JconnecT will be organizing an “open house” specifically for military kids. This would consist of scheduling a special (and free) session for interested military families. No commitment is required. All you need to participate are:

They have a tech assistant that helps you set up everything you need to get started. The open house is for individual participants as well as groups from existing congregations. The open houses are normally scheduled on Sunday mornings, but they are willing to select a different day and time if it works better for a group.

Even if you aren’t in the market for something like JconnecT, I think this is a unique opportunity to get our military families together for a Jewish educational (and social) event and show the kids that there are lots of others just like them stationed all over the world.

The goal is to set up a session within a month’s time. If you are interested in participating, please contact Smadar Goldstein from JconnecT directly, and let her know the number of participants and preferred dates and times. Once there are enough responses, they will set up the open house session and send you the instructions for logging in.

For more info on JconnecT and how the online sessions work, see our previous story or visit their website directly at bit.ly/jconnect

As a reminder, JconnecT has also agreed to offer a military discount to JIG readers. If you mention that you found out about the program through JIG, you will receive 10% off. If you have a group of 6 or more students that want to sign up, they will double that to 20% off.

It all started off with a meeting Mikey Weinstein of the MRFF with Air Force officials last month. Weinstein had requested the meeting with the Air Force JAG to address the topic of prosecuting troops who force their religion on others.

When word got out of an official meeting with Weinstein, a category 5 crap-storm developed among the Religious Right, led by retired Army Lt. Gen. Jerry Boykin, a senior official with the conservative Family Research Council.

That was enough to light up the opposition. The Family Research Council launched a petition April 29 imploring Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to “resist the demands of anti-Christian activists who are calling for a court-martial order upon chaplains and service members who share their faith.”

While it pains me to quote anything from Boykin, who is not exactly a spokesperson for religious freedom, it goes to my point of the extremes who are “fighting” this battle. To be fair, Weinstein has his own history of over-the-top and outlandish statements which seem more designed to gain publicity than accomplish anything meaningful.

Well, the uproar got the attention of the DoD, who later put out an official statement that clarified their position:

Service members can share their faith (evangelize) but must not force unwanted, intrusive attempts to convert others of any faith or no faith to one’s beliefs (proselytization),” said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Nate Christensen, a Pentagon spokesman, in an email.

If a service member harasses another member on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, or disability, then the commander takes action based on the gravity of the occurrence. Likewise, when religious harassment complaints are reported, commanders take action based on the gravity of the occurrence on a case-by-case basis.

Harassment and discrimination have no place in military life, regardless its nature. When it does rear its ugly head, it should be prosecuted in the same way we deal with any issue that interferes with the good order and discipline of the service – court martial and non-judicial punishment. The issue then becomes how we define “harassment”.

While we have clear cut definitions of sexual and racial harassment, religious harassment falls into a pretty big grey area. As was famously said about pornography, “I might not be able to define it, but I know it when I see it.”

When a chaplain gives a benediction, or conducts a service it’s pretty clear no one is being harassed. When your platoon sergeant berates you for not accepting his version of the word of God, we are clearly in the realm of harassment.

Just as the DoD statement explains, our current policies allow for punishment for those that take it too far. They also do so without hindering anyone else’s free practice of religion. Even if the offender is someone of superior rank, there are provisions in place for subordinates to file complaints above their chain of command. If it really is harassment or discrimination, then it should be dealt with appropriately.

In the end, I don’t really see a controversy here at all. Just like the majority of the discourse in the news these days, it’s a case of two groups from the ends of the spectrum competing for whose way of life is under attack more. I don’t deny that religious harassment and discrimination occurs, but to call it an epidemic that is destroying our military is as disingenuous as claiming that Christianity is under attack from our military leadership.

If one good thing comes of all of this, it highlights that the issue is not religious practice, it’s harassment. You can’t intimidate and berate others and hide behind the banner of “religious freedom”. We get to the root of the issue by focusing on the actions of the perpetrator and how they are affecting the individual victims and the unit as a whole. We are missing the point when the discussion is all about this faith or that faith and how one chooses to practice his or her religion. We shouldn’t have one standard of behavior for Jews, another for Muslims, and yet another for Christians. The military should be accepting of all faiths, but when your “practice” starts affecting the wellbeing and performance of others it is crossing an acceptable line.

Eric Greitens, the founder and CEO of The Mission Continues, was recently the featured guest on The Daily Show. Other than a fantastic veterans organization being featured on my favorite show on television, it was also a great joy to see a Jewish veteran representing so well.

