The Aluma organization will be holding a special conference in memory of Tamar Ariel, the first female religious flight navigator in the IDF who was killed in Nepal in October of 2014. Among the people slated to attend the conference is Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel, HaRav David Lau who has been asked to speak to help bring chizzuk to the attendees.

Aluma, has been a source of controversy over the past few years in the Orthodox world in Israel, as many of their activities seem to support religious girls enlisting in the IDF. Over the past few years a number of prominent rabbanim have come out against the organization’s efforts in this regard.

Aluma was founded in 1983 by the Religious Kibbutz Movement. It strives for the existence of a strong and flourishing Israeli society and it is the organization’s belief that through the advancement of unique groups within Israeli society – towards the acquisition of life skills, an endeavor for excellence, and integration in spheres of meaningful service, education and employment – social mobility will become possible and Israeli society as a whole, comprised of its individual components, will benefit.

In just a few weeks time the organization is set to hold a Shabbaton for female high school seniors who are having a tough time deciding between enlisting in the IDF, doing national service or heading for further education in religious seminaries of colleges.

MK Aliza Lavie from Yesh Atid is also slated to attend and speak to the gathered girls on Wednesday’s conference.

Rav Lau’s office responded to questions posed to him by the Charedi news site Charedim 10 and said the following. “Chief Rabbi Lau is asked to speak and deliver words of Torah at many events in order to help bring hizzuk to those attending. This especially holds true in the month of Elul and the time around the High-Holidays The Chief Rabbi even goes to army bases and addresses soldiers directly, and this is what has been asked f him in this case as well. If the event is indeed promoting the conscription of religious women the Chief Rabbi and his staff will act accordingly. The Chief Rabbi does not support the enlisting of religious women into the IDF.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)