American Legion’s Durnin and Rabbi Salzberg meet to discuss Nazi war items, agree to signs, Holocaust Day remembrances

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Jim Henderson

Daronco Town House.

Editor’s note: This press release was provided by the Pelham American Legion Post.

Pelham American Legion Post Past Commander Joe Durnin and Rabbi Alex Salzberg met on Thursday, July 11th to discuss the comments made about Post 50’s Historical Cabinet Nazi regime wartime souvenirs and their effect on the Pelham community.

Rabbi Salzberg explained in great detail the feeling that these heinous symbols of murder bring to anyone of the Jewish faith and, while realizing that hiding this period of atrocity from public view could do more harm than good, it would be prudent to put up signage explaining that these items were acquired by Pelham veterans of WW II during their long fight to final victory in April 1945.

Past Commander Durnin agreed and stated that he received a suggestion from Andrew Wasson who proposed that there “perhaps should be an event in which all residents of Pelham be invited where Holocaust survivors and Pelham veterans could recount their experience so that as a community we, as a community, could hear their memories firsthand.”

Rabbi Salzberg suggested that Holocaust Remembrance Day Monday, January 27, 2020 would be an appropriate time to do this and stated that he would talk to the members of the Jewish Center and then we could jointly put this into motion.

In the meantime, Post 50 members would have a sign printed explaining how and where the items were captured, and further, members would go through all the items and assure their authenticity and relevance for display. Any members of the Pelham community who would like to assist in these two efforts are welcome to contact Past Commander Durnin at [email protected].