When Benjamin Sklaver was killed by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan on October 2, he was just 32 years old, but had already made a remarkable impact on the world. Sklaver, a U.S. Army captain, was a dedicated soldier motivated by a desire to help others, which grew from his commitment to Judaism.
“He was a combatant for peace,” said his friend, Jake Herrle. “He wasn’t a warrior, he was there to spread peace in the world.”
He was also one of the relatively small number of members of the armed forces who identify as Jewish. The scarcity extends to the chaplaincy, where there are very few rabbis to serve Jewish members, leading to an even greater isolation. As a result, as America debates the wisdom and strategy of military engagement in Iraq and Afghanistan, the stories of Jewish soldiers like Benjamin Sklaver are often overlooked.
On his first tour of duty, in Uganda in 2007, Sklaver was assigned a “civil affairs” role involving infrastructure and community-building. He saw children die after drinking polluted water because village wells were ruined by civil strife.
Dozens of wells were rebuilt under his command, and as soon as he returned to the United States, Sklaver created ClearWater Initiative. In its first year, the not-for-profit (www.clearwaterinitiative.org) raised more than $24,000 and repaired wells that now provide clean drinking water for 5,600 impoverished Ugandans.
Sklaver had enrolled in Army ROTC while attending the Graduate School of International Affairs at Tufts University’s Fletcher School, where he earned a degree in law and diplomacy focusing on security and humanitarian studies. After returning from Africa, he became a reserve officer and worked at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. There he befriended Herrle, who recalled, “Ben had overwhelming compassion and the ability to combine that passion with his experience and get things done.”
When his unit was called up again, he had just moved to New York to be near his fiancée and her young son.
“He could have gotten out of it. Officers can always resign from the Army; but he felt the obligation to do good in Afghanistan,” said Rabbi Herbert Brockman, leader of the Congregation Mishkan Israel, the family’s longtime synagogue in Hamden, Conn.
Brockman officiated at Sklaver’s bar mitzvah and had planned to officiate at his wedding to Beth Segaloff next June. Instead, the rabbi presided over his funeral.
Sklaver’s choice to enlist in the armed forces was one that few young American Jews make. According to Department of Defense statistics, just 4,677 of 1.4 million currently in the active military identify themselves as Jewish. The actual number is higher, experts say, because many state no religious preference.
There are 10,000 to 14,000 Jews in the active military, said Admiral Harold Robinson, a Reform rabbi and director of the Jewish Welfare Board’s Jewish Chaplains Council. Most “just don’t make an issue of their being Jewish,” he said. “You’re living with 120 other people who know everything about you. Being Jewish can be one more source of pressure or conflict. It’s much better than it was 30 or 40 years ago, but we still have all kinds of incidents where young people act out.”
Jewish chaplains say that most conflicts are rooted in ignorance. “Some kid from Alabama says, ‘Jesus loves you; you ought to come to chapel services with us,’” Robinson said. “It’s not commonplace, but is part of the reason that Jews tend to be cautious about their identification. The military is like high school on steroids. Being Jewish doesn’t help you fit in.”
At the Air Force Academy in 2005, Jewish and Christian students said that evangelical Christian officers were aggressively proselytizing them. An academy graduate filed suit against the Air Force, but the suit was dismissed in 2007.
As a Jew in the military, working particularly in the Middle East, “you have to use your seykhl,” or common sense, said Rabbi Irving Elson, a Navy captain and chaplain. “When visiting Jewish personnel in Bahrain, you’d be stupid to wear a yarmulke, so you wear a baseball cap.”
Several Jewish chaplains said that the biggest challenge they face is the simple lack of rabbis willing to sign on. “Jews in the military are underserved, have largely been ignored by the American Jewish community, and these amazing young men and women need rabbis,” Elson said.
Of 900 Navy chaplains, he said, only eight are Jewish. “Two of us cover the entire Pacific region. It’s frustrating because we know we can’t get to everybody. I’m sure there were Jews without High Holy Day services.
“People are nice in terms of sending care packages, but dry socks and kosher candy we can get from other sources. I need rabbis to come help me take care of the Jewish people.”
Sklaver saw his service as an extension of his Jewish mandate to be a force for good in the world, said his father, Gary Sklaver. He went to Hebrew school and later was active in a youth group and then in Hillel, and worked as a counselor at a Jewish camp.
On Yom Kippur, a Monday, Gary Sklaver sat on the bimah and led a prayer for soldiers. The following Friday evening, two Army officers came to the door and informed him his son had been killed that day.
“Once you see two soldiers at your door, you know what it means,” he told the Forward.
On October 3, late at night, Ben Sklaver’s body arrived at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. Though officials said that it would take several days to release his remains, the Sklaver family and Senator Joseph Lieberman, among others, pressed the military so that he could be buried promptly.
His body arrived in Connecticut the very next night and was taken to the synagogue. When the rabbi put out a call asking people to sit with the body until burial, as mandated by Jewish tradition, 75 offered. The next day, Ben Sklaver was buried in a family plot near his maternal grandparents, at a picturesque Jewish cemetery. In addition to his father, he is survived by his mother, Laura; a brother, Sam, and a sister, Anna.
