What do Jews do in the Armed Forces? Exactly the same as their non-Jewish fellow soldiers, sailors, pilots, engineers, officers, administrators and other personnel. In his talk at the oneg after the service on 18 June, Dan Weil explained what goes on in each of the armed forces, a little of the politics behind it, a lot about the equipment - from smaller kit to state-of-the-art aircraft and warships - and the importance of the co-operation between and within national and international forces.

He reminded us of many of the non-combat but essential roles played by service personnel, such as supporting peace-keeping initiatives; preventing piracy, drug-running and other impediments to the free movement of legitimate traffic; helping out at home, for example when a bridge was swept away in flooding - who else could build a newone in four days? - he asked; and even standing in for striking firemen. He emphasised that the forces were subject to foreign policy decisions and asked his audience to think carefully about what we want the forces to be doing.

Finally, he gave some examples of what is done to support Jewish service people, whether in a pastoral or a practical way, and of the work done with Jewish youth organisations, such as providing leadership training that is very different from that which is usually encountered by the average Londoner who doesn't see a member of the armed forces from one year to the next. Some of our own members going on RSY camps might be experiencing that very soon!