Hello, To all my fellow jewish member’s of the U.S. NAVY. My name is David. I am currently serving in Kuwait. I have been over here since Sep. 05. If you would like to talk, my e-mail address is .
As the Jewish Vendor we are always eager to hear feedback from those in active duty.
Are you satisfied with the availability of Jewish supplies? Were you made aware of the items avialable? Are there any items that you need and are not supplied?
We now supply Conservative and Orthodox Prayer Books, Tallits, Bibles, Torah scrolls, Menorahs and Hanukah Candles, Candlestick and Shabbat Candles, Havdalah Candles, Yartzeit Candles, Tealights, Yarmulkes (in Camo and white/black), Mezuzot and Klaf, Haggadahs, Matzoh covers, Passover Seder Kits, Four Species, Sukkot, Torah scrolls, Yad pointers, Jewish Books, Shofars, Stone Chumash and more!
Just a quick note to anyone who is looking for orders to a CVN with a Jewish Lay Led group. I’m the Jewish Lay Leader on USS JOHN C. STENNIS (CVN-74) out of Bremerton, WA (due west of Seattle) and wanted to get the word out to any J-Squids for whom that’s important. We’re a small group (four of us meet regularly, more on board who don’t really come out) and we have Shabbat services every Friday night we are underway and try to do something for all of the holidays. Once deployment starts, we may be adding an introductory Hebrew class with the help of one of the goy Chaplains.
If you have any questions about the mighty JCS, drop me an e-mail.
As a retired Jewish Coast Guardsman (over 30 years). I am curious about:
(a) How many Jewish Sailors are there?
(b) How many Jewish Spouses?
(c) How many have experienced Anti-Semitism?
(d) How many have found access to kosher food (i.e. those items that cater to a kosher market, e.g. Rubashkins, International Glatt, Meal Mart, Empire, Ha’olam and Millers cheeses, etc.) (on-base or off-base) and religious services easy?
(e) How many wear kippahs and tzitzis in uniform except when prohibited by Navy Regs.
(f) How many have heard explicitly derogatory expressions about Jews, e.g. ####, jew-down, jew-boy, etc.
I loved being in the military and I would serve my country again if I could. I know most people were curious and supportive of my Judaism, but there were a few that weren’t.
Lately there have been a few high profile cases where Jews have been shunned or have been treated derogatorily. Recently a jewish veteran was actively pursued to convert at a VA facility in Iowa City, there was a Jewish Chaplain at NIH who was canned for various reasons including hatred by a Catholic Chaplain there of Jews or at least the Jewish Chaplain involved.
v/r Moishe (Mark Lewack), SCPO, USCG ret. in Frederick, MD
My name is Leah. I am a senior at GWU and a midshipman in ROTC.
I have been searching for a place like this, and I am glad I found it! In spite of GW’s significant Jewish population (over 30%), swastikas have been drawn in multiple places around campus, and the FBI is getting involved in the investigation. I have also been the subject of comments regarding my religion on every single one of my midshipman summer cruises. One comment even included the CS gas chamber training we had the summer after my freshman year. Even fellow GW midshipmen have mocked me for being Jewish. Upon a trip to Israel with Birthright this January, fellow Jews have pounded me with questions of why I didn’t join the IDF instead! I feel like I don’t belong anywhere. On my last summer cruise, when a Midshipman from another school made a comment and a Heil Hitler gesture, I mentioned it to a Junior Officer. I feel like my concern was not addressed because the issue was just brushed off and not taken seriously.
As I get closer to commissioning, I am realizing my concerns about anti-antisemitism in the fleet. I am glad I found this place!!
Is that George Washington University? I’m so not familiar with the various university acronyms, and I’m ashamed if this is the case, as my cousin Jennee just graduated from GWU.
I’m printing your post and taking it to the Jewish Welfare Board / Jewish Chaplain’s Association meeting tomorrow through Wednesday.
You may always contact the Jewish Welfare Board about stuff specific to your ROTC program. If your issue is not taken seriously, there is an escalation path. I also recommend you check out the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, headed by Mikey Weinstein. Exhaust the proper channels first, and the Jewish Welfare Board, linked from this site, can help you with that, but maybe draw some empowerment from reading that there are people out there fighting this cause. You’re not alone!
