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HaRav Cohen Calls for Mesirus Nefesh Regarding Elad Girl Drafted into the IDF


idf logoSpeaking on motzei Shabbos before the weekly shiur in the Yazdim Shul given by Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef Shlita, Rosh Yeshivat Yakirei Yerushalayim Rabbi Yehuda Cohen spoke about the girl from Elad who was taken away by IDF authorities from her home and inducted into the IDF. The girl had failed to apply for a deferment because she lives a frum lifestyle and as a result, was drafted. She has since run away and is in hiding.

Rav Cohen explained “They think because she is Sephardi she is hefker but we must be moser nefesh for Kedushas Am Yisrael for Jewish boys and girls”.

Rav Cohen on motzei Shabbos Parshas Eikev explained the case, how an 18-year-old seminary student, a Sephardi girl, was taken into the IDF. Rav Cohen explained the seminary always submits the names of its students to the IDF and military authorities are well-aware of the names of these frum girls, adding “they are chareidi and have no business in the IDF”. Rav Cohen explains it appears the names of one of the girls was omitted from the list submitted to the IDF. “It happens. We know how many mistakes they make. They simply did not submit her name” the rav explained.

The rav lamented how they came to the girl’s home at 2:00 AM, two military police, and took her off to the IDF after which she was forced to wear an IDF uniform. “All the pleas fell on deaf ears” Rav Cohen explained, speaking of the pain and concern of the young lady’s family.

While speaking the Rishon L’Tzion entered for his shiur and Rav Cohen continued, explaining how Sara was taken from Avraham’s tent and now in the tent of Pharaoh. Rav Cohen explained that when they come to “touch bnos yisrael chas v’sholom”, everything must be done on her behalf. “Don’t worry, for the same angels that watched over Sara our Matriarch will watch over her and no harm will come to her and we are all with you”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)



9 Responses

  1. She had many chances to get a ptur, just like everyone else. This isn’t because she is sefardi. It’s because she didn’t follow the rules.

  2. How is it that the Israeli police act like the gesgapo to their own brothers and sisters.

    They should be ashamed of themselves.

    The whole government reeks from their wicket es!!!

  3. He played the race card because the Kappos only do this to bnos Yisroel and never ever to the peace loving Arabs who contribute so much to Israeli society.

  4. Rules & forms to fill out for army exemption is the same for Sefardim, Ashkenazim, Ethopians, Russians & Angloes…..FILL OUT THE FORMS & bring or mail them to the enlistment board. Quite a simple procedure & there will be no headlines..

  5. No’s 1 and 6:
    True they messed up and didn’t fill out the forms, etc.
    However, don’t you think that the treatment is even just a bit disproportionate? The people in charge do see a visibly chareidi girl having been taken from a visibly chareidi home, who is not masquerading as one. Surely more lenient treatment can be given her for her negligence, especially since she is inherently exempt according to the letter of law? Wouldn’t even you 2 commentators, who I am sure are always disciplined, and always follow instructions punctually, like to get a break, in the rare event you made an error? Think about being here place. Just for a moment. Or is that too much of benefit of the doubt to give a chareidi?

  6. To Number 1 &3 – this isn’t the first such incidents with Sefardi girls, not that many years ago they did this to the daughter of a prominent Sefardi Rosh Yeshiva simply because she misfiled on form. Ashkenzai girls who had paperwork trouble were given leniency, Sefardim are not. Now we’eve gone a long way since the 1960’s when the IDF claimed that all Sefardi girls couldn’t be religious because they weren’t the same as Ashkenazi relgious girls. But the IDF has a strong anti-sefardi and anti religious sefardi bias at its core

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