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Flag Presentation |
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My grandfather, Leonard Sutton operated a corner drugstore with a lunch counter in Norfok, VA. He did a brisk business in bag lunches to go to the workers who worked in the Naval Shipyard. My grandfather had many people work for him over the years, many being high school students and young adults who sought to make extra money to go to college or open a business of their own. One such high school kid was Johnnie Eller. Johnnie was well liked by everyone, and reports are that he was an honest, hard-working guy with a warm smile and good laugh. Upon graduation from high sc hool, Johnnie enlisted in the Marine Corp, and reported to duty in Vietnam.
John Arthur Eller served just a few days more than 6 months, and on August 23, 1968 died in Quang Nam, South Vietnam from hostile ground small arms fire.
Of course, I never met Johnnie – but I wish I had. I have heard many stories about how well he treated my grandparents, and was a friend to my mother and her sisters
Last Spring I along with my classmates the Saligman Middle School took our class trip to Washington, DC. On our agenda was a trip to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
I made it a point to find John’s name engraved on a wall of the Memorial. With the help and determination of Rabbi Shawn, a teacher at my school – we located John’s name engraved in the Memorial’s stone walls. I touched his engraved name – and my classmates felt that we should honor Johnnie right there. That afternoon we put on our kippot – and recited the Kaddish – for John Arthur Eller AND for all his comrades who had similarly fallen.
Surprisingly, in more than 200 years of our nation’s history there has never been a recognized symbol that reminds us daily of the sacrifices made by members of our military who lost their lives in service to our country. Until now. Through a visit to the Norfolk VA Amphibious base – the largest of its kind in the world – I cam across The Honor and Remember Organization, a nonprofit, which has launched a national campaign to create an emblem with which every patriotic American can acknowledge the ultimate price for freedom.
As an extension of my Mitzvah Project – I have pledged some of my Bar Mitzvah money and a commitment to spread the word about the need for a flag to honor those who have fallen in military service to our country. As a token of my pledge & commitment – I would like to present this flag for our synagogue to proudly display as a symbol of our congregation’s commitment to remember those who have honored our country and given the greatest of sacrifices to preserve its ideals and freedom.
ALLEN M. MANDELBAUM, ESQ.
Plymouth Greene Office Campus
1000 Germantown Pike, Suite D-3
Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462
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Caring For Your New Flag |
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Congratulations!
The flag you have purchased from Bux-Mont Flags & Flagpoles is one of the very finest made. Given reasonable care it should provide maximum service and satisfaction.
Here are a few simple suggestions to help you enjoy your new flag longer:
1. Only flags made specifically for exterior use should be displayed outdoors.
2. For the best results, do not expose your flag to rain, snow or abnormally high winds; these forces of nature can shorten its life considerably. Should the flag become wet, it should be spread out and allowed to dry completely. Do not fold or roll-up a wet or damp flag.
3. To keep its rich colors looking bright,
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Star Spangled Banner |
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 Written by the late Isaac Asimov, in March 1991. Asimov was born in Russia, and emigrated in 1923 with his parents when he was a young child. He became an American citizen in 1928.
I have a weakness - I am crazy, absolutely nuts, about our national anthem. The words are difficult, and the tune is almost impossible, but frequently when I'm taking a shower, I sing it with as much power and emotion as I can. It shakes me up every time. I was once asked to speak at a luncheon. Taking my life in my hands, I announced I was going to sing our national anthem - all four stanzas. This was greeted with loud groans. One man closed the door to the kitchen, where the noise of dishes and cutlery was loud and distracting. "Thanks, Herb," I said. "That's all right," he said. "It was at the request of the kitchen staff."
I explained the background of the anthem, and then sang all four stanzas. Let me tell you, those people had never heard it before - or had never really listened. I got a standing ovation. But, it was not me; it was the anthem.
More recently, while conducting a seminar, I told my students the story of the anthem, and sang all four stanzas. Again, there was a wild ovation
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