The daily Haaretz carries the following report on the front page of Thursday’s newspaper, ‘exposing’ the methodology of the IDF Chief Rabbinate, the story of how the military body is working to bring soldiers back to Yiddishkeit.
The report begins by explaining the Chief Rabbinate of the military has expanded its operational base, now entering into the sphere of education that was previously the exclusive turf of the IDF Education Corps, such as reaching out to combat units. The report accuses the IDF Chief Rabbinate of “harming the delicate fabric of relations” that exists between the Shomer Shabbos and non-religious in the military. Descriptions including “religious and political brainwashing” are used to describe some of the methods used by the military rabbinate.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi has ordered an investigating, directing the head of IDF Personnel to ‘define the borders’ regarding the operational areas of the rabbinate and education units.
It is explained the Chief Rabbinate obtains funds from non-profits such as the LIBI soldiers’ welfare fund, and this is use to pay for Shabbosim in Yerushalayim for units, a move which Haaretz explains officers cannot pass up since it enables them and their troops to enjoy an all expenses paid weekend that would usually be too expensive a possibility for the combatants. Shockingly, the Shabbos is held in a religious atmosphere, making it increasingly taboo according to the report.
IDF Chief Rabbi Brigadier-General Avi Ronsky comes under attack for his efforts towards bringing soldiers back to shmeiras mitzvos, explaining that the weekends in Yerushalayim are hosted in tandem with Elad, the organization which is working to reestablish a Jewish presence in areas of the capital now occupied by Arabs. The move is deemed unacceptable, reporting it include “political brainwashing” in addition to the “religious brainwashing” of soldiers and officers.
Interestingly, the program is headed by Military Rabbinate Lt.-Colonel Tzadok Ben-Artzi, a former IAF navigator who became frum and is now Shomer Shabbos. The same holds true regarding Rabbi Ronsky by the way, who too once led a secular lifestyle.
An unnamed senior officer quoted in the Haaretz report explained “the temptation on the part of the battalion commander is great” due to the Rabbinate’s ability to fund the weekends, something normally out of their financial reach.
In June, YWN reported (HERE) there were mounting tensions between the IDF Chief Rabbinate and Education Corps as the rabbinate began reaching out and expanding its projects, entering spheres that in the past were the exclusive operating areas of the education corps.
Seeing the void and in some cases the damage done by the material passed along by the education corps, the rabbinate has decided to act and begin passing along material based on a Torah point of view, deviating for the education corps general secular or even anti-Torah viewpoint.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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17 Responses
So what’s the hiddush? The goal of zionism is to be “Am hofshi” – a people free from the yoke of Torah. Traditionally the army was one of the principle vehicles for oopposing ideologies that conflict with zionism and crushing out backwards practices such as Shabbos, Kashrus, Tzinus, lack of gilui ariyos, etc. The rabbanate’s job was to keep those frummies who joined the hiloni army from getting into too much trouble, or even worse, interfering with the army’s goal of secularization.
We might be able to make peace with even the most fanatical Muslims, but there is no way we can ever make peace with those Jews who see Torah as the enemy.
This is nothing new. Years ago Ohr Someyach in Eretz Yisrael had an arrangement to be the ones to provide the Jewish education for soldiers.
The army soon put a stop to it because they were being to successful in turning the soldiers on to yiddishkeit, many of whom became fully frum.
Just a thought … When we see any Yid who is irreligious anywhere but more notably in Eretz Yisrael we should try and realize that the way they are inappropriately dressed or the like may likely have been different. They very possibly have had the opportunity of a lifetime stolen from them to open mindedly discover yiddishkeit at an opportune point in their lives. Now unfortunately they’re stuck, as is the nature of people to become set in their ways. Don’t we become set in our ways despite all the Mussar that we have the ability to learn and hear shmuzen on?
Racmanah Litzlan
Anoh Hashem Hoshiah Noh
Disclaimer to the high and mighty, know everything that is right commentators on YWN – THIS IS NOT, I REPEAT “NOT” A HALACHIC STATEMENT ON DAN L’KAF ZECHUS!! I DO NOT HAVE THE SUGYA B’IYUN ON MY FINGERTIPS. THIS IS JUST AN IDEA TO OPEN UP THE TRAIN OF THOUGHT IN A GENERATION WHICH WE OFTEN TEND TO BE JUDGMENTAL.
THATS ALL!!
I fail to see the issue. For years te Hesder Roshiei Yeshiva used to address the military, all of it not just the hesder units. R. Goldvicht zt”l, the founder of Kerem b’Yavneh, the first Hesder yeshiva institutued the practice. Things have gotten more advanced with time is all. Moreover, the free exchange of ideas is the corner stone of a free society.
akuperma: Don’t take Pashut seriously. He habitually calls everyone who doesn’t agree with him (or his ultra-leftist, borderline religious views) kannoim. (I’m still trying to figure out how that is disparaging.)
To Pashuteh Yid (#4)- It is not as pashut as you would have us believe. No, the term “am chofshi” probably was not davka intended as an anti-religious term, but it certainly helped create the “hashkafa” of a country “b’li yaal”. Certainly if that phrase in HaTikva had been “li’hiyot AM TORAH b’artzeinu” it would have sent a much different message as to what the purpose and goal of reestablishing a Jewish state in Eretz Yisrael was supposed to be.
