February 2020 Newsletter

Rabbi’s Message
Rabbi John Franken
February 2020 - Shevat/Adar 5780
Dear Friends:
Later this month I will be making a pilgrimage of sorts - not to Israel, as you might
expect, but to the Far East. There, next to the Philippine capital of Manila, is the largest
American military cemetery outside the United States and therein lies buried my
father’s brother Allan.
Uncle Allan died as a result of combat wounds on May 24, 1945, just two and a half
months before Japan’s surrender, and I received my middle name in his memory. While
growing up, I would often ask about him and always be impressed by his intelligence,
kindness, industriousness and loyalty. His death at age 20 always represented a void;
there was always a sense of unfulfilled promise and sadness in thinking about him - a
son, brother, and future husband/father/uncle whose life had been unjustly stolen away.
And while he received the Purple Heart and a military burial, it turns out his burial was
not a proper one. For, as it happens, a marker with a Latin Cross was mistakenly placed
over his remains and has resided there until now.
That is all about to change next month when I, along with the families representing
four other Jewish soldiers, attend a ceremony dedicating new Star-of-David shaped
monuments and thereby righting a longtime wrong. It comes as a result of a terrific
project called Operation Benjamin whose mission it is to help Jewish families seek the
redress of a proper monument for their loved ones. It is an act of hesed shel emet, an
uncommon kindness of the living to the dead, for which I’m extraordinarily grateful. I
am equally grateful to the good people of the American Battle Monuments Commission
who have acted with empathy, sensitivity and professionalism in helping to rectify this
historical error - and not just in the Far East, but in Europe as well.
I plan to speak about this experience at Shabbat services on February 21. I hope you will
join us.
With blessings of peace,
N.B. The Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund serves one of five worthy purposes: (1) supporting Temple activities, programs
and operations; (2) assisting congregants in need; (3) repair of the world and social justice; (4) support for worthy
Jewish and Israeli causes; and (5) educational and organizational advancement of the congregation, staff and
clergy. Please consider honoring or remembering your loved ones through a contribution to it.
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