Frontline USA Rabbi

YU Today
VOLUME 8 NO. 6 YESHIVA UNIVERSITY
MAY 2003

RIETS Rabbi at the Front Lines

Rabbi Joshua Narrowe, a captain by rank attached to the Air Force’s 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, is stationed at Al Jaber Air Base in Kuwait, one of three YU alumni chaplains participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Married and the father of three, including a newborn during his deployment, he is a 1995 graduate of Wurzweiler School of Social Work (of Yeshiva University, New York) and RIETS (the Rabbi Isaac Elchonan Theological Seminary of Yeshiva University, New York). He and his wife Adrienne, call England home, these days, where Rabbi Narrowe is based at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk County.

Called up to serve in the Persian Gulf, he recently took time from his duties at Al Jaber for an e-mail interview (with the YU Today publication).

YUT: Why did you choose a military life?

JN: I first encountered the Air Force at a Social-work job fair at YU. The recruiters asked me if, given my credentials, I had ever considered the chaplaincy . I told them I had not, and a few days later, the then-senior rabbi in the Air Force called and spoke to me about the idea. After much thought and consultation, I decided to apply. About six months later, I became a USAF chaplain.

YUT: In Kuwait, how many Jews do you serve?

JN: There are 13 (thirteen) Jews on this base. Of those, I have a personal connection with 11 (eleven). Most know nothing about Judaism, and being in a place like this gives me an opportunity to show them what an Orthodox lifestyle can be like. I feel it's important to have Orthodox rabbis in the military who can connect and inspire Jewish servicemen and women. For example, one of my congregants has told me that she intends to keep kosher when she comes back to her base, another said they would like to study Judaism after they get out of the military, perhaps in Israel.

YUT: Do you serve non-Jews , as well?

JN: Most of my work is with non Jews. Most of my time is spent visiting troops and getting to know them. However, my main reason for being in the service is outreach to Jews.

YUT: What kinds of problems do soldiers come to you with?

JN: Mostly personal and marital problems, like counseling a woman whose husband divorced her right before she left, and helping a young man get back home because his wife is having a serious mental breakdown.

- posted by Izak @ 3:39 AM