Most cannot recall an IDF Chief of Staff who has done so much to harm Yiddishkheit in the military during his tenure as the present commander, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-General Gadi Eizenkott. Eizenkott has stripped the IDF Rabbinate of a great deal of authority, preferring to hand it over to the left-wing, liberal and egalitarian IDF Education Corps, permitting the IDF to influence soldiers regarding other religions R”L, taking them to visit churches R”L and for many, for a first time in their lives, introducing them to other religions.

The selection of the current IDF Chief Rabbi, Brigadier-General Eyal Karim was preceded with the rav having to apologize for and explain his teshuva on ‘Eishes Yifas Tohar’, for which he has already sold his neshama to get the appointment.

Perhaps Eizenkott’s worst blow to religious Jewry is his mixed-gender units to the unrelenting disapproval of leading rabbonim of the dati leumi community. Even under threat the rabbonim will instruct elite soldiers who comprise the backbone of the combat IDF to leave these units, which contradict Torah and Halacha, but Eizenkott remains firm, now backed by Rabbi Karim. Mixed-gender units will continue at any cost.

Rabbi Karim has just informed rabbonim serving in reserves that if they dare continue to speak out against the mixed units or other policies backed by Eizenkott, he will oust them from reserve duty. While the letter is signed by Rabbi Karim, clearly he is implin

Ironically, as the powers that be continue working to bring more chareidim into the military, the IDF has become a more hostile environment for religious Jews, including dati leumi. Nevertheless, Eizenkott, will not back down to the demands of leading dati leumi rabbonim concerning the mixed units. Karim makes his position clear, that he gives his backing to Eizenkott above halacha and the position of leading dati leumi poskim.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)