August 1 Column: Senator Gillibrand Gets VA to Remove Cross from Jewish Veteran's Grave and Replace it with Appropriate Tombstone

This week's UJO column in Der Yid covered in great length Senator Gillibrand's successful efforts to ensure that a Jewish veteran gets an appropriate grave stone after almost 50 years that he had a headstone with a cross. The issue was brought to the Senator's attention by UJO President Rabbi David Niederman, after he was contacted about it by Rabbi Abraham Richter, Director of Chabad of Howard Beach in New York who serves as the Supervisory Chaplain in the Federal Correctional Institution in Otisville, NY.

Rabbis Niederman and Richter work closely together on the accommodation of prisoner's religious needs. During the Memorial Day Weekend, Rabbi Richter discovered that the grave of his relative, Henry Dienstein, a Jewish World War II soldier, was marked with a Christian cross. Rabbi Richter reached out to Rabbi Niederman, who reached out to Senator Gillibrand. 

Mr. Dienstein passed away June 17, 1964.  When the rabbi noticed the clear mistaken gravestone, it was less than a month shy of a half century of his passing, while the VA prohibits any changes to headstones after 50 years. Senator Gillibrand expedited Rabbi Richter’s case with the VA, working closely with Rabbis Niederman and Richter and the decedent’s next-of-kin to provide appropriate paperwork and evidence and immediately requested a proper headstone. The VA approved Gillibrand’s request and recently replaced Mr. Dienstein’s headstone with one bearing the Star of David.

The article is also accompanied by documents and a photo - discovered by Rabbi Ricther - proofing that Henry Dienstein and his family were Religious Jews. 

It notes that the Senator's staff responded to the issue during the holiday weekend.

“We pay tribute to Mr. Dienstein’s courageous service in defense of our nation in World War II,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This headstone will ensure that Mr. Dienstein’s memory is rightly honored.”

 “Nearly half a century passed before one of our prized World War 2 veterans, Henry Dienstein, received his final farewell which appropriately reflects his Jewish faith. We only found out about it, weeks before the final 50 year deadline to correct this grave mistake and time was of essence,” said Rabbi David Niederman, President of The United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg and North Brooklyn. “We are tremendously grateful that Senator Gillibrand did not waver for a moment, and sprang into action immediately when we brought it to her attention, taking on and successfully completing that mission.”

For more on the story visit the Senator's website: After Gillibrand’s Push, Va Replaces Cross With Star Of David On Wwii Veteran’s Grave

Among other sources were it was covered are:

http://www.jta.org/2014/07/29/news-opinion/united-states/after-50-years-va-headstone-replaced-to-reflect-vets-jewishness

http://www.collive.com/show_news.rtx?id=31224&alias=erroneous-headstone-is-corrected

UJO Column, August 1, 2014