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CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan (3/9/2011) – There's just not
enough rabbis to go around. That's why the only U.S. military rabbi
currently serving in Afghanistan travels regularly from his base at
Kandahar Airfield to other military camps here and uses the Internet
to reach his congregation. It's not a conventional role for a rabbi,
but it helps him reach more people.
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U.S. Army Chaplain Lt. Col. Avi Weiss leads singing in the
camp's chapel on Feb. 24, 2012 at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan.
Weiss is the only U.S. military rabbi currently serving in
Afghanistan. Photo by Army Sgt. Christine Samples
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Army chaplain, Lt. Col. Avi Weiss of Chicago, a father of three and
grandfather of 11, recently made his first visit to Camp Leatherneck
since his December arrival in theater.
He looks younger than
his 61 years and has a friendly, approachable manner. His attire
consists of the Army uniform and a black yarmulke that miraculously
stays on his shaved head with the help of some bobby pins. His eyes
rest on each person individually when he's talking in a group, like
an unspoken invitation for each one's thoughts.
Anyone
who wants to jump in the conversation, however, needs to act
quickly. Keeping up with Weiss' train of thought isn't easy. He
jumps from one |
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topic to another and back again. It's a habit that his wife,
Elcya, teases him about often. Fortunately, Weiss stays on topic
during services. |
Before Shabbat, the Friday evening service observing the
Sabbath, Weiss sat on a bench in Leatherneck's simple,
wooden chapel to talk about his ministry.
“Attempting
to keep traditional Jewish laws is difficult in this
environment,” said Weiss, explaining the shortage of rabbis
in the military. “It's a credit to the military that it does
a lot to help someone practice their faith, but it's still
not necessarily the choice environment for someone who wants
to live a certain way.”
It may not be a choice environment for some,
but the military managed to attract Weiss in 1974 and keep
him for 37 years as an active duty and Reserve chaplain. He
first joined just for the job, but stayed for the unique
opportunity to minister.
“I really enjoy the
military,” said Weiss. “I don't want to be a synagogue
rabbi. I enjoy jumping out of airplanes (with the 82nd
Airborne Division). I really enjoy being in Afghanistan. You
can touch people's lives in ways you can't possibly do in
other places.”
Weiss joked that because people can't
go downtown on Friday nights, they're more open to attending
services, which makes his job easier.
Although people
can't hang out downtown, Weiss still has his work cut out
for him. Schedules here make it difficult for some to attend
services. Five came to Shabbat, but Weiss said he
concentrates on individuals, not numbers.
The Jewish
population in the military falls well below 1 percent
according to Department of Defense statistics, but Weiss
believes the actual numbers are higher and some just need to
know they're not alone.
“I try to encourage
individuals to think about being more involved in their
faith,” said Weiss. “I'm not really involved with the
Afghanistan war or the issues. I'm more concerned with the
individuals here. I can make a little bit of difference in
someone's life; even one person.”
Because he can't
be everywhere, Weiss stays connected with the community
through the Internet. He uses email to answer questions and
give advice to lay leaders who perform services when no
rabbi is available. He also started an online newsletter,
Kol Torah, with the help of his wife in Heidelberg, Germany.
The newsletter keeps the community here informed of events
and educates them on Jewish culture.
So while there
may not be enough rabbis to go around, Jewish service
members aren't left on their own. Weiss uses the Internet
and travel to make sure they get as much support as
possible.
By Army Sgt. Christine Samples
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2012
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