Home of Jewish War Veterans Online Post 77
The DoD recently updated their “Accommodation of Religious Practices Within the Military Services” directive. The existing directive had been in place since 1988 and was well due for a refresh. Our military has always consisted of members of diverse religious backgrounds, but in an environment that stresses uniformity of appearance the outward expression of that diversity is often hidden. Ironically […]
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Rabbi Ruth Adar, the “Coffee Shop Rabbi,” recently wrote up a fantastic guide to integrating with one’s synagogue community. In ten succinct tips, she maps out a route for getting connected with your congregation while avoiding pitfalls that can leave you feeling like a perpetual outsider. So strongly did her list resonate with me that I immediately filed it away […]
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Tablet Magazine published a discussion with Jewish historian Derek Penslar back in October that really struck a chord with me. The focus of the conversation is how the valor of Diaspora Jews who fought in the U.S. military is sometimes overshadowed by Israel’s military success. The anecdote that really drives the point home is one that Penslar shares from his […]
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More great photos from Chaplain Shulman in Grafenwöhr, Germany.
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Last week, the New York Times ran a piece by LTG (ret) Karl W. Eikenberry, (the US Commander in Afghanistan from 2005 to 2007 and the ambassador there from 2009 to 2011) titled “Americans and Their Military, Drifting Apart“. I found the piece particularly interesting, because I share the same views that there is a growing disconnect between the real […]
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In the Jerusalem Post’s travel section (of all places) there is an interesting article about the Jewish experience of visiting The United States Military Academy at West Point. The article intends to highlight the benefits of getting off the beaten path while in New York and checking out some of the lesser known sights like West Point. The great part […]
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The JWB posted a video containing testimonials from a number of the chaplains in attendance at their conference this year. The chaplains share some of their favorite experiences as well as what the chaplaincy means to them. The video includes: Lieutenant Emily Rosenzweig, USN Captain Heather Borshoff, USA Captain Irv Elson, USN Lieutenant Josh Sherwin, USN Captain Sarah Shechter, USAF […]
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