Surfside, FL – Jewish Troops Enjoy Training And Shabbos At Florida Conference

Surfside, FL – Once again, the Aleph Institute hosted members of the military from all over the world, as over fifty personnel representing the Army, Navy, Air Force and the Marines spent four days in South Florida for an annual training conference which included a Shabbos spent with VIP guests as well as the congregation of the Shul of Bal Harbour.

Participants at this year’s conference hailed from locations all over the United States including Georgia, Florida, Texas, Maryland, Washington and Hawaii, with some service members coming from as far away as Japan and Germany. While the conference is an opportunity for Jewish service members to share ideas and receive necessary training, it is also offers the Jewish community a chance to express its appreciation to those in the military.

“Over 350 community members came to share Shabbat dinner with the troops,” Rabbi Menachem Katz, director of military and prison outreach for the Aleph Institute, told VIN News. “The fact that so many people came out to honor our troops gives them the ability to go on and continue what they do and provides our community a firsthand look at the sacrifices our service people make on a daily basis.”

Among the highlights of this year’s program was a visit by Florida Governor Rick Scott and his wife Ann.

“They spent four hours in an Orthodox synagogue, participating in services, Shabbat dinner and got a crash course on Shabbat and on Judaism in general,” reported Rabbi Katz. “Their presence was the cherry on top of an amazing event and was very meaningful to the congregation, the troops and the Aleph Institute.”

The Aleph Institute presented Governor Scott with a plaque for his efforts in securing kosher food for Jewish inmates in Florida. The state had stopped offering kosher food to inmates in 2007 and reinstated its kosher food program this past Thursday following an August 2012 lawsuit.

Lieutenant General Howard Bromberg, a three star general with the army and the highest ranking Jewish American in the United States military, was another notable who participated in this year’s event and was also the main speaker on Shabbos.

“General Bromberg spent quality time with our troops and our chaplains,” said Rabbi Katz. “While usually with generals it is ‘Yes, sir’ and ‘No sir’, he was very warm and answered many questions. He came in his jeans to have been and pizza with the troops for melava malka. It was the kind of opportunity rarely seen by those in the military.”

Other notables who took part in the conference were Major General Donald Rutherford, chief of chaplains and Captain Ronen Nimni of the Israeli navy.

This year’s event marked the sixth annual conference for the Aleph Institute which serves the needs of Jewish service members and their families as well as Jewish inmates nationwide.