Rabbi Recalls Interfaith Bonds Forged in Aftermath of 1983 Beirut Bombing
Forty-three years after a suicide truck bombing killed 241 Americans at the Beirut Marine barracks, Rabbi Arnold Resnicoff reflects on the extraordinary response of chaplains and the solace found in shared humanity.
Rabbi Arnold Resnicoff was in Beirut on Oct. 23, 1983, not by design, but as part of a three-chaplain team supporting U.S. Navy service members across the Mediterranean. Two days prior, he had arrived to conduct a memorial service for a Jewish Marine. He was scheduled to depart the following day, but as an observant Jew, he declined to travel on the Sabbath, a decision that he believes saved his life.
Resnicoff was preparing to brush his teeth when the Marine Corps barracks exploded at 6:22 a.m. The blast from a suicide truck bomb destroyed the four-story building, killing 241 American service members: 220 Marines, 18 Navy sailors, and 3 Army soldiers. A complete Navy medical detachment was among the casualties, leaving no personnel trained to provide medical assistance to the survivors.
Resnicoff, who had opted to stay with Catholic chaplain George Pucciarelli instead of his usual host, Protestant chaplain Danny Wheeler, found himself amidst the chaos. Pucciarelli, anticipating the immense need for last rites, put on his stole and told Resnicoff to follow him. Together, they and other first responders began searching the rubble for survivors, offering comfort to the wounded.
Resnicoff described cradling injured men, tearing apart his own clothes to wipe away blood and dust. When his kippah became bloody, Pucciarelli tore a piece of his camouflage uniform to place on Resnicoff's head. Pucciarelli remarked on their interfaith collaboration in a land rife with religious conflict, highlighting that they, with different faiths, were standing together to help everyone, regardless of religion.
Wheeler, who had been in the barracks, was the last survivor to be pulled from the wreckage five hours after the explosion. Resnicoff noted that it took four days to recover all the bodies. During this period, he drew upon his Jewish tradition of 'shiva,' a week of mourning where visitors offer comfort through their presence rather than initiating conversation. He applied this practice by standing with grieving Marines, waiting for them to speak if they wished.
Resnicoff also recalled the impact of the bombing on the Religious Apparel Amendment debate in Congress, which aimed to allow Jewish service members to cover their heads. The story of the camouflage kippah, he said, helped the amendment pass, fostering a greater understanding of interfaith pride and collaboration. Then-Vice President George H.W. Bush later requested a report from Resnicoff on his experience, which President Ronald Reagan shared with a large Baptist group.
Reflecting on his role as a chaplain, Resnicoff emphasized that the military environment transcends religious or political differences in times of crisis. He stated that in such situations, the focus shifts to mutual protection and shared commitment. The Beirut bombing, he concluded, demonstrated that greater interfaith understanding could reduce the need for conflict and foster more space for faith.
