IDF ceremony may be toned down to accommodate religious

The Knesset's Education Committee will discuss acompromise solution this week that may avert the Bnei Akiva religious youth movement's threat to shun an IDF memorial ceremony featuring female singers. 

Committee chairman Knesset Member Zevulun Orlev (Habayit Hayehudi) began negotiations with elements in the Gush Etzion Council that are organizing the event in an attempt to incorporate Bnei Akiva into the ceremony after all.

Ynet learned that according to one compromise proposal, the IDF Band will perform in a different style than planned and will sing slow songs and traditional national songs. A Bnei Akiva source estimated that the movement would agree to take part in such ceremony.

"The opposition to the band's performance stemmed mainly from the atmosphere surrounding this type of show," he told Ynet. "The Defense Ministry insisted that it be upbeat and fun and in this case we all know there is no difference as far as modesty is concerned between a military band and a 'civilian' rock band. This bothers us more than the actual singing of women."

Religious Zionism principles

MK Orlev himself said: "It is unacceptable to me that the Bnei Akiva movement not participate in the ceremony, along with the rest of the youths participating in the event."

Dozens of Bnei Akiva and Religious Kibbutz Movement members convened Saturday night in an effort to work out the halachic aspect of female singing and discuss the campaign against the ban.

Participants said that they will likely decide in favor of taking part in the main event dressed in the movement's t-shirts, even if the Bnei Akiva national board not withdraw its decision to shun the event. They called on other movement branches to do the same.