The Belzer Chassidus on Tuesday forcefully rejected reports claiming that the Belzer Rebbe took part in drafting religious guidelines incorporated into new Israel Defense Forces General Staff orders. Senior figures in the chassidus dismissed the claims with derision, stating unequivocally that neither the Rebbe nor anyone acting on his behalf had any involvement in the matter at any stage.

The response followed earlier reports alleging that the Belzer Rebbe and the Stoliner Rebbe participated in formulating rules intended to regulate chareidi enlistment in the IDF, including direct dialogue with military officials, the dispatch of representatives to meetings, and approval of specific clauses in the orders.

Belzer sources flatly denied the claims, calling all such reports “false,” and added that the journalists who published them failed to seek any response from the chassidus beforehand. According to the statement, this omission violated basic standards of journalistic ethics and professional conduct.

The denial came as additional coverage aired on i24NEWS, which reported on the composition of a supervisory committee tasked with overseeing chareidi service frameworks within the IDF. The report said the committee would include representatives from Ashkenazi and Sephardi yeshivos, as well as figures linked to the Belzer and Stoliner courts.

According to that report, the committee members named were Rav Dovid Leibel, Rav Shimon Binik, Rav Avrohom Borodiansky, Rav Meir Antebi, Rav Asher Zelfreind, and Rav Carmi Gross. The committee is expected to have authority to conduct inspections at IDF bases where chareidi soldiers are serving.

Earlier on Tuesday, journalist Yoeli Brim reported that the Belzer and Stoliner Rebbes were involved in shaping the religious standards embedded in the new General Staff orders, including participation in discussions with the IDF and approval of the final language. That account was categorically rejected by Belz.

The controversy unfolded on the same day that IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi signed the new General Staff orders formally regulating chareidi service in the military. Until now, policies governing chareidi enlistment had been internal directives of the IDF Manpower Directorate. The new orders elevate those policies to binding General Staff regulations, subject to formal oversight, implementation, and periodic review at the highest levels.

The orders outline additional rights for chareidi soldiers, including designated prayer times, mehadrin kashrus standards, and the option of a declaration of allegiance in place of a formal oath.

They also establish three dedicated chareidi service tracks. One framework assigns soldiers to gender-segregated teams. A second, known as the “Cherev” track, provides fully gender-segregated units—such as entire battalions—where combat commanders are generally chareidi or religious soldiers, with rare exceptions requiring special approval. A third framework, the “Dovid” track, consists of units in which all personnel maintain a religious lifestyle; such units will require individual authorization from the head of the Manpower Directorate.

Under the new regulations, candidates seeking placement in chareidi tracks will be required to pass an evaluation demonstrating adherence to a chareidi way of life, with provisions allowing for removal from the framework if those standards are not maintained. The orders also permit chareidi soldiers, under justified circumstances, to enter and leave bases without wearing uniforms, and stipulate that their induction will be conducted via declaration rather than oath.

{Matzav.com}