Soldiers in the “Adi” security unit, established less than a year ago for Chareidi soldiers, revealed a disturbing violation of Chareidi norms and unit regulations, including public Chillul Shabbos and a female fitness training instructor.

Kol Barama military correspondent Mendy Rizel spoke with four soldiers in the unit who said that most of the soldiers in the so-called “Chareidi” unit are not frum at all, leading to lax ruchniyus standards that have influenced the soldiers that are Shomrei Mitzvos.

“Most of the soldiers are former Chareidim who are no longer observant at all today,” one soldier told Rizel. “The result: public Chillus Shabbos, fitness training with a female instructor, and a shiur Torah once a month instead of daily, according to the unit’s regulations.”

It should be noted that Chareidi units have strict regulations (that are obviously not being followed) to ensure that the soldiers accepted in the unit live a lifestyle in accordance with Chareidi norms.

A soldier told Rizel, “I told them I wasn’t religious, and they told me, ‘You’ll be mechazeik.”

Another soldier painfully admitted, “For the first time, I began to be mechallel Shabbos during my service due to the environment.”

The IDF spokesperson responded to an inquiry on the report, stating, “The incident (involving the female instructor) will be investigated by the relevant authorities and handled accordingly. In this case, the physical training instructor opened the gym for the soldiers but did not conduct the training.”

The statement added, “The IDF places great importance on maintaining service conditions adapted for Chareidi soldiers and works to preserve them through inspections and dialogue.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)