20 | JUNE 29 • 2023 

HER ES

OUR COMMUNITY

I

n “Taking Time to Remember,” my 
cover story in the May 25 edition of 
the JN, I offered a reminder to try 
to set aside some time over the long 
Memorial Day weekend to honor the 
sacrifice made by our Jewish men and 
women veterans of blessed memory. 
More specifically, I invited our readers 
to join the Jewish War Veterans (JWV), 
Department of Michigan, at 
one of two ceremonies com-
memorating the holiday. 
Rabbis Michael Moskowitz 
of Temple Shir Shalom 
and Jennifer Kaluzny of 
Temple Israel conducted 
the services at Machpelah 
Cemetery and Hebrew 
Memorial Park, respectively, 
on Sunday, May 28. 
Besides trying to generate a better 
turnout to honor the JWV, my major 
objective was to encourage the pub-
lic, and the JWV membership for that 
matter, to bring members of their fam-
ilies to these events. In particular, it’s 
imperative that we educate younger 
generations to carry on the tradition 
of honoring our veterans. I’m happy to 
report that my appeal moved the needle 
for a few people.

HONORING UNCLE ABE
Steve Lash of Bloomfield Hills attended 
the JWV Machpelah Cemetery service. 
He was a captain in the U.S. Air Force, 
serving stateside during the Vietnam War. 
Steve is not a JWV post member, but 
his passion for remembering his fellow 

comrades in uniform was preceded well 
before he was a member of the armed 
services. In fact, it turns out he has visited 
Machpelah Cemetery on Memorial Day 
weekend since he was a child. 
“I would accompany my father, 
Irving, along with my brothers Harvey, 
Myles, and my sister Sarita Bagdade, 
to honor my father’s brother — my 
uncle Herman ‘Abe’ Lash. He was just 
20 years old when he died in the Battle 
of the Bulge in France during WWII. 
I was just 15 months old at the time of 
his death on Jan. 11, 1945.” It was less 
than four months away from Germany 
surrendering. 
This Memorial Day weekend, Steve was 
moved by my call-to-action to observe 
the annual ceremony conducted by 
Michigan’s JWV.
“I read your article,” said Steve. “It was 

a wonderful piece. In 
fact, it was your arti-
cle that made me say, 
‘I’m getting my kids to 
come with me to the 
cemetery this year.’” 
That included both his 
children and grand-
children.
Steve was accompa-
nied by his daughter 
Rebecca Rubin, her 
husband, Adam, their 
18-year-old son Noah, 
and another grandson 
Drew Lash, 17. Three 
generations strong per-
forming the mitzvah of 
honoring the JWV and 
the hero that was their Uncle Abe. 
“It’s great to be here,” Noah said. “It’s 
a reminder for people who forget the 
Jewish impact in war. We’re such a small 
population, but it’s a lot more than you 
think. It’s underappreciated.”
“It’s really meaningful to come,” Drew 
said, sharing his cousin’s sentiment. 
“We’re not here forever, and we need to 
remember everything, not just the impact 
Jews have had in combat but on America 
in general.”
Surrounded by his teenage grandsons 
only makes the loss of Steve’s Uncle Abe 
at 20 years old even more profound, more 
unimaginable, more heart-wrenching. 
“
Abe was just three years older than 
these kids when he died.” He was in fact 
around the same age, only 18, when he 
enlisted to serve and protect his country.

Three generations from the Lash family honor their Uncle Abe at 
Machpelah: Drew and Steve Lash, Noah and Rebecca Rubin.

Next generation steps up to honor our veterans.

Alan 
Muskovitz
Contributing 
Writer