JFS students to march at AJEX Parade on Sunday
School pupils have been researching 100 Jewish soldiers from the First World War and will carry their names at remembrance service
Jewish pupils from JFS who have each researched a fallen Jewish soldier are set to join those marching at an emotional Jewish military parade in London on Sunday.
The students will join hundreds of Jewish community members paying their respects on Sunday 18 November at an event organised by AJEX at Horse Guards’ Parade.
It will be the culmination of weeks’ of work from the JFS pupils, who have been researching the experiences of JFS alumni who went to fight in the First World War, which ended 100 years ago.
The school has held a series of special assemblies and presented their findings in an exhibition, with 100 students each discovering more about the lives of 100 Jewish soldiers who fought. They will march on Sunday carrying the names of those they learned about.
Events in the lead-up to the Whitehall parade have been largely coordinated by Major Danny Yank, who recently ended 14 years’ service.
He explained that for the first time ever, there will be a free educational event for all ages held at 8 Northumberland Avenue from 11.00 until 13.00, before people start taking their places along Horse Guards’ Parade before 13.30.
“It’s a casual drop-in,” said Maj. Yank. “I’ve got my two-year old going and my 84-year old father-in-law. There’ll be food and drink, arts and crafts, poppy drawing, memorial making, personal stories from the First World War, plus a BBC Radio 3 musician and presenter who will be teaching songs from the trenches, so a lot going on.”
On the parade, Maj. Yank said: “It’s for everyone. Jews of this country have made the most amazing sacrifices over 300 years and I don’t think we celebrate and commemorate that as much as we could.”
He added: “I want that message to be there all the time, not just one week every year. I want us to show that we stand with the rest of the country, not just as Jews, but as Brits, particularly this year, because Jews played a huge part in the First World War.”
Up to 3,000 Jewish soldiers died in the First World War, said AJEX vice-president Jeffrey Fox, while 75,000 served in the Second World War.
“It’s important to realise that Jews have been serving the sovereign for over 300 years,” he said. “Even today, hundreds are serving. It’s important for the younger generation to come to appreciate the sacrifices made by their grandparents, and to realise that Jews did as much as any other group.”
Of those who died in the First World War, 535 were Jewish Lads’ Brigade members and leaders, their names now appearing on the JLGB Roll of Honour.
The British Jewry Book of Honour notes that 80 Jewish Lads’ Brigade Officers joined up in 1914, with 38 of them never returning. Among the JLGB Boys to have survived the war were two Victoria Cross recipients, VC Izzy Smith and VC Jack White.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.