While researching a memorial day sermon, I came across a blog post by the NJDC Blog, titled “A disturbing report of mistreatment toward Jewish veterans.” (The blog referenced an article in the JTA.)
The JTA reports,
A Jewish Navy veteran accused a Veterans Administration hospital of denying him kosher meals and trying to convert him to Christianity.
The Associated Press reported Tuesday that David Miller, 46, was hospitalized at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Iowa City three times in the past two years for kidney treatment. Miller, an Orthodox Jew, said he went hungry because the hospital refused to provide kosher meals or allow him to contact his rabbi, who would have brought them.
I am appalled at the lack of respect, courtesy and common decency of the VA in Iowa City.
I am a former Navy Chaplain and the Navy Chaplain’s motto includes “facilitating for others” – meaning at the very least providing for kosher food, sabbath observance and such. The Navy is breaking its own rules!!
Unfortunately, this falls right in line with the proselytizing that is occurring throughout the military. The Navy should be ashamed of itself.
This is quite shocking. The missionaries are everywhere. What is even more surprising is that most Jews do not know why Jews don’t believe in Jesus. This article does a good job of summarizing the differences:
http://www.simpletoremember.com/vitals/jewsandjesus.htm
I do not understand why you are shocked?
Whether in Israel a gentile will be given a non-kosher food? Whether in Israel a gentile is allowed to marry a jew..? There are a lot of ‘whether in Israel a gentile has a permission to do this and that..?’ could be find.
So, why living in one of the gentile countries you are appalled at their ‘rules of game’?
Alexandersays,
The difference is that according to the Consititution of the United States of America there is freedom of religion, allowing any person to worship as she/he wishes.
In Israel it is very possible to eat whatever one wants – whether or not it is kosher, whatever one’s religion is.
1rabbi,
I see. Israel is different.