Rabbi advocates 'outside-the-box' thinking at Belvoir's prayer breakfast

Rabbi Niles Goldstein lectures across the country and abroad on issues concerning spirituality, values and leadership. His travels brought him to Fort Belvoir last week, as the one-time Army chaplain was in town promoting his latest book, "The Challenge of the Soul - A Guide to the Spiritual Warrior."
Goldstein spent nearly 10 years in the Army Reserve and penned the first of his nine books the year he was ordained. Besides a successful writing career, he's the founding rabbi of The New Shul Synagogue in New York City and works as the national Jewish chaplain for the Federal Law Enforcement Officers' Association. He's been working with the group for the past 15 years - the same amount of time he's spent studying the art of Shotokan karate.
As a black belt, Goldstein has become accustomed to the style's deep, long stances that provide stability, enable powerful movements, and strengthen the legs. He's also experienced first-hand the correlation between his two greatest passions in life- spirituality and the martial arts.
"There are many similarities between the two that people don't realize. Both express themes of facing your emotions in life and not running away from your challenges," Goldstein told an audience gathered at the Officers' Club Thursday for Belvoir's annual prayer breakfast. "A main sermon of mine is to tell people to face their problems and grow from adversity. It will only make an individual stronger."
Goldstein said he's interwoven personal experiences throughout his new book to make this point, including his time with the Army. As a proponent of interfaith work, he said conflict is actually viewed as something healthy in the Jewish tradition. Often, he says, it comes when you least expect it.
As an example, he recalled a time several years ago when he was horseback riding with his brother in Mongolia. As day turned to night, the two, along with their guide, were invited to sleep among a group of nomads.
According to Goldstein, this story emphasizes one of five key points in his book - that being courage. The others are to remain calm, open-minded, creative and have the ability to persevere.
"Without hesitation, this tribal group welcomed us and made us feel safe. That's not an easy thing to do, especially when you really don't know someone very well," Goldstein said. "It took a lot of courage for them to do the opposite of what most people would do in that kind of situation. That's the lesson I learned that night. We were totally dependent on the kindness of strangers and it turned out to be a great experience."
It's that kind of "outside-the-box" thinking Goldstein hopes more people use in their daily lives. Installation Commander Col. Jerry Blixt agreed there are many challenges in life and the best way to overcome those obstacles would be for an individual to face them head-on.
On behalf of everyone attending the breakfast, Blixt thanked Goldstein for accepting Belvoir's invitation to speak and said there were many things people can take with them from his words that morning.
Goldstein reciprocated and said he was overjoyed to be back among Soldiers, calling his visit a "homecoming." Judging by the standing ovation he received, those attending would be more than happy to have him back.
"Everything he talked about goes a long way in supporting the spiritual fitness of our Soldiers. It's important to remember that faith in character builds strength," said Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Jim King. "Having resiliency is a pillar of strength. It helps us deter suicides and build up families. It also prepares us for future challenges."
Goldstein's book, "The Challenge of the Soul - A Guide to the Spiritual Warrior," is available for purchase through Barnes and Noble and at amazon.com. For more information, e-mail nilesgoldstein@fidweb.org.