“The term I keep using is tikkun olam,” his father said. “He very strongly followed the Jewish teaching that we may not be able to finish the task, but we have to start it. His goal was to repair the world. He was prepared to do it one person at a time.”
Contact Debra Nussbaum Cohen at dnussbaumc@forward.com
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I have had several friends serving as Jewish chaplains in the US Armed Forces. According to what I hear , many of the so called Jews are not really Jewish according to any standard, rather people who for some reason identify as Jews . This is even more true for our so called Jewish prisioners. Most of the people these chaplains serve are families of soldiers, retired soldiers and support staff who are not really part of the uniformed services. Given all of this I think the low figure is much more reasonable than a high figure. Also given the fact that most American Jews are college educated , few Jews join the army.Add to this the fact that very few Orthodox Jews can serve (because of Shabbes and kashruth) Of course there are Jewish doctors and lawyers there but one wonders just how many . I also recall reading that a Heberew Christian pastor claiming to be Jewish ws attemtpting cetificationa s a Jewish chaplain !!! If the clause against having beards were removed, many Chabad people would join as chaplains , and that MIGHT make the services more welcoming to traditional Jews and on the other hand it might just provide jobs to Chabad people.
may ben rest in peace. thanks to him for serving our country and the world.
I think your article underestimates the number of Jews in the U.S. military. You ignored the Coast Guard, which is also a military service. I have worked for both DOD and the Coast Guard, and I believe the Navy and Coast Guard have a larger number of Jews - both officers and enlisted. For whatever reason, fewer Jews join the Army. All of the service academies have Jewish graduates. It is true that most Jews keep a relatively low profile, and for that reason they may be undercounted. They may also be undercounted because there are so few Jewish activities to participate in, and affiliation may go unnoticed. It is too bad that more Reform and Conservative rabbis won't serve as chaplains - Chabad and Orthodoxy in general is too distant from the military life and culture, and cannot easily relate to female servicemembers.
As for CAPT Benjamin Sklaver, may he rest in peace. We thank him for making the ultimate sacrifice.
First, G-d bless and care for the neshama of our fallen comrade CPT Benjamin Sklaver. Please extend comfort and condolences to the loving family that survives his legacy.
Commenting on this article, I would say from my standpoint as an observant jew, preparation with an armada of DOD and DA regulations is fundamental to operative capacity as a jewish soldier. All of your comrades and the command observe you, assess your manner and discipline, and your professionalism. They see that you don't eat the same meals, shabbos observance is non-negotiable, and that you live the according the the Torah in all aspects of your life. I know from personal experience, Rabbi Irving Elson USN. He demonstrates the highest quality and value of caring for sailors, soldiers, and airman. His observations are on target and on time. Particularly evidenced by his tenure at the US Naval Academy Uriah Levy Chapel activities. I wish to express my appreciation to him as well.
I would like to recognize the service of Colonel Bonnie Koppell. Colonel Koppell of the Army Reserve is a rabbi and the highest ranking female chaplin across all branches of the service. She has served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Though I am not military, I would like to also recognize Rabbi Avrohom Horovitz, Rabbi Jeremy (Yehoshua) Steinberg, and above all, Rabbi Ira (Asher) Ehrenpreis for their service as Jewish Chaplains at Fort Bragg.
My son, who was born in ISrael, is today in the US Navy. I told him to forget that "Tikkun Olam," or "save the world" nonsense, and to only think about saving himself. Tikkun Olam is a Jew-killer.
Rest in peace. My sincerest condolences to your family and loved ones.
I have a Jewish brother in the Air Force, and it is true, there is not a lot of opportunity to really "be" Jewish. The article is very well-written and pays respects to a man who truly deserved it, while also raising social issues that need to be addressed. Thank you to those who serve and risk their lives everyday.
May Benjamin Sklaver never be forgotten by our people. He was an American Hero.
May Capt Sklaver rest in peace. I would also like to recognize the service and dedication of Rabbi Koppell. As members of Temple Chai in Phoenix where she currently hangs her tallit when not tending to the needs of our Jewish soldiers in Afghanistan we are incredibly proud of her accomplishments!
A great & interesting story; condolences to this family. I can't read about the dearth of Jews in the military without mentioning my schoolmate, a Jew from Great Neck, NY David ("Bull") Gurfein, a Harvard MBA, who received the Bronze Star for heroism for his service while Officer-in-Charge of Task Force “Bold Eagle Bravo” in a Marine Expeditionary Force during the Gulf War in March 2003.