For those that didn’t catch it, Greitens was one of our featured Jews back in August. If you missed that story, check it out. I’ve been following The Mission Continues since then, and I am continually impressed by the work they do. It serves veterans in a way that is so effective and smart that it’s amazing no one thought of it before.

See the video of the Daily Show below.

Rosenfeld & Moskin Image: Jewish Press

The Jewish Press recently reported on possibly the most serendipitous reunion I have ever heard of. Joseph Rosenfeld, a survivor of Mauthausen and later an Army veteran, recently had a chance to break bread with Alan Moskin, one of the soldiers who liberated his camp back in 1945. How did they find one another? Through a long and arduous search of records and photos in dusty archives? Nope. One saw the other in a JWV calendar.

After recently sending a donation to the Jewish War Veterans Association, the Rosenfelds received a copy of their annual calendar. Attached to the November listing was a profile on Mr. Alan Moskin, veteran of WWII, … [that] related the story of Mr. Moskin’s participation in the liberation of Gunskirchen as a soldier in the 71st Division of the American Army. Mr. Rosenfeld, as most of the inmates of Gunskirchen, was at death’s door on that fateful day. Typhus, lice, skin ulcers and devastating starvation had affected all of them.

After contacting the Jewish War Veterans, a chain of events was set into motion that led to their ultimate reunion. The two hit it off immediately and spoke of being at two different ends of the same event.

The two hit it off from the second they met. Aside from the amazing circumstance that brought them together, it was fascinating to hear them tell their two sides of the same event from such opposite perspectives. Even 68 years later they recall it like it was yesterday.

After they talked and traded stories of the war and their families, Mr. Moskin kept reiterating, “If someone had told me 68 years ago that I’d be sitting in a restaurant in New York across from one of those survivors, I would have said they were crazy.”

Head on over to the Jewish Press for the full article. It’s hard not to be moved by their story.

In the first case, they are now requiring CMC approval for religious apparel. The old wording did not have this requirement. Changes are in red.

C. WITH CMC APPROVAL, NEAT AND CONSERVATIVE VISIBLE ARTICLES OF RELIGIOUS APPAREL WITH THE UNIFORM WHICH DO NOT INTERFERE WITH OR REPLACE REQUIRED UNIFORM ARTICLES OR INTERFERE WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF A MEMBER’S MILITARY DUTIES.

(1) ALL REQUESTS FOR WEAR OF RELIGIOUS APPAREL UNDER SUBPARAGRAPH 1004.6C WILL BE FORWARDED VIA THE CHAIN OF COMMAND TO THE DEPUTY COMMANDANT FOR MANPOWER AND RESERVE AFFAIRS (DC M&RA) FOR DECISION.

(2) THE NAVMC 10274 ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION (AA) FORM WILL BE USED FOR REQUESTS FOR WEAR OF RELIGIOUS APPAREL.

In regards to grooming standards, there is now a standard procedure in place for requesting religious exemptions:

REQUESTS FOR EXCEPTIONS TO GROOMING REGULATIONS BASED UPON RELIGIOUS BELIEFS WILL BE FORWARDED VIA THE CHAIN OF COMMAND TO DC M&RA FOR DECISION, USING THE NAVMC 10274 ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION (AA) FORM.

Finally, there will now be an established group to review both apparel and grooming requests. This is probably the best news out of all of this. In the past, many folks had to “reinvent the wheel” each and every time a request was made.

DC M&RA WILL CONVENE A STANDING BOARD TO REVIEW REQUESTS FOR WEAR OF RELIGIOUS APPAREL OR EXCEPTIONS TO GROOMING REGULATIONS BASED UPON RELIGIOUS BELIEFS.

See the MARADMIN for the full text.

Distance learning is nothing new, but it is becoming more and more of an option to fill this gap in Jewish education for kids. I’ve written about education options for kids in the past, but most of these revolve around bar/bat mitzvah prep. If you want something beyond that, or something that can continue to engage your teenage kids past the age of 13, there is a great option in JconnecT.

I was actually first referred to JconnecT through a fellow Jewish Marine whose son is participating in the program. They have been very happy with the curriculum and their son is enjoying the program tremendously.

JconnecT is an online supplemental Hebrew school for grades 6-12 that uses technology to provide opportunities for both Jewish education and Jewish socialization. They offer two dynamic, live, weekly study sessions with an experienced teacher in Jerusalem via a web-based platform that provides full audio and video conferencing for guaranteed small groups.

