Two days before Rosh Chodesh Elul, Chaplain First Lieutenant Chaim Roome realized he had forgotten a crucial item for his training at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama: his shofar. For a Jewish chaplain during the High Holiday season, this was no small oversight—the airmen and guardians relying on him for spiritual support needed it, too. With one quick call to the Aleph Institute, a shofar was immediately shipped to the base, arriving just in time for the first day of Elul.
This is the heart of Aleph’s mission: every Jewish service member, no matter where they are, receives the support they need.
This year, Aleph proudly endorsed five new chaplains, expanding its global network to nearly 40 chaplains across the military community. As one of the few organizations dedicated to endorsing chaplains, this expansion significantly extends Aleph’s reach to even more locations worldwide.
Rabbi Menachem Orenstein was recently endorsed by Aleph and is the first Jewish chaplain in the Oregon Army National Guard. His new role is more than a title—it’s a mission. “I’ve seen the profound impact that Jewish spiritual leadership can have on people, both in good times and in harder times,” he says. “Being a military chaplain is a natural extension of this mission. It’s about being present, especially when someone feels alone.”
For Chaplain Roome, now deployed with his family to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, Aleph serves as both a support system and a vital resource, ensuring he has the tools needed to provide every Jewish service member with essential spiritual guidance. Beyond fostering a sense of Jewish community in far-flung corners of the world, Aleph’s chaplains serve as advocates, ensuring that service members can fully exercise their First Amendment rights to religious practice. Whether it’s providing holiday supplies, ensuring female soldiers can light Shabbat candles, or advocating for individuals to have their religious needs met, they are committed to supporting Jewish and other faith personnel wherever they are stationed.
Imagine being the only Jew in a unit of hundreds or even thousands. As Chaplain Roome shared: “More than 99 percent of my interactions are with people of other faiths. For many, I’m the first Jew they’ve ever met. I tell them, ‘I’m here to break stereotypes. Any questions you have, don’t hold back. If you’re coming from a place of curiosity, please ask.’ I want them to walk away thinking, ‘Wow, that’s what a Jew is.’”
Rabbi Aaron Lipskar, Aleph’s CEO, highlighted the significance of these new endorsements. “Each new chaplain means more service members that we can reach and more moments of connection in places where it’s needed most. We are committed to ensuring that wherever a Jewish service member can be found—whether in the deserts of the Middle East or on the islands of the Pacific—they are never alone.”
With chaplains stationed around the world, Aleph is building an expansive network of spiritual support that reaches every corner of the military. As their numbers grow, so does their impact, transforming isolated bases into places where Jewish faith and fellowship can thrive.
To learn more about Aleph’s military chaplaincy work and to support their mission, please visit alephmilitary.org.
