ACR219

A Concurrent Resolution commemorating the 125th anniversary of the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America.

Whereas, On March 15, 1896, 63 Civil War veterans gathered inside an opera house in New York City with the goal of combatting anti-Semitism, and left having created the Hebrew Union Veterans Association, now known as the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America (JWV); and

Whereas, The JWV is the oldest continually active veterans organization in the country, and has spent the last 125 years advocating for Jewish soldiers, supporting the United States in its wartime efforts, fighting for racial, religious, and gender protections, providing veterans services, and attaining numerous other notable achievements; and

Whereas, The early efforts of the JWV included advocating for the rights of Jewish military members and a successful appeal to President Taft in 1913 after soldiers were denied leave for Yom Kippur, and fighting for legislation to ensure that the graves of Jewish service members who died in World War I in France were marked with a Star of David; and

Whereas, After Adolph Hitler assumed the role of Chancellor of Germany in 1933, the JWV became the first organization to launch the boycott of German goods in the United States, and lead a march of over 4,000 veterans on City Hall in New York City which commenced with New York City Mayor John P. O’Brien publicly endorsing the boycott; and

Whereas, During World War II, the JWV created the Emergency Program for Victory which called for a comprehensive civilian program to support the war effort and included several fundraising drives that allowed the JWV to purchase six fighter planes, 25 ambulances, and several field kitchens for the United States military; and

Whereas, The JWV was one of the first organizations to support the American Legion’s efforts to pass the “Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944”, more commonly known as the first GI Bill, and pushed for strong racial and religious protections while lobbying for the legislation; and

Whereas, During the Korean War, the JWV aimed to mitigate the national blood shortage, and, in coordination with the American Red Cross, sponsored National Baseball Blood Month in 1952 which saw blood drives in ballparks in 53 cities and lead to the JWV receiving credit for the first 100 pints of blood delivered in Korea; and

Whereas, In 1955, the JWV established the Shrine to Jewish War Dead which received a Congressional Charter from President Eisenhower and was later renamed the American Museum of American Jewish Military History; and

Whereas, The JWV has a history of advocating for civil rights and is the only Veterans Service Organization known to have participated in the 1963 March on Washington with Martin Luther King, Jr.; and

Whereas, After the September 11th terrorist attacks, the JWV sent care packages overseas and the organization’s national leadership visited wounded troops at the Walter Reed Medical Center; and

Whereas, The Jewish War Veterans of the USA Foundation was created in 2010 to support veterans and active duty military personnel and their families, and awards over $5,000 in grants annually; and

Whereas, New Jersey is proudly home to 20 Jewish War Veterans posts: Augenblick-Marcus Post 669; Bayonne Post 18; Clearbrook Post 395; Dan Michelson-Livingston Post 740; David Blick Post 63; Essex-Preiskel-Miller-Glassberg Post 47; Furer-Barag-Wolf Post 126; Jersey Shore Post 125; Kaufman Harris Cone Wayne Post 695; Lt. Garr-Greenstein-Friedenberg Post 39; Lt. James I. Platt Post 651; Lt. Seth Dvorin Post 972; Memorial Post 601; Monroe Township Post 609; N. Hudson-J. George Fredman Post 76; Ocean County Post 178; Oglensky Jackson Post 359; Sanford L. Kahn Post 538; Sgt. Sheldon Sheinfine Post 311; and Spc. Mark Seiden-Ben Kaufman Post 444; and

Whereas, Given the numerous and historical achievements in the organization’s long history, it is fitting for this House to commemorate and congratulate the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America on celebrating 125 years of service; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey (the Senate concurring):

1. The Legislature of the State of New Jersey commemorates the 125th anniversary of the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America.

2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly or the Secretary of the Senate to the National Commander of the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America.

STATEMENT

This resolution commemorates the 125th anniversary of the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America (JWV). The JWV was founded on March 15, 1896 when 63 Jewish Civil War veterans gathered in New York City with the goal of combatting anti-Semitism. The result was the creation of the Hebrew Union Veterans Association, now known as the JWV.

The JWV is the oldest continually active veterans’ organization in the country, and has played prominent roles in the wartime efforts of the United States of America during the past 125 years. In addition to providing wartime support to the country, the JWV advocates for the rights of Jewish military members and has a history of achievements including lobbying successfully in 1913 for service leave for Yom Kippur and supporting legislation to ensure that the graves of service members who died in World War I in France were marked with a Star of David.

New Jersey is proudly home to 20 Jewish War Veterans posts: Augenblick-Marcus Post 669; Bayonne Post 18; Clearbrook Post 395; Dan Michelson-Livingston Post 740; David Blick Post 63; Essex-Preiskel-Miller-Glassberg Post 47; Furer-Barag-Wolf Post 126; Jersey Shore Post 125; Kaufman Harris Cone Wayne Post 695; Lt. Garr-Greenstein-Friedenberg Post 39; Lt. James I. Platt Post 651; Lt. Seth Dvorin Post 972; Memorial Post 601; Monroe Township Post 609; N. Hudson-J. George Fredman Post 76; Ocean County Post 178; Oglensky Jackson Post 359; Sanford L. Kahn Post 538; Sgt. Sheldon Sheinfine Post 311; and Spc. Mark Seiden-Ben Kaufman Post 444.

The JWV continues to offer services to veterans and members of the military, and offers a number of programs, as well as providing grant funding through their Jewish War Veterans of the USA Foundation.