I am always moved by military honors at funerals. Often, when officiating at a funeral for a member of “the great generation,” as the people who lived through World War II are called, I witness the moving speeches, the flag folding, the taps; all signs and symbols of a grateful nation for the efforts and sacrifices that a particular individual made to ensure our current freedom and peace. Above all, however, what moves me is the realization that being American and being Jewish are intrinsically intertwined. Both identities are not in conflict, they complement each other. One cannot be a good Jew without being a loyal citizen of this country that welcomed our ancestors.
In Eastern Europe, Jews did not feel, nor were they made to feel, as true citizens of their countries. The relationship between Jews and their countries’ government and rulers was often difficult. Jews created all kind of subterfuges to survive. At the same time, Jews served with distinction and many gave their lives for their countries during several wars, including World War I and World War II. For instance in Poland, Jews comprised 10 percent of the military at the outset of WW II.
Military conscription and fighting for countries that denied the Jews even basic rights was not high in the list of priorities for most Jews. Thus, they engaged in bribes and tricks to avoid conscription. Among the survival tricks that Jews engaged in to avoid being drafted in the army was what came to be known as “the Jewish injury.” My own maternal great-grandfather had one of those. He did not have half of his index finger. I was told that it had been blown away by an “accidental shot.” This injury, which on the outset of WW I was sanctioned by rabbinic authorities, consisted of someone shooting at or cutting a part of the right index finger, the one body part absolutely crucial to shoot a rifle. With that injury, young men were automatically exempted from conscription. By sacrificing a small part of their bodies, they potentially saved their lives by avoiding going into battle.
Another common subterfuge used to avoid military conscription was not to file a death certificate for a boy who had died at a very young age (unfortunately a common occurrence); and then to use that birth certificate for a baby born a few years later. The reason for doing this, was that parents were able to send the second child in lieu of the first child (the one who had died) when he would be due for military conscription. The second child was sent home given that he would be too small to serve in the army. The army recruiters would assume he was 18 when in reality he may have only been 13 or 14.
I assume many readers may be offended by my telling of these events that appear to be less than honorable. Yet, I assume that our ancestors in Eastern Europe did what they had to do to survive and I can’t blame them. At the same time we must realize how fortunate we are to live in a time and place where we are happy and proud citizens of our country. Every time I am at the Jewish Community Center I stop to admire all the names engraved in the Jewish War Veterans display cases and think about how much we all owe our war veterans. I urge you to do the same next time you are at the JCC.
