Thirteen more heads of Hesder yeshivas announced Thursday that their students will not enlist in the tank corps in the next draft, following an earlier decision by twelve other yeshiva leaders, citing objections to the integration of women into combat units.
The announcement comes after the IDF responded to a letter from Hesder yeshiva heads who initially said they opposed refusal to serve in principle, but would not send students to the armored corps due to the inclusion of women soldiers. With the latest group joining, 25 yeshivas have now suspended sending students to the tank corps, potentially affecting hundreds of combat soldiers in the upcoming draft cycle.
The yeshiva leaders who joined the announcement include Rabbi Michael Aharonov (Ma’aleh Ephraim), Rabbi David Amitai (Avinoam), Rabbi Shlomo Binyamin (Lev Ladaat), Rabbi Eran Tamir (Orot Ashkelon), Rabbi Elisha Yinon (Afula), Rabbi Eyal Yakubovich (Safed), Rabbi Eliyahu Mali (Jaffa), Rabbi Avihou Fishpeder (Ashkelon), Rabbi Shlomo Shoshan (Beit She’an), Rabbi Yehoshua Schmidt (Nahalot Yosef), Rabbi David Turgeman (Dimona) and two others who requested anonymity.
In their letter, the rabbis stated that the Supreme Court ruling mandates the integration of male and female soldiers in combat units. They wrote, “We regret the weak response of the state and the army, which did not oppose this measure. As yeshiva heads, we are aware of the heavy responsibility placed on us. The army is the army of the people of Israel, and the sanctity of the camp is the foundation of its spirit and success in defeating the enemy. The inclusion of women in tanks with male soldiers causes spiritual and practical harm to combat effectiveness.”
The rabbis concluded that after careful consideration, “Service in the tank corps is prohibited under Jewish law, and therefore we will not send our students to it starting with the next draft. Thousands of our students who are enlisting in other combat units will continue to serve with dedication, but it is the army’s responsibility to assign soldiers who are not suitable for infantry to combat roles appropriate for their abilities.”
The military responded Wednesday, saying that “in all options considered in the pilot program, there is no scenario in which men and women will serve together in the same unit.” It is still unclear how the pilot will proceed, five months before the date set by the Supreme Court.
The army also stressed that after more than two and a half years of unprecedented, multi-front warfare that expanded operational missions and placed a heavy burden on the reserve system, “the army needs every combat soldier. As the army of the people, we attach the utmost importance to integrating all populations, while accommodating their lifestyle and needs without disadvantaging any group. The Supreme Court did not order the army to draft women into the tank corps but instructed it to carry out the planned pilot.”