German Military to Hire Rabbis, First Time in 100+ Years

Photo Credit: funky1opti via Flickr

For the first time in more than a century, the Bundeswehr – the German military forces – is set to hire a number of rabbis as chaplains to serve the needs of Jewish soldiers, Sputnik News reported Thursday.

Under the initiative, the German authorities and the Central Council of Jews in Germany will negotiate a contract similar to that arranged with churches.

Center Council of Jews President Josef Schuster called the initiative a sign of the “growing trust” of the Jewish community in the Bundeswehr “as part of our democratic society.”

There are approximately 200 to 300 Jewish soldiers in the German military, according to the German Defense Ministry.