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Earlier this month, I had the distinct honor of attending the 19th Annual Aleph Military Symposium & Training Program in Surfside, Florida — a gathering of military chaplains, command staff, cadets, allied representatives, and lay leaders dedicated to strengthening Jewish life and ethical leadership in the armed forces.
This year’s theme — “Artificial Intelligence and its Role and Impact on Military Operations, Ethics, and Chaplain Ministry” — was as forward-looking as it was urgent.
As military technology evolves at an unprecedented pace, questions of morality, identity, conscience, and spiritual resilience become even more critical. The symposium created a rare and powerful space for senior officers, rabbis, scholars, mental health professionals, and chaplains to wrestle with these issues together.
A Gathering of Service and Sacred Responsibility
Standing alongside representatives from the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Space Force, and allied militaries, including the IDF and European armed forces, was deeply moving.
The program featured exceptional leadership and scholarship, including:
CH (COL) Sanford Dresin, USA (Ret.) – Senior Military Chaplain; Aleph Endorser
CH (COL) Menachem Sebbag – Chief Jewish Chaplain, Netherlands Armed Forces
CH Col Yaakov Bindell, USAF
Rabbi LTC Yedidya Atlas – Chief of Special Projects, IDF Rabbinate
CH LT Col Joseph Friedman, ANGB
Chaplain Aaron Kleinman, CDR, USN
CH (MAJ) Elie Estrin, USAFR – Director, Aleph Military
CH (MAJ) Mendy Stern, USA
LCDR Jonathan Alexander, CHC, USN
CH (CPT) Eitan Lessing, USA
Rabbi Chaplain Flt Lt Samuel de Beck Spitzer – Royal Air Force, UK
Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Brody, PhD – Executive Director, Ematai
Rabbi Yechiel Krisch – ScienceTorah.org
Rabbi Shlomo Yaffe – Dean, Institute of American & Talmudic Law
Judge Matthew Solomson – Chief Judge, U.S. Court of Federal Claims
The diversity of uniforms, ranks, and nations reflected something profound: Jewish military life is not isolated. It is global. It is resilient. And it is anchored in timeless values.
The Ethical Battlefield of the Future
Artificial Intelligence is transforming military operations. From predictive analytics to autonomous systems, the capabilities are extraordinary. But so are the moral implications.
Throughout the symposium, participants engaged in thoughtful, practical discussions on:
Artificial Intelligence and its role in military operations
Ethical constraints in militarized AI
Halachic decision-making in wartime
Moral injury through a Jewish perspective
Conduct and ethical leadership in positions of authorityReligious liberty in today’s military
Advocacy against antisemitism within the armed forces
PTSD, addiction, and depression in the veteran community
The Rebbe’s approach to addressing suicidal ideation
Jewish identity and ethnoreligion in the U.S. military
Strategic updates from the IDF Rabbinate
Resilience lessons from SERE training
Estate planning and legal preparedness for service members
The conversations were not theoretical. They were practical. Real-world. Immediate.
As chaplains, we stand at the intersection of command authority and spiritual care. We counsel commanders. We guide service members navigating trauma and moral complexity. We help leaders think beyond tactical success to moral clarity.
Technology may evolve — but the human soul does not.
Strengthening Those Who Serve
Beyond the formal presentations, the most powerful moments came in the informal conversations — over meals, during prayer, and in breakout sessions.
Chaplains shared case studies from the field. Command staff discussed emerging challenges. Allied representatives compared approaches across nations. Spouses gathered to strengthen family resilience. Veterans spoke openly about PTSD, addiction recovery, and the path forward.
This is the quiet work of chaplaincy — not always visible, but profoundly impactful.
And it reinforces what we emphasize at SoulLinks:
Spiritual strength is operational strength.
When a service member is grounded in identity, faith, purpose, and community, resilience increases. Leadership sharpens. Moral clarity strengthens.
Why This Matters for SoulLinks
At SoulLinks, our mission is to serve those who serve — through spiritual guidance, ethical leadership, and meaningful connection.
Attending the Aleph Military Symposium was not simply professional development. It was strategic alignment.
The issues discussed — antisemitism, moral injury, AI ethics, veteran mental health, religious liberty — are the same issues facing the communities we support every day.
The relationships formed at the symposium strengthen our ability to:
Support Jewish service members and first responders
Provide informed chaplaincy grounded in current military realities
Partner with command leadership on ethical and spiritual programming
Advocate for religious freedom and Jewish identity within uniformed services
Address mental health challenges through faith-based resilience
These gatherings ensure that our work remains informed, relevant, and mission-focused.
United by Mission
Perhaps the most striking image of the symposium was the formal group photo: officers in Class A uniforms standing shoulder to shoulder with rabbis, allied chaplains, and veterans — united by faith, service, and responsibility.
In a world increasingly divided, it was a reminder that sacred duty and national service can stand together with integrity.
The challenges ahead are complex. Technology will advance. Conflicts will evolve. Social pressures will intensify.
But our calling remains clear:
To serve with courage.
To lead with conscience.
To protect human dignity.
To strengthen the soul behind the uniform.
Looking Ahead
We are grateful to the Aleph Military leadership and organizers for creating such a meaningful and forward-thinking program.
The conversations will continue. The partnerships will grow. And the work of strengthening those who serve remains at the heart of SoulLinks.
If you are a service member, chaplain, veteran, or community partner interested in collaborating with SoulLinks — or if you would like to support this mission — we welcome the opportunity to connect.
Together, we strengthen those who stand on the front lines — physically, ethically, and spiritually.
