Bearded rabbi allowed to join army without shaving

Published on December 2, 2011

A bearded Chabad rabbi has won his battle to join the U.S. Army without shaving his beard.

Debate rages over attack on Jewish soldier at Ft. Benning

Published on October 13, 2008

All sides agree that a beating last month left a Jewish U.S. Army trainee, Private Michael Handman, with facial wounds, severe oral injuries and a concussion. What's in dispute is whether the assault -- at the base in Fort Benning, Ga. -- was carried out by multiple attackers, and if it was the product of an anti-Semitic campaign waged by Handman's superiors.

A Tribute Overdue

By Wendy J. Madnick
Published on May 30, 2002

On a July day in 1944, Capt. Benjamin Salomon, a dentist working as a medic in the U.S. Army, lost his life holding off enemy fire during a surprise attack on his base in Saipan. His sacrifice allowed more than 30 wounded soldiers to escape to safety, but went unrecognized in the military's records.

Fast-forward almost six decades, to Memorial Day 2002. It is the annual holiday program at Forest Lawn-Hollywood Hills Memorial Park and Salomon, who has no surviving family or friends, is finally being honored for his service to his country, thanks to a determined group of local veterans. The veterans, like Salomon, are USC Dental School alumni, some of whom had been petitioning for a medal for Salomon since the early 1960s (see accompanying story).