Jewish Chaplaincy Groups Sound Alarm Over Messianic Chaplains Wearing Jewish Insignia in U.S. Military

A growing dispute within the U.S. military chaplaincy has drawn the attention of Jewish leaders after chaplains affiliated with the Messianic movement — a movement that blends Jewish ritual with Christian beliefs — began wearing the traditional insignia reserved for Jewish chaplains.

For more than a century, military chaplains have worn symbols on their uniforms identifying their faith tradition. Christian chaplains wear a cross, while Jewish chaplains wear the familiar tablets of the Ten Commandments topped with a Star of David.

Now, several Jewish chaplaincy organizations say that longstanding tradition is being undermined.

Leading the effort is the Aleph Institute, a Chabad-affiliated organization that endorses Jewish chaplains serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. Aleph has formally asked the Pentagon to investigate the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations, which currently endorses Messianic chaplains for military service.

In a letter sent to the Armed Forces Chaplains Board, Aleph urged the military to revoke the organization’s authority to endorse chaplains if it continues allowing clergy trained in Christian institutions to wear the Jewish insignia.

“It is clear that [the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations] is acting in a manner incompatible with the interfaith cooperation and respect that has defined 150 years of U.S. military chaplaincy,” the letter stated.

Messianic Judaism is widely regarded across the entire spectrum of Jewish denominations — Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform alike — as a Christian movement rather than a branch of Judaism. Jewish leaders say the use of Jewish symbols by Messianic clergy risks misleading Jewish service members, particularly in combat zones or remote postings where chaplains may be the only clergy available.

Military chaplains serve not only as religious leaders but also as counselors and advisors to service members and their families. In many cases, the small insignia worn on their uniforms functions as the primary signal identifying which faith tradition they represent.

Rabbi Sanford Dresin, Aleph’s Vice President of Military Programs and a retired U.S. Army chaplain, warned that the use of Jewish insignia by Messianic clergy could easily confuse Jewish troops.

“The entire spectrum of American Jewry unequivocally opposes any insignia to be designed for wear by Messianic chaplains other than the cross,” Dresin wrote in a separate letter. “Any insignia containing a traditional Jewish symbol would be misleading to Jewish service members and would be deceptive in nature.”

Other Jewish chaplaincy organizations have joined the call for action.

Rabbi Laurence Bazer, who endorses Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox rabbis and cantors through the Jewish Chaplains Council, said Jewish groups are united in their concern.

“In dealing with the Messianic chaplains and insignias, we stand with our partners, Aleph Institute, and others in our position,” Bazer said. “We’re working together toward resolving this so they are not using any sort of Jewish symbol.”

Modern Orthodox leadership has also weighed in. In a letter sent earlier this year, the Rabbinical Council of America warned that the issue goes beyond a theological disagreement.

“In the military setting, insignia are not private expressions of belief,” the organization wrote. “They are government-authorized identifiers that communicate a chaplain’s religious endorsement and pastoral role.”

“The use of Jewish symbols by chaplains not endorsed by recognized Jewish bodies creates a serious risk of confusion and misrepresentation,” the letter continued.

Messianic leaders, however, reject the criticism and say their chaplains are simply following current military policy.

Barney Kasdan of the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations, who oversees the group’s military chaplain endorsements, said Messianic chaplains identify as Jewish and therefore wear the same insignia.

“The tablets — the Ten Commandments — is the traditional Jewish insignia,” Kasdan said. “We identify as Jews, and as far as the Department of Defense is concerned, if you’re a Jewish denomination you wear the Jewish insignia.”

According to Kasdan, the organization currently has five Messianic chaplains serving in the military and three additional candidates in training. The group became an officially recognized chaplaincy endorser with the Department of Defense in 2017.

Kasdan said the group would be open to adopting a separate insignia if the Pentagon created a new designation.

“We would be happy with our own distinctive insignia design that is different from the tablets,” he said. “But right now we’re just following the current policy.”

One of the chaplains cited in Aleph’s complaint is Chaplain James Burling, who serves with a Marine combat training battalion in North Carolina. Burling received his religious training at Christian institutions, including Azusa Pacific University and Southern California Seminary.

Burling said he wears the insignia directed by his endorsing body.

“I wear the insignia I am directed to by my endorser,” he said.

Although he identifies himself as Jewish, Burling acknowledged that he attends Messianic congregations. A rabbi cited as familiar with Burling’s studies said he never understood Burling to be Jewish.

“James studied Torah with us and he was very serious about it. He loves Israel,” said Rabbi Yoram Dahan of San Diego. “But of course he is Christian.”

“If he says he is Jewish, it is not true and it’s not good,” Dahan added. “The Messianics are a very dangerous group.”

Jewish leaders stress that the issue is not about excluding individuals from military service, but about ensuring honesty and clarity in religious representation — especially for a minority faith community whose members rely heavily on clear identification of clergy.

“This is not a theological dispute,” one letter to the Pentagon noted. “It is a matter of accuracy in government speech and the protection of religious freedom.”

The Department of Defense confirmed it has received the correspondence but has not yet announced any policy changes.

“As with all correspondence, the Department will respond directly to the authors as appropriate,” a Pentagon spokesperson said.

Readers who are concerned about this issue are encouraged to respectfully contact their elected representatives and military leadership. Letters should be written in a professional and respectful tone, avoiding attacks on Christians or Christianity, and instead focusing on the concern that chaplains trained in Christian institutions are currently permitted to wear a Jewish symbol while conducting services presented as Jewish.

Writers may also wish to point out that critics say Messianic groups have historically used such tactics to approach Jewish individuals who may not realize the theological differences.

Those wishing to express their concerns may contact:

• Secretary of the Navy John Phelan – john.phelan@us.navy.mil
• Under Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao – hung.cao.cic@us.navy.mil

Correspondence should emphasize the importance of preserving clear and accurate religious identification within the military chaplaincy system so that Jewish service members can easily identify clergy who authentically represent their faith.