It was a stormy session of a Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense subcommittee on Monday, 2 Kislev, as the forum was discussing fears there is a wave of religiosity taking over the military. One example cited was the letter read to his forces before going into battle in Operation Protective Edge by Givati Brigade Commander Colonel Ofir Winter.
A second example cited was a Golani battalion commander who took he troops to the Kosel to recite Birchas Hagomeil and to daven.
MK (Labor) Omer Bar-Lev, who chairs the subcommittee, stated the actions of the Golani commander were in contradiction to military regulations.
IDF Brigadier-General Gadi Agmon of the IDF Manpower Directorate stated this simply was not so and the military is not being sucked into a wave of religiosity but complying with long-standing rules. He cited there are no compulsory religious services or ceremonies.
Committee member MK (Bayit Yehudi) Moti Yogev, a colonel in the reserves, commented the very fact that the discussion is taking place is incorrect and the session should not be held. “Yiddishkheit is not the enemy of the IDF or the State of Israel” he commented, adding “It is an integral part of our roots here. This represents an effort to uproot Am Yisrael from its roots”.
MK (Meretz) Nitzan Horowitz added “many IDF soldiers are exposed to religious coercion including compelling them to take part in tefilos. These are missionary activities! Permission is given to religious elements to enter bases to engage in religious coercion. I personally have dealt with dozens of such cases”.
The IDF Ombudsman added that during Operation Protective Edge there were a total of six complaints filed, all dealing with a soldiers’ inability to maintain a religious lifestyle.
MK (Yesh Atid) Ofir Shelach added that due to budgetary constraints the IDF has sharply curtailed the operations of the Education Branch. “All outings in the past year were in the framework of private religious elements” he concluded.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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11 Responses
It’s a major concern. I think they have to ban all religious from joining the army 🙂
This just proves they want the religious to go to the army to take away their religion!!
the IDF is getting tooooo religious WOW!!!!!!!!!! we must stop this, fire all those religious types,from private to Generals .And put those anti religious (livny lapid etc) in the IDF, B H THEY AINT GOING TO STOP THIS ONE .U RELIGIOUS GUYS GO!! GO!! GO !!TURN THE IDF INTO FDI= FRUM DEFENDERAS of ISRAEL, CHAZAK
yes——– keep all those religious guys out of the army – GREAT IDEA GENIOUS
Now let’s think this through. They were insisting more chareidim join. They assured them they will be able to remain frum. Now they complain too many are their practicing the requirements of the Shulchan Aruch.
Could it be they were only interested in the chareidim joining if the IDF could significantly decrease the soldier’s commitment to HaShem’s service and our heritage? Not likely, I suppose.
So misguided!
Instead of being thankful for the injection of emunah into the forces, they r gripped in fear.
““Yiddishkheit is not the enemy of the IDF or the State of Israel”
Most Israelis think it is. Especially among the social and economic elites who run the country. According to polls conducted by zionist Israelis, most Israelis regard the Hareidim as a greater threat than the Arabs.
Lol!
“Committee member MK (Bayit Yehudi) Moti Yogev, a colonel in the reserves, commented the very fact that the discussion is taking place is incorrect and the session should not be held. “Yiddishkheit is not the enemy of the IDF or the State of Israel” he commented, adding “It is an integral part of our roots here. This represents an effort to uproot Am Yisrael from its roots”.
I agree with his statement. However, what he and others can’t get through their heads is just how deeply seniors in the IDF and Israeli government disagree with him. This is a fundamental argument between the views of religious Zionist and religious anti-Zionist. We realize how deeply those in power hate Yiddishkeit, while religious Zionist refuse to believe this.
I think today’s meeting speaks for itself.
The social & economical ELITE are reducing in numbers yearly especially as they join their CEOs in CALIFORNIA & Florida.
Majority of ISRAELI JEWS appreciate & admire Torah, Yiddishkeit and mesorah on their levels..
And yet they’re cutting the amount of money they give to yeshivos and they’re trying so hard to get yeshiva bochurim into the army.