Shalom in the Service

by Kevin Fritz

When the United States Military Academy at West Point graduated its first class in 1802, a full half of the newly minted Army officers were Jewish. There were, however, only two soldiers in the class.

Since then, only a little more than 1,000 Jewish cadets have earned degrees from West Point, but the contributions of Jewish airmen, soldiers, seamen, and Marines have nonetheless become an integral part of American history.

Isaac Greenberg is one of West Point's Jewish alumni. He arrived at the famed military college in 2001 – just two months before the tragedies of 9/11. One of the new cadet’s early observations was the small representation of Jews in the army.

“There is a lot of opportunity, adventure, and rewarding work in the military,” says Isaac, now a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Reserve. “We represent as doctors, as lawyers, and in other fields, but not so much in the military.”

Isaac was one of 18 Jewish graduates in his class of nearly 1,000 West Point cadets, but he says the military provides ample opportunity for Jewish soldiers to practice their faith and celebrate sacred traditions.

“The West Point Jewish Chapel played an integral part in cultivating my service in the military,” says Isaac. “And all Jewish graduates have a nameplate displayed inside the chapel. I bring my kids there.”

Isaac even joined the Jewish Cadet Choir and performed at synagogues, Hillels, and at the annual White House Hanukkah party for President George W. Bush.

After two tours in Afghanistan as a Military Intelligence Officer, Isaac went back to school for advanced intelligence training in Atlanta and met his wife, Felicia, who hailed from Central Florida and had attended The Roth Family JCC and Lake Brantley High School. In 2014, Isaac transitioned from active duty, and the couple moved to Baldwin Park where they are raising two boys, Noah (age 7) and Asher (5).

“It was time to start a family,” explains the 40-year-old project engineer at Lockheed Martin. “But it continues to be an honor and a privilege to serve in our armed forces.”

Cold & Classified

Lake Mary resident Howie Appel served in the Air Force from 1967-1971 during the Vietnam War. Like Isaac, Howie would find himself on the intelligence side of the military.

Following basic training in Texas, the Air Force shipped Howie off to Minot, North Dakota, to serve as an administration specialist. He soon found a Jewish contingent at the base and became a Jewish lay leader with his own congregation.

His next assignment sent him to Alaska’s Shemya Island, located 1,200 miles southwest of Anchorage, deep in the Bering Sea. The 22-year-old suddenly found himself immersed in a top-secret project with the Strategic Air Command – a spy plane program in which pilots would fly over Russia to see if they were launching ICBMs (Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles). Howie served as the communication liaison on the ground. He also found time to conduct services in Fairbanks during the high holidays.

“I really enjoyed the work and putting on services,” Howie says of his time in Alaska, “but I hated the weather.”

By 1970, the war effort was waning, and Howie enrolled in Northeastern University. He went into the reserves and soon entered civilian life as a professional recruiter for engineering firms. He would serve in the reserves from 1975-1992, the last six years out of MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa after moving to Central Florida in 1986.

“I would jump at the chance to be back in the Air Force, but at 75, it’s probably not going to happen,” Howie laughs.

He has a daughter in Kansas City, a son in Philadelphia, and five grandkids to dote on. Like Isaac, Howie admits there were very few Jewish people in the service during his time, but that didn’t mean his religion or culture was unpopular.

“Some wanted to be Jewish,” Howie recalls with a grin. “They wanted the lox and bagels that the JCC in San Antonio was serving on Saturday mornings.”

High Holidays On the High Seas

For Jon Stein, celebrating the High Holy Days in the service was a very different experience than he had growing up in Memphis, Tennessee.

“I spent Yom Kippur leaving port on the USS Harry Truman,” he explains. “Fasting and observing while heading out to sea was a very interesting experience. On Passover, I was at sea on the USS George Washington on active deployment. Also not the ideal place or environment to observe a   major holiday.”

Initially stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, Jon, now 40, served in the United States Navy Reserves from 2004-2020 as an information systems technician.

Now living in a Maitland neighborhood near the JCC with his wife Vanessa in the home in which she grew up, Jon works in the business technology field for Disney. The couple has a son, 13, and a daughter, 10.

Jon looks back on his career in the Navy as an adventure that opened his mind to many cultures around the globe.

“During my Naval career, I did get to travel around the world to places like Bahrain, Dubai, Oman, and Singapore,” he says. “Bahrain has a small Jewish community and a synagogue in town. They were very welcoming to Jews. Traveling the world with the military was hard but also a lot of fun.”

While he retired from the service a couple of years ago, Jon is still involved with the military, albeit now in his own hometown. He helped raise funds to erect the Lone Sailor Navy Memorial in Blue Jacket Park where the Orlando Naval Base once stood. In fact, his name can be found on the commemorative plaque.

“Orlando has a vibrant history with the Navy, and I enjoy spending time honoring that past,” he explains.