Jewish Scene
First Jewish Chaplain joins Her Majesty's Armed Forces
Daniel Edelson
Published: 09.09.09, 14:36
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14 Talkbacks for this article
1. I wish him the best of luck. This is a lovely story.
Molly Feingold ,   London   (09.09.09)
2. US vs UK
Airborne ,   Jerusalem   (09.09.09)
Did you know that the first US Army Chaplain (Rabbi) was Michael Mitchell Allen during the Civil War. Jews had been involved in the founding of the US since it's independence. Ever look at the back of a dollar? Look above the eagle's head and you'll see 13 stars representing the original 13 colonies in the shape of..... a star of david! The designer was a Jew in Philly who was requested by George Washington to add a Jewish "symbol" to the national currency in honor of those Jews who fought in the revolution. I guess my point is... why would anyone want to be a rabbi in the UK military?
3. big deal during the 30's all Israeli men were
ghostq   (09.09.09)
recruted to the British army in Israel, among them religious and non religious, this is just keeping a tradition, anyway now he will have to serve with muslims. against muslims ironic isn't it.
4. ghostq and airborne
Alan ,   UK   (09.09.09)
Points to note. What's the point in comparing the UK with the US. This isn't a competition. Jewish pride! FYI, the current UK foreign secretary, David Milleband is Jewish and lives Jewishly. The speaker of the house of the UK parliament is Jewish, Berko something or other. Robin Howard, a Jewish man, was head of the conservative party for years until recently - i.e the Equivalent to Rep and Democrat. He didnt run for Prime minister, as he felt he was too old and his health was in question at the time. The Chief rabbi is in parliament.. I can go on. The BNP party, the far right group of the UK which run regular anti islamic rallys, have a Jewish polictician, who lives Jewishly. Her name is Patricia I forget her surname. Check it online. As for Muslims in the British Army, and that is ironic for ghostq? I wonder how many Muslims are actually IN the British Army??? I could probably count them on one hand and on the other hand I could count the amount of Irish men in the British Army..
5. #2 maybe because he's a British patriot
Zvi   (09.09.09)
There's nothing wrong with a British rabbi being a patriotic Brit.
6. Rabbi joins British Army
Gideon Reader   (09.10.09)
Why?
7. Jewish soldiers
Reuven ,   US   (09.10.09)
I don't know how it is in the British military, but in the US most of the Jewish boys in the armed forces are very assimilated and distant from Judaism. And the ones that are married are mostly married to non-Jews. Jewish chaplains don't have an easy job to do.
8. to #4 try Brits from pakistany origine fighting
ghostq   (09.10.09)
in pakistan and kashmeer region. and they r pleanty trust me. reality hurtz but that's what happening, mmm the huge dilama for them is either give their leagions for the queen or their muslim brothers, I got a strong feeling they will choose religious wise. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarique_Ghaffur http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohsin_Khan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammed_Akbar_Khan much like them there r many others.
9. # 8 Observer
Sam ,   ME   (09.10.09)
I don't think you read the article: Why you assumed without any evidence that the Muslim soldiers - which are plenty in the British army mostly Indian and Pakistani (although you used the word Paki which is not nice) are going to choose the Religious ties, your Rabbi says that explicitly?????!!!! "He plans on getting to know each and every Jewish soldier personally, and perhaps even arrange a trip to Israel for them in the future" Usually your talkbacks are more solid than this.
10. ghostq and #4, wiki references were not entirely relevant!?
Anthony Herzberg ,   London   (09.10.09)
I think post number 4 was likely to be referring to politicians and people of power and respect in the UK, which the talkback referred to many high ranking Jews, why dispute that and then show a random bunch of links. Did you even read Wikipeda links in total?, one was a sportsman who doesnt even live in the UK and his connection was brief sports appearances in 1982 in Australia and England. The other was a token minority policeman, who if you had read the entire post or the local UK media you will see he has been subject to death threats, racism and discrimation and is currently NOT working in the police and as for his university background, as he has done, ANYBODY can go to a second rate university and leave with qualifications. The UK police are continously slated for not having next to NO members who are not white, same goes with the army, which is why they sometimes have to pick a minority or put a minority figure at a high rank, so to give the impression they are dealing with discrimation, but the reality was expressed in this mans law suits against the police and the death threats?!. The other link was a soldier from world war 1?! I think the talkback at #4 referred to today. Can you keep the talkback relevant as it seems you are grabbing straws.
11. to #9 and #10 get real cause muslims from the UK
ghostq   (09.10.09)
I talked to don't want any jews to be connected to their homeland Israel, I personaly talked to UK muslim who said any jew out side uk is real jew witch kinda don't contradict what I said before. from experiense only a metter of time when muslims will try to hurt uk icons for letting jews visit and live in Israel and jerusalem area. the inciting in uk is on a mega scale give them guns and see what happen.
12. Pray Tell Us Who This Rabbi Will Preach To?
World Citizen ,   the world   (09.10.09)
Are there any Jewish soldiers in the armed forces of the UK? But then again, maybe this rabbi just wants to be a fighting soldier in an military that actually follows the rules and laws of the Geneva Convention.
13. #6
JEWISH LADY   (09.10.09)
WHY DON`T YOU READ THE ARTICLE GIDEON "READER" It is all written there
14. Good luck to my old friend Rabbi Saunders
Liz ,   Prestwich Manchester   (09.11.09)
I am proud to have known Rabbi Arnold Saunders. Many years ago I used to sit next to him in the Holy Law Shul in Prestwich, when I was a little girl (sitting with my grandfather) and he was a young boy, a few years older than me, (sitting with his father),. and then from Rebbe Bolkin's cheder. I have fond memories of him being a very nice and good person, and presume that he has become a very good man. The jewish troops in HM Forces will be very lucky indeed to to have him ministering to them.
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