By Robert Shay , Special to JTNews
The National Museum of American Jewish Military History is located at the headquarters of a little-known historic veterans organization, the Jewish War Veterans of the USA. Founded by 76 Civil War veterans in 1896 and located in a quaint two-story brownstone in Washington, D.C., a brisk walk or short cab ride from the National Holocaust Museum, the museum lists at present 42 Jews who have given their lives in the defense of our country in the Iraq and Afghanistan theaters of the international war on terror. The JWV is sure that many more will be identified as Jewish in the future.
While their family and friends cry for them and think of them, who is thanking them? Who is standing at attention for them? We all must remember them!
The National Museum has begun a project to honor these American Jewish heroes — this year marks the first National Service Honoring the Jewish Fallen Heroes of Iraq and Afghanistan. This Memorial Day weekend, and hopefully countless Memorial Day weekends thereafter, we are asking all synagogues throughout our nation at their Shabbat services to read their names in memorial.
Please cut this list out of the paper and present it to your rabbi and ask him or her to read it with reverence on this Memorial Day weekend. Our fallen heroes must not be forgotten.
This list is current as of March 14, 2011:
• Pfc. Daniel J. Agami-USA, 25, Coconut Creek, Fla.
• Sgt. Howard P. Allen-USANG, 31, Mesa, Ariz.
• Spec. Benyahmin ben Yahudah-USA, 24, Bogart, Ga.
• 1st Lt. David R. Bernstein-USA, 24, Phoenixville, Penn.
• Cpl. Albert Bitton-USA, 20, Chicago, Ill.
• Sgt. Aron C. Blum-USMC, 22, Tucson, Ariz.
• Petty Officer 3rd Class Nathan B. Bruckenthal-USCG, 24, Smithtown, N.Y.
• Cpl. Ryan J. Clark-USA, Age:19, Lancaster, Calif.
• Cpl. Michael R. Cohen-USMC, 23, Jacobus, Penn.
• 2nd Lt. Seth J. Dvorin-USA, 24, East Brunswick, N.J.
• Lance Cpl. Mark E. Engel-USMC, 21, Centennial, Colo.
• Cpl. Mark A. Evnin-USMC, 21, Burlington, Vt.
• Pfc. Aaron E. Fairbairn-USA, 20, Aberdeen, Wash.
• 1st Lt. Daniel Farkas-USA, 42, Brooklyn, N.Y.
• Sgt. Zachary M. Fisher-USA, 24, Ballwin, Mo.
• Pfc. Jacob S. Fletcher-USA, 28, Bay Shore, N.Y.
• Spec. Daniel J. Freeman-USA, 20, Cincinnati, Ohio
• Sgt. Foster L. Harrington-USMC, 31, Ft. Worth, Tex.
• Airman 1st Class Elizabeth N. Jacobson-USAF, 21, Riviera Beach, Fla.
• Lance Cpl. Jeremy M. Kane-USMC, 22, Towson, Md.
• 1st Lt. Nathan M. Krissoff-USMC, 25, Reno, Nev.
• Staff Sgt. Robert J. Paul-USAR, 43, The Dalles, Ore.
• Maj. Mark E. Rosenberg-USA, 32, Miami Lakes, Fla.
• Cpl. Dustin H. Schrage-USMC, 20, Indian Harbor Beach, Fla.
• 1st Lt. Roslyn L. Schulte-USAF, 25, St. Louis, Mo.
• Capt. Robert M. Secher-USMC, 33, Germantown, Tenn.
• Spec. Marc S. Seiden-USA, 26, Brigantine, N.J.
• Staff Sgt. Michael B. Shackelford-USA, 25, Grand Junction, Colo.
• Sgt. Alan D. Sherman-USMCR, 36, Brick, N.J.
• Capt. Benjamin A. Sklaver-USA, 32, Medford, Mass.
• Chief Warrant Officer Eric A. Smith-USA, 41, Rochester, N.Y.
• 1st Lt. Andrew K. Stern-USMC, 24, Germantown, Tenn.
• Capt. Michael Y. Tarlavsky-USA, 30, Passaic, N.J.
• Pfc. Morris L. Walker-USA, 23, Chapel Hill, N.C.
• Tech. Sgt. Timothy R. Weiner-USAF, 35, Tamarac, Fla.
• Sgt. Robert M. Weinger-USA, 24, Round Lake Beach, Ill.
• Spec. Jeffrey M. Wershow-USANG, 22, Gainesville, Fla.
• Pfc. Colin J. Wolfe-USMC, 19, Manassas, Va.
• Maj. Stuart A. Wolfer-USA, 36, Coral Springs, Fla.
• Sgt. Elijah Tai Wah Wong-USA, 42, Mesa, Ariz.
• Senior Airman Jonathan A.V. Yelner-USAF, 29, Lafayette, Calif.
• Lt. Miroslav (Steven) Zilberman-USN, 31, Columbus, Ohio
Robert “Bob” Shay is a leader of Jewish War Veterans, Northwest Post 686.