New York National Guard Renders Honors to NY Civil War Medal of Honor recipient Friday, May 21 in Brooklyn

Media Advisory

NEW YORK (05/21/2021) — A New York Army National Guard color guard supports a remembrance ceremony by the JCC Association of North America, the Jewish Welfare Board and the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America to remember Medal of Honor recipient Benjamin Levy, a Union Army private who served in the New York 1st Volunteer Infantry.

WHO: Doron Krakow, president and CEO of the JCC Association of North America, and Rabbi Irv Elson, Vice-President and Director, Jewish Welfare Board Jewish Chaplains Council, host Jeffrey Sacks, National Commander of the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America, and New York Army National Guard Col. Richard Goldenberg.

WHAT: A remembrance ceremony for Private Benjamin Levy, who received the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Glendale on June 30, 1862.

WHEN: 12 p.m., Friday, May 21, 2021.

WHERE: Cypress Hills Cemetery, 833 Jamaica Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11208

Media Opportunity:

Imagery of a New York military forces color guard and speakers commemorating the service of Benjamin Levy, the first Jewish American to receive the Medal of Honor.

Union Pvt. Benjamin Levy. 1st New York Volunteer Infantry

Benjamin Levy, born February 22, 1845 in New York City, enlisted in October 1861 with the Union Army for service in the Civil War.

Only 16 at the time, Levy and his younger brother, Robert, volunteered to serve as drummers, Benjamin with the 1st New York Volunteer Infantry and Robert with the 7th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment.

On June 3, 1862, Levy's regiment was sent to reinforce the Army of the Potomac just after the Battle of Fair Oaks, fought May 31-June 1, 1862. The regiment moved to the front on June 11 and commenced the construction of a line of defenses.

On the morning of June 30, while the regiment was formed for monthly muster, the III Corps was attacked and the regiment was moved by double-quick to the scene of action.

Levy, whose drum had been damaged in previous action, took the weapon of his ill tent mate, Jacob Turnbull, and joined the fight.

Passing through a dense growth of woods and brush, the regiment was first placed in ambush to fire on the flank the enemy Confederate forces.

Enemy forces moved on the New York Volunteers from another direction and the Battle of Glendale began around 3 p.m.

Four color sergeants and eleven corporals comprising the color guard all fell victim to the intense fire of the afternoon. Only one escaped, the remainder killed or wounded in less than ten minutes.

The important role of the regiment's colors and the color guard during the American Civil War was significant. Soldiers followed the cadence and instruction of the color guard, led by the color sergeant. With hundreds or thousands of men involved in battle, the color sergeant and the regimental flag was a control method during the attack and was often the key action to rally troops.

As a brigade on the unit's right gave way, the regiment was attacked from three sides before a relief unit, the Union's Irish Brigade of the Second Corps, appeared, and drove the enemy off the field to regain the ground that had been lost.

Levy, 17 at the time, saw his regimental colors fall when the color bearer, Charley Mahorn, fell from a bullet wound. Levy charged ahead and picked up the unit colors to rally his regiment in defense.

Levy's Medal of Honor Citation reads:

"The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Private Benjamin Bennett Levy, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 30 June 1862, while serving with Company G, 1st New York Infantry, in action at Glendale, Virginia. Private Levy, a drummer boy, took the gun of a sick comrade, went into the fight, and when the Color Bearers were shot down, carried the colors and saved them from capture."

For this act, he was promoted on the field by Brigadier General Phil. Kearny to Color Sergeant of his regiment.

The New York State Battle Flag Collection includes two printed wool camp colors carried by the New York 1st Volunteer Infantry Regiment in its collection today.

After his initial service, Levy re-enlisted with the 40th New York Infantry Regiment in January 1864 and was severely wounded in the thigh during the Battle of the Wilderness, receiving a discharge due to disability in May 1865.

He died July 20, 1921 in Brooklyn, New York.

Colonel Richard Goldenberg, New York Army National Guard

New York Army National Guard Col. Richard Goldenberg from Schuylerville, N.Y., has 33 years of service with the Army and Army National Guard. He serves as the Public Affairs Officer for the New York National Guard headquarters in Latham, N.Y.

He responded to numerous state emergencies, including the North Country Ice Storm of 1998, New York City at Ground Zero after the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, Southern Tier flooding in 2006, Hurricane Irene flooding in Scoharie County in 2011, Superstorm Sandy in 2012, the snow response for Winter Storm Stella in 2017, supported response efforts for Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Texas, Hurricanes Irma and Maria in Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands in 2018 and the statewide response to the COVID-19 global pandemic in 2020-21.

Goldenberg mobilized for active duty in 2004-05 and served as the public affairs officer for the 42nd Infantry Division during combat operations in North Central Iraq.

He is a member of the Jewish War Veterans of the USA and serves as the commander of the Capital District Council for the JWV Department of New York.

Doron Krakow, JCC Association of North America

Doron Krakow is president and CEO of JCC Association of North America, the largest platform of Jewish engagement on the continent. Under Krakow's leadership, which began in May 2017, JCC Association is forging new partnerships throughout the Jewish community, deepening its relationship to individual and foundation philanthropy, and strengthening the fabric of Jewish life across the U.S. and Canada.

Krakow brings more than 25 years of experience with national and international Jewish organizations to JCC Association. He previously served as executive vice president of American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; senior vice president, Israel and overseas at United Jewish Communities (now the Jewish Federations of North America); and national director of Young Judaea.

Rabbi Irv Elson, retired U.S. Navy Captain and Vice-President Director, JWB Jewish Chaplains Council

Rabbi Irving A. Elson was born in Mexico City, Mexico, in 1960. He was educated at Yeshiva University in New York, and earned his AA and BA in 1982. He entered a Masters program at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York, and was ordained a rabbi in 1987.

Commissioned an ensign in the Naval Reserve in 1982, Chaplain Elson came on active duty in June of 1987. His assignments included Okinawa, Japan; Charleston, S.C.; Gaeta, Italy; Newport, R.I.; Scotia, N.Y.; and the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis.

In August of 2002, Chaplain Elson reported for duty with the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force. Elson deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom in January 2003 as Jewish Chaplain for the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force. As the only Jewish Chaplain serving with Marines in Iraq, and chaplain for 1st Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, Rabbi Elson participated in numerous combat engagements throughout the conflict. Rabbi Elson returned to Iraq in September of 2004 where he served as Jewish Chaplain during the Battle for Fallujah.

In June of 2005, Rabbi Elson became the Deputy Command Chaplain at the US Naval Academy. In follow-in assignments, Rabbi Elson made multiple deployments to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom first with the III Marine Aircraft Wing and then returning to the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force.

In April of 2014 Elson was selected as Deputy Chaplain of the Marine Corps. Rabbi Elson retired from the Navy in December of 2016 after 35 years of faithful service.

Jeff Sacks, National Commander, Jewish War Veterans of the USA

Jeff Sacks was born and raised in the Chicago area. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant via ROTC when he graduated from the University of Illinois in 1979. He served on active duty during the Cold War in Washington, D.C. and West Germany in military police assignments. He was mobilized in 1990 in support of Operation Desert Shield and commanded the 822nd MP Company during Operation Desert Storm in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Iraq in 1991. Following the Gulf War, he stayed in the Reserves, retiring as a Major in 2017. Sacks was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service during Operation Desert Storm.

Sacks rose through the ranks of the Jewish War Veterans organization and served as Post Commander, Department of Illinois Commander, National Executive Committee and on various National Committees.

In civilian life, Sacks served as a law enforcement officer from 1987-2012 with the Chicago Police Department before retiring as a Sergeant. He is married to Pye Squire.

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