While the IDF is boasting increased chareidi induction numbers, the situation remains complicated at best. It is reported that in courses to certify members of the IDF Rabbinate, the available slots are given to dati leumi personnel and chareidim are being pushed out from the military rabbinate. Some feel that the situation is nothing less than discriminatory against chareidim.

Some members of the military rabbinate serving in the reserves explained to Kikar Shabbos News the reason is that the persons at the helm of the IDF Rabbinate prefer dati leumi soldiers over chareidi ones.

Rabbi Moshe Raved, who served as the chief rabbi of the Israel Air Force, told Kikar Shabbos that when he entered the IDF 30 years ago there were more than a few chareidi members of the IDF Rabbinate, persons who studied in chareidi yeshivos including Chevron in Givat Mordechai and even Ponevezh. Today he explains the situation has changed radically.

Rav Raved resigned at the rank of lt.-colonel, explaining the situation today is not what it used to be. “Rav Gad Navon gave everyone a chance to serve, chareidim and dati leumi alike, all serving in the IDF Rabbinate with each person serving his population with the tools to reach his own people” explains Rav Raved.

“After that period the chareidi members of the military rabbinate began leaving. The current IDF Chief Rabbi Brigadier-General Rafi Peretz does not accept chareidim rabbonim for his unit and those present are being ousted” he adds.

According to Rabbi Raved, the soldiers accepted today do not have the halacha background or the skills to relate to their [chareidi] lifestyle and hashkafa”. He adds that prior to retiring, he spoke with one rav who was supposed to be promoted but the promotion was held up because the individual is chareidi.

Rav Raved feels that in light of the current reality, “there is no place for chareidim in today’s military if there are no chareidi rabbonim for he will feel unwanted. Who wishes to live in a building if he is told in advance he cannot become a member of the vaad bayis?”

In the next IDF Rabbinate course that is going to begin there are no chareidi soldiers according to Rabbi Raved’s information. “I am willing to bet there may be only a few chareidim in that course, perhaps one or two. In the past chareidim represented about half a course to become certified as a military rabbi and today there are less because the army has also become muktzah for chareidim and also because they are unwanted”.

Things have changed and as Rabbi Raved confirms, when he took the course it did not require first completing officers’ training as is the case today. Rabbi Raved feels the priorities are confused today for first one must become certified as an officer and only then he begins with studying halacha. Rabbi Raved feels this sends a message that one must first be an officer and the role of military rabbi is secondary.

The IDF Chief Rabbinate explains there are fewer people wishing to enter the military rabbinate today because people have realized the military cannot compete with the salary and conditions of the private sector.

The IDF Spokesman states despite statements from different sources to the contrary, the candidates for an IDF Rabbinate course are selected only by their qualifications, without regard to their hashkafa. The spokesman’s office explains the candidates are selected anonymously when they take the qualification exam. This is followed by a serious of interviews and evaluations which are conducted by professionals outside of the IDF Rabbinate.

In a somewhat related matter, the daily Haaretz reports that IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Gadi Eizenkott is moving to limit the authority of the IDF Rabbinate following the incident in which a lone soldier was jailed for brining and distributing a ham sandwich to an IDF base. According to the report, Eizenkott has instructed the IDF Personnel Branch to weight the division of authority between the rabbinate and IDF Education Corps. The report quotes a senior officer saying “We will make sure the IDF Rabbinate will deal with rabbinate matters and education will be left to the education unit”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)