Soul Repair Center, Brite Divinity School

Thank you to everyone who participated in this year's Soul Repair Center webinars. We are grateful to Volunteers of America for the partnership. The webinars will resume in September.

Recordings of webinars are available on VOA’s YouTube at

Register now for tomorrow's free Soul Repair Center webinar "Traumatic Brain Injury affecting Artillery Personnel as Morally Injurious."

Register at https://voa.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_d0jT45H5RO2A5TpvF7g4cQ #/registration

https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/30/politics/coast-guard-culture-of-respect-report-misconduct-invs/index.html

US Coast Guard leaders long concealed a critical report about racism, hazing and sexual misconduct | CNN Politics For nearly a decade, US Coast Guard leaders have concealed a critical report that exposed racism, hazing, discrimination and sexual assault across the agency.

The Soul Repair Center seeks to represent the concerns and interests of chaplains across the 3 religions within the Abrahamic Tradition. Its mission is to offer resources in response to the deeply injurious consequences of war and violence. The brutal attack by Hamas on Jewish citizens on October 7th resulted in the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, and the subsequent defensive responses by Israel have resulted in the deaths of thousands of innocent Palestinian civilians. We express our deep grief for all who experienced the loss of those they loved. We also express our grief that once again, profound violence has torn apart the fabric of our common humanity. We reject any notion that the crimes committed by Hamas are supported by the Abrahamic Tradition.
Both the Qur’an (5:32) and the Babylonian Talmud (Sanhedrin 37a) have this teaching: “if anyone kills a person, it is as if they kill all of humanity, while if anyone saves one life it is as if they save the lives of all humanity”.
We mourn the murdered, the wounded, and the missing from Israeli and Palestinian homes.
As Rabbi Sharon Brous wrote on October 9, 2023 to her congregation (https://ikar.org/writings/holding-this-impossible-moment/):
“The most natural biological and spiritual instinct is to identify with one another’s suffering. To look at these terrible crimes and shrug, or worse—to blame—not only hurts the victims, it hurts us all. When we close our hearts to one another’s anguish, we create a moral vacuum that only violent extremism can fill.

What I am asking is for us to dare to hold the humanity, the heartache, and the need for security of the Jewish people while also holding the humanity, the dignity, the need for justice of the Palestinian people. For too long, these two have been set up as a false binary. In fact, the only liberation will be a shared liberation. The only justice is a justice for all.”

We remember, and we honor all who served and are serving.

We remember with gratitude the women and men who gave their lives in the service of our country. We hold in our hearts the enduring grief of their family and friends and fellow combatants. Our freedom is costly.

“Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson shed some tears during Wednesday’s confirmation hearing when she was asked what advice she would give to young people, recalling how she had a “tough” time adjusting to Harvard University when she first arrived, having come from Miami as a public school student surrounded by many others who had a prep school background at the Ivy League school.

“The first semester I was really homesick. I was really questioning, do I belong here? Can I make it in this environment? And I was walking through the yard in the evening and a Black woman I did not know was passing me on the sidewalk and she looked at me and I guess she knew how I was feeling and she leaned over as we crossed and said, ‘persevere,’” the nominee said, brushing away tears. “I would tell them to persevere.”
-Washington Times

https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/16/opinions/military-sexual-assault-prevention-fixes-merryman/index.html?fbclid=IwAR2iTDQzOMK1eu4263PShm_pT8m5KmGOwasobPGv68JAIzO-Ogu8U8r8-ew

Opinion: Sexual assault prevention in the military needs these two fixes It's time to get serious about prevention, writes Ashley Merryman. And the fastest, easiest and possibly most effective methods would be to eliminate the policy of handling informal sexual harassment claims at "the lowest appropriate level" and to educate commanders, holding them accountable if they...

Daily Congress Prayer House, August 31, 2021, Chaplain Kibben Afghanistan followed by moment silence "When Rabbis Bless Congress: The Great American Story of Jewish Prayers on Capitol Hill" .. buy the new book here:https://www.whenrabbisblesscongress.comhtt...

We encourage religious leaders of every tradition to remember what an emotionally challenging time leaving Afghanistan is for veterans of that war, for their families, and for families who grieve the death of a loved adult child, spouse or sibling who lost their life in that war. There is also special and difficult resonance for veterans from Vietnam and their families. Please reach out to veterans in the faith communities you serve. Share information about resources for care such as you find below on this page from the VA. Invite opportunities to talk and possibly to gather with other veterans for shared support. Circle back, and stay in touch.
Many veterans are voicing profound grief such as one finds in laments in Jewish and Christian scriptures. Please consider going to the Soul Repair Center site www.brite.edu/programs/soul-repair/ and search in “upcoming webinars” for “previous webinars” to review “Fostering Expressions of Lament and Bearing Moral Injury” April 2021 as a resource for care where you will also find sources cited by the three presenters.

