If everything is working properly, you should be seeing the new look at Jews in Green. The old look was getting a little outdated and had some display problems on some browsers. I did a lot of testing with the new layout, but if you run into any problems please . 

I took the opportunity to make some content changes as well, inclusing simplified member account management and some changes to the forums. There are a few additions specifically for chaplains and layleaders that will be rolled out shortly.

Enjoy the new look and feel free to let me know what you think. 

Certainly one of the downsides of being a Jew in the military is being stationed in the middle of nowhere.  We often find ourselves far from the Jewish infrastructure that Jews in large cities enjoy.  And when we deploy...fuggetaboutit.  Because of this, observing mitzvot can be a
significant challenge, but no matter where we are we can at least study Torah, and as we know, “the study of Torah is equal to them all, because it leads to them all.”

But how should we study?  Just reading the weekly parsha is a start, but it’s hard to really learn without some kind of experienced guide.
Jewish chaplains are perfect for this role, but unfortunately most of us don’t have access to one on a regular basis.

Nothing can fully replace a rabbi (or other Talmudic scholar) when it comes to Torah study, but I’ve found something that comes awfully close.  I have recently discovered the wonders and joys of the Jewish podcast!

If you have no idea what a podcast is, see this site.  In a nutshell, it is a technology that “grabs” online audio programs for offline listening.  Think of it as Tivo for radio.  All you really need is internet access and the free iTunes.  With an MP3 player, you can take this audio anywhere.  Perfect for those extended trips to the field.

The good news is that there is a plethora of podcasts out there focused on Torah study and Jewish subjects.  I’ve sorted through plenty of them and provide you with a list of what I think is the best out there.

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Where have all the Rabbis gone? This is the question asked by so many military congregations outside of the United States. The need for more Rabbis within the military chaplainry is clearly evident. In the entire United States Navy, which supports both the Navy and the Marine Corps, there are only six Rabbis. Now, the exact number of Jews is a matter for the demographers to figure out; however, on a small island in the middle of the Pacific the lack of a Rabbi is very evident.

The island of Okinawa is located between the Japanese mainland and the island nation of Taiwan. Okinawa is a Japanese Prefecture with a large US military population whose primary mission is to keep North Korea on a leash and fight terror in Southeast Asia. Within this population, it is a fairly conservative estimate to say that there are at least a hundred Jews on the island.

The Jewish Community of Okinawa; is led by a Military Lay Leader who not only has the responsibility of leading the congregation, but also has to maintain his normal daily military duties. This does not allow the amount of dedication required of someone who is to provide guidance and support to the spiritual and moral well-being of the Jews of Okinawa. 

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The following speech was delivered at Temple Beth El, Lancaster, Pennsylvania on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2006 by Private Ethan Aaron Brooks, recent graduate (1/6/06) of Marine Corps Recruit Training at Parris Island, Platoon 3006, Mike Company.

Before answering any questions about my experience with the Marine Corps, I’d like to address those of you who are now of age or soon will be. You probably haven’t given enlistment much consideration. You have probably always assumed that the military was not for you. I know that when I enlisted I got a lot of “what’s a good Jewish boy doing enlisting in the Marine Corps?” Many of us who grew up intellectuals always believed that ours, the life of the scholar, and the life of a warrior could never mix. In other words, leave the fighting to the dumb-dumbs.

