Published: The Origin of D-Day’s Name

I published “The Origin of D-Day’s Name” on @Medium https://ift.tt/3hvMzEq

Published: The Operation Benjamin Started with Soldier Born in Zhytomyr, Ukraine

I published “The Operation Benjamin Started with Soldier Born in Zhytomyr, Ukraine” on @Medium https://ift.tt/2DYZD6T

Published: The Significance of the Star of David

I published “The Significance of the Star of David” on @Medium https://ift.tt/3knxSFt

Published: An Look at Operation Benjamin’s Process

I published “An Look at Operation Benjamin’s Process” on @Medium https://ift.tt/39xtT4l

What Is the Welcome Home Project?

Entrepreneur and investor Shalom Lamm has enjoyed a successful real estate development career that includes the acquisition, development, and financing of over 9,500 apartment units and thousands of homes. A military history and warfare ethics expert, Shalom Lamm has also served as a scholar-in-residence for the National US Armed Forces Jewish Chaplains Council.

Since 1917, the Jewish Chaplains Council has provided spiritual and social support for Jews serving in the United States Armed Forces. The council operates within the Jewish Community Center (JCC) Association of North America, a nonprofit organization that was founded in 1854 to strengthen Jewish life and serve the Jewish community. In addition to fulfilling the spiritual needs of Jewish soldiers, the Jewish Chaplains Council organizes an array of other support programs such as the Welcome Home initiative.

Project Welcome Home helps Jewish veterans integrate into their communities following their military service. The program, which positions the JCC organization as an entry point for returning veterans, primarily serves soldiers who have fought in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation New Dawn. In addition to offering membership incentives and partnerships with veteran service organizations, Project Welcome Home offers community service and leadership opportunities to returning soldiers that better connect them with their Jewish communities.

Published: A Mission of Ensuring Jewish American WWII Soldiers’ Proper Burial

I published “A Mission of Ensuring Jewish American WWII Soldiers’ Proper Burial” on @Medium https://ift.tt/30WA5Ar

Burying WWII Soldiers in Manila under the Star of David

Shalom Lamm is a New York real estate executive who focuses on high profile residential rehabilitation projects. Active with the board of the Jewish Institute of National Security Affairs, Shalom Lamm serves as an Operation Benjamin founding member. In February 2020, the nonprofit realized a long held goal of holding a burial ceremony for World War II Jewish American soldiers under the Star of David.

As reported by Fox News, the re-naming ceremony was coordinated by the American Battle Monuments Commission and Operation Benjamin. Honoring five fallen soldiers, the historic ceremony at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial involved the participation of representatives of four of those men. In addition, the Israeli and U.S. ambassadors to the Philippines gave their blessings as part of a ceremony that included a recitation of the Mourner’s Kaddish at each grave site.

There were various reasons why Jewish participants in World War II might be buried under Christian crosses, from clerical error to personal omission. The latter was designed to minimize chances that a soldier would be persecuted, should he be captured in battle. In a number of cases Jewish service members were forced to deface the “H,” which stood for Hebrew, on their dog tags, so as not to be targeted by Nazis after their capture.

That a fundamental mistake was finally rectified, nearly eight decades after these men sacrificed their lives for their country, is a major accomplishment for Operation Benjamin and the families of the fallen.