Honoring the USNA Class of 2026: Faith, Service and Remembrance

Magnificent Baccalaureate Service at the United States Naval Academy’s Commodore Uriah Levy Center and Jewish Chapel for the Class of 2026! Celebrated on a 250th National Shabbat to boot! These soon-to-be officers will serve as USN and USMC Pilots, Submariners, Surface Warriors, Information Warfare Professionals, and USMC Ground Officers!

Baccalaureate ceremonies most often precede a main commencement ceremony, focusing on spiritual reflection and recognizing graduates’ achievements … This is part of the “moral” component of USNA’s mission to develop Midshipmen, “Mentally, Morally and Physically.”

Bravo Zulu to future Ensigns Ryan Binder, Evan Corle, David Ross, David Rothenberg, 2nd Lt Mori Sokoloff, Ben Usadi, and Sam Zimmerman

Inspirational keynote from CAPT (Sel) Jordan Adler, USNA Class of ’08 (Commanding Officer, Naval Communications Security (COMSEC) Material System (NCMS).

Honored to be joined by the JWB Jewish Chaplains Council’s Hadassah (Dassie) Nitzan, and Scott Schlesinger, Commander of the Jewish War Veterans of the U.S.A.’s Maryland, DC, and Israel chapter, who provided these future Jewish Lay Leaders essential materials to lead services afloat and far afield, and engraved kiddish cups to graduating seniors.

Also among the award presenters was USNA’s fourth Rabbi (R4), CDR Jonathan A. Panitz USN (Ret), who was present at the meeting as USNA’s Jewish Chaplain when our Levy Center and Jewish Chapel 30+ years ago.

Special swords presented to :

— Sam Zimmerman, a future Intelligence Officer, who was awarded the LT Darin Pontell memorial sword, in honor of the USNA Class of ’98 Intelligence Officer who was killed in the Pentagon on 9/11 (sword presented by Darin’s widow, Devora Wolk Kirschner), and

— David Ross, a future Navy Pilot, who was awarded the MIDN Justin Zemser memorial sword, in honor of the USNA Class of ’17 member who was tragically killed during this week 10 years ago in an Amtrak accident following his Youngster (sophomore) year at USNA.

— May Darin’s and Justin’s memories be a blessing.