Some current sessions include: Jewish Choices: Then and Now , Hip Hop Hebraics, and Contemporary Jewish Issues. The online instruction is also supplemented by two optional Shabbatons held in Memphis, TN.

As a former Sunday School teacher myself, one thing that really stood out to me about the program is that it appears to do a great job engaging teens both socially and academically. At this age it almost seems like you have to “trick” kids into learning. The curriculum at JconnecT looks like it does a good job of making the learning fun and focusing on topics that interest teens. See the video below for a brief intro:

Also, a significant focus of the program is to provide a forum for the students to interact with one another. This is a real need for Jewish kids of servicemembers who may not have a real pool of Jewish kids to socialize and interact with. Having a set of classmates that they can meet with online (and in person at the Shabbatons) is a huge asset for kids in these situations. The nature of the classes (and who takes them) also presents a unique atmosphere for the students. A testimonial from one of their students says it all:

…there’s lots of companionship, everybody’s participating and learning from each other. You can’t get that in many places. In face to face classes, you could be scared to say things ‘oh, he said that, and he’s not that cool.’ But when you’re on the computer, you can say things that you usually don’t say. Sometimes that’s bad, but in this case, it’s good.

The school has 2 regular sessions, 32 weeks a year, from Sept-May, excluding Jewish and American holidays.

• Session 1: 10-10:45am CST: Subjects: Hip Hop Hebraics OR Jewish Choices: Then and Now (TBA)
• Session 2: 11-11:45am CST: Subject: Contemporary Jewish Issues
• Shabbatons in Memphis, Fall and Spring. Cost: Free. Pay for your transportation only.

They also have a few “asynchronous” or self-paced programs for those who can’t fit in to their regular sessions.

To show interested parties what JconnecT is really like, they are providing a free trial to join a JconnecT lesson. You can join in any Sunday from 11-11:45CST, until May 19. Their only requirement is that you test your connection prior to the lesson.

The normal cost is $450 per class for the year (both classes for the year would be $900). However, JconnecT has agreed to offer a military discount to JIG readers. If you mention that you found out about the program through JIG, you will receive 10% off. If you have a group of 6 or more students that want to sign up, they will double that to 20% off.

Note: If you have a group of 5 or more students that want a specific time other than the standard Sunday morning offering, JconnecT can arrange for a time that works better for your group.

For full details on the program, including faculty information, curriculum, and an online application, visit their website at bit.ly/jconnect

There are a number of items that The Aleph Institute is offering (free of charge) to military servicemembers:

1. Soft cover pocket sized special Military Edition Camouflage Torahs (The Gutnick Edition: Compiled by Rabbi Chaim Miller)

Includes English translation as well as full Hebrew text of the Five Books of Moses, beautifully typeset by an award-winning designer. Personalized Running Commentary that includes “Kabbalah Bites” and “Food for Thought” selections intended to spur hours of discussion.

2. Camouflage Soft cover Hebrew / English Annotated Friday night services Prayer Booklets with Transliteration.

These booklets include the entire Friday night and holiday evening services. The Mincha (afternoon prayer) for Friday, all the prayers and songs prior to Kiddush  and the actual Kiddush for Friday night , holidays and Shabbat day. It also includes the grace after meals and the after Bracha Al Hamichia as well as the Havdalla service

3. Candle lighting kit for Shabbat and Holidays:

Kits include tea light candles and matches, an artful poster featuring the blessings as well as a beautiful neck charm to help you connect with the growing community of “Friday-Lighters”. All in a reusable tin box which doubles as a handy candle tray. Extra tea light candles are also available on request.

4. Kosher Dairy shelf stable 3 oz cheese cakes (one each) for Jewish personnel only.

It is a Jewish custom to eat dairy products during this holiday and cheese cake has become the most common traditional dairy item eaten during this holiday.

5. Travel Size Soft cover Talmud books

Study the Talmud from the Artscroll Schottenstein edition with easy to understand English translation and explanation. Assorted tractates available .

If you want to order any of these items, please send an email to MILITARY@ALEPH-INSTITUTE.ORG with the following info:

1. Name of chaplain, lay leader or other person to whom the packages should be sent at each location.
2. Complete mailing address (If in the US, please provide Street (UPS) address if possible – Outside the US, APO address)
3. Which bases or location of troops the delivery will cover (so we do not duplicate) Please copy on your email response to us all other Chaplains, Rabbis or Lay Leaders that may also be ordering for the same personnel.
4. Phone number of contact person (and cell phone, if at all possible)
5. Email address:
6. How many Artscroll English Tanach Books do you require ?
7. How many Camouflaged Friday Night Sabbath Services Prayer booklets do you require?
8. How many Friday Light kits do you require
9. How many extra tea light candles do you require ?
10. How many Cheese Snacks do you require ?
11. How many Talmud books do you require?

