Aleph-IDF Partnership Marks First Year

Rabbi Sholom Lipskar, founder of the Aleph Institute, met with the key representatives from the IDF rabbinate during a recent visit to Israel, where he witnessed the incredible progress of Aleph’s impactful partnership with the IDF. The meeting, held on August 22 at the IDF Rabbinate headquarters outside Lod, emphasized the shared commitment to bolstering support for our soldiers on both home and foreign soil.

Aleph services the unique needs of thousands of Jewish members of the U.S. Armed Forces stationed worldwide, providing chaplaincy training, advocacy, religious materials and more. Last year, Aleph formalized a new alliance with the IDF which ensures that IDF soldiers on U.S. soil will be able to benefit from Aleph’s extensive services and have immediate access to kosher food, religious materials, holiday supplies, and more.

Rabbi Lipskar was greeted and accompanied by distinguished IDF Rabbinate figures, including Chief Rabbi of the IDF, Brigadier General Rabbi Eyal Karim, Deputy Chief Rabbi, Col Rabbi Chaim Weissberg, and IDF Rabbinate Chief of Staff Col Avner Cohen. Together, they delved into discussions that focused on spiritual enrichment and support for the military. They explored critical topics, from military halacha to innovative solutions for maintaining religious observance during military actions.

Reflecting on the visit, Rabbi Lipskar affirmed, “Our support for the IDF remains resolute. They should know that they have brothers and sisters right here in the United States, and Aleph takes great pride in extending Jewish assistance for all their needs during their mission.”

Echoing this sentiment, Brig. General Krim remarked, “Our obligation as the IDF rabbinate is to give support to every soldier in Israel. And now, we can do something we never dreamed of, and that is to extend support to IDF soldiers around the world with the help of Aleph.”

During the visit, Rabbi Lipskar toured the technological laboratory, designed to address Shabbat-compatible tech solutions for military operations. Additionally, he was shown the treasury of Torah scrolls that are used for emergency deployments, and he visited the conversion courts, meeting with the judges responsible for halachic conversions within the military.

Rabbi Lipskar was also gifted a set of three halachic books, symbolizing the merging of spirituality, cooperation, and scholarly advancement. He expressed his gratitude for the warm reception he received during the visit. “I am truly impressed by the remarkable strides and spiritual leadership that I have witnessed here,” he said.