From February 11-15, 2026, over 200 Jewish military chaplains, service members, and service academy cadets convened for the 19th Annual Aleph Military Symposium, the largest professional gathering of Jews in the U.S. armed forces. Hosted by the Aleph Institute, the primary organization providing spiritual, emotional and practical support for the approximately 15,000 Jews serving in the U.S. military, the conference provided professional training and community building for Jewish service members and their families.

“The symposium is the fulcrum of Jewish life in the military,” said Chaplain, Major Elie Estrin, USAF, director of Aleph’s military programs. “Jewish chaplains and lay leaders use the information, inspiration and mutual mentorship they gain here all year long, and the results are the veritable definition of a force multiplier. There is no question that Judaism in the U.S. military would be a shadow of what it is if not for the symposium.”

The five-day conference drew participants from across the globe, including military representatives from Israel and NATO countries such as the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, and Canada. U.S. military personnel flew in from bases across the country, as well as from Spain, Germany, Japan, and Hawaii. Among the attendees were twenty-five West Point cadets, representing nearly 20% of the academy’s 125 Jewish students, as well as cadets and personnel from the Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, and Coast Guard Academy. 

A Spiritual Refresh and Immersive Community Experience

For many service members, the Aleph Military Symposium is the cornerstone of their year—often their only chance to connect in person with fellow Jewish military personnel. Participants relished the experience of being part of a spiritual community of people who truly understand what it’s like to be Jewish in the military. Beyond professional development, skills training, and spiritual enrichment, participants used the symposium to build meaningful friendships with fellow Jewish service members. 

“The Aleph Institute Military Training and Symposium is unquestionably my most highly anticipated non-holiday annual event,” said Chaplain, Lt Col Joseph Friedman, Deputy Director, Air National Guard Chaplain Corps, Joint Base Andrews, MD. “Despite having many colleagues, co-workers and comrades, most of us find ourselves spiritually isolated in our military service. The Aleph Institute Symposium is the balm for that isolation. Words insufficiently describe the sense of ‘hitchadshut’ – of ‘renewal’ – I feel each year following this gathering.”

“On the one hand, there is the incredible empowerment which comes from meaningfully reconnecting with old friends, sharing ‘war stories,’ best practices, our successes and our failures,” Friedman continued. “However, even more empowering—and certainly more inspiring—is connecting to first-time attendees, either new to military service or perhaps new only in their reconnection to their mesorah, to their Jewish heritage. In either case, I depart for home reinspired by the exceptional colleagues with whom I’m privileged to serve, and revivified in my conviction to continue being ‘mekadesh shem shamayim berabim’—sanctifying G-d’s Name publicly—while proudly serving this country with integrity.”

Professional Development and Spiritual Guidance

Throughout the event, participants engaged in in-depth discussions on a variety of topics, including maintaining moral clarity during deployments, navigating religious observance in the military, creating Jewish community while on duty, and how to have successful military relationships. Some notable sessions included “The Rebbe’s Approach to Handling Suicidal Ideation,” by Rabbi Yechiel Krisch, and “Halachic Decisions in Wartime,” by Rabbi Shlomo Yaffe, Dean of the Institute of American and Talmudic Law and Rabbi at Congregation B’nai Torah in Springfield, MA.

Attendees also heard from Counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty Michael O’Brien, Chief Judge Matthew Solomson, officials from the IDF Chief Rabbinate, and many others. 

West Point Representation and Cadet Involvement

The conference culminated in a powerful Shabbat experience, where participants gathered for a traditional Friday evening prayer service and festive dinner. It was an unforgettable opportunity for everyone to connect on a deeper level with those who truly understand the unique challenges faced, forging lasting bonds that went far beyond the uniform.

The symposium was honored by the presence of CPL Harold Terens, a 102-year-old U.S. Army Air Corps WWII veteran of Normandy and the Africa Campaign. In a deeply moving moment, Terens put on tefillin for the first time—small leather boxes worn during prayer—and was called up to the Torah for an Aliya, marking a Bar Mitzvah ceremony that, while typically celebrated at age 13, can take place at any age. 

“Military life asks a tremendous amount of service members and their families,” said Aleph’s CEO, Rabbi Aaron Lipskar. “Our annual symposium reflects our commitment to caring for the whole person behind the uniform. It strengthens service members and their families through meaningful Jewish connection and community, ensuring they never have to choose between their duty and their identity.”

Photos: Yisroel Teitelbaum-Aleph Institute