Jewish War Veterans of the United States and Ladies Auxiliary, New Bedford Post 154 records

The New Bedford Post 154 of the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America was chartered April 1, 1937 by a group of local Jewish World War I veterans. There were 38 charter members, 12 officers and a Board of Trustees. The National Jewish Veteran group was founded in 1896 by Jewish Civil War veterans, and is the oldest veteran group in America. Its major purposes are to foster veterans’ affairs and to be of service on the local, national, and international level. Post 154 carries out programs designed to perpetuate the memory of departed Jewish comrades. Flags are placed on graves of all Jewish veterans at Plainville Cemetery before Memorial Day, and Rosh Hashanah. In addition, wreaths are placed at various local sites important to New Bedford Jewish veteran’s history. The group marches in the parades on Memorial Day and Veterans’ Day. Post 154 honors local students in a statewide program “Classmates Today – Neighbors Tomorrow” designed to promote brotherhood. Since 1977, a college scholarship in memory of Jacob Abesh has been awarded annually to four high school students, the money having been raised through a dinner dance held each year around Veteran’s Day. Members visit veterans in area hospitals on a regular basis, donate blood to the local blood bank, and hold educational meetings. Post 154 has had a long tradition of visiting veterans at the Brockton Veterans Association hospital. For many years they held an outing at Kittansett Country Club in Marion, MA for paraplegic veterans. Medical supplies and other materials are sent to Israel. In 1962, the Post and its auxiliary raise $10,000 to erect a monument to the Jewish War Veterans in Buttonwood Park. It was dedicated November 11, 1962. Eli Heimberg, George Levenson and Harold Hurwitz co-chaired the fund-raising effort. Post 154 celebrated its Golden Anniversary in 1986 with a special dinner dance. There are a number of photographs in the collection, which document this event. The Ladies’ Auxiliary of Post 154, with national affiliations, was chartered on May 5, 1937 with the same purposes as the men’s group. Women are either related to Jewish Armed Service veterans, or are veterans themselves. The only records in the collection from the auxiliary are a copy of the charter, bylaws, and a history.