Camp Pendleton Marine Base, CA (special) -- Navy Chaplain Joel Newman ushered in Chanukah, a holiday celebrating an ancient Jewish military victory, by introducing members of the Jewish community to America's modern military. He held combined Chanukah and Shabbat services on Friday, Dec. 3, in a helicopter hangar at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base.

Several hundred people participated in a service that featured the traditional litany of Shabbat songs and prayers along with such light hearted Chanukah tunes as "I am a Latke" and "I Had a Little Dreidle."

Behind the festivities was a serious double purpose: to better acquaint members of the. Jewish community with the U.S. military, while at the same time acquainting non-Jewish sailors and Marines with Jewish customs. From the standpoint of Jewish civilians, the chaplain said, "Camp Pendleton or the Naval Station could be a mystery ... because you have to go through a gate to get onto a base. "We would like to demystify it," Newman added. Hosting services in different venues is a way of saying "there are regular sailors and Marines working here who happen to be Jewish, and let's see what they do and how they live. "For the people who work here in this helicopter hangar ... they might not have ever seen a Jew, let alone known about Chanukah," the chaplain said. "So this is an opportunity to educate them in a very positive way." Newman has nicknamed his program of visiting diverse military venues "On the Road Again." The road has included Shabbat services on an aircraft carrier based at North Island Naval Air Station

MILTARY BLESSINGS--Navy chaptain  Joel Newman chants the kiddush as his daughter, Emily, 7, cradles a challah for  ha motzi blessing at a combined Shbbat/ Chanukah obbservance held last week in a  helicopter hangar at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base.

and on a guided missile destroyer berthed at Naval Station San Diego. Additionally, services were held at what was formerly Miramar Naval Air Station (today Miramar Marine Corps Air Station) at a helicopter service area and alongside a group of jet fighters.

Although Newman often has conducted Shabbat services in Camp Pendleton's chapel, last Friday's service was the first in a Camp Pendleton venue outside of the chapel. He said other such services will follow.

Newman's wife, Dr. Janet Newman, and daughter Emily, 7, lit the first night's candle on the channukiot during last Friday's service.  Col. Bob Love, a member of Newman's congregation, commented about the services in the hangar: "I think, as an active duty Marine, it is always great to show the American people what they are paying for." The Marines, he added, "have members of all different religious faiths.

HANGAR SHABBAT--A crowd of several hundred persons  participated in a combined Chanukah and Ahabbat servise last friday that was hosted by Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base in a helicopter hangar.

I have Muslims in my squadron. I have Jews in my squadron. And Christians. We are really one big team and it is important that we show that."

Newman said lighting a Chanukah menorah inside a large hangar is not unlike the feeling sailors and Marines have when they celebrate Jewish holidays while on deployment.

"There is nothing that we can't do for the men and women out at sea or over land-- just about anywhere," the chaplain said. Indicating a small, easy-to-carry Torah scroll, he said proudly that it had been with him all over the world, including to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

"Janet made me a cover so I could take it with me to Somalia for Chanukah in 1992, when they sent me over to East Africa," he recalled. "So wherever they are, we are trying to take care of them." Support of the military chaplaincy by the local Jewish community, he said, "helps me to support them all over the world."