Rabbi Kreisler was my roommate for 2 months at Naval Chaplaincy School.  I can't begin to tell you how many times we stayed up late at night talking about life, religion, and chaplaincy. Neal and I quickly became friends and I truly consider my time with him as one of the most cherished opportunities of my life. I miss listening to him speak about Scripture and, even when we disagreed, he was gentle and compassionate, a trait most of the world still needs to learn and emulate. Rabbi Kreisler will always be my friend and colleague.  He will be greatly missed. 

Dr. Gary Foshee

For Ora and the boys, our thoughts are with you. I'm still shocked at the loss of Neal my oldest friend from the time when we were both babies. Neal has always been a friend with brilliance, insight and of course a unique sense of humor that cannot be duplicated. The loss is profoundly felt.....Tom & Faye Chandler

A great Chaplain I met so many times during my time in the Navy. Absolutely hilarious, caring, and down to earth. My condolences to his family. He will be missed.

-RP2 Seward

I got to know Rabbi Kreisler through Etz Chaim Synagogue in Jacksonville, FL.  He spent Shabbos in our community many times and would pray with us during the week.  Rabbi Kreisler spoke once at seudah shlishis about his learning of the Arabic language and how he used that to learn sefarim originally written in Arabic. He also learned Rambam between aliyas and before and after davening. We understood that he was a true Talmid Chacham and yet he was so humble and unpretentious. I asked him if I should call him Captain or Commander and he answered that I should call him Naftali. We saw how he served both the Creator and his country so faithfully as a Chaplain and humble servant of Hashem. Our community appreciated his service and his friendship. We learned so much just from watching him and being in his presence. May his memory be for a blessing and his neshama continue to grow higher and higher.

I am so saddened to hear about Neal. He was a beloved colleague in the Navy Chaplain Corps whose wisdom, character, and unmistakably unique humor will be sorely missed. He was a light that brightened up a room, and our Navy and Marine Corps is that much dimmer today. May God bless those he left behind. 
-Chaplain David D. Kim

I am deeply saddened to hear about Neal. I was a friend of his in high school and later in our twenties when he was a bohemian poet and I was a starving wannabe artist. Neal always had an outrageous sense of humor and was stubbornly individualistic, refusing to go along with any group think or fashionable attitudes. He loved to fluster people who took themselves too seriously with absurd declarations or outlandish behavior. I was a fan of his poetry which was thoroughly original and reminded me somewhat of Herman Melville’s muscular prose, although it was substantially more surreal. I had just reconnected with him on Zoom last year and we had some great conversations. I have no doubt he was an excellent rabbi and a wonderful spiritual counselor.

Neal was such a warm and loving guy, albeit comedically eccentric. I ended up in his 5th grade classroom, upon first entering his elementary school. He was always an enigma to me, and it was really only after high school that I got to know him, chatting about faith and family. When we were sophomores, Neal became close friends with my older brother Dave. And even though they lost touch now over the and then over the years Neal would reach out asking for my brother's phone number. Those times of connecting via email were great and then all his antics with his family on Facebook were always a joy. He reached out not too long ago saying, “I haven't heard from you lately, did I fall off your friends list?” The last time I spoke with him was this past fall with Neal once again asking for my brother’s number. They had a long chat. Last night Dave and I had such a long, deep conversation about Neal, how we’d both wanted to get out there and be able to see him when we were visiting family a state away. Dave had a memory from high school of seeing Neal through the open door of English class in senior year. Neal was standing there outside the door with one leg up as if he were playing Jethro Tull on his flute. Those are my most vivid memories of Neal, playing his flute and skipping through the halls as if he were the pied piper playing Jethro Tull’s Bourée. He’s probably playing it for Bach right now! Neal, thanks for teaming up with me to have a Zoom memorial for Becky Thompson from Lone Hill. I can imagine you’re both having a hoot up in heaven! Ora and the boys our prayers are with you as you circumnavigate this new life. And Neal I will see you again! <3

I am so sorry for your loss. Neal was a unique character as a child. We went to school together since elementary school. I enjoyed philosophical and political conversations with him recently through Facebook. He was very intelligent and I enjoyed and learned so much from his insightfulness.  My prayers go out to all his family. Again I am so sorry he was way to young. 

Neil was my colleague at Main Campus. He was one of the best Jewish Chaplains I know, and it was a privilege and a joy to be together on the same team with him. Neil had so much love and laughter to offer to our team. I admired his perseverance in what he thought "being Jewish" means. His love for the Hebrew language and Israeli culture allowed us to make an immediate connection. Ora, I know how much he adored you and the kids. My heart aches and there are no good words to describe your loss. Sending you AHAVA and may his memory bring you comfort. 

Neal was my best friend when we went through Navy Chaplain School. He was a remarkable man with a brilliant photogenic mind and a wonderful sense of humor. We stayed close through the years, but had no udea he would leave us so soon. My heart is broken. The world is a sadder place without him. I am praying for his family, I feel your loss. I will never forget you Neal.
Your dear friend, Chaplain Jim Goebel

OBITUARY

Neal Raymond Kreisler

July 8, 1963 – February 13, 2023

Berkowitz-Kumin-Bookatz Memorial Chapel

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