Jewish veterans name new post for Greenspun

Wednesday, Oct. 23, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

In seeking a person to name their new northwest Las Vegas post after, the Jewish War Veterans wanted someone who "fought against injustice and intolerance."

They found that in late SUN Publisher Hank Greenspun, an Army major in World War II who later assisted in the fight to preserve independence for the then-new state of Israel.

The first meeting of the Jewish War Veterans' Hank Greenspun Post is slated for Nov. 10 at the Sunrise Mountain View Hospital's first-floor meeting room.

"Our goal was to find an honoree whose lifestyle was similar to the Jewish War Veterans policy of having fought against any issue of injustice, intolerance or racism against any person despite race, religion, or color," said Greenspun Post commander Harry Gerenstein.

"This is the Jewish War Veterans creed. Maj. Hank Greenspun was the epitome of those ideals."

The organization recently approached SUN Publisher Barbara Greenspun, widow of the crusading publisher who gained widespread fame for standing up to 1950s' communist-hunter Sen. Joseph McCarthy. Through his writings, Greenspun helped play a significant role in the downfall of the overzealous Wisconsin lawmaker.

Barbara Greenspun gave the group of which Hank was a longtime member her blessing to use his name for the new post.

The Greenspun post is the fifth JWV chapter to open in Las Vegas. It has not yet been issued a number from the organization's international headquarters.

The other JWV posts in Las Vegas are 21, 64, 65 and 711. About 10 to 15 members left other posts to secure a charter for the Greenspun chapter.

Junior Vice Chairman Harry Rubin said the organization hopes to have between 40 and 50 members by the inaugural meeting.

"It's difficult to get new members, especially the younger veterans," said Rubin, a World War II veteran. "But, with the northwest part of town growing so fast, we believe there is great potential for a solid membership base."

and veterans do not have to be Jewish to join the 100-year-old organization that does charity work -- local chapters recently purchased two vans for the Disabled American Veterans to transport veterans to hospitals -- and helps veterans obtain benefits to which they are entitled.

"Often, non-Jewish people, whose spouses are Jewish, join the Jewish War Veterans as patron members," Rubin said, noting that his wife, who is not Jewish, was a former board member of JWV Post 711. That chapter also had a sergeant at arms who was not Jewish.

Still, Rubin admits, the vast majority of JWV members are Jewish. And that is the market his group is targeting for new membership.

Other recently appointed board members of the new post include Mitchell Kuhn, senior vice commander of the Southern Nevada Council, and Seymour "Sy" Gordon, senior vice commander.

At the morning meeting, the time of which is to be set, a traditional breakfast of bagels, lox (smoked salmon) and cream cheese will be served, officials said.

Greenspun