During his 21 years of service in the U.S. Navy, Dr. Jeffrey Blair, a retired United States Navy Commander and Medical Corps Officer and father to freshman Ephraim Blair, served as a flight surgeon, responsible for looking after pilots. Jeffrey struggled to uphold his Jewish practice during his service, particularly holiday observance and kashrut. However, one year, Jeffrey challenged himself to change that.
“I wanted to have a Seder, and I had brought lots of stuff from home: canned gefilte fish and that sort of thing,” Jeffery said. “I had everything set up, so we were pretty much good to go … I couldn’t have a warrant to grape juice though, just regulations.”
Military families in the U.S. are quite common. According to the National Library of Medicine, 40% of U.S. military members have children. However, the obstacles they face do not deter millions from making the commitment to their country and families.
On top of observance, Jewish members of the military face antisemitism. In 2021, the Anti-Defamation League saw a 75% increase in reports of military antisemitism even though only 0.3% of the U.S. military is Jewish. Since then, the number has only risen, according to Aleph Military, an organization dedicated to assisting Jewish members of the U.S. military.
“I mean, with my last name Blair, [my Judaism] kind of glosses over, but it’s more the fact that people just don’t understand,” Jeffrey said. “I had a commanding officer who said to me, ‘Why can’t other Jews be like you?’ So I’d say it’s a lack of education above all else.”
Despite these challenges, military family life has many elements that align with Jewish values. Ephraim feels a strong connection between his father’s service, his parental approach and Judaism, describing his family dynamic as structured and “no-nonsense.”
“I wouldn’t necessarily say he’s strict,” Ephraim said. “But it’s always very important to follow the rules.”
Influenced by his father, Ephraim believes that people have a responsibility to do their best and persevere. He encourages other children in the military community to stay resilient while their parents are deployed. Although Jeffrey went on fewer deployments than most, he was stationed in Iraq for several months.
“Don’t get too upset if they’re away, and just work, work hard.” Ephraim said. “Don’t slack off because your parent is gone sometimes. You have to take on responsibility, and it’s your duty to work hard.”
Ephraim isn’t the only student with a military parent at JDS; senior Soleil Eschenlauer’s parents have also had military careers. Her mother is a U.S. Army veteran and her father is in active-duty hospital administration. Eschenlauer’s family values are a big part of her identity and she sees herself following in her parents’ footsteps.
“We’re very patriotic people,” Eschenlauer said. “We really support the U.S., and I personally want to go into the military … I’ve always wanted to go to a military school.”
Although Eschenlauer is enthusiastic about the military, she also understands the pitfalls that come with enlisting. In many instances, long deployments call for a full-family move. Although she is originally from Maryland, Eschenlauer’s family has moved all over the U.S. and internationally, so Eschenlauer now believes herself to be “used to the [moving] process.”
Despite the challenges of service, Jeffrey feels his experiences shaped him into who he is and is confident that he chose the right path by enlisting.
“There are challenges, for yourself and the family,” Jeffery said. “But overall, I have no regrets.”