Chaplaincy Military history of Jewish Americans

1 chaplaincy

1.1 civil war
1.2 jwb jewish chaplains council
1.3 world war ii
1.4 post world war ii
1.5 naval academy jewish chapel

chaplaincy

the united states military has long-standing , strong tradition of supporting jewish military chaplains in sectors. chaplains drawn jewish denominations including reform, conservative, , orthodox judaism.

the board of delegates of american israelites, organized in 1859 shortly before civil war, first american civic defense organization jews.

civil war

on july 22, 1861, north s congress passed legislature requiring chaplains ordained christian ministers, making rabbis ineligible serve. board of delegates of american israelites lobbied government , organized petition drive change law. on july 12, 1862, congress reversed , changed law permit non-christian clergy serve chaplains. in bangor, maine, 200 non-jews signed petition, although 3 jews lived in community. rabbi jacob frankel of philadelphia first rabbi appointed military chaplain.

the following official insignia of jewish chaplains in military:

us army jewish chaplain insignia



us air force jewish chaplain insignia



jwb jewish chaplains council

the jwb (jewish welfare board) jewish chaplains council founded in 1917 chaplains committee of jewish welfare board. agency of jewish community center (jcc) association, , serves endorsing body jewish military chaplains serve in armed forces , va chaplaincy services.

the jwb jewish chaplains council consists of sixteen rabbis, 4 each rabbinical assembly (conservative), rabbinical council of america (orthodox), , central conference of american rabbis (reform), plus 4 active duty jewish chaplains representing chaplains advisory group (cag). of 2010, council serves approximately 37 full-time jewish military , veterans administration chaplains, 55 chaplain reservists, more 88 military lay leaders, , thousands of jews @ more 500 military installations , va medical centers.

world war ii

american chaplain rabbi herschel schacter conducts religious services @ liberated buchenwald concentration camp in 1945.

many jewish chaplains served honor during world war ii. example, rabbi herschel schacter chaplain in third army s viii corps. , first army chaplain enter , participate in liberation of buchenwald concentration camp in 1945 , later aided in resettlement of displaced persons.

post world war ii


president ronald reagan reads jewish chaplain rabbi arnold resnicoff s report of 1983 beirut barracks bombing keynote address rev. jerry falwell s conference, baptist fundamentalism 84.

jewish chaplain rabbi arnold e. resnicoff s eye-witness report of 1983 beirut barracks bombing had historical importance 2 reasons. first, 4 days after attack, then-vice president george h. w. bush led white house team visit scene of attack, , asked resnicoff—then 1 of chaplains u.s. sixth fleet—to write report president ronald reagan. resnicoff had arrived in beirut on friday, october 21, lead memorial service young marine killed sniper fire (then fifth death of american forces present part of international peace-keeping force). refused accept transportation sixth fleet headquarters in gaeta, italy next day because shabbat, jewish sabbath, , ended being on scene morning of october 23, when attack occurred. when reagan received report, decided use keynote speech 20,000 attendees of baptist fundamentalist 84 convention, led late rev. jerry falwell. rabbi david lapp, then-director of national jewish welfare board commission on jewish chaplaincy, said many rabbis had quoted presidents, may have been first time in history president had quoted rabbi—certainly, first time entire speech of president attributed rabbi.

jewish chaplain arnold resnicoff, wearing makeshift camouflage kippa made him catholic chaplain (fr.) george pucciarelli, after had become bloodied when used wipe face of wounded marine.

secondly, 1 story aftermath of attack instrumental in terms of changing military policies regarding wearing of kippot, head-coverings, jews in uniform. religious apparel amendment, allowing kippot, had twice failed pass. during rescue efforts following bombing, catholic chaplain fr. george pucciarelli tore piece of camouflage uniform off use makeshift kippa resnicoff, had discarded kippa when became blood-soaked after being used wipe faces of wounded marines. when story read congressional record, both senate , house passed religious apparel amendment, laid groundwork department of defense directive (now instruction) 1300.17, accommodation of religious practices within military service.

this story of camouflage kippah retold @ many levels, in addition reagan s speech, including event involving meeting between reagan , american friends of lubavitch. during group s visit white house, reagan recounted beirut story, , asked rabbis explain him religious meaning of kippah. rabbi abraham shemtov, leader of group, responded, mr. president, kippah sign of reverence. rabbi feller, member of group, continued, place kippah on highest point of our being—on our head, vessel of our intellect—to tell ourselves , world there above man s intellect: infinite wisdom of god.

naval academy jewish chapel

commodore uriah p. levy center , jewish chapel @ naval academy, in annapolis, maryland.

the naval academy jewish chapel, known commodore uriah p. levy center , jewish chapel jewish chapel @ united states naval academy, in annapolis, maryland. center named in honor of commodore uriah p. levy (1792–1862), first jewish commodore in united states navy, famous refusing flog sailors. levy center contains 410-seat synagogue, fellowship hall, character learning center, classrooms, brigade’s social director offices, academic board, , academy’s honor board.

the levy center cost $8 million. approximately $1.8 million paid military construction funds. remaining amount paid private donations raised friends of jewish chapel, headed jewish alumni of academy , others. given academy upon completion. building dedicated in september 2005.