When residents in the Mitzpei Yishai neighborhood of Kedumim in Shomron invited soldiers to Friday night seuda as is customary, they were surprised to hear from a soldier “I may not eat in your home and I cannot come to shul for minyan without an officer accompanying me”, the weekly B’Sheva newspaper reports.
Residents surmise the new directive probably stems from the fact that soldiers who recently took part in tefillos on shabbos returned to their outpost with parsha sheets including articles supporting insubordination. Sadly, soldiers admit that the new restriction compelling an officer to accompany them to shul, has resulted in davening alone instead of in a shul with a minyan.
The restriction prohibiting soldiers from enjoying seudas shabbos in the homes of yishuv residents was first handed down by Shomron Brigade Commander Colonel Itzik Bar.
The Office of the IDF Spokesperson released a statement that the restriction addresses the personal safety of soldiers, seeking to prevent them from wandering around in ‘tense security areas’. The office of the IDF Rabbinate has declined comment, explaining the matter does not pertain to the military Rabbanut.
Other military “sources” are quoted as saying the restrictions are not on davening in shul or eating in one’s home, but to remain on alert and prepared to respond at all times. Those able to maintain their level of preparedness are indeed permitted to attend shul. Regarding Friday night seuda, the military simply prefers soldiers partake in the communal military seudas shabbos rather than forgo the ‘experience’.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
6 Responses
NO FRATERNIZING WITH THE ENEMY!
Sad parshah for the soldiers and residents. The residents of Yehudah and Shomron are huge at the mitzvah of ‘hachnasah orchim’ and to prevent the soldiers from a shabbos seudah/davening is a let down to both sides.
very smart.
you support the settlers, but publicly condemn them to the point where no one even eats with them…plausible deniability
Why don’t you refrain from giving credence to the Anti-Israeli campaign to label the residents of Shomron and Yehudah as *settlers* as if they were criminals engaged in illegal activity. They are our Jewish brethren and deserve the right to reside as *residents*.
So the soldiers were propagandized to indulge in insubordination and refusing to obey orders? Sounds to me like the good people of Shomron have their own agenda.
As someone who has worked in kiruv, I can testify that inviting people the Shabbos seudah (and to doven) are primary steps in winning over the guests. Are the people of Shomron conducting their own form of “kiruv” to win soldiers to their viewpoint that they should not obey orders if it goes against what the settlers want?
Sounds like the commander of this area knows his practical psychology. The IDF has to obey its officers (wether the base dining hall food is up to “home-cooked” standards or not.
Midwest- What’s wrong with people having an agenda to save their own homes. Would you like to be thrown out of yours?
Secular , left wing Israelis are self-hating Jews who have no compulsions to hurt their own brothers. Let me see any other country in the world throwing out Jews from their homes and there shouldn’t be an outcry from the Jewish community worlwide.