Inspiration, Courage, Leadership: Canadian Jewish Heritage Month

May 4, 2023 - Defence Stories

By Captain (Rabbi) Noteh Glogauer

Our Canadian Armed Forces can be proud of an illustrious history of Jewish members serving their country. It is an inspirational journey with vivid examples of commitment and self-sacrifice. One such example was the Jewish chaplain, Captain (Rabbi) Samuel Cass.

Samuel Cass was born in Toronto on May 1, 1908. He graduated from the College of the City of New York, earning a master’s degree in Hebrew literature in 1933, the same year he was ordained. Rabbi Cass was senior Jewish chaplain for the Canadian Army from 1942 to 1946. He later received a doctorate in Hebrew literature in 1948 at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.

Among his many duties as a deployed Canadian chaplain during the Second World War, Rabbi Cass assisted in reorganizing Jewish communities in Belgium and in the Netherlands upon their liberation by Canadian forces. He worked tirelessly with concentration camp survivors.

Rabbi Cass conducted the first worship service for Jewish Allied Soldiers on German soil on March 18, 1945. A picture of Rabbi Cass holding a Torah scroll is one of the most well-known photos depicting formal chaplain services during the Second World War.

In 1939, the Canadian Jewish population was approximately 167,000 people, of which more than 10 per cent volunteered for military service.

Individuals like Rabbi Cass have become role models, impacting our military and the world. He was known to hold true to three core values that have become a shining light for those who share his deep conviction of service to country before self: act globally; be inspired by the highest ideals; and follow one’s conviction of faith while accepting others, regardless of their spirituality.

He supported soldiers who had experienced the ultimate brutality of war, against the backdrop of the Holocaust, and who had witnessed the worst of humanity. In an era of terror and genocide, Rabbi Cass provided compassionate support and never lost faith in the divine, exemplifying the comforting Jewish teaching: “Was it not for this moment that you were placed here on Earth?”

During this Jewish Heritage Month, may we all take great courage from Rabbi Cass. Let us acknowledge the challenges we are facing every day and have the bravery to go out into the world. May we walk with purpose, being true to our identity and being an inspiration to others, regardless of their spirituality. May we hear the call of purpose and answer it. And may we all bring blessings to the world.

Captain Glogauer is a Jewish chaplain in the Canadian Armed Forces, serving as staff officer to the 4^th Canadian Division chaplain.