USNA Chaplain


Rabbi LCDR Yonina E. Creditor, CHC, USN

United States Naval Academy

LCDR Yonina Creditor hails from a family of rabbis, following the footsteps of her father and brother. Chaplain Creditor join the Navy Reserves in Orlando, FL immediately after getting ordained from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in 2012. She selected for Active duty in April of 2013, serving a split tour between Marine Corps Installations – Pacific’s Headquarters and Services Battalion Chaplain, and Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS), Futenma’s Station Chaplain, in Okinawa, Japan in August of 2013. She was also responsible for the Jewish communities from all four branches stationed on the island, as well as providing regional Rabbinical coverage for all American Jewish service members on mainland Japan, Hawaii, and Guam.

She next reported to Camp Lejeune, Jacksonville, North Carolina in May of 2016. There, she was assigned to 2D Radio Battalion, and covered down on 2D Intelligence Battalion of the Marine Information Group, II MEF. She also provided Rabbinical coverage for the two adjacent bases, MCAS Cherry Point, and New River.

She transferred to the USS Lake Erie (CG70), a guided-missile cruiser out of San Diego, California in August 2018. From the beginning of the COVID pandemic, Chaplain Creditor provided Rabbinical coverage for the United States Marine Corps Recruit Depot, in San Diego. After completing two deployments, she was assigned to Naval Special Warfare Group ONE, stationed in Coronado, California in October of 2020. There, she promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander.

Chaplain Creditor reported to the United States Naval Academy in the fall of 2022 and is the 13th Jewish Chaplain (R13).

Previous Chaplains

assigned to the United States Naval Academy

  • CDR Norman Auerbach, CHC, USN (Ret)
  • CAPT Albert Slomovitz, CHC, USN (Ret)
  • CDR Robert Feinberg, CHC, USN (Ret)
  • CDR Jonathan Panitz, CHC, USN (Ret)
  • CAPT Irving A. Elson, CHC, USN (Ret)
  • CDR Joel Newman, CHC, USN (Ret)
  • CAPT Irving A. Elson, CHC, USN (Ret)
  • Lt Daniella Kolodny, CHC, USN (Ret)
  • LCDR Seth Phillips, CHC, USN (Ret)
  • Lt Joshua Sherwin, CHC, USN
  • Lt Yonatan Warren, Lt., CHC, USN
  • Lt Steven Ballaban, CHC, USN (Ret)