ב”ה
Theme: The Role and Person of the Military Chaplain and Lay Leader in Crisis, Conflict, and Combat
- All prayers will take place in the Main Sanctuary.
- The Main Sanctuary and the Social Hall are located on the first floor; all classrooms are on the second floor.
- All classes will take place in Social Hall Room 1, unless otherwise noted.
- All meals will take place in Social Hall Room 2.
- Babysitting will be located in Classroom 6.
Wednesday, 05 March:
Dress: Casual
14:00 – 18:00 Arrival and welcome. Reception in The Shul, 9540 Collins Ave., Social Hall. Distribution of schedule, information packets and welcome bags.
19:00 – 21:30 Social barbecue at Ch Estrin’s home: 4430 NW 65th Ave, Lauderhill, FL 33319. NOTE: Drive time is approximately 45 minutes. POVs with limited space leave from The Shul to Ch Estrin’s house at precisely 18:15. Carpools will be arranged on the Symposium WhatsApp group.
Thursday, 06 March:
Dress: Duty uniform or equivalent
07:00 – 07:25 Behind the War on Amalek, Part I: CH (CPT) Michael Harari, USA (optional)
07:30 – 08:25 Shacharit (morning prayers)
08:25 – 08:30 Dvar Torah (homily): ENS Dovid Moya, USN
08:30 – 09:15 Breakfast
09:15 – 09:55 Welcome and Greetings: Rabbi Aaron Lipskar, CEO of the Aleph Institute
Rabbi Sholom Lipskar, Founder of the Aleph Institute
Overview: Rabbi Sanford Dresin, CH (COL) USA Ret., Endorser
Current Projects and Outlook: Ch, Maj Elie Estrin, Aleph Military Personnel Liaison, Executive Assistant to the Endorser
10:00 – 10:30 BG Jesse Miller, CA ARNG
Spouses: Icebreaker: Getting to Know You (Classroom 5)
10:30 – 10:45 Break
10:45 – 11:25 Life After the Explosions: SSgt Boaz Hochstein (IDF Ret.), Founder, Restart Global
11:30 – 12:00 Kosher in Deployed and Austere Environments: LT Eli Eleff, USCGA, OU Director of Community Relations
12:00 – 13:00 Lunch
Purim and Passover supplies: Rabbi Menachem Katz, Aleph Director of Outreach
13:00 – 14:00 Break out sessions
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- Chaplains: Practical Lifecycle: Bris Milah, Kiddushin, End of Life (Social Hall)
- CH (MAJ) Tzvi Teitelbaum; CH (CPT) Michael Harari; CH (COL) Shmuel Felzenberg; CH (MAJ) Elisar Admon; CH (MAJ) Mendy Stern
- Lay Leaders: Living an Observant Life in the Military: A Discussion. (Classroom X)
- Chaplain Michael Bram
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- Spouses: The Keys to a Successful Military Marriage
- Mrs. Batia Gold, former MFLC counselor (Classroom X)
14:05 – 14:50 On PTSD and Post Traumatic Growth: COL Jeffrey Yarvis, USA (Ret.), Rabbi Zalman Abraham, Director, The Wellness Center
- Spouses: Resources and More: Ms. Kathy Roth-Douquet, CEO and Founder, Blue Star Families
14:50 – 15:00 Break
15:00 – 15:45 IDF Combat Update: CAPT Roiy Sela, Israeli Navy, IDF Naval Attache to the United States
15:50 – 16:15 Freedom of Religion Today: Mr. Daniel Blomberg, Esq., Lead Counsel, The Becket Fund
16:20 – 17:15 Warfighters Roundtable: COL Jeffrey Yarvis, USA Ret.; SFC Colten Baitch, USA; CH (COL) Sanford Dresin, USA Ret., CH (COL) Jacob Goldstein, USAR Ret.
- Spouses: Jewish Education Opportunities: Nigri Online School, CKids
17:15 – 17:30 Mincha (afternoon prayers)
17:30 – 19:00 Free time, PT
19:00 – 21:30 Dinner. Dress: Business casual.
19:00 – 17:30 Retirement ceremony, SFC Colten Baitch, USA
CSM Sam Yudin Award Presentations
Keynote Speaker: Mr. Ken Fisher, CEO, Fisher House Foundation
Followed by Maariv (evening prayers) and Daf Yomi Daily Talmud study: Ch, Lt Col Friedman (optional).
Friday, 07 March:
Dress: Duty uniform or equivalent
07:00 – 07:25 Behind the War on Amalek, Part II: CH (CPT) Michael Harari, USA (optional)
07:30 – 08:10 Shacharit (morning services)
08:10 – 08:15 Dvar Torah (homily): Ch, 1Lt Chananya Steinmetz, USAFR
08:15 – 09:00 Breakfast
09:00 – 09:30 Army Chaplaincy Update:
- Spouses: Employment Opportunities: Blue Star
09:30 – 10:00 Navy Chaplaincy Update: RADM Gregory Todd, USN CHC, US Navy Chief of Chaplains
- Spouses: What to Know About PCSing: LTC Steven Kelly, USA Ret.
10:00 – 10:30 USAF Chaplaincy Update: Ch, Maj Gen Trent Davis, USAF Chief of Chaplains
- Spouses: What to Know About Wills: Mrs. Hillary Kleinman, Esq.
