Givati Brigade Colonel Ofir Winter has been a rising star in the military. He is among the first graduates of the Bnei David IDF Prepatory Yeshiva in Yishuv Eli, an institution that has produced some of the most committed and dedicated officers and soldiers in the IDF over the last quarter of a century. However, as the rising stars move up the ranks, the senior brass finds itself between a rock and a hard place – the realization that the best of its officers are dati leumi, committed to a Torah way of life. Making things worse many are believed to be politically right-wing which is simply unconscionable.

While elected officials fly the banner of ‘sharing the burden’, the last thing the good old boys network wishes to see is an IDF run by shomer Shabbat officers, chareidi or dati leumi. The IDF remains the elite club, one that has managed to juggle the changing national demographic realities and remaining a secular organization.

Former Minister and IDF Brigadier-General Effie Eitam finally resigned from the military after growing tired of court appeals seeking justification for the hold up in his promotion to major-general. For those willing to admit the reason, it was clear the decorated officer was not moved ahead because no one wanted a right-wing hawk who wears a large yarmulke on the General Staff.

During Operation Protective Edge Colonel Winter sent a letter to his troops prior to entering Gaza. That letter contained ‘objectionable’ phraseology including “holy mission” and fighting “HKBH’s battle”, eliciting the ire of many secularists in and out of the IDF. Being the exemplary officer that his is, Winter rode out the storm but his letter remains a subject of comment for some, including Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon.

Speaking to Galei Yisrael Radio, Minister Ya’alon commented on the senior commander’s letter, clearly selecting his words carefully. He began stating “The contribution to the military by the dati leumi community in recent years has been invaluable. I was glad to hear when the dati leumi community arrived, enlisting because it wished to contribute”.

The minister then explained “We must understand that the IDF is an army of religious and non-religious Jews. There are also Druse, Bedouins, Christians and Muslim Arabs. Therefore, when we speak as commanders we must speak in general terms and not as a particular segment. Therefore I believe commanders must speak in these terms to preserve the IDF as the IDF of all the people, not just a particular segment and to use a language that speaks to everyone.

When asked if he would suggest that Winter write the next letter differently, Ya’alon responded “Yes I would. I understand where it comes from on his personal level but in Givati there are soldiers who are not Jews for example”.

If we turn back to the induction of so many chareidim and frum soldiers over recent years we see another issue that applies today, shmitah. IDF Chief Rabbi Brigadier-General Rafi Peretz signed on an agreement that would result in the IDF using non-shvi’is or heter mechira produce towards accommodating the growing number of frum soldiers. He is now under attack from the minister of agriculture, the National Kibbutz Movement and many others, who feel his unprecedented move to accommodate chareidi soldiers and officers is “anti-Zionist” and they insist that he reverse his decision to observe shmitah l’chumra. They are outraged that the IDF will be buying produce from goyim instead of kibbutzim, unwilling to hear any halachic considerations that override their Zionist ideals.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)