Military Service
Young men and women from Kingston served in both world wars. During the First World War, Jews from Kingston served both in the United States military and in the Canadian forces. Harry Abramsky joined the American Navy, while Dr. Ben Kropp served in the United States Reserve Officers Training Corps. Max Turk joined the Canadian Army, Moe Susman was in the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery and his brother, Dr. Bill Susman, in the Royal Air Force.
Among the many who served during the Second World War were Jewish women such as Greta Kizell, Jean Cohen and Lili Berman, three members of the Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service, or WRENs. Some of the men who served, both overseas and in the reserves in Canada, were Sam, Ralph and Percy Abramsky, Moe and Max Berman, Jack, Harry and Louis Rosen, and Joe and Jack Zackaroff. They were joined by Samuel Adelkind, Abe Berlin, Harry Berofe, Sgt. John Devor, Sidney Eilverman and Lionel Finkle. Captain Charles Gerenraich also served, as did Morey Kaye, Bubby Kushner, Lou Lanys, Morris Lazarus, Sid Marcus and Harvey Millman. Also from Kingston were Aaron Palmer, Percy Robinson, Sidney Routbard, Edward Ryan and Saul Shanas. Other local boys who served were Norman Sherman, Av Siegel, Sherman Stuchen, Juilius Sugarman, Dr. Ben Susman and Lou Williams. Arnold Feldman and Ben Zion Shanas were killed in action overseas.
Serving in the United States military during the Second World War were Gordon Yanover and Len Dover. Av Siegel fought as a volunteer in Israel’s War of Independence, as did then British citizen Eric Reis, who settled in Kingston after the war. Michael and Arie Marcus, sons of Sid and Esther Marcus, emigrated to Israel and fought for Israel, including in the Yom Kippur War.
In addition to seeing many of its young men and women serve in the military, Kingston also received soldiers at nearby Camp Barriefield during the Second World War. During this period, Kingston homes were opened to Jewish soldiers, welcoming them and offering them the warmth of a home away from home. In addition, the Kingston Jewish War Services Committee cooperated with other Kingston organizations in supporting the war effort. Their activities included supplying radios to military hospitals and providing furniture and recreational material including ping pong tables, dart boards and used pianos to different military camps.
