Military Service
The Jewish residents of Sudbury, like their brethren in other communities, enlisted and served during the First and Second World Wars. Within the community, there were 17 individuals who served during the two wars.
Some of the men who fought during the First World War included brothers Meyer and Jules Rothchild, Nathan Abrams, the nephew of Fanny Robitaille, Lazarus Wichefsky and Paul Ironstone. During the Second World War, a number of men from the community served as well. Two of them - Raymond Lesser and Saul Endelman - were killed in action. Raymond Lesser was a flight sergeant with the RCAF. He was killed over Berlin and was interred in Germany. He was posthumously awarded the Gold Wings of Gallantry award. Saul Endelman enlisted in 1942. He had been studying at Queen's University and joined the RCAF, where he became a leading aircraftsman. His plane crashed outside of Ottawa. The community held a service for him, led by Rabbi Rothstein, on 11 November 1943.
One individual, Saunders Valensky, a pilot officer, was captured by the Germans and listed as missing in action on 31 June 1942. He was held as a POW at Stalag 344 until the camp was liberated by the Americans in April of 1945, and then returned home after the war. The community held a big celebration when they were notified that he was alive.