Remember, these are available for FREE to ALL servicemembers, not just those deployed overseas!

Joshua Brisk, a Holocaust survivor was the guest speaker for the event. Brisk is one of the youngest Holocaust survivors of the Bistritz Ghetto and Auschwitz. After 11 months in Auschwitz he was transferred to Dachau and subsequently liberated by American Soldiers.

Among the other speakers at the event was Sgt. 1st Class Harold Hollander of the 314th Infantry Regiment, whose grandfather, Marion Ksionek was a Holocaust survivor.

Video of he event can be found below. You can also find a more in-depth  article on the Army’s website as well as photos and more video of the event on the 174th’s Facebook page.

While it is hard for beggars to be choosey, all of us who have “experienced” the seder kit knows it can leave a little to be desired. Rabbi Elson (I MEF Chaplain) is spearheading a revision of the kit to better serve those deployed during the holiday. From Chaplain Elson:

Having just returned from [Afghanistan] and having once again this year used the DLA Solo Seder Kits and the Leader Seder Kits, I am more than ever convinced that it is time for a complete makeover of this product. I will be putting together a paper for DLA on this issue and would appreciate your input.

The kit has remained unchanged for many years now and this is a rare opportunity to make a lasting change on something that will have a pretty big impact on your fellow troops. If you have used the kit recently and have some constructive suggestions, send an email to CAPT Elson (USN). He is specifically looking for ideas on what needs to be removed/added to the kit. Please do not send him your stories about kits not arriving or arriving late.

While the JWB is reaching out to chaplains and layleaders on this topic, I’m sure they would be happy to hear from individuals if you have quality input.

For those that need their memories refreshed, here is a list of the contents of the Solo Participant Kit:

• 1 pound Matzoh
• 1 Matzoh cover
• 1 White yarmulke
• 1 Hebrew/English Haggadah
• 8 boxes of Grape Juice, Boxed
• 1 Disposable Cup
• 2 Cans Gefilte Fish
• 1 Disposable Seder Plate
• 8 Horseradish Packets
• 2 Charoses
• 2 Pearl Onions
• 1 Shank Bone
• 2 Desserts
• 1 Instruction Booklet
• 2 pks. napkins/cutlery

One example is that of Milton Stern:

Shot down over Holland in March 1944, navigator Milton Stern was sheltered by Dutch partisans for 10 weeks before being captured and sent to a German prison camp. There he recorded lists of German rations by weight and composed poems to keep up his spirits. Later in the war, he helped “liberate” a shipment of Red Cross parcels that civilians working near the camp were hoarding, gorging himself on the contents in anticipation of his own liberation by the Allies.

While the production value of the video interviews aren’t always the best, the content is fantastic.

As the veterans of WWII continue to age and their numbers dwindle, it’s easy to see how important projects like this are. The VHP is currently collecting accounts from:

• World War I (1914-1920)
• World War II (1939-1946)
• Korean War (1950-1955)
• Vietnam War (1961-1975)
• Persian Gulf War (1990-1995)
• Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts (2001-present)

While documenting your own personal experiences in recent conflicts might not cross your mind once you get home, it’s something we should all think about at some point. The best time to preserve these stories are when they are still fresh in our minds. A time will come when our grandchildren will mourn the loss of the oldest living Afghanistan veteran, and projects like this will do a great deal to preserve the first-hand accounts of these events. There’s no reason there shouldn’t be an exhibit for “Jewish Veterans of Iraqi Freedom” or “Jewish Veterans of Vietnam” along with those of WWII.

The VHP relies on volunteers, both individuals and organizations, throughout the nation to contribute veterans’ stories.  In addition to audio and video interviews, they accept memoirs, collections of original photographs and letters, diaries, maps, and other historical documents from World War I through current conflicts.

A quick look through the exhibit shows that it’s not just fantastical stories of heroism and intense combat either. May are the quirky, humorous, or plain tales from everyday life that is often overlooked and forgotten in “mainstream” documentaries.

If you or someone you know would like to participate in the project, you can sign up online via their information page.