A memorial to Jewish veterans with ties to southern Alberta was unveiled Friday in southwest Calgary.
The Calgary Jewish Community Centre (JCC) now proudly displays the photographs of 174 local veterans in its veterans wall of honour.
“It’s a real sense of accomplishment for me and everyone involved to get this done before Remembrance Day at a time where it is really meaningful,” explained Jerrad Blanchard, chairman of the Calgary JCC. “I think it’s very important that we tie together in a communal area of the facility where all the generations are walking through so they can really see that history living in action.”
Each of the photographs of those who served in the First World War or Second World War is accompanied by the veterans name, rank, branch and their birthdate.
“This centre really represents the home of the Jewish community and the veterans of the Jewish community provide a real connection to the history between all of the generations that use this facility.”
Mayor Nenshi was among the dignitaries at the unveiling of the veterans wall of honour and said the display delivered a valuable message . “Honouring these Jewish war veterans reminds us that people all over the world have made Calgary their home and they have worked hard to fight for democracy and for freedom and the values that we hold dear every day.”
“I think that we can use this 100th Remembrance Day, not just to remember the sacrifice of those who have fallen, but to recommit ourselves to peace and to pluralism.”
Blanchard says the wall is the result of a ‘fantastic collaborative effort with the Southern Alberta Jewish Historical Society’ and the society helped secure quality photographs and information to do justice to the stories of the memorialized veterans.
