Rabbi David Pendel Responds to Criticism Over Tank Corps Draft Decision

Rabbi Pendel, the head of the Hesder yeshiva in Sderot, which has hundreds of students, released a video this morning, Wednesday, explaining the thinking behind the decision to stop sending students to the armored corps, following the High Court ruling on integrating women into combat units. According to the rabbi, this is not, heaven forbid, a call for refusal to serve, as he put it, but a legitimate demand by the combat students, whose profile does not suit infantry service, that the IDF find a solution allowing them to continue enlisting in the armored corps in a way that is not forbidden to them.

"We represent thousands of students who are soldiers, full of motivation, full of desire, who want to stay anywhere, serve, are willing to give their lives for love of the land, love of the state, and want with all their strength to be part of the national effort and part of the IDF," Rabbi Pendel said. He stressed, "The IDF does not allow this. Suddenly, in the middle of a war, in the most incomprehensible way, they put girls inside the tank, which is forbidden according to Jewish law, according to all rabbis across the entire spectrum. Both 'extremists' and liberals, any rabbi you ask, all rabbis agree on this."

The rabbi clarified that this is a demand from the fighters in the field. "You do not need to ask the rabbis, ask the soldiers. They come to us. They studied Jewish law, they got it from home, they got it from themselves, they do not want to be in a place that is forbidden to them. It is like the army has accepted that no one is forced, heaven forbid, to desecrate Shabbat or eat non-kosher food. Purity of the camp, too, it is so simple."

Responding to the claim of refusal to serve, he said, "Who dares talk about refusal to serve? These guys want to serve, they are looking for ways to serve, they are trying with all their strength to be part of this national effort. Please give us space and we will not divide and will not incite. We want to find the right solution with the State of Israel."

Following the decision to integrate female combat soldiers into tanks, 12 heads of Hesder yeshivas announced last night that they would stop drafting their students into the armored corps starting with the next call-up. The move comes a week before the students are due to begin the enlistment process for the upcoming draft, and following the High Court ruling requiring the integration of female combat soldiers in the armored corps. In a letter sent by the yeshiva heads, they demanded that the IDF find a solution for students whose profile does not allow infantry service.