Arnold Resnicoff

“But it turned out none of the people I comforted in Beirut asked me a religious question. It was just ‘if I die, tell my mother I love her.’ Most of those Marines were too young to have their own children.”

Arnold Resnicoff · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23

Resnicoff reflected that none of the Marines he comforted in Beirut asked religious questions, but simply asked him to tell their mothers they loved them.

“a complete medical detachment,”

Arnold Resnicoff · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23

Resnicoff noted that Navy casualties from the bombing included an entire medical detachment.

“if the world had more interfaith foxholes, we would have less need for foxholes and more room for faith.”

Arnold Resnicoff · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23

Resnicoff concluded that the Beirut bombing showed him interfaith cooperation could reduce conflict and create more space for faith.

“was always a struggle”

Arnold Resnicoff · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23

Resnicoff reported that gaining permission for Jewish service members to wear the kippah was an ongoing struggle before the Beirut bombing.

“the big, four-story building was gone with the smoke.”

Arnold Resnicoff · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23

Resnicoff described the scene outside after the Marine barracks bombing destroyed a four-story building.

“I told him what happened to my kippah, so he tore a piece of his camouflage uniform and put it on my head.”

Arnold Resnicoff · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23

Resnicoff recounted how Pucciarelli tore a piece of his camouflage uniform to make a replacement head covering after the bombing.

“These tough Marines were crying, helping their fellow military personnel,”

Arnold Resnicoff · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23

Resnicoff described Marines crying as they helped recover bodies from the rubble over four days.

“But that probably saved my life.”

Arnold Resnicoff · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23

Resnicoff believed staying with Pucciarelli instead of Wheeler's residence likely saved his life.

“For two years, this amendment had failed. And then, in the Congressional Record, they told the story of this priest making this head covering for me,”

Arnold Resnicoff · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23

Resnicoff described how the story of the camouflage kippah appearing in the Congressional Record helped pass the Religious Apparel Amendment.

“The tradition is if you visit the family during that period, you don’t initiate the conversation, just show your concern and love through your presence, and if the mourners talk to you, then you have a conversation. So, when I would go from Marine to Marine, they were digging up the bodies of their comrades, I used that Jewish approach. I didn’t start the conversation, I just stood next to them to show them I was there, and then if they wanted to talk, I talked.”

Arnold Resnicoff · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23

Resnicoff explained how he applied a Jewish mourning tradition of silent presence while ministering to Marines digging out bodies.

“who evidently appreciated it,”

Arnold Resnicoff · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23

Resnicoff recalled that President Ronald Reagan shared his report on the Beirut experience with 20,000 Baptists.

“Who knows what it was we talked about,”

Arnold Resnicoff · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23

Resnicoff reminisced about a conversation with Catholic chaplain George Pucciarelli the night before the bombing.

“After the death, we have a week of family gathering around and telling stories about the person who died,”

Arnold Resnicoff · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23

Resnicoff explained the Jewish tradition of shiva, a week of family gathering after a death to share stories about the deceased.

“went to one body on the ground, I went to another. We just cradled these wounded men and said, ‘Help is coming.’”

Arnold Resnicoff · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23

Resnicoff described how he and Pucciarelli cradled wounded men in the rubble and reassured them help was coming.

“a coincidence is just God acting anonymously.”

Arnold Resnicoff · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23

Resnicoff's experiences in Beirut and advocacy thereafter led to his belief about coincidence and divine action.

“got bloody and dirty and lost.”

Arnold Resnicoff · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23

Resnicoff described using his kippah to wipe blood and dirt from wounded Marines' faces until it was lost.

“these terrible, terrible screams”

Arnold Resnicoff · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23

Resnicoff recalled hearing screams coming from the building 50 yards away after the bombing.

“probably because he knew he was going to have to say many last rites.”

Arnold Resnicoff · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23

Resnicoff described Pucciarelli putting on his purple stole after the bombing, anticipating he would perform many last rites.

“I always used to believe that the military was ahead of the civilian world when it came to understanding and working together. And when you’re in a foxhole or a bunker, you don’t really care if the guy next to you is a Democrat or Republican or independent, you don’t really care what their religion is. You just care that they’re going to protect you like you’re going to protect them and we’re all in this together.”

Arnold Resnicoff · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23

Resnicoff expressed his belief that the military fosters unity across political and religious divides in shared danger.

“I was reminded that the role of the chaplain is so much broader and bigger than just being a religious representative.”

Arnold Resnicoff · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23

Resnicoff said his experience in Beirut showed him the chaplain's role extends beyond being a religious representative.

“trained medically to help those left alive.”

Arnold Resnicoff · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-23

Resnicoff described how the loss of a complete medical detachment left no one trained to help survivors.