The Current State of Jewish Lay Leadership

And How You Can Get Involved

After having just returned from the annual military Lay Leader’s Conference at the Naval Base in Norfolk, Virginia, I am struck by the realization that the absolutely overwhelming greatest contact that Jewish troops have with their Judaism and in-service Jewish programs is by and through Lay Leaders. Why that realization in those stark terms never really struck me is surprising. It should have been obvious by extrapolating the fact that there are fewer than two dozen military chaplains in all the armed forces.

Besides the magnitude of the impact of Lay Leader led and managed programs, I was awed by the sincere and motivated dedication of the attending Lay Leaders, and their varied backgrounds and credentials.

There were 20 attendees from the four corners of the USA and from Germany and Japan.

They were equally split between men and women. And, noteworthy was the fact that they included junior enlisted and senior officers as well as civilians. The Air Force seemed to be the best represented and had women Lay Leaders from a senior enlisted and a First Class Cadet from the Air Force Academy to an active duty Lieutenant Colonel as well as the wife of a senior officer. The Air Force men included a senior enlisted and a couple of junior officers. The Army was represented by a male and a female Major, a junior officer and a civilian. The Navy had two female junior officers representing base facilities (one Marine Corps) and two male ship- assigned enlisted petty officers, and me. The Coast Guard was represented by a retired Lieutenant Commander. In this mix were technicians, doctors, lawyers and engineers.

The additional participants were the conference sponsor, Commander Maurice Kaprow, US Navy, and the senior US Army rabbi, Colonel Ken Leinwand who came down from Fort Meade. Rabbi Nathan Landman of the JWB was also there. The two active duty, in-the- trenches chaplains were invaluable in making the conference relevant. I came away buoyed by the experience. It was phenomenally uplifting and inspiring and reassuring. Everybody was so dedicated and caring and involved and interested. The unstated and unheralded enthusiasm just permeated the environment of the conference. It was evident in the passionate discourse of the classroom sessions, in the conduct of worship services which we practiced, in the interchange of ideas and problems and solutions. I just cannot adequately express the positive feeling that continues to effuse me.

We touched on all matters of Lay Leadership–interaction with sponsoring commands; interaction with the JWB; material support for programs; finances, including budgeting and funding support; administrative management; the how to of program accommodation for Jewish troops of all backgrounds; and, most importantly, coordination of mutual efforts to strengthen and expand the various programs.

The latter issue was of paramount interest for the conferees. Although the

Jewish Welfare Board (JWB), the Department of Defense recognized accreditation agency for Jewish military chaplains and the certifying agency, as well, for Lay Leaders, has traditionally been seen as the overall organization to which we all looked for program coordination, it was clear that because of its current structure and resource availability, it was not what we all hoped it could and must be.

Some background: The JWB is a subordinate entity to the JCCA (Jewish Community Center Association). It gets its funding and administrative support by and from JCCA. But, JWB has only two management positions. One is a full time former military chaplain whose tough and often thankless job is to try to recruit rabbis for the military chaplaincy. The other is also a former military chaplain, who is only a part-timer. He supports the rabbi search effort and attempts to coordinate the Lay Leader program. The requirements and expectations for these one and half persons is unrealistic. As a result of its lack of staffing and, maybe even, its lack of realization of the need for greater coherent program management, there are a lot of gaps in what could and should be a smoothly operating mechanism. For instance, many of us as Lay Leaders reinvent wheels which have already been well and properly functioning but which we never knew already existed. They may be in the area of program creation and program management and operation, and might include structure and content of worship services to provision of educational programs and sources and availability of common-use supplies and materiel.

Also, very surprising–but I guess it shouldn’t be–is the fact, that unless a self-motivated Lay Leader aspirant voluntarily and of-his/her-own-volition emerges, no procedure exists to determine where the Jewish program gaps are, or mechanisms to undertake fixes. There is no coordination to ensure, for example, that training bases are automatically assured of the existence of a Jewish Troop Program. I can understand why there might not be that sort of endeavor at each and every base, post and ship with potentially few Jewish personnel–but at training bases, it isn’t unreasonable. I had assumed that even with the paucity of Jewish Chaplains, there would at least be automatic coverage at these kind of installations. However, for the Army at Fort Benning and Fort Leonard Wood–both training bases–both are currently covered by self-emerging Lay Leaders. And, even if there is a Lay Leader at a base, post, or ship, when that uniformed or dependent Lay Leader is re-assigned, a subsequent and continuing Lay Leader might not be assured if the departing one cannot find a replacement for him or herself. Or, worse, if there is a nominally certified Lay Leader who isn’t functioning at all, no one knows about it. Here at Fort Benning there was a gap of several years in Jewish program until it was re- established two years ago.

With that overriding concern for more efficient and broader Jewish Program support, the assembled Lay Leaders asked the JCCA/JWB for help. A precept for Lay Leader program coordination was established which we call Jewish Servicemen’s Initiative (JSI). It was presented formally by petition to JCCA. It requested that the mission for JWB be expanded to fit the reality of the necessity for establishment and maintenance of an impacting and meaningful coordinated Jewish military personnel support program. We hope it will be favorably received and quickly acted upon.

It is vital and necessary that Jewish military personnel have the support they need or want. All too often, some personnel will not aggressively seek out these programs or endeavor to establish them, but will participate and benefit and enjoy them if they are already visible and in place. So, Jewish programs, however they emerge, must be reasonably assured and available at each and every base, post and ship. Even if there are only a handful of Jewish personnel, there must be the modicum of a Jewish program. Somebody has to be the nucleus. And that somebody does not have to be a matter of rank. He or she doesn’t have to be the most knowledgeable, or the most observant either. They just have to care. They just have to be somebody that is willing to step forward with the determination and additional knowledge that there is some support for his or her effort beyond their own meager resources–asset-wise or emotional or functional. JSI hopes to be that added ingredient.

For us Jews, lay leadership in the military establishment is essential. It would be wonderful if all those seeing this post would check to see what Jewish programs exist, if any, at any facilities where they are serving or where they live. If none are present, or if they need assistance or rejuvenation–materially, procedurally, structurally, etc.–endeavor to create them or fix them. We’ll help. JSI has established a website and can be reached at . Or, contact , or , and we’ll respond quickly.

The Jewish Lay Leader Programs Need a Few Good Men or Women. Enlist now!!!!

Neil Block

Captain, USNR, RET

Jewish Lay Leader

US Army Infantry Command

Fort Benning, GA