As Russia’s war in Ukraine drags on, Kyiv’s chief rabbi and head rabbi of Ukraine’s prison service, Rabbi Jonathan Markovitch, arrived in Israel this week for a professional visit to the IDF’s Shura base, where he consulted with Israel’s Chief Military Rabbi, Brig. Gen. Rabbi Eyal Karim.
Markovitch, who has been working closely with Jewish soldiers in the Ukrainian military, is responsible for ensuring the proper burial of fallen Jewish troops according to Jewish law.
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IDF Chief Rabbi Brig. Gen. Rabbi Eyal Karim and Kyiv’s Chief Rabbi Jonathan Markovitch
His visit focused on the halachic (Jewish legal) challenges posed by combat situations, especially the treatment of bodies and burial on Shabbat, in light of the Ukrainian military’s policy of cremating fallen soldiers — an act prohibited by Jewish law.
The rabbis held in-depth discussions on halachic questions such as whether it’s permissible to violate Shabbat to recover a body for Jewish burial and which technologies may be used on Shabbat for identification purposes.
During his visit, Rabbi Markovitch toured the military rabbinate’s casualty identification facilities at Shura base, which operated non-stop following the October 7 massacre. He was briefed on advanced identification methods developed by the IDF, designed to uphold both halachic principles and the dignity of the dead.
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Markovitch presented Karim with a detailed overview of the situation in Ukraine and the rulings he has issued so far. In turn, Karim shared insights from his own experience on battlefield halacha and pastoral support for observant soldiers in active service.
The two rabbis agreed to establish a direct communication channel for future real-time consultations. “The frontlines in Ukraine demand fast, creative halachic solutions,” Rabbi Markovitch said.
“When a Jewish soldier falls in battle, we face a race against time to ensure a proper Jewish burial before the military proceeds with cremation. The guidance we received today from the IDF rabbinate will be invaluable — though we pray we won’t have to use it.”
“Despite the distance and differing circumstances, we share a deep mutual responsibility to ensure every Jewish soldier receives the final honors in accordance with Jewish law and tradition,” He added.