Rabbonim affiliated with the nonprofit organization representing Nachal Chareidi are attempting to explain to military officials that the effort to place more women in command positions will add additional difficulties towards persuading chareidim to enter the military, or to persuade them to become officers or view the military as a career. In short, the rabbonim explain that placing women in command posts will make it more difficult to integrate chareidim into the IDF.

IDF Chief of Personnel Branch Major-General Orna Barvibai however has placed great emphasis on the advancement of women in the military as well as integration of the genders in command courses. The Netzach Yehuda nonprofit is trying to explain to IDF officials that the ongoing effort to integrate women into courses and advance them in the chain of command will have an adverse impact on persuading chareidim to enlist.

Rabbi Yitzchak Bar-Chaim explains that if Barvibai continues with her plan to advance women in the military, it will prevent chareidim from integrating into the military as Netzach Yehuda has been working to accomplish. “As it is today, soldiers from Nachal Chareidi and Shachar are hesitant to enter officers training or other courses amid the realization they are not tailored to the needs of a frum soldier. The new program integration program will justify these fears. If this will become the new reality then we will have no alternative but to side with them and dissuade chareidi soldiers from entering into officers’ training.”

If Barvibai’s plan is approved by IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz, then there will be far more integration of females in different areas of the military, including units designed to cater to frum soldiers.

Joining the Nachal Chareidi rabbonim in their criticism is Brigadier-General (reserves) Rabbi Avichai Ronsky, a former IDF Chief Rabbi, who warns the planned drastic change may have a vast negative impact on religious soldiers in the military. He warns that the “planned change is so vast that even the IDF Chief Rabbinate remains in the dark regarding the extent of the change planned”.

Barvibai’s plan comes at a time when the government is finalizing its new chareidi draft law, determined to induct chareidim into the military amid promises the IDF will provide a suitable atmosphere that will permit them to serve without compromising their religious lifestyle. If Barvibai’s plan receives the IDF chief’s stamp of approval, persuading chareidim to enter the military will be a hard sale.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)