Religious Soldiers: Stop Provoking Us

Arutz Sheva ^ | 24/1/12 | Gil Ronen

[Eleutheria5]

The Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee hosted Major General Orna Barbivai Monday and discussed the Tal Law and the need to enlist hareidim to the army. However, an NGO that advocates for the rights of religious soldiers says that elements within the IDF are purposely provoking kippah-wearers.

According to Eliyahu Lax, Chairman of the Organization for the Religious Soldier, public promises to make army service more religious-friendly do not materialize on the ground.

Lax said that in Bahad 1, where the Officer's Training Courses are held, "they did not give cadets time for prayer, there has been women's singing with no possibility of leaving [the room] at the end of three training courses in a row, and there was the story of sending religious soldiers to clean women's restrooms although it is against the law, and more."

The problems are not isolated and unrepresentative, Lax insisted. "Every day I receive phone calls about religion-related problems. Some of the cases have not yet hit the press."

Lax relates an incident in which hareidi soldiers from the Vizhnitz, Boyan and Gur hassidic dynasties were sent to have basic training in a base with a population that is 50 percent female. "In my view, that is intentional," he said.

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[Eleutheria5]

Speaking as a Chabad Hassid (not the same thing as a Haredi, but with many similar issues), I hate to break it to Lax, but 50% of the people in the world are female. 50% of your parents are female. 50% of any marriage you might enter into (except in Vermont) will be female. You have a 50/50 chance of having a girl after copulation with your female wife that results in gestation. Learn to cope. It's part of life.

[ari-freedom]

There’s a reason why Marines don’t have coed training. Sex doesn’t belong in the military.

[Eleutheria5]

I understand that completely. The larger question is why they don’t have segregated bases and training altogether. But somehow it works for the IDF, and if Haredim are to be part of it, they’ll have to cope.

I’ve had friends who served back when a Haredi in the IDF was like a blue moon, and they were constantly baited and harassed for being Haredi. But they got through it. Now Haredim, both male and female, are more common, so they get respect day-to-day from their fellow troops. The more of them enlist, the more they’ll be accommodated.

[ari-freedom]

It’s a big problem not just with Haredi but also Hesder.

[Eleutheria5]

As I say, it’ll be a big problem as long as enlistment is only 50%. Once religious Jews are 50% of the IDF, it’ll be absolutely necessary for the upper echelons to accommodate them. The answer is to enlist, not b@#$ and moan.