Courtesy Photo | Chaplain Maj. Andrew Shulman holds pomegranates and speaks after a Rosh Hashanah...... read more read more
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By Lt. Col. Jefferson Wolfe
7th Civil Support Command Public Affairs Officer
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany — An Army Reserve chaplain traveled from his home in Israel to bring together people of the Jewish faith for New year’s services in the Kaiserslautern Military Community.
Chaplain Maj. Andrew Shulman, 7th Civil Support Command, conducted all the Kaiserslautern Military Community’s week of services, Sept. 11-Sept. 18. Services assembled a congregation from the local American military bases, the surrounding German community and other military facilities to celebrate the Jewish New Year.
“In between England and Israel, it’s about the only place you can find a service in English,” Shulman said.
The holiday week included: the last Sabbath of the Jewish year, which was Sept. 11; Rosh Hashanah services, Sept. 13-15; and the first Sabbath service, Sept. 18.
Shulman was needed because the Jewish chaplain at Ramstein Air Force Base moved to a new duty station, leaving the area without one.
Most of the Rosh Hashanah services were held at the Pulaski Chapel on Pulaski Barracks. However, the morning services took place at the German synagogue in Kaiserslautern.
“Right in the center of town, there’s a small synagogue,” Shulman said. “They love having guests at the synagogue, especially American servicemen.”
After those services, they congregation returned to the Pulaski chapel for lunches.
For people who are away from home, the food and the fellowship after the services is very important, Shulman said.
“People might have had these dishes since they were kids,” he said. “Food means a lot when they are away from home.”
On the first night of Rosh Hashanah, there are symbolic fruits that are eaten and the names correspond to best wishes for the new year.
“For instance,” Shulman said. “We dip an apple in honey and wish everyone a sweet new year.”
One of the other traditional activities is to blow the shofar, or ram’s horn, at the start of the New Year.
“Think of it as an alarm clock for the soul,” Shulman said. “It wakes us up to get us moving toward what we have to do, to get is correcting what needs to be corrected.”
This is the year 5776 on the Jewish calendar, which marks as its start the day Adam and Eve were created, he said.
The services were attended by service members from the local area, as well as spouses, civilian employees and local German nationals, Shulman said. In addition, some traveled from around Germany.
“A couple people came from Grafenwoehr,” Shulman said. “They came last year, too.”
Others came from Spangdahlem Air Force base.
This kind of congregation is unique because it is so diverse, he said. In the United States, most communities have several synagogues from which people can choose, some more liberal and other more traditional.
“In the military, there’s usually just one,” he added. “You really have to cater to everyone in the pews.”
This is not new to Shulman, who was a chaplain on active duty before joining the Army Reserve about a year ago. During battle assembly weekend, he typically conducts Friday-night services in Grafenwoehr.
Shulman travels from Jerusalem, Israel to perform his Army Reserve duties.
‘It’s about a three-and-a-half-hour flight to Frankfurt,” he said. The time is similar to someone traveling from a county in northern Los Angeles to San Diego, he added.
In his civilian life, Shulman is a student at the Jerusalem Academy of Jewish Studies, where is a seeking a Master’s Degree.
| Date Taken: | 09.22.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 09.22.2015 10:37 |
| Story ID: | 176821 |
| Location: | KAISERSLAUTERN, RHEINLAND-PFALZ, DE |
| Web Views: | 153 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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