“Those Bookend Commemorations”

   Every Memorial Day Suzy and I would plan out our summer. We marked our individual and family calendars for our annual rabbinic retreat in August, our visits to parents in New York and Baltimore, our days with house guests, etc. By the time we reached Labor Day, well, as Suzy said, “We just ‘tossed’ away the entire summer!” And the funny thing, Labor Day seems to arrive sooner and sooner every year. 

   Memorial Day and Labor Day are the two summer bookends, but above all they have great meaning – or should – beyond their associated “secular” activities. Every now and then I’d be invited to offer words at our State’s Memorial Day commemoration which is held at the Delaware Memorial Bridge. It was always a very somber occasion with survivors of service members in attendance. I thought how appropriate it would be for teens to be there so that they would understand how it takes people to defend our country, and sometimes those people lose their lives in the process. For example, Israel’s Memorial Day is, as I described previously, an extremely moving event. Everyone participates because when the sirens are heard all around the country everyone stops in their tracks; frozen, it appears, in time.

   Labor Day in this country is hardly noticed except by kids who either just began the school year again (this year very much appreciated after an awful year) or will soon be back in their classrooms. But as someone whose parents were hard workers, I’ve always had a sensitivity to Labor Day. It was far more special in decades past when “labor” was defined more by very difficult working conditions, and longer hours and when labor unions had greater influence and probably, but not definitely, less corruption. 

   We really should do a better job educating our young about the meanings of these bookend commemorations (holidays?). As I wrote once, bringing back Civics classes (and, as I was informed at the time, there are still such classes in Middle Schools) on all levels might help that mission, among others.

   By the way, more than once I’ve heard – even on the radio – people wishing others a “Happy Memorial Day”!!! Give me a break.