Colonel, U.S. Army Reserves

Rabbi Bonnie Koppell, a U.S. Army Reserve chaplain since 1978, was promoted to colonel on May 3 of this year making her the first female rabbi in the U.S. Army to hold that rank.  Rabbi Koppel is used to firsts, as she was the first female rabbi commissioned in the Army and is currently one of only two military-wide. 

Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Koppel joined the Army Reserves while a Rabbinical student at the Reconstructionist College in Philadelphia. She was ordained in 1981, and served Beth Sholom in Chandler, Arizona for 18 years before resigning this April when she deployed to Iraq.  She currently serves as a guest rabbi at Beth Hagivot in Fountain Hills, Arizona.

Earlier this year, in response to a phone request, Koppel volunteered to go to Iraq to conduct Passover services for the troops and to visit different units to encourage Jewish soldiers.  Koppel is currently assigned to the Chief of Chaplains Contingency Force Pool at the Pentagon, and is tasked to the Fifth US Army Headquarters at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas.  As a Reservist, she lives in Mesa, AZ, and does her drills in many different places.

In her 26 years in the Army, Koppel has received many awards including two Meritorious Service Medals, an Army Commendation Medal, and two Army Achievement Medals. In 2003, she was named “Woman of the Year” by the City of Mesa.

Describing her role as a military chaplain, Rabbi Koppel stated:

Chaplains are noncombatants - we do not carry weapons, we are not trained to fight. We are there to minister to the religious needs of the troops and, as such, we are an essential part of the military force. No one likes war, no one wants war. No one prays for peace with more fervor than the soldier who stands ready to lay down his or her life for our country.

Yet, I am not a pacifist; I believe that there are times when war is justified. War is always a horrible tragedy, but it is not necessarily immoral. I am proud to consider among my many identities as wife, as mother, as rabbi, as teacher, as friend, yet another - as an American soldier. G-d forbid the need should arise, our Jewish soldiers deserve to have rabbis who are trained and ready to deploy alongside them, to be there to offer all the support they will need. I am proud to be among those who stand ready to go with them.

Excerpt from: The Jewish Virtual Library

Rabbi Koppell wants our readers to know that she gives talks about her experiences and is interested and available to travel to any of your communities.  She can be contacted at .