JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Rabbi Yigal Levinstein, head of the Bnei David pre-military academy in Eli, has issued a strongly worded statement warning that the Israel Defense Forces has effectively decided to “eliminate” the position of the IDF chief rabbi, amid a growing controversy over the treatment of religious soldiers.
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Levinstein’s comments come after 16 soldiers from the Rotem Battalion of the Givati Brigade were sent to military detention for refusing to participate in an operational mission in Gaza after learning that a female paramedic would be traveling with them in a Namer armored personnel carrier.
In his statement, Levinstein accused the military of forcing religious soldiers to violate their religious obligations under the guise of operational necessity.
“Under the pretext of operational necessity, the IDF is forcing religious soldiers to commit halachic violations and enter a Namer with female paramedics,” Levinstein wrote.
He placed particular blame on the IDF’s Manpower Directorate, arguing that the current situation was the result of a long-term policy. “For 15 years, the IDF has been deliberately creating a process in which there will be an absolute majority of female paramedics rather than male paramedics,” he charged. “In this situation, they demand that the chief rabbi find an impossible halachic solution — either cancel operations or violate Jewish law. This is not how a Jewish army is run.”
The controversy erupted after a force from the Rotem Battalion, which includes soldiers from hesder yeshivas, was ordered to carry out an operational patrol in Gaza last week. The soldiers were reportedly told that a female paramedic would be joining them in the Namer.
Several soldiers refused to board the vehicle. According to reports, additional soldiers subsequently refused to participate, and the planned operation was ultimately canceled. The IDF said the commanders were prepared to carry out the mission and that an attempt was made to persuade the soldiers to reconsider.
Reports also said that the brigade rabbi had approved the mission because of its operational urgency. Separate reports identified rabbis from the soldiers’ yeshivas as having instructed their students not to enter the vehicle with the female paramedic.
The soldiers were subsequently disciplined. According to the IDF’s reported breakdown, five of the soldiers considered to have led the refusal were sentenced to 10 days in military detention, while 11 others received five-day sentences. Some reports initially gave different figures for the number of soldiers receiving each sentence.
The incident has triggered a wider political and religious controversy over the IDF’s mixed-service policies and the ability of observant soldiers to maintain their religious standards while serving in combat units.
Religious-Zionist politicians have rallied behind the soldiers. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said he supported their decision, arguing that they had the right and obligation to serve while maintaining their religious convictions and the IDF’s guidelines for appropriate integration. He also said he intended to intervene in the matter.
Other rabbis have similarly expressed support. Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, for example, spoke with the soldiers and backed their desire to maintain their religious way of life, saying that if the IDF wants to win, it must respect its soldiers and their values.
Rabbi Levinstein, meanwhile, framed the dispute as part of a much broader struggle over the religious character of the military. He said he wanted to strengthen the soldiers of the Givati Brigade’s Rotem Battalion “for their courage and steadfastness in protecting Judaism in the Israel Defense Forces.”
His criticism goes beyond the individual disciplinary case. By arguing that the army is creating circumstances in which the chief rabbi must choose between canceling operations and permitting violations of Jewish law, Levenstein is effectively challenging whether the IDF’s current religious framework can accommodate observant combat soldiers.
The dispute is particularly significant as the military seeks to expand recruitment among religious and charedi communities. Critics of the IDF’s current approach argue that religious soldiers will be reluctant to serve, or that existing religious soldiers could leave combat frameworks, if they believe their religious requirements cannot be accommodated.
The army, for its part, has maintained that the mission was operationally necessary and that the soldiers’ refusal caused an operational activity in Gaza to be canceled. The disciplinary action therefore reflects a fundamental tension between military command authority and soldiers’ religious obligations.
It’s time for the DL tzibbur to take drastic action; Stop going to the IDF; all reservists should resign; close the Hesder Yeshivos.
Religion and the IDF don’t go together end of story!
He’s 100%. So sad.
1. This anti-frum cancer in IDF top echelons must be eliminated at once before it festers further – if they wanna even stand a chance of getting any more chareidim.
2. Seconddly SEGREGATED IDF units must be fully enforeced and respected for true: v’haya machanecha kadosh.
3. The 3rd point is also correct. We have an over abundance of frum male EMTs outside the IDF, but not in it. That hopefully can be fixed soon.
I fought in the IDF, it’s the most corrupt organization I’ve ever been apart of. Besides religion they don’t care about the lives of soldiers & it’s a tragedy!
this is why no frum soldier has a heter to serve atheists.
I hate this story their soldiers they can handle it. I’d like to hope so people get on a bus they spent hours on the bus with women. No problem. You’re fighting a war. You’re saving the country. You have a medic with you be grateful.