Question
Are Jews allowed to serve in the army or defence forces of any country other then Israel ?
I know there are many Jews who serve in the defence forces of the U.S. but according to the Jewish Law is is it allowed ?
Answer
One is permitted to serve in his country’s army. However, if it isn’t necesary,i.e. when there is no war going on, it may be preferable not to serve because the army doesn’t lend itself to strict observance of the Torah. There isn’t a lot of extra time for Torah study, family time, nor is there a Jewish community environment.
Rabbi Meir Goldberg