JTA: The Global News Service of the Jewish People

First lightweight chaplains torah unveiled at GA

By Eric Fingerhut · November 10, 2009

It's not yet finished, but the first of six small, lightweight Torahs for Jewish chaplains was marched to the stage Tuesday at the Jewish Federations of North America'sGeneral Assembly.

Accompanied by an honor guard of Jewish service personnel and the sounds of Celine Dion singing "God Bless America," the Torah received a standing ovation from the 3,000 in attendance. A project of the JWB Jewish Chaplains Council, the Torah is fully kosher and supplements the 60 Torahs that are located at military bases around the world, but are too big for chaplains to carry onto ships or into sites in war zones.

The Chaplains Council said there are more than 10,000 Jewish men and women currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces, and  six Jewish service members killed in action in the last 12 months.