Jewish War Veterans records

Collection

Identifier: M 30

Scope and Contents

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The bulk of this collection focuses on Jewish War Veterans Hartford Laurel Post #45 and Ladies’ Auxiliary. Materials related to the national Jewish War Veterans of the United States organization, as well as the Jewish War Veterans Harry Berson Post #56 and Eddy Glover Post #6, are also documented. A large portion of this collection also documents the activities of other organizations, including the Jewish Welfare Board and the USO in the Greater Hartford area.

In addition to materials related to the Jewish War Veterans of the United States, this collection also contains materials documenting the service of local Jewish men and women. The Individuals’ Military Service and Jewish Women in Service series contain service documents, photographs, correspondence, personal information, clippings, and interview transcripts of Jewish service members.

This collection also contains the project files and oral history transcripts of the Jewish Women in World War II Oral History project that was undertaken by the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Hartford in conjunction with the Women’s Archive in Boston, MA in 2008-2009.

Dates

Creation: 1896 - 2020

Biographical / Historical

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The Jewish War Veterans of the United States (JWV) is the second oldest veterans' organization in the country. It was founded by Civil War veterans in 1896 as the "Hebrew Union Veterans" to fight the perception that Jews had failed to shoulder their duty on either side of the Civil War.

A second group of Jewish veterans, formed as a result of the Spanish American War, eventually merged with the first group, and subsequent wars provided new members. The organization's name changed in 1920 to Jewish Veterans of the Wars of the Republic and changed again sometime within the following decade to Jewish War Veterans of the United States.

Concern for the perception of Jewish veterans as "slackers" led to various programs to combat anti-Semitism in general. Programs were instituted to promote inter faith relations, patriotism among school children, and "Americanization."

Not only did the organization exist to counter negative perceptions of Jews, but it also provided many service programs. According to an anniversary history published by the JWV, it led a world wide boycott movement against Hitler's government beginning in 1933. During WWII, the JWV developed a plan to aid the war effort through bond sales, donations to the government for the purchase of fighter planes, ambulances, and other equipment, and blood drives. The JWV opened canteens, provided recreational programs for soldiers, and matched veterans with soldiers to provide them with correspondence and comfort packages. The Ladies' Auxiliaries provided visitation and recreation programs for hospitalized soldiers. Rehabilitation programs for veterans were expanded to meet the needs of returning WWII soldiers. These services were often provided without regard for soldiers' religious affiliations.

The Hartford Post #45 of the JWV was founded in 1931 or 1933. It was active locally in all of the programs listed above, including visitation of veterans at the hospital in Newington, sponsorship of a fund drive for a fighter plane, and work as an advocate for families of deceased veterans after the war.

Post #45 also provided several officers for the national organization, including Milton Richman who became National Commander in 1947. In 1946, Laurel Post #394 was formed, but the two merged in 1953 as the Hartford Laurel Post #45 (renamed the Sgt. John L. Levitow Post #45 in 2014).