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L’shana Tova: Rosh Hashanah V-Mail from World War II

To ease the burden on the postal system, V-mail was introduced during World War II for correspondence with service members stationed abroad. Stationery was photographed and transported on microfilm and then reproduced on small paper sheets at the destination. It was the primary way for soldiers and their families at home to communicate during the war. Of course, that meant using it for holiday cards. The following slideshow contains Rosh Hashanah v-mail from the museum’s collections. Some of these were made from templates provided by Jewish chaplains. They illustrate the importance of the holidays and friends and family to the morale of these men and women.

Rosh Hoshana 1944/5705 v-mail to Miss Estelle G. Frank from Norman Hyman. “May you be inscribed in the Book of Life for a Happy New Year”
Happy New Year (L’Shanah Tovah Tikatevu) Rosh Hoshana 1944/5705 v-mail to Miss Estelle G. Frank from Norman Hyman.
Rosh Hashanah Greetings from Iwo Jima from Milton Liss to his parent. 8/17/1945.
Rosh Hashanah greetings from Samuel Stein in Italy to his parents in Roxbury, Mass. 9/6/1944.
1945-1946/5706 Holy Day Greetings from Iwo Jima sent from Norman Berney to his mother, Mrs. Esther Firestone
5705 Rosh Hashana V-Mail from Army dietitian Muriel Schechter
Happy New Year 5704 – 1943 (Rosh Hashana) Greetings on v-mail stationery from Bernard Margolis.
Rosh Hashanah greeting v-mail from PFC Robert Gordon to Mrs. Glaser. 9/5/1944.
New Year (Rosh Hashana) v-mail sent from PFC Martin Glembourtt to PFC M. Zoberg.
V-mail letter from Pvt. H. Linker to Al Sackin wishing Happy New Year for Rosh Hashanah. 9/15/1944.
New Year (Rosh Hashanah) V-Mail written from Phillip Bernstein to his wife Yeda. 9/3/1944.

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