In 1917, as the United States was faced with the extraordinary task of entering into World War I, the Jewish community rallied together to support the Jewish troops going to war. Several communal organizations came together and founded the Jewish Welfare Board to oversee the endorsement of Jewish chaplains for military service.
JWB Jewish Chaplains Council, a signature program of JCC Association, would like to acknowledge and salute the hundreds of lay leaders who have served in the United States armed forces and the Veterans Administration throughout the last 100 years. This registry will ultimately create an archive of those who have served and are serving our country, connecting them to JWB’s history, and by extension, to the greater Jewish community through the JCC Movement.
It only takes a moment to register your service.
If you are the surviving spouse, parent, sibling, or loved one of a deceased chaplain, military lay leader or military veteran please complete the appropriate form in their stead to ensure that their names are included in this project.
If the chaplain’s, or military member’s DD214*—issued by the Defense Department, identifying the veterans’ condition of discharge—is available, please use it to check date of entry in and separation from the military.
And thank you for your service!
* Before Jan. 1, 1950, the military services used several similar forms, including the WD AGO 53, WD AGO 55, WD AGO 53-55, NAVPERS 553, NAVMC 78PD, and the NAVCG 553.