Rabbis will again serve in country’s military

Germany will allow rabbis to return to the chaplaincy of its military for the first time since they were kicked out under the Nazis in the 1930s as officials struggle to curb a rise in anti-semitic attacks in society as a whole. Lawmakers on Thursday approved an agreement drawn up last year between the government in Berlin and the country’s Central Council of Jews. It stipulated that up to 10 rabbis would provide spiritual support to the estimated 300 Jewish soldiers serving the country in missions abroad. Germany’s defense minister, Annegret Kramp-karrenbauer, called the vote “a special sign of solidarity and recognition” of the Jews who serve in the modern German army, called the Bundeswehr, and a “special moment” for the country. “With this, Jewish life is demonstratively returning to the Bundeswehr” in such away that serves as“a visible contribution against the anti-semitism that is growing daily in our society at large,” she said. Germany’s Conference of Orthodox Rabbis welcomed the parliamentary approval as “an important signal, especially in times as these when there is again fertile ground for anti-semitism, hate from the far-right and conspiracy theorists.” Government figures released in May showed that anti-semitic crimes in Germany had reached their highest level last year since the country began keeping statistics. The German Defense Ministry said it had fired 49 members from its ranks for extremist activity or a failure to uphold their oath.