Memorial Day
To Honor Their Memory
On Memorial Day, observed on the last Monday of May, we honor the men and women who died while serving in the United States military. Volunteers often place small American flags on graves at national cemeteries. The Los Angeles National Cemetery is open to the public and worthy of a visit—including for age-appropriate children.
On ReformJudaism.org, the website of the Reform Movement, Rabbi Dr. Laurence Milder writes in A Prayer for Memorial Day, “Out of the many nations of the world, our country has been blessed with a singular opportunity—to demonstrate how peoples of many faiths and heritages can live side by side, and enrich one another’s lives through friendship and the sharing of our unique traditions. We are united this day in a solemn act of gratitude …” Every Friday night, our Shabbat service includes a prayer for our country which includes, “… may we honor those who have died in defense of our ideals.”
There is no way to adequately express our appreciation to those families who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. They live daily with the loss of a loved one. We can, however, honor their memory by dedicating ourselves to advancing the ideals to which our country aspires.
Rabbi David Woznica
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