This episode of Jewish Voices, American Stories shares the stories of three American rabbis who helped shape a more inclusive, compassionate, and courageous nation through their convictions and actions.

We begin with Rabbi Jacob Frankel, whose appointment as the first Jewish chaplain in the U.S. Army marked a turning point in American history. At a time when Jewish soldiers were excluded from spiritual leadership, Frankel’s service ensured that faith would not be a barrier—but a source of comfort, dignity, and belonging, even in the darkest moments of the Civil War.

Next, we meet Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, who believed that faith must be lived out through action. Marching alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rabbi Heschel showed that standing against hatred is not optional—it is a calling rooted in faith.

Finally, w ...