I will tell you that once you’re in the fleet, I doubt concerns or this behavior will be tolerated or brushed aside. Very few of my fellow Soldiers tolerate racism in my direction...even though I’d respond with a personalized can of whoop-ass, I’d have to take a number behind my friends. You’ll find the same thing once commissioned, I’m sure.
As for the Birthright trip, there is some solace in the fact that half the people that snivel will never serve in either the American forces or the IDF. I spent time in the Sinai as an American paratrooper, and the question came up more than a few times. The bottom line is as much as I love Israel, I’m from Pennsylvania, and Pennsylvania has more than one ski lift, so there. Also, it behooves Israel to have Jews serving in the military of allies in Diaspora. But whatever, you need not justify your service to anyone but yourself.
Please disregard the portion I said about the MRFF and Mikey Weinstein. The rabbinical chaplains at the conference urge people NOT to go through his organization. It is best to use military process to resolve this situation. You do have some very proactive and extremely nice chaplains to look forward to in the Navy.
I’m a month from commissioning and the NROTC unit scheduled something fun for all of the Seniors on Saturday, 19 April in the evening (of course, first Seder for Pesach). Being the only Jew in my ROTC class, I mention it up my Chain of Command to see if they could not reschedule so that everyone (including the token Jew) could be included. I found out that my COC did not pass it up, as they would rather just ignore my concern, and their response to me was “Don’t Come.” Does it matter to them that I WANT to attend??--it’s just no one happened to glance at a calendar to check the date.
Earlier this semester in my Military Ethics class, we discussed religion and went over a case study about a non-Christian who didn’t feel comfortable attending the Command’s Christmas party. Everyone in my class argued that this individual should not affect everyone else because of his/her religion. Then the CO called the class’ attention to me and asked for my opinion. When I explained that it really is uncomfortable to be in that position, everyone ignored me and yelled at me—how dare I ask that the Christmas part be changed to a Holiday party. After class, the CO told me that he was really glad that I was in his class because, as a minority, I brought a unique perspective to a class of Christians. That’s nice.
I’m just annoyed because, G-d forbid we schedule something on Christmas or Easter (we even cancel Friday Drill period for Good Friday), but other religions apparently don’t matter to these future-officers. The Navy’s Diversity Policy may as well say “Diversity is a Strategic Imperative—as long as you’re still Christian.”
You certainly do have a dilemma and it’s unfortunate that no one in your ROTC seems to care.
Something similar happened to my son. He’s in the Navy, too, but had one portion of flight training at Vance AFB. There weren’t any other Jews there and no services planned for Yom Kippur. Oklahoma City is about 100 miles south, however, and he planned to attend services at a synagogue there. He specifically told the duty officer not to schedule him for duty Erev Yom Kippur. Shouldn’t have been any big deal because there were plenty of pilots to schedule. But sure enough he gets scheduled for that night. I truly believe it was done on purpose. He ended up taking his duty, but that’s a different story than attending a party.
I chalked up that experience to the Air Force (sorry all you AF people) because his experiences in the Navy have all been postitive. All of his Christian Navy buddies have been respectful and actually interested in learning. A few years ago at Passover, he wasn’t going to do anything at all but several friends insisted. He told them what to do for the meal (with lots of help from me long distance) and he had a Sedar. It was a very positive experience.
I’m old and not in your shoes, but if I were you I’d skip the party. Yes, that’s disappointing for you, but if you go, you’ll be sending a message that your religious concerns aren’t that serious. I wouldn’t be a matyr about it or make any kind of scene--just say you can’t make it because of Passover. If anyone gives you a hard time, just stand your ground. As both my dad and my good friend who’s from Israel always say “It’s never easy being a Jew.”
BTW there would have been another Jew in your unit if my younger son hadn’t been medically disqualified :-( He’s a sophmore at Maryland. Oh well.
While you’ve probably commissioned by now, I’d like to add my story.
Some of you know that I’ve been trying to find out if being religious is possible in the military. Well, I’m now in AFROTC in NYC, and I’ve only had positive experiences. Everyone has been extremely respectful of my needs, and have never, ever required me to violate anything. In fact, some of them have engaged me in conversation about why I do/don’t do some things. I hope you’ve been having only positive experiences in the Navy, but I just wanted to assure you that it is possible.
