Memorial Day… An important date for American Jews!
I am writing this brief thought at the end of Memorial Day. Truth be told, I believe that Memorial Day is one of the most important days in our calendar. As American Jews we are no strangers to the sacrifice of those who gave their lives so that we can enjoy the blessings of freedom, liberty and justice. I waited until the end of the day to write this message because I wanted to make sure that the images; the stories, the tears and the pride were fresh in my mind and in my heart.
The ideals that America stands for and represents are part of the ideals that we as Jews have treasured for thousands of years. We understand what living in peace and prosperity means but we also understand that sometimes, before there can be peace the world needs to be returned to its proper balance. One of the reasons why Memorial Day is so compelling to me is because those who sacrificed their lives throughout the confines of space and time, in distant shores and close to home, did it so that our children wouldn’t have to sacrifice theirs.
The stories of our heroes are powerful, not because they are extraordinary but because they represent the narrative of the lives of common people turned giants! One of the members of our congregation; Sam Showel, who prays with us almost every day in our Minyan has such a story. Sam saw action during WWII in Iwo Jima. He has told me many times what he remembers. He remembers the black volcanic ash spread over the island like a cloud of darkness. He remembers the heroism of his fallen comrades. With a sense of powerful and honest modesty that comes from the experience of battle, he refuses to admit he had anything to do with our nation’s triumph. ”It was not me, it was those who were with me…” For how many years history and other nations and empires denied us the opportunity of being counted as equals! Not so in America! Here we have sacrificed together, we have strengthened each other and we have built the dreams of freedom together!
As night falls and Memorial Day departs, let us take if at all a brief instant and thank from the bottom of our heart all those who gave their lives, all those who lost their loved ones so that we can enjoy the blessing of being born free. Think of how many generations of Jews were not able to be free and think of The American Experience! Let us give thanks to God for instilling courage, bravery and determination in the hearts of the men and women who have given us what we have today!
Rabbi Felipe Goodman