Annual Mickey Marcus memorial service
On Sunday, May 7, at 10 a.m., the American Veterans of Israel Legacy Corporation, in conjunction with the Israeli consulate in New York, will hold the 50th annual Mickey Marcus memorial service at the Jewish chapel at the United States Military Academy at West Point.
The service honors Col. David “Mickey” Marcus (USMA ‘24) who was among the 41 American and Canadian volunteers who died during Israel’s War of Independence.
There also will be a commemoration to mark the 70th anniversary of the Exodus, the ship that helped launch the State of Israel. The day’s speakers include Ambassador Dani Dayan, Israel’s consul general; Ambassador Vasilios Philippou, high commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus; Joseph Ponte, the commissioner of New York City’s Department of Corrections; and Jerry Klinger, president of Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation. There will be an exhibition portraying “Aliyah Bet,” the clandestine immigration that defied British authorities and regulations, and a photo display showing refugees the British caught and shipped to internment camps on Cyprus.
The day begins at 10 a.m., with coffee in the chapel social hall. From 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., chaplains and the choir lead a service in the USMA Jewish chapel with Jewish War Veterans-Rockland/Orange district presenting the colors. Chaplain David Ruderman (USMA) and guest rabbis will officiate. At 12:45, there will be a wreath-ceremony honoring Col. Marcus at the USMA Military Cemetery including a firing salute, and taps by the USMA Honor Guard.
Security requires a government-issued photo ID. Email donnaparker1@gmail.com, or spiegelsi@aol.com, or go to www.israelvets.com or www.machal.org.il. Veterans of Israel Legacy Corporation is an organization of the North American volunteers who served in Israel’s War of Independence.
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