By "coincidence", my husband and I watched the movie "Lions For Lambs" Saturday night. This 2007 film about the current war in Afghanistan did not get much notice at the time of its release. Now I know why. The apathy and "numbness" we experience about war (another car bomb here, another suicide bomb there) is the very thing that kept this movie from being big news (no Oscar noms - not even for Streep?!). We don't want our Jay Leno Show interrupted for more bad news, do we? Let's focus on Jon and Kate plus Eight. We need to teach our children that if you don't stand for something, you'll go for anything. "Lions For Lambs" should be required viewing for the current crop of junior high and high school social studies students - complete with class discussion and a reading list. It should be a weekly requirement in every American school to read the names of fallen soldiers. In Jewish schools, add the names of victims of violence in Israel. We are a country at war, and as such, it is our moral obligation and civic duty to both honor those who protect and serve our nation and to question and take to task the government that puts our soldiers in harm's way. That is not to say that war is always unnecessary - that would be naive. But no one (I say this for myself as much as for anyone else) should be able to watch the evening news and hear about another dead soldier and be able to click the controller to the next show without a moment's reflection. Thank you, Debra.
As a young girl, I lost three young men who wanted to start a life with me. One by one they were taken, death came due to war. I pray for the family's of the lost we have today, on both sides, when a love one is lost, it does not matter then to the heart that is drowing in tears, so deep within the heart, that only G-D can wipe them away. War is of great sorrow, when one is lost on any side.
What is written... in scripture... is mankind think they are a war, when it is G-D On High that is at war with mankind...due to their sins.
Its very challenging being Jewish and being safe in the US Army. Here is an article about a recent event that makes it appearent that Jewish soldiers have to worry about being attacked by their fellow soldiers in basic training:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27014289/
Benjamin Sklaver is the kind of human being who causes one to regret never knowning such a young man or having been among his friends. The so-called "dearth" of Jews in the U.S. military has no significance beyond the fact that most young people from middle class families within all demographic groups are simply not attracted to military service since they (or their parents) see better opportunities elsewhere. This only makes Ben's own committment to serving his country all the more exemplary. What a fine young man was this brave and peace loving Benjamin Sklaver! Yes, it is time that those so few and lonely Jewish Chaplains out there get some desparately needed from their buddies back home.
Benjamin Sklaver is the kind of human being who causes one to regret never knowning such a young man or having been among his friends. The so-called "dearth" of Jews in the U.S. military has no significance beyond the fact that most young people from middle class families within all demographic groups are simply not attracted to military service since they (or their parents) see better opportunities elsewhere. This only makes Ben's own committment to serving his country all the more exemplary. What a fine young man was this brave and peace loving Benjamin Sklaver! Yes, it is time that those so few and lonely Jewish Chaplains out there get some desparately needed from their buddies back home.
I recently retired from the Army after 21 years of service. I served as a Jewish Lay Leader in Korea, Germany and Iraq. My experience regarding the Jewishiness of my fellow soldiers,sailors,marines and arimen arethey tend to lean towards reform to secular Judaism, where as the majority of Rabbis are Orthodox. Some recognize that and do a very good job of meeting the needs Jewish servicemen and women in thier respective commands but other can't make that connection and turn off some these young men and women. The other side of the coin is that same young men and women have no deeply rooted connection to their Jewish identity. CPT Sklaver, myself and many others do. As battery commander in Germany I was able to take 120 soldiers, all not Jewish, to Dachau for a Yom Hashoah observance. Most the kids were 18-23 years old, I can only hope that learned something from the experience. In May 2003 in Talil, Iraq, we almost had a minyan, myself, LT Nussbaum, CPT Schlozman, MAJ Cohen, LTC Cohen and General Bromberg were at one location. I believe we are over represented in the military but I don't have the numbers to back it up. Yes, Jews serve in the military, in every military specialty, not just as doctors or lawyers. I would also like to give more credit to the non-jews who are not so ignorant about Jews. When I was enlisted, I shared a dorm room with Gary Bordman, we had a mezzuah on our door. we never ashamed or hide our Jewishiness, but we never threw anyone's face. I never tolerated those trying to convert yet I had great conversations with those who accepted me for who I was, a Jewish-American. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Sklaver family and regret never meeting CPT Sklaver duirng my career in the service.
I have personally experienced anti semitism both in the military and as a police officer. If you open your mouth about it you are labeled too sensitive or a complainer but the other types of discrimnination seem to get much more serious attention. There is definately a double standard in todays PC military. Yet I served and continue to serve with pride and honor as do many of us in all aspects of society. My family has served as far back as I can trace to WW1 as Jewish Americans and when I went to research an uncle KIA defending the moselle river bridgehead in Sept 1944 and other Jewish military historical information, the very first google hit had a website with postings like this site was "Jews dont fight wars, they just finance them." Can you imagine if that had been said about a different minority? G-D bless you Cpt Sklaver, we will continue to serve in honor of you and all our bretheren who stood up for freedom and peace before us.
I don't believe in either the main article or in any of the appended commentaries was it was noted that the Chief of Staff of the US Air Force is General Norman Swartz. While a cadet at the Air Force Academy, General Swartz was a lay leader for Jewish personnel attending the Academy.
Sure there are very few Jews in the military.
More interested in emulating Madoff!