Yesterday, President Bush proclaimed April 25 through May 2, 2004, as Jewish Heritage Week.

From the press release:

Over the past three and a half centuries, Jewish Americans have helped shape the history and culture of our Nation. As scientists, physicians, social workers, educators, artists, businessmen, and in many other professions, Jewish citizens have contributed to the strength of our country. Their commitment to religious freedom, respect for diversity, and belief in democracy have enriched our society and helped make America a better place for all. During this historic time, we are particularly grateful for the many Jewish Americans who serve in our military. Their efforts help advance the cause of freedom and provide hope for people around the world.*

As we observe Jewish Heritage Week, we remember the proud legacy and determination of the Jewish people and their strong dedication to faith, family, and service.

*emphasis added

Here's one for the history books! This year, over 100 U.S. Jewish troops, civilians, and even a few Iraqi nationals celebrated Passover in a very unique location: Saddam Husseins former Presidential Palace in Baghdad.

The seder was organized and lead by Rabbi Mitchell Ackerson (LTC, USA), the senior chaplain for the US Army 220th Military Police Brigade.
Update: Click on "full story" to read Rabbi Ackerson's account of the seder!

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Dr. William Samelson, professor emeritus, author and holocaust survivor, spoke at Camp Smith, Hawaii to an audience of Marines, their families, and guests. See the official press release here.

Dr. Samelson also spoke to soldiers and saliors at separate engagements. Officials have supposedly asked him to speak at Camp Smith again next year.

What kind of events were at your base for Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoa)? Post your comments here.

Tis the season for Passover stories I guess. The Free Lance-Star has a story online about a retired Marine near Quantico who opened his home to a young Second Lieutenant on Pesach.

The story itself is not that remarkable, but LtCol Haas deserves a special yesher koach for all his service at Quantico. He volunteered his own time to lead services for Jewish candidates at Marine Corps Officer Candidate School for several years. I first met him back when I went through in 2000. I have no idea if he still does this, but he is obviously still giving to the Jewish community at Quantico even after his retirement.

His generosity should be an example for all of us "Jews in Green". Semper Fi LtCol Haas!

The USA Weekend had an interesting article recently on religion in the military, specifically in Iraq. It chronicles five servicemembers who had some experience with their religion while fighting in Iraq. Spc. Joe Kashnow tells his story of being an Orthodox Jew in the Army and his faith in God throughout some harrowing experiences in Iraq.

I was going through one of my bread cravings the other day (during Passover) and I realized what a great thing this new low-carb craze is to some Jews. These days I keep strict kosher for Passover, but there was a time when that wasn't the case. I've been stationed in a few places where finding kosher for Passover items are next to impossible, so I used to just do my best to eliminate bread and reduce any other prohibited items on Passover. In the Atkins-crazed America we now live in this "method" is a whole lot easier.

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The Museum of Jewish Heritage at Battery Park in New York City has an exhibit showcasing the Jewish men and women who fought in World War II called "Ours to Fight For." The exhibit is also available online. The exhibit's website is very impressive and well put together. There are a number of videos and interviews (including Ed Koch) as well as facts and photos from the war.

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KOACH, which is traditionally a college outreach program for Conservative Judaism, has a listserv devoted for Jews in the military. Although their website describes the list as being for the families of Jewish active duty military, my brief experience with it seems to show that it is equally useful for the actual servicemembers as well.

Even though this is sponsored by the Conservative movement, I think it is a valuable resource for ALL Jews serving, regardless of your movement affiliation.

They also offer a number of subscription options so you can control when and how much mail you receive on the listserv, although it looks like it's not an overused listserv (like many others I've belonged to).

MSNBC has a great story about a number of Jewish soldiers celebrating passover in the middle of fighting in Iraq.

It's almost a year old now, but I think it is a perfect example of how we can honor our traditions even in the most unlikely and inconvenient of places.

If you have any unique and interesting stories like this one, email them to and we'll publish them on the website.

What's better than a nice hot MRE? A kosher one, of course! As most of us know, keeping kosher in the military can be a particular challenge. Add field operations into the equation and it gets even worse.

So what's a good little Jewish boy (or girl) to do? Enter MoM to the rescue. No, not your mother, MoM (My Own Meals). As far as I know, there used to be "regular" kosher MREs in standard packaging (like the current vegetarian ones). Now, a private company has the responsibility of supplying kosher rations to the U.S. military. MoM makes 10 different kosher meals. Each meal contains an entree plus a bag containing a variety of components.

So how do I order them?

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