Rabbi David Lapp, who was able to flee the NS regime for the US with his parents in 1940, was in Vienna with his wife, Ruth, at the invitation of the Jewish Welcome Service, for the memorial service of the November Pogroms.
In 2007, Lapp presented the Jewish Museum with a “Jewish Chaplain Kit” containing everything a rabbi needs to support Jewish soldiers in the US Army all around the world: a Torah scroll, menorah, prayer book, cup, two candles. This kit will now be presented at the Jewish Museum Vienna’s exhibition depot.
Lapp, who attended the Jewish school on Malzgasse in the 2nd district, had to flee Vienna as an eight year-old with his parents. His father had previously been arrested after the Pogromnacht in November 1938, but was released and was able to emigrate with the family via Trieste to the US. Lapp was trained as a rabbi there and served in the US Army as a pastoral worker – including in Germany and Vietnam. In the course of his work, he published a prayer book for orthodox, reformed and conservative Jews. – Photos: JWS / Trauneck
On the occasion of his visit to Vienna, Rabbi Lapp gave a series of interviews:
- Kurier: “The Jewish US Army chaplain from Vienna” (in German)
- News: “He heard me and helped” (in German)
