Memorial service to fallen men from Sunderland Jewish community
Newspaper report from Sunderland Daily Echo
Jew and Gentile
Address by the Rev. S. Daiches
Memorial Service for the fallen
An impressive service in memory of the Jewish soldiers of Sunderland who have fallen in the war was held in the synagogue, Moor Street, yesterday afternoon. The Rabbi, Rev. Salis Daiches, and the Rev. L. Muscat, conducted the service, and the Rabbi preached the sermon.
Among those present were Brigadier Gen. English, Staff Cap. Bury Knight, Colonel J. Prior, Major Cuthbert Vaux, Major Byrne, Major Todd (R.A.M.C), Capt. C. Jacobs (R.A.M.C), Lieut. Shaw, the Rev. A. A. Boddy, Mr. B Jacoby, Ald. N. Richardson, and Mr. D. R. Morris (respectively president, treasurer and secretary of the Synagogue). Among the ladies in the gallery were Mrs Ernest Vaux, Mrs Cuthbert Vaux, and Mrs Streatfield.
The service was commenced with the reading of scriptural verses and Psalm 23, and was continued by the recital of afternoon prayer, a prayer for the Royal Family and H. M. Forces, and the chanting by Rev. L. Muscat of Psalm 16. The sermon followed, and then the prayer for the souls departed (Hazkarah), the conclusion of afternoon prayer, and the prayer for the departed by the mourners (Haddish). Finally the “Last Post” was sounded by the bugler, and the concluding hymn (Zigdal) was sung by the congregation.
The soldier members of the Jewish Community who had been killed at the front are Sergt. Geo. Jacobs, D.C.M., Corp. Sidney Asher, Pte Israel Jackson, and Pte Chas. Letzky.
Jews and the War
Dr Daiches said they were present to do honour to the memory of their own friends; they were among the first to answer the call of this great country when danger threatened and they went asking no questions and considering no dangers, and they did their duty well, dying in the service of the fairest and justest of all the nations. With their blood they had paid the debt of gratitude which the Jewish race owed to this country, which, when the Jews were being driven from place to place, had provided them with a haven of refuge. Was there a greater cause for which a man could live, and if necessary, die?
No people in the World had fought longer and more determinedly against the powers of darkness – against brute force – than the Jews. From the days of Moses they had been fighting for freedom, for justice, for the realisation of the ideals of their great seers and prophets and for the victory of true love and universal brotherhood amongst men. If it was the will of God that war would pave the way to peace, then the Jews were ready, not only to speak for the cause, but to fight for it. There was no land for which the Jews would more readily lose their sons than for this great country, which has always been the champion of righteousness and justice, and always endeavoured to save the small and weak nations and nationalities from oppression.
In this great fight which may be described as the Philistines of today Jews were only too proud to see their sons go forward, and if necessary, give their lives. The Hebrew community knew it was part and parcel of the nation in which they were citizens, and if the war produced as one of its results the better realisation of that principle, and the growing together of all the nations of the World, that in itself would be something for which anyone would be glad to die. Jew and Gentile were beginning to understand and respect one another; they were fighting together, suffering together, and the blood of the fallen was drying together on the same soil; let us hope they would reap the fruits together.
Date: 02-Nov-1916
Author: Sunderland Daily Echo
Contributed by Fiona Johnson - Durham
