For those who have not yet figured out, what is behind the recent hounding of religious soldiers in the IDF, chareidim and dati leumi alike, it is the sudden realization that the core of the best military units today are the soldiers of the Mechinot programs, the kipot srugot, those who are flooding Base 1, IDF’s Officers’ Training School, rising up the ranks since the start of Bnei David in Yishuv Eli some 25 years ago. In addition, there are programs like Shachar that have been showered with praise, citing the high motivation of the chareidi soldiers trained for specific non-combatant tasks in the air force and navy, all contributing to the growing religious presence in Israel’s military.
In essence, despite the growing chareidi bashing in the mainstream media, accusations of draft dodging, the last thing any of the secularists wants is to see the student body of Mir, Ponevezh, Belz or Gur banging on the doors of any induction center. The present situation suits them best, using the avreichim as targets for venomous attacks with the realization they are not reporting for duty any day soon. Some have stated for years that if the Rabbonim Shlita called their bluff and sent the avreichim to enlist, the doors would be slammed in their face!
Realizing that as these exemplary officers continue moving up the ranks, the day is not far off in the future when the General Staff will be composed of Shomer Shabbos Jews, a thought that is simply unacceptable for too many. For those who run the nation, the IDF is the last bastion of true Zionism, fulfilling their Jewish dream and Herzl’s vision. Turning the IDF into a religious institution would leave them without any Jewish identification.
This is at the core of the recent harassment and disregard for the basic rights of frum soldiers, not the IDF’s need for female vocalists or the unyielding schedule that simply cannot accommodate sufficient time for davening, but the new unwritten policy to make life unbearable for the religious to stop the inevitable from taking place, the takeover of the IDF by G-d fearing Jews.
A Channel 2 TV News report addresses the concerns of the rising stars, the kipot srugot community that simply infiltrated the best units, the patriots of the 21st century, replacing the bankrupt kibbutznikim that are no longer interested in the Zionist vision of their forefathers.
The Golani Battalion commander, Colonel Ofir Buchris is the focus of the report, for he is “too worried” about the fact that there are too many kippa-wearing soldiers in his battalion. He feels this reality must be diluted by moving soldiers around, displeased with the fact that the Golani Brigade today reflects the fact that its heart and soul is made of Shomer Shabbos soldiers and junior officers. He explains that he is simply trying to protect Golani and is not acting against religion, but he knows the fiber of Golani is not what is taking place today, perhaps more in line with a shatnez fiber instead of a Torah observant one.
The colonel has already turned to the appropriate officials in the Defense Ministry, calling for help, insisting they must filter out the kipot srugot in upcoming enlistments. Realizing the objective officials are more than happy to accommodate for no one wants to see a religious combat brigade.
As such, a group of 30 kibbutznikim has already been tapped to enter Golani in the November 2012 enlistment, seeking to counter the growing presence of the Mechinot inductees. Realizing the importance of their mission, to bring secularism back to the IDF, they are being trained ahead of induction in a chiloni Tel Aviv Mechina, trained to become leaders to offset the kipot srugot.
Officials explain the move is experimental, and it is not against the kipot srugot soldiers, but the colonel feels “balance” is required to maintain the proper atmosphere in the brigade.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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10 Responses
I honestly think this is a case of looking for a issue that isn’t there. Most chiloni will be thrilled is the frum join the army and work force as they will pay less taxes and there will be a stronger army (or mandatory service will be less).
I’m sure there is a anti-frum guy here and there but 99 pct (actually I think its 100) of non frum isralies I have met have no problem with torah or frum ppl. Its just how many frum ppl behave (as well as not go to army or work and pay taxes).
I’m talking from personal experience.
(Of course I know akuperman disagrees)
so the supreme court throws out the tal law, essentially forcing bnay yeshiva into an army that is trying to keep them out. wow! two jews three opinions! ah freilechen purim
Show your true face Medina!
1. What happens if you have an army that is mostly frum, while the economic and political elites remain ultra-secular? Add to that the demographic fact that many secular Israelis aren’t Jewish, and the number is growing steadily. Would soldiers obey the secular prime minister elected with non-Jewish votes, or would they consider themselves to the Jews. What happens when they give an order to dismantle a settlement, and the soldier refuse.
2. If frum Jews are common in the army they will want to fully participate in the economy. The secular elites will be increasingly threatened. Remember that the goal of zionism was a place where Jews would be free to live like goyim – they even sing about that in their anthem. A frum army probably means the death of the zionist dream – and it isn’t clear the zionists will give up without a fight.
good article.
Was this creative writing or an Op-Ed? Where is this news from? Is there a source? Or was it posted just to get crazy reactions and numerous hits on the website?
#1:
Living in EY, I can tell you that while the average not-yet-frum guy on the street doesn’t mind the thought of a mostly-frum army, the two last bastions of leftism in the country – the High Court and the media – together with the leftist politicians mind and how. And the first two are the ones calling most of the shots in this issue right now.
This article is right on the money. One of the biggest fears of the left is that the army will be, in the not-distant future, filled with a majority presence of Shomer Shabbos soldiers. It makes no difference to them if the soldiers are hesder boys or chareidim. And that is the reason they are picking a fight and making it increasingly difficult for frum soldiers to do military service.
As far as the chareidim, they most certainly don’t want them in the army. The article is correct in that if Gedolei Yisroel would call the secularists’ bluff, the secularists would go into a tizzy – because they would lose their #1 propaganda weapon against the chareidi community. That is also why they have no interest in drafting a law that the chareidim will accept: They would rather draft laws that no chareidi community will be able to abide by, therefore giving them more ammunition.
This is the sorry state of leftist politics today in EY.
Even if your “personal experience” is as representative as you think (and it’s very obviously not), it cannot explain this quote from YWN, “Buchris recently was quoted as expressing concern over the large number of frum soldiers and officers in Golani, leading to the military arranging for secular kibbutznikim to enlist into the combat brigade to dilute the religious influence.” Nor can it explain the rest of this article.
The medina’s true face of “post-Jewish Zionist/anti-yahadus” CH”V is already well-known to those who are simply objective about it.
Tina: You post, “I’m sure there is a anti-frum guy here and there but 99 pct (actually I think its 100) . . . I’m talking from personal experience.”
You sure know a lot of people!
If more people work and join society, it lessons the burden for everyone. Its common sense. Are they against 80 year olds learning torah?