Chief Rabbi Urges Military to Drop Charges Against Soldiers Refusing Mixed-Gender Service

Chief Rabbi Kalman Meir Bar has appealed to the IDF Chief of Staff and the Minister of Defense to cancel the prosecution of soldiers from the Givaty Brigade's Rotem Battalion. The soldiers are facing charges after refusing to board a personnel carrier that contained a female paramedic, citing religious objections.

In a strongly worded letter, Rabbi Bar argued that the military's handling of the incident fails to adequately consider the lifestyle of religious soldiers and the principle of "sanctity of the camp." He urged the military leaders to review the event not just through the lens of regulations and procedures, but also with broader considerations and the potential consequences of their decision.

Rabbi Bar invoked the concept of "the fifth Shulchan Aruch," referring to principles of common sense and ethical conduct not explicitly codified in law but essential for a Jewish army, such as "And your camp shall be holy." He drew a parallel to how the IDF has historically accommodated religious soldiers regarding kosher food and Shabbat observance, asserting that similar considerations are necessary for issues of mixed-gender service.

"Why, on the issue of joint service, does a religious soldier, who observes Torah and commandments, for whom the matters of 'sanctity of the camp' are existential, have no say?" he questioned, calling for revised directives to align with the religious soldier's way of life. He expressed deep concern for Hesder Yeshiva students and religious soldiers in combat roles, criticizing military codes established by those distant from Jewish tradition, which he believes lead to the "condemnation" of these soldiers.

He warned that prosecuting soldiers in such circumstances could jeopardize efforts to integrate additional populations into military service. "Such an action, to prosecute soldiers whose sole intention is to maintain the sanctity of the camp, could bring disaster upon the need to integrate everyone into this campaign," Rabbi Bar wrote. He concluded his letter with a heartfelt plea to the Chief of Staff and the Minister of Defense to reconsider their decision, emphasizing his responsibility for the unity of the Jewish people.