Welcome to The National Museum of American
Jewish Military History

The National Museum of American Jewish Military History, under the auspices of the Jewish War Veterans of the USA, documents and preserves the contributions of Jewish Americans to the peace and freedom of the United States, educates the public concerning the courage, heroism and sacrifices made by Jewish Americans who served in the armed forces, and works to combat anti-Semitism.

News & Special Announcements

On December 10, 2009 at 7pm, The Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, the National Museum of American Jewish Military History and the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America present The Enemy I Knew: German Jews in the Allied Military in World War II. Author, Steven Karras will be reading from his book and signing copies at the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, 600 I Street, NW, Washington DC , 20001, (202) 408-3100. COST: Tickets are $6, or receive two (2) free tickets with the purchase of the book ($28) from Sixth & I.
Sign up for this event here.

In the decades since World War II, one question has arisen again and again: “Why didn´t the Jews fight back?” In The Enemy I Knew, author Steven Karras shows that not only did they fight back, many Jews also played key roles in bringing an end to the Nazis´ reign of terror. Helping dispel the myth that the Jewish experience leading up to and during World War II was one solely of victimization, The Enemy I Knew contains twenty–seven, first–person narratives of courageous German and Austrian born Jews who fled the Nazis and, not long after finding safety in the U.S. and Great Britain, were inducted into the Allied Armed Forces to fight the countries of their birth. The Enemy I Knew is a tribute to the often overlooked men and women who risked everything to serve their new countries and help rid the world of an unparalleled human evil.

Harvey S. Friedman Annual Memorial Grant

The NMAJMH is now accepting applications for the 2010 Friedman Grant, offered to students planning a career in the museum field.

Veterans Day November 11
Arthur Szyk – Soldier in Art

Presentation on the art and messages of the Polish–Jewish artist Arthur Szyk (1894–1951) by Rabbi Irvin Ungar, Curator, The Arthur Szyk Society. For more information on Arthur Szyk and Rabbi Irvin Ungar, visit the website of the Arthur Szyk Society at www.Szyk.org. The presentation captured a wide variety of interested participants which included the family of a United States Holocaust Memorial Museum employee who assisted in the creating of the Arthur Szyk exhibit at the Holocaust Museum in 2002. Museum staff offered exhibit tours and a treasure hunt for the children. Pictured are Rabbi Irvin Unger during the presentation and family members of Congregation Etz Hayim  To see Szyk flyer, click here

Highlighted Museum Tour Schedule

January 17, 2009:

Leisure World of Virginia, Northern Virginia

The National Museum of American Jewish Military History is a member of The DuPont-Kalorama Museums Consortium (DKMC). It promotes the “off the mall” museums and their neighborhoods in the greater DuPont-Kalorama area of Washington, DC. Check out the DKMC website for museum locations. All are in walking distance from one to another! What a great way to spend an afternoon!

Coming to Washington DC?   Check out one of our new business partners, DESTINATION DC, for hotel rooms, great eateries, interesting places to shop, unusual things to see and do.

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Museum Outreach

Museum Docent Outreach

Museum docent Richard Rosenzweig can never say he doesn´t take his work home with him – as a matter of fact each year just after Veterans Day he does just that. He and his lovely wife Verna are snow birds and they make the trek to a warmer climate as do many JWV and NMAJMH members. Tucked amongst the luggage was a box of membership brochures, exhibit catalogs and a traveling display or two. Before Richard arrived he had lined up 4 speaking engagements.

In November Richard spoke for a Veterans Day tribute at Temple Beth Am Men´s Club in Jupiter Fl. At the Golden Hadassah in Boca Raton, FL, Richard spoke about Women in the Military highlighting their service; also at the Pompano Hadassah, Pompano Fl, and again at the National Council of Jewish Women in March. Richard has been active with JWV Posts 519 and Post/Aux. 265, providing museum information and membership applications.

