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This work was scanned by Aharon Varady for the Open Siddur Project from a volume held in the collection of the HUC Klau Library, Cincinnati, Ohio. (Thank you!) This work is cross-posted to the Internet Archive, as a repository for our transcription efforts.
This work is in the Public Domain due to the lack of a copyright renewal by the copyright holder listed in the copyright notice (a condition required for works published in the United States between January 1st 1924 and January 1st 1964).
This prayer book has been prepared by the Commission on Jewish Chaplaincy of the National Jewish Welfare Board for use at religious services of Jewish personnel in the Armed Forces and in federal hospitals of the United States of America. It is not intended for general use by the civilian population. Its shortened and compact form has been designed for the specific purpose of use by military congregations. Jewish service personnel who desire to possess and employ a more complete prayer book for their personal devotions are encouraged to do so.
It is hoped that this prayer book will not only be a source of inspiration to the Jewish personnel in the Armed Forces and a link in the chain of faith that binds them to their homes and their families while they are in the military service, but that it will also be a means of strengthening their loyalty to their religious tradition both during and after their years in the Armed Forces.
Commission on Jewish Chaplaincy
National Jewish Welfare Board
Lag b’Omer 5718.
8 May 1958.
“📖 Prayer Book for Jewish Personnel in the Armed Forces of the United States (National Jewish Welfare Board 1958)” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication 1.0 Universal license.
The National Jewish Welfare Board (JWB) was formed on April 9, 1917, three days after the United States declared war on Germany, in order to support Jewish soldiers in the U.S. military during World War I The impetus for creating the organization stemmed from Secretary of War, Newton Baker and Secretary of Navy, Josephus Daniels. The organization was also charged with recruiting and training rabbis for military service, as well as providing support materials to these newly commissioned chaplains. The JWB also maintained oversight of Jewish chapel facilities at military installations. In 1921, several organizations merged with the JWB to become a national association of Jewish community centers around the country in order to integrate social activities, education, and active recreation. These merged organizations included the YWHA, YMHA, and the National Council of Young Men's Hebrew and Kindred Association. In 1941, in a response to a mandate from President Franklin D. Roosevelt, six private organizations - the YMCA, YWCA, the National Jewish Welfare Board, the Traveler's Aid Association and the Salvation Army were challenged to handle the on-leave morale and recreational needs for members of the Armed Forces. The six organizations pooled their resources and the United Service Organizations, which quickly became known as the USO, was incorporated in New York on February 4, 1941. The organization is now the JWB Jewish Chaplains Council, part of JCC of North America. The Council sends prayer books, religious artifacts and supplies for Jewish holidays, including Passover Seder kits, Ḥanukkah candles, four species for Tabernacles, and more.
Aharon Varady, founding director of the Open Siddur Project, is a copyright researcher and amateur book scanner. He prepares digital images and new digital editions of prayer books and related works in the Public Domain in order to make their constituent parts (prayers, translations, annotations, etc.) publicly accessible for collaborative transcription by project volunteers. (In some cases, he finds existing digital editions prepared by others that require correction and reformatting.) If you appreciate his efforts, please send him a kind note or contribute to his patreon account.
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