Middle East
MAY YOUR
NEW YEAR
be filled with
All Set
SWEETNESS,
HEALTH,
HAPPINESS
and PEACE.
From People magazine to the
Persian Gulf: Bachelor rabbi is
ready to deploy.
Richard M. Asinof
countries," he continued. "I have faith
in God — and in our security person-
nel and in our troops — that they will
Boston
watch over me and protect me?'
Rabbi Davidson, who spent two
t's rare for one of People maga-
years at the U.S. Air Force Academy in
zine's 100 most eligible bachelors
Colorado Springs, Colo., said there had
to be a rabbi. It's even rarer for
been many changes on campus after
someone who made the prestigious
a report detailed allegations of evan-
list to head off to the Persian Gulf as a
gelism. Por his part, Rabbi Davidson
U.S. military chaplain.
said he did not encounter
But that's what hap-
any incidents of evange-
pened this month when
lism."Reported incidents
Capt. Gary Davidson, 43,
of evangelism occurred
deployed as one of two
before I arrived;' he said. "I
active-duty rabbis in the
attended during a period of
U.S. Air Force to be sta-
self-improvement?'
tioned in the Gulf.
Rabbi Davidson said
"I think it's a great
the academy had made
opportunity to serve our
significant strides, prais-
Jewish men and women in Rabbi Davi dson
ing the school's leadership
uniform," Capt. Davidson
for being "very sensitive"
said. "I'm looking forward
to this issue. "There is zero
to bringing an uplifting message to
tolerance for religious discrimination:'
our troops and being with them dur-
he said. "The academy has mandated
ing the High Holidays, Sukkot and
that all personnel attend RSVP train-
Chanukah."
ing — 'Respecting the Spiritual Value
At age 41, Davidson made a career
of all People?"
shift to enter the military. The 6-foot-6
The academy also has established
chaplain had been serving as rabbi
a new Interfaith Student Council and
at a Conservative synagogue in Long
"anyone deploying to the Persian Gulf
Beach, Calif., with about 180 families
is given sensitivity training regarding
when he decided that he wanted to
the Islamic faith. We are made aware
serve his country.
of basic Islamic beliefs, as well as
Because of his age, Rabbi Davidson
proper behavior around Muslims?'
— who in 2000 made People's most-
As he prepared to say good-bye
eligible bachelors list — needed a
to his family and parents in Boston,
special waiver to enter the Air Force.
Rabbi Davidson had a lot on his mind
"It was a question of now or never, so
— not just the change in climate in
I took the plunge," he said. In all, there the Persian Gulf, where daytime tem-
are nine active-duty Jewish chaplains
peratures can reach 120 degrees, or
in the U.S. Air Force.
what he'll say in his High Holiday ser-
Rabbi Davidson couldn't comment
mons. His family has been supportive,
on which countries he may or may
even though my choice was a difficult
not travel to. "My role is to support
one for them," Rabbi Davidson said.
our troops, wherever I am. That's my
He admitted that his older brothers
focus," he said.
believe that "war is not the best occu-
He will bring gifts, phone cards and
pation for a nice Jewish boy',' and that
food to distribute to soldiers around
his father, Murray, wishes he wasn't
the Persian Gulf region. As a chap-
going to the Persian Gulf. His parents
lain, Rabbi Davidson said,"I'm not
recently celebrated their 51st wedding
allowed to carry a gun. Someone will
anniversary
be assigned to me with a weapon to
"I'm thrilled in how he has fur-
protect me.
thered himself in terms of his Jewish
"I'd be lying if I said that I didn't
faith:' said his mother, Myrna. "We're
have some concern about traveling
happy for him." But, she added, "it's
as a Jewish chaplain to different Arab
not easy on our family."
Jewish telegraphic Agency
From the families o
David Rogovein,
Marty Rosen,
and the staff of
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September 21 2006