Religious Zionist Rabbis Urge Defense Minister Katz to Halt Active Recruitment of Religious Girls in IDF

Senior rabbis from the Religious Zionist community met with Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz to discuss the recruitment of religious girls into the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the issue of mixed-gender service. The rabbis requested that the IDF stop actively encouraging religious girls to enlist, emphasizing the need to respect the spiritual leadership's stance and the choices of girls educated in religious schools. They also addressed the integration of female soldiers and mixed service within the IDF, urging Katz to ensure that his policies are implemented at all command levels.

The meeting included prominent rabbis from the "Rabbis of the Good Land Torah" organization, such as Rabbi Yaakov Ariel, Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, Rabbi David Hai Cohen, Rabbi Elyakim Levanon, Rabbi Eitan Eiseman, Rabbi Yosef Artzi'el, and Rabbi Michael Hershkovitz. Additionally, heads of the Ali pre-military academy, Rabbi Eli Sadan and Rabbi Yigal Levinstein, participated. The rabbis described the discussion as a "warm and focused working meeting," expressing full and unequivocal support for Katz's efforts. They highlighted his leadership in advancing significant breakthroughs both in guiding the IDF to victory in all arenas and in strengthening and developing the settlement enterprise.