IDF ‘Base 1’ is known to all in the military, the prestigious base where the select few are trained to become commissioned officers. During the past decade or two, with the arrival of the mechina yeshivot on the scene, the number of religious soldiers entering Base 1 has resin significantly as today, a significant percent of new junior officers are religious. The religious presence on this base is a regular event, but now, with the IDF placing an emphasis on mainstreaming women, Base 1 presents serious halachic issues.
Religious cadets have asked to continue training with male instructors but today, they are being told the instructors are women. Some of the mechina graduates admit they were afraid to refuse orders for fear of being ousted from the program, and were then instructed to punch their instructor in the abdomen during training, in this case, a female. They are also being instructed to run and workout together while wearing shorts and tee shirts.
Cadets have been asked to describe the sleeping arrangements and they state R”L this too is the same, without separation. They explain the secular cadets “Hate it too”, adding “we may never enter the female’s quarters but they can come and go from ours are at will”. One cadet explained this includes the shower area too R”L.
One second-lieutenant, a recent graduate explains “there are so many problems, many that one cannot plan for or anticipate ahead of time”. He explains a male and female cadet were sent together to a certain place. there were unexpected delays and the decision was made to instruct them to spend the night in a “Beit HaChaiyal” and return to base the following morning. He adds that on paper it looks okay and we have the right to ask for a great deal but in reality, this is not so and the problems for a religious cadet are far too many. The soldier describes many unacceptable activities that are taking place in showers and elsewhere R”L and there is no escaping the fact the base as it stands is not suited for religious cadets.
YWN-ISRAEL adds that this is far more than just advancing women in the military, but a clear effort to limit the number of future religious soldiers amid a fear the military is becoming too religious and right-wing.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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7 Responses
I am not comfortable with the content here. You can write that there are issues, but I really don’t need to hear details about showers and sleeping together on a Yeshiva website
We need a BIG HUGE MECHITZA, so NO WOMEN CAN GET INTO IDF!
They are injuring Israel’s security, no joke, a great big shanda. Wake UP!
Might not be a good idea to post this article on a frum website. Vihamaivin Yavin. Please ask a Shayla.
They are injuring Israel’s security, no joke, a great big shanda. Wake UP!
Four time R”L in one short article! Boo hoo! Gedolei haRabbonim for decades have said that the army is not a place for religious boys or girls. The dati-leumi snickered in derision. But, lo and behold, one fine day, they are expressing their shock at the “moral deterioration” in the army. It was practically inevitable. Now, it’s their turn to wring there hands and bemoan the situation. R’L!
So let me see if i get this, first they force people learning to sign up for the military and now its becoming to religious so their trying to force them out! Wow liberalism is truly a mental disorder
#5 is right, daas Torah has ALWAYS said it is assur to serve in the IDF, for men just as women, there is no heter for this whatsoever, the beis medrash awaits us. Our protection is from the One Above not from atheists.