Group Provides Holiday Supplies for US Troops

The US military generally does an admirable job of supporting the religious exercise of its members.  That’s not to say it doesn’t use (or need) a little help sometimes.

Like external groups of other faiths, the Aleph Institute is organizing shipments of faith-based supplies to Jewish members of the US military around the world.  As announced at Jews in Green,

They are offering to ship Prayer Books & Ritual Materials for the High Holidays and Sukkot FREE OF CHARGE to active duty military members…Please send the following information in an email to military@aleph-institute.org.
 
1. Name of chaplain, lay leader or Jewish military member to whom the packages should be sent at each location…
 
3. Total number of Jewish personnel to whom you will be able to distribute…
 
5. Which bases or location of troops the delivery will cover (in order to prevent duplicate shipments)

Aleph is even making pre-fabricated Sukkah booths available, which is not necessarily a small endeavor.

The US military sometimes lacks specific faith resources; in other cases, individual servicemembers seek out support for their faith outside the military systems.  (The previously-mentioned Kosher Troops is another example.)  Regardless, the military protects the freedom of these members of the military, deployed at their country’s call, to obtain materials for their religious exercise.  These organizations are to be commended for their support of the troops.

Of course, critics might point out the US postal regulation’s prohibition on shipping “bulk materials contrary to Islam” to the AOR.  To this point, it seems neither the USPS nor the US military has had any issue with military members requesting and receiving these religious resources, “bulk” or contrary to Islam or not.  Religious freedom has prevailed.

One comment

  • I am a deployed Jewish Soldier. This is my fourth time being deployed. If it wasn’t for groups like Aleph Institute and koshertroops and individuals like Mrs. Marla Turk who provides challah for any Jewish Soldier to celebrate Shabbos, I do not think I personally would have celebrate even a Shabbos much less holidays. Thank you Aleph Institute, koshertroops and Marla Turk for bringing alittle bit of home to several Jewish troops.