14 July 4 • 2019
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T
he Civil War, World War I,
World War II, Korea, Vietnam,
the frontlines on the War on
Terror. No matter the era or theater
of war, Jews in our armed forces have
faced being in harm’
s
way throughout
our nation’
s history,
playing a pivotal role
in defending our
freedoms despite
the erroneously held
belief after the Civil
War that Jews did
not participate in the
defense of our country.
To right that wrong, the Hebrew
Union Veterans Organization, the
forerunner of today’
s Jewish War
Veterans (JWV) of the U.S.A., was
founded in 1896 to dispute that mis-
truth and set the record straight.
The JWV remains our nation’
s
oldest veterans service organization
(VSO) that for 123 years has been
dedicated to the well-being of all
veterans. But like all current VSOs,
the JWV is working to stem the tide
of shrinking memberships. There’
s
more on the line than meets the eye.
The subject of the JWV’
s future
was front and center the weekend
of June 1-2 when the Jewish War
Veterans Department of Michigan
hosted Dr. Barry J. Schneider, 74,
Maj., USAF (Ret), JWV national
commander. Schneider, who resides
in Fort Worth, Texas, came to Detroit
to discuss the state of the JWV and
meet with members at Temple Shir
Shalom in West Bloomfield.
The visit, one of several on his
cross-country tour, earned praise
from Schneider who told JWV post
members: “This has been absolutely
without question the best department
visit I have been on. You’
re doing a
stellar job, a great job for the JWV
in the community and I expect great
things out of you in the future.”
But with most members comprised
of WWII veterans, the JWV is facing
a future challenged by an urgent need
to replenish and rejuvenate its ranks.
The Ladies Auxiliary of the Jewish
War Veterans faces a similar fate.
THE WORK OF THE JWV
To the uninformed, the JWV might be
mischaracterized as an organization
where aging vets convene to share war
stories. That couldn’
t be further from
the truth. What’
s at stake is more than
the loss of its rank and file. The JWV’
s
absence would create a void not only
in the Jewish community, but also in
communities throughout the country.
Nationally, the JWV is actively
involved in key legislative priorities.
“We fight for the rights of Jews every-
where, but we take care of all veter-
ans no matter their denomination,”
Schneider says.
JWV is at the forefront on the dis-
cussion of veteran suicide prevention,
homelessness, GI Bill accountability
and POW/MIA initiatives. And not to
be overlooked is the JWV’
s commit-
ment to the well-being of Israel.
In Detroit, the JWV makes its
own impact. Every Christmas Day
for the last 60-plus years, the JWV
Department of Michigan travels by
charter bus for a one-day trip to the
Battle Creek VA Medical Center, pro-
viding gifts and companionship for
patients who are often alone on the
holiday.
The combined posts of Michigan’
s
JWV have also contributed to the
ongoing development of Fisher House
Detroit, a facility planned to be with-
in walking distance of the John D.
Dingell VA Medical Center, which will
provide, at no charge, a comfortable
and secure “home away from home”
for family members of loved ones
being treated.
According to JWV Department of
Michigan Commander Dr. Ed Hirsch:
“We will implement numerous other
community-related projects including
working with the National Council of
Jewish Women and assuming an even
closer relationship with the Holocaust
Memorial Center and its efforts to
create programming aimed at school-
age children.”
EYE TO THE FUTURE
But who will carry the mantle for aging
JWV members when they are no lon-
ger able to contribute? The JWV needs
younger reinforcements.
“We are doing things to try and
engage younger members,
” Schneider
says. “Our JWV Iraq/Afghanistan
committee is growing and becoming
more active.
” He estimates that 50,000
Jews have served since 9-11, with
Alan Muskovitz
Contributing Writer
jews d
in
the
Ensuring a
Lasting Legacy
National commander of Jewish War Veterans
comes to Detroit to talk about the future.
Dr. Barry J. Schneider, national
commander of the Jewish War
Veterans U.S.A., and Dr. Ed
Hirsch, commander JWV Dept.
of Michigan, at the Machpelah
gravesite of Medal of Honor
recipient Raymond Zussman
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COURTESY OF THE JEWISH WAR VETERANS