A number of rabbonim on Wednesday, Tu B’Shevat 5772 arrived at a naval base to put an abrupt end to holiday events that included classes headed by females. It appears members of Nachal Chareidi were being compelled to take part in these classes. Someone notified the rabbonim who arrived to put an abrupt end to the event.
The soldiers expressed their opposition to taking part in the class but they were ordered to do so. They explained their agreement with the military ensures them that such events will only be handled by male soldiers but their objections fell on deaf ears.
Walla News reports that as a result, the order prohibiting female instructors from giving lectures and classes to Nachal Chareidi soldiers has been re-highlighted to prevent a repeat occurrence of such an incident.
Eliyahu Lacks, who heads the Torani Soldiers’ Welfare Fund, stated “I am familiar with the details of this event and I was sorry to hear that the military broke its agreement with Nachal Chareidi rabbonim and soldiers by deciding to ignore it. There is a clear agreement compelling the military to separate Nachal Chareidi soldiers and female IDF personnel for if not, they would not be serving. Today, a female soldier gives a class and tomorrow, they will be compelled to hear women singing. We cannot exercise restrain regarding such events”.
In the IDF Spokesman’s Office statement, the occurrence in acknowledged but adds they is no record of any member of Nachal Chareidi expressing objections over the event.
It appears this event involved soldiers from a new Nachal Chareidi navy program, the first of its kind, somewhat paralleling similar efforts in the air force.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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6 Responses
The title of this piece doesn’t look right to me. Nachal Hareidi is an infatry brigade. It’s not part of the navy.
Assuming she is modestly dressed, and observes all basic norms of respectable behaivor (no yihud, no negiah, etc.), what’s the issue? I find it unlikely they are objecting solely to the women being present, unless there is something else not mentioned in the story.
“…no record of any member of Nachal Chareidi expressing objections over the event.”
Who keeps the records?
#2, their agreement says no women at all. It’s not an outright issur, which is why they remained and didn’t walk out, but it’s not done in charedi society to have women speak in front of men. It’s a matter of tznius. And it was a condition of their enlistment, which the IDF cannot be allowed to violate.
Believe it or not, a female instructor may have knowledge or info that others do not that is essential to give over to these Nachal Chardei Navy soldiers.
#5, There is no knowledge that only one instructor has. Anything they can be taught by a woman they can be taught just as well by a man. And their agreement with the IDF specifies that they will be taught by men; it’s vital to safeguard that agreement, since it is the entire basis for the existence of this unit in the first place.