Dozens of rabbonim and roshei yeshiva from across the Religious Zionist community gathered for an urgent meeting at the home of Rabbi Chaim Druckman in Shapira following a Supreme Court ruling mandating that the IDF begin a pilot program integrating female soldiers into the Armored Corps. Participants warned that the move could have far-reaching consequences for religious soldiers serving in combat roles.

The session, which extended for more than four hours, brought together leading figures representing a wide range of the Religious Zionist spectrum. The primary focus of the discussion was the practical and halachic implications of the ruling on observant soldiers currently serving in the IDF.

Throughout the meeting, speakers sharply criticized both the IDF and the Supreme Court, arguing that religious soldiers are increasingly being placed in circumstances that conflict with their beliefs, halachic standards, and even the army’s own stated guidelines. Several participants noted that they regularly receive urgent inquiries from soldiers in the field—sometimes in the middle of operational activity—seeking guidance on how to navigate mixed-gender situations.

Those present emphasized that their concern is not centered on the broader issue of women serving in the IDF, but rather on the specific impact that mixed combat frameworks would have on religious soldiers. They warned that introducing female soldiers into combat units could effectively push observant soldiers out of frontline roles within the maneuvering forces.

By the conclusion of what participants described as a serious and intense discussion, there was unanimous agreement regarding the gravity of the situation. All those present concurred that a religious soldier who strictly adheres to halacha would be unable to serve within a mixed combat unit.

The rabbonim stressed that every possible effort must be undertaken to halt developments that could, in the near future, sideline religious soldiers from combat service and potentially fracture the IDF into separate tracks for religious and secular personnel.

Rabbi Yaakov Medan said, “We will not serve in a field unit where there is mixing with women. I am not opposed to women serving, but we will not serve in a place where there is mixing. When female soldiers were placed in all the artillery regiments, we unfortunately stopped serving in the artillery. I hope we will not be forced to do the same in the Armored Corps.”

Rabbi Meir Nahorai said, “We are an integral part of the IDF, but we absolutely cannot allow our students to serve in mixed-gender settings that put them in impossible situations, like what is now proposed in the Armored Corps. For two and a half years our people have been on the front and the Chief of Staff did not find time to meet with us? That cannot be. This should matter to him. He should understand that he is in a problem.”

Rabbi Yehuda Gilad clarified, “We are not speaking against women’s service. Many young women from the religious kibbutz serve in the IDF; we are speaking against mixed combat service. Religious students will find it difficult to serve in mixed combat service; this is highly problematic from a Halachic perspective. Of course, one must also speak about reservists, a very large percentage of whom are religious; for them this could be a major crisis.”

Senior roshei yeshiva also raised concerns about the long-term implications, warning of a potential deep divide within the army. Rabbi Zalman Melamed said, “It is impossible for an observant person to serve in a mixed environment. In the advanced Religious yeshivot we have decided that we will not go to the Armored Corps as long as there is no clear decision that there will be no mixing in the Armored Corps.”

Rabbi Shmuel Haber said, “I educate students according to Halacha; from a Halachic perspective mixed service is like eating non-kosher food, it is simply prohibited. We are strict about laws of modesty and therefore mixed service is forbidden. It is simple.”

Rabbi Chaim Wolfson added, “The Supreme Court ruling is tearing the army apart and effectively aims to exclude the religious soldier from the maneuvering force, we must protest the cancellation of the partnership that is so important to the people of Israel and especially in view of their significant contribution in recent times.”

Rabbi Yigal Levinstein emphasized, “In real time, in war and in field practice everything mixes. In combat, if a crew is hit you immediately reassign and soldiers get on the tank and those could also be female soldiers, what do you do in such a situation?”

{Matzav.com}