is a part of living," Mona says. "I was
born into a family that knew what it
was to suffer injuries and loss, and
it was incumbent upon me to assist
those who are still in need."
Estelle Gubow, who volunteered
with the USO during the war, actual-
ly met Mona's father, Larry, while he
was still recovering in the hospital,
recuperating from injuries suffered
in the battlefield and in a German
POW camp that left him permanent-
ly disabled.
Larry would go on to be active in
the Silverman JWV Post and numer-
ous other veterans' groups. He was
named Michigan Veteran of the Year
in 1959. Today, Larry's son, Judge
David Gubow of the 45-B District
Court, is a proud member of his
father's post.
"It's imperative that we continue to
do the work," Estelle says, "be it join-
ing an organization or doing some-
thing on your own; whatever it takes
to continue to honor the memory of
the generations who came before us.
"Larry and I always felt it was
important to give back and help
others, and I want our family to
continue to honor his legacy. I'm so
thrilled that my son remains active
and that I can also share this journey
with Mona."
And that, friends, concludes my
pitch.
To Linda, Mona, Estelle and
David, I say job well done. You and
all JWV members are my unanimous
choice for this year's MVPs — Most
Valuable Patriots.
Here's hoping the message is
heard and that together, young and
old alike, we can continue to con-
sistently hit it out of the park for
our WWII vets and all our men and
women in uniform for many seasons
to come!
❑
For ways to connect, visit
Department of Michigan, Jewish
War Veterans of the U.S.A, http://
bit.ly/17xstV3, and the Michigan
World War II Legacy Memorial,
www. michiganww2memorial.
org. This column is dedicated in
loving memory of IN contributing
writer Bill Carroll, who wrote many
heartwarming features honoring our
local Jewish War Veterans.
_
The tradition continues.
Wednesday
December 25
Step Forward and
together we will
celebrate the strength
of our community.
Select and participate in a volunteer
service project at one of many
locations in metropolitan Detroit.
Sign up by December 13th
detroitjcrc.org/mitzvanday2013
Questions? Call the Mitzvah Day
Hotline: 248-658-8252 or email
slippitt@jfmd.org
Mitzvah Day Co-chairs:
Janet Berman
Seth Fisher
Micki Grossman
Hy Safran
Jewish
Community
Relations
- Council
in
t% Jewish Federation
OF METROPOLITAN DETROIT
November 7 • 2013
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