Fight all you like about the song, and the meaning of the words of freedom etc…..
HURRAY for the chief rabbinate and kudos to all those bringing torah and light to the soldiers in regaining their mesorah.
Hashem’s children are slowly returning home and we have many to thank for that….
i’m not surprised..the brisker rov said that the zionists wanted a state davka to make jews irreligious(i.e., shmad), which is precisely what is going on here – if this happened in america to christian soldiers, you could bet no one, not even the ACLU would be upset over it – only in israel, because of the tumah of a jew who is poisoned by avoda zara.
did they ever stop to think that even from a secular viewpoint, being religious might make the soldiers into better, more motivated fighters? (then again, if they became really frum, they would see how stupid zionism is from a torah perspective and maybe leave the army or rebel against the medina..the govt might have thought of that)
to #6 – everyone knows who Dovid ha-Melekh is! If the State of Israel were a Jewish state, it would be a monarchy, or at least a republic that developed from a monarchy, founded in the name of Dovid ha-Melekh. It would have a constitution based on Torah. Just as American law is typically (depending on state) based on the English law as of the date the revolution started, Israeli law would be based on Jewish law. But Israel is not now, nor has it ever intended, to be Jewish.
to #9 *parenthetical remarks in 2nd paragraph) –
The army couldn’t survive if Hareidim joined in numbers proportionate to the population, since it would mean most of the army would be people who don’t accept their commanding officers or the governments, very legitimacy.
Matisyohu28
I think you meant Rav Chaim Brisker, not the Brisker Rav
#13, Since you question the accuracy of some Brisker quotes, let me provide you some direct quotations:
Rav Chaim Soloveichik of Brisk:
Dear Rabbi Moshe Carpas:
I have also read your words in connection with the sect of the Zionists who are now powerfully banded together. I do not blush to admit that I do not know how to find paths to oppose them.
Seeing that these men are known as evil in their localities, and have already proclaimed their purpose, which is to uproot the fundamentals of our faith, and to take over all Jewish communities to aid them in their plan.
It is hardly credible that after the revelations of their arrogant hearts there should still be found right-minded men willing to ally themselves with them. It is greatly astonishing throughout the whole Jewish People that they should be given a place and a voice in public affairs, since it is known they are causing others to sin.
Let the people guard their souls lest they join them in the destruction of our religion and become an obstacle to the House of Israel.
_____
“The Zionists do not make Jews heretics in order to have a state, they want a state in order to make Jews into heretics!”
_____
“The Jewish people have suffered many (spiritual) plagues — the Sadducees, Karaites, Hellenisers, Shabbatai Zvi, Enlightenment, Reform and many others. But the strongest of them all is Zionism.”
_____
“If you intend to give a coin to the Jewish National Fund, give it to another idolatry, but not to the Zionists, since this idolatry is worse then any other.”
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“[Zionists] want a state in order to make Jews into heretics. ”
______________________________________
Reb Yitzchok Zev Soloveitchik (the Brisker Rav):
“The Zionists have attacked the center point of Judaism.”
_____
“How can these small rabbis and heads of yeshivas take upon themselves the determination of things dealing with life and death? It is obvious that the partition will bring with it the anger and hostility of the Arabs and other nations of the world. This whole thing touches on the shedding of blood. HOW DO THEY HAVE THE ARROGANCE TO MAKE JUDGMENTS DEALING WITH LIFE AND DEATH?”
_____
When asked: aren’t we to pray for them, in order they should repent from their evil ways? He replied: three times a day in the prayer against the atheists we pray that they should be destroyed
#14 OF COURSE YOU AGREE WITH HIM .ITS THE SAME ‘SITRA’ ,SAME SCHOOL OF THOUGHT. MY KU MASHMELON?
rabbiofberlin said: I always agree with Pashute yid….
Ed Koch said: Pick 12 issues, and if you agree with me on 9 out of 12, vote for me. If you agree with me on 12 out of 12, see a psychiatrist.
#15, there are diffrent types of zionists. some simply believe that we should build up Israel. they should have our full support. but the original zionists strongly believed in secularization and will stop at nothing to achieve it. these are the zionists that KIDNAPPED the yemenite children and stole their yidddishkiet. these are the zionists that those rabbis were talking about. i fully agree with them, and you should
1. talk more respectfully about great rabbunim and 2. get your facts straight
#18, The Rabbonim quoted made no differentiation that you make. They did have their facts straight, and they do receive the highest decorum of respect from Klal Yisroel.
#19, They didn’t specify the ‘bad’ zionists because at the begging of zionism all zionists believed in abadoning the torah.
#20, The Yaldei Teiman happened. Period.
#20, I’m not chas v’shalom saying I don’t support modern, softened zionism, I’m just saying I oppose secularism and that theses great rabbunim were right to do so.
cantor..but when it comes to talk against ehrliche shomrei torah yidden (chareidi in your language)all of a sudden you becoe a kanoi and say,conniving,tax evaders,liars, etc etc ,no we are not going to bother to link again to those numerous places. but when one points out if someone is going against the toireh ,which is not kanuous, he shouldnt but you and your like minded become kanoim when you say your unfounded accusations….bunch of hippocrates..