10:30 – 11:00 Q &A with the Chiefs of Chaplains
11:00 – 11:15 Break
Spouses: Mikvah and the Military: Answering the Questions
11:15 – 11:45 Medical Readiness: COL Brian Friedland, USA
11:45 – 12:00 DLA Update: SFC Michael Hyer, USA, DLA NCOIC
12:00 – 13:00 Lunch
13:00 – 14:00 Break out sessions
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- Chaplains: Case studies: Combat and Stress. Groups will be announced by name. (Classroom 1)
- Lay Leaders: DRGLs and the Creation of Community: Col Michele Olsen, USAF (Classroom 5)
- Spouses: The Transition In and Out of the Military: Mrs. Batia Gold, Blue Star
14:00 – 14:30 Ukrainian Conflict Update: Major General Borys Krementskyi, Ukrainian Air Force, Defense Attache to the United States
14:35 – 15:00 European Theatre Update: Col Michele Olsen, USAF, Director of ISR, USAFE and AFAFRICA
15:00 – 15:30 Daf Yomi daily Talmud study: Ch, Lt Col Friedman (optional)
15:00 – 17:00 PT and Shabbat prep
Shabbat – Friday Evening:
Dress: Class A uniform or equivalent
17:00 – 17:30 Formal group photo in The Shul sanctuary. Mandatory – must be on time!
17:30 – 18:15 Cadet Program: CH (CPT) Michael Harari, USA; Ch, Capt Noteh Glogauer, CAF (Classroom 3)
18:07 Candle Lighting (in the Shul lobby) and Mincha (afternoon services), followed by Kabbalat Shabbat (Welcoming the Sabbath prayers): CH (MAJ) Elisar Admon, USAR
19:00 Shabbat dinner
Kiddush (Sabbath benediction):
Hamotzi (blessing over bread): CH (MAJ) David Ruderman, USA
Introduction of special guests: Rabbi Aaron Lipskar
Welcome: Rabbi Sholom Lipskar
Bat Mitzvah: Ms. Feina Ruderman
Introduction of Academy cadets: COL Benjamin Wallen, USA
Keynote Speaker:
Grace after Meal:
Shabbat Day, 08 March:
Dress: Class A uniform or equivalent
08:00 – 09:00 Cake and coffee (Social Hall)
08:25 – 08:55 Behind the War on Amalek: Ch, Maj Elie Estrin, USAFR (optional – Social Hall)
09:00 Shacharit (morning services): Ch, Lt Col Joseph Friedman, USAF
10:00 – 11:00 Cadet Program: (Men’s Lounge, new building, third floor)
Prayer for the United States: CH (COL) Sanford Dresin, USA Ret.
Prayer for US Armed Forces: CH (COL) Jacob Goldstein, USA Ret.
Prayer for the Land of Israel: LTC Rabbi Yedidya Atlas, IDF
Prayer for the IDF: SSgt Boaz Hochman, IDF Ret.
Introduction to the Guest Speaker: Rabbi Sholom Lipskar
Guest speaker: COL Jack Jacobs, USA Ret., Medal of Honor Recipient
11:30 Musaf prayers:
12:00 – 14:00 Community Kiddush (collation – Social Hall)
15:00 – 18:00 Free time
1700 – 17:30 An Inspirational Charge: (for spouses and female service members – Classroom 1)
17:30 Community Women’s Torah class: Mrs. Chani Lipskar, The Shul Rebbetzin (Classroom 1)
17:15 – 18:00 Daf Yomi Daily Talmud study: Ch, Lt Col Friedman (optional)
18:20 Seudat Shlishit (light dinner – Social Hall)
Dvar Torah (homily): CH (COL) Ari Soussan, USA
Grace after meal:
19:01 Shabbat concludes. Maariv (evening services) and Havdalah (Sabbath conclusion ceremony)
Evening: free time
19:45 – 20:45 Father and Children community learning program (Social Hall)
20:00 – 21:00 Spouse’s night out (Classroom 5)
Sunday, 09 March:
Dress: Duty uniform or equivalent
07:30 – 07:55 Behind the Mask of Purim: LT Joshua Rubin, USN (optional)
08:00 – 08:40 Shacharit (morning services)
08:40 – 08:45 Dvar Torah (homily): LT Noah Leavitt, USCGA
08:45 – 09:30 Break-out sessions by branch over breakfast: (Social Hall)
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- USA Moderator: CH (COL) Ari Soussan, USA
- USN/USCG/USMC Moderator: CDR Aaron Kleinman, USN CHC
- USAF/USSF Moderator: Ch, Col Yaakov Bindell, USAF
- NATO/Allied Moderator: CH (LTC) Shlomo Shulman, USA
9:30 – 10:15 Combating Anti-Semitism: Rabbi Meyer May, Executive Director, The Simon Wiesenthal Center; Mrs. Karen Paiken-Barall, VP Government Relations, Jewish Federations of North America
10:20 – 11:30 Halachic Decisions in Wartime: Rabbi Dov Shochet; LTC Rabbi Yedidya Atlas, IDF
11:30 – 11:40 Break
11:40 – 12:15 Joshua: Anatomy of a Leader: Ch, Lt Col Joseph Friedman, USAF
12:15 – 12:30 Inspirational Charge: Rabbi Sholom Lipskar, Founder of the Aleph Institute
12:30 – 13:30 Hot Wash, boxed lunches
13:30 – 13:45 Mincha (afternoon prayers)
13:45 – 14:30 Daf Yomi Daily Talmud study: Ch, Lt Col Friedman (optional)
Sunday afternoon: Individual consultations with Rabbi Dresin by appointment (Hamie Library)
13:45 – 14:45 New and Incoming Chaplain Session. (Mandatory for applicants, chaplain candidates and under three-year chaplains.)
Tzeitchem Leshalom. See you next year, B’ezrat Hashem!
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