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WHEREAS, According to the Jewish War Veterans of America, more than one million Jews served in the American armed services since World War I, 250,000 soldiers in World War I, 600,000 in World War II and 150,000, another 150,000 in Korea, Vietnam and the Gulf War and are still serving in Afghanistan and Iraq; and
WHEREAS, In Jewish history, at no other time has there been a similar concentration of Jews in military service in one country of such large significance, 10 percent of World War II and Korean commissioned officers were Jews, 65 percent were noncommissioned officers, also one of three physicians and dentists in uniform were Jewish; and
WHEREAS, Both the military and the Jewish Welfare Board make sure Jewish Soldiers have prayer books, traditional Jewish food and Sabbath prayer services; and
WHEREAS, Temple Sinai in Squirrel Hill, a Reform Temple of almost 900 family units includes 50 Jewish War Veterans within its membership; and
WHEREAS, Temple Sinai's Jewish War Veterans hail from all military conflicts and every branch of the service from World War II to Iraq and Afghanistan; and
WHEREAS, These Temple Sinai Veterans served in the infantry, flew combat missions, were tank commanders, communications officers, fought and were injured at Iwo Jima and the Battle of the Bulge, guarded President Franklin Roosevelt, worked with war correspondents and chaplains, cared for orphans in Germany, participated in the Pacific and European theaters, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan, were doctors and nurses serving in clinics and field hospitals, one heard penicillin was needed and appropriated some to keep allied civilians from dying, one participated in the very first strictly Kosher Passover Seder in Seoul, South Korea and some saw Concentration Camps just following the war; and
WHEREAS, Many used the GI Bill to further their education after military life becoming physicians, engineers and more; and
WHEREAS, One Temple member was born in Germany, lived through Kristalnacht, fled with his family to the United States, then returned to Germany in the U.S. Military saying he knew first hand of Hitler's reign that U.S. soldiers only heard about on the radio, he served cleaning up after Allied tanks that rode through Germany and as a translator; and
WHEREAS, These Jewish fighters experienced prejudice everywhere they went, more in some nations, and within their own ranks than others; and
WHEREAS, Temple Sinai, lead by Rabbi James A. Gibson and Rabbi Ron B. B. Symons will honor these courageous War Veterans during a special Shabbat Service Friday evening, November 12 honoring their American and Jewish heritage through music, by Cantorial Soloist Sara Stock Mayo, reflecting the American experience and will say the prayer for our country, which is part of the Jewish prayer material given to all Jews in the military by the Jewish
Welfare Board and will show videoed interviews of Temple War Veterans during the evening's Oneg Shabbat following Services; and
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NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby recognize Temple Sinai of Pittsburgh for honoring their 50 Jewish War Veterans at a Veteran's Day Service and for the service of these brave men and women protecting the citizens of the United States and our way of life, seeing battle, being in the background supporting those in the field, and caring for those after peace treaties were signed while also living through prejudice lodged against them while in the Service of the United States.