Religious Soldiers in Golani Brigade Request Male Physical Training Instructor

Soldiers from the Hesder Yeshiva unit at the Golani Brigade's training base have requested that the command assign a male physical training instructor to their company. They stated that instruction from a female trainer causes discomfort for many soldiers due to religious laws of modesty. The request was also forwarded to the recently established rabbinical center of the "Oz Be'emer" organization, which handles appeals from religious soldiers.

According to the soldiers, the issue extends beyond the Golani base and involves current army directives. Existing regulations for joint service grant the right to an instructor of the same gender only when there is a risk of physical contact, male-female seclusion, or the need to wear revealing clothing. The soldiers claim that in the past, opportunities for such separation were broader.

The IDF stated that the assignment of male instructors depends on the availability of qualified specialists in each draft. The army emphasized that while a male physical training instructor has not yet been assigned to the Golani base, the command will continue to provide adapted service conditions that comply with joint service orders and accommodate the soldiers' religious lifestyles.