Earlier this week, the US Department of Veterans Affairs provided the following information and resources via email.

Veterans from all eras are reacting to the events in Afghanistan, such as the U.S withdrawal and the takeover by the Taliban.
You are not alone.
Veterans may question the meaning of their service or whether it was worth the sacrifices they made. They may feel more moral distress about experiences they had during their service. It’s normal to feel this way. Talk with your friends and families, reach out to battle buddies, connect with a peer-to-peer network, or sign up for mental health services. Scroll down for a list common reactions and coping advice.
Resources available right now
• Veterans Crisis Line - If you are having thoughts of su***de, call 1-800-273-8255, then PRESS 1 or visit http://www.veteranscrisisline.net/
o For emergency mental health care, you can also go directly to your local VA medical center 24/7 regardless of your discharge status or enrollment in other VA health care.
• Vet Centers - Discuss how you feel with other Veterans in these community-based counseling centers. 70% of Vet Center staff are Veterans. Call 1-877-927-8387 or find one near you.
• VA Mental Health Services Guide - This guide will help you sign up and access mental health services.
• MakeTheConnection.net - information, resources, and Veteran to Veteran videos for challenging life events and experiences with mental health issues.
• RallyPoint - Talk to other Veterans online. Discuss: What are your feelings as the Taliban reclaim Afghanistan after 20 years of US involvement?
• Download VA's self-help apps - Tools to help deal with common reactions like, stress, sadness, and anxiety. You can also track your symptoms over time.
• Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) - Request a Peer Mentor
• VA Women Veterans Call Center - Call or text 1-855-829-6636 (M-F 8AM - 10PM & SAT 8AM - 6:30PM ET)
• VA Caregiver Support Line - Call 1-855-260-3274 (M-F 8AM - 10PM & SAT 8AM - 5PM ET)
• Together We Served -Find your battle buddies through unit pages
• George W. Bush Institute - Need help or want to talk? Check In or call:1-630-522-4904 or email: [email protected]
• Elizabeth Dole Foundation Hidden Heroes - Join the Community
• American Red Cross Military Veteran Caregiver Network - Peer Support and Mentoring
• Team Red, White & Blue - Hundreds of events weekly. Find a chapter in your area.
• Student Veterans of America - Find a campus chapter to connect with.
• Team Rubicon - Find a local support squad.

Common Reactions
In reaction to current events in Afghanistan, Veterans may:
• Feel frustrated, sad, helpless, grief or distressed
• Feel angry or betrayed
• Experience an increase in mental health symptoms like symptoms of PTSD or depression
• Sleep poorly, drink more or use more drugs
• Try to avoid all reminders or media or shy away from social situations
• Have more military and homecoming memories
Veterans may question the meaning of their service or whether it was worth the sacrifices they made. They may feel more moral distress about experiences they had during their service.
Veterans may feel like they need to expect and/or prepare for the worst. For example, they may:
• Become overly protective, vigilant, and guarded
• Become preoccupied by danger
• Feel a need to avoid being shocked by, or unprepared for, what may happen in the future
Feeling distress is a normal reaction to negative events, especially ones that feel personal. It can be helpful to let yourself feel those feelings rather than try to avoid them. Often, these feelings will naturally run their course. If they continue without easing up or if you feel overwhelmed by them, the suggestions below can be helpful.
Strategies for Managing Ongoing Distress
At this moment, it may seem like all is lost, like your service or your sacrifices were for nothing. Consider the ways that your service made a difference, the impact it had on others’ lives or on your own life. Remember that now is just one moment in time and that things will continue to change.
It can be helpful to focus on the present and to engage in the activities that are most meaningful and valuable to you. Is there something you can do today that is important to you? This can be as an individual, a family member, a parent, or a community member. Something that is meaningful to you in regard to your work or your spirituality? Such activities won’t change the past or the things you can’t control, but they can help life feel meaningful and reduce distress, despite the things you cannot change.
It can also help to consider your thinking. Ask yourself if your thoughts are helpful to you right now. Are there ways you can change your thinking to be more accurate and less distressing? For example, are you using extreme thinking where you see the situation as all bad or all good? If so, try and think in less extreme terms. For example, rather than thinking “my service in Afghanistan was useless” consider instead “I helped keep Afghanistan safe.”
Finally, consider more general coping strategies that you may want to try including:
• Engage in Positive Activities. Try to engage in positive, healthy, or meaningful activities, even if they are small, simple actions. Doing things that are rewarding, meaningful, or enjoyable, even if you don’t feel like it, can make you feel better.
• Stay Connected. Spend time with people who give you a sense of security, calm, or happiness, or those who best understand what you are going through.
• Practice Good Self Care. Look for positive coping strategies that help you manage your emotions. Listening to music, exercising, practicing breathing routines, spending time in nature or with animals, journaling, or reading inspirational text are some simple ways to help manage overwhelming or distressing emotions.
• Stick to Your Routines. It can be helpful to stick to a schedule for when you sleep, eat, work, and do other day-to-day activities.
• Limit Media Exposure. Limit how much news you take in if media coverage is increasing your distress.
• Use a mobile app. Consider one of VA’s self-help apps (see https://www.ptsd.va.gov/appvid/mobile/) such as PTSD Coach which has tools that can help you deal with common reactions like, stress, sadness, and anxiety. You can also track your symptoms over time.
• PTSD Coach Online. A series of online video coaches will guide you through 17 tools to help you manage stress. PTSD Coach Online is used on a computer, rather than a mobile device, and therefore can offer tools that involve writing.
If you develop your own ways of adapting to ongoing events and situations, you may gain a stronger sense of being able to deal with challenges, a greater sense of meaning or purpose, and an ability to mentor and support others in similar situations.

