Reflections on the Sacrifices of Others
Mark David’s article from CIJA’s Website:
There is no Jewish funeral home in Atlantic Canada. In each community, dedicated volunteers serve on a Chevra Kaddisha to ensure that fellow Jews are buried in accordance with our law and tradition. The task is never easy. It is made more difficult because so many of the people we bury were family, close friends or long-time community members.
Very recently, I participated in a recht (for those unfamiliar with the term, the Yiddish word for the ritual purification of a deceased’s remains before burial, or tahara in Hebrew) for a senior member of the Halifax community. It occurred to me that the deceased was a veteran of the Second World War, who served with the Canadian Army in Northwest Europe and participated in the liberation of the Netherlands. I remember him once showing me special letters of recognition that he had received from the Dutch Government. This led me to think about several other veterans our Chevra Kaddisha has cared for.
Jewish Canadians should be very proud to remember that during the Second World War, Jews volunteered and served in the Canadian military in disproportionate numbers. By contributing directly to the defeat of the Nazi regime, those veterans helped secure democratic freedoms for future generations of Canadians of all faiths. The tradition of military participation has been carried on by Canadian Jews who served with distinction in Korea, on peacekeeping missions, and in Afghanistan.
These thoughts also resonated with me last week as we recalled the 69th anniversary of D-Day, the Western Allies’ invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944. Juno Beach, one of the five invasion beaches, was assigned to the 3rd Canadian Division. The battle units comprised in the Division (including the North Nova Scotia Highlanders) came from all across Canada, and the Division was shortly to become part of the Canadian First Army that went on to earn numerous battle honours throughout Northwest Europe. Many people suggest that Canada’s role in the Vimy Ridge battle in First World War signified Canada’s emergence from its former colonial status, and that its role at Juno Beach cemented that independent national status.
CIJA has an important role to play in preserving – and continuing – the Canadian Jewish community’s status as an historic community and key contributor to broader society. In this regard, it is vitally important that Jewish Canadians honor the contributions of all our veterans by taking an active role in contributing to Canadian civil society today. At the very least, the sacrifices made by previous generations require of us the preservation of their memory, and a commitment to meaningful action in our generation.
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