First Rabbi to serve as a Chaplain for fourty years

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Rabbi chaplain British Army

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Its actually surprising how many Jews in fact serve in the British army that in the past that have had to attend Christian services. Most Jewish soldiers actually hide the fact that they are Jewish as in some regiments back in the late sixties when I was serving had many soldiers that were anti-semantic. Just the fact being circumcised was a problem some times within community showers. (I had that problem in the early days of my army career and tried to hide the fact that I was circumcised). Being born Jewish and then being brought up as a christian within a Christian society that males where not circumcised had its problems thankfully I never realized till I joint the services the true problem.

In fact I was picked on whilst in training because of my circumcision at this time and suffered many a beating, and it was only very later in my life did I realize my Jewish roots. Of course I learned quickly how nasty anti-semantics could be and how it felt to be discriminated as a jewish serviceman. I certainly did not want anyone to think I was Jewish. I now know why my mother want to hide the facts away from me and why her family separated themselves prior to the second world war from their religion even changing their family name.

It seems that the British Army may be trying to control anti-semantics within the armed services where in my service only one guy that I knew wore the star of David. At first I thought this was brave but later realized the guy had a medal for his bravery in Northern Ireland and because it meant he had saved lives of his buddies. No one wanted to discriminate a regimental hero, that's why he wore the star of David and openly admitted he was Jewish openly.

Will this Rabbi change things, I really don't know as the British army has changed since I left in 1987. But I really hope religious discrimination has been eradicated, however I have my doubts?