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More than a century after they were killed during World War I, two Jewish American soldiers have been posthumously recognized for their faith, with Stars of David now etched on their tombstones at Arlington National Cemetery.
Army Pvt. David Moser and Pfc. Adolph Hanf were originally buried under gravestones marked with Christian crosses — a historical error that was formally corrected in a ceremony last week, The Washington Post reported. The revision was made possible by Deborah Berlinger Eiferman, 102, Moser’s niece, who petitioned the U.S. Army last year to amend his headstone.
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Fallen Jewish American soldiers buried under Star of David 100 years after WWI
(Photo: Operation Benjamin)
“I am so grateful,” Eiferman said at the ceremony. “It’s an overwhelming experience. … As Jewish people, we are grateful.” She said her uncle was a proud Jew. No family members had been able to attend his funeral when his body was returned to the U.S. after dying of influenza in Germany.
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The changes came after the nonprofit Operation Benjamin identified the discrepancies. The organization works to ensure Jewish American soldiers are buried under markers that reflect their religion, reviewing historical records to verify service members' backgrounds.
“Many Jews didn’t want to be identified as Jews,” said Shalom Lamm, Operation Benjamin’s co-founder and chief historian. “Either they were afraid of being captured — certainly in World War II. But in World War I, there was plenty of antisemitism.”
The group has corrected the headstones of more than 30 Jewish soldiers and estimates that between 800 and 900 are still buried under markers bearing Christian symbols. “We’re there to correct those mistakes,” Lamm said.