The military structures of Israel and the US have launched a joint training program for military rabbis. The project envisions exchanging experience among clerics operating in the military structures of both countries and enhancing their professional training.
The new international initiative involves the Military Rabbinate service of the Israeli army, the Jerusalem-based International Halacha Institute (IHI), and Aleph Military, the military division of the Aleph Institute operating in the US.
The main goal of the program is to develop training materials and create practical guides for Jewish service members. The project will cover issues such as observing Shabbat during military missions, as well as maintaining kashrut standards at remote military bases.
One of the main directions of the project will be the English translation of the comprehensive guide «Torah Machane» belonging to the Military Rabbinate service and its adaptation to the needs of the US army.
IHI Director General Avraham Yaakov Dadoun stated that the goal is not only to translate the material, but to adapt it for US military chaplains serving in various conditions.
Bilateral exchange of experience
US Air Force Reserve Major and Director of the Aleph Military organization Eli Estrin stated that military service creates special situations that most rabbis rarely encounter in their regular activities.
According to him, it is of great importance for American specialists to learn from the experience of their Israeli colleagues, who solve similar issues on a completely different scale.
«Our responsibility is to ensure that our chaplains possess the necessary knowledge and are prepared to operate in this unique environment. The better we train them in halacha in the military, the more strongly we will preserve the connection of Jewish service members with their religious and cultural roots,» Estrin stated.
Colonel Chaim Weisberg, head of the Military Rabbinate service of the Israeli army, called the program a new form of military cooperation.
He noted that after the terrorist attacks of October 7, 2023, and the subsequent war, new challenges that arose, including those related to the identification and burial ceremonies of fallen soldiers, have increased the significance of Israeli experience.
Weisberg also emphasized that the partnership is not one-sided. According to him, American chaplains also face situations that Israeli military rabbis rarely encounter.
These include solving complex religious issues related to Jewish identity when organizing wedding ceremonies for service members serving abroad.
The parties believe that the exchange of experience will allow the military religious services of both countries to approach complex religious issues more effectively.
Source: jns.org
