Israeli Orthodox Rabbis affiliated with the liberal group Beit Hillel, including Rabbis Yaakov Medan, Shlomo Riskin, David Stav and Ohad Teharlev, this week called on their followers to resist mixed combat service of men and women in the IDF and asked the IDF leaders to show sensitivity to the sentiments of the Orthodox public and avoid segregating religious soldiers in “ghettos.”
The group was responding to the much maligned call by Rabbi Yigal Levinstein, head of a pre-military religious academy, to ban mixing men and women in military service, especially in combat units. Levinstein was criticized heavily for his statements, and Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman even demanded his resignation. The Beit Hillel Rabbis’ statement is critical of Levinstein’s unfortunate style, but agrees, in essence with his message.
In a position paper which they disseminated to the National Religious youths who prepare to enlist in the IDF, the Beit Hillel rabbis forbid service for their flock in programs with co-ed housing, especially where men and women participated together in physical activities.
“We object to any attempt at dividing and tearing up the IDF, and to any disrespect for men and women in uniform,” the rabbis wrote, noting that their focus is on combat units. Co-ed work in a capacity that does not involve mixed physical activity is not a problem, being, as they are, part of of our modern lifestyle.
“On the other hand, there are several co-ed combat units in the military where we have been unable to find solutions to the close proximity problem, which is why we rule that [religious Jews] may not serve there,” the Hillel rabbis wrote.
Rabbi Medan, dean of the Har Etzion yeshiva, told NRG that recently the IDF has been swayed by liberal consultants to “reeducate us and force on us a culture to which we are not used.”
