Jewish Cadet Chapel at the U.S. Military Academy - Statement on Meeting With a Committee To Discuss Plans for the Chapel

The Jewish Cadet Chapel at the United States Military Academy will meet several important needs.

Most significantly, it will provide a place of worship and of religious sustenance for Jewish cadets, officers, and members of the West Point community and their families.

Both as Commander in Chief and as a graduate of one of West Point's sister academies, I believe that the spiritual development of the young men and women who are destined to lead our Armed Forces is as vital as any other aspect of their growth.

In addition, the chapel and its associated gallery and museum will serve as a repository for artifacts and memorabilia of the long and honorable story of Jewish participation in the military history of our country, from pre-Revolutionary times to the present. In this way, the chapel will contribute to the education of all cadets, regardless of religion, and to the knowledge of many thousands of visitors. And in a broader sense, the chapel will symbolize both the rich diversity of our Nation and its fundamental unity.

It is an honor for me to commend and congratulate all of you who are taking part in the establishment of the Jewish Cadet Chapel at West Point.