NEW YORK (JTA) — The Jewish Center in Manhattan hosted a memorial ceremony for fallen soldiers on the first day of Fleet Week here.
At Wednesday evening’s ceremony, speakers paid tribute to Jews killed in the U.S. wars, as well as to active soldiers. Fifty-five active Marines at the ceremony are in New York for the annual Fleet Week, when U.S. ships dock there.
The ceremony included prayers for the protection of active forces and in memory of fallen soldiers, as well as a candle-lighting commemorating soldiers killed in action.
The event’s keynote speaker, Maj. Gen. Sidney Shachnow, described his experiences as a Holocaust survivor and in the U.S. military.
“If you’ve been touched by the war, it eats away at you every day,” Shachnow said.
The ceremony was organized by the Council of Young Jewish Presidents and sponsored by a range of community organizations.
