Australians dedicate memorial to Jewish service members

The dedication was timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the knighting of John Monash, Australia’s most famous Jewish soldier.

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(JTA) — Australia has opened a new war memorial in memory of the hundreds of Jewish service members who have died for their country, the Brisbane Times reported.

The cenotaph bearing the names of the fallen was dedicated Sunday at the National Jewish Memorial Centre in Canberra. Governor-General Peter Cosgrove and Defense Force chief Gen. Angus Campbell were among those on hand.

According to the Times, approximately 9,000 Jews have served in Australia’s armed forces since the late 19th century and 341 have died in the line of duty.

The dedication was timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the knighting of John Monash, Australia’s most famous Jewish soldier and one of the most-decorated commanders of World War I.

Last month, a sculpture of Monash was commemorated at the Australian War Memorial, the Australian Jewish News reported.

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