Jewish Worship Space at the US Naval Academy "A Symbol of Tolerance"

August 31, 2005

Source: The Jerusalem Post

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1125454956992

On August 31, 2005 The Jerusalem Post reported, "Harvey Stein had a dream: provide Jews at the United States Naval Academy with their own worship space.

Nine years and almost $9 million later, his dream will become a reality with the opening of the Uriah P. Levy Center and Jewish Chapel.

The academy estimates that some 1.5 million visitors will tour the facility during its first year, and is scheduled to open the weekend of September 16-18. This high visibility is a prospect that pleases Stein [to] no end... A full weekend of events is planned for the building's opening, beginning with the affixing of mezuzot and the dedication of a Torah scroll donated by the Israeli navy, and ending with a formal dedication attended by at least 2,500 guests.

The Naval Academy, which educates officers for the Marine Corps as well as the Navy, is the last of America's three main military academies to construct a worship space designed specifically for Jews. Until now, Jewish midshipmen shared a chapel with other minority religious groups."