JUNE 27 • 2024 | 13

never misses a parade — especially 
last year when he was honored to be 
Royal Oak’s Grand Marshal. Art and his 
comrades are prominently featured on 
the city of Royal Oak’s Facebook page.

SOLIDARITY AT THE ZOO
A busy May for the JWV concluded 
with the Department of Michigan 
participating in Jewish Federation’s 
Tuesday evening, May 28, “Walk the Zoo 
in White and Blue.” The community-
wide solidarity walk at the Detroit Zoo 
celebrated Yom HaAtzmaut, Israel’s 76th 
Independence Day. Guests were invited 
to come dressed in white-and-blue attire 
in support of Israel while walking the 
zoo grounds from 6-9 p.m. 

On the heels of his being the keynote 
speaker at the GLNC’s Memorial Day 
Observance, Donald Schenk joined JWV 
Department of Michigan Senior Vice 
Commander Bill Glogower in manning a 
table at the event, inviting participants to 
sign a banner expressing their solidarity 
with Israel. The banner, with more than 
300 signatures, will be presented to the 
Israel Defense Forces later this year. 

LEGACY OF SERVICE
In his remarks at the GLNC, Schenk 
spoke of the history of the JWV, founded 
in 1896. “The JWV is the nation’s oldest 
continuously serving veterans service 
organization,” he said. “For over 128 
years, we have served veterans and 

supported them before the legislature, 
in the community, and wherever their 
circumstances of life and health have 
taken them.”
What few people know is that the 
organization was founded, as stated 
by the JWV-USA, “in 1896 by a group 
of 63 Jewish veterans from the Civil War 
after a series of antisemitic comments 
about the lack of Jewish service in the 
Civil War. Since then, the JWV has 
been working hard to be the voice 
of American Jewry in the veteran 
community.”
“We are the forefront of the fight 
against the scourge of antisemitism,” 
Schenk said. “We are staunch supporters 
of the United States of America, the state 
of Israel, Jews around the world and, 
most importantly, America’s sons and 
daughters who comprise our ranks.”
If today’s headlines have taught us 
anything, it is that the JWV’s work is far 
from done.
It’s never too late for Jewish veterans 
from any era to join the JWV. Patrons 
are also needed to continue the 
important works of the JWV in the 
community. To learn more or to donate, 
visit jwv-mi.org. 
A final note: This piece was written 
just days ahead of the 80th anniversary 
of D-Day, the landing at Normandy 
that changed the course of WWII. In 
the sunset of their lives, we must reflect 
and continue to honor the legacy of 
sacrifice of our Greatest Generation. 
As it has been said: “All gave some, 
some gave all.” 

“Detroit Stands with Israel” banner signed by over 300 participants at Jewish Federation’s “Walk the Zoo in White and Blue” event.

JWV and Color Guard with Rabbi 
Jennifer Kaluzny of Temple Israel at 
JWV’s annual Memorial Day weekend 
services in Hebrew Memorial Cemetery. 

ART FISHMAN

EILEEN GLOGOWER

