Jewish army chaplains from Europe have held a historic meeting with their Israeli counterparts, learning from each other's experiences and exchanging stories and advice.
Rabbi Zsolt Balla is the Jewish chaplain of the German army. He described the importance of such a gathering and the opportunities it gives European rabbis to learn from their IDF counterparts.
Rabbi Nir Nadav, a rabbi attached to the British army, noted the differences between the IDF, where rabbis deal with an entirely Jewish army, and rabbis in other armies where Jewish soldiers serve in completely non-Jewish environments.
Rabbi Israel Muller, the chief rabbi of the Belgian armed forces, noted that Jewish soldiers who enlist in the Belgian army are usually far from mitzvah observance but are nevertheless connected to their Jewish identity and seek out a rabbi's help in preserving this in the face of difficulties they experience.
Rabbi Nadav added that although non-Jewish armies are usually entirely unfamiliar with the specific needs of Jewish soldiers, once apprised of these needs the commanding officers are generally extremely accommodating. "They have a lot of admiration for Jew who serve in the armed forces," Rabbi Balla confirmed.