For several dozen chareidim who are members of the IAF, obtaining mehadrin food is still problematic at times. The soldiers are members of a chareidi unit, “Shachar K’Chol”, a unit operating under the auspices of the IDF Rabbinate. After they enlisted the services of an, an agreement was reached by which the IDF is compelled to provide mehadrin food for Shomer Shabbos soldiers requesting it.

The IDF Rabbinate did some investigating, asking just what hechsherim meet the demands of the mehadrin soldiers, and today, a soldier is indeed entitled to mehadrin food. Unfortunately, this is not always the case in the Tel Nof air force base, when the soldiers received regular kashrus, food under the IDF Chief Rabbinate, under the supervision of Rabbi Lt.-Colonel Menashe Menachem. Not really knowing anything about the IDF hechsher or Rav Menashe, the chareidi soldiers opted not to eat, compelling them to turn to the appropriate channels to once again ensure they receive the proper food.

The IDF Spokesman’s Office reports that there is an agreement and there is ample mehadrin food for the soldiers on the Tel Nof base, confirming there were problems as reported, but added the situation has been rectified and every soldier seeking mehadrin meals should receive them without difficulty.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)