Orthodox Union helps make kosher food more accessible to the Navy
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Orthodox Union helps make kosher food more accessible to the Navy

September 8, 2023, 9:55 am Edit
Chaplain Commander Aaron Kleinman, left, with Chaplain Captain Brian Stamm; OU Rabbis Eli Eleff and Daniel Sharratt; and Chaplain Major Elie Estrin in front of the USS Cole.
Chaplain Commander Aaron Kleinman, left, with Chaplain Captain Brian Stamm; OU Rabbis Eli Eleff and Daniel Sharratt; and Chaplain Major Elie Estrin in front of the USS Cole.

A recent collaboration between the U.S. Navy, the Orthodox Union, and the Aleph Institute means that kosher food on Navy vessels is about to become more accessible. It’s been available before, but there are complex logistics involved, including limited storage space and resupply opportunities, making access sometimes difficult. The Aleph Institute began an assessment in 2019 and recently recruited the OU to help.

OU Kosher’s managing director of community relations, Rabbi Eli Eleff, and its rabbinic coordinator, Rabbi Daniel Sharratt, examined Navy ships and spoke with kosher-keeping sailors to compile feedback and create a comprehensive report which will be distributed to naval supply officers, chaplains, and Jewish sailors. It provides guidelines for requisitioning kosher supplies and how to obtain kosher meals on different classes of vessels.

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