Richard has also been busy reading about anything and everything that might be useful to him in his docent role. Recently he read (and reviewed) the book They Dared Return, by Patrick O’Donnell. Click here to read Richard’s review. During the Days of Remembrance (April), the NMAJMH will host the author for a book signing at the Museum. Look for more information coming up under News and Special Announcements.

The NMAJMH thanks Richard for taking his work so seriously and looks forward to his return to tour guide duty at the Museum late March.

If you are looking for a rewarding volunteer position, why not contact Mary Westley at 202 265 6280 and talk to her about becoming a museum docent. Click here for more information.

“Jews in the American Military” is an exhibit current on display at The Suffolk Y JCC, 74 Hauppauge Road, Commack, N.Y. The display includes information about the Jewish Congressional Medal of Honor recipients as well as Admiral Uriah Levy which was provided by the National Museum of American Jewish Military History. Also included is information about two former Marty Glickman Outstanding Jewish Scholastic Athletes of the Year, the award is presented annually by The National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame and Museum to the top Jewish college scholar athlete of the year. The awards were given to West Point graduates Neil Ravitz in 1999 and Dustin Greenhill in 2004, both served tours in Iraq.

Museum Director Col. Herb Rosenbleeth and Assistant Collections Manager, Mike Rugel visit Talmudical Academy of Baltimore. During the visit, Mike Rugel (pictured) presented interesting and unusual artifacts from the archives and Colonel Rosenbleeth discussed Veterans' Day and JWV. This year there were two classes present and staff from the Jewish Week were there to cover the event.

If your class would like a visit and your school is located in the Washington DC/Metro area, contact Mary Westley at (202) 265-6280 for more information. If your class is scheduling field trips, please add us to your list of interesting places to visit. We have a great scavenger hunt game!

Martin Kaufman of JWV Post 273 (FL) requested a Hall of Heroes traveling exhibit for display at Beth Shalom Congregation for November in honor of Veterans Month. Learn more about the Beth Shalom exhibit:

Jacksonville Jewish News

The Beth Shalom Shofar

To view other museum outreach events, click here.

The Future of the NMAJMH

The National Museum of American Jewish Military History proudly announces plans for a new permanent core exhibit. The NMAJMH has been working with Quatrefoil Associates to put together a master plan for an exhibition that will cover the entire span of Jewish service in the American military. This new exhibit will be the core of the NMAJMH and is our most ambitious undertaking yet.

Some of you might remember reading a children´’s book many, many years ago entitled, “The Little Engine That Could”. It was about a little locomotive which aspired to be just like its bigger brothers and sisters. In the end it (not its brothers and sisters) succeeds in pulling a train over a very large mountain, while chanting the phrase, “I–think–I–can”, “I–think–I–can”. Your National Museum of American Jewish Military History is similar to the little engine that could. With limited funds and a remarkable overworked staff we produce an excellent product — “We think we can!” Come take a look at what we have done! Our exhibits range from “Women in the Military"rdquo;, “Jewish Congressional Medal of Honor Recipients” to the “JWV 1933 Protest march Against Nazi Germany”. Then, there is our Archives — letters, diaries, photographs, awards and decorations, articles of war, etc. We also have a “Yahrzeit Program” in which J.W.V. members, their families and others are honored at stations in our museum and through out the internet world on the anniversary of their passing. Like any engine big or small, your National Museum of American Jewish Military History needs fuel to operate. Please reach into your hearts and minds and souls. Membership is important! Contributions help! Also kindly think about placing us in a small or mid–size portion of your will, trust, or life insurance policy. “We–think–we–can”, and with your help, “We–will!”

David L. Magidson
President

Click here for Membership Info

Meet the new President of the National Museum of American Jewish Military History

A Welcome Letter

FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITIES

Albany Post 105 members Richard and Kelly Goldenberg present a $1000 contribution to Col. Herb Rosenbleeth for the National Museum of American Jewish Military History in Washington on July 15. Richard and Kelly are both Gulf War active duty veterans and Richard served more recently in Iraq in 2005. The contribution will inscribe the JWV Albany Post 105 members in the museum Tree of Honor. Photo by Mary Westley.

