Dozens of Rabbanim and Roshei Yeshivos from the Dati Leumi sector gathered on Tuesday for an emergency conference in the wake of the High Court ruling requiring the IDF to begin a pilot program integrating female soldiers into IDF tank units in the coming months, Arutz Sheva reported.
The conference, which lasted more than four hours, included representatives from across the Religious Zionist spectrum—from the liberal wing to the more conservative “Chardal” stream—as well as Roshei Yeshivos of Hesder yeshivos and Roshei Mechina of pre-military academies.
During the meeting, the Rabbanim expressed sharp criticism of both the IDF and the High Court, saying that religious soldiers are being placed in situations that contradict their emunah and halacha, and even contradict existing “joint service” guidelines. Some noted that they receive inquiries from soldiers in the field—sometimes even during operational activity—seeking guidance on how to act in mixed-service situations.
Forceful statements were made by senior Roshei Yeshivos, who warned of a possible rift between the IDF and the Dati Leumi sector. Rabbi Zalman Melamed said, “A frum soldier can’t serve in a mixed unit. We in the yeshivot decided that our talmidim will not serve in the Armored Corps (tank units) as long as there is no clear decision that it will remain non-mixed.”
Rabbi Shmuel Haber said, “I educate my talmdim according to halacha. From a halachic standpoint, mixed service is like eating non-kosher food—it is simply forbidden. We are makpid in hilchos tznius and therefore mixed service is assur. It’s pashut.”
Rabbi Chaim Wolfson added, “The High Court’s ruling is tearing the army apart and is effectively aimed at excluding religious soldiers from tank units. We must protest the dismantling of a partnership so vital to Am Yisrael, especially in light of our sector’s significant contribution in recent times.”
Rabbi Yigal Levinstein emphasized: “In real time, during war, the reality on the ground is that everything becomes mixed. In battle, if a crew is hit, you immediately reassign soldiers who enter the tank, and this could include female soldiers. What can soldiers do in such a situation?”
Rabbi Yaakov Medan said, “We will not serve in field units where there is mixing with women. I am not opposed to women serving, but we will not serve in mixed settings. When female soldiers were introduced into all artillery battalions, we regrettably stopped serving in artillery. I hope we will not be forced to do the same regarding the Armored Corps.”
Rabbi Meir Nehorai said: “We are an integral part of the IDF, but we cannot allow our students under any circumstances—male or female—to serve in mixed-gender frameworks that place them in impossible situations, like what is now being proposed in the Armored Corps. For two and a half years, our sector has been on the front lines, and the IDF Chief of Staff has not found time to meet with us? That is unacceptable. He needs to understand that he has a problem.”
At the conclusion of a lengthy and intense discussion, there was complete unanimity among participants regarding the severity of the situation and the determination that religious soldiers who are makpid on halacha cannot serve in mixed-gender combat units.
The participants included: Rabbi Yaakov Medan, Rosh Yeshiva of the Har Etzion hesder yeshivah; Rabbi Zalman Melamed, the Rosh Yeshiva of the Beit El yeshiva; Rabbi Shmuel Haber, the Rosh Yeshiva of the Karnei Shomron hesder yeshiva; Rabbi Meir Nehorai, the head of the Beit Hillel rabbinical organization and the Rav of Moshav Masuot Yitzhak; Rabbi Amichai Gordin, a reserve armored officer and the Rosh Yeshiva of the Har Etzion Yeshiva for youth; Rabbi Yoel Manovitz, the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas HaGolan; and others.
Also in attendance were Rabbi Yitzhak Nissim, the Rosh Mechina of the Elisha pre-military yeshiva; Rabbi Yigal Levinstein, one of the Roshei Mechina at the Eli academy; Rabbi Yehuda Sadan, the Rosh Yeshiva of the Eli yeshiva; Rabbi Yehuda Gilad, the Rav of Kibbutz Lavi and former Knesset member; Rabbi Eyal Greiner, the Rosh Yeshiva of the Tefachot hesder yeshiva; Rabbi Chananel Etrog, the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Shavei Hevron; Rabbi Chaim Wolfson, the Rosh Yeshiva of the Yeruham hesder yeshiva; Rabbi Yitzhak Sabeto, the Rosh Yeshiva of the Mitzpe Yericho yeshiva; and many others.
(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
