"Ten, a hundred, a thousand Colonel Avrechs!"
(That's a twist on an anti-Vietnam War slogan.)

I can't get enough of Memorial Day tributes this weekend.

Jeremiah:

My father's Chaplain friends of all denominations were outstanding men. The soldiers loved these Chaplains and relied on them for most of these soldiers were just boys away from home for the first time in their lives.

As a boy we lived in Norfolk, VA, site of the largest U.S. naval base. Every holiday, and most every Shabbat, our synagogue hosted naval officers and enlisted men and women who were doubly homesick because they also missed being with other Jews. Hosting these guys had benefits; as a 6-year-old I had already been given tours of the U.S.S. Nimitz, and several other carriers and battleships.

We wish all our chaplains and other servicemen a happy holiday.

Jake:

Thanks so much for your comment.

The US armed forces have been a somewhat lonely place for Jews. It has become much better over the years. I'm proud to tell you that during WWII, my father was instrumental in setting up the first Kosher Mess in the US Army. It was called, get this: "Kelly's Kitchen."

Robert, what a nice post on this day, your Memorial Day weekend.
I don't know that your father reads your blog, but maybe someone will point out this particular post to him.
Rabbi/Colonel Abraham Avrech, I salute you!

Pearl:

My father reads Seraphic Secret once a week. I did make him aware of today's post, so perhaps he'll make an exception. I'm sure he returns your salute--and very smartly.

Dear Robert,

What a splendid tribute to your dad on this Memorial Day, 2006! It struck a special note with me because my dad is also a retired U.S. Army officer: Brig. General Dr. A. I. Busch, Ret. United States Army Medical Corps.

I remain,

Very Sincerely yours,

Alan D. Busch

Alan:

Thanks so much for your kind words. Please convey my deepest thanks and respects to your father, on this Memorial Day, for his service.

What a well written, touching, pertinant post. Thanks for digging into the well and coming out with that.

Rabbi Neil:

Thanks so much for your kind words.

Robert, lovely post...it reveals so much about both of you.

Randy:

Thanks so much. I figured you deserved a break from all the politics.

My experiences as a Jewish Chaplain's son were a bit different than yours. My father, alav haShalom, stayed in the active army reserves after serving in the European Theater of Operations during WWII. Almost every year he was called up for active duty for Pesach, and my mother and I always went along. My mom, who was a captain in the regular army (not merely the reserves, as she frequently pointed out to my father) would supervise the soldiers who kashered the kitchen and I would generally be left to my own devices, wandering around various points of interest at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin.

......It wasn't until I reached high school that I learned that people had a seder without generals in attendance. But the most significant difference in my recollections of my father, the Jewish Chaplain on active duty, in comparison to your description, regards his salute.

.......Although I could detect nothing distinctive about my father's salute, my mother insisted--and my father conceded--that his salutes were anything but snappy. Since he was an officer, enlisted men were frequently saluting him and he had to salute back, and often comments were exchanged on how my father's saluting skills lacked a certain flair.

........My feeling always has been that my father took a certain pride in his sloppy salutes. I don't think he liked the formality saluting, feeling it could contribute to a possible barrier between himself and the soldiers--Jewish and Christian-- whose religious and personal needs he worked so long and so well to address. (Yes, on rare occasions he helped lead Christian services in WWII when there wasn't a Christian Chaplain available. Psalms are pretty ecumenical and my father took advantage of that under those unusual circumstances.)

.........But I'm glad you recall your father's crisp, snappy salutes. Kavod Hatorah includes many things, and I'm confidant the the JWB would agree with me that a Jewish Chaplain's sharp salute would be among them.

........Thanks for opening your heart and family to the rest of us. Hopefully, by responding in kind, we will help Hashem comfort you among the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.

When I was a kid in Dallas, we always hosted Jewish soldiers for the High Holy Days and Passover. from Ft Killeen, I think. There were usually two or three of them sleeping on the living room couch and the couch in my father's study.

