Senate OKs Plan to Fix Jewish Soldiers' Grave Markers

The U.S. Senate recently approved legislation that would create a 10-year program to identify deceased Jewish American soldiers buried abroad with grave markers that do not accurately reflect their religion and heritage, the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs announced on Monday.

The Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration Act, S 1318, passed the Senate unanimously on Nov. 20. Companion legislation, HR 2701, introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, passed unanimously on Sept. 15.

According to the legislation, there are an estimated 900 Jewish American servicemembers killed in action during World War I and World War II mistakenly buried overseas under Latin Crosses, rather than the Jewish Star of David.

The bill directs the American Battle Monuments Commission to develop a program to identify and research these service members, contact surviving descendants, and facilitate changes to grave markers.

"All veterans, especially Jewish American veterans who have served and sacrificed for our nation's freedoms, deserve to have their faith accurately represented at their final resting places," Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., lead sponsor of S 1318, said.

"This legislation makes certain that the religious heritage of those who have died for our country is rightfully represented at their gravesites and gives their families the lasting comfort of knowing their loved one's faith is recognized and memorialized with dignity and truth," Moran said.

Shalom Lamm, co-founder and chief historian of the donor-supported nonprofit Operation Benjamin, told JNS that "in an age of partisanship, there is a place where everyone can join together wholeheartedly — those who gave the full measure of devotion need to be remembered for who they were in life."

"We owe a debt that can never be repaid," Lamm said. "But at the very least, those who sacrificed all ought to be remembered for eternity for who they truly were in life. That everyone came together on this legislation with virtually no dissent is exceptionally gratifying."

The bill is supported by the Jewish Federations of North America, Jewish War Veterans, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Gold Star Spouses of America, Vietnam Veterans of America, the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, and the Non-Commissioned Officers Association.

This JNS.org report was republished with permission from Jewish News Syndicate.