Allow me to share a few thoughts with you that you may not have considered. Believe it or not, your religion shares many values with the military—or at least the Marine Corps (those are the values I know about). At recruit training, I learned that the essential values of a good Marine were spirit and discipline. Before performing any task, the Drill Instructor would say, “Ready?” and we would scream, “Spirit!” Then he would say, “Move!” and we would scream, “Discipline!” How is spirit a Jewish value? Well, does a good Jew pray with K’vanah? It’s been a while, but back in USY, wasn’t there something we called Ruach that got the Jewish blood running? When Jews pray, they should do it like they mean it. When Marines do just about anything, they do it like they mean it. That’s spirit. Then there’s discipline. Military discipline is not a concept that many Jews get very excited about, but they should! After all, when a good Jew sees some lip-smacking pepperoni pizza, but orders the veggie instead—hey, that’s discipline. In fact, every mitzvah is a test of discipline, whether it entails resisting temptation or fulfilling a regular obligation that sometimes one would rather not fulfill. Resisting temptations and fulfilling obligations are par for the course for Marines as well. Ever notice that you don’t often see a Marine digging in his face with his hands—scratching bug bites, picking his nose, and that sort of thing? That’s part of maintaining military bearing and it entails resisting temptation. If my face itches, it might feel good to scratch, but if I exercise discipline, I won’t do it. A Marine’s regular obligation is PT—physical training—and as tough as we may be, we don’t always feel like doing it. But, the same way a Jew has to go to shul whether he feels like it or not, a Marine has to PT.

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Editors Note: The following is an excerpt from Rabbi (Cdr) Mitchell Schranz’s account of Chanukah celebrations he participated in all across Iraq.  You can see the accompanying photos in the Photo Gallery.  Be sure to click on “read more” to see the entire letter.

There is only one word to describe this year’s Chanukah in Iraq: INCREDIBLE!  Services & Menorah lightings took place at many bases and FOBs.  Rabbi Mordechai Schwab and I traveled throughout Iraq where we were able to spend some time with many of [the troops], at least for one or two days.  At Al Faw Palace a huge Menorah was lit (a la Chabad!) in the lobby of Saddam Hussein’s one-time seat of power (and who knows what else!) Since Saddam had no shortage of palaces, there was another Menorah lighting in the International Zone Palace under the able leadership and coordination of Lay Leaders Col Nelson Mellitz and Maj Adam Torem.  In fact, last Thursday we had a second candle lighting in one of the conference rooms where more than likely that wicked man held court.  Nes gadol haya sham--a great miracle happened there! 

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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 click on the links to view pictures from the event.  Please read through to the end, it’s a fantastic story!

I think it is very impressive that the Army will give Jewish soldiers the time off required to celebrate the holidays.  In fact, the 3rd Infantry Division’s head Chaplain (not Jewish) sent out a memo strongly suggesting that all Jews who requested time off be given the time to celebrate Rosh Hashanah whenever possible.  My Commander (a Marine LT COL) had no problem giving me two days off to celebrate.

Monday afternoon, I took a helicopter flight with a Sergeant from Camp Taji to Baghdad, about a ten minute ride.  In Baghdad, we were met at the helipad by Rabbi Schranz, a Navy [Cdr] Chaplain.  Rabbi Schranz took us over to billeting, where we checked in and were assigned a cot in a large air conditioned tent within walking distance of the mess hall, Post Exchange and internet cafe, about 3/4 of a mile from where the services were held, in one of the base chapels.

One of the congregants made a handmade Ark for the Torah, and we had candles, a Kiddush cup, Machzors, challah, apples, and honey.  What more could we ask for?  After services Friday night, we made Kiddush and had some challah with honey, and then about 14 of us went to dinner together in the army mess hall.

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Cheryl Waldman, the JWV National Programs Coordinator wanted to make sure we all know about the JWV and what they have to offer.  Here’s what she sent me:

The Jewish War Veterans of the USA welcomes all who are currently serving to apply for membership in the oldest veterans, organization in the country.  JWV is dedicated to America’s veterans, and membership is free to members serving on active duty.

Through its hospital, rehabilitation and veterans’ service programs, the JWV assists the Veterans’ Service Offices in major cities throughout out country. Through our SOS (Support Our Soldiers) program we send a touch of home to those who are currently serving abroad. Through our Capitol Hill action day and ongoing work with members of Congress we fight for those benefits that our returning veterans have earned.

To join JWV or to participate in the SOS program, please call us at 202-265-6280, e-mail to , or write to us at:

1811 R St., NW
Washington, DC 20009

If you didn’t catch it, it is absolutely free to join the JWV if you are on active duty.  You don’t have to have served in a war, just served our country.  If you are Jewish and in the service (or were in the service), check them out, it will be well worth your while.

