"There Were Pieces of Bodies All Around" -Rabbi Arnie Resnicoff

Sep 18, 2024

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Rabbi Arnie Resnicoff’s life took a fateful turn on October 23, 1983, when he found himself amidst the chaos and devastation of the Beirut barracks bombing, a bombing that took the lives of 241 U.S. servicemembers in one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history. Rabbi Resnicoff was in Beirut to conduct a memorial service for Staff Sgt. Allen Soifert, a Jewish Marine killed by a sniper. Due to his observance of the Jewish Sabbath, he remained in Beirut following the service. When the bomb exploded, he was in a nearby building and immediately rushed to the site, becoming one of the first rescuers on the scene. Rabbi Resnicoff spent the entire day pulling survivors from the rubble and providing comfort to the dying. During the rescue, he lost his yarmulke, and Father George Pucciarelli crafted him a new one from the camouflage cover of a helmet. His actions that day were later chronicled in a letter to his wife and mother and in a report used by President Reagan. Today, Rabbi Resnicoff shares powerful memories of October 23, 1983, in the last episode of our limited series: Beirut Survivors.

Rabbi Arnold E. Resnicoff began his naval career as an enlisted man in the reserves during high school and served as a Navy line officer in Vietnam, where his ship was the first to enter Cambodia in 1970. After Vietnam and a stint with Naval Intelligence in Europe, he left the Navy to study at rabbinical school. Returning to the Navy Chaplain Corps, he served on active duty for nearly 25 years, earning the Defense Superior Service Medal for his work with military and civilian leaders throughout Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Rabbi Resnicoff also served as the National Director of Interreligious Affairs for the American Jewish Committee and continues to be a consultant on interfaith values and interreligious affairs. His life of service, both in and out of uniform, reflects a deep commitment to faith, humanity, and the enduring bonds forged in moments of profound challenge.