A Tribute To Our Veterans

For my Shabbat message this week, I would like to share with the community the tribute I offered to the veterans of our JCCP/CBT family during our minyan and roll call of veterans this past Tuesday evening.

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As we gather this Veterans Day for our daily evening minyan, we pause to  honor and express our deepest gratitude to the veterans within our JCCP/CBT community and to all who have served in the armed forces of the United States.

In every generation, brave men and women have stepped forward to defend the freedoms we hold sacred. They left behind families, homes, and the comfort of daily life to serve a cause larger than themselves: the safety, security, and ideals of our nation.

For the Jewish people, this gratitude carries special meaning. We who have known the pain of persecution and the preciousness of freedom understand what it means to live in a land where liberty is protected and defended. The service of our veterans has helped make that possible.

This evening, as we gather for the Maariv service, we do so with special appreciation for those who risked their lives to preserve it. May God bless our veterans with good health, strength, and long life. And may the memories of those who made the ultimate sacrifice be a blessing and inspiration for all time.

On behalf of our congregation, I thank each of you who served for your courage, devotion, and love of country. Your service reminds us that patriotism is not just a word, but an act of faith and responsibility.

May we honor you not only with our words tonight, but with our actions, by striving always to build a community and a nation worthy of your sacrifice.

Thank you, and may God bless all who serve, and may God bless the United States of America.

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