Hot Dog Harry

Who is Hot Dog Harry? He is fellow Yid and supporter of the troops, Harry Hirschinger. In 1986, Harry set up a non-profit organization called Operation: America Loves You. Their sole mission was to boost morale of troops in the field by throwing them a hot dog party. Over the years Harry and his team delivered hot dogs (yes, he […]

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Semper Chai: Robin R. Higgins

Editors Note: The following is an excerpt from Howard Leavtt’s Semper Chai , an amazing book that profiles numerous Jewish Marines through many generations. Look for Howard’s new book, OZ – Chronicles of Courage, which talks a good deal about Jewish participation in Iraq and Afghanistan. A true hero and a remarkable woman in America today, Lieutenant Colonel Robin Higgins, […]

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COL Koppel Speaks at Embry-Riddle

Rabbi Bonnie Koppell (COL, USA) recently spoke to students and faculty at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University about Jewish life and religious tolerance in the military. Koppell also specifically spoke on the five major categories that military members usually request accommodation for. They include worship, dietary and medical needs, and clothing and grooming standards (i.e. beards and hair). She continued by saying […]

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High Holidays in Baghdad

Some of you might have seen this in an email or on a message board, but I really wanted to share this story with all of our readers (even though it’s a little dated). So with his permission, I gladly give you Captain Howard J. Perl’s account of his very moving trip to Baghdad for Rosh Hashanah services. You can […]

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Jewish Soldier Top 10

I ran accross this list of “Top Ten Things Overheard in the Jewish Soldiers’ Bunker in Iraq” over at Bangitout.com. It’s remotely funny, but I’m sure many of our JIG readers can do better. Post your suggestions as a comment below. 10. What rank does someone have to be to get an aliyah around here? 9. Dang it, who’s been […]

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Rabbis Serving Their Country

Some of these stories are a little dated, but I’ve accumulated a few articles on the activities of Rabbis and Jewish Chaplains in the operating forces. Here’s a quick round-up: Rabbinical Student Leads Services Overseas Army’s First Female Rabbi Celebrates Passover with Victory Troops Rabbi Joshua Narrowe revives Jewish Life at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Air Force commissions first female […]

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Torah to Set Sail

Temple Israel of Akron, Ohio will be generously donating one of their Torah scrolls for use aboard the USS Eisenhower. The Torah being donated by Temple Israel was first offered to the U.S. Navy about three years ago, when a national call went out for a Torah for the chapel aboard the USS Reagan. But another synagogue answered the call […]

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