After long gap, JBER once again has a Jewish chaplain

by Chris McCann
JBER Public Affairs

8/21/2014 - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- He wanted to be an astronaut.

Armed with an undergraduate degree in astrophysics, he was commissioned into the Air Force, ready to achieve his dream.

Instead, he was made a missileer and chose to be stationed at Minot Air Force Base, N.D.
Now, he's a Jewish chaplain.

Air Force Chaplain (Capt.) Michael Bram was raised in Milwaukee, Wis., as a Reform Jew.
"My father and I went to synagogue every Friday night," he said.

Reform (or Progressive) Judaism is fairly secular in nature, and does not regard traditional Jewish laws as binding, but rather focuses on personal autonomy and responsibility.
Before making a duty-station choice, Bram looked at the telephone directories for communities around the Air Force bases - in Minot; Cheyenne, Wyo.; and Great Falls, Mont. Minot had a synagogue, so he chose Minot.

"If I'd picked up the phone and called, I'd have discovered the line had been disconnected for years," he said with a laugh. "The synagogue was open two days a year - Rosh haShanah and Yom Kippur."

However, religious observance was still important to him. There were two other Jewish service members on the base, and the three of them got permission to use the town's synagogue for weekly services. After a year, he said, one of them made a permanent change-of-station move, and Bram became the lay leader. His job as a missileer gave him the perfect opportunity to study more about his faith.

"You're sitting there in the capsule for 24 hours," he said. "Most days, there's not a lot to do. The week of 9/11 was a little crazy, but mostly you've got about six hours of work and then ... nothing."

Fortunately, he'd gotten to know a couple of Jewish chaplains in the Air Force. They provided lists of books, and Bram had time to read.

"Being a lay leader became more important to me than my real job," he said. He started leading services out of an Orthodox siddur, or prayer book. He visited one of the chaplains, an Orthodox rabbi, at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo., and spent a Sabbath with the family.

"My first [Sabbath] back, we had our morning service, and we were done by 9:30 a.m.," he said. After experiencing how an Orthodox family observes Sabbath, merely going through the prayer book fell more than a little flat.

He wanted to become Orthodox. But the reality of the Air Force - especially in his career field - meant he wouldn't be able to do so.

"I had no idea what to do, but I knew I'd have to leave the Air Force, and I was sad," he said. He made plans to go to a yeshiva - similar to a seminary - and leave active duty behind.

Then someone suggested he become a chaplain.

"Initially I dismissed it. Then I realized I could stay in the Air Force and have the best of both worlds," he said.

He was released from active duty and went to Monsey, N.Y., a community with about 30,000 Orthodox Jews, to attend Ohr Somayach Educational Center, a yeshiva which caters to students with little or no background in Jewish studies.

"I loved every minute of it," he said. "I wouldn't trade it for the world."

After three years, he completed his studies there and receieved his semikha, or ordination as a rabbi, and returned to the Air Force; he was stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. He quickly discovered that his prior service, being in a vastly different career field, had not quite equipped him for the current mission.

"It was like drinking from a firehose," he said. "But the staff mentored me. Still, it was a challenge to reassimilate, and I had to learn things."

After three years there, he moved to Joint Base San Antonio, where he spent three years, and came to JBER in July.

Orthodox Judaism, much like the military, has "rules" that can seem strange to those who aren't used to them.

A Soldier doesn't smoke while walking in uniform; an observant Jew doesn't answer the phone on the Sabbath. But the 24/7 nature of military service means Jewish observance may be challenging.

Bram hasn't found that to be a problem.

"People are very accomodating, I think because I am accomodating," he said.

For example, driving on Sabbath is not permitted, but Bram needed to be available during the Arctic Thunder Open House in July. He stayed on base so he wouldn't need to drive. He works on Christian holidays, freeing up those chaplains.

"We find creative ways to make it work," he said. "And I'm pragmatic. Not everyone can live in Monsey."

His kippah, or yarmulke, is distinctive, but the question he gets most about it is how he manages to make it stay on.

Sometimes, being different is a benefit.

"Christians sometimes come to me when they're questioning their faith," he said. "They believe - wrongly believe - that a Christian chaplain will judge them or push them. So they prefer to talk to a non-Christian."

Like any chaplain, Bram said he doesn't steer people toward any religion in particular, or any religion at all - he's just there to offer support and guidance.

After many years without a Jewish chaplain on JBER, Bram is starting a program of services.

On Sept. 7, a kickoff barbecue will be hosted at the 611 Chalet on JBER-Elmendorf. The chalet is near Sixmile Lake; take Fairchild Avenue around the back of the flightline and follow the signs.

Shabbat evening services will take place the first Friday of each month, beginning Sept. 5 at the Heritage Chapel at 6 p.m.

For the High Holidays, Rosh haShanah services will be at the Heritage Chapel Sept. 24 and 25 at 7 p.m., followed by a kiddush. The Yom Kippur Kol Nidrei service will be at 7 p.m. Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. There will be Yom Kippur Shacharit and Musaf services Oct. 4 at 9 a.m., and Ne'ilah at 7 p.m., followed by a kiddush.

For more information, call the Religious Operations Center at 552-5762 or 384-1461.