In his meeting this week with Brigadier-General Gadi Agmon, who heads the manpower unit in the IDF Personnel Branch, Deputy Minister of Health (Yahadut Hatorah) Yaakov Litzman was taken through the process that an inductee undergoes when reporting to an induction center to give him a better understanding of the process.

With the Vishnitzer Rebbe Shlita and other rabbonim instructing talmidim not to report to induction centers if ordered to do so, Litzman is working as their emissary in the hope of modifying today’s reality towards finding an acceptable process that will be endorsed by the rabbonim for they are aware a increasing number of chareidim will be entering the IDF in the coming months.

One idea being discussed is permitting talmidim to have the medical exam conducted by a private physician, and the results submitted to the military. This would eliminate the need for talmidim to undergo the exam in an induction center, which rabbonim feel lacks basic tznius due to the realities that exist in the IDF facilities, which includes the presence of males and females.

Other possibilities discussed is that a basic exam would be conducted ‘in house’ while the invasive portion of the standard medical would be conducted by a civilian physician outside of the induction center.

Litzman is optimistic, realizing the IDF is making a major move towards accommodating the chareidi tzibur. According to reports, a final determination has not been made. Such a radical change in the long-standing induction process will also demand the approval of the highest ranking IDF officials.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)