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