Did you know you can now purchase a Yahrzeit Memorial for your deceased loved one online? Our Yahrzeit Memorial Display is now user friendly to those who wish to purchase an entry over the internet for a deceased family loved one. Click here to be directed to the homepage of the Yahrzeit Memorial Program. Click on PURCHASE YAHRZEIT. Fill out the form as completely as possible. If you have any questions, please contact Mary Westley at 202 265-6280, x511 or email to mwestley@nmajmh.org.

Did you know that certificates can be purchased blank in bulk quantities of 12 for $96.00? That is a savings of $2 per certificate! Ordering certificates is an opportunity to do a good deed and to benefit the National Museum of American Jewish Military History (NMAJMH). The proceeds from the certificates will be used by the Museum to chronicle the history of American Jewish participation in our nation´s defense. Click here to find out more about the certificate program, to fill in an order form and to view a sample certificate. If you have any questions, please contact Mary Westley at 202 265-6280, x511 or email to mwestley@nmajmh.org.

Recent Visitors to the
National Museum of American Jewish Military History

On November 8, 2009, The Shul Without Walls and the National Museum of American Jewish Military History hosted a program: Fighting Fair: Personal & Political Ethics of War. Participants, which included a goodly number of children, spent the early part of the afternoon on walking trek visiting certain areas of Washington DC exploring biblical and contemporary efforts to civilize conflict which was followed by a panel discussion with Jewish war veterans at the National Museum of American Jewish Military History. Veterans Lt. Col Sheldon Goldberg (Vietnam) and SSGT Daniel Katz (Iraq) were warmly greeted by the group and the children presented them with THANK YOU cards that they had made. Both veterans spoke of their time in the service and the challenges they faced. The children had the opportunity to participate in a museum treasure hunt and to try on study collection uniforms.

On September 29, members (and their mothers) of the American Girl Book Club came to visit the NMAJMH. All had read Meet Rebecca, the first book of a six series set of historical books, by Jacqueline Dembar Greene, and were anxious to learn about Jewish life, both civilian and military, in the early 1900s, when Rebecca Rubin, the main character, would have been 9 years old growing up in New York. The girls, and one brave young man, enjoyed the treasure hunt through our exhibits and several tried on uniforms from the Museum´s study collection. They were amazed at just how petite some of the service women were. Group coordinator Pier Penic provided a period of Q&A of the book as well as an overview of what life and times were like “back then.” JWV and Museum member and docent for the day, Richard Rosenzweig, provided detailed information of the history of the Jewish War Veterans and the Museum highlighting that early period.

A Havurah group of Jewish professionals from the Metro area visited the museum Sunday August 30. Docent Richard Rosenzweig and speaker Sheldon Goldberg, (back row) provided a well received tour and talk which included historical information provided by Richard Rosenzweig , JWV and Museum member, on the Jewish War Veterans organization and its Museum. JWV and Museum member Sheldon Goldberg relayed information on his military service. One of the group members was a returnee having been a speaker at the Museum’s building dedication in 1984. We look forward to a return visit of the group and thank them for including us in their Sunday events.

Students, chaperons and teachers of the Hillel Day School of Boca Raton visited the Museum May 13 bright and early at 9am. It was a wonderful way to start a day. We´d like to report that all those that participated in the treasure hunt seemed to enjoy the fun way to find facts about Jews in the American Military. They came up with interesting and time–saving ways of relaying answers to co team members – Texting! We look forward to another visit from the school next year! Thank you Faye of Flamingo Education Tours and Hadassah Smolarcik of Hillel Day School for your help and guidance and to the Agami Family for referring this museum to the school. The Agami family lost their beloved son, Daniel, during his military service in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2007. To learn more about Daniel Agami and other soldiers we are highlighting during Jewish Heritage Month...