Ever since my first year in Air Force ROTC I’ve been trying to figure out how many other Jews there are in the military.  I guess it was probably so I could have an idea of the likelihood of me actually meeting other Jews, and being at bases with viable Jewish communities.  When I was a freshman, I was able to find out the Air Force component on the Air Force Personnel Center website, but looking back at the site in subsequent years, I have no idea where I found it.

Within the last month (after Googling for years) I found 4 websites with some relevant information.  The Jewish War Veterans (my late grandfather was a member, fought in WWII) website recently put out a ”350th Year, Commemoration of Jews in the (Colonial/American) Military Guide,” which is a great read if you’re looking for a half-hour to kill at work and want to read something to make you proud to be a Jewish serviceman.  The guide tells that “Jews have always had a higher percentage in the military than their percentage of the total population."(p.35).

This was pretty inspiring, and I kept researching. What I found out on the other 3 sites was not as motivational.  I’m not sure when the trend began, but for at the least the last few years, we’ve been well under being equal on a per capita basis. 

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By Daniel Eric Minkow, 1st Lt USAF

Can a Jew wear a Kippah while in military uniform?

I came upon this very important question and its answer, this article, when USAF Capt Rebecca Minkow, my sister, posed the question to me.  As the Jewish Lay leader for Travis Air Force Base, I felt it was important for me to find the answer to this question so I contacted the wing Chaplain, who forwarded me the DoD Directive Number 1300.17 (Accommodation of Religious Practices Within the Military Services) which includes guidance on the wear of religious headgear in uniform.  The Directive is very brief (6 pages) and signed by the Deputy Secretary of Defense.  I found the directive very empowering because of its strong support for a wide range of religious observances. I had originally felt that the military frowned upon certain types of religious observances that were outside the “norm” or standard. However, the directive starts out with the following statement.

“3.1 A basic principle of our nation is the free exercise of religion. The Department of Defense places a high value on rights of member of the Armed Forces to observe the tenets of their respective religions. It is DoD policy that request for accommodation of religious practices should be approved by commanders when accommodation will not have adverse impact on military readiness, unit cohesion, standards or discipline”

From here you can see that the military actually encourages commanders to go out of their way to accommodate different religious obligations and practices.  The Directive addresses worship services, holy days as well as the wear of other religious articles (including items like Tzitzit (talit katan)). For it states:

“3.2.6. Religious items or articles not visible or otherwise apparent may be warn with the uniform, provided they shall not interfere with the performance of the members military duties…”

I like to consider the talit katan (small four cornered garment with fringes worn underneath the shirt) as part of a “Jewish Uniform” namely as the all important Jewish spiritual Kevlar, protecting the wearer from a wide range of day to day hazards.

This is, of course all good news, but what does this directive say about wearing a Kippah while in uniform? The directive continues on to explain that any “visible items of religious apparel while in uniform must be neat and conservative”.  So what does that mean?

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I recently stumbled across a very interesting website from the University of Michigan titled, When Jews Were GIs: World War II and the Remaking of American Jewry.

It is actually an online adaptation of a lecture, delivered by Deborah Dash Moore (author of G.I. Jews), to the Frankel Center for Judaic Studies at the University of Michigan.  The lecture doesn’t solely focus on Jewish wartime service.  Ms. Moore discusses the cultural effect our service and the War had on Jewish life at home.

… after a devastating world war in which Jews sustained many times more deaths than Americans, American Jews emerged with the resilience and optimism to press their specifically Jewish claims on the world. Moore gives voice to the American Jews on the home front and in military service during the war who experienced anti-Semitism and witnessed the transformation of American sentiment firsthand. As Moore demonstrates, this generation, who fought anti-Semitism to go to war, returned home ready and able to transform American Jewry.

The website is setup in several sessions with discussion topics and thinking points for each session/topic.  I think this would be a perfect tool for a Sunday school lesson or two and would even fit in well in a history course.  Either way, it is an interesting read and I encourage you to check it out.