The Last Post
On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, a minute’s silence was held at a NAJEX Commemoration in the military section of the Sydney Jewish Museum.
Lewis Orner sounds the Last Post Photo: Henry Benjamin
The doleful tones of a solitary trumpet played Lewis Orner of Moriah College preceded one minute’s silence lead by outgoing president Warwick Abadee.
A wreath and commemorative roses were laid at the foot of the bust of the one of Australia’s most famous Jews, the military commander Sir John Monash.
The Falk Magen David
A highlight was the presentation to the Sydney Jewish Museum of a huge silver Magen David crafted by one of Sydney’s most distinguished religious leaders the late Rabbi Aiseck Falk who was spiritual head of the Great Synagogue and Chaplain of the Australian military forces.
The ceremony was addressed by chaplains Rabbi Dov Slavin and Rabbi Jeffrey Kamins.
If there’s one thing Jewish people can teach the world, it’s how to honour, respect and commemorate the dead. While many contemporary Westerners, particularly those from Anglo backgrounds, argue in the abstract about whether gatherings to commemorate those lost in war, actually ‘celebrate’ war instead, we have the Sydney Jewish Museum giving simple, basic respect to those who died without being in the privileged position to argue about war and participation in it. Kol Hakevod administrators of the Sydney Jewish Museum.