Visiting martha's vineyard's veterans

5/29/2026

On Monday, we headed out with the kids to the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Cemetery, for what has now become an annual tradition.

While it’s not Arlington National Cemetery, there are a number of Jewish veterans buried here on Martha’s Vineyard, and so each Memorial Day we visit their graves to remember them.

I’m not sure the kids understood much about where we were, but I told them that we would stop at every tombstone adorned with an American flag—a sign that someone who served our country rests there—and recite the Shema.

The visit felt especially appropriate this week as we read Parshas Naso, which speaks about the service of the Levites, people who dedicated their lives to the service of G-d.

The Levite shares much in common with the veteran. In a world which indulges in the worship of self, the humble servant guarding the Temple and the courageous officer serving in the Army both chose to serve something much larger instead.

The name of the Parsha is also befitting, as one of the translations of the word Naso is “lift up” or “elevate.” It is those selfless individuals, both in the service of G-d and in the service of country, who uplift and elevate us all.

And their altruism inspires us to do the same. Even if we’re not Levites and even if we don’t serve in the military, each of us can be a servant in our own lives, as Maimonides writes:

“Not only the tribe of Levi, but any person among the inhabitants of the world whose spirit generously moves him, and whose understanding leads him to separate himself to stand before God, to serve Him and worship Him, to know God, and who walks uprightly as God created him, casting off the many calculations that people pursue—such a person is sanctified as holy of holies. God will be his portion and inheritance forever…”

So I thought I would mention here the names of the Jewish veterans we visited on Monday, so that they may be remembered once more and that their lives of service continue to inspire.

With the help of the Vineyard Gazette obituary archives, and an invaluable subscription to Newspapers.com, I’ve included brief descriptions of their military service whenever I was able to find them.