It struck me as we walked into the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial that among the thousands of white crosses, there were other shapes as well. As you get closer to the crosses it becomes obvious that these shapes are the star of David, dedicated to Jewish men who died in Normandy. There are one hundred and fifty of these white marble star of Davids. I was very appreciative that the designers of the cemetery made sure that the Jewish men were represented by their faith. Our tour guide, Vassiliki, pointed out to use that no other religions were represented, such as Muslim or Hinduism. You can be sure that some of the men buried under a marble cross are not Christian whatsoever. Some of them are atheists, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, agnostics, etc. Though no other religions were exhibited quite like Christian or Jewish, I was very thankful that the Jewish men were given the respect they deserved. Though these men may not have been aware of the Holocaust at the time of their deaths in Normandy, it is obvious that these men were given different headstones because of it.. Many times, the cemeteries for military men do not include the star of David. Looking into World War I memorials, almost none of them show any star of Davids, only crosses. Therefore, the marble star of David headstones are a deliberate choice in the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. If you look closely at the picture, you can also see a small stone on the top left side of the star of David. Instead of flowers, Jewish people typically leave stones behind, as leaving flowers was seen as a pagan ritual. Leaving stones behind comes from biblical times, the Israelites would leave stones as markers to remember the things that God had done for them, the blessing that occurred there. It brought me to tears to see stones at the different memorials we went to, knowing the symbolism behind them. So next time, when you see a Jewish grave or you are at a memorial, leave a stone behind in remembrance and to honor the men and women who have passed on.