Martin:

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences with us. My father also performed services for Christian soldiers and he was always very proud of this duty which he labeled a mitzvah.

Your very kind closing thoughts are deeply appreciated.

Yehudit:

What a wonderful mitvah your family performed by hosting Jewish soldiers during the holidays. Yasher Koach to your wonderful family. I certainly hope that people contine with this beautiful tradition. As the Sages teach: "Kol Yisroel arevim zeh lazeh." "All of Israel is responsible one for the other."

Robert, a beautiful paean to your dad and his work. And I salute your dad for the work he did.

My daughter recently did a report on Jews in the Civil War, and I came across the story of how Jewish chaplaincy was started during that conflict (as was the idea of Memorial Day).

Here's a link to the interesting story that is worth reading:

http://www.ajhs.org/publications/chapters/chapter.cfm?documentID=200

Robert, a beautiful paean to your dad and his work. And I salute your dad for the work he did.

My daughter recently did a report on Jews in the Civil War, and I came across the story of how Jewish chaplaincy was started during that conflict (as was the idea of Memorial Day).

Here's a link to the interesting story that is worth reading:

http://www.ajhs.org/publications/chapters/chapter.cfm?documentID=200

Maurice:

I thank you and of course I'm sure so does my father. Great link. Isn't it odd, all my research in military history and I never bothered to look into the American Jewish chaplaincy.

Well, I'm going to fix that right now.

Robert: I am honored to offer my salute (accompanied by a hearty "Rangers lead the way, sir") to your father as well. I have been privileged to work with two exceptional chaplains in my career, one Jewish and one Protestant, and both were worth their weight in gold to their units. Thank you, Colonel Avrech, for your example, and your service.

Boxer5:

Thanks so much for wonderful words and of course for the salute, which I will pass on to my father, via a salute over the phone.

I will be writing more about my father's amazing experiences in the chaplaincy. It is time.

Robert,

The starting point for any study of the chaplaincy in America is the chapter in Bertram Korn's book "American Jewry and the Civil War." (This was one of the first scholarly works on American Jewish history and it remains the standard work on the subject.) On Jews in the military during the Civil War (and on chaplaincy in specific) you should definitely check out the fine collection of primary documents at http://www.jewish-history.com/civilwar/Default.htm (I gave some lectures on Jews and the Civil War a few years ago and incorporated a lot of documents from this site.) A number of popular works (including reminiscences) have also been published on chaplaincy in the 20th century. As of two years ago there was a JTS PhD student writing on the history of Jewish chaplaincy in America.

Jewish chaplaincy is one of those institutions that really highlight the equality afforded to America's Jewish citizens. This is of even greater import than we realize at first, as the military is one of the most conservative institutions in society. I don't know how it is today, but in the 19th century a regimental chaplain was responsible for the spiritual needs of ALL the members of the regiment, not just those belonging to his denomination. It is thus amazing to consider the 1863 appointment of Rabbi Ferdinand Sarner as the chaplain of 54th New York Volunteer Infantry. (He was discharged from duty after sustaining a wound at Gettysburg.)

The JTS library has a copy of the "Rainbow Haggadah," printed by the Rainbow Division in Germany in 1945 and one of the early Jewish texts published in occupied Germany.

One last thing. If you are interested in personal testimony of other WWII chaplains, you should contact Jacob M. Ott of Los Angeles.

Ari:

Stop! You're overloading my circuits with all this amazing information.

No, seriously, thanks so much. I especially want to see The Rainbow Haggadah. I'm going to call my father in the morning and ask him about it.

Kot Tuv.

What a wonderful post, Robert!


I know I'm more than 2 years behind in reading this post, but in the comments you said you would be "writing more about my father's amazing experiences in the chaplaincy. It is time."

Have you done so? I would love to read more!

Semper Vigilans,
PJ