Community Magazine February 2019

of Honor,” listing ranks and awards given to the soldiers, and “Boys on Leave,” announcing who was on furlough at present. “Looking at the World,” communicated current events, and news and letters from the front were included in, “From the Soldiers.” What’s so impressive about the whole project was its constant call to action. Not only did they help raise money and awareness for the war effort, they also included the addresses of every soldier out there. “What are you doing that’s more important than boosting a soldier’s morale?” the editors asked. Even the soldiers took advantage, beginning a chain of correspondence amongst themselves, thanks to the information provided. One soldier wrote, “The war has moved the SY’s all over the world and I think the Victory Bulletin is the only one that can locate them – besides the War Department!” Do Your Part! From the first Bulletin, July 1942: “First and foremost we of the staff pledge ourselves to work for victory; victory of the war and victory of the peace that follows. We will encourage the sale of war bonds, the enrollment of volunteers in civilian defense and army welfare work, and we will try to help everyone to acquire a better understanding of this world struggle.” H ere at home, the summer of 1942 brought panic and anxiety along with hundreds of draft notices at our doors. Life had changed drastically because of the war. Young Syrian girls watched in horror as many of their husbands and fiancés suited up, shipping off to Gd knows where. As always though, they found strength when things got tough. Smart, talented, and patriotic, they found a way to be proactive. The Girls Junior League of Bensonhurst was just two years old when war broke out. By 1942 it had grown from a small group of young girls whose original purpose was social and cultural, to a large and well-knit club devoted to civilian defense, charity work, and excellent social programs. They created a monthly newspaper optimistically entitled “The Victory Bulletin.” Originally intended for the soldiers, the bulletin was soon expanded to the role of community newspaper and was mailed out here and abroad to every family they knew. Recently, thanks to the Sephardic Heritage Foundation, we came across some back issues. The tone of the Bulletin was clever, witty, upbeat, and informative. Reading through old copies so many years later one cannot help but smile. There was a “Roll VICTORY IN OUR MIDST: MEMORIES OF WAR AND PEACE, HERE AND ABROAD On December 8, 1941, the day after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States Congress declared war on the Empire of Japan. Following the U.S. declaration, Japan’s allies, Germany and Italy, declared war on the United States, bringing us fully into World War II. Here in our little enclave of Brooklyn, we are usually shielded from such horrors, but this time, many of our community boys found themselves right in the thick of it. Some lucky ones stayed behind, but many served, some were injured in combat, and a handful of unfortunate souls lost their lives in the battle. For everyone, the fear was constant. SOPHIA FRANCO Murray Serrur James Arazie 32 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE Photos courtesy of Sephardic Heritage Foundation