A Jewish Chaplain in France

A vivid portrait emerges of a young rabbi who steps from the pews of New York synagogues onto the battle‑scarred fields of France. The narrative follows his journey from a volunteer chaplain’s commission—made possible only after a special act of Congress—to his first days ministering to soldiers amid the chaos of the Great War. Through his eyes we glimpse the unprecedented presence of Jewish clergy in the U.S. Army, the challenges of bridging faith and military life, and the camaraderie that forms in the trenches.

Beyond the front‑line duties, the memoir reflects on how the war reshaped both personal belief and communal identity. It examines the uneasy balance between a nation eager to forget the conflict and those who feel compelled to remember its moral lessons. The chaplain’s observations offer a thoughtful glimpse into the spirit of sacrifice, the power of prayer in wartime, and the early steps of a new chapter for American Judaism.