The ruling of IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz to accept the recommendation of the committee addressing kol isha in the military will undoubtedly lead to strife for frum soldiers in the future. The senior commander has given his stamp of approval for female vocalists in IDF ceremonies, making it clear “The IDF will not discriminate against women”, apparently less concerned with discriminating against Torah observant soldiers and officers.
Interestingly, the test case of the new ruling may possibly come tonight, Tuesday, January 03, 2012, in Tel Aviv, where a ceremony will be held for Shachar (Chareidi soldiers’ program) in Beit HaChayal. The ceremony is however for the expanded unit, not just the chareidi faction, including females, and in attendance will be HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Dovid Grossman Shlita, chief rabbi of Migdal HaEmek, as well as head of the IDF’s Personnel Branch, Major-General Orna Barvibai, who has championed the right of women to perform at official IDF ceremonies. In actuality, Barvibai has all but led the battle to ensure women’s voices can be heard while frum soldiers will be disciplined for walking out of such performances.
Baruch Hashem tonight’s program calls for male singers only, but one cannot know. Listed in the lineup are Yidel and Chaim Yisrael, however, the media is banned from covering the event.
One chareidi soldier quoted by Kikar Shabbat explains he feels the media is being banned because this will portray chareidim is a positive light, a Kiddush Hashem.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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3 Responses
“will undoubtedly lead to strife for frum soldiers in the future. ” — Isn’t that the intent? No other country in the world has ever regarded female singing as a critical for victory in wars, so one should ask what is their real motive. I suggest that as frum Jews become a larger and larger part of the yishuv, we can expect the hilonim to fight back. While they aren’t willing or able to do much about their low birth rate, they will fight in everyway they can to marginalize all Orthodox Jews (not just Hareidim).
We have met the enemy and they are we. Just as in the times of galus Yavan.
This is sh’as hashmad – the intention is להשכיחם תורתך (by creating confusion about what the halacha is) ולהעבירם על חוקי רצונך, so all the heterim that could normally apply are irrelevant. Even someone who normally would listen to kol isha is probably required to leave when these concerts start.