At Momentous Ceremony, Oregon National Guard Initiates First Jewish Chaplain

The Oregon Army National Guard hired shliach Rabbi Menachem Mendel Orenstein as their first Jewish chaplain in a ceremony on Sunday.

The Oregon Army National Guard hired shliach Rabbi Menachem Mendel Orenstein as their first Jewish chaplain. The initiation ceremony took place this past Sunday at the 41st Armed Forces Reserve Center Auditorium in Clackamas, Oregon, and made history as their first Jewish chaplain to be hired.

Rabbi Orenstein serves as the shliach in Tigard, Oregon and is the rabbi at the Tigard Chabad Jewish Center. His family has a special connection to the military, which added deep significance and meaningful relevance to the event.

“I have a military background, and three of my grandparents served in World War II,” Orenstein told Oregonlive.com. “It was always something I considered — to become a chaplain. I also wanted to lead a community and be a rabbi … that’s what I’m doing now.”

Rabbi Orenstein is excited at bringing what Yiddishkeit has to offer to the soldiers he will encounter at his new position, and see how far his influence can go and who he can inspire.

“It feels really good to be the first one to do it,” Orenstein said. “There’s not too many soldiers or service members in Oregon that are Jewish, and a big part of my responsibility is to serve everyone, regardless of religion, in a very open way. That’s what I look forward to doing. But it’s definitely exciting to be the first Jewish chaplain.”

After a year of dealing with the application and acceptance process, including passing many assessments and proving various qualifications, Rabbi Orenstein feels grateful for the rewarding opportunity.

“It just made a lot of sense, and I was really excited when I learned about the position,” he said. “It’s definitely a blessing. I feel honored to be able to do it. I feel honored that such an opportunity exists.”