PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — When Josh Shapiro is inaugurated as Pennsylvania’s 48th governor on Tuesday, he’ll be sworn in on a Jewish Bible that belonged to a young Philadelphia soldier in World War II.
The Bible, on loan from the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History in Old City, belonged to a student named Herman Hershman. It was published by the U.S. Army in 1942 for Jewish servicemembers, according to the museum.
The Central High School grad was studying at Temple University when he enlisted in the Army in 1943, at the age of 19. He brought the Bible with him during his time in the 1st Infantry Division, which was one of the first to land on Omaha Beach during the D-Day invasion.
“Hershman carried the Bible with him throughout his time serving our country in World War II and then returned to Philadelphia,” said Josh Perelman, chief museum curator.
Hershman was hit by shrapnel and was awarded a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star. He was a lifelong member of Beth Sholom in Elkins Park — the same synagogue that Shapiro belonged to.
Shapiro’s office reached out to the museum about Jewish Bibles he could use for his inauguration, and Perelman said he selected Hershman’s. It was donated to the museum by Herman Hershman and his wife, Rhoda, in 2010.
“It really resonated with him in the sense that he wanted to honor the service of Jews to this country as he is continuing to serve the country in his own capacity,” Perelman said.
He said it’s a critical moment too, given the documented rise in antisemitism in America over the last several years.
“For Josh Shapiro to stand up and proudly show his Judaism, embrace his Jewish heritage and become inaugurated as our next governor using a Bible representing such an immensely important moment in world history, we feel so special to be part of that.”
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