1300 Religious Zionist Students Rally Against Mixed-Gender IDF Service and Integration Policies

Around 1,300 students from religious Zionist preparatory programs and yeshivas gathered on Sunday evening at an emergency conference organized by the Chotam organization and the Ez BeNamer staff to oppose mixed-gender military service and integration in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The event included dozens of yeshiva heads, war veterans, reservists, Knesset members, and public figures.

Rabbi Yigal Levinstein, head of Bnei David institutions, emphasized the community's loyalty to Israel and the IDF but criticized the shift in military focus away from victory toward irrelevant issues like gender integration. He stated that the joint service order has been effectively suspended since the war began, marking the start of a renewed struggle. Levinstein highlighted the importance of maintaining strict modesty and sanctity within the military camp as essential for morale and strength.

Other speakers, including Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu and Rabbi Elikim Levanon, stressed the need for holiness in the IDF and declared intentions to lead the state and military to uphold these values. Rabbi David Hai Cohen and Rabbi David Fendel reinforced the message that the battle is historic and concerns the IDF's character, asserting that mixed-gender service is forbidden despite not being inherently dangerous.

Rabbi Zvi Kostiner noted that even field officers recognize the incompatibility of mixed combat units in a Jewish state and called for maintaining the camp's sanctity to ensure the best soldiers and commanders' respect. Rabbi Dror Aryeh, one of the organizers, framed the fight as a mission to restore spiritual strength to the army, linking holiness directly to victory.

War wounded Rahamim Yishai Levi shared his personal experience, describing how spiritual motivation and the sanctity of the camp are crucial for soldiers' resilience. Joshua Shani, father of fallen Captain Uri Mordechai, also spoke about the spiritual preparation his son received, crediting it for his strength in battle and calling for the army to become a holy camp to achieve ultimate victory.

Retired Colonel Hazi Nechama recounted showing former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot the consequences of mixed-gender service, including lowered standards and inappropriate conditions, warning that political agendas are undermining military professionalism. The conference underscored a unified call from the religious Zionist community to preserve the IDF's religious character and oppose gender integration policies.

Summary: On Sunday, 1,300 religious Zionist students and leaders convened to oppose mixed-gender IDF service, emphasizing the need to maintain the army's sanctity and traditional values to ensure military strength and victory. Speakers included rabbis, war veterans, and family members of fallen soldiers, all warning that current integration policies threaten the IDF's character and effectiveness.

Points: - 1,300 religious Zionist students from 30 institutions protested mixed-gender IDF service. - Rabbis stressed the army's sanctity as essential for morale and military success. - Speakers declared mixed-gender combat service forbidden and harmful to the IDF. - War veterans and families linked spiritual strength to battlefield resilience. - Retired officers warned lowered standards harm military professionalism. - The community vowed to lead efforts to preserve the IDF's religious character.

Topic: security

Entities: {"people":["Yigal Levinstein","Shmuel Eliyahu","Elikim Levanon","David Hai Cohen","David Fendel","Zvi Kostiner","Dror Aryeh","Rahamim Yishai Levi","Joshua Shani","Uri Mordechai","Hazi Nechama","Gadi Eisenkot"],"organizations":["Chotam","Ez BeNamer","IDF","Bnei David"],"places":["Israel"]}