Pacifist to Padre

Roland B. Gittelsohn, the first Navy rabbi assigned with U.S. Marines, served in the Pacific during World War II. In this compelling book, written in 1946 but now published for the first time, he relates his odyssey from doctrinaire pacifist to "pacifist no more," his training, and his ministry to Marines and sailors on Iwo Jima. His sermon at the dedication of the 5th Marine Division cemetery riveted all Americans, thought it would only be heard by a small gathering that day. Woven through his account are reflections on morale, service, leadership, and interfaith understanding. He illuminates the vital, influential, and uniquely American institution of our military chaplaincy. Pacifist to Padre is the story of a rabbi, deeply committed to peace and hope, who would be called "padre" by Marines and sailors in a gruesome battle. - Back cover. "Pacifist to Padre deftly threads so many elements of the World War II chaplaincy into a compelling and thoughtful narrative. It offers a personal window into a complex institution. It provides insight into the world of an unusual American space that has been naturalized as normal: of government-sponsored and managed religion. And it brings that world into focus from the vantage point of a man who never would have predicted pinning the Jewish chaplain's tablet insignia to his collar, a Jewish pacifist turned military padre"--