MIAMI, FL — Flying in from bases as far away as South Korea, Iraq and Kuwait, some 50 Jewish military chaplains and personnel bivouacked in South Florida this month for a conference on the unique role of the military rabbi.
Chaplaincy Conference Draws High-Ranking Jewish Officers
MIAMI, FL — Flying in from bases as far away as South Korea, Iraq and Kuwait, some 50 Jewish military chaplains and personnel bivouacked in South Florida this month for a conference on the unique role of the military rabbi.
Sponsored by the Aleph Institute, a Chabad-Lubavitch organization based in the Miami suburb of Surfside that provides for the spiritual needs of Jewish military personnel and prisoners, the Feb. 4 to 6 conference – which was titled “The Military Rabbi – Walking the Tightrope Without Losing One’s Balance” – was capped off by a Shabbat program of services and meals with the community at The Shul of Bal Harbour.
Wearing their battle dress uniforms during the workshops and their formal dress uniforms for the Thursday night reception and Shabbat dinner, the soldiers represented a cross section of America’s military forces. Members of the Air Force, Army, Marines and Coast Guard attended, as did chaplains from several State Defense Forces. The ranks of the participants ranged from captain to four-star general.
Drawing on teachings from the Torah, the seminar focused on implementing modern counseling practices in chaplaincy services. It also examined ethical and moral issues confronting the chaplaincy, whether in the realm of confidential communications, bioethical questions or crisis counseling.
“The weekend was excellent and well organized,” commented U.S. Army Col. Rabbi Jacob Goldstein. “It gave chaplains and their families a chance to talk and to share experiences, and many found that there are common issues in the military no matter where one is stationed.
“For instance,” he continued, pointing to one of the discussions, “soldiers who are not religious, but are searching, can find that observing Shabbat is very difficult. Senior chaplains at the seminary specifically addressed this issue.”