VA.gov | Veterans Affairs Apply for and manage the VA benefits and services you’ve earned as a Veteran, Servicemember, or family member—like health care, disability, education, and more.

https://tomdispatch.com/moral-injury-and-the-forever-wars/

Moral Injury and the Forever Wars This summer, it seemed as if we Americans couldn’t wait to return to our traditional July 4th festivities. Haven't we all been looking for something to celebrate? The church chimes in my community rang out

Vietnam War veterans express their experiences through music.
https://www.milwaukeeindependent.com/articles/last-thing-ever-musicians-express-vietnam-war-experience-milwaukee-veterans-new-album/

Last Thing We Ever Do: Musicians express the Vietnam War experience of Milwaukee veterans in new album | The Milwaukee Independent Last Thing We Ever Do: Musicians express the Vietnam War experience of Milwaukee veterans in new album Posted by Staff | Jul 27, 2021 | Articles, Featured | Local musicians and the stories of hometown Vietnam veterans are featured in a new album being released on August 8 at Milwaukee’s Turner Hal...

Volunteers of America is offering an online course "Moral Injury Recovery in the Aftermath of Covid" for clergy, chaplains, and spiritual caregivers. The course is 7.5 contact hours and CEUs are available. It is an experiential, trauma-informed, online course designed to help participants learn strategies that support healing moral injury in themselves, each other, and their communities and congregations.

Learn more and register at https://shay-moral-injury-center.teachable.com/

Homepage The Shay Moral Injury Center is currently offering Moral Injury Recovery in the Aftermath of COVID courses to resource chaplains, clergy, religious and spiritual care providers on moral injury recovery strategies.

We suffer from moral injury when our lived experiences—as perpetrators, victims, witnesses, or failed upstanders—breach our moral codes, leaving us disconnected from our core values and with the sense that our moral integrity has been compromised or shattered.

Emerging from the economic, health, and mental health crises produced by the pandemic, grappling with the impact of years of direct assaults on our democracy accompanied by a deepening awareness of systemic racism and sexism, and the rise of antisemitism and xenophobia, a growing number of Jews will be seeking care and support as they deal with the moral injuries they have suffered, witnessed, or perpetrated.

We hope you join us for Moral Injury and Soul Repair: A Conference for Clergy and Mental Health June 2-3.

In conjunction with the Psychotherapy and Spirituality Institute, 8 CECs are available to NYSED certified LMSWs, LCSWs, LMFTs, LMHCs, and LCATs.

To register and learn more about the sessions and speakers, visit: huc.edu/moralinjury

Thank you to our co-sponsors: Psychotherapy and Spirituality Institute, Volunteers of America, Brite Divinity School, Neshama: Association of Jewish Chaplains, JWB Jewish Chaplains Council, HealthCare Chaplaincy Network, Spiritual Care Association, Central Conference of American Rabbis, American Conference of Cantors, Women's Rabbinic Network, The Kalsman Institute on Judaism & Health, National Association for the Advancement of Psychoanalysis